Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Louis thought he was ready. He’d had the entire summer to wrap his brain around the possibility, but when the call about Daniel came from Lestat and not one of Daniel’s immediate family members, it was like a hole ripped open in the fabric of his reality. Arriving at the hospital to find Ciara and Alice having already arrived, both looking just as confused as he felt, Louis was glad that at least he had Armand standing next to him.

“Are the others coming,” Louis asked Daniel’s ex-wives, who shrugged their shoulders.

“They’ve been called but they’re all trying to get out of work,” Alice explained, “I imagine they’ll be around a little later today. How’d you manage to be here?”

“Raglan won’t mind and Armand took a half-day,” Louis explained.

Armand nodded and smiled at the two women, “I’ll have to go back in for rehearsal,” Louis’ husband added.

“Have you seen him,” Louis asked Ciara and Alice.

“Yes, we sat with him earlier,” Ciara replied, trying her best to sound jovial even with worry making the creases in her face look deeper, “He’s sleeping so we decided to go get coffee in the cafeteria and then wait for you since you said you were on your way.”

After a few more minutes of catching up, Daniel's ex-wives pointed the way for Louis and Armand and the two of them made for Daniel’s room together. Louis’ heart was a hard lump in his throat and the moment he saw Daniel lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines and sleeping, he could barely hold back the torrent of emotions welling up inside him.

“Danny,” he called out softly as he took the seat next to the old man.

He could feel Armand just behind him, a hand pressed gently to the small of his back in a gesture of comfort. Louis couldn’t help himself and began to cry, leaning down to press a kiss into Daniel’s forehead.

“Danny,” he repeated in a tear filled voice, “You stupid old man…”

“Hey…,” he heard Daniel mumble in a sleepy voice, “I heard that…”

“Danny! Oh, thank God,” Louis exclaimed, elated that the man was cogent.

For no reason he could entirely explain other than exceeding joy that Daniel was alive, he proceeded to kiss the journalist’s face wherever his lips could reach, including full on the mouth. Daniel made weak sounds as Louis persisted, but it wasn’t until a throat cleared behind him that Louis stopped.

“Is there a reason you’re kissing my boyfriend, and in front of your husband no less,” came the familiar voice of Lestat de Lioncourt.

Louis looked up to see Lestat standing next to Armand, who was watching the entire display with a shocked and slightly amused expression. Lestat looked neither shocked nor amused, and Louis moved away from Daniel.

“Y-your boyfriend,” Louis sputtered, still not quite able to square it in his mind even with the word coming straight from Lestat’s mouth.

“Yes,” Lestat gave a single nod, “My boyfriend.”

“Oh, I don’t mind, babe,” Daniel interjected in a slightly slurred voice, and Louis realized the man was drugged to high Heaven, “If I’d known a heart attack would earn me kisses from Louis I woulda done it a long time ago.”

Lestat let out a string of French curses in a low voice that drew a snicker from Armand and Louis frowned.

“Don’t be grumpy, babe,” Daniel gave Lestat a dopey smile, “He’s just glad I’m not dead.”

Lestat gave Daniel a simpering quirk of his lips that Louis recognized immediately as controlled irritation.

“Do you mind, you two,” the statuesque blonde asked looking away from Daniel to peer at Louis and Armand, “I need a moment with Daniel.”

“I just got here-,” Louis started to protest, but he felt a hand in his and turned to see Armand giving him a pointed look.

Louis looked back at Lestat and then at Daniel, who was gazing at Lestat in a way that made Louis feel a bit green around the gills. He inhaled sharply through his nose and then exhaled and nodded.

“Fine,” he conceded, “A moment.”

He let Armand lead him out of the room to the chairs just across the hall. Louis could still see inside the room through the open blinds. He observed as Lestat said something in a sharp voice to Daniel. Daniel simply smiled as he spoke softly in return and reached out to grab Lestat’s hand, giving it a squeeze. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, and then Lestat leaned down and gave Daniel a long kiss. Louis grimaced and noticed Daniel murmur something into Lestat’s mouth that caused a visible shift in the energy between them. The blonde leaned back and then looked down, then up again at Daniel before straightening and moving around the bed to the window.

Louis’ jaw dropped as Lestat made hard eye contact with him and proceeded to twist the blinds closed with a smirk on his face. He turned to Armand, horrified, but Armand was hiding a smile behind a loose fist.

“Was that- Are they-,” Louis stuttered, completely incoherent, “Well, I’m glad you find all this so funny, baby.”

Louis stood with a huff and started making his way back down the hall towards the lobby.

“It is a little funny, Louis,” Armand tried to reason with him, “And it’s not like we didn’t know…”

The moment they hit the seating area, Ciara and Alice were on their feet and Louis needed to take a moment to fix his face.

“Is everything alright, we just saw Lestat go back there,” Alice said in a concerned voice.

“Everything is… fine,” Armand interjected before Louis could reply, “Nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about,” Ciara snorted, disbelieving, “Right. Because it isn’t weird as hell that it was Lestat who called us to say that Daniel was in the hospital. What is going on?”

The four of them all looked at each other silently for a long moment before Armand decided to speak up again, much to Louis’ relief.

“I believe Lestat and Daniel are seeing each other,” the teacher explained, “Probably have been for some time since when he came in, Lestat called Daniel his…,” Louis caught Armand’s eyes when they flicked over to meet his, “His boyfriend.”

“His who what now,” Alice blinked a few times, gob smacked.

Louis sighed, “Lestat called Daniel his boyfriend.”

Ciara and Alice looked at each other and then back at Louis and then back at each other in the kind of silent exchange that only happened in sketch comedy shows. Ciara was shaking her head and Alice was burying hers in her hands. Louis could understand the mindfuck they were experiencing on a level that felt almost metaphysical.

“Yeah,” Louis agreed, “That’s about the shape of it.”

“How? When,” Alice asked, “Why?”

“You’ll have to ask them that cause I can only guess,” Louis answered and Armand was nodding next to him, “In any case, I would not go back there for a while.”

The ex-wives’ eyes both went wide as saucers at the implications of Louis' words and they both groaned.

“I swear,” Ciara complained as Alice shook her head in disappointment, “This is a hospital for crying out loud.”

“Louis, I should probably get going,” Armand’s reminded him and Louis gave the women an apologetic look.

“Gonna walk him to his car,” he said, “You probably oughta warn the nurses so they don’t walk in on something that will traumatize them for life…”

Neither of them looked excited at the prospect of doing that, and Louis felt bad about dumping the task on them. In truth, he would take any excuse to momentarily escape the place where his ex-husband was engaging in some sort of sexual depravity with his best friend. Armand pulled him away in the direction of the parking deck, maintaining the quietude until they reached his vehicle.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Louis admitted, but barely had time to say anything else before Armand was pulling him into a kiss.

Louis wrapped his arms tightly around Armand and kissed him back, accepting the consolation and the warmth the slightly taller man was pouring into him. No one calmed Louis like Armand did, and he could feel all the tension in his muscles melting away at the feeling of the darker-skinned man’s mouth on his.

“There’s nothing stopping us from having our own bit of hospital fun before I do,” Armand whispered as their lips parted.

Louis raised an eyebrow at Armand, a little surprised by the suggestion, but not immediately opposed considering the circumstances.

“Don’t you have to get to back to school,” Louis wondered, his hands sliding down to cup Armand’s lovely ass anyway.

“I have a few minutes before I really need to go,” Armand replied in a leading tone.

Louis shivered a little with excitement, “Oh? How many is a few?”

“Twenty,” Armand guessed, and Louis could hear the smirk in his voice.

“I can make twenty work,” Louis nodded, and let Armand shove him into the backseat of his car.

“You called me your boyfriend,” Daniel mumbled in a slightly dreamy voice, his hand loosely fisted in Lestat’s shirt.

Lestat had managed to cram himself into Daniel’s hospital bed next to him after going down on the man. The look on Louis’ face when he closed the blinds would be etched into his memory forever, but so would the look on Daniel’s face when Lestat walked into the room to find Louis and Armand already there. A post heart attack blowjob probably wasn’t a doctor recommended treatment, but Lestat was feeling a little vindictive and maybe a tad bit possessive after seeing Louis covering Daniel in kisses. Daniel looking all pleased and bleary-eyed and joking about his condition being what finally inspired Louis to kiss him didn’t make Lestat feel any better.

“Well, it was hardly the first time,” Lestat muttered, trying to sound casual.

Daniel shook his head in contradiction, “First time in front of people we know, people we care about.”

“Yes, well…,” Lestat cleared his throat and licked his lips instinctually, checking to see if there were any drops of Daniel’s spend that he missed.

“Yeah…,” Daniel sighed and snuggled in closer, “I’m glad you’re here, babe, I missed you.”

“You are also very high, mon cher,” Lestat pointed out.

“Very,” Daniel nodded, “Will you remind me that you sucked me off later?”

“You don’t suppose you’ll forget, do you,” Lestat pouted, rifling his fingers through Daniel’s hair, “I thought I did a pretty good job.”

“If there was an Olympic category for giving head, you’d be a gold medalist, rockstar,” the old man grinned, “But who knows what I’ll remember when they start weaning me off these meds.”

“Why do you want me to remind you,” Lestat asked.

“So that I can get you back,” Daniel answered, “Can’t having you thinking I’m a bad reciprocator.”

Lestat smiled and kissed the top of Daniel’s head.

“I should go speak with Ciara and Alice,” he said, earning a whine from Daniel.

“About what,” Daniel moped, “They’re not responsible for me.”

“No, but they are here, Daniel, and I suppose we ought to show them a little courtesy given that they had no idea about us,” Lestat gently reminded the old man, though in reality he didn’t much care about Daniel’s ex-wives or what they thought of Daniel and him being together.

He was glad they all had a good relationship with each other and he was hardly in a position to judge since he was still very friendly with Louis. Maybe Lestat simply didn’t want to deal with explaining all this to them without Daniel’s help. He could still hear Claudia’s voice ringing in his ear from earlier that day.

“Oh my God, is he okay,” Claudia gasped when Lestat told her the news.

“He’s been stabilized and he'll be in the hospital for a few days but, oui, he's okay,” Lestat replied as he finished pulling on a fresh shirt.

After Daniel was taken beyond where Lestat was allowed to go, he started making phone calls, first to Daniel’s entire family, whose numbers were still in his phone, which went over very strangely. Once Daniel was out of surgery and resting, he called Louis, which went oddly better than he anticipated. Since he was still in Daniel's bathrobe, Lestat took the opportunity to go home and shower, and that's when he finally called Claudia.

“Thank God,” Claudia heaved a sigh of relief on the other end of the line, then didn’t say anything for a second, “Wait. Why are you the one calling me about Uncle Danny having a heart attack?”

Merde, Lestat thought to himself, not having considered the implications of being the one relaying this news.

“Erm, well…,” Lestat winced to himself, “I was sort of… with him when it happened.”

“Jesus Christ, did the two of you get into a fight again,” Claudia’s voice went stern, “I swear to God, Père if you hurt him-”

“Non, non, it is not like that, ma petite Lestafette,” Lestat assured her in an even tone, “Daniel and I were not fighting. I was… with him.”

There was another long pause on Claudia’s end and Lestat waited for her to process what he was trying to say.

“Please tell me you’re joking," his daughter's voice was flat and unamused.

Lestat sighed to himself and ran his fingers over his forehead for a moment, "I am not jesting with you, Claudia."

"You and- You and Uncle Danny. You're... seeing each other," Claudia said in a slow, surprisingly even voice.

"Oui," Lestat confirmed once more.

"I- You know what, Père, I don't think I can deal with this right now," the young woman stated, "I'm glad Uncle Danny is okay. I'll make sure to give him a call."

With that, Lestat's daughter hung up the phone. It wasn't the first time his daughter had hung up on him, and Lestat highly doubted it would be the last, but it stung every single time it happened. Lestat supposed he deserved it, given that he dropped not one, but two bombs on her in the span of a few minutes, and he wasn't exactly surprised by her reaction to Daniel and him being an item. Even calling Daniel his boyfriend still felt alien in Lestat's mouth, juvenile and lacking the proper oomph to carry the weight of what Daniel and him really were to each other. It also implied some sort of commitment between the two of them that didn't exist, or at least, Lestat didn't think existed.

Yet he said it on the phone with emergency services, and the paramedics, and then again to Louis with Armand in the room. There were several witnesses to Lestat having used the word, and now he was clutching Daniel to him in a narrow hospital bed like someone might come in and take the old man away from him. It all felt alarmingly silly.

"Before I talk to them, I suppose I should talk to you," Lestat posited to Daniel, who was starting to go droopy eyed again.

"No point," Daniel replied, yawning, "I'll say yes to anything you tell me, or no if you want me to, or I can just shrug and grunt if you like that better."

"I'm starting to think servicing you in this state was a mistake," Lestat chuckled.

"Nah," Daniel waved his hand sleepily, "I'm just sayin' that I can't do anything more complicated than 'you called me your boyfriend' right now. We can talk about what all that means later."

"Do you at least like it," Lestat wondered, "That I called you that?"

"I think it's cute," Daniel smiled, “I think you’re cute.”

That doesn't answer my question, Molloy, Lestat griped to himself and he thought about saying it out loud, too, but he could see that Daniel was fading fast and would likely fall asleep at any second.

He kissed Daniel's head again and carefully made his way out of the hospital bed and back onto his feet. He looked down at the sleeping man and contemplatively fingered one of his gray curls. This was not how he wanted to be doing any of this, forced into a corner by something unexpected. It made Lestat feel itchy and uncomfortable, like wearing a sweater made out of acrylic yarn.

Lestat turned the wattage up on his smile when he saw Ciara and Alice waiting for him in the guest lounge. They were both glowering at him with their arms crossed over their chests and Lestat, despite being a nearly forty-five year old man, felt like little more than a young boy.

“Ladies,” he nodded to them as he approached, “You’re still here…”

“At least until either Kate or Leo show up, yes,” Ciara stated, “And when, exactly, do you intend to leave?”

“Erm,” Lestat chuckled nervously and then tossed his hair, “Well…”

“What are your intentions with Daniel,” Alice piped up, giving him a blatantly suspicious look.

“My-,” Lestat did a double take and began to laugh outright, “Madame, what is with the third degree? Your ex-husband and I have an arrangement. I am not required to explain that to you.”

“You’re thirty years his junior so we think you do,” Alice rebutted.

“If I were some twenty year old twee secretary in a short, tight pencil skirt I would understand the concern,” Lestat objected, “But I’m a grown man, with a former marriage of my own, and a child that I helped raise to adulthood. What is between Daniel and I is none of your business, or anyone else’s.”

“Louis says you called him your boyfriend,” Ciara interjected.

Lestat sighed, “Yes. I did use that word.”

“So it’s serious,” Ciara pressed further.

“It’s private,” Lestat stated, attempting to end that line of inquiry as succinctly as he could.

“But you’re still going to stay here with him,” Alice asked continuing to scrutinize Lestat.

“If the two of you wish to leave, I can wait here for Leo and Kate,” Lestat offered, “Because oui, I intend to remain for now.”

Both of the women looked at Lestat in a way that made him feel like they knew something he didn’t. It was incredibly eerie and disconcerting and it took a moment for Lestat to place that look in his sense memory.

It was the way his maman looked at Armand when Lestat first introduced her to him. She stared at him that way as well, like she understood something about Armand that Lestat had yet to realize. What did these women know about Lestat that he did not know about himself and why was it a threat to Daniel? The thought chilled Lestat to his core and he looked away from them.

He cleared his throat and shoved his hands in his pockets, “Anyhow… you don’t have to stay. I’ll look after him,” Lestat said in a low, almost cowed voice.

Neither of Daniel’s ex-wives said anything for a moment, and Lestat thought they were thinking of interrogating him some more. Blessedly, the two women instead started gathering up their things.

“We’ll know if you’re not here when Leo or Kate show up,” Alice’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Lestat assured them both and then watched at they made their way down the hall to the elevator.

He turned to go back to Daniel’s room when the doors to the lift slid closed, cutting Ciara and Alice off from view. The man was sleeping soundly, a soft, reedy snore the only noise in the room other than the beeping of the heart monitor. Lestat sat in the chair next to Daniel, reaching out to smooth the old man’s forehead as he did.

Ciara and Alice’s shared expression was still not settling well with him and being there with Daniel felt strange for the first time. Why was he there, and what exactly was he hoping to get out of staying? Was he ready for the conversation Daniel was going to want to have about this when he was less addled from the pain medication? It felt like Lestat only just got into the single frame of mind where he didn’t feel any strong sense of obligation to any one person and yet his days and his nights were filled up recently with thoughts of Daniel.

It was absurd, and foolish, and yet when Lestat tried to convince himself that he didn’t have to stay by Daniel’s side his legs refused to help him stand and walk out. Where would he go and to whom, some random hook up in a shady motel just to help him feel like he was still free? That was the part of Lestat he was trying to tame, the one that recklessly endangered every important relationship in Lestat’s life since he figured out that he had the charisma to pull anyone he wanted. Wasn’t he the one saying only a few months ago that if Daniel and him fell in love it would be fine?

They weren’t in love though, were they? Lestat cared a great deal, felt deep affection, experienced panic at the moment of Daniel’s collapse. It didn’t alter the fact that using the word ‘boyfriend’ had been reflexive nearly every time he did. What was driving that reflex?

You’re overthinking this, Lestat chastised himself, All of this can be cleared up once Daniel is well.

There was time anyway, for the dust to settle before Lestat needed to have the ‘what are we to each other’ conversation with Daniel. In a few days he was due back in New York for another short stint to participate in callbacks for Carousel. Perhaps the brief period of space would be good for him, for them.

His peace wasn’t meant to last, because only a few minutes after he settled in to watch Daniel, Lestat’s circling thoughts were interrupted by Louis walking back into the room. Lestat’s ex-husband stiffened at the sight of him, casting a wary eye in his direction as he made he way around the bed to take the chair on the other side. For a long, long, and deeply uncomfortable moment, the two of them sat in silence, watching Daniel sleep.

“When,” was the first word to break the stillness, a word Lestat suspected was sitting on the tip of Louis’ tongue the whole time.

“When what, Louis,” Lestat asked, hoping for clarification.

“When did all this start,” Louis expanded in a terse voice.

“Othello,” Lestat admitted in a low voice, “After Claudia’s celebratory meal.”

Louis nodded slowly, his jaw clenching and unclenching in the way it did when he was trying to control his emotions.

“Three years,” Louis was looking right at him, eyes burning with something Lestat couldn’t quite name, “You two have been fooling around for the last… three years.”

“Oui,” Lestat confirmed, running his fingers over his lips thoughtfully, “For most of that time, it was nothing. Just the occasional tryst. An affair.”

“And now he’s your… ‘boyfriend’,” his ex-husband said the word as though it was dirty.

“Boyfriend is a poor word to describe our… involvement,” Lestat tried to explain, “At the time, I didn’t have a better one to define our association with each other.”

“What changed,” the dark-eyed man pressed Lestat, “It started out as nothing. When did it become something?”

Lestat was starting to regret this conversation, and he knew answering this question would stir up all sorts of trouble between Louis and Daniel.

“That’s a question you’ll have to ask him,” Lestat nodded to Daniel, because it was Daniel’s answer to give.

“Are you in love with him,” Louis asked and Lestat swallowed hard, lapsing into silence.

“No answer for that one, either,” Louis snorted, indignant, “Call him your boyfriend but can’t tell me whether you love him or not. Real nice, Les.”

“And who are you to judge,” Lestat shot back, “Weren’t you all twisted in knots about falling in love with the creature?”

“Don’t fuckin’ call him that,” Louis growled, “And how did you even find out about that?”

“One of the things Daniel and I chatted about when we were getting drunk that first night we were together,” Lestat shook his head, “All we did that night was talk about you, mon cher.”

Lestat rolled his eyes at the withering look Louis leveled at him, despite knowing how he hated Lestat using French pet names for him, even after all this time.

“Not to worry, Louis,” Lestat added, “This is hardly about you anymore.”

“Not particularly thrilled that it was ever about me at all,” Louis huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lestat looked Louis over, his head tilted to one side, “When I called you… you didn’t seem surprised that it was me.”

Louis’ eyes darted away for a moment, then slid back to meet his.

“Everyone else seemed confused that I was the one calling about Daniel,” Lestat continued, “But not you.”

Louis sighed and looked up at the ceiling before finally speaking.

“Armand figured it out,” the curly haired man explained, “At Claudia’s eighteenth birthday party. Clocked how weird the two of you were acting, rang familiar for him, he put the pieces together.”

Lestat’s lips formed a tight, thin line before pursing in an effort to contain his rage. Since Othello, he’d done his best to set aside his total hatred for Armand. There was civility now instead of outright hostility, but that was still an effort. He believed that the theatre teacher was sincere in his regret over what passed between them, for his part in Nicki’s death, but Lestat was a long way from forgiving him. Of course the cretin saw through Lestat and Daniel’s charade. Lestat, after all, had been using the playbook he built with Armand his entire life. It never occurred to him to change things up.

“And when did he tell you,” Lestat wondered aloud.

“On our wedding night,” Louis sighed, obviously not pleased by that timing.

Lestat had to restrain himself from bursting out laughing. He didn’t think Armand was ever funny on purpose, but there was something unironically comedic about the damned incubus realizing that Lestat and Daniel were having a liaison and then sitting on the suspicion until after his vows with Louis were exchanged. Underneath it all, Armand hadn’t changed a single iota. When it came to getting what he wanted, the gremlin still played to win, and that meant taking no chances where Louis was concerned, especially if it involved Lestat.

“Well, that’s convenient,” Lestat observed.

“If you’re tryna imply that I wouldn’t have married him if I knew, I got bad news for you, Les,” Louis said with warning in his tone, “And he didn’t tell me until he was sure, or at least as sure as he could be.”

Lestat frowned, unhappy with Louis’ never ending defense of someone Lestat wouldn’t trust with a red cent let alone his heart. That battle was lost though, and it was up to Armand to maintain Louis’ trust in him. Louis didn’t know how lucky he was to have only ever known the Armand he was with and not the Armand Lestat first met so long ago.

“Well,” Lestat sniffed, “I think that what is between Daniel and me is just that. Between Daniel and I.”

Louis’ eyes narrowed at Lestat and Lestat did his best to shrug the look off, gazing down at Daniel’s sleeping face. Looking at him had an almost instantaneous soothing effect, the lines in the old man’s features softened in their resting state and filling Lestat with a warm, affectionate feeling. He forgot that Louis was there until the man shifted in his chair. When Lestat looked up, Louis was looking at him with an quizzical expression on his face.

“Hm,” Lestat hummed, questioning.

Louis shook his head and then looked at Daniel, “Guessing you’re not going anywhere?”

“At least not until Leo or Kate arrive, non,” Lestat nodded.

Louis peered at him and let out a long, slow breath, “Fine,” he made to stand, “I’m going home then, so that I can be there when my husband is done with work.”

Lestat tried not to visibly bristle at Louis’ blatant attempt to get a rise out of him.

“Give the petit monstre my best,” he simply said instead.

“Takes one to know one, Les,” Louis leveled an icy glare at Lestat as he made his way out of the hospital room.

Lestat craned his head around to track Louis’ escape down the hall before turning his attention back to the sleeping Daniel.

“Tu n'as sans doute pas tort,” he murmured quietly to himself.

When Daniel heard Lestat use the b-word to define who they were to each other, first on the phone, and then in the ambulance, and then in the hospital room, each instance triggered a different feeling. The initial reaction was delayed, his brain clicking the word into place well after it was uttered. In the wait for the ambulance it spun in his mind like a fidget toy. He didn't hate it, being called Lestat's boyfriend, but the word felt cheesy and flimsy. In the ambulance, hearing Lestat claim the title for himself made Daniel feel desired and proud, but it also felt like an invisible shift took place. Hearing Lestat call Daniel his boyfriend in front of Louis and Armand was the height of hilarity for Daniel, but that was because he was high as fuck and everything was funny to him.

Daniel could vaguely recall Louis and Lestat talking over his head, bickering about Louis' behavior, and if he'd had the energy to laugh, Daniel would have. Daniel was preoccupied with hoping that he would remember Louis kissing him, pressing his pretty mouth all over Daniel’s face like he was a puppy that needed to be babied. Daniel thought he didn't mind being treated like a puppy if Louis was the one doing it. Lestat did not appear to appreciate it nearly as much, though, and seeing the movie star act possessive over him was highly entertaining.

"Well, I hoped you enjoyed yourself, vieillard," Lestat snapped in a grumpy voice once Louis and Armand had vacated the room.

"You're adorable," Daniel smiled and took Lestat's hand.

Daniel watched Lestat's jaw work, his blue eyes sparking with a cold fury, and before Daniel could open his mouth to talk Lestat off whatever ledge he was on, Lestat's lips were on his. The kiss felt like a reclamation, Lestat reminding Daniel of exactly who he belonged to, who it was that owned this act with him. Even with all the drugs in his system, Daniel knew Lestat was attempting to leave his mark, could almost sense Louis and Armand viewing it through the window. It felt like his whole body sang with it and the reverberations were settling in one very specific point.

"Mr. Lioncourt," he mumbled against Lestat's mouth, "I seem to have a problem..."

Daniel hoped he would remember the next bit, too, Lestat closing the blinds before turning down his sheets and administering to Daniel's issue without a moment's hesitation. The heart monitor did not seem to appreciate the increase in his heart rate, but blessedly, no one came in to disrupt them, despite their naughty behavior. Snuggling with Lestat afterwards until he fell asleep made Daniel wonder if that invisible shift he felt before would hold, or if it would be as fragile and impermanent as a thread of spider's silk.

Only time would tell.

Following that first day, things stopped being quite so eventful. Being stuck in a hospital bed was dead boring, and Daniel was sick of it by the second day. In his boredom, all Daniel could do was think about the potential fall out of the past twenty-four hours, especially as his memories of the day before solidified. He kept waiting for Lestat to come visit him, checking the hall for his approach between drop-ins from his family and various colleagues from the Times. It wasn't that he wasn't glad to see those faces, but Daniel only really wanted to see Lestat's.

So when it was nearly dinner time and Lestat was nowhere to be seen, Daniel was starting to feel a bit irritated. He knew Lestat was leaving in a day or two for New York again, so maybe the man had things to do to prepare. He tried to explain away the weird feeling he was getting in the pit of his stomach as the final meal of the day came and went without his 'boyfriend' darkening his door. Daniel hadn't even gotten so much as a text from the blonde bombshell.

Fragile and impermanent as a thread of spider's silk, then, Daniel moped as the sky outside grew dark.

It was just as he was getting ready to roll over and settle in for sleep that Lestat finally ambled in, looking as though he didn't have a care in the world.

"Oh," Daniel said in a flat voice, "You're here."

Lestat must have sensed that Daniel was feeling displeased, because he paused at the door, his eyes sweeping over Daniel as though trying to assess his state of mind.

"Quoi," the man asked, weight over one hip and his hands open in a gesture of confusion.

Daniel didn't know what to say because he knew if he said he was annoyed that Lestat was gone all day he would sound like a petulant child. He crossed his arms over his middle and held Lestat's gaze for a moment before he shrugged.

"Nothing," he grunted, "You have a good day?"

"Monstrously busy to be perfectly honest," Lestat sighed heavily, "I had about half a dozen calls to deal with, my agent, the casting director for Carousel, my label to see if they would produce a cast recording, and on and on,” the younger man crossed over to Daniel’s bed, toeing off his shoes as he gestured for Daniel to make room, “Then I had to tape some auditions before leaving for New York, as well. My sincerest apologies for not texting you today to see how you were, mon cher. I figured you would inundated with visitors..."

Daniel's mood began to transition away from irritation as Lestat gave his perfectly reasonable explanation for being both absent and silent throughout the day. Now Daniel was more bothered by the fact that he was bothered and if he was being honest with himself, it was all because of one silly word.

Boyfriend.

Even so, he moved over so that Lestat could climb up onto the bed with him, chiseled jaw finding a resting place on Daniel's shoulder and arms looping through one of his.

"I spent all day thinking about getting to see you," Lestat said in his charming accent, his voice smooth and rich in Daniel's ear, "Did the doctors say when you could go home?"

Daniel tucked his chin a little so that he could look down at the top of Lestat's golden head, and he couldn't repress the stirring in his heart, despite himself.

"It won't be before you leave, sounds like," Daniel answered in a forlorn tone, "Gotta make sure the stints are holding and all my medication is playing nice. The heart attack isn't going to do my Parkinson's any favors, but the doctors are hopeful it won't have any major impact otherwise."

"Are they suggesting you take some time off from work," Lestat asked, one of his arms moving to wrap around Daniel's middle.

"They can suggest it, but...," Daniel replied, casting his eyes to the ceiling.

"Daniel," came Lestat's sharp reply, "Have you considered that this episode could be attributed to the fact that you work a bit too hard?"

Daniel was not about to get into an argument about working too hard with the single biggest workaholic he knew besides himself. Lestat was hardly one to talk about working 'a bit too hard', because he may have seemed like a man of leisure, but Daniel knew better. One of the things Louis often complained about to Daniel was Lestat's poor work life balance, and how common it was for the Hollywood star to be bogged down with business affairs that ate up all his time and left very little for Louis and Claudia. Daniel was about to experience it firsthand with Lestat leaving LA for at least six months to work in New York. It was beginning to occur to Daniel that now was a terrible time for them to be redefining the terms of their involvement with each other.

"Maybe so, but let's just leave taking a break as a last resort, okay," Daniel requested, "This old mule still has plenty of kick."

"That's not something you need to convince me of considering what happened yesterday," Lestat chuckled against him, jostling Daniel slightly.

"Oh, yeah," Daniel smirked, "And exactly what happened yesterday? Memory's a little foggy."

