Mikey gasped awake in a panic, his lungs trying to take in as much air as they could. He felt his body ache in all places, especially his mouth. He rolled over on his side and checked his phone for the time. His face scrunched up in confusion, it was only midnight.

"Ah!" He let out a little yell when his tongue brushed a sharp point in his top row of teeth. He opened the camera on his phone. He looked almost invisible in the dark of his room.

And rolled back on his back and smashed his pillow on top of his face. This was just a bad nightmare and he'll wake up soon enough for none of this to be remembered.

When Mikey saw the sun's light start to creep into his room hours later, he began to think that he was actually living in this nightmare. He stumbled out of bed and went into the bathroom, letting anything that was in his stomach out. He sighed, he was just sick. People hallucinate when they're sick.

"Mikes, you okay?" He heard Gerard knock on the other side of the door. Mikey opened his mouth to respond but more puke came up and he leaned over the toilet. He heard the doorknob turn and a hand on his back started rubbing in circles.

"I— sick." Was all he could say. Gerard wasn't an idiot and could obviously see. He sat there and waited until Mikey had finished. He helped him up and took him back to his room. Mikey mumbled a "thank you." Gerard nodded as if it was nothing.

Once Gerard was sure that Mikey was sleeping, he walked downstairs and was met with his parents making breakfast together. He coughed to get their attention and nodded his head towards the stairs. They understood and opened the fridge, taking out a carton.

"He thinks he's sick, mom." Gerard said cautiously.

"You don't think he will drink blood, do you?" She asked the obvious, looking at the little carton in her hands. Of course Gerard wanted to believe that his little brother wouldn't.

"I want to believe that Mikey will figure out a way around this. That he doesn't have to pay for your guys' mess like I do."

"Hey, it's not like we were trying to get our children cursed!"

"Yet, you managed to do this!" Gerard pointed. "And now we have to pay for it."

"Gerard..." his mother started before he cut her off.

"No," he said, "I'm going to help Mikey get through it today and you two are just going to be oblivious to everything, just like you always are." Gerard stomped away from his parents, leaving them alone with their now burning breakfast.

Hours later, Mikey gasped awake once again. The sounds of steps, a car honking, plane flying overhead, dogs barking, children laughing— everything could be heard. "Gee... Gerard?" He yelled out. He wasn't sure what time it was. He could've slept all day for all he knew.

"I'm here, Mikey." He looked over at his brother who sat by the side of his bed. Mikey didn't feel sick anymore. His head didn't ache as much anymore and he didn't feel tired. He did feel weak, however. "You hungry? I made you soup. Mom and dad left for work and called you in sick today."

Mikey nodded, propping himself up on his elbows. Gerard brought up a bowl of chicken noodle soup, the broth being a lot more red than he's used to. "What is this?" He asked, curiously.

"Just soup and a little bit of stuff to make you feel better." Gerard nodded, Mikey took the bowl gratefully.

***

"Hey, um, where's Mikey?" Pete said hesitantly to Patrick. Frank who was walking with them looked up from his phone, curiously looking at Pete.

"He's sick."

"Still?" Patrick questioned. "I hope he's okay."

"He'll be fine." Frank shrugged.

Pete looked at Frank curiously, suddenly noticing something was odd about him. It could just be his brain telling him that it was just because Frank was different in his own way. But his brain often deceived him. "I saw a couple days ago in the office. The nurse said he didn't have enough sleep."

Frank looked at him. "Not sleeping can take a toll on you." He glanced at the whiteboard ahead of them and started copying down notes. "Also, it's his birthday. I wouldn't be surprised if his parents let him skip school for a day," Frank said, knowing that that was not the case.

"Well are you guys going to check on him after school?" Pete asked, not completely sure why he was putting so much worry on the subject he of someone he just met.

Patrick looked over at Pete and then at Frank. "It would be a good thing to check on him." Frank sighed. "No, really! He's our friend and it looks like he's been having a rough week."

"He's fine, Patrick. He probably just has the flu."

***

"Gee?"

Gerard came into the room to see his brother holding his face in his hands. Gerard was quick to slide right next to him and rub his back. "Just relax, Mikes" he said soothingly.

Mikey looked over at him with red eyes. "It's quiet." He whispered. Gerard tilted his head, confused for a moment. Mikey grabbed his hand and put it on his chest. "It's not beating."

Gerard wasn't going to try and convince Mikey that he was wrong. He was absolutely right. His heart was not beating. Mikey was undead. Still able to function by some ancient magic, Frank had told him once, but physically dead. He knew that it was time to break it to him.

"Mikey, you're a vampire."

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Okay so this is the last update for a while, see y'all later ✌️