#spookybearwolf43

[leroilestat]

The Adventures of Lestat and Louis

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43 Lestat x Louis

spookybearwolf43

David closes his book, heaving a deep sigh. “Honestly Lestat?” He looks at him. “I can tell you no more than what you already know. I would not tell Louis anything. Nothing. They do fear Louis. This is true. They are wary of you as well. But this note…it’s surely curiosity.” He bites his lip. “Most likely.” He goes to another book. “You didn’t do anything to harm a human. But this…event with the sirens spooked them.”

Lestat watches the book close with a soft thud it's a definitive sound. The kind David only makes when he’s telling the truth, or at least the truth he’s willing to say aloud. David’s sigh draws Lestat’s eyes upward. When the words come they do fear Louis Lestat’s expression doesn’t flicker. It simply... stills, the way a predator goes silent before deciding whether to strike. He nods once it's slow. “Of course they fear him,” he says quietly in a matter-of-fact tone. “He is unpredictable, emotional, and far stronger than they accounted for when they first took interest in us.” His lips quirk it's not quite a smile. “And they fear me because they always have. That is nothing new.”

But the next part about this note... it’s surely curiosity. Most likely that earns the faintest lift of Lestat’s eyebrow. “Most likely,” he repeats his tone dry. “What a terrible reassurance.” Still he isn’t angry, if anything, the ambiguity unsettles him. A threat he can fight and curiosity he can ignore. But this... this in-between place? That is the territory Lestat hates. He steps closer to David who is looking down at the newly opened book.

“Their curiosity is a nuisance,” he murmurs. “But their fear is what worries me.” He taps the tabletop once with a light finger he's thinking. “The sirens, yes it's psychic event that was large... I knew someone would feel it.” His eyes narrow thoughtfully. “But the Talamasca sending a note rather than sending someone that means they’re unsure. Curious... Cautious but not mobilizing...” He straightens his shoulders relaxing by a fraction. “That is good.”

He moves toward the door then pauses, and looks back at David. “Thank you,” he says simply. Then says softly, “And you’re right. Louis hears none of this. At least not tonight.”

His voice shifts into something warmer and lighter it's a bit of his usual theatrical charm slipping back into place as he reaches for the doorknob. “I promised him five minutes and unlike most vampires, I do try to keep my promises.” He opens the door, then glances back over his shoulder. “If the Talamasca sends anything else anything at all you inform me directly... not him.” It's not a threat but a line drawn for Louis’ sake. Then he adds almost as an afterthought, “And David? Stop biting your lip. It makes you look guilty.”

He steps outside after closing the door gently behind him, and heads back toward the car toward Louis his face calm, but his thoughts moving quick beneath the surface.

[leroilestat]

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43

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Daniel looks up at Louis. Louis clears his throat, shooting Lestat a sharp glance. “Not abandoned. Just…on hold. Armand has unexpected business to attend to.”

Lestat rolled his eyes at that. He would drop everything if he found out Louis was like this. "Either way Daniel. Louis is going to take you hunting now because he needs to feed too." Lestat grinned at Louis, "Isn't that right, mon cher?"

[leroilestat]

The Adventures of Lestat and Louis

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43 Lestat x Louis

spookybearwolf43

Louis watches as lestat traces his hand, a tender grounding thing. He accepts Lestats kisses and words openly. He is nervous himself. A slight tremor in his voice when he responds. “Yes. Let’s go.” He hands, pulling Lestat up with him. The plane is ready to go. This is thief future. The biggest thing they will do for years to come.” He looks at lestat, memorizing his face for support. He admires the way his eyes look almost violet in this light. A little chuckle escapes him as he notices.

Lestat rises with Louis he was letting himself be pulled up by that trembling hand. Although truthfully, he would have followed Louis anywhere in that moment. As they stand, Lestat brushes his thumb lightly over Louis’ cheek he notices the way his breath hitches and the way he steals that small chuckle. “What?” Lestat asks as he leans in with a teasing lift of his brow. “You are laughing at me already, and we haven’t even boarded the plane.”

But the look Louis gives him makes Lestat falter. He cocks his head just slightly very aware of Louis studying him like a painting pulled from a museum wall, "what do you see, mon amour?” he asks quietly. “Tell me. Before the world distracts us again.”

