Your eyes open to an unfamiliar ceiling.
It takes you a while to make sense of the situation. Your body feels like absolute shit, and your head is throbbing relentlessly, as if your brain's been rattled around inside your skull.
"You're awake," someone says. It isn't a voice you've ever heard before, and as you slowly crane your neck to the side, you see a middle-aged man, a doctor, leaning closer to you.
Then you remember. You fainted while in the middle of work, and the reason your head hurts so bad is because you whacked it against the floor.
"Hello, [Name]. You passed out," the doctor says, stating the obvious. "And you're severely anemic. Have you been losing a noticeable amount of blood recently? Blood in your stool, or when you vomit, or perhaps related to your menstrual cycle?"
"I donated blood," you decide upon. You're not entirely sure why you don't tell him the full truth. That you've in fact been regularly selling your blood to vampires. Perhaps you're worried about how he might react, and you're afraid he'll try to write a medical note prohibiting you from visiting Plasma Inc. for a long time.
He frowns. "Hm. Well, depending on the person, donating even small amounts of blood can sometimes result in anemia. Still, I'd be careful if I were you. Your condition seems fairly serious, so please wait a little while to recover before donating any more."
You nod absently. Just your luck. This is all shitty Felix's fault. Because he lost control of himself and ended up drinking too much of your blood. Well, you've learned your lesson. From now on, you'll stick to giving blood away in a safe, medical environment, even if it's not going to result in double the amount of money.
"I'd like to give you an iron transfusion," the doctor says. "Just to get you kick-started towards recovery."
You furiously shake your head. "I don't have insurance. Actually, how much is this visit going to be? Is it going to be expensive? Because you really could have just left me there. I think my coworker was just overly worried."
"You collapsed and banged your head on the ground," he frowns. "Head trauma is a serious matter. Thankfully, you don't seem to have any noticeable damage, but while we're at it, I'd still like to ask you a few questions just to make sure you don't have a concussion."
He goes through the motions, and even though your head hurts, it's likely just a bump that will fade in a couple days.
After confirming that you are, in fact, not concussed, the doctor brings you a little plastic cup.
"Drink this, at least," he says. "It's an iron-rich solution. If you can't pay for the transfusion, then have this, and I can at least recommend you some supplements to start taking. But even so, it might still take a while for your body to recover, which is why I suggest being careful and making necessary adjustments to your diet."
You drink the solution down, and you shudder as the metallic taste collects upon your tongue. Even though you're not a vampire, you've tasted blood before, either when you split your lip open or thoughtlessly licked a papercut. The iron in your blood gives it that distinct, unpleasant metallic taste, and you briefly wonder how vampires find it so appetizing. There must be something about their bodies that changes how it tastes to them.
The doctor examines you one last time, hands you a paper with all the various supplements he recommends you start taking, then you settle the bill at the reception.
Ugh. I can't believe just a short visit like this costs so much. And I'd finally saved up a bit of money for once...
You feel discouraged. You've lived without insurance mainly because you couldn't afford it, and because if nothing else, your body was sturdy enough that you could get by without it. But life always finds a way to fuck you over. Just as you felt a bit of relief from knowing that you had some cash on hand, it practically all disappeared, in the blink of an eye.
They say money makes the world go round, but for someone like you, it does the exact opposite.
Money makes your world come crashing down.
"Feel better soon," the receptionist smiles. It's a practiced smile, devoid of any real sympathy. Although you suppose she must see hundreds of patients every day. There's really nothing that distinguishes you from them. Other than the fact that you're broke.
You let out a sigh and turn away, but as you walk past the waiting area, someone shoots up from their seat.
"[Name]!" Caleb exclaims. "Are you... are you alright? Is your head going to be fine?"
Ah. Right. He was there when you passed out. For a moment, you'd almost forgotten. He must have been the one to dial emergency services, and you suppose he also came along with you to the hospital.
It's a nice gesture. He was worried, so of course he wanted to make sure you got properly examined.
Caleb only ever has good intentions, and by now, you know this all too well. Still.
Part of you can't help but secretly feel annoyed.
If he hadn't brought you here, you wouldn't have lost so much money.
