#nickieleni

[leslutdepointedulac]

There's absolutely nothing I love more than making Nicki do things he's most certainly does NOT want to do just because Eleni asked him reallyyyyy nicely in the most genuinely sincere 'but it's okay if you don't, you don't have to' no pressure type of way

[leslutdepointedulac]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by: @monstersinthecosmos Thank you!!

Eleni stands, watching him for a moment as he scribbles away. She's known him long enough by now to recognise a shift in his demeanour; most others would assume he's merely keen to get back to his work, and while it's not entirely false, Eleni isn't as easily fooled by his lingering smile.

She goes to sit beside him, tucking her legs beneath her and leaning her weight on her right hand, which she settles on the floor behind Nicki's back. With her chin resting on his shoulder, she peers down at his notes as he continues to scrawl furiously across the page, only stopping every so often to dip into the ink beside him, before the scratching of the quill tip on paper starts up again, a few of the words blotched with ink in his haste to put his thoughts down.

It's almost mesmerising to watch him work. On numerous occasions, Eleni has found herself sitting by to look on at the wonder that is their ingenious mastermind at play. So few get the privilege of witnessing him in his element, but she finds herself lucky more often than most. The nearly trance-like state he puts himself in as he creates is a marvel in and of itself, and almost just as rewarding to see as being able to perform his ideas.

After quietly observing for a short time, Eleni does something not typically recommended and breaks his trance with a question.

"Did you ever dance?"

"I'm a musician, not a dancer," he mutters distractedly, not pausing in his vigorous note-taking.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Eleni chides him gently, not accepting his poor attempt at dodging the question.

Nicki scoffs quietly, still writing without sparing her so much as a glance. "I may have been known to attend a ball or two on occasion."

Eleni imagines him looking impossibly handsome dressed up in his finery, dancing the night away with pretty women and maybe even daring to steal a brief glance with a few of the men. She smiles faintly to herself at the thought, tilting her head with her chin still settled on his shoulder, to rest lightly against his, the top of her head brushing his cheek.

"How exciting that must have been. I think I should like to attend a ball some day," she muses quietly.

Continuing to write, Nicki makes a soft noise that sounds much like a self-deprecating huff of a laugh. "If you can convince the little devil to allow me a night of release, then I'll accompany you myself. Though I can assure you, you're not missing out on much, it all sounds far more exciting than it reveals itself to be."

Tagging: @covenofthearticulate @desertfangs @bubblegum-blackwood

[leslutdepointedulac]

I saw you like Nicki/Eleni. I've never heard of them as a pairing so I'm curious. What are your thoughts about them?

Aaahh where do I even begin omg! It's such an interesting ship to me with A lot going on that I'll do my very best to explain lmao. The thing is, I don't really view them as a 'typical' ship as such. When I think about them and their relationship, they sit in this weird sort of grey area to me in that they're not platonic but they're not exactly in a place of romance either, they sit somewhere outside of both those things.

I've always seen Eleni as something of a mother type figure to Nicki and he's her adopted coven son who she took under her wing when they formed the Theatre des Vampires. But there's something else with them that runs deeper than that for me. I see them as being two people who are deeply bonded in a way that's hard to put a proper label on and define, I think they do love each other but in a very particular kind of way. Although I do adore calling them MotherWife and SonHusband because I think it's funny and it makes me happy and those things do apply to them on some obscure level that in my mind, does give a simple overview to their connection.

I think this sums them up quite well honestly 😂

I don't imagine them instantly bonding though, I think Eleni had to earn Nicki's favour, but she worked hard to get it and it paid off. I see Nicki as having recognised her efforts and seeing them as genuine so over time he learned to trust her and be tolerant and, in my opinion, show her, on some level, a sort of love. Not necessarily as a lover but in a form of gratitude for her treatment of him and dedication to earning a more docile and tolerant side of him.