The boarding call for them hums in the background it's muffled and irrelevant. Lestat takes Louis’ other hand holding both as if steadying him and perhaps steadying himself. They are on the edge of something enormous and he can feel it humming in Louis’ bones, and in his own. “Come,” he adds and squeezes Louis’ fingers. “Let’s step into our future together even if it shakes us a little...”

[leroilestat]

The Adventures of Lestat and Louis

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43 Lestat x Louis

spookybearwolf43

“I will not leave. I will not leave you.” He encourages. He guides Lestat into the shower. Letting the water flow over him instead of dipping him into the water itself. The blood runs orange down his back. Louis undresses himself and joins him. “Sh…Mon amour. Do not…do not be afraid. I’m here. We will wash away the grime of today. And it will be no more.” He knows what he’s thinking of. Akasha. He’s seen that look before.

Lestat freezes when the water hits him. For a moment he is like marble with every muscle locked his breath halted his eyes are wide and empty. The spray against his skin feels too much like submersion, like being dragged down again, like hands on him, and like the Queen’s cool palms forcing him under.

Until Louis steps in with him. The moment Louis’ bare chest presses lightly against his back it makes Lestat’s shoulders drop a fraction. His fingers are white-knuckled at his sides they unclench just enough to reach for Louis’ wrist he's gripping it tightly, desperately, as though Louis were the only solid thing in a world still half-drowning him.

Until Louis steps in with him. The moment Louis’ bare chest presses lightly against his back it makes Lestat’s shoulders drop a fraction. His fingers are white-knuckled at his sides they unclench just enough to reach for Louis’ wrist he's gripping it tightly, desperately, as though Louis were the only solid thing in a world still half-drowning him. He swallows hard his voice is still hoarse with barely and sound at all. “Ne... lâche pas.”

The water runs over him it's washing away the orange-red foam and the silt caught in his hair. He leans back into Louis, letting himself be held upright, letting Louis’ steadiness anchor him. His eyes close it's not in peace, but in surrender to exhaustion.

“Ceci...” his voice catches, fragile, “...c'est différent. Je sais. Je sais. Mais mon esprit... il ne cesse de me les montrer.” A small tremor runs through him but he presses Louis’ hand to his chest it's over his heart. “Tu es là,” he whispers it's almost like he’s reciting a spell. “Tu es là. Je ne suis pas seul. Je ne suis pas... là.” He leans his head against Louis’ shoulder his hoarse voice trembling. “Reste simplement avec moi. Comme ça. Ne parle pas sauf si tu en as vraiment envie... contente-toi... d'être là.” He isn’t asking for strength but his presence.

[leroilestat]

The Adventures of Lestat and Louis

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43 Lestat x Louis

spookybearwolf43

Louis stares at him. Not backing down. Theee are several things in lestats little speech that burned him inside. He starts with the first one. “Oh your blood hm? As if the same blood doesn’t flow through my veins. You made me lestat!” He raises his voice. Louis jerks away from Lestats touch. “I will call you a fool! And arrogant! Because you are both and it will kill you!” He sits up straight. His shirt falling to the side. “Not only that but when the hell have I ever listened to your COMMANDS?” His eyes are dark. He is furious. “You want me to sit here? Wait for you to come back? Like a sweet little wife? You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

Lestat doesn’t flinch when Louis shouts. He absorbs it. His eyes sharpen in something far more dangerous wounded pride that's wrapped in love. “Oui,” he says quietly, “my blood is in you. I made you. And precisely because of that, Louis, I know when you are being reckless. I know when you are speaking from fear instead of sense.”

Louis jerks away from his touch. Lestat lets him. But only for a moment. In the next breath, Lestat moves fast, but not violent he catches Louis’ chin in his hand and forces his face up. “You will call me arrogant?” Lestat hisses softly. “Très bien. I am and if arrogance is what keeps me alive long enough to come home to you then thank God for my arrogance.”