Lestat pulled away with an offended look on his face until he saw Daniel's expression and realized he was joking.

"You're evil, Molloy," the rockstar muttered, lightly slapping Daniel’s chest before settling back into him.

Daniel laughed softly for a second and then clicked his tongue, "So, I got a call from Claudia this morning..."

Daniel wasn’t surprised when Lestat went rigid next to him.

“Ah, oui,” the Frenchman said in a noncommittal tone, “And how did that go?”

“She seemed pretty irate,” Daniel mused, “Happy that I was okay, but I believe her exact words were ‘why are all the grown men in my life so fuckin’ messy’?”

Perhaps Lestat didn’t mean to giggle, but he did and Daniel couldn’t help but laugh along.

“I suppose we are pretty messy,” Daniel conceded.

“We could be messier,” Lestat purred.

“I think we can only get away with pulling that little shenanigan here once, babe,” Daniel planted a kiss on the top of Lestat’s head, “And if the doc is gonna tell me cut back on anything, it’ll likely be the number of times a week I fuck you through the mattress.”

Lestat made a sad noise, “I suppose you’re right, but hopefully not by much and not for long.”

Daniel didn’t think he’d get back to the level they’d both become accustomed to any time soon, but he didn’t know how to tell Lestat so. As much as he hated to admit it, having a heart attack was bringing into very sharp focus all the things he was originally worried about. There was a reason he avoided letting things get serious between Lestat and him. There was a reason he told Lestat not to fall for him. There was a reason he encouraged Lestat to keep seeing other people and him lying in this hospital bed just hammered it all home. Lestat wasn’t completely to blame, though. Daniel let the line blur ages ago, and didn’t put much effort into redrawing it, until it eventually disappeared all together.

“I guess we’ll see,” Daniel offered, “In the meantime, it’s probably a good thing that I’m here for a while and you’ll be in New York. We’ll both be forced to take a break from each other.”

“Is- is a break from me what you want, vieillard,” Lestat asked shifting to sit up and look Daniel in the eye.

“Uh…,” Daniel stammered, realizing how what he said sounded, “Babe, that’s not what I meant…”

“What did you mean, then,” Lestat asked him, his nostrils flaring.

“I mean I’ve had a heart attack and maybe we save this sort of conversation for later,” Daniel reached out to gently pat Lestat’s hands and pull him back into his arms, “Just be with me, yeah?”

Lestat seemed ready to argue but Daniel tightened his hold on the man until he felt the fight go out of him. His nerves began to ease when Lestat held him back.

“Stay until I fall asleep,” Daniel whispered to Lestat.

“If you wish, vieillard,” the blonde replied.

“I do,” Daniel rested his cheek on the top of Lestat’s head, closing his eyes and willing the worry away for another day.

Chapter Text

Whatever conversation Lestat hoped to have with Daniel ended up being saved for later due to him having to be in New York, and maybe that was just as well. Daniel was likely still lying in a hospital bed while Lestat was several miles up in the sky flying to the other side of the country. Lestat was trying not to think too hard about all the loose ends that needed to be tied up, not the least of which was having a serious talk with Claudia. This series of callbacks was the final step of casting his show, after which rehearsals would begin and he wouldn’t be able to withhold the fact that he was going to be in the neighborhood anymore.

Lestat was also dreading having to explain the Daniel situation to her because he was almost positive he didn't have answers to any of the questions she was likely to ask, just as he had no answers for Louis. Lestat could barely answer those questions himself, and he realized that it might be time to schedule an appointment with his therapist, so that he could work through some of whatever was going on with him.

When Louis first mentioned that it might be beneficial for him to seek professional help, Lestat's knee-jerk reaction was to brush the suggestion off. For a little while, he ignored the advice and tried to go on as he always had, powering through everything with his usual dismissive attitude. Armand becoming increasingly present in his life ended up forcing his hand. It was easy to pretend the man wasn't there while Louis and him were in the early stages of their relationship, but once Armand moved in with Louis and started regularly showing up at social gatherings it was either talk to a professional or risk lashing out and breaking Armand's neck.

Lestat didn't meet with his therapist often these days, only once a month or every other month, when he was struggling to come to terms with something. In the beginning it was much more often, and most of it revolved around how to be a better father to Claudia and a more supportive co-parent for Louis. It took a long time to dig into deeper things, but Lestat still wasn't entirely sure there was anything that wrong with him, aside from the whole cheating thing. Outside of that, could he be a little entitled, self-centered, and narcissistic? Sure, but what Hollywood star wasn't?

As the plane landed Lestat had managed to convince himself that maybe things weren't dire enough to call his therapist just yet. He could handle talking to Claudia, he was an adult after all, and so was she. Lestat shot her a quick text as he deplaned and headed out to find a cab.

Bonjour, ma fille, guess where I am?

There was a no immediate response but given that it was a Monday, Lestat surmised that Claudia was probably in class. He tucked his phone in his pocket and as he stepped outside, he was hit by the dank, close air of New York in late summer. Claudia's nineteenth birthday was at the end of the week, and Lestat thought it might be nice to extend his trip so that he could be with her for that. Even when he was at his busiest Lestat made a point of never missing the occasion. If he had to fly Louis and her to wherever it was he was shooting or recording so they could celebrate together, he did it, and it was one of the few things, looking back, that Lestat felt he did right as far as Claudia was concerned.

Focusing on his daughter was probably the best thing he could do, because thinking about anything else, namely Daniel, made Lestat’s head hurt. For all he tried to convince himself that time away from the old man would do them both good, when Daniel suggested the same thing, it set something off in Lestat.

Lestat nearly missed the cab pulling up to the hotel he would be staying in, and he checked in without really paying attention to the process. He found himself sitting in a room with a large bed and a nice bathroom and a big television and a sturdy desk all alone and there was a feeling of listlessness that he couldn’t explain.

idk where r u?

The brevity of Claudia’s text indicated that she was either in a rush or sneaking in a text when she wasn’t meant to.

I’m in New York, ma chèrie. You free for dinner tonight?

back already? rly? um I have a date with Mads tonight but maybe tomorrow?

A date on a Monday night?

yeah why not?

Lestat smiled at the text, happy that at least all appeared to be going well there.

Tomorrow then. And I may stay long enough for your birthday. How does that sound?

There was a long pause before his daughter responded.

yeah sure we can work something out

Wonderful, he responded back, feeling relieved that Claudia was welcoming his presence.

u gonna tell me y ur here?

I will tell you everything soon. I promise.

k. je t’aime!

Je t’aime, mon petit amour. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Have fun with Madeleine.

Claudia responded by decorating his text with a thumbs up, but didn’t send any other reply. Lestat put his phone down and flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. His hopes of spending an evening passing the time with his daughter dashed, Lestat wondered what else he might get up to instead. He considered, for a split second, calling Daniel, and then immediately berated himself for doing so. It made Lestat angry, the realization that he’d become so dependent on the journalist’s company. He didn’t know why it upset him so much, but it did.

There’s only one thing to be done about this, he thought to himself, and picked his phone back up.

It was time to dust off Grindr. Lestat wasn’t sure when last he’d used the app, but tonight was as good as any to give it another spin. He pushed aside the strange, conflicting feeling that pulled at his insides as he scrolled his grid. He scrolled and he scrolled and he scrolled, but very few of the options available were speaking to him. At some point Lestat got bored and switched to Tinder, but none of the femmes he swiped through were any more inspiring.

It was hopeless, and Lestat couldn’t figure out why. He was all wound up and restless, and there was no outlet for any of the energy that was trapped inside him. Lestat squirmed a bit, trying to alleviate the sensation of his skin being too tight. His hand slid over his stomach, rubbing idly at one of the buttons of his shirt before skimming a bit lower. There was an almost immediate physiological response to the movement, and Lestat had to laugh at himself.

“What are you doing, Lestat de Lioncourt,” he muttered, even as his hand cupped the unmistakable bulge in his pants.

Lestat sighed and palmed at himself, his eyes drifting shut as he tried to let his mind go blank. It didn’t take long to get to the point where he needed to peel his leather pants off, winding his hips with the effort. The thong he was wearing underneath followed. He’d learned the hard way a long time ago that bare skin against leather pants, no matter how well lined they were, chafed like a bitch.

His lower half freed and exposed to the air, Lestat allowed his fingers to wander the impressive length of his shaft. His thumb grazed over the slit at the head, once, twice, before rubbing at it in firm circles. Lestat could feel himself filling up without much help from imagined scenarios and went about stroking himself at a leisurely pace. The occasional flight of fancy flitted through his mind, a faceless, genderless figure on their knees, taking him down their throat, a warm tongue filling his mouth, big, gentle hands touching him everywhere, a large, girthy cock stretching him to his limit, curly, gray hair, and soft green eyes, and-

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

Lestat groaned and paused to loosen his grip a little, trying to reset his train of thought to envision anything, anyone, else. He took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and started again, focusing on the feeling of his own hand, warm and large, pumping over his cock. It was so rare now to touch himself this way without an audience, but Lestat didn’t need one, and he didn’t need a partner to get off. Lestat didn’t need to think about the way a certain someone might look at him, eyes half-mast, tongue slipping out to wet his lips, a wide, soft palm rubbing gentle circles into the top of his leg while he pleasured himself…

“Merde,” Lestat swore to himself, caught up in the fantasy.

Lestat’s hand quickened its pace even as his breathing went ragged at the thought of Daniel’s mouth trailing over the skin of his inner thigh. He could hear Daniel’s soft encouragement in his head.

So pretty when you touch yourself, babe, Daniel’s gruff voice was crystal clear, You gonna make yourself cum for me?

“Oui,” Lestat whispered breathily to no one, “Oui…”

He didn’t want to be thinking of Daniel in this moment, but no one more appropriate was coming to mind. The old man's presence was so close that Lestat thought he could smell him, the pervasive scent of Old Spice being underrun by Bengay filling his nostrils. The combination truly spoke to Daniel's age and Lestat found it charming, comforting even, wrapping around him like a warm blanket.

What Lestat could also vividly envision was the look of satisfaction on Daniel's face. He would be so pleased to see Lestat working himself over to thoughts of him, and he would probably want Lestat to put on the best show possible. Lestat’s hand was flying now, yanking almost painfully at the turgid member producing inordinate amounts of precum at the notion of Daniel watching him do this.

I see you, babe, Daniel smirked at Lestat in his mind’s eye, So fuckin’ hot. Make yourself good and ready for me.

Lestat pulled a few fingers into his mouth and sucked at them, getting them as wet as he could before shoving them between his legs. He breached himself with one and then another in quick succession, a soft moan escaping his throat as he sought out his prostate with his fingertips.

“Oh, merde,” he hissed when he found it, a hoarse sound tripping out after, “Daniel…”

Daniel wasn’t there, but Lestat was beyond being able to tell the difference anymore. Despite initially trying to keep it all neutral, Lestat felt his dick practically leap in his closed fist as the imaginary Daniel leaned into him and kissed him deeply.

You’re all mine, rockstar, the old man murmured against his lips, All mine.

“Oui, Daniel…,” Lestat groaned as he came with a convulsive shudder.

It felt like the orgasm lasted forever, coursing through his body and making his veins feel like they were on fire. When it ended, Lestat was again left to stare helplessly up, all of his emotions at war as he struggled to reconcile himself to one simple fact.

It had been less than twenty-four hours since last Lestat saw the man, but he missed Daniel Molloy.

Daniel figured he wouldn’t have to be in the hospital for longer than a couple of days and fortunately, he was right. He was discharged without much fanfare the very same day Lestat got on a plane back to New York. There was an outside chance they’d make him stay an extra day, but Daniel told the doctor in no uncertain terms that if he had to spend one more minute in a hospital bed, he’d become a problem.

The doctor tried to recommend that he slow down a little and handed him an exercise regiment that was low impact and would help him maintain strength without straining his heart. Never before had Daniel felt so old, not even when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He was tempted to tell the physician to stuff it, but he was trying to get out of there, not start an argument.

It was Leo who picked him up when he was wheeled out to the main lobby to be taken home. Daniel was surprised to see that his oldest offspring had her three year old daughter in tow. Even though Leo looked slightly flustered, they plastered a sardonic smile on their face when Daniel came into view.

“Hey, Ella, look, it’s Grandpa,” Leo pointed to him, and little Carmella, ‘Ella’ for short, squealed and bounded over to him.

“Ganpa, ganpa,” the little girl shouted, waving what appeared to be a mangled bouquet of flowers at him, “Hewwo!”

Ella was still having trouble with her ‘r’s and ‘l’s, ironically enough, which meant she still couldn’t properly pronounce her own name. Daniel smiled at her as the little lady managed to scramble up onto his lap, despite Leo’s protests.

“Ganpa, are you sick,” Ella put her hands on Daniel’s face, squeezing his cheeks and looking very serious.

“Nah,” Daniel wrapped his arms around the toddler and gave her a tight hug, eliciting a giggle from her, “I was but I’m feeling better now.”

“You sure,” Ella asked, her dark brown eyes peering at him in a way that was far too perceptive.

“One-hundred percent, sugar bean,” Daniel vowed, “And I’m all ready to go home.”

“I’m sure you are,” Leo smiled.

Daniel looked at her and smiled back, accepting their hand as they helped him stand. Ella had to be carefully guided back to the ground to stand, which she put up a small fuss about, but soon they were all making their way to Leo’s car.

“And you’re positive you’ll be okay on your own,” Leo said, utterly failing not to sound worried, “Jeannette assured me she can handle Jax and Major for a few days if Ella and I need to stay with you.”

Daniel frowned, “I don’t want any fuss.”

“Dad, it’s not fuss,” Leo insisted, “You-,” her voice lowered despite Ella being conked out in her car seat and facing away from them, “You had a heart attack and you live alone. Someone should be with you for a little while.”

Daniel sighed. As much as he wanted to argue with his oldest child, he knew they were right. He didn’t like the idea of having someone hovering over him, but it wasn’t like he was overwhelmed with any other options. He begrudgingly muttered his acquiescence, to which Leo responded with a short hum and a nod.

“It’s just for a few days, or until your boyfriend comes back,” Leo reassured him, and Daniel had to fight to hold back a visible reaction.

“My… boyfriend,” his tongue went stiff around the word, “Has a house of his own, for one, and two, he’s not my caretaker.”

"Okay, okay," Leo said in a defensive tone, "I get it. Way you're acting you'd think I'd called him your husband."

Daniel shuddered, immediately turned off by the mere suggestion of marriage.

"That's not the type of deal we have," Daniel mumbled, "We hang out, we're intimate, but it's open. He can see who he wants, and I can see who I want."

"And who have you been seeing other than him," Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Daniel shrugged, "That's not your business and it's also beside the point. The point is that Lestat isn't obligated to look after me, boyfriend or not."

Leo gave him an appraising look out of the corner of their eye, "If you say so, Pop."

"I do say so, kiddo," he grumped as they turned up his driveway.

He had only been away from home for a few days, but it felt like forever ago that he was standing in his small foyer. While Leo and Ella settled in, Daniel wandered into the kitchen, almost out of morbid curiosity as much as a desire to reclaim the space. Lestat's bowl from his fruit and yogurt was still sitting on the counter, and the bowl from which Daniel ate his muesli was still in the sink. Daniel wondered if Lestat still had his bathrobe, and felt a small twinge at the memory of the gorgeous blonde standing in his kitchen wearing the article of clothing as they ate together.

Leo came into the kitchen, noticing the bowl and picking it up to bring it to the sink and rinse it out. They paused when they noticed the second bowl in the sink and Daniel pursed his lips when she tossed a quick glance his way.

"What, Leo," Daniel huffed, "It was a good thing he was here."

"I know," his daughter sighed, "I just never thought I'd have to be grateful to him for anything."

That makes two of us, Daniel thought to himself as he moved to stand next to her and opened the dishwater so they could put the bowls into it.

"Anyway, I put Ella down for a nap," Leo continued, "You hungry? I'm gonna guess there's stuff in your fridge that I can turn into something edible."

"Pretty sure there is," Daniel's eyes narrowed as he tried to remember what was in it and then shrugged, "Good luck. I'm gonna go watch some TV."

Daniel moved into his living room and settled in on the couch, flipping on the television. As he was perusing his streaming options, Daniel noticed that a few of the curated recommendations for each app featured a film Lestat was in. He found himself pausing as he scrolled to look at the thumbnails before he'd shake himself out of it and keep surfing. He eventually picked a random travel documentary and put it on, barely paying attention to what was happening on the screen.

He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until Leo was jostling him awake.

"Huh," Daniel grunted, "Wha-?"

"Food's ready, but I think maybe you need a nap more, Pop," Leo chuckled, "I can fix you a plate and put it in the fridge to warm up later."

"Whadju make," Daniel asked, sleepily moving to be a bit more upright.

"Nothing that won't keep," Leo assured him, looping their arm through his to help him stand.

Daniel wanted to shrug her off and insist that he could stand on his own, but he was exhausted if he was being completely truthful with himself, and a nap did sound very nice. He groaned as he was hauled to his feet and Leo stayed with him until he was in his room.

"I think I can do the rest by myself, champ," Daniel gave Leo a lopsided smile and as Leo turned to go he stopped them, "Hey, Leo?"

"Yeah, Pop," Leo glanced back at him.

"Thank you for being here," he nodded to them, "Really, I'm glad you're here."

"'Course I am, Pop," Leo smiled back at him, and for a moment Daniel was struck by how much his kid looked like him.

Daniel peeled his sweats off and climbed into his bed, highly aware that the last time he was in it, Lestat was sleeping next to him. Daniel scooted over to the side of the bed Lestat usually slept on, the right, and buried his face in the pillow lying there. A deep inhale yielded faint ghosts of the smell of Lestat’s shampoo still lingering on the pillow cover. Daniel wrapped his arms around the downy head rest and brought it with him while he situated himself back on his side of the bed. He held Lestat’s pillow, because how else could Daniel label it, to his chest as he drifted back to sleep.

“Danny, do you mind grabbing the cereal from the cupboard,” Louis said, smiling gently as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Daniel’s lips.

“Huh,” Daniel blinked a few times in confusion before nodding, “Yeah, babe, gimme a second.”

Louis’ smile grew wider and Daniel felt a thrill go through him at the sight of it. He opened his mouth to say something else when Armand walked into the kitchen.

“You tell our boy yet, Louis,” the tall, dark, handsome man asked, wrapping an arm around Louis’ waist.

Daniel’s confusion deepened as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Part of his brain was asserting that all of this was entirely normal. Louis and Armand and him had always been together, and they ate cereal with each other every morning. Louis kissed him on the mouth and Armand called him ‘our boy’.

“Tell me what,” Daniel said, turning to grab the cereal from the cupboard.

He noticed there were no age spots on his hand, and the hairs on his arm were brown. Closing the cupboard, which had a clear, glass face instead of a solid wood one, he saw that his reflection was the image of him at forty, his hair only just starting to grey at the temples, but still mostly brown. His figure hadn’t started to soften, and his jaw was still chiseled. His eyes were their sharper shade of green, instead of the faded color they were now.

He was young again.

“We invited someone over,” Louis replied, his smile still impossibly beautiful, “Someone for you.”

“I don’t need anyone else,” Daniel insisted, “I have you.”

Armand laughed, and it made Daniel feel embarrassed to hear it. A sliver of his subconscious told him that he loved that laugh while another part told him that he had no strong feelings one way or the other about it.

“You can’t have just us, boy,” Armand said, his tone almost condescending, “You need someone all your own. We think you’ll like him.”

Louis motioned with his head towards some unseen place and in came Lestat, golden, smarmy, utterly luminescent.

“I don’t need him,” Daniel immediately protested, trying to move closer to Louis, even as Armand started to pull him away, “I have you!”

“You’ve never had me, Danny,” Louis said in an amused voice, “But you have him. Look at him,” he gestured with his eyes to Lestat, who stood to one side, waiting.

“Viens à moi, mon amour,” the blonde said in a soft voice.

The gorgeous man was dressed in nothing but the dove gray dressing gown Daniel liked so much. His brain fed him the memory of its silky feel and how it melted away like smoke whenever Daniel pushed it from Lestat’s shoulders.

“You shouldn’t call me that,” Daniel swallowed hard.

He felt it, without being able to see it. Daniel was old again, weak and soft and fragile.

“Why not,” Lestat drew closer, “That’s what you are.”

Daniel turned to find Louis and Armand, but they were far away, kissing each other and watching him all at the same time. For a split second, Daniel thought he saw their eyes gleam green and orange, turning them into otherworldly strangers, but as quickly as he caught the glimpse, it was gone. When he looked at them again, he felt an odd ache in his heart. It wasn’t just that he wanted them, he wanted what they had, he wanted the love and care they shared with each other, he wanted it all.

“Daniel,” Lestat whispered in his ear, his body so close Daniel could feel the warmth of it all through him, “What about me?”

“What about you, rockstar,” Daniel looked at Lestat to see tears in his eyes.

“Do you not desire me, vieillard,” the preternaturally attractive man said, “I’m right here. Are you not here with me?”

Daniel reached out to touch Lestat, but it was like his hands were going through him.

“Touch me, Molloy,” Lestat demanded, his voice growing desperate and angry, “Won’t you make me yours?”

“I’m… trying,” Daniel replied, feeling that same desperation and anger in his chest, a tightening that felt like dying, “I can’t-”

Daniel tried and tried to hold Lestat, but despite man being right next to him, he was nowhere near him. Lestat became more impatient with every attempt Daniel made to pull him closer.

“You must not want me,” Lestat cried, furious tears streaking down his face, “You must not care for me at all.”

“That’s not-,” Daniel growled, “I do. I swear, I do, I’m just… I can’t-”

His hands found nothing, they touched nothing and in the background he heard laughing. When he looked, it wasn’t just Louis and Armand laughing at him, it was his family, and Claudia, and hundreds of faceless others.

“You’re a decrepit old fool, Danny,” Louis chuckled from afar, “He’ll find someone else, and you’ll be all alone.”

“I know,” Daniel replied, mournful, as Lestat faded away and slipped out of reach.

Daniel was covered in sweat when he awoke with a jerk. The last of the sun’s rays were teasing at his curtains, and he could hear Ella chattering from the living room as Leo entertained her with some television. He stared up at the ceiling, the remnants of his dream still lingering in his thoughts.

He was pretty sure he didn’t need an expert to tell him what it all meant, even the parts of it he didn’t totally understand. Daniel sighed and sat up, kicking his legs over the side of the bed. He rubbed his knuckles into his chest over his heart, hoping to alleviate the ache he knew was only in his mind.

Get it together, man, it was just a dream, Daniel thought.

His stomach grumbled and Daniel was reminded there was food, as well as company, outside his room. The best way to forget something disturbing was to get out of bed and just get on with it. Daniel stood, redressed himself, and headed to his bedroom door, pushing all thoughts of his sleeping visions aside.

There was time enough to worry about them and their implications later.

Lestat stood off as the musical director of Carousel, an enthusiastic woman by the name of Beatrice Whitaker, rallied a small group of five women together around the piano to warm up. They’d all be separated after to sing opposite Lestat one by one, but Bea liked an efficient callback. She liked hearing people warm up because she liked getting a feel for someone’s voice before they were in a position to put their own interpretation on something. Warmups were regimented and controlled, and a vocalist couldn’t mask a weakness in them as easily. Beatrice also got a better idea of how their voices blended, or didn’t, in a larger group.

Lestat liked Beatrice, even though or maybe especially because she spent the better part of an hour in their first rehearsal whipping him back into shape. Lestat hadn’t toured in four years and, if his label took on the cast album, it would be the first one he’d recorded in five. He didn’t realize just how out practice he was, and Beatrice proceeded to humble him in ways few people were capable of achieving.

He was watching, attempting to get a bead on Jesse’s voice in the mix. He found it quickly and immediately took note of how much richer it sounded. The Jesse he knew still had the brightness of youth in her voice, but adult Jesse’s voice was fuller and darker. Lestat was mesmerized by it and eager to try his own against it. The other ladies also had lovely voices, but Lestat had eyes for none but Jesse Reeves and he hoped Bea felt the same by the time they were done.

Lestat stopped believing in fate or miracles a long time ago, not long after meeting Jesse, but he thought it an interesting coincidence that Jesse was the last woman to sing with him of the five.

“Lestat,” she nodded to him as she approached the piano, “Beatrice.”

“Jesse,” Lestat said in a voice almost as soft as a whisper, and then cleared his throat, “Jesse,” he said more confidently, “It is good to see you.”

“Oh,” Beatrice looked between the two of them, “Do the two of you know each other?”

“A lifetime ago, Beatrice,” Jesse smiled, her bright green eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Well, let’s see how you sound together,” Beatrice stretched out her hands and placed them on the keys, playing out a two bar intro for a portion of ‘If I Loved You’.

It was better than Lestat remembered, the way their voices layered together. Looking into Jesse’s eyes as they sang, Lestat felt as though he was reconnecting with something he’d lost, or pushed down. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, but it was lying just under the surface, not yet ready to be seen. When the last strains of their song faded to silence, Lestat let the moment sit, and Jesse and Beatrice did the same. For just a moment, there was total quiet.

“Thank you very much for coming in Ms. Reeves,” Beatrice was the first to speak, standing from the piano to offer Jesse her hand, “We will be sending news about casting soon.”

“Of course,” Jesse smiled, her expression magnanimous, “It was a pleasure to be here. Beatrice,” she nodded to the older woman, then did the same to him, “Lestat.”

“Jesse,” Lestat nodded back to her and waited until he could longer hear her heels clacking against the floor before turning to Bea.

“Christine knows I want her and now I’m telling you-,” Lestat began.

Beatrice lifted a hand, “Don’t say another word. I’ve got you.”

Lestat let out a relieved exhale, “You agree, then?”

“Unequivocally,” Bea nodded, “She’s our Julie,” the graying woman turned to the dark auditorium, “She’s our Julie,” she said a little louder.

“I’m not certain why you two are so concerned I’ll disagree,” Christine’s voice came from somewhere in the back.

Lestat heard the woman approaching, coming into view a few feet from the lip of the stage. Her arms were crossed over her middle and her glasses glinted in the light.

“We obviously have to run it all past Seth,” Christine pointed out, “But I like Jesse and she’s been out of the spotlight for a while, and the two of you sound wonderful together.”

Lestat nodded, “If I have to go to Seth myself I will.”

“Oh don’t be dramatic, Lestat,” Christine rolled her eyes, “Seth and I have worked together for decades and if I say someone is a sure bet, he believes me.”

Lestat was only concerned because he knew that casting two leads who’d been off the stage for a while was a risk. He had to trust that it was one Seth was willing to take.

“We ought to talk about her understudy,” Christine nodded to Beatrice, who seemed to already be deep in thought.

“I liked Akasha,” the musical director suggested, “Don’t know how much attention you were paying, Lestat, but the two of you sounded lovely together, and she would be perfect for Carrie.”

“I did like her,” Lestat admitted, “And I was paying attention, Bea.”

Akasha was a newer face on the scene and one of the youngest in the callback group, in her late twenties if Lestat was remembering correctly. She would be a very different face for Julie and for Carrie, but Seth was a very different type of director for Rodgers & Hammerstein. He had a good feeling about Akasha and after a little bit of back and forth, they all agreed she’d be a welcome addition to the main cast.

By the time Lestat was out of the theatre and on his way to meet Claudia for dinner, there seemed to be a consensus on who would be put before Seth for Julie. Claudia was standing in front of a small French restaurant, texting someone. Lestat watched her from a distance, allowing himself a private moment of pride. When he finally approached her, her eyes narrowed and she tucked her phone in her back pocket before giving him a hug.

“Twice in the span of three weeks,” she mentioned, “I’m guessing you’re here to explain yourself?”

Lestat was hoping to keep the conversation focused on Claudia as opposed to being interrogated by her. He was saving the news about Carousel for her birthday and he was hoping she might have already gotten past the whole Daniel thing. Apparently, he was mistaken about the latter.

“Explain what exactly, ma chèrie,” Lestat gave Claudia an innocent look that she immediately scoffed at.

“Don’t give me that, Père,” Claudia leveled a critical glare at him, “Coming out here for my birthday doesn’t absolve you of anything. I wanna know what’s going on.”

“What exactly is there for me to be explain, Claudia,” Lestat sighed.

“You and Uncle Danny,” Claudia stated clearly, “When did the two of you become a thing?”

“‘A thing’ is… a way to put it,” Lestat conceded, “It’s more like we’ve been seeing each other for a while and-”

“How long is a while,” Claudia interrupted, taking a slow sip of her ice water.

“Ehm,” Lestat pursed his lips and his eyes turned to slits as he regarded her, “A little over a year.”

“A year,” Claudia’s mouth gaped open in shock.

“Well,” Lestat sighed, “Longer really, very casually and sporadically at first, but more often within the last year or so.”

“And you didn’t think that was something you should mention to me, your daughter,” Claudia gestured to herself, “What happened to that Cosmo guy?”

“We only spent a few months together and that was two years ago,” Lestat reminded her.

“Oh,” Claudia appeared to be trying to do the math in her head, “Didn’t realize it was that long ago.”

“It was,” Lestat confirmed.

“And it’s been Uncle Danny since then,” Lestat’s daughter rubbed her forehead with her hand.

“More or less,” Lestat nodded.

“So what, he’s your boyfriend,” Claudia asked slowly.

“He’s my…,” Lestat’s brow furrowed and he let out a slow breath, “How about you? How did casting go this semester?”

Claudia gave him a knowing glance and Lestat looked down at his menu, waiting for her to answer.

“It went well,” the girl finally said, though her tone implied that the previous conversation was far from over, “I got cast in The Trojan Women.”

“Félicitations, ma fille,” Lestat exclaimed, excitement rushing through him, “That is wonderful to hear.”

