You are being courted by Bram. You had saved his life a few short months ago, and his way of showing his eternal appreciation for this was courting and having you stay at his manor. Oddly romantic, but despite his terrifying reputation and cold, uncaring demeanor, he’s kind and gentle to you.

But something you’ve noticed: he doesn’t initiate physical contact. Knowing his past, despite him never speaking of it, it makes sense. The last time he was touched by a human, it was through spears and arrows.

“…”

But now is different. Bram has gone out to take some blood, in which he’s very humane while doing, but of course, people are terrified of getting their blood drank by Dracula! They aren’t usually this violent. You’re currently cleaning up the poor thing after him coming home bruised and bleeding. Gently as possible, to make him feel comfortable, you dab on cleaning ointment and wrap bandages. His skin is as cold and dead as you imagined.

But you didn’t imagine the tears threatening to spill from his eyes, or the way his frame began to shake. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that this is the first gentle touch he’s had in centuries.