AU: Strawberry Fields Forever

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean hadn’t brought up sailing to give his lover any sort of hints. He hadn’t even brought it up in an attempt to make conversation. He expected no particular reaction from the vampire Lord in response to the revelation, not even for him to acknowledge that the Hunter had said anything at all. They had had many conversations like that in the past, although typically when discussing his day or Joshua’s plans regarding his coven, topics that had no bearing on their ability to relate to each other and that they might take for granted otherwise.

He certainly hadn’t expected for Joshua to pat his arm and promise to charter a boat for them after destroying the puffin colony. Not simply because the vampire Lord tended to be more cavalier about his obligations, but because, as showy as Joshua could be about his wealth a times, it still counted as a romantic gesture, which the vampire often scoffed at when discussing the living. You humans and your feelings and your morals.

Still, the Hunter would hardly complain. It had been far too long since he had been out on the water for anything that could count as recreation, let alone for an actual date.

“I’d like that.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

"I cannot say that I enjoyed my last boat ride," Josh commented, leaning against the railing such that he was looking away from the water. "But I am sure that the experience would be far different with you."

No experience was the same now that Sean was in the picture; the vampire lord at times wondered if they would be the same once Sean passed on. He had asked many times if the hunter would consider turning, but the answer was always the same.

No.

He preferred to remain a mortal, and for his life to end as was natural.

Josh had never had a lover who wanted to become immortal with him. If he were a less confident man he might wonder if that had something to do with not wishing to have eternal life with him, specifically.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean remained facing the water, with his arms folded across the banister. They could converse that way without insult or problems. They trusted one another not to harm the other with their backs turned – as tumultuous as their relationship was, they couldn’t have lasted this long without that underlying degree of trust – and they had never gone through the traditional lovey-dovey phase of having to constantly stare into one another’s faces. The Hunter had never been a traditional romantic, which was the inevitable result of going off to train before reaching puberty. And while he remained certain that some kernel of Joshua’s humanity remained within him, it had been buried under centuries of undeath and the social mores of vampire clans.

Which was fine. It wasn’t as though Joshua had sprung that on him after six months of dating.

“If I remember how to steer a boat. I was good at it back in the day, but that was so long ago.” A drop in the bucket compared with the vampire’s last boat ride, of course, since Sean’s ancestors had been nothing but a glimmer in their ancestors’ eye at that time, but a long time for a mortal.

Which was all that he aspired to be.

Something about which they argued on occasion.

[Joshua Bernstein]

"Some of my people know boats. I can find us a helmsman if that is needed."

He made an effort to know what skills his coven members possessed, both mundane and supernatural; one never knew which talents might come in useful one day.

The ferry bumped against the landing, and the vampire languidly stretched to his full height. Not as intimidating as Sean's height; extra inches wasn't one of the perks of immortality.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“It’s less fun to go with other people.” By which Sean meant that he had no desire to take one of Joshua’s coven members out as an entourage.

The Hunter was solitary by nature. Introverted and capable, he had worked on a consistent basis only with Robert Hopkins, until his mentor had passed away. Since that time, he had lived a relatively solitary life. He worked with other Hunters, or with certain creatures or magic users only when strictly necessary, and otherwise he preferred to go about his business alone. While respected by his colleagues and feared by the supernatural, he had no coworkers in the traditional sense, most of his friendships were superficial and rarely involved spending any sort of extended time together, and his most successful relationship was with the vampire standing beside him.

He didn’t need an entourage. But for the utility of using Joshua’s driver, Sean wouldn’t even take advantage of the town car.

“If I can’t remember how to do it, then we’ll go slow and plan on capsizing once or twice.” If the Hunter arrived before his lover, then he could practice himself and not have to worry about it.

Assuming that they were able to put the puffins in their place.

When the ferry arrived at its destination, Sean held back, waiting for the other passengers to exit first. Then, with a clear path, he strode forward. Despite never having gone to the puffin colony’s lair before, he knew where it was. It would be a bit of a walk.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Joshua strode after Sean, a small smile alighting on his face. Whatever happened in the puffin colony (and he was confident in both his and the Hunter's ability to face puffins) he would certainly have something to look forward to after.

He and Sean rarely had dates in the traditional sense; they both had too many obligations to attend to and so few hours in the night in which to tend them. And as their obligations tended to involve death as a potential outcome it was difficult to find time to spend on more leisurely pursuits.

"Hmmm. I do hope the puffins aren't expecting us."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

By contrast, not a hint of humor or mirth softened Sean’s features. He wore his typical serious expression, the one a mixture of determination and resignation to the task at hand. That would shift to determination and confidence when he reached the puffins’ lair, as resignation was a form of vulnerability. Undoubtedly, whatever he saw of their colony’s activities, once confronted with them rather than hearing through a third party, would enrage him so that his expression would melt into righteous indignation and confidence, then righteous fury, and then satisfaction when he completed his goal.

Resignation was an expression and emotion for when he was alone. Or for when he was as close to alone as he could be in this situation.

“Me too. I don’t want to give them a head start.”

On the one hand, they were puffins, and puffins weren’t known for their strength, speed, or durability. On the other hand, they would be on the puffins’ turf, and one couldn’t discount the home field advantage. Particularly not when puffins were considerably smaller than Sean was, which meant that they could fit into crevices that the Hunter couldn’t easily reach.

