They'll Never Take Me Alive Because I'm Already Dead
Chapter one: And the nice thing about a stake through the heart was that it also worked on non-vampires.
Title comes from this Ice Nine Kills song (warning for blood and cursing), talk to me about INK, how about that new album, guys!!! Obsessed. Anyway, chapter title from Going Postal by Terry Pratchett.
(Title in Docs was "CAUSE MY MONSTERS WERE REAL!" Which is from this song from Shinedown. Great album, but not my favorite song, talk to me, I'll rec better songs. (Warning for death? And bad home life??? Idk I didn't really watch the video.)
Words: 3,355
Warnings: Fantastical racism, it is heavily implied that Roman suspects some form of abuse is happening, but it's not explicitly said.
This chapter is fairly light, but overall this fic will be darker than my usual fare.
Masterpost | My Discord | AO3
BIAD Masterpost | Next Chapter
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Roman Sanders stalked through the streets, keeping to the shadows. He knew that was, in fact, where those who he was hunting would also stay, but it was still the most effective way to get around unseen. Especially since it was mid-afternoon.
This may have seemed counter-intuitive, but Roman wasn't actively hunting right now. At least, not yet. No, right now he was on a mission of reconnaissance. He had gotten wind of a monster of some sort living in this neighborhood. He never heard what the creature was, or much else, just that they had been… around. That was the trouble with relying on word-of-mouth, but it was all he had, really. Often times it was usually just people being paranoid, but fact of the matter was that there had been more than one testament of a monster around here, with some manner of consistency, although the descriptions varied. Which meant, Roman had to figure out what it was in order to defeat it. Some manner of shape shifting beast probably, which didn't necessarily narrow it down, when it came to monsters.
Society had been shocked three decades ago when all those tall tales of monsters, and creatures that lurked in the night had turned out to be real. Apparently, they'd been around for centuries, but only took to revealing themselves fairly recently. Mostly, the reaction had been outwardly positive, Roman remembered as he crept around to the back of a house. Some people had been secretly scared of them, yes, but there hadn't been all that much outcry against them.
Well, not in public, anyway.
There were plenty of sources available for how to protect yourself against or 'supernatural beings,' or 'supes,' or whatever they called themselves, and how to treat them, some of what to expect, cultural things, (ha! As if these monsters had culture); all informational stuff, which Roman had looked at in order to prepare himself. He steered clear of those places that seemed to idealize the monsters, fawning over them. Roman shuddered just thinking about it, stepping behind a particularly thick shrub.
But, if you knew where to look, smatterings of online communities that told of how to actually take care of them. In a more permanent manner. Roman tapped his fingers on his dagger, stake, and the variety of other items, including a lot of silver, in his pockets that he'd gone through over and over before he'd left. Just in case, he thought again to himself. The silver should take care of most monsters, and if silver didn't work, the stake and dagger didn't need to be silver to work on the other kinds. He nodded to himself. It definitely wasn't the first time he'd done this. Well, at least this part.
The truth was, he'd never actually faced a monster. Not in combat. Not like he hadn't wanted to. Every other lead he'd gotten had been a dead end. Or, as Roman supposed, creeping around a set of garbage pails, peering around the corner of the house, an undead end. Ha!
Wait, no, that would mean it wasn't an undead end, because they'd turned out to not be a monster. Of course, the joke could still stand, just because he'd been looking for them, even if it hadn't panned out. Although, that brought up the question of whether or not it was an end, anyway, it was really more of a series of beginnings-
"May I help you?"
"GAAAIIII'M FINE!" Roman had been so caught up in his head that he hadn't even noticed the person standing at the doorway, garbage bag in hand. He cleared his throat to try and hide the flush that was rising on his cheeks. "I mean, that's alright, I don't need any assistance, thank you." The person at the door tilted their head.
"Are you sure, kiddo? You're crouching behind my trash can." They raised their eyebrow, smiling slightly, not looking mad or even annoyed at all.
"Of course! I'm just," he hesitated slightly, he didn't want to reveal too much, "stretching." He haphazardly started putting his leg out, bending over it, still crouched. This was…not his best idea.
"Mhmm." They had both eyebrows raised now, their smile looking more like they were trying not to laugh. "Yes, I can see that."
