Would you love a Monsterman? (Avdol x Polnareff)

Country roads, take me home

Leaving the human town behind, Avdol and Polnareff headed up into the forest, Iggy alongside them in a dog carried
"How far is it to your house?" Avdol asked
"About a mile. There's a path there, and once you know the route it's really simple." Polnareff replied. They walked past the lumber mill, now closed for the night, and took a left at the sign warning about wolves. There hadn't been a wolf attack on humans around these parts for decades, yet the devoured deer that showed up in these woods every full moon were enough to scare the locals out after dark. Suddenly, a quiet clicking noise filled the air.
"What's that sound?" Avdol asked. Polnareff turned, to see that a Japanese shrine was now on their right. The thing moved around as if it had a mind of its own, but the appearance was always the same. It was a typical Hokora shrine, consisting of a small wooden shrine carved from cherry wood with a grey tile roof, two large red lanterns, a dish for offerings, and a white marble kitsune statue. The little fox had nine tails and a sly expression, like he knew something you didn't. Some half-eaten cherry cakes sat on the offering dish- they'd obviously interrupted Noriaki mid-snack.

"It's just me, Kakyoin. I brought the mummy and the Chupacabra I was telling you about." Polnareff said. The fox's head leaned 90° and clicked back up, making the noise that they'd heard earlier. Then, in a flash of green light, the statue turned into a slender man with red hair in one big curl, red fox ears, a red fox tail, and a green overcoat covering a pale grey designer suit. His fox ears had little cherry earrings in them and each of his eyes had a scar on them, which pulled together his appearance. Although he was 900 years old, as shown by his 9 tails, Kakyoin appeared to really be 40, just like Jotaro.
"Evening." The kitsune said, finishing his cake. He looked over at Avdol and smiled.
"Is this your new boyfriend, Polnareff?" Noriaki teased.
"We're just friends..." the vampire replied, hitching his bag over his shoulder. Kakyoin laughed, swallowed the last of his cake, and beckoned to the two undead men.
"C'mon, let's go home. Joseph's been dying to meet you... Avdol, is it? He keeps talking about scarab beetles and curses."
"Beetles? I'm preserved, I don't rot. Honestly, you have some funny misconceptions about me, Kakyoin." Avdol said, and Kakyoin laughed.
"Well, I can't control the old man. Let's just go home before it gets light out."

As the four of them headed down the leafy path, the huge Joestar residence came into view. Built by Joseph's parents (a werewolf called George and a witch called Lisa Lisa) it looked like a prop from a cheesy Halloween film, or from an episode of Scooby Doo. Cobwebs were strewn over the building, and despite its huge size, it has an air of unnerving chill to the surrounding area. This had been a deliberate move, in order to scare off any humans who'd go poking around inside. Kakyoin walked up to the door first, and gave a sharp knock.
"Jotaro-Kun, I'm home!"
The door creaked open, and a huge Oni looked down at the other monsters. Jotaro was a big guy, and his protruding fangs, horns and enormous muscles were enough to send most people running to the hills in terror. He looked up at Avdol, gritted his fearsome fangs, and said-
"Oh, it's you. Come in, then, don't stand around like an idiot."
Following Jotaro into the house, Avdol almost got whiplash from the difference between the exterior and the interior. The outside looked like something from your wildest nightmares, and yet the interior looked like a personification of autumn snuggliness. A log fire burned in a firm stone fireplace, with a thick, plush red rug covering the polished reddish-brown floorboards. There were two thick, overstuffed red sofas, strewn with cushions and patchwork throws, and the open kitchen door displayed a tiled floor and a scrubbed wooden table, alongside huge racks of jarred spices and bushels of herbs. It looked like someone's autumnal Pinterest board had been turned upside down and shaken, and then everything had been gathered into one house. This was no ordinary building, it was a home, and a much-loved one at that.