I view Eleni as being the only person to actually understand Nicki in a way that no one else really does. She knows how to deal with him and control him, which even Armand is often unsuccessful at achieving, and based on how she talks about him in her letters to Lestat in TVL, it's clear to me personally that she really does care for and about him and loves him. She understands that he's Not Doing Okay and that he shouldn't have experienced/be experiencing the Horrors in his life that he's faced. She feels sadness when he dies though she no doubt knew it was inevitable and lets it happen. I think she (and the whole coven tbh) let him go because she loves him and to stop it would be cruel.

And with Nicki, I'm not sure what it is exactly to be perfectly honest, but I've just always imagined him having a good relationship with Eleni. Like, to me, not only is she the only person he really tolerates and likes (post Lestat) but he finds a sense of comfort and companionship with her that no one else gets the privilege of experiencing from him. And I think it's down to Eleni being the one to treat him the nicest, in my mind anyway, and I also imagine her as being the one person who actually treats him like a person instead of just a feral animal in need of taming, or a crazed fledgling who needs to be feared and dominated into submission.

Anyone else would be, and probably is to a degree, skittish around him and/or downright fearful of him, which is understandable to be fair. But at the end of the day, I think a part of why Nicki acts the way he does is because he's angry and scared, so lashing out and causing chaos is how he deals with it, but it doesn't deter Eleni or scare her off. I get the vibe Eleni stands her ground with him and shows him no fear while still showing him kindness and fairness.

Like, she does assert a level of authority and control over him but I don't think it's in a way that is unfair or treating him like an animal, it's more that he's a bit wild sometimes and someone has to do something to calm him down. It's a bit like a parent trying to keep their hyperactive toddler in line, it's nothing malicious but she needs to correct his behaviour so he knows he's in the wrong. Showing aggression towards him or serving him violent punishments isn't respectable to him and sure as hell doesn't make that person 'safe' to be around. Ultimately, the way Nicki is treated by Eleni shows him she can be respected and seen as a 'safe person', whereas everyone else is pretty unfair to him in his eyes, whether they intend to be or not.

So yeah, I think through a series of kind actions from Eleni along with her maternal nature (imo), Nicki saw in her someone he could rely on and find comfort in, and over time it turned into a strong bond between them that lasted until Nicki died.

Delving even deeper into some real headcanon territory here lmao, but I like to think that on Nicki's good nights, he and Eleni were able to relax around each other, and Nicki could reflect something similar to how he used to be when he was more playful and charming, albeit in a slightly skewed manner now and with a touch more deviousness. He might say something mischievous which makes Eleni lightly and playfully slap his arm and scold him, even as she smiles and he doesn't take offence because he knows it's harmless and it's Eleni. He simply flashes her a smile and says something else even more shocking.

Even on Nicki's bad nights, Eleni is someone he can rely on. On the nights when Nicki is upset and even shuts down entirely, Eleni can either be someone to comfort him or simply give him space while ensuring no one else bothers him. He can rant to her, get angry and even throw things if he wants and she'll just hear him out, step in to gently talk him down if needed. When it's directed at someone else, Eleni can be firm with him but not unreasonable and attempt to de-escalate things.

And I don't think Eleni ever has to worry about Nicki turning on her, I think she's more than sure of herself and has gained his trust and affection to the point where she isn't in danger of getting hurt. That's not to say Nicki doesn't lose his temper with her on occasion but he won't do much more than yell at her and demand space.