"I'm in the middle of a rather intense game of hide and seek!" Roman insisted, bringing his leg back in. That much was true, at least. Just that the hiders weren't aware that he was seeking.
"Will it disturb your game if I throw out my garbage?" They held the bag out, giving it a little shake. Roman quickly got up, standing back, gesturing at the pail.
"No, of course!" They smiled, walking down the small stairs. Roman looked around. He was standing out in full view, maybe he should call this a loss, and come back later? Maybe in disguise.
"My name's Patton! He/him." Roman looked up to see him tossing the garbage bag in before closing it up again. "I'd let you shake my hand, but it's sort of full of garbage. E-heh!"
"I'm Roman," Roman smiled, taking a bow. "And it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance!"
"Well," Patton started, grin growing wide, "I know you're roamin' around my garbage, kiddo!" He laughed, and Roman couldn't help but join him, chuckling. Patton looked at him, still smiling. "It's nice to meet you, too, Roman! If there's anything you need, my house is a pretty good hiding spot?" He jerked his thumb back towards the door.
Patton turned back, slowly going up the steps. Roman considered. Patton had been nice. Quite frankly, he was a little shocked that he hadn't called the cops, or threatened him in any manner. Roman wasn't exactly sure why he trusted him so much, but he was very likable. Both in personality and in face. He seemed very bubbly, but perhaps the type of person who feared monsters? It must have been his innate desire to protect the innocent.
"Um!" He called out, and Patton immediately turned around. "I'm not exactly sure if it's legal in hide and seek to go into somebody's house, but maybe I'll take you up on that offer?" Patton beamed.
"Sure! Come on in!" He held open the door. "After you!"
"Thank you!" Roman nodded, smiling back, trotting up the stairs and into his house, and right into what appeared to be the kitchen. He stood, hands clasped behind his back as he idly surveyed the room, eyes going immediately to a box of dog biscuits on the counter, and a dog bowl on the floor.
His smile widened into a toothy grin, looking at Patton as he washed his hands in the sink after closing the door. "Do you have a dog?!" His hands came in front of him, clenched in excited fists. He found himself bouncing in place a little.
Patton laughed, although it didn't sound mocking; his eyes were crinkled at the corners.
"Nope, sorry, kiddo. We kind of only have a dog sometimes."
"Ah," Roman nodded. "I used to dogsit, too."
"Mm. So, what'd you wanna talk about?" He cocked his head to the side. Roman composed himself.
"Well, I have a confession." Roman rolled his shoulders back. "I'm, not exactly playing hide and seek."
"No," Patton put two hands over his mouth as he gasped, which also worked to hide his smile.
"Yes," Roman couldn't help himself, he leaned down, keeping his voice at a stage-whisper. "As a matter of fact, I'm on a mission to gather information."
"Well that sounds pretty serious," his smile shifted a little as he took his hands away from his face. "Maybe we should talk about it over a cup of hot chocolate. What do you say?" He went to reach into his cabinet, presumably for the chocolate.
"Oh," Roman began, "I couldn't possibly impose more than I already am."
"If you're sure," Patton turned around and shrugged, the gesture big as he glanced at Roman out of the side of his eye. "I was going to have some anyway, although too much chocolate hurts my tummy, and I just have so much coco here." He took out the canister, giving it a little shake.
Dear lord, he actually said the word 'tummy' out loud. Roman almost hoped that he was wrong about the monster being near; Patton would get eaten alive. Roman played off the shudder that went through his body by adjusting his belt, and then put his palm on his chest.
"Well, when you put it that way, it would be an honor to help you out." He grinned again, silently reaffirming to himself why he was trying to track down monsters to begin with. Patton sent another smile his way, gesturing to the table in the room.
"Go ahead and have a seat!" He placed the coco on the counter, grabbing out a white mug, before hesitating, and put his hand on his chin in thought. "I guess that should be okay…" he mumbled to himself. Roman took this time to pull out a chair and sit. He continued to look around the room while waiting, occasionally looking back at Patton, who had taken out another mug, which was darker than the first.
Roman idly tapped his finger against the tabletop as he watched him take out spoons, and then walk over to a metal plugged in pot. He didn't know what it was, and when Patton turned around to grab spoons from the drawer, he must have seen his expression, because he explained himself.
