[FANFIC] Cigarettes and hemoglobin

[giefu]

Title: Cigarettes and hemoglobin
Character(s) or Pairing(s): Conrad Achenleck, Doc Worth
Rating: PG-13 for mild swears
Warnings: Doc Worth
Summary: futuresoon made me do it.

Conrad hated visiting the alley on his own. It was dark, smelly and about as far removed from what he liked to think of as his 'normal' life as you could get. Usually, he was only here with Hanna and Zombie when Hanna managed to mess himself up really badly (which was about once a week). Then he'd pick up his blood and leave, hoping somewhat shamefully that Hanna would be back here again soon, either to accompany him or pick up a blood pack to pass on. But, for whatever reason, this week he'd managed to miss Hanna and Zombie at every opportunity. Now it was Saturday and even Conrad could see that he'd need some blood soon or he'd die. Or un-die. Or however it worked for vampires.

And that meant doing this.

Steeling himself, he knocked on the door.

"Enter."

Doc Worth was sitting at his desk in pretty much exactly the same position as he had been when Conrad last saw him. Could easily have been the same cigarette dangling from his lips, too. He was definitely wearing the same clothes. Conrad suppressed a comment.

"I'm here for.... you know." It still felt ridiculous to say it. "The stuff."

The doctor looked at him in mock bafflement. "No, I do not know, Mister Achenleck. What 'stuff' you possibly be here for? Prescription medication? Girl scout cookies? My good advice?"

Conrad was getting seriously hungry now. He held onto the doorframe, every muscle tensing. It would be very easy to let go, but that was the third option. The one he wasn't willing to take. Not yet.

"I want blood, asshole." he snarled. "You're usually so keen to give it to me."

Worth reached over and rummaged in his desk drawer, pulling out a bag. "Here you go." He tossed it to Conrad, who just managed not to fumble the catch. "Enjoy."

He watched with a smirk as the vampire turned his back and dug his fangs into the blood pack. There was a long pause. Conrad took the pack out of his mouth and looked at it. Sniffed it. He'd had a lot of blood by now, and he was beginning to taste how each one was different. This one, though... this one was odd. It had a sour tang like nicotine, with a harsh, aspirin-y aftertaste. The worst part was that he almost recognised it.

"This tastes familiar." Conrad turned around to see Worth grinning like a shark who'd just spotted a particularly delicious seal.

"It should do." the doctor's smile widened, showing a variety of yellow teeth. "It's mine."

Conrad's expression cycled through various stages of shock and horror before finally settling on disgust. Spitting out the blood, he stormed up to the desk and shoved the bag under Worth's nose.

"What is wrong with you?" he demanded shrilly. "Seriously?!"

The doctor raised himself in his seat so that he was eyeball-to-eyeball with the vampire, the still-lit cigarette now smoking in his hand.

"Don't like it?" he spat. "Go behave like a real vampire and get your own damn food. You've pretty much cleaned me out anyway, or did you think I was a magical blood fairy?"

Worth jabbed his finger into Conrad's ribcage. The vampire recoiled at his touch.

"Delivery couldn't come this week, and this isn't exactly a hospital. So I had to improvise. You're lucky type don't matter. Now, you gonna drink that like a good little vampire or are you gonna let yourself starve just to spite me?"

Conrad took a deep, shaky breath. "I am going to drink this-" he stood back and held up the bloodbag, "Because I need it. Don't think that this makes you special."

He turned to go. "You are a terrible doctor."

Doc Worth winked at him. Somehow that made Conrad feel even dirtier.

"And you're a crappy vampire."


EPILOGUE (A FEW WEEKS LATER):

"Hey Connie!" Hanna stopped and sniffed the air. "Conrad, are you smoking? Cause that's seriously bad for your health."

Conrad glowered at him and rubbed the patch on his arm.

"I know."