I have so many thoughts about these two, there's so much about them which I find so fascinating and I adore them 🥹 I know we're not given much at all in canon but the crumbs we do get are really telling to me. The minimal details from canon also just means we get to play around with them and make it our own which is always fun! I just hope I can convince at least someone to get on board to join the current grand total of 2 Nicki/Eleni shippers (myself ofc and my dearest @aunteat, it's just us against the world atm 😂). If I've managed to recruit at least one other person I'll be happy, I just want more people to scream with about them and share all the goodness 🥹

[leslutdepointedulac]

Leslutdepointedulac Fic Masterlist

♰ Louis/Lestat ♰

☾ Nothing's Fair in Love and War ~ G | 1k Louis unintentionally causes panic in Claudia and Lestat [Hurt/Comfort]

☾ Merry Christmas, Darling ~ G | 1k Louis and Lestat remember Claudia on Christmas Eve [Angst, Hurt/Comfort]

☾ Let Sleeping Lions Lie ~ G | 900 Louis watches over Lestat in his coma [Angst]

☾ Lupercalia ~ M | 2k Lestat reminds Louis of the origins of Valentine's Day [Canon compliant, Blood drinking]

☾ Daddy's Little Girl ~ G | 3k Louis and Lestat take Claudia out for the night to do whatever she wants [Hurt/Comfort]

☾ Second Chances ~ G | 10k Louis is successful in trying out a dating app [Modern/Human au]

☾ Drunken Matrimony ~ G | 2k Lestat looks after Louis after he gets drunk on alcohol infused blood [Fluff, Blood drinking]

☾ The Chance to Get It Right ~ G | 2k Lestat and Louis learn to be parents again [Canon divergence, Angst and feels, Fluff]

☾ Distraction ~ G | 1k Louis pulls Lestat away from his duties as prince [Fluff]

☾ Experimentations ~ M | 2k Louis and Lestat discover just how sensitive vampire's fangs are [Canon compliant, Overstimulation]

☾ The Long Road ~ T | 2k Lestat takes Louis to Trinity Gate after his suicide attempt [Angst, Hurt/Comfort]

☾ I Did This For Us ~ G | 1k Lestat watches Louis and Claudia sleep after turning her

☾ The Desire You Feel ~ G | 1k Lestat seduces Louis to quiet his lecturing [Kissing]

☾ Drowned in Your Depths ~ T | 10k Lestat investigates the lack of fish in the sea and the missing fishermen [Human/Siren au, Rule 63, Mild Gore]

☾ The Ghost of You ~ G | 1k Louis finds someone who resembles Lestat during a time of loneliness [Angst, Blood drinking]

☾ Treasured Finds ~ E | 9k (ongoing) Louisa is taken aboard a pirate ship and held hostage by the ship's captain [Human au, Rule 63, Kidnapping, Tags to be added]

☾ Touched by an Angel ~ E | 3k Lestat visits Louis to offer him eternal life [Canon divergence, Dubcon, Hand jobs, Breathplay]

☾ Take Me Off This Cross ~ E | 3k Lestat begs for Louis to help him get his body back [Humiliation, Cock & ball torture, Begging]

☾ Drain Me Slow ~ M | 6k Lestat gets his blood drawn by a highly attractive nurse [Modern/Human au, Medical kink, Praise kink, Sexual undertones]

☾ Tumblr Drabbles - 'Why Do You Hate Me?' ~ G | 700 Lestat tries to get out of his duties [Fluff]

☾ Signs of Affection ~ G | 1k Louis is forced to overcome his apprehension at sharing a coffin with Lestat [Only one coffin]

☾ To Bring You Home ~ T | 5k Louis and Lestat talk after reviving Louis from his suicide attempt [Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Blood drinking]

☾ Come Home To Me ~ M | 3k Louis receives a phone call from Lestat which turns erotic [Canon compliant, Phone sex, Masturbation]

☾ Glass Closet ~ G | 5k In the midst of an argument, Lestat does something which causes Louis to question the deepest parts of himself. [First kiss, Internalised homophobia]

☾ Charmed ~ E | 6k Lestat shows Louisa just how charming she can be. [Rule 63, Vaginal fingering, Cunnilingus]

☾ On The Outside Looking In Ch.1 ~ G | 2k A theatre goer finds herself more interested in the family opposite her box than the play. [POV Outsider, Original character]

