“That’s what I thought. So cut the bullshit, and let go of this sudden savior complex you have going on, because that, more than anything, accomplishes fucking nothing. And another thing, before you go on thinking that someone else would have done better in your place, been better as my partner, think real hard about if that’s true or not. As far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t even still be here right now if I’d been partnered with someone else. Because, if you think someone who isn't as annoying, unrelenting, and insane as you, would befriend someone like me, and then not only not off my ass at the first chance they got, but actually push me away from danger, at the risk of their own life, you are delusional.”
Foxx gulped, tears forming in his eyes. “Why wouldn’t they want to be your friend?” he asked with a sniffle, tears breaking free.
“AH FUCK! Foxx, can you please stop crying.” Harlow rubbed roughly at Foxx’s eyes. “You are going to give me an ulcer, I swear. And you know damn well that only someone crazy would want to be my friend.”
He sniffled, scrunching his face up as he tried to hold back more tears. “You’re wrong. You make a good friend. P-people should want to be your friend!” Foxx whaled. The dam that held back his emotions burst, the tears falling faster now.
“Please, stop!” Harlow sounded horrified. He winced as the human continued to roughly wipe his tears away.
“I’m trying!” Foxx whined.
“Ugh,” Harlow grunted, pulling him into his arms.
Foxx buried his face into Harlow’s chest and just sobbed. He didn’t know what he was crying about, but right now, the thought that Harlow didn’t think other people would want to be the human’s friend made him sad.
Yet…the idea of Harlow being dead…scared him. And it wasn’t something he wanted to think about, or even consider as a possibility.
But…maybe…just maybe, with someone else in his place, that is what the results would have been. And maybe, Foxx had made mistakes, maybe he hadn’t done all that he could have, but maybe he’d done all he could with what he knew at the time.
“There, there.” Harlow patted his back robotically. “It’s fine. I don’t need other friends, I have you.”
Foxx blinked and looked up. “I am?! I’m your friend?! You really mean that?”
The human’s mouth twisted in disgust, but he slowly said, “Yes…you are my friend.”
“You are my friend too!” Foxx sobbed, burying back into Harlow’s chest.
* * *
“Just stop crying,”Harlow pleaded, as he rubbed the vampire’s back.
This had to be one of the few moments he wished he was fucking normal. Normal people knew what to do in these situations, right? Harlow really didn’t think that feeling like stabbing something was exactly how most would react. For good reason, as it wasn’tfuckinghelpful.
Harlow continued to hold Foxx for a good thirty minutes before the vampire finally seemed to quieten down. Sniffling, Foxx sat back, rubbing at his red eyes. Harlow clenched his fist at the sight of the bandage… Ugh, he really should have shot that priest a few more times. Somehow, the sight of the bandage pissed him off more than the other cross marks that Foxx didn’t cover. Was it because Foxx felt the need to cover this one? Why did it feel like it was the reason, but yet it sounded insane to him that he even cared.
Foxx blinked and lightly touched the bandage, no doubt noticing where Harlow was looking. “It-it’ll be healed soon.”
Harlow grunted in response. “I don’t care that it’s there. It just makes me wish I’d hurt that priest some more. Are you done crying?”
“Yes…” Foxx’s hands dropped down, clenching into fists in his lap. “Do you…do you think I’ll get a chance to testify?”
Harlow crossed his arms. “You’ll likely be given the option too… But, as for if it’s necessary or not? Doubtful. They have enough evidence, and enough people involved that they likely will not need more in-person victim testimonies.”
Foxx flinched at the wordvictim, before stiffly announcing, “I want to testify…”
Harlow stared, his eyes locked on Foxx’s face, trying to pick up clues as to why he would want to. “I can’t say I understand why…but if that’s what you want, then do it. The prosecutors won’t turn you down. Though, I doubt they will allow you on the stand with your identity unhidden.”
The vampire frowned. “What do you mean?”
“There is a reason, even though we are the arresting officials, why hunters never take the stand. A reason why our names are censored in all public files. We have a huge target on our backs. Paranormals, humans, they both want us dead. This case will be handed over to a specific group of individuals, whose sole purpose is to stand in for the hunters who carried out this case. So, they will likely let you take the stand, but you will be hidden.”
“That’s… They really gave hunters a hell of a lot of questionable privileges, didn’t they? No wonder the police hate us.”
Harlow snorted. “Yeah, those fuckers are jealous as hell.”
“What about…the other vampires? Will their identities be protected?”
“Unlikely.”
