Lifeblood

Chapter 5 - I'll Say Forever My Family

Author's Note: Aaaand... the end! I hope y'all enjoyed, and thanks for reading, voting, and/or commenting! :D

~ Amina Gila

Hunter doesn't know how much time has passed since Tech started feeding, but he does know that his contentment is, strangely enough, only growing, and he feels a closeness to Tech that he hasn't felt in... a long time. Maybe since they were still cadets. He strokes his hand on Tech's back, even if his younger brother can't really feel it through his armor. He doesn't miss the longing glance that Crosshair throws his way, though he looks away the second Hunter glances at him.

Omega is the first to move, pulling back from Crosshair's arm and licking her lips with a small, shy smile. "Thank you," she says softly. "I feel better now."

Despite the chance to observe and learn more, Tech doesn't even twitch, still intently focused on feeding. Instead, it's Wrecker who steps forward. "Can I?" he asks, pleading and so visibly desperate that Hunter is surprised he's even able to put together a coherent syllable.

Crosshair sighs, holding out his arm. "Only if Tech volunteers as well."

"Later," growls Tech, tightening his grip on Hunter and going back to his feeding, though it seems to have slowed by now. He's less tense than before, and he's more curled on Hunter's lap than trying to stop him from moving. Hunter drapes an arm around Tech's back, just holding him close and watching as Crosshair widens the cut on his arm so it's not bleeding so sluggishly before letting Wrecker take ahold of it.

Wrecker practically pounces, and Crosshair is watching him with visibly wary eyes. He's not afraid, Hunter can tell; he's more apprehensive and cautious, because Wrecker is, well, Wrecker and he could get overexcited or over-hungry and end up hurting him. With that in mind, Hunter focuses his hearing on the sound of Crosshair's heartbeat, ready to call Wrecker off him if he has the slightest reason to think Crosshair can't take it anymore; he can't trust that Crosshair will stop Wrecker, even now, even with his chip still in. Which is something they need to deal with sooner rather than later, but preferably once everyone has finished feeding.

Tech finally, finally pulls away from Hunter, the hunger gone, replaced by a strange, contented calm as he licks the blood off his lips. "That," he says, his tone much more normal than it was earlier, "Was an interesting experience."

Hunter pokes at his neck and winces at the flaring pain that shoots through it. "You don't say," he grumbles. "Now maybe you should feed Wrecker."

Tech hums, studying their siblings before nodding. "That would be wise," he agrees, retrieving Hunter's vibroknife and cutting his own arm after removing the vambrace and rolling up the sleeve of his body glove. Wrecker, thankfully, is happy to switch from Crosshair to Tech, even going so far as to sit down and pull Tech onto his lap, despite the latter's squawk – yes, Tech, it was a squawk – of indignation.

"That looks messy," Crosshair says, wrapping a bandage around his arm before turning to Hunter. Omega isn't looking at any of them, staring at the white and blue streaks of hyperspace with a vaguely nauseated look on her face. Through his own strange abilities, Hunter can somehow tell that she's uncomfortable at seeing them bleeding so much more than she is disgusted by their situation or what they're doing. Which is good, because it would be problematic otherwise when she's a vampire, too, now.

"You offering to deal with it?" Hunter queries, only half serious. He's lost a significant amount of blood, but not nearly enough for it to be worrying. He knows what the symptoms of blood loss are, and that's not what this is. It's a strange, unnatural calm that makes him want to cuddle and purr. Needless to say, it is an instinct that he is fighting against tooth and nail.