"It's a hot water pot!" He started doling out powder into the mugs as he spoke. "My," There was an almost unnoticeable pause, "roommates come home from work soon, and they like to have hot water ready for tea, or coco, or coffee, or whatever." He tilted the pot into the dark mug, mixing in the water with a spoon.
Roman felt that he was intruding upon something, somehow, but Patton just did the same in the white mug before getting something else from the original cabinet, and doing something that Roman couldn't quite see. He nodded showing that he was following, but the funny feeling remained
When Patton returned to the table he placed the dark mug, as well as a napkin in front of Roman, and took a seat with his own white one. Roman's eyes locked onto the mug he was given immediately, and his eyes light up.
"Jack Skellington? I love Nightmare!" He turned it around to get a better look at it; it had Oogie on it, too. He looked up at Patton again, a little more subdued, "Actually, I love all Disney, and I keep a special place in my heart for every one of my precious babies."
Patton barked out a laugh at that, and Roman squinted to look at his mug. It was, indeed white, but now he could see little paw prints patterned all over it. And, right in the middle, the words "MY DAY IS RUFF BEFORE COFFEE" were displayed prominently. And now it was Roman's turn to let out a laugh. "Very nice."
"Wait, it's got a back!" And Patton turned it, carefully, around, and sure enough on the other side he could see "MY PURRFECT CUP" written. He chuckled at that one, too, before finally looking down at the napkin. There were two marshmallows on it.
"Oh, how thoughtful." He noticed that Patton had placed one inside of his own mug, so it wasn't like he had gone out of his way, necessarily, but gosh he was just being so nice, and his grin just grew. "Thank you," he said sincerely, placing one of them in his cocoa.
"Not a problem!" His grin faltered a little. "Actually, I'm kinda used to setting it up that way for V; that's his mug you're using." He started to idly swirl his drink with the spoon. "That's how he likes to drink it." He seemed more reserved suddenly, his nervousness evident.
This was, well, he couldn't necessarily say this was out of character. He had only known Patton for such a small amount of time. It seemed silly. And yet.
"Well, I hope that he won't mind me borrowing his delightful Disney drink-holder." Roman watched Patton carefully as his smile reappeared in full force again. It seemed strained.
"Oh no," Patton insisted, stopping his stirring and putting his hands up, placating. Almost as though he was used to attempting to prevent an argument. "He won't mind, he's just," he paused, looking up, as though the molding had the answer that he was looking for. "Um. Shy? Around new people?" He took a sip.
"You sound very certain about that." Roman was here for a purpose, true, but that didn't mean he ever stopped being a gentleman. That didn't mean that he stopped trying to protect the innocent in any manner that might call for. This 'V' was starting to concern him.
"No, I swear, he's great; they both are." Patton smiled for real this time, softer than his usual grin. "He really does just have some problems with talking to new people." Roman nodded, accepting the explanation, but still hypervigilant as always, and finally taking a sip of his own.
"Delicious!" He smiled at him, genuine compliment falling easily from his lips. "Truly you've outdone yourself!"
"Thank you!" Patton's full grin was back, "but aw, shucks, it was nothing!" And his reaction seemed genuine back. Not like he was unused to compliments, at least. Hm. Roman took another sip as Patton relaxed his head in his hands. "So, what were you trying to find out?" Roman swallowed as he considered his phrasing.
He certainly didn't want to alarm Patton unduly, but he did want to stress how important it was to find the monster out. And also how dangerous it was to have it near this very house. He would need to exert caution, that's for sure, and to be wary of everyone. He exhaled.
"Well, I was wondering, if you had seen anything," he gestured his hands forward, "unusual lately?" He mentally winced at how clichè that sounded. "I mean, around this neighborhood, specifically. Moreso than usual?"
"Hmm," Patton seemed to consider this seriously, "we've really only been here for half a year, Roman."
"Oh, well that's perfect!" Roman splayed his fingers apart earnestly. "I've only heard word start to spread about it for the past few months!" Patton took another sip, staring at the liquid in the mug, smile flickering down before he pulled it right back up. This took Roman aback so much that he had to take another drink to cover up his flinch. Alarm bells were ringing in his head. Maybe… maybe this 'V' character was even more insidious than he'd originally thought. Perhaps… he was doing something illegal that Patton was uncomfortable with?