However, they would see when they arrived at the colony. For now, he walked onward.

[Joshua Bernstein]

As they drew closer to the colony the night grew darker. Fewer buildings were lit, and street lights flickered on and off. Somewhere nearby a radio could be heard faintly blasting a Maroon 5 song and the hum of old air conditioning units provided a steady background noise.

But there was no human or puffin shaped figures to be seen, and no voices except the distant radio.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean could always count on Staten Island as the least populated of the Five Boroughs to have the least amount of nightlife. The Hunter preferred that, as it meant fewer distractions and fewer potential civilian casualties. As part of his sworn duty, he tried to keep the number of actual civilian casualties at zro, but such a task was made easier by having fewer civilians in the first place.

Eventually, he and Joshua reached the last known whereabouts of the Puffin Colony. What had once been a warehouse but had been converted into a newer building years ago, although supposedly abandoned. Lights and sounds emanated from within it, giving lie to that impression. Obviously, it was occupied.

The Hunter approached the entrance and sized up the door. He could kick it down, but that would announce them, and, while he wasn’t as concerned about fighting puffins as he would be with ghouls or certain vampires, it was best not to make an entrance. Instead, he found the wire on his belt and worked on the lock until he heard a satisfying click.

Sean pushed open the door and beckoned for Joshua to follow behind him. Immediately, they found themselves in a dimly-lit room that, after a quick glance, appeared empty. He moved into the shadows, feeling along the wall so he could hide if he found himself discovered.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh slipped through the door after Sean, eyes narrowed to slits. He could smell blood, strange blood, blood that wasn't Sean's. But it was not within the same room as them, and so he walked on, senses alert.

"This way," His order was barely audible as he nudged the Hunter toward a door on their right. "I can smell it."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

In an ideal world, Sean wouldn’t have fallen in love with a vampire; in an ideal world, there would be no vampires, and thus that would never have been a concern in the first place. However, the Hunter occupied the present reality and not an ideal world, which meant that his lover was a vampire and Lord of a coven, and that they were infiltrating a puffin colony to prevent them from sacrifice to their Old One deity. Given that, he had no qualms relying on Joshua’s vampiric abilities to their joint advantage.

Instead, he nodded a single time to acknowledge Joshua’s direction, and then he followed behind the vampire Lord. However, that had always been a difference between himself and Joshua; he didn’t view cooperation as an insult to his ego.

Sean remained pressed against the wall to the best of his ability as they snuck through the building. He tried to remain in the shadows, as he lacked the supernatural powers that the creatures he fought possessed. He remained as out of the way as possible while maintaining access to his crossbow, in case he needed to use it with only a split-second’s notice.

While it would be nice to have non-mental abilities at his disposal, the price for them was far steeper than he would even consider.

[Joshua Bernstein]

The vampire lead the way down the corridor, then stopped as they reached another doorway.

"In here," He said, voice low. He peered through the door frame expectantly, alert for any sign of danger.

The source of the blood was in there; he could smell it. A few plastic chairs were stacked in the corner, and a card table was stacked high with three-ring binders. Beside that was a cooler, and a paper bag. But nothing living that he could see.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean followed behind the vampire, nodding a single time to confirm the doorway that Joshua had identified as the one which led to the blood that he had smelled. The Hunter remained back for a moment, allowing his lover to use his senses uninhibited; Sean had no reason to crowd Joshua in this task. While not supernatural himself, and thus possessed of only human speed, reflexes, and agility, he kept himself in peak form through training, and he could close the distance between them quickly enough, particularly with his crossbow.

When Joshua slowed down, apparently having reached the end point of his search, the Hunter moved from the wall to come upon the room. He peered inside, squinting in the darkness to make out what he could.

He couldn’t see anyone: not a human being and not a puffin and not a doppelganger. Not their horrific Elder God.

That was disappointing. All but not finding the Elder God; Sean intended to keep that from occurring in the first place. But the rest of it meant that they had to reorient themselves and find the members of this colony.

“Grab whatever papers you can,” he murmured to Joshua. They should sift through that before continuing on their journey.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh narrowed blue eyes at the binders, but instead of following Sean's instructions he knelt beside the cooler. "In here."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean displayed no irritation for the fact that his lover so blatantly disregarded his instructions. Although this was why, generally, he preferred to work alone, he also trusted Joshua’s senses enough (if not always his instincts) to assume that he could smell the blood through the cooler, and that was why he showed it more interest than he did the binders. The Hunter’s interest remained, but since they were alone in the room, a detour of a minute or two wouldn’t slow them down much. They could grab the binders after they had examined the content of the cooler, and, if necessary, they could read on the fly. He was prepared for that.

Primarily because he hadn’t known precisely what to expect. The puffins were relatively new territory, for better or for worse.

“Open it,” he encouraged the vampire Lord, as he stepped further into the room. He didn’t come up directly behind Joshua, as he wanted to have a better view of the outside from the room, in case someone snuck up on them. And also because he had enough experience with potentially hazardous relics that he wouldn’t want to be in the direct path of whatever was inside, just in case.

He hadn’t lived this long without exercising due caution.