Chapter Text
It had been ten months, two weeks, and five days since they had left Greatmaw behind, and Howard likes to think that they are well adjusted. Of course, they've all had their slip ups, and the nightmares will always stay, and Howard himself has had a few to many close calls regarding his new strange anatomy and the glimpses of infinity he had seen.
The lab is doing well, they've hired on a few more people, Angelique is well on her way to winning awards for the Jellyfish Gel, and Howard and Phillip... well, you could say that they're doing better than ever! Things are far from perfect, but they are much, much better, for everybody!
But there was one itty bitty, tiny little thing that Howard was still adjusting to. But it was hardly noticeable, really. Howard was getting just a little bit blood-hungry.
It didn't really impact him, it was just hard to focus sometimes. On Phillip. For no specific reason. If Angelique asked, Howard would blame it on the recent developments of his and Phil's relationship, but really, it wasn't anything big.
Howard just wanted to bite Phillip, just a little bit, just a nibble, only enough to get the blood going, just to break the skin, Phil wouldn't mind, not like he'd miss it, he'd hardly know it was gone. Just a nibble, really, a little bit of blood. Phillip doesn't even need all that blood anyways, and it's not like he can't make more. Just a bite, only a nibble, a mere gnaw, Howard is hungry, and Phillip has more than enough to spare. Just a little bit of blood for Howard, please? He's hungry, just a little?
"Are you alright over there, Howie? You look like you want to eat me." Phillip asked from the other side the dining table (a rather small one, made for 2-4 people). They had been eating dinner in their apartment just seconds ago, until Howard had gotten distracted.
Howard, shocked out of his trance, was embarrassed. "Oh, no, Phil, I'm fine, just great. But look at the time, it's getting late. I think that I'll just go to bed, get some shut eye, rest my head." Howard quickly made his excuse and got up to leave.
But Phillip wasn't done. He also stood up and grabbed Howard's hand, meeting him on his side of the table. "You've been switching between avoiding me and looking at me like I'm a five course meal all night. I have to ask, is everything alright?"
It was getting to be too much for Howard. He'd been hungry and wanting for so long, and Phillip was right there. He was so close, so hungry. Just a little wouldn't hurt, surely Phillip wouldn't mind.
"You're doing it again, and you're starting to drool." Just a bite "You can tell me what's wrong, I won't be cruel." It won't hurt him
Blood was nothing that Phil would miss. "I'm fine, but could I have a kiss?" He asked with a nervous smile.
Phillip's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "That's not all, I can tell."
"Just one kiss, and then I'll be well." Howard was turned from hungry to desperate, nearly mad. Just drink, a sip, that's all, please? There was so much, just under the skin, Howard wouldn't take much, just enough for Howard to... maybe this was a bad idea- NO, no, he's so hungry, please?
His hands trembled, his free hand reaching for Phil's shoulder. He could feel his arms sprout leaves and his fingers stretch. He could feel his mouth change, growing four small and thin sandpaper-y tongues at the front of his mouth. If he had to wager a guess, he'd say his face was tinted with chlorophyll from the ears to the neck. Howard tried to smile, perhaps to prove that he was fine, but he found it hard to open his mouth with the new additions.
Phillip looked him up and down. "Howard, you're obviously not alright. Maybe we should just call it a night." He suggested in apprehension, taking one step back. He didn't get much farther, as the now-present vines that were Howard's hands gripped him firmly.
The charade was over, Howard couldn't keep it up anymore. "Phillip, I know it's a terrible need, but I beg of you, let me feed." His mouth had fallen open, the plant-tongues pushing out and reaching for Phillip. The vines tugged his partner closer, their faces so near that Howard got a detailed view of Phil's blush. He was so close now, he just needed a 'yes', just a 'yes', and then this horrible hunger would stop, finally.
A second, then another, then several more seconds. Phillip didn't give a response., positive or negative, He didn't even move. Perhaps Howard had asked too much.
Although a good part of him wanted to scream, Howard started to pull away. He was hungry, so hungry, but he wasn't going to. He'd resign himself to a life of starvation if he had to, he wouldn't force Phillip into giving blood.
"Okay." What?
"What did you say?" Howard asked in disbelief.
"I said okay. But you need a different word, I guess. Would it be better if I said yes?" Phillip, his partner, his amazing partner, had just agreed to what was quite possibly the most insane thing Howard had ever asked, and he couldn't love him any more for it.
The vines returned with an unmatched eagerness, wrapping around Phil's waist and tangling themselves in his hair. A small turn placed Phillip's back towards the table. "I love you, you're perfect just as you are." He kissed Phillip on the cheek and gently pushed him backwards until his rear and the table were acquainted, vines pushing silverware and half eaten dishes aside to deal with later. "Please let me know if I go too far."
His partner's arms hung loosely of Howard's shoulders as Phillip nodded. No time was wasted in extra kisses as Howard immediately latched on, his lips crashing into Phil's as the plant-tongues attached themselves to various parts of his partner's face, one even tangling itself in Phil's beard. The warm, metallic taste of blood flooded Howard's senses, refreshing like water to the dehydrated. Howard had wanted this for so, long, and now that he had it, he didn't want to let go. He wanted more. He needed more.
Howard's tongue invaded Phil's mouth, an exchange of saliva mixing with the blood, and Howard relished in the little sounds Phil made. The vines unwrapped from Phillip's waist in favor of going up his shirt, feeling every inch of skin, Phil shuddering in his grasp, his breathe hitching for a second. Their chests were flush against eachother, a closeness neither of them could get enough of.
For a moment, Howard felt like all was right in the world. There was no pain, suffering or sickness, no wars or fighting. There was only the joy and pleasure he felt. There was only Howard and Phillip, and the beautiful, endlessly terrifying expanse of stars. Between the two, Phillip would always and forever be his favorite.
His fantasy was cut short when Phillip pushed his chest away. Howard quickly pulled off of his face, looking in concern. Never before had Howard thought someone could look so pale and yet so flushed, yet there Phil was, pale as hell, but blushing as well, with a smile, no less. He looked like the unfortunate victim of an overgrown garden, vines poking out of the shirt's holes and encroaching on his face, and his chest shook with heavy breathes. Looking at Phillip made Howard feel as if he were an artist admiring one of his works.
"Seeing as you're pale, and such, I'm guessing that I took to much?" Howard asked sheepishly, retracting the vines until they were contained to his arms and hands, while Phillip braced himself against the table.
Phillip's loopy smile didn't falter. "Yes, that may be so, but you don't have to worry though. Just need some time to recover, is all. Maybe help me to bed, so I don't fall?"
Howard happily obliged, and soon the two of them were collapsed in a heap on Phillip's bed, falling asleep. Howard's bloodlust had been abated, at least for now.
Though he could definitely do without the terrible nausea that had taken it's place.