For ifindum Backstory Post.

[asingledropleft]

Around the neighborhood they were the Dalton boys.

Edward was quiet and studious and the complete antethesis of Edward Senior, former Football Coach-the complete opposite of the people you'd normally find in the city. He lived like he'd belonged in a southwestern town-the sort of place you'd expect posse's to form. His son (his firstborn for chrissakes) liked to read and played in the garden and spent too much time with Mrs. Haverson and her damned cat next door.

He'd said thank god for Frankie. Franklin Dalton who liked to do battle and play with firecrackers. Edward and Frankie. Ed's boys, the Dalton boys. It was funny only when the neighborhood switched their sides. Frankie was a star athelete and popular right until Ed got into Johns Hopkins and suddenly the reverence of the community was on the oldest boy who-born of years in his younger brother's shadow shunned the spotlight. That's what the nieghborhood saw.

What they didn't see was Ed getting interested in sport's medicine and arranging for his brother to sneak out. Frankie looking the other way as his brother brought home Mary Beth Parker and Ed covering for Jaqueline, Susan, and the rest of them.

They didn't see Frankie snapping under the presssure to be the good son and Ed bailing him out of jail. Drunken fights,brawls, the two developed a relationship based on Edward Jr. being more of a caring parental figure then Edward Sr who regarded his children as a status symbol.

The boys were close. Different as the son and the moon, but close. And you needed allies.

Ed walked home to his apartment, slipping out of his coat and ignoring the pro vampire propaganda hanging on sidewalks and billboards.

Are you looking for a thrill?

Would you like to live forever?


Night was falling, and he did his best to skirt Officer Ramirez, his neighbor, who was adjusting his sunglasses outside his apartment. He nodded to the former human who smiled as he left the building, the fading light glinting off his fangs. The cops turned awful quick...

He'd wondered about that. If that were a choice or a requirement.

Turning, that was what they'd called it. Turning. Some people were starting to call it evolving.

Ed entered his apartment and locked the door in front of him only to stop and listen for just a moment. "...goddamnit-"

The electronics in his apartment were always half a step too slow. The lights roared to life and the TV clicked on.

Senate Majority Leader Peter Sprieg has announced his intent to turn, making the majority of the American Political System Homo Sapiens Nocturnus. Special measures have been put into place to ensure that the government can continue to operate. In other news, the vampire rights group Evolution into Night have pushed for the construction of special walkways beneath the city that would allow citizens infected with the disease to continue to function in society...

Ed turned the TV off, whirling at the sound of the front door opening, "...Y'know, you don't have to break in to houses just to prove you can Frankie."

He set his briefcase down. Carefully.

Comments

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

He'd always wanted to make his father proud, like any son would, and the years of pressure being the "good one" began to take its effect shortly after he saw the displeasing attitude his father had toward Edward. Frankie had always been close with his older brother, despite their opposite interests and separate paths taken, he remembers Edward always being there for him as a kid whenever their parents would fight.

In fact, no matter what trouble Frankie got into, big brother was there to get him out of it. Sure, they had their own fights -the arguing becoming more constant lately- but when push came to shove, he couldn't be without Edward.

Twenty five years old and already he'd been arrested, not to mention several different forms of intoxication his teachers would be displeased to hear about. His once proud stature in school was slowly fading away and turning into something no one should be proud of telling. But Edward didn't care about any of that, his parents would, but they wouldn't let them know about any of his destructive behavior.

Upon entering the house, he wasn't surprised to hear his brother's voice. This wasn't the first time he'd come to his brother's apartment without an invitation. "You need to choose a password I won't figure out," he spoke and stood just under the darkness where his face was barely visible.

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

There was a slight edge to Edward's stomache when he heard the door alarm. It vanished almost instantly the moment he recognized his brother, "...You need to stop being so good at guessing them."

He laughed lightly, "...Or y'know, apply your deductive skills to more useful persuits instead of cheating at cards or-" He swallowed, "I'm sorry-that was a cheap shot."

