"Where is he?" Instead of any greeting, those were Daniel's first words upon seeing Armand. He'd crossed the room to confront him, a calm to his voice that was obviously forced.
They were in a lobby, there were guests around them, some of them glancing their way. Between Armand looking like Armand and them being the owners, getting attention was not surprising, though aggravating at the moment.
Daniel had been out today, off the island. On the mainland and mostly without A/C. He hadn't bothered changing, the humidity of the season clinging to him like his sweat made his shirt cling to his torso. His voice he had managed to regulate, yet his expression showed obvious signs of aggravation.
Make the Season Bright
Or, A Very Chase Years Christmas [AO3]
Armand/Daniel - Explicit - 6,173 words
After four years of being chased around by Armand, things have changed… somewhat. On this last Christmas before they officially get together, Daniel finds himself in a shopping mall on Christmas Eve with his vampire stalker.
It's a holiday fic! I got to use the tag "Christmas Smut" so if nothing else, this was worth it. As you may know, I've been mildly obsessed with the Chase Years recently, so it was only fitting to write a holiday story about that time. I had a blast writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it!
Short Excerpt:
Daniel scanned the mall, looking up to the second and third floors. He thought the food court was on top, but there were restaurants on the main floor and those served alcohol. Probably a better bet. He was about to go find the directory when a flash of auburn and white caught his eye from up above. His pulse jumped. He dropped his gaze to the floor.
Maybe if he pretended he wasn’t there…
But part of him buzzed with elation and relief. Sometimes when he didn’t see the vampire for huge swaths of time, he began to doubt his sanity. Or worse, to worry that Armand had grown bored and left him for good.
He glanced back up and saw those piercing eyes staring right at him. He sighed and headed for the escalator.
Armand was leaning against the railing on the second story. He wore a soft looking brown coat—designed for warmth but not the elements—and jeans. His sneakers were scuffed. Daniel wondered what poor bastard had died to provide him with the outfit. Armand’s russet hair curled around his face, and his pale cheeks were tinged pink, as if he’d been outside too long in the cold, but Daniel knew it was from the blood he’d drunk. He swallowed, his own face flushing at the thought.
“What’s the purpose of bringing the snow inside?” Armand asked, gesturing at the giant glittery snowflakes dangling from the ceiling high above on long wires. “Isn’t the point of these holiday decorations for the light to diffuse the cold and darkness?”
Daniel had never heard anyone put it like that and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say. “They’re decorations. They’re just supposed to be pretty.” He looked up at them. From here, it was much easier to see the glittery designs. “Not everything has a purpose.”
Armand rolled his eyes, a gesture that was so human—so youthful—it took Daniel back. He let go of the railing. “It does when it’s deliberately displayed.”
“Well, the purpose here is to make the mall inviting and nice looking so people stay and buy more shit,” Daniel said.
Armand stared at him for a long moment with those big, amber eyes. Daniel could feel the heat of his gaze cutting into him. “Is that why you’re here? What ‘shit’ are you buying?”
Daniel laughed. He always found it a little funny when Armand swore or used modern slang. It always sounded slightly off, like an alien trying to imitate human culture. “I’m here because some psychotic vampire is chasing me around and this is where I landed. Like a moth, I headed to the brightest building.”
Armand frowned deeply, though whether he was actually offended or just considering Daniel’s words, he could never really tell. Armand was an enigma. He stood silent and unreadable as a statue. Finally, he said, “I’m not psychotic.”
Daniel laughed again. That wasn’t a debate he was prepared to have. “I’m teasing. It’s kind of funny, you know? You following me around like you do, and here we are on Christmas Eve in a gaudy, brightly lit shopping mall. Not exactly where I thought my pursuit of vampires would take me.”
‘I used to be a virtuous man. Well virtuous enough. I swore a little.’
"Well that would explain your beseeching eyes and aura. I was quite virtuous in my youth. I swore too just more often than not in other languages." Smiling at the man opposite him. A man who had woven his way into his stone cold heart. "For what it's worth I think your soul still shines brightly."