"Welcome home, Pol!" Joseph grinned, flopping onto the sofa.
"JoJo, you oaf, you'll break the springs! But it's good to see you, Polnareff." Caesar said, gliding through the wall with ease.
"Hey, is that the mummy?" Joseph asked, pointing a thick, clawed finger at Avdol.
"Yes, I am! I've been in a tomb for the past 4,000 years, and it's nice to feel like I'm home again." Avdol replied. Joseph grinned a wolfish grin, and sat up to shake hands with the Egyptian.
"Well, I've never met one of you lot before! Still, Polnareff's gotta be glad to have another Undead in the house. I read his diary, it says that he feels lonely." Polnareff cringed at this, feeling like a slug being dipped in salt at the mere thought of this intrusion.
"Jiji, that's rude." Jotaro grunted. Polnareff hissed at Joseph for this, who responded with a low snarl. This hissing continued for nearly a minute, until Avdol stepped in and interrupted.
"Excuse me, but where will I be sleeping?" He asked.
"Oh, right, I'll show you!"
"Before you do, Joseph has something to say." Caesar frowned. Joseph pouted, and simply said-
"Sorry for being nosy. See, I've been good! I'm gonna go have a beer now."

As Polnareff led Avdol upstairs, he stopped to admire the portraits.
"Who are all these people?" He asked.
"Well... that's me, storming the Bastille. That's me as a knight, and that's me in the 70s." Polnareff said, pointing to a few various pictures. "That's Kakyoin depicted in a 17th-century woodblock print, that's Jotaro's graduation, and that's Joseph and Caesar a few days after WW2 ended." Polnareff turned to a larger painting, and gave a shudder. It wasn't just that the blue-haired man depicted was British, it was his sheer power that intimidated him.
"And that's Joseph's ancestor. He died in the Anglo-Saxon era, and is said to be the Headless Horseman. Joseph calls him Grandad for short."
"He sounds like quite a formidable foe."
"I wouldn't know, I've never met him. He only appears to reap the souls of the wicked... and to hunt for his lost lovers, but that's a story for another day."
And on that note, Polnareff kept climbing.

Avdol stood in the spare room that had been designated "his" and looked around it. Sure, it was a nice room, but something about it felt... lonely.
"Where do you sleep, Jean?" He asked.
"Glad you asked? I'll show you." Polnareff said. He walked out of Avdol's room and across the hallway, to where his room was. Inside was a white four-poster bed (his coffin was kept under the throws and pillows, so he could use it as a daybed), a suit of silver armour, and some charming white French furniture. All the decor was white and silver, with pops of red here and there for colour.
"It suits you perfectly!" Avdol grinned, taking note of the dog bed on the floor for Iggy.
"Yeah, but it gets lonely in my coffin in the day. I mean, it's big, but I've never had a lover. I..." Polnareff trailed off, and took a deep breath.
"Avdol, I need to come clean to you."

Polnareff looked his companion in the eye, and said what had been on his mind for weeks.
"I'm in love with you. You're the only other Undead being that I've ever met, and you just... get me. I'd never need to worry about you dying of old age on me, and you're always there to talk about stupid stuff with me, yet you'll also let me cry to you. You're amazing, Avdol, and I love you."
"Oh, Jean, I was worrying that you'd never say it!" Avdol said, taking his hands.
"Huh?!"
"All these years, I've wanted someone to talk to, someone who really gets me. Then you fall into my tomb and make my dreams come true! You're the first person I've felt free to love, and I'm glad that it's you, because you're amazing."
"You mean it?"
"I'd never lie to you, Jean."
"Then kiss me!"
Their lips met in a passionate kiss, and Polnareff didn't even try to stop the tears from falling from his eyes. Over 700 years of loneliness were being remedied with a love of such perfection, and if Avdol's elated expression was anything to tell by, he was feeling the same way too.
"We can't really do "till death do us part" or "my heart beats only for you." Avdol said. "So let me ask you this- would you love this Monsterman?"
"Only if he loves me back." Polnareff smiled. "And if he's willing to share my coffin, because Washington mornings are cold as the grave!"
"You should know, you've been in one." Avdol joked, and the two laughed.
"I'm so glad that I've found you." Polnareff said, hugging Avdol close.
"As am I, Ahati. And I won't ever let you go. I can't swear on my life, but I'll never abandon you."
After these sweet declarations, Polnareff and Avdol pulled apart, and the vampire said the only three words sweeter than "I love you"...
"Want a cookie?"
And that was when Avdol knew for certain that he was in love.

TO BE CONTINUED IN "SEASON OF THE WITCH"