"Unusual how?" He looked at Roman right in the eyes. Luckily, Roman's years of theater practice meant that he could stare back without it becoming awkward. Apparently Patton didn't hold that same experience, soon thereafter turning away with a small laugh. Roman inhaled, exhaled, and contemplated his phrasing, head titled as though drawing his words from a teleprompter.
"Oh, anything at all, really. Anything that would make you uncomfortable." Patton didn't react at all to that. Damn. Well, he might as well ask about his original quest, keeping an ear open about 'V'. "Perhaps noises in the middle of the night, untoward smells from anywhere, shadows that don't quite match up," he turned slightly in order to glance at Patton out of the corner of his eyes. "Maybe someone entering a house without sign that they've left again?" Now Patton reacted visually to the last one, cringing at what Roman was implying. He awkwardly turned it into a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head.
"That's maybe a little hard to tell, Roman." He exhaled, locking onto his gaze again. "Do you really think that's a concern for whoever you're looking to- I mean, you're looking for supernaturals, right?"
Roman was a little shocked that he picked up what his goal was. He hadn't been overly subtle, sure, but he hadn't been overtly frank, either. (Of course, he wasn't Frank, he was Roman.) He nodded, once, eyes wide and excited, listening closely.
Patton nodded back. "So, you are trying to find supernaturals?" Roman nodded more vigorously. "May I ask why?"
"I," he gulped, "believe there's reason to be cautious." He wasn't sure how much to reveal to him. He called them by the societally acceptable name, but he maybe he could get him to understand how important it was to be careful. "I know there's all the laws, but they're not perfect. I just," he caught his gaze again, making sure he understood this, "want to make sure that people are protected. In whatever way I can."
"Mm…" he seemed unsettled, still. "You're doing it all by yourself?" He swirled the liquid in his mug that he was still holding. "You don't, have anyone waiting for you in case you get hurt or anything?" Roman's heart melted. It seemed Patton was just worried about him being hurt, himself. What a sweet guy.
"Well," he smiled, "this is just the evidence gathering part." He flipped his hand, gesticulating, "once I find some, I'll probably tell a few," he wiggled his fingers as chose his words carefully; Patton was clearly a sensitive soul, "people who are more experienced in this matter," he settled on. "Who will know how to handle any... dangerous situations."
They stared at each other for a moment, when Patton's eyes widened, and flicked away for a moment, before he grinned, tooth-filled and cheeks tight.
"Well, gee, that sounds like a great plan to me!" Roman blinked, bringing his head back an inch from how suddenly loud Patton was. Roman smiled, lopsided.
"Oh, thank you, I-"
"In fact, you probably should get started on that right now!" Patton stood up suddenly, chair screeching behind him. Roman frowned nervously.
"Um," he fiddled with the handle of his mug. "Do you want me to help clean up?" He raised an eyebrow, what just happened? He didn't think he'd said anything offensive.
"Nope, don't worry about it!" He grabbed his own hot chocolate quickly, sloshing a few drops over the side. Some of it got on his hand, but he only flinched a little, extra wide smile barely faltering. "I've got everything covered here! You just go along and figh- protect people!" He came around and slid Roman's chair out from the table. "After you!"
"But, I was just supposed to be finding out information?" Roman's frown deepened as he turned to look at him. "And, you didn't even really tell me anything?" Patton laughed nervously, and he continued to slide his chair towards the door. He was… doing that with one hand.
"Whoops, guess I forgot! Well, good luck supernaturaling people! I mean protecting fights!" He wasn't making any sense. And he was becoming increasingly distraught, and it all seemed to happen out of nowhere.
Something was wrong.
Roman frowned and stood up, throwing Patton off-balance momentarily before he clutched the chair closer to himself.
"Now wait just a moment, Patton!" He noticed his smile drop a bit. He put his hands on his hips. "What on Earth is going on here?!"
"Um, you're very inspiring?" Roman took a step closer, arms stretched out, stopping short of grabbing his shoulders.
"While that is true, I think we both know that that's not the reason you're acting like this so suddenly. Now I know that we just met, but I'd like to help you! Roman took another step forward, and Patton gulped. "But I'm going to need you to tell me the truth!"
And that's when the door slammed open.
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Happy Halloween. :)
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