Came across an old notebook. Definitely not kept during my most lucid times. Definitely from when I was still alive. As a reporter, I feel I should report, so here is an outtake:
(sidewise on one page, with a crooked line going somewhat centrally across it, splitting it horizontally, there is a pro/con list)
PROS:
hot/beautiful
smart
eloquent
evil/scary/deadly/dangerous
perv
into weird shit
BLOOD
good listener
wants me
takes care of me
mysterious
his hair
his eyes
fangs
when he doesn't know I'm looking at him and he smiles
Ever since waking up that evening, Daniel had felt thirsty. He had stopped by a fountain and drunken eagerly and when he'd walked away, somehow he was more parched than before. The bottle of liquor he purchased somehow ended up empty and abandoned. It hadn't done a thing to sate him either.
This thirst, it was eclipsing everything else. He felt it burning in his throat, down to his stomach. Overtaking every thought.
When he was next able to regain awareness, his unwashed hair was matted to his forehead and his fingers ached from how tightly they were tangled up in the chain he wore around his neck, holding on to the vial of Blood. The only tangible proof he was left with at times like these, when he'd long lost track of his wallet and any other belongings and even the clothes he wore were far removed from anything that had been bought for him specifically.
Might as well be lost entirely. Perhaps he was. Daniel felt the roughness of the brick, his hands touching the wall he'd been leaning against. He got to his feet, unsure when he'd sat down, and he staggered away.
Did he have any coins left? Could he find a phone box and place the call? Did he want to?
Prolonging the game knowing that his hand hadn't been swapped. Still losing. Might as well fold already.
In the end, he stopped near a phone box. A car honked several times and finally lightly nudged him, accompanied by the driver's angry cursing. He took a few steps forward, only enough to get off the road and to then lean against the wall closest to the phone box.
I almost forgot it was Wednesday given the holiday yesterday but I've been working on stuff for Kink Week and I'm so excited to share! I don't want to spoil too much of the surprise but I'm really happy with the first piece I finished (finished meaning drafted,and still needs edits) so I wanted to share a small snippet with some mild adult content under the cut (nothing more than kissing in this preview but some grown up words).
Not tagging anyone this week but feel free to play if you're so inclined!
“People use handcuffs, sure, but these are cheap.”
He took them from Armand’s hands, surprised to find they were metal, not plastic. He set down his beer and, with his cigarette dangling from his lips, examined them. They didn’t seem as sturdy as real handcuffs—which he unfortunately had experience with—but they also didn’t feel as flimsy as he’d expected. They wouldn’t hold Armand. He doubted any handcuffs would. But Daniel wouldn’t be able to break them open or get free easily. His mouth went dry as he imagined being restrained with them.
He picked up the box from the counter and found the key in the bottom. He unlocked the the cuffs. The pink fuzz around the inside was silly and playful, but also soft enough to keep your wrists from getting chafed.
“Give me your wrist,” Daniel said.
Armand thrust his wrist out. Daniel slapped the cuff around him and snapped it shut. Armand frowned, lifting his arm to get a closer look.
Daniel ashed his cigarette and took a drag while Armand examined the cuff on his wrist, batting at the loose, dangling cuff like a cat. He stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray and moved toward Armand with the key, intending to unlock it. But Armand snatched the key with his free hand and snapped the dangling cuff around Daniel’s wrist, locking them together. He grinned.
Daniel laughed. “Great, you got me.”
Armand yanked his arm toward him, jerking Daniel forward. He stumbled into Armand. “I could get use to having you on a chain.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Daniel muttered. He grabbed for the key but Armand yanked it out of reach. He undid the cuff around his own wrist and went back into the kitchen. Daniel looked down at his arm, the pink fluff exploding beneath the glinting metal on his wrist. He cleared his throat. “Are you going to undo this or do I have to walk around with it on my arm all night?”
Armand opened a second box of cuffs. “Do you think the keys are the same for both?”
“How the hell would I know?” Daniel walked up behind him, reaching around him to grab his beer from the counter. He sipped at it while Armand tried the same key on the extra set of cuffs. It worked. He grinned and put a single key into the pocket of his pants. Then he gave Daniel a look that set all his hair standing on end, a mixture of mischief and desire.
“What?” Daniel asked.
“Do you wish to test these?” Armand asked. “You have had such a fantasy.”