♰ Louis/Armand ♰

⯎ See You Later ~ G | 1k Armand gives Louis a gift before Louis leaves Trinity Gate for Court [Fluff]

⯎ The Long Road ~ T | 2k Armand takes Louis in after his suicide attempt [Hurt/Comfort, Angst]

⯎ Fairytales Do Come True ~ T | 6k (ongoing) Louisa cares for an injured mermaid she meets on the beach [Human/Mermaid au, Rule 63, Gore]

⯎ The Gift ~ M | 3k Louisa meets a strange woman on the beach who makes her an offer [Human au, Rule 63, Drowning]

⯎ You, Who I Pity ~ T | 1k Louis shuts Armand out after Claudia's death [Angst, Hurt/No comfort, Grief]

⯎ Treasured Finds ~ E | 9k (ongoing) Louisa finds herself hostage on board a pirate ship [Human au, Rule 63, Kidnapping, Tags to be added]

⯎ Old Flame ~ M | 4k Armand indulges Louis in a long awaited fantasy [Pet play, Fluff, Character study]

⯎ Tumblr Drabbles - 'Why Did You Help Me?' ~ G | 500 Armand reassures Louis' welcome in Trinity Gate [Hurt/Comfort]

⯎ Little Comforts ~ M | 6k Armand takes Louis' mind off his inner turmoil [Body Worship, Hurt/Comfort, Blood drinking]

⯎ Let Me Get Close to You ~ G | 1k Armand can't get through to Louis a year after Claudia's death [Angst, Hurt/No comfort]

♰ Nicolas/Lestat ♰

☽ The Light Behind Your Eyes ~ T | 900 Lestat receives a letter from Nicki after his death [Canon divergence, Angst]

☽ Our Conversations ~ T | 3k Vignettes of Nicki and Lestat's life together [Emotional hurt/Comfort, Pining]

☽ Drag Me Down Memory Lane ~ E | 4k Nicki is forced to relive a memory of himself and Lestat [Noncon elements, Blood drinking, Smut, Voyeurism, Violence]

☽ He Lives On In My Mind ~ E | 4k Lestat finds someone who looks like Nicki while mourning his death [Rape/Noncon, Smut, Blood drinking, Character death]

☽ No Good At Goodbyes ~ T | 4k Lestat visits Nicki's makeshift grave with Armand [Grief]

☽ Patience Is a Virtue ~ E | 5k Nicki teaches Lestat how to be patient [PWP, Dom/Sub, Edging, Outdoor sex]

☽ Selfish Desires ~ E | 5k Lestat tries to distract Nicki from his violin practice [PWP, Degradation, Hair Pulling, Strip Tease]

☽ A Love I've Never Known ~ E | 6k Nicki and Lestat warm up after being out on the snow [Tooth rotting fluff, Cockwarming, Smut, Gentle sex]

☽ Astral Sons ~ E | 9k After getting a bit rough with Lestat, Nicki can't help but let the intrusive thoughts overtake him [Rough sex, Domdrop, Dom/Sub]

☽ Regretful Wishes ~ G | 900 Nicki snaps at Lestat when he becomes overwhelmed while trying to work [Angst]

☽ For Fools and Liars ~ M | 4k Lestat confesses his love for Nicki [Love confessions, Hand jobs, Making out, Hurt/comfort]

☽ Baby, Please ~ E | 9k Nicki says something which uncovers a hidden desire of Lestat's [Breeding kink, Praise kink, Spit as lube, Painful sex]

☽ The Path We Make ~ E | 6k Lestat and Nicki use their societal roles in a more creative way [Roleplay, Hand jobs, Blow jobs]

☽ Senseless ~ E | 9k Lestat's limits are tested during an experimental night in carnal explorations. [Light bondage, Blindfolds, Body worship, Spit kink, Fisting, Multiple orgasms, Dacryphilia]

☽ Flayed ~ M | 2k Lestat tries to convince Nicki of his talent playing the violin. [Praise kink, Hand jobs]