Claudia graced him with the first smile she’d given him all night and shrugged a shoulder.

“When do rehearsals start,” Lestat asked the young woman.

“Next month,” Claudia replied, “I can’t wait. From what I’ve been told by my friend, the director is great.”

“And the cast,” Lestat inquired further, “What have you heard about them?”

“I think there a few more freshmen in smaller roles, but the rest are ahead of me,” Claudia explained, “I don’t really know any of them, yet.”

“Well, I am certain you’ll make many new friends from among them,” Lestat reassured her, “But it sounds to me as though you have already made at least one?”

“Mhm,” Claudia nodded, then paused when a waiter came over to take their order before resuming, “Her name is Magenta Rose. She’s a sophomore. I ran into her in the audition line.”

“Magenta Rose is a lovely name,” Lestat smiled.

“Yeah, she picked it herself,” Claudia replied with a fond look, “She and I have hung out a bit. There’s my dorm mate, Deirdre, she’s from Ireland. And Magenta Rose’s boyfriend, Kaito.”

“You have yourself a little crew, then,” Lestat observed, “That’s good. And things with Madeleine, I assume, are still complicated.”

“Less complicated now,” Claudia said in an almost shy way.

Lestat felt a sharp pang in his chest, but he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because when he looked at Claudia he still sometimes saw the four year old she was when Louis and him adopted her, but she was a woman, all grown up doing grown up things.

“That’s fortunate, ma petite beauté,” Lestat nodded his head, “Less complicated is good.”

“Père, are you okay,” Claudia asked, “You’re acting weird.”

“I am well, Claudia,” Lestat sighed, “It has simply been a very long, very strange few weeks.”

“I get that,” Claudia nodded, making space in front of her for the waiter to place her plate down, “Thank you,” she said to him, then looked at Lestat, “Is it cool that you’re here and not in LA with Uncle Danny?”

They circled back around to that sooner than Lestat hoped and he stabbed at his quail with his fork.

“Daniel has plenty of people to look after him, Claudia,” he gave her a tight smile, “He hardly needs me around twenty-four seven playing nursemaid.”

“Okay, okay,” Claudia audibly backed off, “Not trying to stir up anything, no need to get defensive.”

Lestat sighed, “Désolé, ma petite Claudette,” he said, “I have no wish to argue about this.”

“Seems like you’re the one in a complicated situation, Père,” his daughter hummed.

Seems I am, Lestat moped internally, though outwardly he smiled and waved Claudia off.

He managed to maneuver the conversation away from himself again, getting Claudia firmly on the subject of school and her classes. In the back of his mind he was aware that he’d left Daniel in the hands of others and despite knowing that his family would more than care for him, Lestat felt terrible about not being there to help. He promised himself he would call Daniel when he got back to his hotel room.

Lestat was good at making promises to himself that he ultimately didn’t keep.

“I still think it’s too soon for this, Danny,” Louis griped from where he was seated at one of the desks in Daniel’s home office, “You’re supposed to be resting.”

Daniel’s home office was set up in the exact same configuration as the office at the Times, though it was a lot more stately, with desks made of fine wood. The whole space had a much more Ivy League professor’s office feel than the sterile, corporate atmosphere of the building in which they usually worked. Daniel built out the space during the pandemic, when Louis and him were a bubble that only included Lestat and Claudia, and they did all their work from the space they were sitting in at the moment.

“I can’t just sit around doing nothing,” Daniel sighed, “Look, I have a comfortable chair and I’m still in my house. I swear I’ll take plenty of breaks.”

Louis had reticently agreed to keep Daniel company when he declared he was going to get back to work. He was meant to be on bedrest for at least a week, but in typical Daniel Molloy fashion, he was stretching the definition of bedrest to include working from home. Daniel convinced Louis, or at least he hoped he convinced Louis, that if the younger man worked with him, he could at least keep an eye on him. Raglan barely put up a fuss about it, though Daniel did get an earful from Rashid about pushing himself too hard. He was pointedly ignoring calls from his family, who left worried messages for him and stern mandates for Louis.

Lestat was still in New York and the man had yet to call and check in, something that Daniel was attempting not to be keenly aware of. Maybe getting back to work was a way of distracting himself from thinking about the enticing, sexy, bone-achingly beautiful blonde that had spent every night of the week prior in his bed, and now couldn’t even be bothered to text.

He’s busy, Daniel reasoned with himself, You don’t want his whole world revolving around you.

“You said Lestat is on a business trip,” Louis asked from where he sat, as though reading Daniel’s mind.

“Yeah,” Daniel grunted, unsure if he was allowed to mention that Lestat was in New York.

Daniel didn’t want to give away Lestat’s secrets since, as far as he knew, he was the only one Lestat had told about Carousel, and Lestat’s short term move to across the country.

“Bet he hasn’t called or texted or nothing,” Louis frowned.

Daniel felt his heart drop into his stomach, reminded that he was sitting with one of two people who knew intimately exactly what Lestat in a relationship was like. He cleared his throat and kept working, not sure which was better, silence or a denouncement in response to Louis’ accusation.

“Yeah, I thought so,” Louis groused and Daniel realized he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.

“That’s not the kind of thing we have, Louis,” Daniel stated, “Never has been.”

“The two of you both say that,” Louis said in a tone Daniel couldn’t read.

“So maybe you oughta believe it,” Daniel replied, even as bile crept up his throat, “He doesn’t have to be in contact with me all the time.”

But I wish he would be, came an errant thought that Daniel quickly swatted away.

“Fine, if you say so, Danny,” Louis finally conceded, “I’m gonna go grab another cup of coffee.”

The coffee maker had to be dusted off when Louis announced he’d work with Daniel at home if the man was going to insist on working. This gave Leo and Kate, who’d been switching off evenings, the chance to go do their own jobs during the day without worry. Kate preferred tea and Leo loved coffee but coffee violently hated them. Daniel was no longer allowed to drink coffee, and giving it up had been nearly as hard as quitting smoking and his nightly finger of bourbon.

In the couple of minutes while Louis was gone, Daniel pulled his phone out of his pocket, but there was no message from Lestat. His thumbs hovered over the screen for a moment as he considered being the one to text first. Daniel closed out the text box and put his phone back, clenching his fists before going back to his keyboard.

You’re a decrepit old fool, Danny, Dream Louis’ words floated through his mind.

“I know,” he muttered at the exact instant the real Louis came back into the office.

“Know what,” Louis asked, stopped in his tracks.

“Nothing,” Daniel waved nonchalantly, “Was just talking to myself.”

“Always a good sign,” Louis chuckled, “Everything alright?”

“I’ll let you know if it isn’t, Louis,” Daniel gave a frustrated sigh.

“Look, all any of us is tryna to do is make sure you don’t overdo it and keel over again, 'kay,” Louis replied, his tone short, “I know you don’t like bein' fussed over, but considering the fact that you just got out of the hospital, that’s not something you can avoid anymore. Where do you get off acting annoyed that we care?”

"I'm not annoyed," Daniel turned to face Louis, "Really, I'm grateful you're all making yourselves available, I am, but the stressing out over me isn't actually helping me relax. I just want to work in peace without the constant check-ins."

He held Louis' gaze, hoping that the man was actually hearing what he was trying to say. Louis' head tilted to one side, and then he nodded, a slow exhale escaping through his nose.

"I get it," Louis said in a more even voice, "I'm sorry. I'll be cool."

"Thank you," Daniel lifted his hands in a gesture of gratitude, "Now, where are we on last week's assignment?"

Daniel and Louis punched out a few things getting what was now an overdue piece finished and then quickly tackled the next action items on the list. Daniel felt a lot better having something to occupy his time and thoughts. With Louis sitting just behind him, it was easy to pretend that this was just any other day, even though they were working at his house. When it was time for lunch, they had a simple meal and Daniel was easily convinced to lay down for some rest afterwards, while Louis went through photos. Daniel rejoined Louis after a blessedly dreamless nap and all in all, he felt good about the work the two of them put in that day. Just as they were wrapping up, Kate came in to relieve Louis.

"How was he," Daniel heard Kate say to Louis as the latter was pulling his stuff together to get home.

"Ornery, as always," Louis replied, though his tone was fond, "Don't baby him too much. He's reached capacity."

"Got it," Kate chuckled, "I'll just treat him like the cranky old man that he is."

"The cranky old man can hear you two," Daniel called out, which only caused more laughter.

Kate came into the living room and pushed a kiss into the top of Daniel's head, "Hey, Dad."

Louis poked his head around the corner and waved, "I'm off. See you tomorrow, Danny."

"Yup," Daniel grunted, placing a gentle hand on Kate's upper arm in greeting, "See you tomorrow."

As soon as Louis was out the door, Kate proceeded to leave Daniel to his own devices, heading for the kitchen to put together something for dinner. Daniel had to admit that while he didn't hate having a home cooked meal made for him every night, he was less enthused about how flavorless and bland most of it was. He would probably commit a federal crime for a burger and some French fries.

When Kate came back into the living room, it was with a plate of steamed vegetables and the saddest looking chicken breast Daniel had ever seen. He could tell it caused Kate pain just to serve it to him. At least, in whatever sort of solidarity it was that a child felt for their parent, Kate had a plate of the exact same thing.

"My kingdom for some salt," he said in a flat tone as he poked at the meat and Kate hummed in agreement.

"I'm sure it won't be like this forever," she reassured him.

As they ate, Daniel noticed that Kate kept giving him strange looks, as if she wanted to say something and wasn't sure how to broach the subject.

"What is it, Katherine," he asked after a while.

He rarely called Kate by her full name, but whenever he expected they were about to have a serious conversation about something, it seemed like the only appropriate time to do so. Kate's shoulders rolled back and she sat up a little straighter, accepting that she'd been caught.

"Why...," she started slowly, "Why didn't you tell any of us? About him, I mean."

Great, he thought, I should have had a family meeting so I could get through all these questions at once.

"And what exactly was I supposed to tell you," Daniel wondered aloud, "Hey guys, I'm fucking my best friend's ex. You know, the one I punched in the face."

"Well, you could have started there," Kate pointed out, "Look, I care about who you see insofar as I care that you're happy. I've had a feeling for a long while that you were seeing someone, because you have been really happy. I could tell, and I think everyone else could, too. I'm bummed that I had no idea who it was that was making you so happy, that you felt like you didn't need or didn't want to tell us and that this is what it took for us to find out."

Daniel frowned at Kate's words, unsure of what to think.

"Do I really seem happy," he asked her and she looked at him like his brain just rolled out of his head.

"Um, yeah, Dad," the woman replied, "You're mopey and cynical as hell when you're single, as much as you like to claim you prefer being on your own. I may not like Lestat, but given that I haven't seen you stick with anyone longer than a few months at a time, you obviously do."

"Yeah," Daniel nodded begrudgingly, "I like him."

"So what was with the secrecy then," Kate pushed, "Did you think we wouldn't understand?"

"Well... how am I supposed to explain being with someone around the same age as my kids," Daniel's brow furrowed.

"I don't know," Kate shrugged, "How do you explain it?"

Daniel opened his mouth and then shut it again, temporarily at a loss for words. Kate looked at him intently, no judgment in her expression, only curiosity.

"It just happened, you know," Daniel sighed, "One drunken night followed by a lot more dumb decision making until... I don't know," a pang bloomed in his chest and his knuckles dug in there again, kneading out slow circles.

"You okay, Dad," Kate said softly.

"I don't know," Daniel winced, "Really don't, kiddo."

Kate scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head on his shoulder. Daniel put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer, his cheek finding the top of his daughter's head.

"I love you, Dad," the woman said, "I only ever want you to be happy, that's all any of us wants. If Lestat makes you happy, fine, but if he ever makes you unhappy, I'll do worse than punch him in the face."

Daniel chuckled, amused by Kate's statement, "You really are my daughter."

"You're damn right I am," Kate said fiercely, "Now, let's pick out a movie to watch before I send you to bed."

They haggled over what they would watch for about twenty minutes before settling on something they could both enjoy. Given that there was a long period of time where he didn't have the best relationship with either Leo or Kate, Daniel knew how lucky he was to have a healthy relationship with them now. Kate remained tucked up against his side, and for a few hours, his grown daughter was his little girl again. When the movie was over, she shooed him to his room for the night, even though he wasn't tired.

Just as he was about to climb into his bed anyway, there was a ping on his phone. Daniel read the message once and then again, the tugging in his heart growing stronger. It was a few sentences ended with a lipstick kiss emoji, but it made everything around Daniel fade away to nothing.

Staying in New York for Claudia's birthday. I'll see you on Sunday, mon cher.

Sunday. Lestat would be home on Sunday. Daniel only had to wait four more days.

Chapter Text

He caught a mid-evening flight out of New York, managing to squeeze into a business class seat on standby. Once he landed at LAX, it took Lestat an hour to get to Daniel’s house, and by then, it was already well past dark. He wiped the sweat from his palms on his jeans before knocking on the door, his heart, for whatever reason, lodged firmly in his throat.

For a moment he was worried no one inside was awake, which would make sense since he didn’t tell anyone he was on his way. He was seconds from turning around and coming back in the morning when he saw someone approach the door through the textured side window. Lestat stepped back as the porch light came on and the door cracked open. Leo peeked through suspiciously until they realized who it was and then opened the door wider.

“Lestat,” she said in a cool tone, “Pop said you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.”

“Yes, well,” Lestat checked his phone and then showed it to Daniel’s eldest, proving that it was nearly midnight and not that far off from ‘tomorrow’, “Thought I might relieve you of your watch a little early?”

“He’s asleep,” Leo said curtly, planted firmly in the doorway.

Lestat raised his hands in a defensive posture, “I have no interest in disturbing him,” he promised, “I could do with a bit of sleep myself.”

Leo’s eyes narrowed, scrutinizing him before finally stepping aside to allow Lestat entry. He heard the door close behind him and when he turned, Daniel’s light-skinned offspring had their arms crossed over her chest.

“Why him,” she said after a brief pause.

Lestat sighed, “Why not him?”

Leo didn’t seem to know what to do with that reply and sighed in return.

“Lemme get my things,” they shuffled off, gathering their phone and keys.

When they came back, Lestat was tucking his suitcase in the alcove. He straightened up at the sight of her and nodded his head politely.

“You call me if there’s any trouble,” Leo instructed.

“I will,” Lestat vowed, “Thank you, Leo.”

“Mhmm,” she pursed her lips, “If I find out you woke him up I’ll end you.”

“I will not do so on purpose,” Lestat crossed his heart.

Leo shook their head and exited the house, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. Lestat locked the door and turned off the porch light, then the foyer light before heading to Daniel’s room.

The old man was sound asleep and snoring in the soft, whistle-y way he did. Lestat had never told Daniel so, but he looked so much younger when he was sleeping. It was as if all the worries and cares of life melted away from his face, softening the lines of age to give Lestat a glimpse of the young man he once was. Lestat adored Daniel’s sleeping face.

He pulled his clothes off slowly, trying not to make too much noise, but also because he wanted to keep looking at Daniel from where he stood for as long as possible. When he was finally naked but for his briefs, he slid between the sheets and scooted up close to Daniel, gathering the older man into his arms.

“Mon cœur,” he whispered as he landed a gentle kiss on Daniel’s head, “Comme tu m'as manqué…”

His eyes drifted closed, and Lestat took in the sweet scent of Old Spice underrun with Bengay.

It was good to be home.

Danny awoke feeling very warm and very cozy. He wanted to move, but he was confined and it took him a moment to register that he was being held. He didn’t need to be fully awake to know whose arms were around him. There was only one person who hugged him so tightly when they slept together.

“Hmm,” he hummed, feeling a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He snuggled back into Lestat, who was still completely dead to the world. Daniel surmised that the man must have arrived very late in the night to still be fast asleep. It took some doing, but Daniel managed to turn in Lestat’s arms and face the slumbering man. Lestat’s expression was serious, worry lines etched into his forehead like he went to sleep with something heavy on his mind. Daniel leaned forward and pressed his lips to those creases, hoping to smooth them with his touch. Almost immediately Lestat’s hold loosened a bit and his face relaxed, his mouth falling slightly ajar.

That’s better, Daniel thought, shutting his eyes and resting there with Lestat until the man woke up on his own.

The wait wasn’t nearly as long as he thought it would be, Lestat stirring against him about fifteen minutes later. It happened with a sudden intake of air through his nose and a full body squirm. Then his lashes parted and Daniel was staring into Lestat’s startling blue eyes.

“Bonjour, vieillard,” the staggeringly beautiful man murmured sleepily.

“You’re back,” Daniel smiled at him, “Why didn’t you wake me up when you got in?”

Lestat smirked at him, his eyes closing again, “Your eldest threatened to exterminate me if I did and I happen to have a healthy fear of them. They are your child, after all, and the last time I pissed off a Molloy, I got my nose bashed in.”

One eye cracked open, and Lestat’s smirk bloomed into a grin. Daniel growled at him, the sound carrying absolutely no danger.

“Well,” Daniel grumped, “I guess it was a nice surprise to wake up to.”

“Hm,” Lestat shut his eye and leaned in to steal a kiss.

Daniel wound his fingers into Lestat’s hair in a bid to keep Lestat right where he was. Their faces pressed together as the kiss lingered and deepened. The tender passion of the act easily convinced the blood in Daniel’s body to start flowing down, and he groaned into Lestat’s mouth.

“How long,” he mumbled, “Before you’re back in New York for the long haul?”

“Rehearsals start in a month,” the blonde creature in bed with him said.

“Well, then, we better make good use of that time,” Daniel hinted, tucking his lower lip between his teeth.

Lestat gave him a small smile and kissed him again.

“Lie on your stomach for me, mon cher,” the movie star murmured.

Daniel rolled over for Lestat, who carefully maneuvered one of his legs so it bent at the knee and opened him up a bit. The covers got pushed back and Lestat settled in the space between Daniel’s legs, two large hands quickly scooping over the soft flesh of his ass. They massaged him for a moment, firm circles and strong squeezes before Daniel felt the blonde’s lips kiss the furl nestled between them.

“Mmm, mon petit-déjeuner,” Lestat murmured from where he was, and Daniel managed a very short chuckle before Lestat’s tongue started teasing at him.

It took Daniel far too long as a young adult to appreciate the activity of having his ass eaten. Ciara and Alice were both adventurous in their own ways, but it wasn’t really until after he’d given up on the institution of marriage that he came to know just how enjoyable the pastime could be. It was simultaneously stimulating and relaxing, the feeling of Lestat’s agile tongue taking its time to slick him up and then breach him. Daniel could feel his hips jerking instinctually against the sensation, but the upper half of his body was like a pool of jello, loosened by Lestat’s slow and methodical ministrations.

In Daniel’s experience over the last few years, slow and methodical wasn’t usually Lestat’s style. He liked things sloppy and fast and nasty, especially in the beginning. Daniel wouldn’t say that had changed much, but sex between them had gotten a bit more intense. If he thought too hard about it, it occurred to Daniel that there were a lot more complex emotions involved at present than there were three years prior.

He pushed that thought away and took a deep breath, permitting himself to enjoy Lestat’s work. The man was moaning softly against him, mouth closed over his entrance and applying light suction as his tongue continued to slide in and out of Daniel. The semi Daniel popped earlier was developing into something requiring a lot more attention, but he ignored that for now, much more invested in the way Lestat’s fingers were digging into his hipbones as he ate him out.

“Delicious,” Lestat said softly, stopping long enough to grab a more substantial lungful of air before diving back in.

The blonde dedicated himself to that task until Daniel couldn’t ignore his own need anymore and squirmed away from Lestat’s tongue.

“Please,” he groaned, “I’m gonna bust if you keep doing that.”

“Well, that was the goal,” Lestat chuckled darkly, “Is there some other way you would prefer to find your release?”

“Wouldn’t mind you replacing that tongue with something that takes up more real estate,” Daniel replied, his gaze drifting down to where Lestat’s gorgeous cock was hanging hard and heavy between his legs, “Gets you closer to me, too.”

“You want me close to you, Molloy,” Lestat’s eyelids drooped as he crawled up to lie beside Daniel.

Daniel’s eyes fell shut as Lestat gathered him into a long kiss. Their lips parted only when he felt Lestat pull insistently at one of his hips, wordlessly instructing him to roll over so that his back could be glued to Lestat’s front. The hand became an arm moving up to wrap around Daniel’s chest, Lestat’s large palm resting on his shoulder.

Daniel could feel Lestat’s impressive length tuck itself in the split of his ass, dragging up and down the length of it without any lube to aid the journey. It bumped and dragged and got caught on the looseness of Daniel’s skin and Lestat hissed at what was likely an almost burning sensation. After a moment or two of this, Lestat finally let Daniel go long enough to grab the lube from the bedside nightstand. When his length returned to its previous location, Daniel moaned with appreciation at the slip and slide of it, the tip catching at his rim now and then and teasing at what was to come.

“Been a while since I had you inside me wildcat,” Daniel said softly, “You gonna fuck me real good?”

Lestat hummed in what Daniel could only assume was the affirmative, and a few seconds later, the head of the man’s cock was pushing past the resistance of Daniel’s entrance. Daniel’s teeth clenched at the feeling of Lestat filling him up, his size nearly as impactful as Daniel’s.

“Goddamn,” he wheezed as Lestat pushed and pushed until he was all the way in, only occasionally backing off to help Daniel acclimate.

“Mmm, you are very warm, mon vieillard,” Lestat crooned, “I have missed it here.”

“Show me how much, rockstar,” Daniel shifted ever so slightly so that he could feel every inch of Lestat inside him.

“It would be my pleasure,” Lestat replied, his voice hitching with the movement of Daniel’s hips.

Daniel’s entire body went rigid when Lestat got his hips in gear, starting with a steady, smooth gliding motion in and out of him. The tightness in his body didn’t last more than a couple of seconds, and soon he was melting back into Lestat as the pleasurable feelings began to build. Daniel was whimpering, trying to bite back the sounds behind his tightly closed lips.

“No one can hear you but me, Daniel,” he felt Lestat’s lips tuck up under his ear, “There’s no need to be shy.”

Daniel’s soft cries transformed in a quiet chain of sounds, not much louder than they were before, but no longer held back by clenched teeth. Lestat’s hold on him tightened, his lips rooted themselves to the spot under his ear, and the easy motions grew more staccato, driving deeper and harder into Daniel.

“Oh, God, yeah,” Daniel groaned, “Fuck me…”

“Est-ce que ça fait du bien,” he heard Lestat ask, and it took the second or two it always did for Daniel’s brain to work out the translation, but he nodded in response, groaning as Lestat’s pace picked up.

The arm around his chest dropped down so it could lift his leg a little, making it easier for Lestat to fuck into him. The slight change in angle allowed Daniel to feel Lestat’s cock delving into the deepest parts of him, rubbing perfectly over his prostate again and again, creating an overwhelming onslaught of sensation.

“Lestat,” Daniel panted, “Fuck, babe, you’re so deep in me, you’re messing me up.…”

“Do you wish for me to stop,” Lestat asked in a devious sounding voice.

“Fuck no,” Daniel protested, reaching down to grip Lestat’s wrist, the hand of which was still possessively wrapped around Daniel’s upper thigh, “Don’t you dare fucking- oh, shit, fuck, right there. Don’t fuckin’ stop.”

He nearly started railing against Lestat when the man did stop, but it was only to readjust their position one more time. The blonde rolled Daniel onto his back but remained where he was on his side, scooping Daniel’s legs up so that they folded at the knee and allowed Lestat access to his hole. He slipped back in and began to thrust immediately and Daniel felt sparks go off in every atom of his being.

“Oh, oh, yeah, oh, fuck,” Daniel praised Lestat, “Yeah, that’s good, babe.”

“Kiss me, vieillard,” Lestat murmured.

Daniel turned his head towards Lestat and pressed their lips together. It was hard to hold the contact, with Lestat moving into him so roughly. Daniel tried, but the incessant ripples running down his spine were collecting in the seat of his groin, threatening to pour out of him in rivers.

“Oh, God,” Daniel managed to force out between the heated locking of their lips, “I’m gonna blow, babe.”

Lestat’s eyes seemed to grow darker as Daniel told him this, and very suddenly, his rhythm changed. Without warning, he snapped his hips up hard against Daniel several times, and before Daniel could stop himself, he was coming all over his stomach.

“Nnnnnngh,” Daniel groaned low in his gut as each subsequent thrust made his cock jump and expel more of his release, “Fuck, Lestat…”

Lestat laughed softly, shifting so that he could settle on top of Daniel, draping himself over Daniel’s spent body. Daniel’s lover rutted gently into him, finding his climax as Daniel ran his hands over Lestat’s back and kissed his face.

“It will go by so quickly,” Lestat said in a soft voice, after a moment of quiet reflection had passed, “You will hardly know I’ve gone.”

Daniel’s brow furrowed, “Yeah, it’s only six months.”

Enough time for him to meet someone else, he thought to himself.

“And will you come when we open, Molloy,” Lestat asked him, his head resting on Daniel’s chest.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, rockstar,” Daniel replied, tucking some of Lestat’s golden hair behind a pretty shell of an ear.

“I hope you will enjoy it, even though it keeps me from you,” Lestat sighed.

“I’m sure you and I will both be so busy we’ll hardly have the chance to miss each other,” Daniel assured Lestat.

“Not too busy, Monsieur,” Lestat lifted his head to rest his chin on Daniel’s sternum and look up at him, “You still need to take care of this…”

A hand came up to rest where Lestat’s chin was, over his heart, and Lestat crowded into Daniel’s view as the gorgeous young man shifted up to kiss him. Daniel smiled into the kiss and held Lestat close to him.

“I’ll try to behave myself,” he promised Lestat, “But I hope you’ll have plenty of fun.”

Daniel hoped that Lestat understood what it was he meant to imply with those words. After everything, New York was an opportunity for Lestat to explore other options far from Daniel and from any of the weird expectations that seemed to have developed since Daniel’s heart attack. Their relationship needed to lean on the reset button, and this felt like the perfect way to achieve that. Daniel tried to convince himself that it would be good for him and it would be good for Lestat, this period of separation.

“Right now I am having fun with you, Molloy,” Lestat nudged him with his nose, “But I am hungry. We should eat.”

“What, my ass wasn’t enough,” Daniel raised an eyebrow at him.

“It was an excellent first breakfast, but I believe there is a saying ‘what about second breakfast’,” Lestat gave Daniel a cat-like grin.

Daniel rolled his eyes, “I don’t know why, but it’s always weird when you speak pop culture.”

“It is because I am French and therefore have real culture, mon cher,” Lestat winked and sat up, “Shall we shower first?”

Daniel nodded and let Lestat help him out of bed, his legs still not fully functional after Lestat’s attentions. They made their way into the bathroom and began to clean off, their hands scrubbing carefully over each other. It didn’t take much more than that for Lestat to guide Daniel to sit on the ledge inside the enclosed space of the shower and then sink to his knees.

“Lestat,” Daniel started to object, but the determined look in the younger man’s eyes stopped him.

He let his head fall back with a soft thud against the tile as Lestat pulled his soft member into his mouth. It didn’t stay soft long, the warm, wet cavern of Lestat’s mouth and the loose pumping of his hand at the base of Daniel’s dick more than enough to bring him back to hardness. Lestat’s usual form returned here, Daniel’s cock being lathed in copious slick as the man messily rooted around, taking Daniel all the way into him. At times, the blonde held him that way, deep down, swallowing around him and making Daniel feel as though his legs were going to fall off.

“Jesus, your mouth,” Daniel groaned, “You’re so goddamn good at that…”

He was. Lestat was the best Daniel had ever had, in every way, and a part of Daniel was resentful of it. Where did Lestat get off being as good at this as he was, and so addictive? Daniel grabbed a handful of Lestat’s hair, eliciting a loud moan of approval from the star. Daniel took that as his cue to guide the rhythm and soon the sounds of the water cascading from the shower head were punctuated by the guttural sounds of Lestat’s throat being reamed by Daniel’s length.

“Look at you takin’ it,” Daniel grunted, reaching down to cup Lestat’s cheek with his other hand, “Is it good, babe?”

Lestat moaned loudly again in response, sending jolting vibrations through Daniel and causing his eyes to roll up.

“You’re gonna get that second breakfast-,” Daniel took a breath, “Sooner than you think- if you- oh, fuck! Keep-”

Daniel couldn’t continue speaking, because Lestat tightened his throat around Daniel and sucked harder.

“Ahhhh,” he exclaimed as he started pulsing down Lestat’s throat, “Gonna- fill you- u-up…”

Lestat’s hands were wrapped tightly around Daniel’s thighs, holding on for dear life as Daniel pumped out his release. As Daniel’s attempted to withdraw, Lestat held him fast, continuing to suck until Daniel was sure he’d more than drained every last drop.

“Please, Lestat,” he whimpered, “S’too much- too much…”

Lestat mercifully relinquished his hold on Daniel, letting his cock fall from his mouth to rest on Daniel’s thigh.

“Forgive me, Molloy, but I had to be sure I had all of you,” Lestat smiled up at him.

“Oh, you got all of me, babe,” Daniel snorted at him, a half smile tugging at one side of his mouth, “You trying to make sure my legs don’t work?”

Lestat’s smile grew wicked, “It might be my intention to keep you in your bedroom all day, oui.”

“Brat,” Daniel pretended to pout at him, though a whole day in bed with Lestat sounded like exactly what he wanted.

“When we’re done here, I shall carry you back to bed, and then I will make us breakfast,” Lestat stated, “I’ll bring it you and we’ll eat together, and then I’m going crawl into your lap and mount you, mon étalon.”

“I thought you wanted me to take it easy,” Daniel shook his head, amused.

“You won’t have to do a thing, mon cher,” Lestat purred, “Your only job today is to sit back and enjoy.”

