Monster Mash (Part One)

[thehonorablebat]

Summary: XCOM is full of supernatural creatures, and the two people in charge are idiots in love.

--
 

Weir was a type of creature evolved to hunt humans. Which was, perhaps, the only reason he was aware that something was off about these people.

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t go over well to ask for a show of hands of ‘who in this room is human?’

He focused his senses instead.

Bradford smelled of the sea.

Vahlen of blood not of her own.

And Shen of a corpse soaked in chemicals and lightning burned flesh.

Walking around the base yielded a whole host of other scents that Should Not Be.

It was probably a good thing he got his blood from bags instead of preying on anyone in the barracks. He could imagine being in for a nasty surprise if he did.

Not that he didn’t get a nasty surprise anyway. Who could have predicted Central would kiss him?

Weir still reeled from it hours later.

Bradford smelled of water, and now Weir knew his lips tasted of salt. With it, a feeling….or a memory, of sun shining on calm waves. Sand under his toes.

–

Weir thought of asking Shen what the electrodes in his office were for, but kept silent. It seemed impolite to pry. God knows Weir didn’t need people sticking their noses into his business.

“The new uplink will be completed within the week, Commander.” Shen tapped the space on his schedule with a pen. “The containment unit will take more time.”

“Problems?” Weir asked.

“Only the lack of manpower.” Shen opened up an image file gallery taken of alien weapons before they exploded into fragments. He tried to puzzle them out in his spare time. Weir hoped to give him the real deal soon enough.

“I’m in talks with council for more staff,” he said.

Shen smiled.

“You’re in talks with them for a lot. Don’t overextend yourself, Commander.”

“Someone has to,” Weir said.

“You’re a good man, Commander. Regardless of what they say.”

Weir frowned.

“What do they say?”

–

He had to consider the very real possibility he needed to look into acquiring some protection charms…for the whole base if possible.

This is not a thought one wants to have about their chief science officer.

Vahlen breezed passed him with a jar full of MELD. Weir felt overcome with a wave of prophetic doom.

Sometimes he wished he was the kind of vampire who had no compunctions about ripping people’s throat out. It’d solve a whole lot of problems.

And probably horrify Central…not worth it.

“I realize the aliens aren’t bound to the Geneva Convention, but I would prefer our interrogation methods to be as…clean as possible.” Weir felt something bump up against his legs. He looked down into the golden eyes of a black cat.

There wasn’t a single bone in his body that wanted to ask how she got the thing passed security. He had his theories. None of them pleasant.

Most cats hissed at the sight of him. This one had the cloud of black magic hugging it like a cloak. It’d probably jump into Satan’s lap.

Weir gave it a light scratch behind its ears.

“Do not worry, Commander!” Vahlen set the MELD down on her personal work bench beside a jar of what looked like crow’s feet. “Clean up will be minimal! I’ve devised many methods to minimize a…mess, over the years.”

That wasn’t quite what he was getting at, but he wasn’t going to argue without a protection ward backing him up.

“Just try not to scare your staff too badly, doctor.” Weir backed towards the door.

“Scare?” Vaheln’s brows furrowed. “Why would they be scared?”

Weir wanted to bang his head against a wall.

–   

The op that lead to the capture of the unknown operative also lead to three days without sleep. He had to consume twice as much blood to keep going.

Through it all, Central remained a rock. A solid foundation for everyone else. Especially Weir who, for each extra hour he spent not getting his regenerative rest came closer and closer to doing something drastic. He wouldn’t have harmed anyone, but he probably would have scared the hell out of everyone in the control room.

Through it all, Bradford kept everyone plied with coffee and stayed a solid, calming presence never too far from Weir.

They were so busy, he didn’t even think about the breakroom kiss. No. Instead he thought about how nice it would be to drag Bradford into his quarters and just…relax. Soothed in each other’s arms. Weir wanted to bring him peace and gifts and show him just how much he appreciated all his efforts.

This was bad. He needed to put a stop to this before it went any further.

Right?

Weir buried his head in his hands.

  –

Bradford spent every second he could in the pool. That’s where Weir found him long after hours. He thought Bradford would sleep there if it wouldn’t attract raised eyebrows.

Weir watched him dive with a grace no human could ever possess in water.

Bradford surfaced, noticing him for the first time.

“Oh.” His cheeks reddened. Weir couldn’t tell if it was from the exercise or embarrassment. “Did you need something, Commander?”

Weir walked to the edge of the pool, crouching down.

“I wanted to thank you for all the help you’ve been giving me,” Weir said.

Bradford swam a little closer.

Weir pointedly focused on his face.