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

There was a frown on his face. Even in the dim light, anyone could see it. "That's not me anymore," his tone was stern, "you always told me I could better," a pause, "and I'm on a new path."

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

Ed put his hand on the sofa, "...Frankie?"

That edge that he'd felt when he heard the door opened returned, a rough lining of fire at the edge of his stomach that twisted and churned before he swallowed, "...A new path? You uh-you heard back from the police academy?"

He raised his eyebrows, moving forward, "You want to stay for dinner? Something to uh...drink?"

His brother hadn't moved, the frown evident.

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

He shook his head, "no, not yet."

Now he was the one who was tense and the lump in his throat only worsened. He felt like a little kid again having to confront his furious father about telling the truth. Only this time it was his brother -the one he could really only rely on- who needed to know, and it was one of the hardest truths he'd have to tell.

"What do you have?" an awkward silence, "look Edward," another pause, "there's something I have to tell you. Something that's prevented me from coming over sooner."

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

"....Whiskey, uh-Beer. You left some over."

Ed took another step toward his brother. He passed pictures of the two of them as he did so, family, friends, his brother alive and well on the football team, at Ed's graduation...

He stopped a few steps short of him, stepping up to pass him quickly.

He stopped a few inches in front of his apartment kitchen, turning to face him. He put a hand on his kitchen cabinent, "...Frankie?"

His brother's face was still shrouded in shadow Why did he seem so cold?

"....Bro, are you ok?"

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

There was a brief second of light from the TV that glimmered on Frankie's face and if you caught it you could see something different in his once blue eyes. "I met someone a couple nights ago. A girl at that bar I told you about," he took a breath -not that he needed one anymore- "point is, I've been given a chance to start over."

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

Ed was blinded. Blinded by love for his brother, blinded by simply not looking-

"...Oh yeah?" He swallowed back the rising feeling of bile, Why did he feel so cold? "Career Counselor? ...Attractive one night stand?"

He tried to laugh, "...I was gonna call out for pizza. You want some?"

It was getting harder and harder to find open Pizza joints these days, but never mind that.

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

"Something like that," he replied and would've laughed if this wasn't a serious situation, "pizza would only be good if I could taste it."

He finally steps closer to his brother now, allowing the light to fully laminate his face and show the gold-colored eyes that come with his 'new life.'

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

You keep an eye on your brother Ed.

Edward saw two children in front of him with an older boy holding tight to his baby brother.

For Chrissake Ed, you're not a baby. Watch over your fucking brother.

The boys aged progressively as Ed became aware of dropping the glass in his hand. I knew.

Take care of your brother Ed.

His eyes watered, backing up a step, "..."

He breathed deep, running a hand over his eyes, trying to compose himself, "....You turned. How's-How's it-feel?"

Disappointed doesn't begin to cover it.

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

He knew his brother was going to react, but by crying? That... was a little unexpected. Sure, he'd been known to cry on several occasions as a kid, but jesus, wasn't he done with that phase?

"Different," was all he could respond back with and felt a jolt of emotional pain when he watched his brother step back, "it's nothing to be afraid of."

Don't be afraid. Why was he so afraid? He was still his little brother, through and through.

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

Ed swallowed, "...I'm-"

He stops, shaking his head, "....You can't be serious Frankie."

He stops short, holding up a hand and looking pained, "You can't be serious. You actually bought into their "A new you" transformation bullshit? You-"

He shook his head and turned away, "...I can'tr believe you."

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

"You're what? Why don't you say it this time instead of hiding," frustration began billowing in Frankie's head, "what else was there left for me? I never got the football tuition I worked for in school. I couldn't hold a job longer than a year, and the police academy? It's been months since I've heard back from them."

He sighed, trying to calm himself, "Look at the statistics Edward. More people are choosing to become vampires. No one has to die anymore."

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

He swallowed, pained, "It's not like that Frankie-"

The last remark threw him for a loop, "...People are dying." He turned to him, "You die to become one of..those-of-them."