Daniel felt an ache bloom in his chest at the way Lestat was looking at him. He couldn’t possibly say no to such an offer, not when Lestat’s eyes were so sweet and so blue.

“Whatever you want, Lioncourt,” Daniel acquiesced, “I’ll let you take care of me.”

Lestat’s gaze swept over him hungrily, setting Daniel alight from within. They quickly finished their shower and Lestat, true to his word, carried Daniel back to his bed and laid him down. Daniel snoozed peacefully for the half hour or so Lestat was busy making breakfast. The blonde shook him gently awake to present him with a huge egg white, spinach, and goat cheese omelet, and a few pieces of toast scraped with margarine, and two hot cups of caffeine free tea. The two of them shared the meal, sitting cross legged with the plate between them.

When the last bite was gone, Lestat set the plate aside and made good on the second part of his previously laid out plan, riding Daniel nice and slow until they both shuddered out another release.

They dozed, and ate, and fucked, and dozed again. They watched a movie on Daniel’s bedroom TV as they ate dinner and ended their night by frotting sleepily against each other. Lestat was so incredibly careful with him the whole day that Daniel wondered if maybe the man was trying to tell him something with his actions that he couldn’t say with words. The idea frightened Daniel to the point that when he finally managed one last, dry climax, he could feel tears running down his face in the dark.

A month would go by in a blink, and then it would be months before he saw this beautiful man again.

It has to be this way, Daniel told himself, You better hope he finds someone good for him. He has to.

Lestat mumbled something mostly unintelligible to Daniel as he fell asleep, head and hand resting on Daniel’s chest. Daniel tried to discern exactly what it is the man said, but when he figured it out, he tried to convince himself that he was mistaken.

He wasn’t sure he could handle it if Lestat had indeed said ‘I love you’.

Louis let out a steady stream of smoke from where he sat on the backyard deck. Armand was sitting on his lap, accepting the joint when Louis offered it. He placed it between the taller man’s lips and snuggled into him as Armand took a long drag.

“It wasn’t so terrible though, was it,” Armand asked, expelling a long exhale of his own.

“Not terrible,” Louis confirmed, “Just unexpected.”

“When was the last time just the three of you did something together,” Armand took one more hit and then passed the joint back.

“Years ago,” Louis replied, “Maybe the Christmas before the divorce?”

“I have to admit,” the slightly darker skin mused, “I find Claudia engaging in this type of trickery quite funny.”

Louis chuckled and took the joint off Armand to finish it, “She may not realize it, but she is Lestat’s daughter in so many ways.”

Armand contemplated that, “I think you might be right, though there is a fair bit of you in there, too, Louis.”

Louis felt a rush of pride with Armand’s words, and he smiled, leaning up to kiss the man’s cheek.

“She turned out alright,” he conceded, “I like her friends, too. And Madeleine and her seem to be in a good place.”

“You prepared her as well as you could for life on her own,” his husband said, and Louis’ smile became a frown, “What is it,” Armand asked, noticing the shift in demeanor.

“She won’t be on her own,” Louis pointed out, “Lestat will be there.”

Armand looked confused, “He will?”

Louis sighed, “Yeah. I found out that he’s doing a Broadway revival while I was there. He’s going to be living in New York for at least the next six months.”

“Oh,” Armand’s lips pursed, “Is it a bad thing that he’s going to be there?”

“I’m mostly worried about Daniel,” Louis explained, “Like, they only just established that they’re seeing each other, but they’re also being really weird about it.”

Armand was quiet for a moment as he rested against Louis.

“Well, to be fair to them both, the past few weeks have been a lot,” Armand’s voice was gentle and soothing, “We didn’t get it right immediately either. I’d say they’re both twice as blockheaded as we are, at least.”

Louis snorted and ran his hand down the length of Armand’s back and over his hip, gently gripping his thigh.

“Do you think he loves him,” Louis wondered.

“Which ‘he’ are we talking about,” Armand looked down at him.

Which ‘he’ was Louis talking about? He had the chance to get a good look at Daniel and Lestat when talking about the other, and he felt like he knew the answer, but he didn’t like that neither of them were being upfront about it. It felt juvenile and cowardly, but it wasn’t Louis’ place to point that out to them.

He shrugged and Armand sat up, turning in Louis’ lap so he was straddling him. The beautiful man traced over the lines of his face with long fingers, thoughtfully taking him in.

“You’ll remember that me realizing I was in love with you was quite the event,” Armand said in a soft voice, “It was the most terrifying moment of my life, because I thought I knew what it meant to be in love until I met you. Turns out I truly had no idea.”

“I think Lestat knows what it is to be in love,” Louis replied carefully.

“I know he does,” Armand nodded in agreement, “But I think, after you, maybe he’s denying himself another chance.”

Louis felt his stomach twist and turn sour. He never liked the idea that he was somehow holding Lestat or anyone back from feeling their feelings. He wasn’t responsible for Lestat’s heart anymore, or how he behaved, or what he chose to do with or to others. He would be damned if Lestat broke Daniel’s heart and he wondered if he would be as upset if Daniel broke Lestat’s. Were they in a place where they could possibly hurt each other that way? Louis shuddered to think of it.

“This head of yours is very full of thoughts, my love,” Armand’s low voice brought him back to the present, “Your frown lines will grow frown lines at this rate.”

Louis let himself laugh at Armand’s comment and sat up as well, hugging the gorgeous man around the waist before indicating that he wanted to stand.

“Come with me,” he said, taking Armand by the hand and leading him inside.

He brought Armand up to their bedroom and placed him in the middle of the area rug. The tall, deceptively well built man stood with his hands hanging loosely at his sides as Louis sank to his knees and looked up at him.

“I love you,” Louis said softly, reaching out and running his hand over the top of Armand’s socked foot, “I love you.”

“Louis, what are you-,” Armand looked at him with soft eyes, but Louis quickly hushed him.

“Listen to me, Armand,” he leaned down and kissed the arch of his foot.

He felt Armand’s hands grab his shoulders as he lifted Armand’s foot and peeled the sock away, and then did the same with the other.

“I love you,” he said again as his hands drifted up Armand’s long, strong legs, “I love you so much.”

“I know, Louis…,” his love murmured, his hands finding Louis’ face again, “I love you, too.”

“I don’t want you to ever doubt it,” Louis raised up to be eye level with the fly of Armand’s jeans, “I don’t want you to ever doubt us.”

Armand smiled in that shy way he did that made Louis’ stomach erupt in butterflies.

“How could I,” the man asked, bathing Louis in the warmth of that smile, “You hardly give me a chance to.”

How Louis got so lucky, he still had no idea, but it did feel like he fell more in love with Armand everyday. He unfastened the button and pulled down the zipper in front of him, and then leaned forward to take in the deep, sweet, musky smell that Armand’s body produced.

“I love you,” Louis repeated.

“Is that one for me or my cock,” Armand asked, patting Louis’ curls.

That got a grin out of Louis and he looked up at his husband, “Hmm, both,” he replied.

Armand bit his lip, his lashes lowering and setting off the chain reaction that turned Louis feral. He stood and kissed Armand hard, deep and hungry and passionate, until Armand was barely able to hold himself up, whimpering in a pleading way.

“I want you, Louis,” Armand began to beg, “Please, please, I need you.”

Louis hurriedly started stripping the man, reveling in every exposed inch of flesh, chasing them all with kisses and continuing his string of ‘I love you’s. Armand trembled and quaked against him, so willing to show Louis his fragility and softness, so willing to be vulnerable and full of desire. Louis was intoxicated by the power he felt, holding all of Armand in his hands, knowing that he could break Armand if he wanted to, knowing Armand would let him, over and over, because Armand also trusted Louis to put him back together, just as he was. He didn’t want to change a single thing about him, and he was endlessly grateful that Armand didn’t want to change him, either. Somehow they brought out the best in each other, when it could have been so easy to bring out the worst. Louis was glad they didn’t live in that world, and he felt sorry for the version of Armand and him that did. That version of them drew the short straw, and more was the pity they had.

Armand was stripping him, too, though he was having to work around Louis to do it, laughing whenever Louis caught one of the places he was ticklish with his hands or lips or teeth. Louis was trying to make it easier, but he couldn’t stop touching Armand, driving him back towards the bed and climbing on top of him still half dressed.

“Mine,” he growled against a nipple, biting into it gently, “Mine, mine, mine.”

“Yes, Louis,” Armand arched against him, “Yours. Please…”

Louis relented long enough to lose the rest of his clothes, but he was on top of Armand again as close to instantly as he could be once he was naked. For a long time they just rocked together, their burgeoning erections catching along whatever part of them was closest, which, more often than not, was the other hardness. Louis could have stayed like that, finding his pleasure just from being pressed up to Armand and feeling his slender fingertips burn blazing trails over his skin.

“I want you inside me, Louis,” Armand finally requested, “Take me, please.”

Louis groaned, nodding his head almost feverishly as he reached for the stand holding their supplies.

“No,” Armand shook his head, taking Louis’ hand and sucking all four of Louis’ fingers into his mouth, soaking them down with spit, “This is enough.”

Louis chewed at his bottom lip and nodded again, shoving the wet fingers down between them and getting two in almost at once. Armand’s body went taut as a too tightly wound bowstring, but quickly succumbed to Louis’ probing. Two fingers became three, and then four, and before long Armand was writhing impatiently against him.

“Please, Louis,” the dark beauty whined, “I’m ready.”

Louis withdrew his fingers and spat into his palm, rubbing it over himself before positioning his length at Armand’s loosened entrance. Spit was never as good as lube, but when the mood was desperate enough, as it was in that moment, the burn of sinking into Armand’s tight heat was like doing a line of cocaine. It went straight to Louis’ head and made him feel like he was on fire. Armand, for his part, was keening and thrashing against Louis, trying to get him deeper.

“Yes…,” Armand sighed, “Yes, yes, Louis, yes…”

Louis grabbed both of Armand’s wrists and pinned them up above the man’s head, letting his hips pump into the vice-like channel holding him. Armand’s head tilted back, exposing his long neck and Louis had to lean down and lick a long stripe up it.

“I love you, baby,” Louis said as his teeth followed his tongue, running up and down the long column of Armand’s throat, “God, I fuckin’ love you.”

“I love you, too, Louis,” Armand panted, his hands wriggling under Louis’ as they restrained him, “I love- oh, yes, yes, like that… oh…”

Louis couldn’t control what Lestat or Daniel did about each other. He couldn’t be the one to tell them they were being completely ridiculous and obtuse. He tried to guide Daniel, and he tried to suss out Lestat, but neither of them wanted to admit how they felt. This he could control. This he could do something about. He could look at Armand and love him and show him he was loved. He could take care of the person right in front of him, and that was what he was going to do. Daniel and Lestat needed to find their own way, just like he did with Armand.

Louis worked his body against his husband’s, watching and feeling for the moments to slow things down or ramp things up. He adjusted to meet Armand where he was, and he felt Armand do it, too, until Louis was the one on his back, Armand riding him almost ferociously.

“Oh, God,” Armand cried out, his hands gripping Louis’ pecs almost painfully, “Oh, Louis, I’m so- I’m going to-”

Louis planted his heels into the mattress, grabbed Armand’s hips, and let Armand have it, pummeling up into him as the man’s cries became ringing wails.

“Ahhhh-ahhh-aaaanngh,” Armand’s head dropped back, and Louis could tell by the way every muscle was flexing and twitching in Armand’s body that he was trying to hold back.

“Do it, baby,” Louis encouraged him, “Let go.”

Armand let out another long, high sound, his head rolling forward again. The man stared down at himself in an almost shocked way as his cock jerked and started shooting off jets of come so hard one of them hit the underside of Louis’ chin.

“Fuck,” Armand moaned, “Oh, God, don’t stop, please keep going…”

Louis got himself upright so that he could be at eye level with Armand, his legs folding under him so he could thrust from his knees. Armand was still hard, dribbles of his first orgasm smearing over Louis’ stomach as he drove up into him. He shivered when Armand found the mental capacity to lean in and lick the streak of semen from his jaw.

“Made a mess,” the pretty man mumbled, “Gonna make another one, nngh.”

“Yeah,” Louis cooed, his hips speeding up a bit, “You gonna cum again for me, baby?”

“Want you to-,” Armand choked out even as he was nodding his head, “Cum with me, please.”

Louis was so close that it wasn’t a hard wish to grant. The moment Armand’s eyes rolled back in his head Louis was there with him, a ragged groan escaping him as he fucked his release deep into the man, who was making the space between them all sticky for a second time.

“Oh, my God, that was so good, Louis,” Armand rested his head on Louis’ shoulder, “You’re so good to me…”

“I love you, baby,” Louis replied to him, “With all my fuckin’ heart, I do.”

“I love you, my dear,” Armand kissed his neck, “With everything I am.”

No, Louis couldn’t do a thing for Daniel or Lestat, but there were thousands of things he could do for Armand and for himself. He couldn’t let himself lose sight of how important what he had was, because Armand had lived enough of a life of neglect.

While he cared about Lestat and he cared about Daniel, all he could really hope was that they also cared enough for each other to figure things out on their own.

“How are you feeling about your upcoming departure, Mr. Lioncourt,” a stately looking gentlemen wearing horn rimmed glasses asked.

Julian had been Lestat’s therapist for the past few years. He was of French descent himself, his family having matriculated to the US for his father’s job when Julian was just a boy. He was about a decade older than Lestat, his hair a dark silver and black and his features sharp. Lestat thought the man looked a bit like a hawk, serious and cunning, but he liked Julian, who had almost no tolerance for bullshit.

“It feels as though the month went by very quickly, but I’m looking forward to the change in scenery,” Lestat said, hoping he sounded sincere.

His hopes were dashed when Julian’s head tilted to one side and he wrote something down in his notebook. Lestat shifted on the couch he was sitting on, waiting for Julian to finish his thought.

“It’s been some time since we spoke about Daniel,” Julian mentioned, “How has he responded to the impending separation?”

“He’s fine,” Lestat replied, perhaps a bit too quickly, “It’s six months. I’m sure he’ll find plenty of ways to keep himself entertained.”

“Are you concerned he might sleep with other people in that time,” Julian asked in a leading tone.

Lestat’s eyebrows knitted together, “Concerned? Daniel may- he may be with whomever- whomever he likes.”

“And does that go for you as well, while you’re in New York,” the therapist continued to inquire.

“Well, of course,” Lestat answered, “He wants me to have a good time.”

“So there have been no changes in the parameters of your relationship with him,” Julian concluded.

Lestat shook his head, “Why should there be?”

“If you don’t want them to change then there is no need for it,” Julian agreed, “So long as that is being properly communicated between the two of you.”

“Daniel and I communicate just fine,” Lestat replied somewhat defensively, “We had a blip, but everything is fine now.”

“Do you feel ready to talk about this blip, what it was and how it affected your relationship with Daniel,” Julian asked, making another note.

“It was nothing, truly,” Lestat obfuscated, “Just an innocent misunderstanding. Emotions were high, things were said, it all came out in the wash.”

“Was it an argument,” the older man probed.

“No,” Lestat clarified, “His heart attack brought up some questions, but things resolved.”

Things didn’t resolve so much as get pointedly ignored until you had enough distance to pretend the problem was gone, Lestat heard his inner voice say.

“Are things are still good between the two of you,” Julian asked, “Have you been feeling the urge to wander?”

“Not as such, but Daniel wouldn’t mind if I did,” Lestat reminded Julian, “It’s one of the benefits to having an open relationship.”

“Your relationship has been open for some time, but it has also been some time since I heard you bring anyone up aside from Daniel,” Julian pointed out, “Is that by choice, or circumstance?”

“I am satisfied with Daniel,” Lestat after some thought, “To be honest, I have not felt particularly driven to look for satisfaction elsewhere.”

“Satisfaction is good,” the older man said, “How does it feel to be satisfied?”

Lestat blinked at the question, taken aback by the forthrightness of it. He’d never sat with the actual feeling of satisfaction, he simply acknowledged it was there. Julian was gazing at him serenely as he struggled to put into words what it felt like to be satisfied. Aside from being a completely novel concept to him, being presented with the full weight of it, Lestat realized he felt terrified.

“Erm…,” he mumbled, “A bit strange. Not a feeling I am used to.”

“I want you to spend some time with that feeling,” Julian suggested, “Satisfaction in life is not an easy thing for most to come by. It’s a rare and important milestone, one that often comes not just with work, but with allowing space for the feeling.”

Lestat gave Julian a hesitant nod, “I suppose so…”

“We’ve been seeing each other for a long time,” Julian pointed out, “You have made progress, believe it or not, but it’s on you to maintain that forward momentum. I can see that the idea of being satisfied makes you uncomfortable, which is why I’m asking you to spend time with the feeling. It may not be a bad idea for you to express this feeling to Daniel as well, because I can’t help but notice you’re being less forthcoming than usual with me about how things are with you two.”

“He doesn’t want-,” Lestat started, then his gaze fell to the carpet, “Our relationship is fine. I care for him a great deal, and he cares for me, and he knows me well enough to allow me my freedom.”

“Do you want to be free,” Julian wondered aloud.

“Doesn’t everyone,” Lestat asked in return.

“Some people mistake structure, and labels, and boundaries for a cage, Mr. Lioncourt,” the therapist pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, “Something to consider.”

Lestat sighed in a long suffering way. He hated it when Julian said something that somehow dug in and poked at the heart of his issues. Ever since he called himself Daniel’s boyfriend, he’d been floundering. The label felt dangerous and volatile, and he and Daniel never did talk again about what it meant. Lestat could hardly admit to himself how he really felt about Daniel, because if he did, he’d have to face Daniel’s rejection, of that much he was certain. He was trying so hard to keep himself in line, and it made him want to scream.

“New York will be good for me,” Lestat nodded, “And time apart will be good for us, Daniel and I. He can continue to recover and I can focus on my career.”

“Do the two of you see each other as distractions,” the serious man across from Lestat asked.

“I can’t speak for Daniel, but I don’t see him as a distraction, non,” Lestat responded, “He’s… Daniel.”

He’s mine, came an unbidden thought.

“Yes,” Julian nodded, “I can only ever advise you to be honest with him and with yourself. I sense some reluctance to do that.”

“No reluctance,” Lestat assured Julian, “We are going to be okay.”

Julian seemed displeased by the answer and it occurred to Lestat that he was being a lot more stubborn than usual. There was a time where Julian couldn’t get a word out of him, and then it all poured out at once, and they got some good work done, and this session felt a lot more like those first ones.

“I think that might be enough for today,” Julian finally said after a long silence.

Lestat sighed, “Yes, you may be right.”

He stood, unable to maintain eye contact with his therapist, who was making more notes. Lestat didn’t often feel embarrassed, but for whatever reason, Julian had the ability to get that emotion out of him.

“Best of luck in New York,” Julian nodded as he stood, “If you need recommendations for a therapist while you’re there, I’m happy to make a few referrals.”

Lestat wasn’t sure he wanted to try to find a new therapist for the brief period of time he would be in New York but he acknowledged Julian’s offer with a polite incline of his head. Upon departing the building, Lestat felt utterly deflated, and wondered if he should go to his own house, or go to Daniel’s.

He decided to go to his house, but he was quickly unhappy with the emptiness of it. Lestat only managed an hour there before he got in his car and drove to Daniel’s. The man greeted him as he always did, with an eye roll and a lopsided smile, and held him around the waist as they sat in the living room and watched TV.

Lestat had gotten so used to Daniel’s presence that he had no idea how to be alone anymore, and that scared him more than anything else.

“It’ll be hard without you,” he plucked up the courage to say to Daniel, who grunted in response and held him tighter.

“You’ll be okay,” Daniel replied, his tone encouraging, “You’ll be with Claudia, and your old friend, and you’ll be making new ones. You won’t be alone.”

But I won’t be with you, Lestat thought.

“It’ll be a good time for you if you let it be, babe,” Daniel said gently.

“I’ll try,” Lestat sighed.

Daniel sighed as well and the conversation lapsed to silence. They didn’t talk too much more, crawling into bed and falling asleep in each other’s arms. The morning would see Lestat head for the airport and flying away from his life in Los Angeles for at least half a year.

Lestat never thought the most important thing he would be leaving behind would be Daniel Molloy.

Chapter Text

To say that the past month had been an adjustment would have been an understatement. Lestat had been so focused on being a present father for Claudia that he hadn’t accepted a gig that wasn’t local to LA in years. Being in New York was as much a homecoming as it was an act of cutting himself adrift. Despite being in the very same city as his child, he’d hardly seen Claudia and he was so busy with rehearsals he only really had time to eat and sleep.

What little free time he did have seemed to be immediately consumed by interviews and getting to know his fellow cast members. Reconnecting with Jesse was weirdly tentative at first, but he found himself sitting across from her one night having dinner, and it was as though no time had passed. Jesse was a gorgeous seventeen year old, with a nice figure that Lestat could remember enjoying immensely. At nearly forty-five, there was no way to describe Jesse other than voluptuous, her figure having filled out so nicely that Lestat couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to get his hands on her. Seventeen year old Lestat would not have had the first clue what to do with all of that, but adult Lestat was intrigued by the thought of having the chance to figure it out.

“So,” Jesse sat back in her chair, wine glass in hand, “If Wikipedia is to be believed you got a divorce a few years ago?”

Lestat’s lips pressed into a thin line, “Hm. Yes. Nearly five years ago, yes.”

Jesse Reeves looked at him like she knew there was more to the story than that, but Lestat wasn’t sure he was in the mood for that conversation.

“My life is easy to learn about,” he waved his hand, “But what about you? If I recall correctly, when last I saw you, you had your eye on some girl…?”

Jesse gave a wistful smile and nodded, “Yes, Maharet,” her eyes flicked up to the ceiling, “We almost started something up and then…”

The ghosts of Nine Eleven seemed to surround them, memories of destruction and loss overwhelming the moment.

“Many of us didn’t come back to St. George’s in the aftermath,” Jesse continued, “Our parents were too afraid, some of us were too afraid. I finished high school at a public school in Cambridge.”

Lestat nodded along as Jesse started catching him up on almost thirty years of her life.

“Ended up being accepted to Columbia, so I came back to New York,” Jesse took a sip of her wine, “Studied acting, decided to go for a masters degree, got into Tisch for that, so still in New York. I’ve been working in theatre ever since. On Broadway, off, tours…”

“Any relationships in that time,” Lestat gently fished, running his index finger around the rim of his wine glass.

Jesse’s wistfulness turned a little rueful, “Got caught up in a romance with a TA from one of my classes at Columbia. He and I were together for about ten years before I realized he was a manipulative asshole who basically groomed me," she sighed, “I was in a bad way for a little while after that, and then, wouldn’t you know it, I miraculously bumped into a familiar face.”

Lestat’s head tilted to one side in piqued curiosity, “Oh?”

“Maharet,” Jesse’s expression transformed into something dreamy, “I ran into her at a bar during my thirtieth birthday party. I hadn’t seen her since… everything. Aside from hearing that Maharet lost her eyesight, the only other thing I really knew about her by that point was that Mekare, her sister, was one of the casualties.”

“Oh, no, I had no idea,” Lestat murmured softly, and Jesse nodded in solidarity.

“Almost everyone living in New York lost someone close to them,” Jesse said sadly, “Maharet seemed very different without her sister, but we started talking and developed a very deep friendship.”

“Are you still friends now,” Lestat asked, still not quite sure where Jesse’s story was leading.

“That’s the funny thing,” Jesse laughed, “I knew the moment I saw her that I didn’t want to miss my chance with her again, but I was so torn apart after my previous relationship that I played everything really cautious to start. It took us two years to figure out we both wanted to be dating each other, and to realize we essentially were.”

The redhead sighed, her green eyes sparkling with mirth, “We were doing everything together that a couple would, but we were both, separately, so terrified that defining the relationship would ruin what we had that we nearly did ruin everything. We got into a huge fight one night and when Maharet finally blew up and told me she loved me and wanted to be with me…,” Jesse’s expression grew soft, “I don’t know what came over me but I got down on one knee right there in front of her apartment building and asked her to marry me. We’ve been together ever since.”

Happily married, check, Lestat ticked off in his brain, though the rest of her story hitting so close to home was something he did not anticipate and it took him a second to compose himself.

“Ah, well, we love a happily ever after,” Lestat nodded his approval, “Is it just the two of you?”

Jesse shook her head, “No. Maharet and I had a child via donor. Named her Mekare, after her late aunt. She’s ten now.”

“Ten is a good age,” Lestat smiled, recalling Claudia at that age, “My own daughter just turned nineteen.”

“That’s right, I did read that you had a kid with your ex,” Jesse replied in a thoughtful tone, “Is she in college now?”

“Yes,” Lestat confirmed, “She got into Juilliard.”

“Oh, so she’s close by,” Jesse exclaimed, “Oh, Lestat you must bring her over to dinner at my place some time. I’d love for you to meet Maharet and Mekare.”

“That would be nice,” Lestat agreed, “I’m sure you’ll meet Claudia before that though. I’m trying to get her and maybe a few friends in to watch one of our rehearsals.”

“You should try to get her in when we rehearse 'June Is Bustin' Out All Over',” Jesse pointed out, “Big group number, lots of dancing. She’ll probably enjoy that.”

“Not a bad idea,” Lestat nodded to the woman.

The two of them drank the wine quietly for a moment before Lestat decided to speak up.

“I have a confession I must make,” he began, earning a raised eyebrow from Jesse.

“Yes,” the woman encouraged him, intrigued.

“You…,” Lestat swallowed down a sudden spike of nerves, “You weren’t the only person I was seeing. While I was at St. George’s, I mean.”

Jesse’s expression became amused, “Ah, right. That. Yes, Lestat. I know. There was-,” her voice faltered for a moment, “There was Jonah, too, right?”

“You- you knew,” Lestat asked, shocked.

“Well… you weren’t exactly as subtle about it as you thought you were,” Jesse explained, “He and I figured it out at the New Year’s party. I saw the way you acted with him and he saw the way you acted with me. We talked about it, even. You were an exchange student, and it wasn’t like you were going to stay,” Jesse smiled fondly at the memory, “Jonah had to be the most mature teenager I’d ever met, and far too sweet for me to feel competitive against him. Neither of us could see the point in raising drama when we were both getting what we wanted from you and you seemed perfectly happy as well.”

Lestat sat back and blinked a few times in surprise, not having expected that reaction. He not entirely certain why he was so taken aback by the casual ease Jesse was displaying, remembering how chill she was in high school.

“It’s funny, you know,” Jesse continued, contemplative, “I sometimes think that if you had stayed, and he had…,” she sighed, “I think you would have eventually chosen him, if you had to choose.”

Lestat thought about that for a moment, and nodded slowly, “You may be right… the great irony is that I instead married a man who once knew him, though that wasn’t something I realized until much later.”

“What is your ex-husband like,” Jesse asked, “He’s a photographer, yeah?”

“That label hardly does justice to everything he is,” Lestat gave Jesse a half-smile.

“Still in love with him, huh,” the woman said in a far too perceptive way.

“I’ll never be anything but, but he’s remarried now, to someone I knew back in France, again, ironically enough,” Lestat tried to keep his laugh from sounding too bitter.

“Not your charming violinist,” Jesse made to tease, though her expression fell when Lestat’s did.

“No. No, not him. He- he passed not too long before Jonah did,” Lestat told her, flipping his hand over to clasp hers when she reached for him sympathetically.

“I’m so sorry, Lestat,” the actress said softly, “What a terrible loss.”

“Hm,” Lestat hummed, squeezing Jesse’s hand before rushing to change the subject, “In any case, here we are in New York acting opposite each other again in much the same way the two leads of Oklahoma and Carousel films did.”

“I did notice that,” Jesse chuckled, graciously allowing the tonal shift, “I’m honestly so thrilled to have this chance, to be doing this with you, of all people.”

“I’m quite pleased as well, Jesse,” Lestat smiled, “It’s a little bit of a miracle, and I stopped believing in those a long time ago.”

“Well, maybe there’s room in your heart now to believe in them again,” Jesse said warmly, “After finding Maharet again, I can’t help but think they’re real,” she smiled at him before continuing, “Now, we should probably both make our separate ways home, don't you think?”

Lestat didn’t want the night to end just yet. Unlike Jesse, he didn’t have a partner and a child to return home to. His leased studio apartment was big and empty, and once he got there, all there would be to do was watch television. The dating apps were hardly offering up anything of substance and any time he tried to browse them, all his thoughts instead drifted towards Daniel. Instead of finding exciting new partners, he was getting himself off to thoughts of his lovely old man.

“Yes, I suppose so,” Lestat conceded, trying not to sound too let down about it.

“Are you seeing anyone now by the way,” Jesse asked after they’d paid their checks and were gathering up their things to leave.

Lestat didn't know how he felt about the fact that Jesse still seemed able to see through him completely. She probably clocked the change in his demeanor when she mentioned that it was time for them both to go home. Still, the question caught him by surprise and he wasn’t sure how to answer at first.

But I hope you’ll have plenty of fun, Daniel’s voice came to Lestat in that moment.

“Erm…,” Lestat paused, “Not exactly?”

It wasn’t necessarily a lie. Daniel and him, as far as Lestat knew, still had an open and untethered arrangement, so he was free to see who he wanted. He wasn’t looking to get into anything, but he was in New York and Daniel was still in Los Angeles, likely happy to be rid of him for a while. At least, that’s what Lestat had to tell himself so he didn’t go crazy wondering if Daniel missed him as much as he missed Daniel.

Jesse smirked, “I’d watch it if I were you. I think Akasha might have a bit of a crush on you.”

Lestat wasn’t sure how to respond to that observation, so he simply smirked back at Jesse, “Interesting…”

“If you're feeling a bit lonely, a showmance might be just what you need,” Jesse shrugged, “Just be smart about it. Last things we need are misunderstandings, bad behavior, and scandal.”