♰ Nicolas/Armand ♰

⯏ Drag Me Down Memory Lane ~ E | 4k Armand delves into Nicki's mind to search his memories [Noncon elements, Blood drinking, Smut, Voyeurism, Violence]

⯏ Tumblr Drabbles - 'Have You Come To Laugh At Me In My Miserable State?' ~ G | 700 Armand visits Nicki after one of his outbursts [Angst]

⯏ No Good At Goodbyes ~ T | 4k Armand pays Nicki's 'grave' a visit with Lestat [Grief]

⯏ A Dog With No Bite ~ M | 9k (ongoing) Nicki's reckless behaviour to put a stop [Non-consensual body modification, Mind manipulation, De-fanging, Tags to be added]

⯏ The Path to Peace ~ T | 11k Armand returns Nicki's hands to him and faces a tough decision [Canonical character death, Aftercare, Fluff and Angst]

⯏ Baited ~ M | 6k Armand finds himself with an unwanted companion during a solo hunt [Sexual undertones, Blood shotgunning, Banter, Making Out]

⯏ In The Wake of Your Departure. . . ~ T | 2k How the Théâtre des Vampires coven copes after Nicki's death [Suicide, Grief/Mourning]

♰ Lestat/Armand ♰

☼ Hē Seirḗn ~ E | 3k Lestat and Armande encounter something in the sea [Human/Siren au, Rule 63, Dead dove: do not eat, Body horror, noncon elements, character death]

☼ Treasured Finds ~ E | 9k (ongoing) Armande is the first mate to Lestat aboard a pirate ship [Human au, Rule 63, Kidnapping, Tags to be added]

☼ Drag Me Down Memory Lane ~ E | 4k Armand longs after Lestat while looking through Nicki's memories [Noncon elements, Blood drinking, Smut, Voyeurism, Violence]

☼ No Good At Goodbyes ~ T | 4k Armand takes Lestat to Nicki's 'grave' and gives him comfort [Grief]

♰ Louis/Lestat/Armand ♰

⬨ Treasured Finds ~ E | 9k (ongoing) Louisa is held captive on a pirate ship by Armande and Lestat [Human au, Rule 63, Kidnapping, Tags to be added]

⬨ The Art of Patience ~ M | 2k Louis and Armand test Lestat's endurance for pleasure [Canon compliant, Blood drinking, Fluff]

♰ Armand/Daniel ♰

⛌ Second Chances ~ G | 10k Armand and Daniel support Louis with his dating life [Modern/Human au]

♰ Antoine/Lestat ♰

⬦ Invisible ~ G | 1k Antoine thinks back on his time with Lestat [Angst, Hurt/No comfort]

♰ Gabrielle/Lestat ♰

⬭ Fils à Maman ~ M | 2k Gabrielle tames the brat in Lestat [Mommy kink, Spanking, Praise kink]

♰ Akasha/Lestat ♰

☥ The Mother Knows Best ~ G | 1k Akasha tries to show Lestat what they're doing is good [Akasha being a radical feminist]

♰ Louis/Lestat/Armand/Daniel ♰

⬯ A Well Earnt Break ~ G | 2k Armand, Louis, Lestat and Daniel spend some time together on the Night Island [Fluff]

♰ Nicolas/Eleni ♰

♡ Only A Matter of Time ~ G | 4k Eleni worries for Nicola with her gradually declining mental state [Angst, Rule 63]

♡ A Mother's Love ~ T | 3k Eleni provides Nicki with some comfort after an argument with Armand [Angst, Hurt/comfort, Mental regression]

♡ In The Wake of Your Departure. . . ~ T | 2k How the Théâtre des Vampires coven copes after Nicki's death [Suicide, Grief/Mourning]

♰ Claudia & Louis & Lestat ♰

⬫ Do You Want Me to be A Doll Forever? ~ G | 2k Claudia makes herself into a living doll to lure in a victim [Angst, Hurt/No comfort]