"I'm fine," you reply bitterly. You know it isn't fair to be upset with him just for trying to look out for you, but you can't help but feel frustrated. You go to such lengths to manage your debt and live, just like everyone else. Nothing would have changed if he'd just waited for you to regain consciousness. It's not like you were dying.
Caleb smiles, and unlike the receptionist, you can tell that his is genuine.
"Thank god," he exhales. "You scared the crap out of me back there. What happened? You were looking really faint for a while. Have you not been eating properly?"
"I'm fine," you say again.
"If you were fine, you wouldn't have ended up in the hospital," he counters.
"I didn't need to go to the hospital. You made that decision for me."
He reels back, surprised by the harshness of your tone. Shit. You didn't actually mean to snap at him. It's just been a really shitty couple of days, and on top of how weak you feel, you're stressed out about losing so much money.
"I-I'm sorry," Caleb mumbles, face flushed from shame. "I know money's tight for you, [Name]. But... I was just so scared. I didn't know what else to do, and I was worried you wouldn't wake up. I couldn't take the risk and wait it out."
Your shoulders slump. It obviously wasn't your intention to try and make him feel bad, especially since his reaction was completely justified. You honestly hate that you're like this. Money brings out the worst in you. It makes you lash out at the few good people you have in your life.
"Don't apologize," you say, shaking your head. "I'm just not feeling well, and I took it out on you. I appreciate how much you care. I should be the one to say sorry. Thanks for cutting your shift short and coming along with me instead."
Caleb's face flushes again, but this time, you get the feeling that it's for a different reason.
"Of course," he replies shyly. "It's the least I can do. And I know it probably isn't much, but how about I lend you a bit of money? Because I understand all this medical stuff can be really expensive, and you probably need some time to make up for your losses."
He's offering to lend you money. Borrowing money... that's exactly what your parents did. And then they ended up in a shitload of debt to a group of loan sharks.
Naturally, Caleb isn't a loan shark, and you doubt he'd ever exploit you either, but having more money to pay back just gives you a horrible, nauseating feeling. You'd rather not resort to such a thing. Not unless it's an emergency.
"Thank you for the offer," you say. "But I'll try to stick it out for a while longer. Still, if I ever find myself backed into a corner, would it be alright if I came to you for help then?"
"Of course!" Caleb beams. "I'm definitely not rich, but I'm sure I can spare enough money to look out for a friend."
He just referred to the two of you as friends, even though up until now, you've really only thought of him as a coworker. The guy you wash dishes next to.
But you have to admit, it's a nice feeling. Knowing that you have a friend.
"Thank you, Caleb." You smile appreciatively, and even though you don't notice it, Caleb's breath briefly catches in his throat.
He's convinced you must be the prettiest girl in the whole world.
...
Slowly but surely, you've been recovering your strength. The iron supplements have been helping, but the doctor said you would have to stay on them for a while, otherwise you might just find yourself in the hospital again, and you sure as hell don't want that to happen.
You haven't received any messages from Plasma Inc. yet, and you blocked Felix's number right after that unfortunate encounter. You suppose you'll just have to wait until Xavier feels like seeing you again, or until they match you with a new client.
For the time being, you're doing the same thing as always-working.
Working is tedious, especially when the job is as mind-numbing as yours. Perhaps other people with actual careers are able to get some fulfillment out of it, but it's hard to feel like you're improving the world just by being a barista.
As it so happens, though, work isn't quite so tedious today, because a familiar face decides to visit.
"H-Hello," Elliot stammers shyly. "I stopped by again, just like you said. I hope it's okay. And I'm glad I was lucky enough to come in while you were working."
"Hey, Elliot." You offer him a pleasant grin. "What can I get you today?"
"Uh, just the same thing as before. I prefer my coffee simple. And maybe a scone too."
"Vampires eat food?" you can't help but ask, blinking repeatedly.
He chuckles. "Well, sort of. It doesn't provide any real nourishment to our bodies. But I just sometimes like to try different things for the taste of it. Still, nothing I ever try even compares to the taste of..."
He stops himself, hurriedly clamping a palm over his mouth. It's your turn to chuckle now. You suppose he was about to say blood, which is a no-brainer, but it's cute how he tried to backtrack.