“Indeed,” Lestat mumbled, more to himself, intrigued by the notion that Akasha might have her eye on him.

Akasha was an incredibly attractive young woman, but it was the young part that worried Lestat. She wasn’t quite thirty but already had an impressive career under her belt, her story not too unlike Lestat’s. She was a Disney child star who broke into the music industry and then transitioned to stage work, likely hoping to end up back in television and movies eventually. She was an incredibly ambitious and talented person, and Lestat found her to be fierce, charismatic, and deeply alluring.

As he walked back to his apartment, Lestat contemplated what might be at risk if he decided to explore a potential thing with the actress. The matter of Daniel aside, their age difference was a bit of a concern, but not too outside the norm for Hollywood. He was nearing forty-five, but he wasn’t quite old enough to be her father, and she was old enough to make informed decisions about who she slept with.

It’s only a few months and you’re both adults, he reasoned to himself, If you’re upfront with her, what’s the worst that could happen?

He was pulling out his phone to text her just as he reached the front door of his apartment.

Good evening, Akasha, he typed out, I don’t suppose you’re free some night this week for drinks?

A few drinks together would be a more than adequate way to determine if a casual thing with Akasha was viable. Lestat couldn’t help but hope it was, because anything would be better than coming home to an empty apartment every night for the next few months.

Daniel would understand, surely.

Daniel was sick of working from home and sick of having people in his home constantly just so they could hover and fuss and pick at everything he did. If it wasn’t Louis during the day, it was Ciara or Alice or Leo or Kate at night and on the weekends. Louis was much better than his family members, but everyone was starting to grate on Daniel’s nerves just a little bit.

He was downright over ‘resting’, desperate to get back to some semblance of normal. His doctor was still encouraging him to take it easy, give his body the chance to recover so that he didn't put too much strain on his stints. Daniel wasn't sure there was anything more humiliating than having to go to the pool every Saturday to do water aerobics as part of his physical rehab. It was hard for Daniel not to be bitter about the fact that his body was aging faster than he felt his mind was.

What was worse than all of that was the figurative pang in his chest that would not abate, the one that kept reminding him that Lestat wasn't there. The three hour time difference was killing any chance of them catching up over a few texts or a phone call. By the time Daniel woke up, Lestat was already well into his day of rehearsing, and by the time Daniel was done with work, Lestat was busy with one thing or another. They'd managed a few passing conversations, but talking to Lestat hurt almost as much as not talking to him.

He hated missing the man, he hated that it had gotten to that point. The separation was supposed to make things better, but it felt like it was making everything worse. Daniel didn't have many outlets for all the energy that was pent up inside him, so a lot of that energy was instead starting to translate to vivid and surreal dreams, many of them similar to the one he had previously. Daniel felt as though he was slowly losing his mind. Lestat was with him in his dreams, gone when he was awake, and the whiplash was making Daniel's head ache.

"Earth to Danny," Louis' voice cut through the fog Daniel was sitting in at hin, "Hello? You with me, man?"

"Yeah," Daniel replied, rubbing his eyes to clear the tiredness out of them, "Yeah, sorry. Little lost in thought."

Louis gave him a knowing look and shook his head, "Been tryna get your attention for the past two minutes, man. You good?"

"'m fine," he mumbled, taking a deep breath and letting it, "Just distracted, I guess."

Louis looked at him in a way that felt almost appraising and Daniel cast his glance aside, not wanting the man to read him too closely.

"When was the last time you left the house that wasn't for a doctor's appointment or rehab," Louis asked him and Daniel frowned.

"Been a while," he admitted.

"You should come over for dinner," his best friend prompted, "Let me cook something nice for you and give you a change of scenery."

"Is Armand gonna be okay with that," Daniel grumped, peering at Louis over his glasses.

"Of course he will," the dark-eyed man replied, "He's your friend, too, you know."

“Yeah, sure,” Daniel snorted, his tone noncommittal.

“He is,” Louis insisted, “He likes you a lot you know. He finds you fascinating, his exact words.”

“Sounds like a line,” Daniel shook his head, “Look, as long as he’s cool, I’m cool. Not gonna turn down a meal of yours.”

Louis looked at him with a dejected expression on his face, “Wish you two were closer. I want you guys to be friends.”

Daniel sighed and closed his eyes, trying not to blow up on Louis in his moment of neediness. It was well past the point of arguing, and Daniel got why Louis wanted him to get on with Armand. For the most part, he did, and now that Lestat was a larger part of the picture, his previous one-sided dislike of Armand had more or less petered out.

“We’re friends, Louis, I’m just trying to be polite,” Daniel said in response, “When do you wanna do this dinner thing?”

“How about tomorrow,” Louis offered, “I’ll roast a chicken. I’ll even season it for you.”

Daniel laughed, “Well, there’s no way I can say no to that.”

“I’ll still be going easy on the salt,” Louis warned him and Daniel put his hand up to stop him.

“Don’t ruin it, man. You had me at ‘change of scenery’,” he smiled, “You’re not wrong, you know. I should be trying to figure out what to do with my time that won’t make you, or my family, or my doctor apoplectic.”

“Maybe a trip to Big Bear,” Louis suggested, “Fishing? Spend some time in nature? Or whatever it is you white folk do to relax.”

“Man, shut the fuck up,” Daniel groaned, though the idea of absconding to a little cabin up in the mountains for a weekend didn’t sound like the worst idea.

“I’m just sayin’,” Louis deflected, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, “I’m sure there are all kinds of ways for you to stay busy without overdoing it.”

Only thing I really need is a good lay, Daniel thought to himself, imagining Lestat sprawled out on a bed, tied up and completely at his mercy.

“Hey, are you and Armand planning to go to New York for Claudia’s show,” he asked.

“Of course,” Louis replied, his eyes brightening, “I can’t wait. Only a few more weeks. You should come, too.”

“If I’m cleared to fly by that time, that’s the plan,” Daniel promised, “It’ll be good to see her.”

“Are you… are you going to Lestat’s show,” his friend asked, caution in his tone.

Daniel shrugged, “He wants me there, he said so before he left. Again, comes down to whether I’m allowed.”

“Are things going okay with you two,” Louis managed to get his mouth around the words.

Daniel looked at Louis, “I mean, sure. Why wouldn’t they be?”

“You just… haven’t really mentioned him since he left,” Louis pointed out, “Seemed like the two of you were heading towards something and now…”

“Nothing’s changed, if that’s what’s worrying you,” Daniel sighed, “He’s there, I’m here. He’s free to do what, and who, he wants.”

“If that’s the case, then so are you, ain’t you,” Louis asked.

“I’m too old and tired for that, Louis,” Daniel told him, “If I meet someone, yeah, maybe I’ll give it a go, but you know me.”

“So, if you show up in New York and he’s with someone else, that’ll really be okay with you,” the darker skinned man wondered aloud.

Here’s hoping he does, Daniel thought to himself, though the very idea of Lestat finding happiness with someone else caused no small amount of nausea, along with exacerbating the pain in his chest.

“Yes,” he answered firmly, “Lestat is Lestat. The whole deal was that we both get to be who we are. No strings, no mess, no attachment. I know it isn’t your style but it’s worked for us for the last three years.”

Louis looked like he wanted to argue about what Daniel said, but Daniel didn’t want to hear anymore. He turned back to his computer and started working again, hopeful that was the end of the conversation for the time being. Louis was gracious enough to let it go, and they worked in companionable silence.

He managed to duck anymore talk about Lestat for the rest of the day and sent Louis on his way. This was one of the first nights in a while where he had his house to himself, all of his family busy with other things and unable to make it out to watch over him. Daniel was beyond relieved, but quickly came to realize that the silence wasn’t as golden as it used to be. In what had to be a bout of lunacy, he put on a mix of Lestat’s music on Spotify, relaxing almost instantly at the sound of the man’s voice.

When are you just going to admit it, Danny, he could practically hear Louis in his head, You don’t wanna find no one else cause you’re in lo-

“No, I’m fucking not,” he said out loud to his empty living room, “No, I’m not.”

Absolutely not. He was not, under any circumstances, in love with Lestat de Lioncourt.

He was not.

Lestat’s impression of Akasha solidified after a few drinks. She was passionate, and single-minded about what kind of career she was pursuing. Anyone who wasn’t actively helping her achieve her goals was in her way, and she had no time for anyone who showed her even an ounce of disrespect or indifference. Lestat saw a lot of himself in her, and he wasn’t sure yet if that was a good thing or bad thing.

They didn’t sleep together that first night, or even the second time he sought out her company. Lestat found he was having trouble pulling the trigger on taking that next step, his head and the needs of his body in conflict with his heart. Daniel’s presence hovered in the back of Lestat’s mind every time he met with the young actress.

Apparently, Akasha wasn’t satisfied with spending another night with him sipping cocktails and engaging in small talk about their lives and the show. She cut to the chase on their third outing together, the two of them musing over their drinks and surveying other people as they sat at the bar.

“So are you gonna fuck me or do I have to take matters into my own hands and bend you over something instead,” Akasha asked, her eyes sharp and her expression impenetrable.

Lestat didn’t get caught off guard often, but he nearly choked on his drink when she laid that on him.

“Oh, erm…,” he hemmed for a moment, trying to get his bearings, “If you would like to get out of here…”

“I think I just told you I would, Lestat de Lioncourt,” she practically purred his name, sliding off her bar stool to position herself between his legs and drag her nose up his neck.

Lestat, again, felt more flustered than he wanted to, his hand instinctually reaching out to rest on her hip and bring her in closer. He felt a shiver run down his spine as the younger woman switched the nose rub out for a long, hot lick against his skin.

“I’m not looking for anything serious,” he said, point blank, and Akasha laughed, the vibrations of the sound drawing a shudder out of him.

“Neither am I, Monsieur,” she murmured, “But I bet you know how to lay down some good pipe and Mommy wants a taste.”

Oh, Lestat thought to himself, Okay, I can do this.

“Then we should go,” he replied, signaling to the bartender, “And you may have as many tastes as you like.”

“Right answer,” the dark olive skinned woman bit her lip, her hazel-gold eyes flashing with hunger, “But I don’t expect to be the only one eating good tonight, you got me?”

“Oui, madame,” Lestat nodded, sliding his card across the bar top without even looking at the person behind it, not willing to take his eyes off Akasha for a second.

The forthright woman waited as he paid for their drinks, then dragged him by the hand out into the night. She lifted her hand for a taxi, and one immediately pulled over to pick them up.

“Tell the nice driver where to go,” Akasha instructed, and Lestat did so without hesitation.

Lestat was used to taking orders in this context, liked it a lot in actuality. Antoinette was the last woman he’d slept with, and she whined and complained more than she ever showed him who was boss. Lestat could handle a strong woman, a woman who knew what she wanted and had no qualms about issuing commands to get it. He could get behind that in all sorts of ways.

Akasha didn’t let up with her teasing the whole ride, her hand nestling itself between his thighs to grope at him.

“Ooo,” she cooed softly into his ear, “That’s nice…”

Lestat could hardly help the physical reaction he was having to Akasha’s touch, firm and unrelenting on his quickly hardening cock. She was getting more than a handful for her efforts to work him up, and by the time they made it to his apartment, he was staggering out of the car, feeling a little lightheaded from the rush of blood heading straight down. The doors to the elevator were only barely closed before she was on him, latching onto his mouth in a bruising kiss.

“Mmph,” was his muffled response as he wrapped his arms around her.

She was insistent, the tip of her tongue probing at the seam of his mouth and pushing past it without much resistance. Lestat could taste the citrus from her drinks, a bright flavor that made him a little woozy. He was unused to this level of enthusiasm from anyone other than…

Non, Lestat, do not think of him right now, he admonished himself as the elevator doors slid open to reveal the short, private hall to his well-appointed abode.

“I need that tongue in this pussy, Lestat,” Akasha growled, gently shoving him into the space once they reached it.

Lestat wanted to know where this woman found her confidence, because most young people fell apart when they saw or interacted with him. He had to remind himself that Akasha was twenty-nine and hardly a child; she probably had a decent handle on what she wanted out of a sexual encounter. He backed away from her, leading her further into his temporary home, and the way she moved after him was almost feline.

“Take my clothes off,” Akasha ordered and Lestat stopped where he was and leveled his gaze at her.

“Are you used to people giving you what you want when you want it,” he raised an eyebrow, holding back a smirk when she glowered at him.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” the gorgeous woman stated, reaching up to grab a fistful of his hair and yank his head down so they were at eye level with each other, “Do as I say.”

Lestat withheld a moan and tried to lean in further to kiss her, but Akasha tugged at the hair wadded up in her hand and shook her head.

“The only lips you get to kiss next are the ones between my legs, so get to it,” Akasha gave him a hard look.

Lestat wasted no more time, pushing Akasha towards the couch. He thought there was potential for this to be an exciting experience, and it would certainly be different from what he had with Daniel. As much as Lestat tried not to think of the man, his face and his voice kept coming back to him, even when he was nose deep in the folds of Akasha’s cunt. The woman didn’t let him come up for air until she was shaking and screaming, grinding out her first orgasm against his face.

“Oh, yeah, oh, fuck yeah,” the regal looking woman moaned as Lestat licked her through the aftershocks, “Oh, shit, that’s good…”

Her legs loosened around his head and he finally got the chance to look at her. Akasha’s curly, jet black hair was tousled and splayed out in all directions, and her modestly sized breasts rose and fell with each gasping attempt to resupply her lungs with oxygen. When Lestat made eye contact with her, it was as if her focus once again became razor sharp and she sat up.

“Think you need to let Mommy investigate that dick now, Lestat,” Akasha licked her lips as she crawled over him and reached for his belt, “And if you’re a real good boy, I’ll let you fuck me with it, too.”

“And if I’m a real bad boy,” Lestat felt compelled to ask.

“Then the next time we do this, you’ll be getting my strap,” Akasha gave him a devilish smile and started undoing his pants.

Lestat’s eyes rolled back in his head and he groaned. He was torn between wanting to be good so he could show Akasha what he was capable of, and being bad so he could see what Akasha was capable of. There was very little time to decide either way, because Akasha was pulling him free of his confines and smoothly jacking him with a skilled touch.

“Mmm, big boy,” Akasha seemed pleased, “You gonna be good so I can ride you like the L train?”

Why are former Disney kids always such freaks, he wondered.

Lestat nodded, wordlessly, and the thought occurred to him that this was maybe how Daniel felt with him the first few times they did this. Lestat could recall being just as raunchy and insatiable with the older man when he begged the man to fuck him senseless. The mere memory of those encounters jammed a spike of need through his heart and at quite possibly the most inopportune moment, he missed Daniel.

Stop thinking about him and enjoy yourself, you inane fool, Lestat chastised himself.

Akasha’s lips tugging wetly at the tip of his erection quickly and easily drove all further thought from his head. That initial feeling waned though as the blowjob progressed. He couldn’t fault her technique, because while it wasn’t showboat-y or elaborate, it was perfectly respectable. Still, he was oddly relieved when she let him go with a wet pop and climbed on top of him.

“Can you reach my bag,” the woman asked, gesturing with her eyes to the purse lying a foot or two from the couch.

Lestat twisted to reach behind him, his fingers hooking into the handles and bringing it up for her. Akasha rested the bag right on his chest and rifled through it until she produced a few condoms.

“On,” came the stern woman’s succinct command as she handed him one.

Lestat hadn’t worn a condom in years, not since Cosmo, and it always felt weird to go back to them. He wasn’t going to argue, not even a little, because aside from not being a fool, Jesse’s words were clear in his head.

Last things we need are miscommunications, bad behavior, and scandal.

He rolled the condom onto his raging hard-on, a little surprised that he was still as turned on as he was. The moment his length was sheathed in the covering, Akasha took hold of it and positioned herself to slide down onto it in one smooth descent.

“Oh, my fucking God, yeah,” Akasha’s clear voice sang, “Mmm, Mommy likes…”

The younger woman proceeded to ride Lestat like he was a champion race horse at the Kentucky derby. All he could really do was grab her slender waist and hold on, though he did manage to get his feet under him so he could meet her. One of her hands had dug its way into the crown of her head, holding her lustrous, thick curls away from her face, while the fingers of the other were fiercely working her clit in tandem to their thrusting.

“Come on, big boy, make Mommy cum,” Akasha’s golden brown eyes pinned him down before she tossed her head back in ecstasy, “Oh, God, you’re gonna make me cummmm-ahhh!!”

Her words transformed to the high, screaming wail he got out of her earlier and she jerked hard above him, her entire body rocking with the force of her orgasm. Lestat slowed down to fuck her through it, and she groaned out her approval. He felt her tightening up around him, her channel hot and pulsing through the condom, and Lestat let himself go with a hard grunt through tightly gritted teeth. Akasha smiled at him, looking both satisfied and accomplished and she patted his chest.

“That was great,” the alluring woman praised him, and then shakily lifted herself off him, “Bathroom?”

Lestat silently pointed her in the right direction and the woman gingerly stood to make her way there. When he heard the click of a door closing, he sat up and stripped off his condom and waited for her to return. As soon as Akasha came back, she started pulling on her clothes, skipping over any kind of basking in the afterglow.

“You’re not staying,” Lestat asked, confused.

“Don’t be silly,” Akasha chided him, then paused to lean down and give him a light peck on the lips, “We should do this again sometime.”

Lestat lowered his lashes at her, “We could do it again right now…”

“Why don’t you save some of that energy for later, tiger,” Akasha laughed, “Don’t need you all worn out at rehearsal cause of me.”

Lestat suppressed a frown and tried not to show his frustration. Daniel and him rarely called it after one round, often pleasuring each other into the late hours until they both felt sated. He wasn’t used to anyone hitting once and then bailing unless they were running short on time. It was a new and unpleasant sensation to watch Akasha get dressed and then stroll, hips lazily swaying back and forth, to the door.

“See you tomorrow, big boy,” Akasha winked at him, “Sleep tight.”

The gorgeous young woman disappeared from view into the hall and Lestat collapsed back on his couch. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to sort through what just happened and how he felt about it. The sex was nice, but instead of helping to file down the edges, Lestat was completely wired. Akasha successfully left him wanting more, but Lestat found it wasn’t her he wanted it from. Despite how good it felt, how fascinating it was to watch Akasha work herself over on him, the whole thing was otherwise meaningless. He supposed that was what he was going for, meaningless, mindless sex, but now that it was over, Lestat realized there was another word to describe what just occurred.

Empty.

Lestat couldn’t really recall having much meaningless, mindless, and ultimately empty sex in his life. Maybe he could say that about Antoinette, but she was an outlier. He couldn’t even claim that the sex he had with Armand when they were only kids could be described as empty. If, by some miracle or curse, he had sex with Louis or Armand ever again, it would be loaded with meaning. Then again, he had real, emotional history with both of them, and that wasn’t the case with Akasha.

Why are you complaining anyway, a voice that sounded a lot like Daniel’s infiltrated his thoughts, Isn’t this exactly what you wanted? A fling? Something with no feelings tied to it?

He tried to reason that it was what he wanted, that it was what he needed to get past the old man on the other side of the country that he was never supposed to feel so deeply for.

Lestat tossed the condom and showered, washing his coupling with Akasha away. He brushed his teeth and put his hair in pin curls and wrapped it with a scarf before sliding between the cool sheets of his bed. Just as he was beginning to drift to sleep, his phone started buzzing. He turned to see who was calling him, and an intoxicating warmth suffused his limbs as he accepted the call with a smile.

“Bonsoir, Daniel…”

“So what’s the verdict, doc,” Daniel asked as he pulled his T-shirt back on.

This was the last check up before Claudia’s show was set to open in New York and Daniel was gunning for permission to fly. Outside his mandated rehab, he’d remained as sedentary as he could, hoping to satisfy the requirements that would allow him to go back to the lifestyle he previously enjoyed.

His doctor was a serious looking man not too far off in age from him, though he had significantly less hair and was possibly even crankier than Daniel.

“You’re hoping to go on a trip next week, yes,” the doctor peered at Daniel over his glasses and Daniel peered back at him over his.

“Yeah, hoping to,” Daniel confirmed, “I mean, I’m probably gonna go either way, with or without your permission, but it would be easier if I had it.”

The physician sighed and removed his glasses, giving Daniel an appraising look before crossing his arms over his chest.

“You may go,” the man finally said, “I’ll prescribe some medication that will make the flights easier and I would suggest springing for a first class ticket so that you can recline properly.”

“Done,” Daniel nodded, not about to deny himself doctor recommended luxury, even if it would cost him more.

He waited as the doctor wrote out his prescription and made his way out to the pharmacy on that floor to get it filled. He walked out of the hospital feeling deeply accomplished about securing the green light to fly and hopped on his phone to call Louis.

“Hey man, how’d it go,” was the first thing his best friend said when the line connected.

“Guess who has permission to fly,” he grinned at no one.

“Hell, yeah,” Louis crowed, “That’s awesome. Claudia will be so happy.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing her and getting the hell out of LA for a little while,” he admitted, “And I bet it’s gonna be nice and cool when we get there.”

“You coming over for dinner again tonight,” Louis asked, “We can plan some stuff to do while we’re there.”

The first dinner was less than a week before, and it ended up being a lot less awkward than Daniel thought it would be. He didn’t believe there was any such thing as a ‘perfect couple’ but when he watched Armand and Louis together, it was impossible not to see how much they loved each other. Nearly every time he looked at one of them, they were looking at their husband with a sappy, love-sodden expression. It was almost sickening, but Daniel also felt the ache of jealousy irritate his still fragile heart. They took such tender care of each other, Louis always idly touching Armand whenever he walked by him, Armand’s eyes hungrily tracking Louis across the room. The mutual obsession and deep seated passion between them was palpable enough to electrify the air. Daniel left them after dinner feeling both stuffed beyond belief from the delicious meal and inexplicably… empty.

“Yeah… sure,” he acquiesced, “What’s on the menu?”

“Doin’ salmon tonight,” Louis told him, “Nice and heart healthy.”

Daniel chuckled, “Sounds good. I’ll see you in a few hours, then.”

He arrived at Louis and Armand’s home with a bottle of non-alcoholic white wine in hand. He wasn’t really drinking anymore, and since Armand didn’t drink at all, non-alcoholic versions of things had slowly started replacing the alcoholic versions of them. It was Armand who answered the door, breathtakingly beautiful in a cleanly pressed, deep blue button up and a nice pair of slacks, which were likely what he wore for work.

“Good evening, Daniel,” Armand said in his silky smooth, rich voice, smiling kindly at him as he ushered him in.

Daniel offered him the bottle and Armand’s smile grew wider.

“Oh, how thoughtful. You didn’t have to,” the taller man exclaimed, “Thank you. I’ll take you back to Louis.”

Daniel followed Armand like he didn’t know where to go, finding himself in the house’s expansive kitchen. Louis was prepping some broccolini for roasting and on the stovetop a pilaf was steaming. Daniel could smell the salmon that was baking in the oven, and his mouth immediately began to water.

“I bring you a Daniel, my love,” Armand’s announced, interrupting Louis to give him a soft kiss, “He brought us wine.”

“Oh,” Louis replied in happily, blinking slowly, like a cat, as he absorbed the kiss, “Thanks, Daniel.”

“Don’t mention it,” Daniel shrugged, averting his eyes when Louis chased after another kiss from Armand, “Figured it was the least I could do since you’re feeding me.”

“So I hear the doctor is permitting you to travel,” Armand spoke up, turning away from Louis and backing off a little to provide his husband space to continue prepping the vegetables.

“Yeah,” Daniel replied, giving Armand a half-smile, “New York City, here I come.”

“I’m sure Claudia will be delighted to see you,” Armand nodded, his expression unreadable.

Daniel’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was something in the way Armand said those words and Louis’ shoulders slowly crept up to pin up against his ears that gave something away. Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with Claudia being ‘delighted’ to see him.

“What’s going on,” he asked in a flat tone.

Louis’ head twisted to glance at Armand, both of them looking at each other with worried expressions that only made Daniel feel more paranoid.

“Lestat will be there,” Louis pointed out.

“Well, yeah,” Daniel nodded, “She’s his kid. Of course he’ll be there.”

“Does he know you’ll be there,” Louis asked, not looking at him.

“Haven’t had the chance to tell him yet,” Daniel said, “Probably gonna call him tonight.”

“I’m certain he will also be glad to see you,” Armand said carefully.

“Probably,” Daniel mused, “It’ll be nice to see him, too.”

Armand and Louis looked at each other strangely again and Daniel shook his head.

“It’ll be fine,” he insisted, “I’m looking forward to seeing Claudia and I’m looking forward to seeing Lestat. Who knows, maybe Lestat will have a hot date on his arm. Maybe he won’t. It’s not a big deal either way.”

“I don’t know how you do it,” Louis shook his head, “If someone I lo-”

“Louis,” Armand interrupted softly, “Let’s not harangue the man. He said what he said.”

Daniel blanched when Louis started talking, realizing that he was about to imply that Daniel loved Lestat and should be upset if the man started seeing someone else. Daniel didn’t like that one bit, especially when he thought he’d done a pretty decent job of dissuading people of the notion that his relationship with Lestat was somehow deeper than it was.

“Can I set the table or something,” he asked, hoping to move the conversation along.

“Why don’t I help you with that,” Armand nodded, walking over to cabinets and fishing out dishes to hand to him.

Daniel carried the necessary flatware and silverware in while Armand brought the napkins and glasses, the two of them quietly working together to set the table.

“You’ll have to forgive him,” Armand said quietly, “He has a very traditional mindset about this sort of thing and he just wants you to be happy.”

“Yeah, I know,” Daniel sighed, “Didn’t quite expect he’d get to a place where he was actually worried about the status of my thing with Lestat though.”

“I think he would probably be this way with anyone you were seeing, if you’d been seeing each other long enough,” Armand’s pointed out, “The fact that it’s Lestat simply makes it more… complicated.”

“Yeah…,” Daniel winced, “Not like I planned it like that.”

“No one ever plans anything when it comes to Lestat, at least not successfully,” Armand gave a short chuckle, his gaze becoming unfocused, as though cast back to some long forgotten memory, “I imagine the only scripts he follows are the ones he’s paid to.”

When it came right down to it, everyone in the house had a complicated relationship with Lestat. Each of them had their own baggage with him, for better or worse, Daniel was just the latest to get caught up in it.

“I’m not much of a fan of scripts either,” Daniel stated, “Keeps things simple, or at least it’s supposed to.”

“I’m sure things will work out as they’re meant to,” Armand reassured him, “And worrying about it doesn’t serve anyone.”

“Who’s worried,” Daniel smiled, “I’m sure Lestat is having the time of his life and that’s what I want for him.”

Armand had no response for that, again seemingly lost in thought. Daniel felt like the man likely had more to say, but he was politely keeping it to himself, for which Daniel was grateful.

Dinner was a lot less rife with Louis trying to shove his opinions about Daniel and Lestat’s involvement into the conversation. They all talked about work instead, and things they wanted to see and do while they were in New York.

“We should try to get on the same flight,” Louis ventured to suggest.

“Doc says I should fly first class, figures it’ll be easier on me if I’m not crammed in like a sardine,” Daniel explained as they ate.

“I could be down for first class, what do you think, baby,” Louis looked to Armand, who always seemed to glow whenever Louis called him that.

“I’ve never flown first class before,” Armand answered, his expression shy, “I’m open to it.”

The night ended with them looking at flights and getting their plane tickets squared away. Louis insisted on covering everyone, and Daniel tried to argue him out of it, but Louis put his foot down.

“Please, Danny, you’re setting aside time to see a show for a someone you’re not even related to,” Louis pressed him, “Let me do this and you can spend the money you save on something else.”

“Fine,” Daniel acquiesced with a sigh, “I’ll buy something nice for Claudia or something.”

Louis seemed satisfied with that answer and Daniel tried not to look too hard at what the total ended up being on the tickets Louis bought. The photographer had more than enough money to burn, having wisely invested the funds he’d gotten out of the divorce and creating a nice little nest egg that would likely allow him to live in comfort for the rest of his life. Daniel wasn’t strapped for funds by any means, but he knew better than to argue with Louis about things like this once the man was decided about something.

By the time he got home, Daniel was mostly just glad he didn’t have to deal with another third degree. He was thankful for Armand’s intervention and left to wonder exactly what Armand had been thinking about that turned him so contemplative as they set the table.

Once he was ready for bed, he grabbed his phone and settled himself between his sheets, tapping Lestat’s name to initiate a call. The man picked up after a couple of rings, and Daniel felt his heart speed up a little in anticipation of hearing his distant lover’s voice.

“Bonsoir, Daniel,” Lestat said in a dreamy sounding tone.

“Hey, babe,” he said, the endearment entirely involuntary now, “Hope I didn’t wake you. Guess what?”

Chapter Text

“You really couldn’t wait, could you, pouncing on me at the restaurant,” Daniel muttered into Lestat’s mouth as the man pushed him further back into his studio apartment towards his bedroom, “Your daughter called us out.”

“Well, you went to the washroom,” Lestat replied, licking along the fine skin of Daniel’s neck, “That’s usually an invitation when it comes to a ‘let’s celebrate Claudia’ event.”

“I really was just trying to take a piss, babe,” Daniel chuckled, allowing Lestat to push off his leather jacket and peel off his sweater.

“Well, now I need you to stick that enormous cock inside me,” the blonde pawed at his bare chest.

“It already has been,” Daniel reminded him, still buzzing from the blowjob Lestat had given him only an hour ago.

“You know what I mean, vieillard,” Lestat growled, “I want you.”