♰ Louis & Daniel ♰

⭒ Childhood Fears ~ G | 4k Louis reveals a hidden fear of his to Daniel [Thalassophobia]

♰ Nicolas de Lenfent ♰

∞ Prey Instincts ~ T | 2k A lone man is stalked through Paris by an unknown predator [Blood, Character death]

[leslutdepointedulac]

Pictures that are Nicki and Eleni coded to me

[leslutdepointedulac]

Cradle

Vamptember ~ Day 8: Cradle

Eleni clasps his hand between her own, staring down at them in her lap as she forms her next words in her mind. "I know it's difficult, I know he can be difficult, but Armand is here with us for a reason. Do you remember what I told you of our days in the old coven? How he devoted himself to us and what we believed in? I think he needs this new coven, now, as much as we need him, this place gives him a purpose."

She glances up at Nicki, finding he's still fixated on the space in front of him with a frown still etched into his expression. It's clear to her that he's listening though, practically able to see the thoughts turning in his head as, with his arm still draped across his stomach, he absentmindedly taps his fingers against his side, restless in his thinking.

Waiting patiently for him to process his thoughts, Eleni leans to the side to let her head rest on his shoulder, knowing her closeness is often something calming for him in times like this; just seeing her at his side isn't always enough, she's learnt that sometimes he needs to feel her, have the comforting weight of her resting against him for his tangled mind to settle, even just a little.

Sure enough, the tapping of Nicki's fingers against his side comes to a stop after a short while and the tension he'd previously held in his body dissipates with a heavy sigh. His hand, which remains tucked loosely between Eleni's on her lap, twitches slightly in her hold, as if considering clasping her hand back before changing his mind. She makes the decision for him, giving him a gentle squeeze in reassurance and smiling faintly to herself when she feels him return the gesture.

[A03 A Mother's Love]

[leslutdepointedulac]

Tfw I remember Eleni is not only Nicki's motherwife to meee but also his 'great great auntie' in their vampire bloodline 🥰 🥹 💕

[leslutdepointedulac]

Darling Daughter

Queens of the Damned ~ Day 1: Darling Daughter

When she returns with a bowl of water and a clean cloth, Eleni finds Nicki pouring her attentions over the compositions in front of her, furiously scribbling more notes before pushing the sheet aside and continuing on another.

For a moment, Eleni just stands in the doorway and watches her write with a mixture of awe and admiration. It doesn’t matter how many times she witnesses Nicki at work, the almost trance-like state she goes into will never cease to amaze her, the way she’s able to produce such fine pieces, seemingly without even having to think about it. It’s almost as if the music is coming from an outside source and Nicki is merely listening and taking note of what she hears; every so often, she ceases in her manic writing and tilts her head to one side, like she’s waiting and taking it all in, only continuing to scrawl across the page once she’s processed the music.

After watching her for a short while longer, Eleni decides to step fully into the room, purposefully making sure her footsteps are heard so as not to startle Nicki with her sudden appearance. She hates to break her out of her frenzy like this but she’ll ensure that the rest of the night goes undisturbed for her. At first, her presence isn’t acknowledged and Nicki continues to write as though Eleni isn’t even there; coming up slowly and in view of the mirror, Eleni clears her throat to try and get her attention.

“Nicola,” she calls out softly to her, “I’m back now. Why don’t you take a small break for now and you can carry on later.”

Ensuring to come up beside her rather than from behind, she carefully places the bowl and cloth down on the desk, keeping them off the papers so they don’t get even a drop of water on them, knowing Nicki doesn’t like for her things to be tampered with, intentionally or otherwise.

Eleni reaches out and places a gentle hand over Nicki’s, stopping her from writing any more. At that moment, Nicki jerks her head up with gritted teeth in annoyance at being interrupted. Only when she sees it’s Eleni, does she settle and relax her expression.

[A03 Only A Matter of Time]

@vamptember