Louis spits his next line. When have I ever listened to your commands? Lestat laughs. It’s sharp and not amused. “Never,” he says. “Not once. You have never listened and it has nearly killed you more times than I can count.” Louis accuses him of wanting him to sit and wait like a sweet little wife. Lestat’s face twists with something furious and incredulous all at once. “A wife?” he repeats as he steps closer. “A wife? Louis, if I wanted a docile ornament, I would have made one. You are not some fragile bloom to sit by the window.” He leans in until their noses nearly brush. “You are a storm. A weapon. A wolf with teeth as sharp as mine.” His hand slides to Louis’ throat he was not squeezing, just holding. “And because of that because you are strong and furious and so very capable I cannot take you with me.”

His voice breaks into French on instinct, raw emotion slipping through. “Parce que si quelque chose t’arrivait… je deviendrais fou.” He pulls back just enough for Louis to see the truth burning in him. “You think I want to leave you?” Lestat snarls. “I want you alive. Not trailing me into a nest of sirens who can rip your mind apart before you can blink.” His thumb strokes Louis’ throat once, slowly, trembling with emotion he refuses to admit. “You are not a wife, Louis, you are more...” he whispers. “You are my equal. My match. My soul. My heart.” His voice drops lower laced with steel underneath. “And I will not risk my heart.”

[leroilestat]

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43 Lestat x Louis

spookybearwolf43

Louis takes the clothes, smirking at Lestat. But his hands tremble. He can’t do this again. Not another war. He’s too old. He thought it would be over after Akasha died. But no. No of course not. Now this new thing. He jerks the pants on and throws the shirt over his head. “Of course…” he mumbles. Almost upset. They have Daniel. For all they know he was dead already. But they will try. And if worse comes to worse…they would have to kill Armand. He would destroy the world. Louis comes back and wraps his arms around Lestat. Listening to Armand. “I don’t know where they are now. But they moved east. I’ve already contacted Marius…” he shoots louis a look. “Don’t.” It was a simple demand but Louis already has his mouth open. He closes it. Best not to provoke.

Lestat felt Louis come back before he even touched him. He heard the uneven rhythm of his steps, the quickening of his heart, and the way his breath shook in his chest. When Louis wrapped his arms around him it let Lestat put one hand against Louis’s back to help steady and ground him as if he could hold the tremor still by touch alone. He didn’t blame Louis for shaking. They had already survived the end of the world once. They survived Akasha and survived their own history. Louis had every right to be exhausted by war. But Lestat had learned something Louis never fully had. The world never stopped coming at them and they could never stop meeting it. His posture straightened, and the warrior that had lain dormant in him for years began to wake.

Armand spoke it was frantic and feverish with the words tumbling out. East Marius informed with no location. Then Louis opened his mouth and Armand’s “Don’t.” The room chilled around the word. Louis actually stopped his mouth shut and shoulders were tense. Lestat's blue eyes flicked from Armand to Louis he was assessing. Measuring the danger in the air the way one might measure the length of a lit fuse. He stepped slightly in front of Louis it was not dramatic but enough that if Armand snapped again then Lestat would take the weight of it first.

“Marius has been notified. Good. If something ancient is moving then I want him awake and armed. He should not be sulking in some Roman bath pretending civilization hasn’t shifted without him.” He let that new information settle then continued. “But Armand,” Lestat cocked his head. “Louis is allowed to speak. If we are to hunt together then no one here is going to muzzle another.” Only then did he glance over his shoulder at Louis and not to silence him but in support. He was not going to let Armand terrorize him through fear. He looked back to Armand again.

“You saw where they fled. You tracked them. What did you smell? Earth? Iron? Salt water? Bodies? How many feet? Trucks? Horses? Anything.” He paused. “You said east. East to where? Cemeteries to the waterfront. Old industrial yards, highways, old mines.” His gaze sharpened. “Give me a terrain and I will give you a path.” He was not cruel. Even now he was trying to pull Armand back from the cliff's edge with purpose. Because right now? Purpose was the only thing keeping him from madness.