Daniel wanted him, too, even though he had hoped against hope that Lestat would be preoccupied with someone else when he arrived. It appeared there was no such luck because Lestat was getting them both naked like his very existence depended on having Daniel right then and there. Daniel could feel himself growing hard for a second time that night and he groaned, pulling Lestat’s beanie off his head so he could plunge his hands into the silky golden locks he’d missed so much. They stumbled into Lestat’s bed, Daniel kissing his way over every inch of smooth skin and toned muscle.

“God, I missed this,” he muttered without thinking.

“Did you, mon cher,” Lestat panted, trying to hold his head up so he could watch Daniel suck little bruises into his inner thighs.

“Yeah…,” Daniel admitted, biting into the muscle under his lips and pulling a gasp from Lestat, “Thought you might have someone else to spend the night with, though.”

“Don’t ruin this, Molloy,” Lestat pouted, “Six weeks without you is a long time.”

Daniel pulled one of Lestat’s testicles into his mouth and gave it a firm suck, causing the man’s head to drop back against the pillow.

“Putain de merde,” Lestat hissed, “Oui, Daniel, s’il te plaît.”

Daniel spent some time there, paying more attention to the two globes under Lestat’s buoyant length that he usually would. It was the way Lestat’s scent clung to him there, distilled to its most intense and powerful. Daniel needed to breathe it in, absorb it until it became part of him somehow, especially if it was potentially the last time he could. One of Lestat’s hands was fisted in his hair, tugging and pushing as his hips worked in furtive little circles against his mouth. Daniel let his tongue drop out as he licked upwards, finally dragging it along Lestat’s cock.

“Oh, Daniel,” Lestat made a noise in the back of his throat that made Daniel go a little dizzy, “Please, I need you, mon cher.”

“You need me, babe,” Daniel teased, circling the head of Lestat’s erection with his tongue.

“Oui,” Lestat looked down at him with bleary eyes, “No one else does it like you.”

“No one,” he asked as his lips closed around Lestat and sipped up the beads of precum that were leaking from the tip of him.

“No one, Molloy,” Lestat repeated, “Plea- Oh, mon Dieu,” he croaked as Daniel took him down to the root in one go.

Daniel wanted to drain Lestat dry, take every ounce that he had to give, and he swallowed at the man like it was possible to do so. Lestat kept making noises, little and loud, grunts and groans and low keens. Daniel’s favorite bedmate seemed to be trying not to let his thighs crowd up against Daniel’s ears but he wasn’t quite succeeding. He could feel the man’s heels digging into the space between his shoulder blades. Daniel had no intention of going anywhere, determined to bring Lestat up to and over the brink.

“Daniel, je vais jouir,” Lestat warned him, but Daniel pressed himself down further, burying his nose in the thatch of fine, golden hair at the base of Lestat’s cock.

He looked up to see Lestat’s face as the man careened over the edge, an incomprehensible string of French profanities spilling from his mouth as he came violently down Daniel’s throat. Daniel took it all, every single drop he could, until Lestat was spasming from the aftershocks.

“Daniel,” Lestat said, his voice hoarse, “Daniel, I’m- I can’t- ugh…”

Daniel refused to let him go, continuing to suck and lick at Lestat until he felt him begin to fill again in his mouth.

“Merde,” Lestat groaned, “You’re trying to destroy me, Daniel.”

Daniel slid off him long and slow, licking his lips and feeling very satisfied with himself.

“I’m just making up for the backlog of head I owe you,” he grinned.

“If you do that again right now I might lose consciousness,” Lestat moaned when Daniel leaned in to start lapping at him once more.

“Well, we can’t have that,” Daniel popped off Lestat and gave him a serious look.

“Non, vieillard,” Lestat agreed, “I’d much rather you come up here and kiss me, put yourself inside me, and hold me until we arrive together.”

Sounds a lot like you want me to make love to you, Daniel thought to himself, and immediately shoved that thought aside.

He went to his hands and knees so he could crawl up over Lestat, nuzzling his neck with his nose before he slid his tongue into the man’s mouth and let him taste himself. Lestat sighed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Daniel to bring him in closer, until they were pressed up tight to each other and their legs were all tangled up.

“Open yourself for me,” Daniel whispered when their lips parted.

Lestat’s eyes were hooded, heavy with lust and desire, and the ache in Daniel’s groin finally caught his attention. The blonde nodded to him and Daniel moved back so Lestat could retrieve a small tube of lube from his night stand and pop it open. The tube still had its safety seal on it, never used, and Daniel wondered if Lestat had bought it specifically in anticipation of Daniel’s arrival in New York.

Shit, has he really not seen anyone else since he left, Daniel wondered as Lestat poured some lube over his fingers, making them slick.

“Are you watching, Daniel,” Lestat murmured in a sultry tone.

“Yeah, babe, all eyes on you,” Daniel assured him, his own hand falling to the base of his need and gripping it firmly to calm himself.

Lestat toyed with his body a bit before his hand finally brushed past his newly formed erection to tease at his hole. He tugged at his nipples, skimmed over his taut abs, thumbed at the slit in his cock. The golden man made a spectacle of himself before tracing once, twice, three times around the dark pink pucker between his ass cheeks with his fingertips.

“Go on, hot stuff,” Daniel encouraged him, “Show me how hungry you are.”

Lestat took a long reedy breath as he breached himself all the way down to the join of his index finger and palm. His dick jumped a little as the finger found his prostate and rubbed against it, eliciting a soft, erotic whimper.

“Now, now, none of that,” Daniel admonished him, “Just open yourself up, leave the pleasuring to me.”

“Molloy, please,” Lestat pouted, continuing to finger himself, his eyes going out of focus when he caught himself again with the tip of the probing digit.

“Disobedient brat,” Daniel grumbled, feeling himself throb in his hand as a little precum shuttled out of him.

“You love it,” Lestat purred, getting a second finger inside and scissoring them suggestively for Daniel so he could see the gap they created.

“Yeah, babe,” Daniel breathed, transfixed, his hand beginning to move over his substantial length, “Get nice and ready for me.”

By the time Lestat was trying to wedge his pinky into himself Daniel couldn’t take it anymore. The man looked perfect, a thin sheen of sweat covered his skin, a small pool of pre-ejaculate puddled on his perfect stomach, and his hair in an angelic halo around his head. Lestat was everything, and Daniel had to have him. He moved forward and pulled Lestat’s hand away, laying himself over the man and letting his tip catch along Lestat’s loosened rim.

“Fuck, you're a stunner,” he whispered, kissing Lestat’s lips, “Drop dead fuckin' gorgeous.”

“Daniel…,” Lestat looked up at him with an expression that made Daniel feel like he couldn’t breathe.

He felt Lestat’s still lubed up hand take hold of him and slick him up, and without anymore preamble, he pushed into Lestat.

“Oh, God,” Daniel groaned, “Oh, God, you’re still so tight.”

“I’ll take your shape soon enough, mon cher,” Lestat murmured, trailing his dry hand over Daniel’s face, “I belong to you.”

Daniel bit his lip and shook his head, but he didn’t speak, burying his face in Lestat’s neck and beginning to move inside him. Lestat didn’t belong to him, he couldn’t, that wasn’t right, but in this moment it was okay, in this moment they belonged to each other. He felt himself deep inside Lestat, his lean body strong and firm against Daniel’s softer one. Nothing could ever compare to the way this felt, or at least, there was no longer any reason to want to compare. Daniel wanted better for Lestat but he wouldn’t get better for himself, because he already had the best in the man moving with him.

Lestat kissed him and held him and murmured soft phrases in French that Daniel couldn’t quite parse in his head. It felt like both their orgasms climbed up out of nowhere and leapt at them, leaving them voiceless and breathless and shaking together.

“Daniel, Daniel… Hmm, Daniel,” Lestat said again and again as they slowly came back to themselves, and there was something in the way the gorgeous man called his name that felt like he was saying something else.

“I’m here, Lestat,” Daniel said back, and he wondered if it sounded the same.

“I have an idea, Molloy,” Lestat said, after what felt like hours of them finding new ways to break each other apart.

“Hm,” Daniel replied sleepily, his eyes closed, “What is it?”

“What if you stayed until my show opens,” Lestat suggested.

It wasn’t a thought that had really occurred to Lestat until he sat next to the man while Claudia performed her first university role. Sitting in the darkness of the theatre, their hands and thighs brushing up against each other made Lestat wish that it could be like that all the time. Now that everyone important to them knew they were together, and they didn’t have to hide, Lestat couldn’t see a reason why they couldn’t be together.

“And what about my job,” Daniel asked him, still looking as though he was seconds from drifting off the dreamland.

“You’ve been working remotely, haven’t you,” Lestat pointed out, “You could still do that here, you’d just be offset by a few hours. Plus, you wouldn’t have to fly back and forth so much. We could spend Thanksgiving together, and Christmas.”

Lestat could tell that Daniel was too exhausted to really process his idea and he sighed, snuggling closer to him.

“Sleep on it,” he encouraged the gray haired man, “Tomorrow, when you’re out doing touristy stuff with Louis and Armand, think about it, and then let me know.”

“M’kay, babe,” Daniel mumbled, wrapping his arm more tightly around Lestat’s waist, “I’ll think about it.”

Lestat fell asleep next to Daniel, every atom of him hoping Daniel would say yes.

He woke up before the old man, his lashes parting to see that Daniel had rolled away from him in the night. The man was splayed out on his stomach, his mouth softly parted and a small puddle of drool staining his pillow. His sleep young face looked relaxed and content, and Lestat let himself be in love with the man for just a moment.

He snapped himself out of it quickly, knowing that he needed to get ready for rehearsal. Daniel probably still had an hour or two of sleep he could grab before he had to meet up with Louis and Armand. Since Lestat kept the man up pretty late, it seemed the polite thing to let him get every minute of shut eye he could.

Lestat leaned over and dropped a gentle kiss to the top of Daniel’s head before quietly making his way to his bathroom to shower, feeling the stickiness of Daniel’s leavings on the backs of his thighs. He knew he was meant to find the sensation unpleasant, but it was difficult to dislike it when it brought back memories of how the sensation came to be there.

He tried to be conscientious of the sleeping man just on the other side of the door, but he usually used his shower time to start vocally warming up for the day. He wouldn’t be able to do that this morning, not as robustly, so he mostly did soft lip trills and quietly hummed scales. Lestat scrubbed himself down, taking special care to remove as much of the previous night’s activities as he could, but that was always easier to do with an extra set of hands. How was it that he missed Daniel even when the man was within feet of him? Lestat wondered if maybe he was losing his mind a little.

When he stepped out of the shower to begin dressing, Daniel was still blessedly asleep. It was only the rise and fall of his back that let Lestat know he was still breathing just fine. Before he left the old man for the day, he leaned down and planted another kiss on him.

“Sleep well, mon amour,” he whispered, “And tell me you’ll stay with me when I see you tonight.”

He left his spare keys on the sideboard next to the door on his way out and made for the rehearsal space. When he got there, Jesse gave him a long look that made him wonder if there was something on his face.

“You look like you had a good night,” his cast mate commented, “Finally get a taste of….”

She gestured with her green eyes to Akasha who was standing off to the other side of the room talking to Mr. Snow’s actor.

“A gentleman never kisses and tells, mon ami,” Lestat smirked at her.

“You’re a gentleman,” Jesse played at looking shocked, “I never would have guessed.”

Lestat scoffed, “If you must know, it wasn’t her, though that has happened,” he told her quietly, “It’s someone I was seeing back in LA. He’s in town, hopefully for a while.”

“You told me you weren’t seeing anyone, though,” Jesse’s head tilted to one side, confused.

“It’s… complicated,” Lestat sighed, “We’re sort of… between labels? It’s hard to explain.”

Jesse gave him a critical look, and Lestat shrugged.

“Was Akasha no good cause she seems like she would be… pretty fun,” the woman stated.

“Akasha was fine,” Lestat assured her, “But that’s not meant to be more than a passing fling anyway.”

“And this is,” Jesse tried to clarify.

“I say again: complicated,” Lestat reiterated.

“Is your complicated fella coming to the show,” his costar asked.

“Oui,” Lestat confirmed, “I’d be pleased to introduce you.”

“Great, cause I’d love to meet the guy who has you looking like you just spent the night seeing God, that’s for sure,” Jesse laughed.

Is that how I look, Lestat thought to himself, taken aback a little.

Jesse must have caught his deer-in-headlights expression because she laughed some more.

“Calm down, Lestat,” she patted his hand, “It’s a good thing. You look happy.”

Lestat smiled, unable to contain the joy he felt now that it had been pointed out. As a matter of fact, he was happy, he was always happy when Daniel was around.

“Well, I did have a very good night,” he told her, and she grinned at him.

“I’m glad,” his friend said, squeezing his upper arm amiably, “Now let’s go warm up.”

“After you,” Lestat gestured for her to go ahead, pleased that he had a friend that he could confide in.

Daniel was trying to decide when to tell Louis that Lestat had asked him to stay in New York for what would essentially be a month. He knew that if he did decide to stay, he would need to let Louis know sooner rather than later, because it would affect his ticket home.

The three of them were enjoying a leisurely stroll through Central Park, taking in the turning leaves and the crisp Autumn weather. Daniel had to admit that he liked New York during this time of year, having ventured into the city many times in his capacity as an investigative journalist. It had been some time though, since any of his stories brought him out this way.

“What do you suppose we’ll eat tonight before our show,” Armand asked, his hands shoved casually in the pockets of his trench coat as Louis walked next to him, an arm looped through his.

“I know it’ll be a little chilly for it, but I heard about this amazing sushi place not far from Broadway,” Louis suggested, “After last night, something light sounds nice.”

“Yeah, even I think that was too much pasta,” Daniel snorted, “And you know how I feel about pasta.”

“Yeah, we know,” his best friend laughed in return, “So sushi then?”

“Sushi sounds perfect, love,” Armand smiled at Louis.

“What are we seeing again,” Daniel asked, unable to recall what they decided on, his mind having been muddled up all day with thoughts of Lestat’s proposal.

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” Armand reminded him, “Lovely little farce. It hasn’t shown here in some time.”

“Who doesn’t love a farce…,” Daniel said with an inward grimace, “We should probably make sure Lestat knows where to meet us.”

“Have at it,” Louis waved his permission, and for a moment, Daniel wasn’t sure what was happening.

You’re the one who texts Lestat now, not him, his subconscious fed him the explanation.

Daniel felt stunned at the realization and then slowly pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“Do you know the name of the restaurant,” he asked Louis.

Louis told him and Daniel texted the information to Lestat, then placed his phone back in his pocket, hoping that the slight flush in his cheeks wasn’t too visible. He felt a buzz from the phone but figured it was just Lestat confirming that he got the text.

“So…,” Daniel said slowly as they started walking in the direction of Broadway, “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Hm,” Louis’ head came up from where it had been resting on Armand’s shoulder as they walked.

“Lestat had an idea that, maybe instead of me flying back and forth over the next few weeks, I stay in New York until his show opens,” he explained to the two dark-eyed men.

Armand and Louis looked at each other, and then at him.

“What about work,” Louis asked.

“I’ve been working remotely for a while, no reason why I can’t do it here,” Daniel answered, shrugging.

“And where would you stay for a month,” Armand asked, and Daniel didn’t know if he was being willfully obtuse, or he really didn’t know.

“Lestat- Lestat wants me to stay with him,” he told them.

“He wants you to live with him,” Louis said, almost as if he was correcting Daniel, “For a month.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Daniel rolled one up shoulder awkwardly, “I do like the whole not flying back and forth of it all.”

“Well… it’s your decision, Daniel,” Louis said in a cautious tone, “Don’t you have check ups and appointments and stuff during that time?”

“Sure, but I’m certain my doctor can help me find local practitioners while I’m here,” Daniel supposed, “And it’s a pretty solid change of scenery.”

“Lestat is out all day during the week, isn’t he,” Armand wondered aloud, “Are you in a place where being left alone is okay?”

“It’s gotta happen at some point, and from what I’ve been told, his rehearsal spot is right around the corner,” Daniel told them, “I think I’ll be okay.”

Louis looked worried, while Armand mostly looked sympathetic. Daniel wasn’t sure what the right choice was, because all the points Louis was bringing up were totally fair. Even absconding for a month meant making sure his support system here was secure. Lestat felt like enough for Daniel but he could understand why the man might not be enough for the other people in Daniel’s life.

“Anyway, I’ve been thinking about it,” he continued, “And I think I’m going to say yes.”

The idea of basically living with Lestat for a month and for both of them to acknowledge that was what was happening was no small deal. Before his heart attack, Lestat spent a whole week with him. The month before he left to start rehearsals, Lestat stayed over nearly every night. For all intents and purposes, they were living together during that time, that’s just not what they called it.

Letting him hang out every night for a month means as much as you let it mean, was what he told himself back then.

He wasn’t sure what he was going to tell himself this time.

“We should see if we can make your ticket home open ended, so you can come back when you’re ready,” Louis said after a pensive silence.

“If you can’t I’ll pay you back for it,” Daniel stated, “And I’ll cover it if it costs extra. I don’t wanna put you out because of a last minute change.”

“Fine,” Louis acquiesced, “I appreciate it. Why don’t we get to the restaurant and Armand and I can deal with ticket situation later?”

Daniel nodded in concession and fell in with the two of them as they exited the park and made their way to get some sushi. When they arrived, Daniel was pleasantly surprised to see that Lestat was there waiting for them.

“Hey, did we make you wait long,” he asked, concerned.

“Non, mon cher,” Lestat shook his head, and then inclined it in Louis and Armand’s direction, “We released a little early and so for once I am on time.”

Daniel wasn’t sure if he should kiss Lestat or take his hand, so he settled on standing strangely close to him. He tried to discretely inhale as the scent of Lestat’s shampoo wafted towards him with the breeze.

“Did rehearsal go well, then, Lestat,” Armand asked, the two of them always stiff and formal with each other.

“Quite well, Armand,” Lestat said in the same perfunctory fashion, “I’m sure you’ll have quite the critique for me after opening.”

“Well, I did once make you a promise,” the doe-eyed man said, his tone suddenly shifting.

Daniel watched as Lestat’s eyes sharpened, almost like a cat, zeroing in on Armand in an almost predatory way. Armand appeared caught in Lestat’s gaze and Daniel chanced a quick glance at Louis, who was also watching the exchange very carefully. From an outside perspective, Lestat and Armand looked like they were having an entire conversation with their eyes.

“Yes…,” Lestat finally said, his posture relaxing a little, “I seem to recall you did.”

The investigative journalist in him wanted to pry, but if there was one thing Daniel knew about Lestat and Armand’s history with each other, it was that it was better to leave the explosives in the trauma minefield between them alone. Whatever promise was made, it meant something to the both of them, but nothing so bad as to trip one of those mines.

“Let’s go inside, it’s starting to get frigid out here,” Louis begged, and the four of them ambled into the restaurant.

They were about halfway through dinner when Daniel realized the four of them were on a double date. They weren’t just on any double date, either. They were on a double date and they were all having a good time, getting along, laughing even. It was the single strangest thing to realize, seeing Louis and Lestat poke fun at each other without anyone worrying one of them might take it a step too far, watching Lestat and Armand engage in slightly more than just civil conversation. Daniel thought he must surely have entered the Twilight Zone because in no reality did it make sense for all of them to be behaving so amicably.

By the time they were coming out of their show, they were all completely exhausted from having laughed so much. Louis was cuddled up against Armand’s side, sweet and doting and loving, and Lestat was wedged up against Daniel’s, yawning monstrously wide.

“You tired,” Daniel asked him as Louis and Armand walked ahead.

“Someone kept me up late last night,” Lestat answered, giving him a devious smile.

“Pretty sure it was the other way around, babe,” Daniel snorted, shaking his head, then let his expression turn serious, “Hey…”

“Hm,” Lestat turned to look at him again, “What is it, vieillard?”

“I’ll stay,” Daniel told him in a quiet voice.

“You- you will,” the blonde blinked at him, as if he couldn’t believe it.

Daniel nodded his affirmation, “Yeah. I’ll stay 'til the show opens.”

Lestat’s smile became a huge grin and he stopped them on the sidewalk. Right there in front of God and man the soon-to-be-returned Broadway star kissed him full on the mouth as hard as he could. Daniel let out a soft chuckle against Lestat and kissed him back, holding onto him tightly.

“Get a room,” Daniel heard Louis call out from somewhere ahead of them and he broke away to come up for air.

“Shall we,” Lestat batted his lashes at Daniel, and Daniel couldn’t help but smile.

“I don’t know how you talked me into this,” he said to Lestat.

It wasn’t a very honest statement and Daniel knew it, but he wasn’t going to let himself think too deeply about it. What was one month? It wasn’t a long term commitment. It was simply a convenient, sensible thing to do, and it helped that he liked being with Lestat.

Everything would be fine.

"I just don't understand how they don't get it," Louis complained as he fished through his toiletry bag in search of his floss, "It's so fucking obvious."

"You've done everything you can, Louis," Armand tried to soothe him, leaning against the hotel sink counter and watching his husband, "It isn't really our place to tell them how they should handle this."

Armand could understand why Louis was frustrated, being an observer to a relationship of which he did not wholly approve but still didn't necessarily want to see fall apart, either. The evening had been surprisingly pleasant, and it was nice to sit across from Lestat and Daniel and see exactly what it was that made them work. Their personalities were similar in some ways, and wildly different in others, but they complimented each other. Lestat was prone to flights of fancy and Daniel was more pragmatic, Lestat was audacious and showy and Daniel was more subdued and relaxed. The one thing they seemed to very much have in common was an allergy to defining their relationship.

It was obvious to him, though, and to Louis. The two men were in love with each other, and they were very much resisting that reality. Armand wasn't entirely certain why, since all the things that could have stopped them from getting together in the first place didn't.

"It's just driving me up the fucking wall," Louis sighed and Armand moved over so he could rest his head on his love's shoulder and watch him in the mirror, "If Lestat is messing around with Daniel, I'll strangle him with my bare hands."

"It was Lestat who suggested he stay, wasn't it," Armand gently reminded the man, "I don't think he's messing around..."

"Yeah, I know, but Daniel will be here without any of the rest of his support system," Louis frowned, "I just hope Lestat understands how serious this is."

"I don't know, my love," Armand shrugged, wrapping his arms around Louis' waist and giving him a squeeze, "I don't think he would have suggested it if his intentions were to make Daniel's life more difficult."

"What do you think, then," Louis asked, craning his head a little so he could give Armand a bit of side-eye.

"I think Lestat loves Daniel and is trying to show him, and maybe it's Daniel who's playing hard to get," he said slowly, his eyes falling to look at the counter, "And given how much older he is than Lestat, and the heart attack, I can't blame him if that's the case."

Louis sighed, setting his floss down and turning so the two of them could better see each other.

"You may be right," the lighter skinned man said, "But I need one of them to get their shit together and say something soon, cause we can't keep going on like this."

"We have no choice," Armand told him, "They're grownups. They'll figure it out, or they won't."

"If they don't, I'm the one that's going to have to deal with the fallout, you know," Louis pointed out.

"Maybe," Armand conceded, "But you won't have to deal with it alone. I'll be there if the worst happens. I'll always be with you."

Armand leaned in and gave Louis what he hoped was a comforting kiss, and Louis wrapped his arms around his neck, kissing him in return. It bothered Armand that Louis was so worried about Lestat and Daniel, but it gave him the chance to be the stalwart one for a change, and he liked the way that felt. He liked knowing that Louis could share his burdens with him, and trusted him to help him bear them. Armand knew that Louis only wanted the same for Lestat and Daniel, too.

"Let me take you to bed, love," he murmured to his Louis, "Let me give you something nicer to occupy your thoughts."

"Something nicer, huh," Louis raised an eyebrow at him, "Mr. du Lac, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Always, Mr. du Lac," Armand shivered at the sound of Louis calling him by the last name they now shared, "Will you allow yourself to be seduced?"

"By you," the radiantly beautiful man inquired, "Always."

Armand lifted Louis up so his legs could wrap around his middle and he carried the man out of the bathroom into their luxurious hotel room, intent on driving all thoughts of anyone but him from Louis' mind for at least the foreseeable future.

The weekend went by in what felt like a dreamy haze. Since Lestat wasn’t called to be at rehearsals that weekend while the company worked on ensemble numbers, he got to spend two full days alone with Daniel, Louis and Armand having flown out early Saturday morning. They spent most of that day in bed and most of Sunday shopping around the city, stopping at cafes and small delis to grab a drink or a snack in between buying stuff for Daniel’s stay. Lestat felt blissful, like a missing puzzle piece had been found and slotted into place.

He was hopeful that having Daniel in New York would make things easier for both of them. Neither of them would be lonely, Lestat wouldn’t have to blow off steam with randoms who meant nothing to him, and Daniel would be able to escape constant surveillance and worry.

Daniel was still having to field calls from his family and Lestat was pleased to hear him tell them all the same thing.

“I’ll be fine here,” the old man told them, “Lestat will take care of me.”

“I will,” he would reiterate to Daniel every time he hung up, “I’m going to take the best care of you.”

Daniel gave Lestat his crooked smile and Lestat wasn’t even bothering to stifle the flood of emotions that stirred up in him. As far as he was concerned, Daniel remaining in New York with him was a sign that maybe it might be alright to give in, to let himself feel the things he’d been feeling for months now.

Maybe we don’t have to pretend at all, mon cher. Maybe we can just let this become what it’s becoming.

At the time they both seemed so close to embracing what was happening between them, Daniel seemed so close. Lestat couldn’t help but feel like it was his fault that they were both being so careful with their words again. It was the whole calling him ‘boyfriend’ thing, Lestat was sure that’s what set them back.

He loves you, Lestat thought to himself, He’s just afraid.

Lestat needed to figure out how to help Daniel feel less afraid of this, of them, and he had a month to make it happen. For now, all he could do was take things day by day, and demonstrate his devotion to Daniel however he could. He’d made the mistake of being inattentive to the people he loved before, and he would be damned if he made the same mistake again.

Monday rolled around and Lestat had to go into rehearsal, though he was sorely tempted to call in sick and let his understudy get some practice time in. As much as he wanted to spend every waking minute with Daniel now that he had the man, he didn’t want to smother him. They both had a routine, and it would be better if they let that routine transform naturally. Lestat wasn’t always great at that sort of thing, but he was trying to do this differently, because he wanted it to work.

Daniel had the luxury of getting to sleep in, now that he was three hours ahead of his office. Lestat’s paramour mentioned to him while they were shopping that if he didn’t want to get started until noon, he didn’t have to. Lestat doubted Daniel would do that, though, the man was fond of an early start. Indeed, by the time he was out of his shower, Daniel was starting to stir awake.

“Mornin’, babe,” the old man inhaled hard through his nose as he stretched, “Showered without me?”

“Désolé, mon cher,” Lestat apologized, crossing the room to lay a peck on Daniel’s lips, “I thought you might sleep in a little longer.”

“Still might,” Daniel admitted, “But I wanted to say hello before you left.”

Lestat smiled warmly down at him and cupped Daniel’s face his hand, rubbing over the man’s cheekbone with his thumb.

“Go back to sleep, Molloy,” he gently encouraged him, “I’ll be home for lunch.”

“Yeah,” Daniel’s gaze swept over him, “You comin’ home to me?”

Lestat felt a shiver run through him at that, and wondered if Daniel meant for it to sound the way it did or if he was still too sleepy to guard his words.

“Yes,” he whispered, afraid to break the moment, “Around one.”

“I’ll see you then,” Daniel nodded, then let his eyes drift closed again, falling back into slumber.

Lestat left more excited about coming back than he was about rehearsal. Jesse teased him about it a little when he seemed more impatient than usual with the whole process.

“I know I didn’t get the full scope of you in high school, Lestat, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this,” the stunning woman commented.

Lestat tossed his hair back off his shoulders and sniffed a little haughtily, “I don’t think I know what you mean.”

“Sure,” Jesse smirked, “Okay.”

For all his posturing he still nearly sprinted back to his apartment so he could eat lunch with Daniel and enjoy the hour he had before he absolutely had to be back with his cast. Daniel had managed to scrounge something together for sandwiches and Lestat checked in with him about work.

“Louis spent our morning meeting griping a little about having to be back in the office now that I’m not in LA and he can’t use me as an excuse to work remotely anymore but otherwise work is going okay so far,” Daniel said with a cheeky grin, “It was nice to snag an extra hour or two of sleep.”

Lestat didn’t say anything meaningful in response to that, but inwardly he marked it down as another small step in the right direction. He was starting to figure it out in his head, how he wanted this all to settle, but he couldn’t push Daniel too hard too soon.

The rest of rehearsal was fun but unremarkable and he was happy to get back to his place. Daniel and him enjoyed a nice dinner and a movie and they were just starting to get ready for bed when an unexpected knock came at his door. Lestat was set to ignore it since he didn’t know who could possibly be knocking at that hour, but the knock came again, more insistent this time.

“Hold on, mon cher,” he excused himself and went to check the peephole.

Lestat immediately opened the door when he saw his daughter standing on the other side, shaking and crying.

“Claudia, what’s wrong,” he asked as she threw herself into his arms and wept, “Shhh… shhh, it’s alright, my love. It’s okay.”

“C-can I stay here with you for a few days,” the poor girl hiccuped against his chest.

Lestat saw Daniel come in, looking curious at first and then immediately concerned. Claudia saw him, too, and stepped away.

“I’m sorry,” Claudia said, clearly embarrassed, “I didn’t realize you weren’t alone. If it’s a problem-”

“Nonsense, ma fille,” Lestat stopped her, “Of course you may stay.”

He got an apartment with an extra room just so that Claudia could stay over if she wanted to. Without a word, Daniel headed in that direction to get it ready for her, rubbing Lestat’s shoulder as he passed him.

“Are you sure you’re sure? I don’t want to bother you…,” Claudia asked again as Lestat led her to the couch to sit.

“What rubbish. You’re my child,” Lestat reassured her, “You may stay as long as you need.”

