LYRICAL!

She would not wake for some hours now. It should be days, but something about the magic of the beacons seemed to affect the typical turning sleeps, from what he could tell from those Scott had turned.

With his new fledgling secure in his arms, Legundo lifted his head to check on Owen. Abolish had carefully lowered the lumberjack to the ground, and it seemed Owen was already stirring. He must have tried to get up too quickly, the weight of the attack and the sprint through to woods too much for his sickly body.

You could save him too, Legundo tried not to think. His hands shook where they were splayed across Apo's back.

"Don't touch me!" Owen hissed as he regained consciousness, shoving Abolish away. Abolish allowed the movement, stepping back to give Owen enough space to get to his feet, but staying close enough to catch him if he fell again. Legundo watched Owen carefully, the way his wide brown eyes darted between him and Apo's unconscious body. An instinctual wave of protectiveness rushed through him, and he curled himself tighter around his fledgling with a low growl.

Abolish shifted to place himself between Legs and Owen.

"Give them a moment, Owen."

Legs could hear Abolish's voice, but it was hard to process the words. It had been so long since he had taken a fledgling, he had forgotten how overwhelming it could be. He swallowed and tried to drag his mind out of the depths of his instincts. He pulled in a slow breath, and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Apo's head.

"Abolish," he whispered. Abolish glanced over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Legs, with as much care as he possibly could, got to his feet.

"Can you—" Legs continued, shakily. "Take her back to town. Set her up in the clinic. I'll… I'll be there soon."

It went against everything that was screaming in his mind to hold Apo's body out towards Abolish. But the situation was still so delicate. Owen looked like he was ready to bolt. But he didn't look scared. He looked hurt.

"You should be there when she wakes," Abolish said, voice careful.

"I will be," Legundo replied. "I… have one more patient to see."

Abolish nodded tersely, and carefully stepped forward to take Apo from his arms. Legs couldn't quite stop the growl that ripped out of him on instinct, and was impressed by the way Abolish didn't even flinch.

"Sorry," Legs muttered.

"You're fine, Doc," Abolish said. "I've got her."

Abolish gave him a solemn nod, and began to make his way back towards town, Apo carefully balanced in his arms. Legundo watched until his silhouette disappeared amongst the trees, then finally returned his attention to Owen.

The lumberjack was trembling, stood at the far end of the clearing, still staring at Legundo with a strange anguish in his eyes.

"Owen…" he said softly, and Owen flinched.

"It was Scott," Owen spat. Legundo nodded.

"I guessed as much," he said darkly. "Did he hurt you?"

"Tried to," Owen muttered. "Apo got in the way. He do that to you?"

Legundo let out a slow breath.

"I turned him," he said quietly. "A wedding gift. We promised each other eternity, and we… made it official."

He couldn't keep the agony out of his voice. Owen made a noise, a strangled sound in the back of his throat that Legundo realised was a sob. He watched as, with trembling hands, Owen fished something out from beneath his shirt.

On a simple piece of twine around his neck were two rings. One was simple, hammered brass without any stone inset. The other was more ornate, a polished gold with a tiny crimson stone. It was also, for some reason, familiar. Legs frowned, and took a half step towards Owen.

Owen wrapped a hand firmly around the rings, gripping them close to his chest.

"I…" Owen choked out the word around another barely contained sob. "I knew a vampire, before I came here."

Legundo watched Owen's posture shift, as he curled in on himself, like he was wrapping his entire body around the rings gripped in his hand.

"He was… he was going to turn me," Owen whispered. "He… they killed him, before he could."

"Owen, I… I'm so sorry," Legundo said. He took another careful step towards Owen. The responding flinch was less dramatic that time.

"I should have known," Owen said softly. "That you were like him. No one else has ever been kind to me. Just… you and Louis."

Legundo froze.

He did recognise the ring.

Louis loved pretty little trinkets, and had an absurd collection of jewellery. After he took Legundo's gift, he embraced the aesthetic joyously, in a way Legundo never had. (Scott had already dressed like a vampire before Legundo turned him). Gold and crimson had been Louis' favourite colours.

He let out a slow breath.

"I am a monster, Owen," he said, putting the shock aside. "Not because of what I am, but because of what I have done."

"I… don't see you as a monster," Owen said quietly.

"You should."

They stared at each other across the clearing. Legundo could see what his fledgling would have seen in the lumberjack. He had no doubt that Louis would have loved Owen just as fiercely as Owen obviously loved him.

"I… need to get back to Apo," Legundo finally made himself say, feeling the unsteady edge of the bond in his mind. The longer he was away from his new fledgling, the more on edge he grew. Owen nodded, still curled in on himself.

"Are you well enough to walk back?" Legs asked, the concern mostly professional. Owen scoffed.

"I'm fine," he spat, and turned away.

Legundo did not push, just fell in quiet step beside him.

"I… won't tell anyone," Owen muttered, after they had walked for a moment.

"Thank you, Owen."

"But you have to promise me something," Owen said firmly, still not looking at Legs.

Legundo waited as Owen obviously wrestled with a thought.

"Don't turn me."

Legundo's steps faltered. Owen paused, but kept his back turned.

"If… if it couldn't be him, then it'll be no one."

"Owen—"

"Let me die, Legs." Owen said it softly, but with great conviction. Legundo swallowed.

"I…" Legundo felt an argument build in his throat, and forced it down. "If that's what you want."

"I want him," Owen said. "But that'll be close enough."