"Here's your scone," you say, handing him the pastry in a little paper bag. "Should I spread some strawberry jam on top? Maybe the imagery would help it taste better."
"D-Don't say things like that," he huffs, but since he's got such a cute, youthful face, he does a terrible job of looking angry.
"Just teasing," you muse. "I'll have your coffee ready in a second."
With Elliot here, you can feel that your spirits have lifted somewhat. Money is tight, like always, but you should still be able to make Johnny's payment on time. As for the following payment, that still remains to be seen, but you're choosing to believe you'll be able to scrounge up the rest of the money, especially if Xavier calls for you again.
You hand Elliot the cup of coffee, but instead of taking everything to go, he grabs a seat at one of the tables and slowly sips on his drink. Every so often, you notice his warm amber eyes flickering in your direction, and when he realizes that you've caught him, he flinches and hastily looks away.
Cute.
He's rather endearing, with how skittish he always is. Elliot is the perfect example of just how much humans have misunderstood vampires all these years. He's the furthest thing from intimidating possible, and you just wish more people would give him a chance.
You briefly step away from the counter, letting someone else man the front, and walk over to Elliot's table.
"So?" you hum. "What's the verdict on the scone?"
"It wasn't bad."
"But not amazing either?"
"I guess not," he admits. He smiles as he lifts up his cup of coffee. "The coffee is really good, though. I like the way they make the coffee here. Or maybe it's just that you do a really good job of it."
"Pfft," you laugh. "You have literally the simplest order ever. I hardly have to do anything. Challenge me by asking for a fancy drink next time, and then you can properly assess my barista skills."
"Sure," Elliot smiles. "I'll do that." He pauses for a moment, setting his cup down. "Are you... almost done with your shift?"
"Hm? Oh, not yet. I'm closing again today, so it'll be a while." You arch a brow at him. "Why do you ask?"
"I-I was just thinking we could maybe get to know each other a bit better once you were off," he says shyly. "Only if you're comfortable, of course!"
"Well, I definitely wouldn't mind, but you would be waiting for a long time. And then I'll be heading straight home. I kind of need to catch up on some sleep," you admit.
"Oh..."
His shoulders slump, and you can tell that he's disappointed. You wouldn't mind hanging out with him for a bit, but your schedule is just too crazy right now. And your body isn't exactly feeling its best, either.
"Another time," you promise. "If you come by another day and I happen to be working the closing shift, we can sit down someplace and have a proper conversation once I'm off. Sounds good?"
Elliot perks up a bit, then nods twice. "Yes. That sounds good. Sorry. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable. It's just that you're the nicest human I've ever met, and I feel really at ease around you."
Aw. You appreciate the compliment, but even though you're flattered, it sucks that he's had such a shitty experience with other people. You suppose it's an issue that only time can solve. It'll take a while for others to become comfortable with vampires living among them.
Hopefully one day, humans and vampires will be able to set their prejudices aside and finally see eye-to-eye.
"I guess I'll be going now," Elliot says. He smiles once more. "I look forward to seeing you again, [Name]. I hope I'm not a troublesome customer."
"It's just the opposite. I love it when you stop by."
He blushes, averting his gaze out of embarrassment. "N-Next time I'll be back with a more challenging order, just like you said. I'll look up complicated kinds of coffee, so be ready, okay?"
"Sure," you chuckle. "I'll do my best not to let you down."
He leaves, but not before flashing you one last smile and waving shyly. What an adorable little vampire he is. You kind of get the urge to wrap him in your arms and protect him, even though he's definitely a million times stronger than you are.
You head back to the counter, swapping with your coworker so that they can run to the back and grab some ingredients.
And then, you come face to face with your nemesis.
"I want a large caramel macchiato, with light ice, soy milk, extra whipped cream, a big straw, and this time," the woman scowls, "don't make it so disgustingly sweet. My teeth almost fell out before. Seriously, is it that difficult to make a decent cup of coffee?"
Great. This bitch again.
"I'll get that started for you right away," you say. The only thing that's too sweet around here is the fabricated smile you flash her, and it's so that you resist the urge to punch her in the face.