“Just doing my job, sir.” Bradford watched Weir idly dip his fingers in the water. His eyes traveled up Weir’s arm to his face. His lips. Then pointedly back along his body. “Thinking about joining me?”

The kiss stayed unspoken between them since it happened, but there. Weir felt like a wolf caught in snare. And he wasn’t sure if he wanted to get away.

“I’m afraid water and I don’t mix well,” Weir said.

Bradford swam closer still. The red had disappeared from his face. A smile played on his lips.

“I think you mix better than you realize.” Bradford stopped at the edge of the pool. He reached for him.

At first Weir thought he was going to pull him in in. He grabbed the edge of the pool preparation to resist, but it wasn’t necessary. Bradford only tugged him down enough to kiss. A wet hand tangled in his hair. The other loosened his tie.

And in spite of all his best efforts, Weir became very aware Bradford only wore a pair of swim trunks.

Bradford pulled away just enough to say, “join me.”

Weir swallowed.

“I can’t swim.” Which wasn’t strictly true, but even that slight lie made an unfamiliar guilt twist in his stomach. How could he lie to someone so good?

“It’s never too late to learn.” Bradford unbuttoned the top of shirt. “I won’t let you drown.”

He kissed Weir’s exposed neck.

Weir jolted, falling back. If his heart could pound it would be.

He hightailed it out of there. Leaving Bradford more confused than shocked.

–

Being a vampire has a long list of pros and cons. Being a ‘reformed’ vampire had an even longer list of cons.

The very real possibility of eternity alone always sat in the back of his head. At least before becoming a vampire there was an illusion of mortality. But the council planned to keep him around for a very long time.

He aimed to make them regret that.

But now his head was filled with the idea that maybe he didn’t have to be alone. Which was ridiculous. He just met Central. And no matter how much they might like each other, it wouldn’t be right.

If only Central would stop looking at him.

Like right now when they were supposed to be figuring out their mess of a budget.

“You can do better,” Weir blurted out. Unable to take it anymore.

Central blinked at him.

“Maybe,” he said.

“Definitely,” Weir insisted.

“Maybe I don’t want to,” Central said. “That’s my choice.”

Weir twisted the cup in front of him around and around.

“I don’t think I can give you a soul.”

Central’s eyes flickered away.

“I know. When I kissed your…you didn’t have a pulse. From there it wasn’t hard to figure out the wine you drink isn’t really wine.” He looked back at him. “But it’s too late for that now. I like you too much just to turn away because…”

“I can’t give you the one thing your kind wants above all else?” Weir smiled sadly.

“I want love. More than anything,” Central said.

Weir frowned.

Central took his hand, cold though though they were.

“I’ve fallen hard for you. I know I shouldn’t have, but there it is.” He took his hand away. “But I don’t want to pressure you into anything. Just…maybe think about it. You know where to find me.”

Central scribbled one final note down into the ledger before leaving.

Weir stared at the door long after he departed.

“Pressure me?”

Since when are vampires the ones pressure into relationships?

–

When Bradford walked into the pool room long after everyone else had gone to bed, he found Weir sitting on the steps at the shallow end.

“Getting in a pool makes me feel like a child,” Weir said. “I don’t want to go any deeper than this.”

Bradford smiled. He jumped in, and treaded over to him.

“You’ve fallen for an undead hydrophobe,” Weir said. “Do you regret your life choices yet?”

“I know what I want.”

Bradford kissed him gently, hesitantly. Giving Weir plenty of room to object.

He didn’t.

The kiss ended with them out of breath. Bradford grinned at him, a vigorous energy filling his eyes. Weir couldn’t tell if it was from the kiss or being in the water. He could feel the excitement making his pulse race.

It made Weir want to kiss him again. Made him want to protect him with every ounce of supernatural strength he possessed. Bright, kind, strong water spirit.

If he couldn’t give him a soul, Weir would give him his heart. Whatever was left of it.

"Why don’t you go do laps,” Weir said. “I’ll entertain myself here.”

“By watching me?” Bradford wrapped his arms around him. Almost sitting in his lap now.

Weir cleared his throat.

“Something like that.”  

“I think I’m good right here.” He kissed him again. Then moved to his jaw. Then down his neck.

Weir stopped thinking after that.

–

Weir wouldn’t get over his fear of deep water, but he learned to enjoy the pool a little. Watching John relax was worth it. He was always so tense in the control room. Less so in Weir’s officer or quarters, but he could see the John belonged in the water.

Watching him swim around the pool brought with it a sense of melancholy. As much as being in the water made him happy, it was like seeing a fish in an aquarium too small for it. Weir wanted to see him on a beach. Maybe the one he sometimes imagined when they kissed.

It felt familiar.