Claudia leaned against him again and her crying resumed, emotion pouring out of her in body wracking sobs. Lestat didn’t know what happened to cause her such agony, but he really hoped that when Claudia was ready to tell him, he would know what to say to help.

Chapter Text

“So…,” Lestat leaned back against the counter with a towel in hand, drying dishes as Jesse handed them off to him, “What do you think of him?”

Daniel was out in the living room of Jesse and Maharet’s home, watching the football game with Maharet and Jesse and Maharet’s daughter, Mekare. Jesse extended an invitation to them when she heard he was at loose ends for the holidays. It was a reminder of his year abroad, when she hosted him at her family’s home over twenty years ago.

Jesse peered at him out of the corner of her eye, a thoughtful look on her face as she considered his question.

“I have to admit I was a bit surprised when you introduced him,” she carefully replied, “I expected some roided up beefcake twenty years younger than you,” the woman smiled slyly to herself, “But then I remembered you did have a thing for Brother Talbot back in the day and it started to make a lot more sense.”

Lestat hadn’t thought about Brother Talbot in decades and the memory of the gorgeous silver fox made him feel slightly nostalgic.

“I seem to recall I wasn’t the only one among us who thought he was quite handsome,” he leveled his gaze at Jesse, whose cheeks colored a faint pink.

“Yeah, well, he was hot for a priest,” Jesse protested, “You would have had to be visually impaired not to notice that.”

The two of them laughed together and Jesse handed Lestat another plate. They were quiet for a moment before Lestat broached the subject again.

“But seriously, mon ami,” he probed, “Your thoughts?”

“I like him,” Jesse replied, “He’s handsome and quick on his feet, I can see why you like him.”

“He punched me in the face once, you know,” Lestat grinned at her horrified expression.

“What,” Jesse scoffed, “And now you’re dating him?”

“I deserved it,” Lestat shrugged, “I should probably mention that he’s my ex’s best friend.”

Jesse let the glass in her hand slip back into the dishwater and she turned to better look at Lestat, her expression confused.

“Have you ever not had a complicated love life, Lestat,” the redhead asked, “Or has it always been this labyrinthian?”

“You truly do not know the half of it, but the short answer is, I guess not,” Lestat conceded, “But even so, it feels less complicated with him here.”

“I sense that,” Jesse nodded, resuming her washing, “You two seem comfortable together, but not in the ‘we’ve worn each other down and now we’re bored’ sort of way.”

“I don’t think it’s possible for Daniel to be boring,” Lestat smiled to himself, “Even when he’s just sitting around in boxers and a T-shirt, maybe especially when he’s sitting around in boxers and T-shirt, I get a thrill just seeing him.”

“So living together is going well,” Jesse guessed.

“I think so,” Lestat said, feeling a little less sure and probably sounding it, too, “We haven’t driven each other crazy just yet.”

”Does he know about your tumble with Akasha,” Jesse asked and Lestat sighed.

”I mentioned a one night stand after he decided to stay but I didn’t give him a name,” he replied to his friend.

”And he was okay with that,” his hostess asked, her head tilted to one side.

Lestat tried to recall Daniel’s exact reaction. All he could really remember was the older man shrugging it off when Lestat assured him that it was indeed a one time thing and nothing had happened with anyone else since. If Daniel was upset about it, he hid it well, and Lestat was loathe to probe deeper and accidentally stir up unpleasant feelings. In hindsight, maybe he should have, if only to get a better idea of how Daniel felt.

”It is not unfair to say he took it in stride,” Lestat admitted, “He did tell me to have a good time while we were apart…”

“So what’s the plan,” Jesse pressed, “He stays until opening and then what?”

“I don’t wish to jinx it, so I’d rather not say,” Lestat admitted, “I’m enjoying what we have now, and hopefully the rest will fall into place.”

The two of them continued to wash and dry dishes, but Lestat’s thoughts were with Daniel in the living room. When he floated the invitation to have Thanksgiving dinner with Jesse and her family, Daniel responded with some reticence. It took a bit of convincing to get him on board which was a little concerning for Lestat. It was one thing to spend time together with people they both knew well, people that knew all the broad strokes of their history as acquaintances, then enemies, and then lovers. Jesse was new, Jesse didn’t know all the backstory and would only be able to judge them based on what she saw. She would see two people in a relationship, whereas everyone at home saw them as some kind of freak accident that surely wouldn’t last. Jesse’s opinion mattered to Lestat because she had a true outsider’s perspective and he didn’t have to feign indifference to the same level that he had to with Louis or Armand or any of Daniel’s family. The only person he’d verbally admitted his feelings to was Claudia, and he knew she would keep that information to herself.

“Well, I can see that he means a lot to you,” Jesse finally said, “So I hope it works out. Everyone should have someone, and if he’s that someone for you, then he’s okay by me.”

“He might be,” Lestat replied cautiously, “Only time will tell. For now, he’s mine.”

“And woe be unto anyone who tries to take him from you,” Jesse snorted, pulling the plug out of the drain and rinsing down the sink.

Despite the fact that their arrangement was technically still open, the very idea of Daniel hooking up with anyone else made Lestat want to rip that theoretical person in two. Daniel was his Daniel and Lestat was Daniel’s Lestat. The longer they were together, sharing the same roof and the same bed, the more ironclad that sense of belonging to each other became for Lestat. If things worked out as he hoped they would, Daniel wouldn’t be slipping out of his grasp any time soon. He was biding his time, but in a few more weeks he would make his move, and hopefully his patience would pay off.

“I like Maharet,” he acknowledged as they wiped down the counters and put things away, “I don’t remember much about her from school, but she’s lovely. Bit serious…”

“Yes, she’s never been one to mess around,” Jesse chuckled, “Between you and me, I invited Akasha over for dinner once, and Jarrell, and Maharet told me later that she couldn’t stand Akasha.”

Jarrell was their Mr. Snow, a sweet biracial fellow who would never harm a fly and always followed Akasha’s lead in rehearsal, mostly because her personality bowled his right over. Akasha was quickly building a reputation among the cast of being a little bit of a diva, but most of them also believed she’d earned the right to be a little diva-ish. After all, very few of them could boast a career that spanned an entire lifetime, and she still had plenty of years of work ahead of her.

“Well, I’m not certain a single meeting provides the best impression of Akasha,” Lestat pointed out, “She grows on you.”

“She does,” Jesse agreed, “Though she didn’t quite grow on you…”

“Well, after meeting Daniel, I hope you understand why,” Lestat looked at Jesse expectantly.

“Let’s see, old white guy versus young, hot North African-American bombshell,” Jesse joked, then put up her hands defensively when Lestat frowned hard at her, “I’m just kidding, okay? Daniel really is lovely, and I get that there’s a genuine connection there.”

Lestat’s brows knitted together, “Do you think me very foolish?”

“I think you’re in love, Lestat,” Jesse sighed, “And love makes fools of us all.”

Lestat sighed as well and looked out in the direction of the living room, where Daniel and Maharet were loudly cursing in protest at the game, Mekare looking at both of them like they’d lost their minds. The young girl stood, shaking her head, and walked into the kitchen.

“Mommy, can I have another slice of pumpkin pie,” the frizzy haired young lady asked in a slightly thick sounding voice.

“How many is that,” Jesse’s eyes narrowed at her.

“It’s just my second,” Mekare answered, very obviously fibbing.

“Mekare Reeves…,” Jesse replied in a warning tone.

“Okay, fine, it would be my third, but I promise I won’t be sick,” Mekare insisted, clasping her hands together and lifting them up as she begged, “Pleeeeeeeeease?”

Jesse hung her head in mock defeat and then took a deep breath, “Did you ask your mama?”

Mekare shook her head, “She’s too busy yelling at the game with the old guy,” she moped.

“Maharet,” Jesse called out in a raised voice.

“Yeah, baby,” Maharet called back.

“I’m giving Miki another slice of pie,” the actress stated.

“Fine, but I’m not holding back her hair when she gets sick,” her wife replied.

“I won’t get sick,” Mekare reiterated in a loud voice.

Lestat watched the whole exchange with an amused expression. It reminded him so much of the early days with Louis, fielding the hunger of a yawning void disguised as a growing girl. Claudia ate them out of house and home until she was about sixteen or seventeen, but Lestat never could grasp where all that food went and tried to recall if he ever ate that much growing up. Surely he had.

“Miki, go ask the ‘old guy’, whose name is Daniel, by the way, if he’d like something to drink,” Jesse instructed as she handed Mekare a small slice of pie.

Mekare looked disappointed with the size of the slice but seemed to know better than to complain. She took the plate with a nod that shook the whole fluffy mop of red hair on her head, briefly exposing her implant, and skipped back to the living room. Lestat watched her politely ask Daniel if he was thirsty, to which he said something Lestat could not hear. She set down her plate and came back to the kitchen.

“He said he’d take a cup of caffeine free tea,” the girl recited carefully, “If we have it.”

“That actually sounds like a great idea,” Jesse acknowledged, “You want some, Lestat?”

“Why not,” Lestat nodded, “I’ll help you carry it out.”

“May as well make enough for all of us,” Jesse nodded, turning to the pantry to start sifting through it to find some tea.

The four adults watched the last of the game with their tea in hand, Mekare eating her piece of pie in contented silence. Lestat never thought he would find himself feeling so at ease, connected to his distant past and his hopeful near future. Once the game ended, Lestat excused Daniel and himself, thanked the Reeves for their kind hospitality and took Daniel back home.

“Did you have a good time, mon cher,” Lestat asked the older man.

Daniel pulled off his jacket and took Lestat’s to hang up on the hooks mounted on the door.

“Yeah,” Lestat’s lover replied, “It was interesting meeting someone you knew before you met Louis. The two of you slept together, am I remembering that right?”

Lestat looked at Daniel quizzically, “Yes? On and off for about a year. Why is that important?”

Daniel smirked, “It’s just that I’m realizing I’ve met more of your former lovers than you’ve met of mine.”

Lestat’s head cocked back in confusion, “More of my- Daniel, whatever do you mean?”

“You know Ciara and Alice, and I know Louis, Armand, and now Jesse,” Daniel counted out for him.

“Now, you cannot say that Armand counts for a certainty. ‘Lover’ is an overly generous term for what he was to me,” Lestat protested.

“Are you sure about that,” the gray haired man scrutinized, “Because sometimes the two of you look at each other and, I don’t know, something weird happens. I think the two of you have something going on that Louis and I couldn’t even begin to understand.”

Lestat felt rage bubble up in him, an inexplicable fury suffusing his entire body, causing his skin to turn a fiery scarlet. Feeling what he knew was irrationally offended he turned to stomp towards the bedroom.

“Of all the absolute-,” he scoffed, a string of French obscenities pouring out of him, “We do not have a ‘thing’. That cretin is beneath me.”

Daniel was following him, chuckling softly under his breath, which only made Lestat feel more infuriated. He couldn’t help but wonder what the man thought was so funny about suggesting that he, Lestat de Lioncourt, harbored anything remotely akin to amorous feelings for Armand. The very insinuation was so insulting that it was taking all of Lestat self control not to punch a hole in the nearest wall.

“Lestat,” Daniel caught up to him, taking him gently by the shoulders and encouraging him to turn around, “I’m not trying to say you’re in love with the guy. I’m trying to say that maybe you’re getting to a place where you don’t see him as an enemy anymore.”

Lestat blinked a few times, shocked by Daniel’s statement, or was it an observation? Not too long ago the idea of Armand choking to death on a fish bone brought him enormous amounts of glee. Not much had changed since then, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that the Armand they all knew now was a transformed creature. Lestat was suspicious and critical of that change in the beginning, but despite occasionally feeling the urge to thrash Armand, he knew it wouldn’t serve a purpose anymore. Lestat still felt the grudge lodged deep in his gut, but maybe, maybe, one of the chains tying it down had come loose.

“Perhaps…,” he said in a quiet voice, “Perhaps, Molloy.”

“Hey…,” Daniel stepped in close to him, and Lestat felt his breath catch in his throat when Daniel’s hands cupped his face.

Daniel’s lips were so tantalizingly close to his, faint, ghostly whispers that promised so much more. All the air was pilfered from Lestat’s lungs and he needed Daniel to kiss him so badly his knees began to shake.

“Daniel,” he panted, his hands lifting to twist into the old man’s sweater, “Kiss me, please.”

Daniel leaned in just a little closer, brushing their lips lightly together until Lestat growled out his dissent of Daniel’s torment. The gray haired man snickered softly and finally kissed Lestat in earnest, not relinquishing his hold of Lestat’s face. The lip lock lingered for a long time, their tongues softly moving against each other, and when Daniel pulled away, Lestat was left dazed.

“You are an excellent kisser, Daniel Molloy,” he mumbled, unable to move because he felt unsteady on his feet.

“I have a very good partner,” Daniel commented, releasing Lestat’s face from his grasp, “You feeling calmer now?”

Lestat inhaled deeply and then slowly exhaled, nodding in the affirmative, “Yes, my mood is much improved, mon cher. Forgive me for losing my temper.”

“Well, I know the whole thing with him is complicated,” Daniel conceded, “I probably shoulda chosen my words more carefully.”

Lestat reached up and gently touched Daniel’s face, “Complicated is certainly one way of putting it.”

He sighed, wondering if now was the right time to download Daniel on the particulars of his history with Armand. Lestat knew Daniel had the basic shape of it, their having known each other as teenagers, the physical intimacy they shared, the bad blood that eventually developed between them. Lestat wasn’t sure it was necessary to keep dragging up the details, though. Armand had apologized, and the ghost that linked them was as laid to rest as he ever would be.

Lestat was pulled from his thoughts by Daniel’s arms wrapping around him, and he rested his chin on the man’s shoulder.

“How does a bath sound,” Daniel suggested.

“It sounds good if you’re planning to take it with me,” Lestat replied.

“Yeah, of course,” Daniel nodded, “Come on.”

Lestat let Daniel lead him into the bathroom and allowed the little blip in the day to pass into nothingness. He was with Daniel and Daniel was with him and in the grand scheme of things nothing else really mattered all that much.

Previews for Carousel started not too long after Thanksgiving, which meant Lestat was even busier than before, though in a different way. The schedule was fairly robust for previews, though blessedly daytime matinees were only taking place on the weekends until the show opened to the general public. Lestat could be home during the day but now he had late nights, and even though Daniel tried, at first, to wait up for him, most times Lestat came home to Daniel already fast asleep in their bed.

It was hard to spend time together during the day, too, because Daniel still had to work. Any quality time they enjoyed had to be fit in before noon, and Daniel didn’t finish work until around eight, when Lestat was already treading the boards as Bigelow. It wasn’t entirely unexpected that they would see less of each other once the show moved away from its rehearsal period, but Daniel wasn’t very fond of the new schedule.

“You should ask the Times to assign you to cover the show, and then you can attend one of the previews, do a write up for it,” Lestat tried to suggest.

“It’s a nice idea, babe,” Daniel smiled crookedly at him, “There’s just one problem. I’m kind of fucking the lead and I’m pretty sure that means I can’t be objective about the show.”

Lestat frowned at him, pouting a bit, “Well, you could still come during previews if you wanted…”

“I’m gonna wait for opening just like everyone else. Besides, I wanna see it for the first time with Louis and Armand and Claudia,” Daniel explained, “It’ll be more fun.”

Lestat continued to mope until Daniel kissed the petulance away, pulling the covers up over their heads so he could give Lestat a thorough internal massage before he had to clock in for work. After, Daniel had to pull himself together quick, but Lestat was still a puddle of ooze on the bed when Daniel opened his laptop to get on a call with Louis to go over what they needed to accomplish that day.

“Morning, Danny,” Louis’ voice came through his headphones, “Where’s Les?”

It was typical these days for Lestat to be visible in the background making lunch or doing a chore of some kind. Daniel and Louis’ start of day meetings were usually when the ex-husbands would politely greet each other.

“Uhhh…,” Daniel cast his glance over his shoulder in the direction of the bedroom, where Lestat was likely still seeing cartoon birdies flying around his head.

“Jeez, never mind,” Louis snorted, “And I thought Armand and I were bad.”

“Oh, trust me, you are,” Daniel claimed, “And you’re less likely to be rudely interrupted by a bum ticker.”

“Oh, no, you okay,” Louis asked, immediately worried.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” Daniel reassured his best friend, “Ticker is working as it should, just saying that’s always a risk now.”

“Hate that for you,” Louis shook his head, sounding only slightly less worried, “Well, tell him I said hello anyway. Now, let’s get to it.”

The two of them conferred over the next ten or fifteen minutes on notes and shots Daniel needed for his next story. Louis mentioned he had some appointments lined up for photos and then mentioned that Raglan was asking if the two of them would be up for an old fashioned boots on the ground story overseas.

Daniel hadn’t been sent in to do field work overseas in years. It was more common for younger folks to get those types of assignments. If Daniel was going to travel for work, it was often to places in the US. He was still at the forefront of investigative journalism for government corruption and increased starvation and homelessness on domestic soil, plus a whole slew of other fucked up things happening right on the home front.

“Could be interesting,” Louis mused, “We wouldn’t be going in until the new year, so you have a little time to think about it.”

Daniel nodded, “What’s the risk factor? Did he say anything about that?”

“It’s some political stuff,” Louis mentioned, “But I don’t think it’s anything that will necessarily be a threat to our physical safety.”

“Political stuff always has potential to be a threat to our physical safety,” Daniel’s lips pursed and he tapped his stylus idly on the coffee table, “Have Rashid send me the rap sheet on the story and I’ll take a look at it. If we’re really considering saying yes, you need to have a serious conversation with Armand before we do. You know how these things can go.”

Louis nodded solemnly, “I’m not the only one who needs to have that conversation, you know.”

Daniel inhaled slowly, trying not to visibly show his discomfort with the implications underlying Louis’ words. He knew it was spiraling more out of control the longer he stayed in New York, and it was because of the whole unresolved boyfriend thing. He knew he needed to set things straight, because he was still planning to go back to LA once the show opened, but he suspected the damage was already done. Lestat was becoming increasingly affectionate, increasingly doting and attentive and… clingy. Daniel wasn’t trying to outright discourage any of that behavior, but he didn’t know how to stop passively encouraging it, either. Lestat was too difficult to resist, and even though Daniel refused to admit what was becoming glaringly obvious, he couldn’t keep his hands off the man. Daniel kept telling himself that it would be a relief to get away, to create distance again. Maybe then Lestat would circle back around to the one night stand he’d mentioned. For all it felt like being stabbed in the gut when the blonde told him he’d slept with someone else, there was also a fucked up part of Daniel that was glad Lestat gave that person a chance.

“I’ll be back in LA by that point, so there’s not much point,” he replied, nonchalant, ignoring the way Louis frowned into his camera, “Anyway, is that it?”

“…yeah,” Louis finally acquiesced, “I’ll poke you after lunch to see where you are.”

“Sounds good, talk to you soon,” Daniel quipped before hanging up.

A few minutes later he heard a soft groan coming from where he left Lestat and when Daniel turned to look, the blonde was limping out of the bedroom.

“Oh, no, is it your hip again,” Daniel asked, giving Lestat a smile that sat somewhere between mischievous and apologetic.

It didn’t happen often, but Daniel still had the ability to put a hitch in Lestat’s step now and then. It probably made him an asshole, but Daniel always felt a small amount of pride whenever he managed it.

“It’ll stretch out,” Lestat sighed, pausing to rotate his hips a few times before continuing to walk over to Daniel, “Did I miss Louis?”

“Yeah, he said hello, by the way,” Daniel mentioned, tilting his head to allow for Lestat to wrap his arms around him behind and plant a kiss on his cheek, “What time do you have to be in tonight?”

“I’m not sure,” Lestat shrugged, “I may need to tap my understudy since this hip is being pesky…”

Daniel let one of his eyebrows drift up, “Is that so?”

“Oh, the gears in your head are turning,” Lestat purred as he righted himself and moved around the living room to sit in one of the recliners, “What are you scheming, vieillard?”

“Well if I might have you to myself tonight then maybe instead of sitting in front of the TV alone I can sit in front of the TV with you,” Daniel explained.

“A quiet night of television together, hm,” Lestat tapped his index finger to his lips thoughtfully, “I suppose I could miss a show for that.”

“You sure you won’t get in trouble for playing hooky,” Daniel peered at Lestat, using his fingers to drag his glasses down his nose.

“What is the point of having an understudy if I never take the occasional day off,” Lestat pointed out.

“I guess that’s fair enough,” Daniel conceded.

A quiet night canoodling on the couch was probably the total opposite of what Daniel should be suggesting to help create some casual distance between Lestat and him, but given that there was still about a week to go before the show's opening, Daniel was opting to keep things peaceful. Once Carousel was into its official run, then Daniel could hash everything out with Lestat and make sure they both knew where they stood. That was the only way forward that made sense to Daniel, and he hoped Lestat would be able to handle it.

Lestat never truly understood people who got stage fright. He couldn’t recall ever having experienced it, not even when he was experiencing the maximum amount of stress a person could handle. Being on stage had an almost opposite effect, placing him in a state of relaxation. Opening night of Carousel was maybe the first time he felt a twinge in his stomach that hinted at some anxiety.

The show couldn’t have gone better, and the applause at the end was raucous. The encore of You’ll Never Walk Alone brought the audience to their feet and everyone sang along in what was one of the few examples of sanctioned audience participation in musical theatre. Lestat could make out the people he considered family, and Armand, out in the audience where cast guests were seated. Claudia looked so proud, Louis looked impressed, and Armand looked inscrutable. Daniel, though, Daniel was completely unreadable, and Lestat wasn’t sure what he thought at all.

Once the curtain went down, Lestat went to his dressing room to remove his makeup, and that was when Louis, Claudia, Daniel, and Armand joined him backstage. Claudia had flowers for him and Louis and Armand had brought him a very nice pair of cuff links, which felt like a jab, only Daniel showed up empty handed.

“I live with the guy,” Daniel excused himself when the other three gave him questioning looks, “He’ll get his gift when he gets home.”

“Ew,” Claudia’s face screwed up with disgust and Lestat laughed lightly.

“Well,” Lestat looked at the four of them, “What did you think?”

“I cried so hard when you sang Soliloquy,” Claudia gushed, “It felt like you were singing it to me.”

Lestat pulled Claudia into a hug, “I think of you every time I sing it, so I am pleased that you felt my intention.”

“It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve heard you really sing, Les,” Louis punched him in the arm in an amicable way, “You sounded great.”

“Merci, mon cher,” Lestat gave Louis a gentle look, “It means a lot to me that you are here.”

Lestat let his eyes slowly slide over in Armand’s direction, who was looking askance, his expression thoughtful.

“Well, gremlin,” Lestat released Claudia to cross his arms over his chest, “What say you?”

If Armand meant to keep his promise to Lestat, Lestat could anticipate an honest and unfiltered opinion about the show and his performance in it. It would test the limits of his ability to believe Armand was telling the truth, but Lestat was going to try, for the sake of the evening.

Armand looked around at everyone in the room, “I directed Lestat as both Joseph and Jesus once, if you want some embarrassing backstory for both of us,” he revealed, and Lestat felt his eyes narrow, wondering where this was going, “We promised that the theatre would be a place we would always be entirely honest with each other,” Armand looked at him, his large eyes soft, “I truly think that might have been one of the best performances of yours I’ve ever seen, Lestat. You and your cast should be proud.”

Lestat looked at Armand for a long moment before nodding, “Thank you, Armand,” he said, “We are.”

The other three people there were strangely silent, allowing Armand and Lestat’s exchange to hang in the air for a while before Claudia piped up.

“Are we gonna go out or what,” she asked, “We have some celebrating to do!”

Lestat was delighted to be brought to one of his favorite restaurants, apparently chosen by Daniel, to have a celebratory meal with people he loved, and Armand. Their strange, blended family unit had truly gelled over the past three years, and when he looked around, it was easy to imagine it would always be this way.

He leaned over to whisper in Daniel’s ear as the evening began to wind down, “I have a surprise for you when we get home.”

“Aren’t I the one meant to surprise you,” the older man asked with a small chuckle.

“I’m sure we can both surprise each other,” Lestat rubbed Daniel’s knee under the table.

The group of them said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, and Lestat held Daniel’s hand the whole way to his apartment. As the elevator brought them up to the floor his studio was on, Lestat cast his glance nervously in Daniel’s direction, and when they stepped off, he stopped the older man a few away from the door.

“You wait here while I check on something,” he instructed.

“What are you up to, rockstar,” Daniel eyed him suspiciously, and Lestat only answered with a wink and ducked through the door.

All through dinner he’d been surreptitiously checking his phones for updates, and as far as he could tell, Jesse had been able to set things up for him as he’d asked while he had dinner with Daniel, Claudia, Louis, and Armand. A quick sweep of the space confirmed that it looked just as he wanted and he opened the door to let Daniel in.

Daniel’s eyes went wide as he took in the living space of Lestat’s apartment, covered in red rose petals and lit candles. The whole space was awash in warm, golden light, and Lestat backed up to stand in the middle of it all.

“Viens à moi, Daniel Molloy,” Lestat said softly, extending a hand to the man, who stood in the doorway, stunned.

For what felt like an eternity, Daniel didn’t move, he merely looked at Lestat somewhat owlishly.

“What is this, Lestat,” the man asked carefully as he finally approached him and allowed Lestat to take him by the hand.

Lestat took a deep breath, steeling himself before he started speaking, “I have something to tell you, to ask you.”

He led Daniel to the couch, where he sat them both down and he took hold of Daniel’s other hand, mostly to hide the fact that he was shaking.

“The reviews are good, Daniel,” Lestat told him, “They’re very good, and ticket sales? We’ve managed to nearly sell out the whole run and our box office projections say that as soon as next week we won’t have an empty seat in the house for the next three months,” he looked at Daniel excitedly, “The theatre is already offering us an extension, which means I will be here for another three months after that.”

Daniel’s expression remained neutral as Lestat spoke, and Lestat couldn’t tell what his paramour thought of what he was saying, but he pressed on.

“If things continue to go well, the show could run for a year, but it isn’t just that I might be here longer than I thought for Carousel,” Lestat said, his tone thoughtful, “I think I’m going to stay here in New York, even after the show ends. Every time I come to this city I can’t help but feel I belong here.”

Daniel nodded slowly, acknowledging Lestat’s words, and Lestat took another deep breath, knowing he was now at the scariest part of his well thought out speech.

“It is my dearest wish, Daniel Molloy, that you stay here with me,” Lestat continued, a slight tremble in his voice, “I have been so happy this past month with you, and I believe we could be happy here together.”

Daniel still wasn’t saying anything, his expression having turned pensive. Lestat gripped his hands a little tighter, looking down at them.

“I know it is a lot to ask, and you will need time to consider it, but I hope you will stay because-,” Lestat swallowed hard, able to feel his heart, large and thumping, lodged in his throat, “Because I love you, Daniel. Je t’aime.”

Daniel stared at him blankly, and Lestat thought he might be ill. His stomach roiled and rumbled, aching from the torment being inflicted on him by way of the elderly man’s silence.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he choked out the words, letting go of one of Daniel’s hands to gently touch his face, “But please, please be with me tonight. Let me show you my love.”

He leaned in slowly, giving Daniel time to move away if he wished, but the man remained where he was, pushing back against Lestat when their mouths met in a crushing kiss. Lestat desperately wished that he could read Daniel’s mind, that he could understand why the man seemed unable to speak. He let his body listen as he felt Daniel’s large hands slide up his neck to cup his jaw, his lover’s tongue unzipping the seam of his mouth to taste him.

Maybe Daniel was the type of person who was no good at saying the words ‘I love you’. Maybe he was better at showing it, with actions, with acts like these. Lestat could be okay with that; he didn’t need to hear Daniel say he loved him back. He could be okay with the man showing him, especially if he stayed to show him again and again.

Daniel’s hands on him made Lestat feel as though they were the only things holding him together. He pulled Daniel closer, over him as he lay back against the couch. There were no candles in the immediate vicinity, so there was little chance of them burning everything down. Still, Lestat was cautious as he began to unbutton Daniel’s shirt and push it away, taking care to watch where he dropped it to make sure it wouldn’t catch fire. Daniel followed his lead, placing Lestat’s clothes to the side with an eye out for the candles.

“Daniel, please,” Lestat whispered when they were finally naked and pressed up against each other, “Touch me.”

Daniel did as he was asked, running his palms over Lestat’s rib cage before sweeping up to rub at his nipples. Lestat moaned and arched up into the touch, already overstimulated and unable to control the way his body responded to Daniel’s handling. Rubbing palms became tugging fingertips, and Lestat let out a soft cry at the sensation.

“Mon amour,” he murmured, “Je te veux, j'ai envie de toi.”

“Lestat,” Daniel finally spoke, Lestat’s name on his lips a balm to Lestat’s heart, “Tell me what you want. Say it.”

Lestat looked up at him, feeling tears beginning to well in his eyes, and he reached up to touch Daniel’s beautiful face. He took in the soft gray curls, the sweet green eyes, the curve of his nose, and the gentle bow of his upper lip. Daniel thought very little of his own looks, but Lestat had come to cherish every line in his face. Every wrinkle and every age spot was precious to him, ingrained in Lestat’s mind and fingertips and very soul as the things that made Daniel so beautiful to him.

“Make love to me,” Lestat gazed up him, pleading.

Lestat couldn’t be sure, but it seemed that Daniel hesitated for a fraction of a second before he leaned down and kissed him again. He found his jaw being held firmly between Daniel’s thumb and forefinger, ensuring Lestat wouldn’t be able to turn away. Lestat couldn’t begin to think of a reason why he’d want to escape this. He felt as though he’d been waiting for this much longer than just the last few months. As deep as his love for Louis would always go, as deep as his love for Nicki still went, his love for Daniel flowed deeper than he ever imagined would be possible again.