"And don't take forever this time," she snaps. "I've got a hectic schedule, you know."
Ugh.
You already miss Elliot.
...
Well, that's another shift done and dusted, and a big yawn falls out of your lips as you step outside the coffee shop.
The night air is rather chilly, and you shiver a bit, clutching your sides in an attempt to stay warm. Do vampires like Elliot get cold easily? Xavier's hands were practically frozen, and from what you've heard, their body temperatures are naturally lower than humans'. Normally, cold-blooded organisms actively seek out warmth, like amphibians and reptiles, but vampires prefer to avoid the sun, so perhaps staying cool is simply more pleasant for them.
You hum as you walk. Nowadays, your head is practically filled with thoughts of vampires. Although you suppose it makes sense. You went from never interacting with them a day in your life, to meeting several of them in a very short span of time.
Man. You really, really hope Xavier calls on you soon. You need the extra money. And so long as you stay on the supplements and incorporate the foods the doctor recommended into your diet, you shouldn't end up in the hospital again. Unlike Felix, Xavier actually knows how to hold back and not take too much of your blood.
It turns out that it's rather ironic for your thoughts to briefly drift towards that god-forsaken, yellow-eyed vampire, because within less than two minutes of stepping outside, your phone starts to buzz.
It's a number you don't recognize, so naturally, you decline the call.
But then you get a second call. And a third.
Right as it starts ringing for the fourth time, and you're trying to block the number, you fumble with your phone and accidentally answer the call.
"...[Name]?"
It's Felix. You recognize his voice right away. God. Didn't you block his number? Is he calling you from a different phone or something?
"Piss off," you grimace. "I'm not speaking to you anymore, and I'm going to block this number too."
"Wait!" he cries out. You can hear the desperation in his voice, but you're way past the point of caring. He's the one that made a mess of things. This is on him.
"What part of I'm not speaking to you don't you understand?" you grimace.
"I... I heard you dropped me as a client," Felix continues, clearly ignoring you. "I understand if you don't feel comfortable meeting me privately anymore, but why not through the company? It's safe. And I thought you needed the money. I promise I'll do everything it takes to-"
"No. I don't care. There's no telling what you'll do to me. You lost my trust, and at this point, it's impossible to win it back."
He's the reason you ended up in the hospital and had to pay a massive fee. So what if he gives you some money here and there? He's the kind of guy that doesn't know how to hold back, and you don't feel safe meeting with him, even if it's at Plasma Inc.'s headquarters. If he loses control, he can drink your blood by force, and even the doctors on-site won't be able to stop him. Humans don't stand a chance against a vampire. He could kill you, intentional or not.
The reason you're doing this whole is to survive, not meet an early grave. Keeping Felix around is simply not worth the risk.
"You don't understand," Felix whines, all childish and pathetic. "I need your blood, [Name]. It doesn't compare to anyone else's, and now that I've already tasted it, I... I just can't go back. You'll never understand how much this means to me, so please. I'm begging you."
What an absolute piece of shit. You honestly can't believe the nerve of him. Here you are, doing everything you can just to make it to the next day, and this is his greatest inconvenience in life? The fact that no longer has access to his favorite snack?
Even without your blood, Felix can survive. He can stay perfectly healthy, and he clearly has all the money he'll ever need, so how dare he act as if he's suffering. How dare he bitch and whine to someone like you, who's been dealt nothing but shitty hands all their life.
Drinking your blood is just something he wants, and it's time he learns that in life, wanting something doesn't mean you'll actually get it.
"That has nothing to do with me," you snap. "I've got my own shit to worry about. All you had to do was be a bit more considerate, and I would still be meeting up with you. But I don't do business with assholes who act selfishly without any regard for the other person's wellbeing."
"[Name], wait-"
You hang up the call and proceed to block the number. It sucks that he still has your contact information If you'd known it would turn out this way, you never would have taken him up on his stupid offer, no matter how tempting it was. He'll probably keep spamming you with calls from new numbers, but that's fine. You'll block every single one of them. And it's not like he knows anything else about you apart from your name. He'll never be able to track you down.
Felix is out of your life for good.
Or at least, that's what you're choosing to tell yourself.