[leroilestat]

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43 Lestat x Louis

spookybearwolf43

Louis took his kisses with abandon. Greedily sinking in each one. Letting himself be overwhelmed and completely giving himself to Lestat. When Lestat pulls away and gives him praises he ruffles. Like a peacock showing off his feathers. He quirks a smile at Lestats comment about watching him. “Well…I know you love an audience. Do you not?” He licks his lips. “I love to see you in your element. You are…stunning when you are freshly fed. I should feed you more often.” He tugs gently on Lestats hair. He closes his eyes as Lestat brings his forehead close. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” He follows Lestat inside. Shutting the big doors.

Lestat followed him in with that feline prowl he had never once managed to unlearn. The doors shut behind them but Lestat was on Louis before the door was finished closing. He pressed Louis back against the doors with the kind of hunger that had nothing to do with blood. His hand slid into Louis’ hair twining his fingers in the his dark hair as he kissed him again. The kiss was slow and thorough as if he was tasting the last drops of the mortal still lingering on Louis’ tongue.

When he finally let Louis breathe Lestat laughed softly against his mouth. “An audience?” he said in a low and wicked voice. “Mon Louis, I have performed for opera houses, alleyways, pop stars, courts and covens but I assure you…” His thumb traced Louis’ lower lip. “you are the only audience whose attention I crave.”

He cocked his head as if he was pretending to examine Louis with a critic’s eye. “You watched me feed tonight. Not with horror nor with guilt but with appreciation.” His expression was teasing. “It means more than you realize.” Lestat brushed his fingers along Louis’ jaw. He was admiring him openly. “And as for feeding me more often be careful what you offer.” His smile became something slow and molten. “I may make glutton of myself.”

He leaned in again his lips grazing Louis’ ear as he whispered, “Shall I thank you properly now, mon amour?” Without waiting for permission he lifted him effortlessly. Lestat pressed him more fully to the door and began kissing him again much deeper and with the confidence of one whose lover was warm in his arms. His voice was a whisper between kisses. “I missed this. I missed you.”

[leroilestat]

Last time on The VCs @leroilestat @spookybearwolf43 Lestat x Louis

spookybearwolf43

Louis makes a face. As sick as he was his stubbornness outweighed anything. He refuses to feed. Refuses sweet offers of maiden. Of manservant. Even of Lestat himself. He refuses the blood. Turning his head this way and that. But he does sink into Lestat. He holds onto him like a lifeline. His voice sounds like crunching leaves in autumn. “My sweet angel of death….will you have mercy on me now?” He gazes at lestat with a tired tenderness. “I have loved you for so long. I have…” he takes a moment. “I have slept with the devil…” he is feverish. His eyes glassy with bloody tears.

Lestat did not move at first. Louis’ head rested against his shoulder it was as light as something already half gone, and the refusal his stubborn and maddening refusal it burned through Lestat more sharply than hunger ever had. Even now Louis would starve himself for principle. Even now he would rather die than bend. Lestat’s hand rose and touched Louis’ cheek, the gesture almost tentative, as if he were afraid his fingers might pass through him. “My poor poet,” he murmured. “You mistake cruelty for mercy. You think deprivation is virtue.” Louis whispered that broken confession it was a fevered admission about sleeping with the devil— and Lestat let out a breath that wasn’t a laugh but carried the ghost of one. “My dear,” he said softly, “you have slept with me for more than a century. There is nothing new in consorting with devils.” But his eyes narrowed with something that was not anger but a dreadful clarity. “You are dying inside,” he said simply. Not a reprimand but a fact. “I have seen our kind do this to themselves. I have watched ancient ones wither because they preferred despair to survival.” He tilted Louis’ chin up just guiding it until Louis had to look at him. “And I will not watch it again. Not from you.” It was a torture Louis would never inflict on another and yet he inflicted it on himself without hesitation. Lestat lowered his wrist between them it was not dramatic or theatrical but a simple offering. “You need not forgive me,” he said quietly. “You need not forgive the universe. You need not forgive Armand. But you will feed, Louis.” There was a stillness then a terrible stillness that only came to Lestat when every other option had been stripped away. “I will not lose you to grief, Louis. I will not let you slip into ash in my arms because you cannot give yourself the smallest mercy.” His voice dropped to nearly a whisper. “Drink. Before I take the choice from you.” It was not a threat. Just the truth he was terribly sincere in that rare way Lestat only was for Louis.