He discussed it with John and got a blank look in return. Not the confused kind.The closed off sort.

Weir was missing something and he was determined to find it. Even if he had to use his limited internet time to search through pictures of beaches.

–

The alien’s terror attack left John curled up on Weir’s bunk the second everything slowed down.

Weir would have thought he’d take comfort in the pool, but couldn’t pretend he didn’t like seeing him there.

He set his cup on the nightstand, careful not to draw too much attention to it. John’s eyes caught the movement anyway, but looked away in disinterest. As long as Weir cleaned out his mouth and wasn’t getting blood by force, he didn’t care. Just one more oddity to the ever growing list that was Will Weir.

John scooted back until he hit the wall to make room for him. A tight fit, but they always managed.

“I believe in you, you know.” John lifted the blanket, deeming him worthy of sharing it.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Weir adjusted the pillow under him. He hadn’t planned to lie down just yet, but John needed him more than the council’s report did.

“I know you can beat them.” John cuddled up to him, resting his head against Weir’s shoulder.

Weir frowned at the wall, saying nothing.

“But I have this terrible feeling I’m going to lose you.” John’s arms tightened around him.

Weir thought about telling him that happened in war, but John didn’t need to be told that.

“Will?”

“Hm?” Weir kissed the top of his head.

“I love you.”

There was that beach again. He could smell the waves and the sunscreen.

“I love you too.” Seagulls cawed in the distant corners of his mind. In dark places he no longer knew the layout of.

Weir squeezed his eyes shut.

“Do you want to marry me?” he heard himself asking. Why did he sound so young?

John drew back to squint up at him in the darkness. He searched his face looking for…something.

“I do,” he said.

Why did he sound so grieved?

–

They weren’t technically supposed to leave the base, but here they were in San Francisco anyway.With Shen, because if they were leaving the base to elope, then he got to leave the base to see his daughter.

Young Lily twirled in her dress. She stopped with a giggle, beaming when Weir handed her the flower crown that came with it.

It wasn’t much of a ceremony. Only about eight people were in attendance. Weir didn’t want to think about how many favors and strings they had to pull to keep the council from finding out at least until the inks was dry on the papers.

Whatever grief Bradford had been overcome with had faded when they began to planning how they were going to get away with the wedding. Too much of a professional coordinator to let it interfere. When they arrived at the hotel, the sadness was nowhere to be found at all. Might as well have not existed. He left Weir with a kiss and a grin when they went separate ways.

Weir looked out a window at the bay. A shame they couldn’t stay a little longer. Enough to enjoy the trip. But they were playing a dangerous game as it was.

Weir was going to die. He knew this. Before the year ended, probably. If Bradford came to regret the marriage, at least he wouldn’t have to live with it long.

Weir spent the time leading up to the ceremony getting ready and trying not to think about all the stories of supernatural water beings forced into marriage. He hadn’t done that, had he? Somehow? Without knowing it?

He was going to be sick.

“Will.”

He spun around. John tilted his head at him.

“It’s bad luck for us to see each other before the wedding.” Weir squashed down his feelings, kicking them under the bed the bed for good measure. With luck, they didn’t show on his face.

“Lily said you looked ill.” John closed the door behind him.

‘Little snitch,’ Weir thought without any heat.

John searched his face.

“What’s wrong?”

In such a short time he had come to know him so well.

He thought about saying nothing, but…what if he was right?

“Did I…steal your skin or…” Weir trailed off.

John laughed.

“I’m not a Selkie.”

“I know that I just…I can’t help but…”

John came over and straightened his tie.

“You aren’t making me a ‘bride’, Will.” John caressed his cheek.

“How can you be sure?” he asked.

“Because I had Vahlen take a look at me after I realized you’re a vampire and I’m head over heels for you.”

Oh.

Smart.

“You let Vahlen take a look at you?” Weir drew back a bit. “That’s almost worse than marrying a vampire.”

Bradford rolled his eyes.

“She isn’t that bad.”

“Has anyone ever told you, you have shitty judgement?” Weir said.

“A few times…like Lily just now when I told her the cake is lemon.”

“You’re lucky you’re handsome.”

Bradford smiled and kissed his cheek before leaving.

Weir felt lighter.

The kiss later was done through happy tears. For the first time, Weir didn’t think of the beach. All he could focus on was John smiling like a man who had all he wanted.

–

Shen and Jen organized cleanup efforts while Weir and John danced. Or swayed in an approximation of dancing. They laughed when they realized neither knew how.

Lily and her toy robot twirled around with more grace. They didn’t notice. They were only aware enough of her presence to keep their never ending kisses PG.

The world could end now. Weir could die knowing he had finally found some happiness.

John pulled him closer.