Chapter Text
The silver was burning him, setting his nerves on fire. His left arm was rendered useless at this point. It went between being completely numb to feeling like lightning was going through it every time Rodolfo tried to move it.
The job was done. They went on a Narcos bust, got good intel. Arrived to find it was one of their main bases of operations. Sans El Sin Nombre, but still. This would make a sizeable dent.
"How copy Rudolfo?" Alejandro's voice crackles over the radio.
Rodolfo tried to steady his breathing, it echoed in the dirty garage he was in. It was getting hard to breathe.
"Rudy where are you?" Alejandro questioned, his voice a little louder. Damn that man and his ability to guess when something was off.
Rudy reached weakly for his radio, "Parking garage…".
"On my way."
He was starting to get sick. Cold sweat rose over the back of his neck, the room spun. He could feel his fangs getting longer, tearing through his gums. Everything got too loud, the footsteps outside, the fan running over his head. The bulb in the garage light flickered, way too bright. The smell of paint thinner, rust, mold… the general filthiness of the space clouded his nose.
The silver was revealing him for what he was, putting all of his senses to the forefront, overwhelming him. There was nothing he could do to stop it.
Rudy felt a familiar feeling fill his stomach, dread. Alejandro didn't know, and he was going to find him like this.
Rodolfo tried to cover his ears to block out the ringing that started, but raising his arm brought him to his knees, fire and lightning going through the limb and up his neck. The bullet felt like it was setting him alight from the inside.
Rodolfo had never told Alejandro. He was too afraid to. Afraid he'd think of him differently. Sure there were monsters in special forces. Enhanced, telepaths, doubles, you name it. It was almost preferable if they were something more dangerous, more durable, more… deadly than a human.
In the past whenever Rudolpho had revealed himself, all of the trust he'd built up would vanish. Being a Darkkin, everyone thought you were going ot eat them. He was never looked at in fear, more so with disgust. Like he was something that wasn't worthy of breathing the same air. Like he was some animal that couldn’t control itself. That needed to be put down.
Rodolfo curled up on himself on the cool floor. He didn't know what he would do if Alejandro looked at him that way.
"Rudy where are… Rudy!" Alejandro ran and knelt at his side. He flinched away from the sudden noise, tried to hide. It was stupid but between the pain and the anxiety he felt he couldn't think straight.
"You're hurt…" Alejandro went to rest his arm on his shoulder but ripped it away when Rodolfo hissed in pain, his fangs and bright red eyes flashing in the low light of the garage.
Can't hide anymore.
"Es is Silver eh hermano?" Alejandro asked after a moment. Rudy could only nod his head. “That needs to come out now then.”
Alejandro reached out again and Rudy tried not to move, he tried. Alejandro noticed him tracking his movements.
“I’ve got you, relax.”
Alejandro grabbed his medkit and pulled out tweezers, setting them on the top.
He helped Rudy sit up, against the tire of the car, unbuckling his vest as he went.
A pathetic sound came out of Rudy as the vest was pulled off, jostling his arm.
“I know, lo siento, it will be over soon.” Alejandro murmured, as he took out the sheers, cutting his sleeve so he could better access the wound.
The cold air hitting Rudy’s skin made the wound feel hotter, he could swear he smelled his flesh burning.
“Do you trust me, Rudy?” Alejandro rested his hand slowly on his uninjured arm. It was warm through the fabric. He was always so warm.
“Siempre…” Rudy breathed out.
Alejandro climbed on top of Rudy’s lap, putting his full weight on him. One of his arms rested across his clavicles, pushing him solidly into the car behind him.
Rudy instinctively tired to push him off, but he didn’t budge. Alejandro was bigger than him, and stronger. Always had been.
“Ready?” Alejandro leveled him with an expression he couldn’t place.
“Si…”
White hot pain sliced into his arm and he screamed. He tried to thrash, to move away from the pain even though he knew the bullet needed to come out. He clawed at Alejandro’s arm holding him in place, trying in vain to get him off.
A sick, wet squelching sound registered in his mind before a ‘pop’. The bullet clinked when it hit the floor, too loud.
The pressure on his chest lessened.
“...at me. Rudy, look at me.”
Rudy opened his eyes, when did he close them?
Alejandro’s face met him, brows furrowed, eyes almost pleading. “You with me?”
Rudy swallowed thickly, giving a small nod.
He could feel Aljendro’s thumb stroking his cheek, rough calluses tugging on the little bit of stubble there. It felt wonderful.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Rudy’s eyes snapped open, dark pools stared back at him. They weren’t angry, they were warm like coffee. Everything about Alejandro was warm, rocks in the summer sun.
Safe.
Alejandro’s eyes were sad now though, looking right through him.
Rudy tried to answer, his breath caught in his throat.
“I was afraid,” he whispered, unable to pull his gaze away.
“Of me?”
“No…” he answered quickly, closing his eyes.
Trying to hide.
“I didn’t… I didn’t want you to look at me… differently.”
Like I’m used to when people really see.
“Rudy.”
Rudy opened his eyes but didn’t look up.
“Rudy,” Alejandro said a bit firmer, tilting his head up with the hands still on his face, “Let me see you.”
He lifted his gaze slowly, until he was met with Alejandro’s dark, warm eyes.
Alejandro ran a hand through his hair, leaving warm pinpricks behind. He brushed his thumb over his cheek gently. He moved his thumb lower, brushing Rudy’s top lip before pushing up slightly, revealing a sharp incisor.
Rudy couldn’t move, he didn’t think he was breathing. All he could do was watch as Alejandro’s eyes moved from his eyes to his mouth.
“¿Sabes cuál es mi color favorito?” He asked like it was the most normal thing in the world. Rudy moved his head side to side slightly. Alejandro took his thumb away from his mouth, cupping the back of his neck gently, “Rojo oscuro.”
Rudy felt like a deer in the headlights, locked in place. Hanging on Alejandro’s every word.
“Just so happens Rudy, your eyes are exactly that shade of red.”
Rudy didn’t know what to do. He was not reacting how he had expected him to in the slightest. Instead of avoidance, the cold shoulder. Distrust even. There was none of that.
Curiosity is what he found. Something else was there but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was. The warm eyes of his friend held something in them though.
Acceptance.
“I never would’ve guessed.” Alejandro continued talking, “Sweet little Rudy, a Darkkin eh? You continue to surprise me.” The hand on the back of his neck squeezed reassuringly, before Alejandro stood up.
Right. Rudy had forgot Alejandro was literally on top of him.
“Let’s get back mi oscuro, we need to make sure all of the silver is out of your system.” Alejandro offered his hand, and Rudy took it.
This is going to be full of surprises.
“The 141 is arriving in a few days, try not to catch fire or get shot before then ay?” Alejandro jokingly referred to the burning house he saved him from not even 24 hours ago. Alejandro rested a hand on Rudy’s uninjured shoulder as they walked out of the garage, the smile he gave him teasing.
“I’ll do my best, no promises though.” Rudy huffed, following Alejandro out of the building.
What a week it has been.