He grimaced, "You're dead Frankie. You're dead right now and you're telling me I'm a coward? At least I'm still alive."

The last part was practically snarled out, "What about your friends? What if Mom knew? What about me? Did you think about me?"

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

"If I'm dead, then why am I here now talking to you?" The once controlled anger beginning to uprise again. How dare he mention mom at this time. "Of course I did," his voice rising and then lowering, "that's why I want you to join me."

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

Edward froze.

"...You want me to What?"




"No. No. Frankie-I-" He stared, "...NO."

He swallowed, "I can't..." He frowned, "I can't deal with this. I need you to leave Frankie."

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

Disappointment. Unfortunately, it's something Frankie's has had a lot of lately. But this was a new beginning for him and he wasn't going to let disappointment happen anymore. "Please," his voice was almost pitiful -an emotion he didn't like showing but wasn't afraid to in front of his brother- "soon, they'll be more vampires than people and you'll be food."

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

Ed stared at him, shaking his head before walking toward the fridge.

His hands shook as he eyed the knives he kept in a plain wooden block on the warped counter. He stood up straight and looked his brother in the eye, trying not to flinch.

"...."

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

He wasn't a monster, but he couldn't help feeling like that's what Edward thought he was now. And it angered him to a degree he couldn't control anymore. Even as a human he'd have random bursts of anger, his teammates knew this, this brother knew this, so why did he continue to push the buttons?

Frankie lunged, throwing himself onto Edward and wrapping his hands around his brother's neck. His vampiric instincts were out of his control, but Frankie knew what he was doing when he dug his fangs into Edward's neck. It wasn't about him feeding -in all honesty, drinking from his brother was the last thing Frankie wanted to do- but it was more about them being together.

He couldn't do this alone and even though Edward resisted, Frankie wasn't giving his brother a choice.

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

Ed didn't have time to gasp, let alone breath.

His hand reached out, grabbing for a weapon on pure instinct but his hands were shaking. The knives scattered as Ed knocked them over when Frankie lunged.

He was a wild animal.

He'd worked with animals for years. Take care of your brother Ed.

His brother leaping at him, clawing at him. The pain was sudden and intense, violence that pierced him. He gasped, trying to scream against the wall his brother had built around his throat.

They weren't sure just how long it took for the virus to take hold-

And Ed suddenly knew. Three stages.

His brother held him close as his vision began to blur.

1.Loss of Consciousness.

He slumped against his brother's body, shaking, trying desperately to grab at the wound around his neck.

[ifindum.livejournal.com]

He didn't need to drink much for the transformation to occur. The effect worked like a virus through the saliva, once bit there was no chance to stop what you were about to become. Unfortunately, Frankie drank more than he'd intended, the taste of the blood was pure Euphoria, and he found himself having to resist the urge to continue drinking until his brother was dry.

Body trembling and covered in blood, Frankie held Edward close as he began to slip into a dark sleep. The transition from humanity to immortality was painful, Frankie knew this on a first level basis as it was still fresh in his mind, and the only thing he could do now was be there for him.

[asingledropleft.livejournal.com]

Second stage: Heart Failure.

The body shut down and ceased creating hemogloblin before the virus restarted the other unessential organs. Once there it began to recirculate the new DNA to other vital organs.

Far from the bliss of loosing consciousness, Ed was suddenly jolted awake by a sharp grasping pain that left him moaning and jerking. Electric impulses were changing in his brain, re-writing his DNA. There was a primal surge of intense power as his body jerked, held securely in his brother's arms before-

Final Stage: Ressurection

There was a dead sound in his chest and the cold feeling of the blood running through his veins stopping. His eyes ached and his skin crawled.

But he felt it through a veil. Smell and Taste enhanced but sight blurred and touch faded. He shivered, doused in a blanket he couldn't see.

His eyes opened and he let out a moan of pain, "...Fr-Frank-Frankie-"

He knew that face didn't he? the one who'd come to save him?