Excitement shot through him as he thought of a myriad of ways they could test them, picturing himself cuffed and helpless. But the pink fluff made them feel silly, like a joke, which made him feel a little dubious about using them for their intended purpose even as the idea aroused him. “They’re novelty toys,” Daniel said.
Armand lifted Daniel’s arm. He ran his thumb over his wrist around the cuff. “They seem sturdy enough to me.” His voice was low, soft, and it sent tingles down Daniel’s spine. He looked up at Daniel with his beautiful, brown eyes and, the look imploring and full of something else. Desire? Need? Hunger?
Daniel’s breath hitched and blood rushed to his groin. “Yeah, okay, I guess we can see what these babies can do.”
Armand smiled and warmth spread through Daniel at having evoked that reaction. He had a radiant smile that always made Daniel giddy. Armand kissed him, fingers stroking his cheek as his tongue pushed into Daniel’s mouth. His tongue was cool, the heat from the blood of his earlier kill now faded, and Daniel’s tongue burned hot as it slid into his mouth, desperate and needy.
Armand took his hand and led him to the bedroom. He pushed him against the wall and kissed him again, more fiercely this time, and Daniel’s cock hardened with excitement. There was nothing silly about the way Armand kissed him, fingers threading into his short blond hair, tongue warring with his.
Five Times Daniel & Armand Almost Kissed During the Chase Years and One Time They Did [AO3]
Armand/Daniel - Mature - 5940 words
Most of what I write for Vamptember is going to be shorter ficlets and vignettes that I'll post straight to tumblr, and I will probably create a catch-all folder for them on AO3. But I couldn't do 5 + 1 short. I tried to do drabbles but you know how verbose these two are so that did not work.
Anyway, this is longer vignettes, alternating points of view between Daniel and Armand. This also works as a prequel for my explicit fic Carnal Pleasures that I posted last week.
Happy Vamptember!
Excerpt:
The boy worries a thin red straw between his teeth while he nurses a gin and tonic and flips through a travel guide. Armand meant to approach him several minutes ago, to strike up a conversation about the brand of cigarettes Daniel has on the table beside him. It’s different from his usual box and Armand wonders what that means.
But instead he’s captivated by the straw in Daniel’s mouth, the way he chews it idly, almost if he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. The way it bobs up and down in his lips. The way he removes it with his long, elegant fingers, only to thrust it back between his teeth when he turns the page of the book.
Such a strange habit, such an odd thing to capture Armand’s attention. And yet he can’t look away. He can see the fine lines in Daniel’s lips and the way they work the straw lazily, without any real purpose. He’s staring too openly, and a woman who works at the restaurant asks him if he wants a table. He shakes his head and gestures to Daniel’s booth in the corner. Mumbles that he’s meeting someone and walks past her.
Daniel looks up. His pulse jumps when he realizes it’s him, but he doesn’t seem particularly surprised. The straw sticks to his bottom lip when he opens his mouth and Armand plucks it from him.
“Have you no manners?” he admonishes.
Now Daniel looks surprised. Chastised, even, and oh, that’s a far more delicious look on him, the way he casts his eyes down and turns his head slightly, faintest blush coloring his cheeks. He has a handsome profile and strong jaw dusted with light stubble. His blond hair is shaggy and keeps falling over his glasses so he has to sweep it back out of his face. It’s these little gestures Armand has come to appreciate about him.
“Will you sit down? People are staring,” Daniel says. But Armand can hear his thoughts. He’s not worried about anyone staring. He’s worried that Armand now thinks he’s boorish and can’t behave in a fancy restaurant. Not that this place is particularly upscale but it’s nicer than some of the places Armand has found him. The tables are adorned with tablecloths and have lit candles in the center.
Instead of sitting across from him, Armand scoots into the booth beside Daniel. He grins, flashing fang, and delights at how Daniel’s heart hammers. He surreptitiously puts the straw in his pocket and then reaches for the box of cigarettes, lifting it in front of Daniel’s face. “This has changed.”
Daniel swallows, trying to collect himself. Armand is sitting close to him, their legs touching. To make Daniel feel trapped, he tells himself, unable to escape this booth. To make him realize Armand has him just where he wants him.