Daniel’s body against his was a tether keeping him from floating completely away. When Daniel entered him, sheathing his perfect cock inside Lestat’s willing and waiting warmth, when Daniel kissed his face and praised his beauty and the way he felt around him, Lestat let himself believe that Daniel loved him, too, and this was the way he was saying it.

Despite the fact that they hadn’t even made it to the bedroom, where a bottle of champagne was chilling next to the bed, Lestat felt wholly contented. It didn’t matter if Daniel made love to him on the couch, on the floor, or against the kitchen sink, all that mattered to Lestat was that they were joined.

“Je t’aime, l'ancêtre,” he murmured as the man thrusted against him, Daniel’s erection somehow feeling larger in him, “Mon Dieu! Tu es si profond en moi et tu me fais du bien.”

“You feel so good, babe,” Daniel groaned out, “There’s no one like you.”

“Oui, Daniel,” Lestat confirmed for him, “There’s no one like me, and there’s no one like you- oh… Oh, please, right there, Daniel, c’est bien.”

Daniel’s body rocked steadily into him, stroking persistently against his prostate and causing stars to explode in Lestat’s brain.

“Oh, God, je jouis, you’re making me- I’m,” Lestat moaned low and he spilled himself between them, “Please, jouis à l'intérieur de moi, please, mon amour.”

Lestat wasn’t sure why he was worried Daniel might not finish himself inside of him, but he felt compelled to beg for it. Nothing would make him feel more complete than the sensation of Daniel’s spend leaking from him. Daniel shuddered hard against him after a few body rocking snaps of his hips and Lestat keened as he registered the feeling of Daniel filling him to the brim.

“Oui, mon amour,” Lestat sighed, “Oui…”

Daniel seemed to melt atop him, his body like a liquid spreading out from where their torsos met. Lestat wrapped his limbs around the older man, clinging onto him so that he couldn’t move away just yet.

“Tonight has been perfect,” he said in a low voice, “This could be every night, Daniel.”

Daniel said nothing to that, he only tightened his hold on Lestat, and it was possible the older man could feel Lestat’s heart thundering in his chest.

They didn’t stay there long, Lestat gently hinting that there was more to the surprise. He blew out candles along the way, bringing Daniel into the bedroom they shared, intent on seizing the opportunity to reciprocate. Daniel’s body gave way to him, soft yet firm in every way that mattered. The gorgeous curve of Daniel’s length along a stomach lightly dusted in gray hair made Lestat feel insatiably ravenous. He stroked it in time with his movements in out of Daniel and as many times as his vocal cords would produce the sounds, Lestat reminded him of the most important thing.

“Je t’aime,” he said again and again, “Je t’aime tellement.”

Daniel didn’t appear able to speak, overwhelmed by the feeling of Lestat working him to a fever pitch that left them both crashing against each other and breaking all to pieces. It took what felt like ages for Lestat’s vision to clear after he returned the favor of filling Daniel, depositing his release deep inside his lover.

They stroked and petted each other for a while, then Lestat drank their bubbly directly from the bottle and poured a little into Daniel’s mouth, too. The green-eyed man wasn’t really allowed to drink anymore, but tonight they were celebrating, so a little wouldn’t hurt. Some of it slipped past his lips, but Lestat was waiting to lap it up until their mouths were sealed in a champagne soaked kiss.

“You planning on keeping me up all night, babe,” Daniel asked him, his lips quirking in a small smile.

“I plan on keeping you, period,” Lestat replied, “But tonight will suffice for now.”

The tea candles in the bedroom had burned down in the time they’d spent making love to one another, the room gradually being pitched into darkness. Lestat felt his way down the length of Daniel’s body so he could begin the task of drawing his spend from Daniel’s hole with his tongue. His lover made a throttled sound in the back of his throat, and Lestat smiled. If he paced this correctly, he could possibly get Daniel through one more round, after which the rest would be warm and wonderful.

Indeed, Lestat fell asleep hemmed up tightly to Daniel’s side, their legs entangled as exhaustion pushed them towards unconsciousness. Without a care in the world, Lestat entered the land of the dreaming fully believing that Daniel would say yes again, that he would stay.

JFK airport was teeming with folks bustling around trying to make their flights, and Louis and Armand were no exception, wheeling their tiny carry-ons through the terminal to their gate. They kept this trip short, having arrived the day before Lestat’s opening night and leaving the morning after, which meant they were traveling during the height of Christmas travel.

“Do you see a place to sit,” he looked to Armand, who never seemed stressed in airports.

Louis was an anxious traveler, always checking and rechecking that their tickets were in their phone wallets, confirming that their TSA pre-checks were in order, making sure they hadn’t forgotten to select seats on the plane. Armand, by comparison, always acted as though he’d been a jet setter his whole life, passing through the process as if there was nothing at all to worry about. Louis wondered at that for a while before Armand explained that because of what he looked like, it was important to keep his wits about him at the airport.

“Some people’s prejudices about brown Muslim men still run deep, especially at an airport,” Armand shrugged, “I don’t feel as calm as I look.”

That reminder changed the way Louis approached airports from then on, trying to take a page from Armand’s book to at least present himself as a bit more put together. Still, he never liked it when an airport was this busy, especially cause it meant people were more likely to be on edge and impatient.

“Hmm,” he heard his husband hum, “I think I see a few over there,” Armand gestured ahead.

Louis caught a shift in Armand’s expression, a narrowing of the eyes as he focused in on something.

“Is that-,” the dark haired man said, almost to himself.

Before Louis could register what was happening, Armand was walking ahead of him towards someone. Louis, flummoxed, followed along, unsure who Armand was seeing until they got closer and he realized for himself who it was Armand identified in the crowd.

“Danny,” he called out, confused, “What are you doing here?”

He had to restrain himself from telling the old man that he looked like shit. Louis was almost positive the man hadn’t slept, and worry crept up his spine and settled in his shoulders.

“I’m going home, what does it look like I’m doing here,” Daniel replied gruffly.

Louis couldn’t be sure, but his best friend was behaving as though he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Are we on the same flight,” Louis asked, his eyes flicking up to the gate display to confirm that it was the correct one.

“Not sure yet,” Daniel shrugged, “I’m on standby.”

Louis stared at Daniel for a long moment before he shook his head, trying to clear the shock away.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” he admitted, “I didn’t think you’d head back to LA right after opening night.”

“Well, that was the deal, wasn’t it,” Daniel said, his posture shifting a little, becoming more closed off.

Something’s wrong, Louis thought, He’s acting weird.

“Lestat couldn’t convince you to stay longer,” he asked carefully.

Daniel visibly grimaced and Louis looked at Armand, who’d been watching the whole thing with an uneasy expression of his own.

“Danny, does Lestat know you’re here,” Louis sat next to the older man, who was refusing to look him in the eye.

Daniel shrugged, “He was still asleep when I left.”

It was at that very moment that Louis heard Daniel’s phone buzz in his pocket, but the older man didn’t reach for it. Realization dawned on Louis and he sat back, not sure if he was horrified or sad or both.

“Daniel… what are you doing,” he asked in a quiet voice.

“I’m…,” Daniel’s jaw tightened, “I’m doing what’s best for both of us.”

Louis looked to Armand again, feeling immediately helpless, and he could tell Armand wasn’t pleased by this revelation, either. Daniel’s phone had stopped ringing, but only a few seconds later, Louis felt his start to go off, too.

“Don’t answer that,” Daniel demanded.

“Daniel, he’s probably losing his mind,” Louis said in a clipped tone, “Someone has to tell him what’s going on.”

“He knows what’s going on,” Daniel assured him, “I left him a note.”

That sent Louis reeling, and he got the answer to the question he’d asked himself long ago about how he’d feel if Daniel ever broke Lestat’s heart and not the other way around.

“You- you left him a note,” Louis asked, his tone growing cold, “A note, Daniel? A fucking note?”

“Louis…,” Armand’s hand fell on his shoulder and Louis wrenched it away, not wanting to be calmed.

“No,” Louis hissed, “No. He doesn’t get to get away with the bullshit this time. What the fuck is wrong with you, Daniel?”

“I’m not getting any younger is what’s wrong with me, Louis,” Daniel retorted, “I’m a decrepit old fool who let this go too far for too long and now I’m ending it. And yeah, maybe I took the coward’s way out, but Lestat hating me is the only way he’ll let me go and find someone better.”

Louis’ vision went red around the edges and he shook his head, standing from the chair and fishing his phone from his pocket.

“You stay with him, baby,” he commanded Armand, who immediately responded to Louis’ tone with a nod.

“Yes, sir,” Armand answered and took Louis’ seat.

Louis walked off a ways to somewhere a little quieter before he called Lestat back. His ex-husband almost immediately answered the phone, his voice sounding so devoid of emotion that it scared Louis.

“Daniel has gone,” Lestat said, flat, lifeless.

“Yeah, I know,” Louis sighed, “He’s here, at the airport.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for so long Louis thought he might have lost connection. When he did pick up some sound again from Lestat, it took him a second to realize the man was crying.

“I told him I loved him, Louis,” his ex whimpered, “I asked him to stay.”

Louis felt a stabbing ache join the anger he was feeling on Lestat’s behalf, “I’m sorry, Les.”

“Do you think-,” he heard Lestat gulp, “Do you think you could convince him to come back?”

“You want him back,” Louis asked, not sure why he was surprised considering it took Lestat at least three years to let him go.

“I love him, Louis,” Lestat said in a small voice, “And I know he loves me. He has to.”

Louis looked back towards where Armand and Daniel were sitting in stony silence, his husband keeping a close eye on the old man.

“I can try, Lestat, but I don’t think it’s gonna happen today,” he admitted, “Once we get back to LA… I’ll try.”

“I can’t lose… I can’t do this again, Louis,” Lestat’s voice trembled through his tears, “Please help me.”

“I’ll try, Les, I swear I will,” Louis tried to soothe the man, “I’m so sorry, I really am.”

For all that he’d resisted their relationship with each other he didn’t want to see Lestat get hurt, and it was made worse by the fact that it was his best friend hurting the man. Lestat treated Louis notoriously bad, but years apart had smoothed the hard feelings between them away. Louis didn’t want Lestat to suffer, and his heart went out to the man.

“I’m sorry, too,” Lestat whispered into his ear, “I thought- I never thought…”

“I know,” Louis stated, “I don’t know what I can do that I haven’t already tried, but I’ll think of something. Just… don’t let it get in the way. Show must go on, yeah?”

“Oui…,” Lestat sighed, his voice becoming emotionless again. “The show must go on.”

Without any other parting greeting, the line went dead and Louis sighed to himself. He wasn’t sure how he was going to convince Daniel that he was making a huge mistake, but somehow he had to find a way to get Daniel off whatever nonsense he was on about who Lestat should be with.

He made his way back to where Armand and Daniel were sitting, taking the seat to the old man’s other side. No one said anything, listening to the various announcements from the airport PA.

“Daniel Molloy, please report to the desk at gate 24b,” Louis heard, not just over the local system, but from the woman standing at the desk twenty feet from them.

Daniel stood without a word and made his way to the desk and Louis caught Armand’s gaze out of the corner of his eye.

“Was it bad,” his husband asked.

“Yeah,” Louis nodded, “Lestat is devastated. He told Daniel he loved him, asked him to stay.”

“Oh, my,” Armand murmured, something odd flickering in his eyes, “That is something.”

“I can’t fuckin’ believe this is happening,” Louis groused, “Like, what the actual fuck, Armand?”

“We’ll figure it out, Louis,” Armand reassured him, “I told you that you wouldn’t have to do this alone, didn’t I?”

Louis nodded, reaching across the empty seat between them to take the hand Armand was offering to him. They only got to hold onto each other briefly, Daniel returning only seconds later.

“I’m in,” the older man stated, “Last minute cancellation on a business class seat.”

“We’re in business class as well,” Armand commented.

“Well, if the plan is to bug me about this on the way home, don’t,” Daniel said bluntly, “I’ve made up my mind. This is for the best.”

Louis was having a hard time figuring out how that could be true, but he knew if he opened his mouth again to speak he’d make a scene in the airport, one that would likely get him arrested. He answered Daniel’s statement with silence, his thoughts revolving on how he could help Daniel realize that he belonged with Lestat. It felt crazy to even be thinking it when only a few month ago the idea of them together made him queasy.

He barely said another word to Daniel after that, and they parted ways at LAX, Louis and Armand catching a different ride share from him. Armand stayed close the whole time, providing his body as a frame that Louis could lean on.

“Are you alright, my love,” Armand asked once they were home.

“No, I’m really not,” Louis replied.

“How can I help,” Armand’s hands found his shoulders, gently massaging them.

Louis let himself melt into Armand’s touch, “Well, that’s certainly nice.”

“We could go downstairs,” Armand suggested, “The bench would be better for this.”

“Not downstairs,” Louis shook his head, “Let’s go to our bed. I need husband Armand right now.”

Armand’s eyes grew soft, “Alright, Louis, come on.”

Louis let Armand lead him upstairs to their room to comfort him, but his thoughts continued to drift towards Lestat and Daniel. He’d been afraid that this might happen and faced with the actual reality, Louis wished that somehow he could have intervened sooner.

How he would help the two of them find their way back together he had no idea. Louis wasn’t even sure it was a good idea given the way Daniel was behaving. Lestat sounded so broken and distraught on the phone, though, that Louis knew he couldn’t simply let it go, he had to try. He took solace in knowing that at least Armand would be with him, at least Louis wouldn’t be alone in the attempt.

Chapter Text

Lestat didn’t think confessing his feelings to Daniel would be easy, and he expected Daniel to have some reservations, but it all still took him by surprise. Despite his fear of rejection it never occurred to Lestat that he would wake up to an empty bed and a letter on Daniel’s pillow. Daniel had taken very little with him, most likely to avoid disturbing Lestat by packing light and fleeing when he was in the deepest throes of dreaming. At first, Lestat couldn’t look at the letter, he couldn’t touch it, he couldn’t open it, he couldn’t read it.

He eventually did, though. He needed to know why he had woken up alone to a cold and lonely room that once held all the warmth in the world. After reading it once, Lestat read it again, and again, and again until the tears blinded him and heartbreak drowned him.

Lestat,

‘Sorry’ could never be enough. ‘Forgive me’ would be an insult. I know this will hurt you, and I am sorry, and I do hope you’ll forgive me, but I won’t ask you to accept the first or do the second.

I know you believed that it would be fine if we let ourselves give in to this, that it would be okay if we fell in love, but no matter which way we dice it, I’m reaching the end of my life and you still have half of yours to live. The heart attack reminded me of how selfish it made me, keeping you to myself, no matter how many times I told myself you were free. You told me you belonged to me, and I realized that I couldn’t let you waste any more of your time on me, when you deserve a lifetime of love and happiness with someone healthy and whole.

I never thought for a single moment that things would turn out this way when I first met you. Even as I came to know you, it didn’t even cross my mind that we might one day share a bed. You were a surprise, pure and simple, and it’s really hard to surprise me these days.

I’m a coward and an asshole, and that’s how you should remember me. You can do so much better than me. I know you can and I hope you will.

Goodbye,
Molloy

When Daniel wouldn’t answer his call the only thing Lestat could think to do was call Louis. He could have been bowled over with a feather when Louis revealed that Daniel was sitting there in the airport with Armand and him. When they hung up, Lestat read the letter a few more times, collapsing back onto his bed and staring blankly up at the ceiling.

Daniel was gone. He wasn’t coming back. It was over. They were over.

Lestat hadn’t told someone who wasn’t Claudia or Louis that he loved them since Antoinette, and he never meant it when he said it to her. When he said it to Daniel he meant it with every fiber of his being. It was crushing for the man to have answered his vulnerability with abandonment, and Lestat didn’t know how long he laid there, catatonic and unable to move.

Lestat must have fallen asleep at some point, because he was jolted awake by his pre-show alarm. He immediately called in sick, tossing the phone to one side to slowly die as he resumed his state of catatonia. It was only when the sun began to slowly crest up over the horizon the next morning that the tears came again, and Lestat wept until he fell asleep. He called off for a second night on a phone clinging to its last few moments of battery life and curled up on his side, letting sleep take him one more time.

He woke up the next day and decided, like Christ, to rise again, though he beat Christ by a day. He plugged in his phone to let it charge and then he dragged himself to his kitchen to brew himself a cup of coffee. He showered, he shaved, and finally, he put on clean clothes. Lestat went through the motions, coming into the theatre and putting in his makeup and taking his place on stage.

Then the first strains of If I Loved You began to play, and Lestat went into what he could only describe as a fugue state that he slipped out of once the song was done. He was so alarmed over it that it was difficult to continue performing. Lestat couldn’t understand what happened and decided to chalk it up to a fluke. Then it happened the next night, and the next, and the night Claudia came with her friend he tried, he truly did, to pull himself out of it.

Lestat failed abysmally, he knew it the moment he delivered his first line in the song that had been throwing him off balance for the last week. He was entirely uncertain if a single bottle of wine would be enough to drown the embarrassment he felt at putting such a shoddy performance before his daughter. Claudia mentioning Daniel nearly broke him, but he held himself together long enough to send her away.

By New Year’s Eve, Lestat was desperate to break out of the funk was that was blocking him onstage, and he was willing to do something drastic to make it happen. His first and best chance would be at Akasha’s NYE party, where there would be plenty of opportunities for a hookup.

Lestat showed up looking his absolute best, in a slimming suit that made him look twenty years younger and clung to every asset he wanted to draw attention to. Akasha’s party promised to be the most star studded event of the night in New York, and Lestat was certain he could find exactly what he needed among the dozens of young, hot people there.

He surveyed his options but when Akasha glided down the stairs to greet her guests in a short, slinky dress that made her look like a mirror ball, Lestat knew that no one else would do that night for him but her. Forget some random person he didn’t know, he was going to make the party’s very host scream his name as the clock struck midnight. They never did get a second round and Lestat was keen to give Akasha a taste of her own medicine.

It didn’t take much effort to get Akasha’s attention from across the room, his eyebrow quirking when her eyes locked with his. She seemed to instantly pick up what he was putting down, her eyes flicking up the large clock hanging on the wall over the dance floor, and then the doors that opened under the stairwell that likely led to a study of some kind. Lestat went ahead, slowly making his way there and ducking into the room behind the doors when he was sure no one was watching.

The way Lestat saw it, this was his chance to get over Daniel once and for all.

“Lestat, Lestat, Lestat, Lestat…,” Akasha purred when she slipped into the dark study a few minutes later, locking the door behind her, “Sniffing out a second round are you?”

“And why not,” Lestat shrugged, drawing his finger along the row of books next to him as he circled the room towards her, “It seemed like it was about time we checked in with each other.”

“And what makes you think,” Akasha wondered aloud as she also hugged the rounded walls, staying just ahead of him, “That I would be interested in us fucking again?”

Lestat gave Akasha a devious smile and tilted his head to one side. Outside the room he could hear the music thumping, the base powerful enough to make the air feel as though it was vibrating around them. They could make all the noise they wanted in this room, and no one beyond the doors would be the wiser.

“I have to imagine it’s because, since that night, no one has made your toes curl or your body quake like I have, otherwise you would be with them, and not here with me,” he posited, continuing to close the distance until he’d drawn near enough to hook an arm around her waist and pull her close.

“Big talk from a big boy,” Akasha licked her lips lasciviously as she looked up into Lestat’s eyes.

Lestat growled and followed the trajectory of her tongue back into her mouth, sliding his in after hers. Akasha melted against him with a moan, draping her luscious body over his form. Lestat poured himself into her, poured all his fury and his heartache and his need into their embrace. Her dress slid from her shoulders like water, puddling on the ground around her high heeled feet. Lestat pressed her up against the bookshelves that lined the wall next to them, and the leverage gave Akasha the support she needed to hook a knee up over his hip.

It was an easy thing to unzip his fly and pull himself out, her hand quickly coming down to roughly stroke along his length. Lestat’s mouth dropped to her neck, sucking rough bruises into her deep bronze skin until her head rolled back to make more space for him. When he was hard enough, when he was aching for it, he pushed aside the string of her thong and lifted her up, just to drop her onto him.

“Oh, God,” Akasha cried as he impaled her in one smooth stroke, “Oh, yes, God, fuck!”

Taking out both his pain and his pleasure on Akasha was exactly what Lestat needed, and giving it her just as good if not better than the first time was the only thing on his mind. Fuck Daniel, fuck amour, and fuck anything that really mattered. He pumped himself deep into the woman, who was indeed beginning to chant his name, and he let it drive everything else away.

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Akasha babbled, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your dick is so fucking good. You’re fucking Mommy so good.”

Lestat was practically holding Akasha up by this point. The only thing she was carrying even the tiniest amount of her own weight on was one foot precariously perched on a book shelf. Just outside, people were starting to hoot and cheer about the impending ball drop, and Lestat began his race against the clock.

“You gonna make me cum, big boy,” Akasha panted, sensing his intention, “You gonna make the ball drop for Mommy?

“Mmm, does Mommy want it,” Lestat crooned, grinning when Akasha nodded emphatically, “How much does Mommy want it?”

“Mommy wants it so bad,” Akasha pleaded, “Give it to me, big boy. Give it to me, please.”

Lestat sank his teeth into her neck, biting at her as he reached between them to rub insistently at the tiny nub between her legs. He slowed his hips to a deep wind so he could focus his energy on teasing at the sensitive, tight bead situated where their hips met. That sent Akasha thrashing, her chest flushing a deep red as she flew off the edge of the cliff.

“Oh, my God, LESTAT,” the gorgeous younger woman screamed as the partygoers outside the room began to greet the new year.

Lestat groaned as he felt her convulse around him, “Akasha… I’m arriving. Where do you want me to-”

“Inside me,” Akasha managed to choke out, “Don’t wanna- accidentally- mess up- the books.”

Lestat couldn’t help but laugh, though it felt more like a sob, because it sounded like something he would have said. That split second of Daniel flitting through his thoughts was enough to push Lestat over the edge, and he drove his release roughly up into Akasha, who made a high, reedy sound at the sensation.

“Fuuuuck,” the woman moaned, slumping over him, “Lestat de Lioncourt, you remind me of what it is men are good for.”

Lestat shook his head, still not sure if he was laughing or crying, “I have no idea if that is a compliment or not.”

“It is,” Akasha let Lestat lower her back to her feet, and she winked at him, “Considering I fucking hate men.”

“Oh, dear,” he gave her a simpering smile, “What have we done wrong now?”

“What you haven’t done wrong would be a much shorter list,” Akasha leaned up to drag Lestat’s bottom lip between her teeth before she pulled her dress back up over her shoulders, “Now I need to go find a restroom before I make a complete. And total. Mess.”

She punctuated each full stop with a kiss, licking into his mouth after the word ‘mess’.

“You can’t spend the night, but you can follow me upstairs if you want,” she murmured suggestively in his ear just before she exited the room.

Lestat was not about to turn down a second round, especially since the first time she wouldn’t even consider it. Lestat could let himself get lost in her for a little while. All he really needed was a stopgap until he’d fully exorcised his need for Daniel from his heart. Akasha didn’t give a shit about doing anything serious, which made her perfectly suited to the task of helping him forget.

He waited a few minutes before he left the room, aiming for the stairs that would take him to where Akasha was waiting for him. All things being equal, Lestat finally learned exactly what Akasha was capable of achieving with her strap. While she was no Daniel Molloy, with his hot and devastatingly perfect cock, she would do for the time being.

Daniel wasn’t entirely sure when Louis intended to stop giving him the cold shoulder, but he couldn’t believe his best friend was angry that he broke up with a man Louis never wanted him with anyway. Since their return from New York, the only words Louis had spoken to him concerned work. If Daniel tried to talk to him about anything else, Louis pretended he couldn’t hear him.

Weeks passed like that, with Daniel trying to bridge the gap that divided him from Louis well into the end of January. Every time it felt as though Daniel was making progress, something would happen to make Louis remember he was angry at him. Daniel knew hurting Lestat would have consequences but he didn’t know one of them would be losing his best friend.

The worst part of all of it was that Daniel felt so miserable that getting out of bed every morning felt like crawling out of a coffin. Being without Lestat, knowing that the man was likely alone and hurting and angry, made Daniel feel worse than he'd ever felt in his life. The ache in his chest that he hoped would fade with time only persisted. He let the man pour out his heart to him and stayed silent, afraid that if he let himself speak, he would say things he couldn’t take back later. Even the one or two things Daniel did say skirted too close to the vulnerable center of him.

As desperately as he wanted to take it all back, he still believed that it was for the best that Lestat move on with someone else, and leave Daniel to his inevitable doom. Still, that doom somehow felt closer without Lestat beside him, and with Louis' rage boiling so close to the surface whenever he came over to work, Daniel was feeling incredibly lonely.

With their trip overseas in the works, Daniel had to figure out how to mend things, but his impatience got the better of him, and when Louis turned up his nose at a lunch invitation, Daniel finally lost it.

“What do you want from me, Louis,” he said, “Do you want me to suffer? Hm? Do you want me to take a long walk off a short pier? What? You think I don’t feel terrible? I do. I feel like shit. But it was the right thing to do, and he’ll be happier in the long run.”

“It doesn’t seem to me like you let him have a say in that decision, you just made it for him,” Louis growled.

“Look, I can live with Lestat hating me,” Daniel put his hands up in surrender, “He should. I deserve it, but I dunno if I can handle you hating me, too, Louis.”

Louis looked at him with a pained expression before releasing a long suffering sigh.

“I don’t hate you, Daniel. I never could. I’m just…,” Louis shook his head, “Disappointed. This was low, lower than I thought you capable of.”

Daniel felt his heart sink and he swallowed back a wave of emotion before speaking, “I know. I know, Louis, but when Lestat finds someone new, you’ll see I was right.”

Louis’ face was sad, and he turned away from Daniel again, swishing his mouse around on its pad as he got back to working on his photos. Daniel decided to let things be for the rest of the day, willing to accept that conversation as the best he’d be able to do until the next day, when he could try again.

He left the office early to head to his mandated physical rehab, a delightful couple of hours jumping around in a swimming pool with a group of other old people. Daniel didn’t really talk to any of them, the only people of a comparable age he associated with willingly being his ex-wives and his boss, Raglan James. Everyone else he was close with was younger than him, and he wondered what, exactly, that said about him.

Just a dirty old man, he grumped to himself as he started warming up by wading from one side of the shallow aerobics pool to the other.

He didn’t notice he was walking headlong into something until he made hard contact with a tiny body.

“Oh, shit,” Daniel cursed as the small form in front of him flailed their arms a little to retain their balance, “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” a tiny lady with a lilting voice said, turning to appraise him, “If you wanted to say hello, you could have politely tapped my shoulder.”

“Oh,” Daniel blushed, “Um, no, it isn’t like- I mean, it was an accident. Lost in thought.”

“So nearly drowning me wasn’t your misguided attempt to get my attention,” the tiny lady asked.

“Sorry,” Daniel’s replied sheepishly.

“Well, the least you owe me is your name,” the woman crossed her arms over her chest, “So that if it happens again, I know who to report to the cops.”

“Daniel. Molloy,” he stuck out his wet hand so the fierce figure in front of him could shake it, “And I really am sorry.”

“Molly Trấn,” the woman introduced herself.

Molly, if her last name was any indication, was a featherweight little lady of southeast Asian origin. Daniel couldn’t tell what her hair looked like, cause it was tucked up under a dark navy swim cap. She wore a one piece swimsuit in a matching shade of blue that hugged a form softened by age and possibly a child or two. She couldn’t have been taller than four eleven, the water the pool coming up nearly to her collar bones.

“Whattaya in for,” Daniel looked around, indicating their little exercise group.

“Arthritis,” Molly replied, giving him a smile that was almost cheeky, “Doc says it’ll be good for my joints.”

Daniel nodded, glancing up to see their instructor was making her way to the pool, “Looks like we’re about to get started.”

Over the next few weeks, Molly and him engaged in friendly small talk and Daniel found himself grateful to have made a friend of sorts that was not only around his age, but wasn’t connected in any way to his alarmingly small social circle. He learned little things here and there about the woman, she was one of many Vietnamese refugees, her husband passed a decade ago from a stroke, and she had one son and four grandchildren by him.

“He never liked being an only child,” Molly laughed to herself, “But after the war, having children was hard on me. One was all I could manage.”

“Do you live on your own,” Daniel asked, curious.

“No, no,” Molly shook her head, “I live with my son and his family, which doesn’t exactly thrill his wife, but I try not to be the stereotypical nagging mother-in-law,” she laughed, “I don’t always succeed.”

“So the guy I see picking you up after rehab, that’s your kid,” Daniel wondered.

“Hm, yes, my handsome boy,” Molly said with no small amount of pride.

Daniel liked Molly. She was a funny, witty straight shooter who on more than one occasion managed to make him laugh. It turned out she had a pretty, silvery bob under her swim cap, the hair fine and starting to thin ever so slightly. It had been so long since Daniel had made a new friend of any kind that his own family started to take notice when they picked him up from rehab to take him home.

“Who’s the lady I always see you chatting up,” Kate asked, trying to appear nonchalant.

Daniel gave her a side-eye from the passenger’s seat, “She’s just a friend, and I mean that. She’s just a friend. I’m not on the market and I don’t wanna be.”

When Daniel left Lestat it wasn’t just a decision to set the younger man free, it was also a choice to disengage from the world of dating and romance. He wasn’t sure yet if that was an ‘until death’ decision, but it was certainly how he was going to be playing things for a while. He wasn’t interested in trying to find someone who could measure up to Lestat, anyway.

“Well, you should invite your friend to family dinner some time,” Kate suggested, “It’s good to see you be social.”

Daniel had never been a social person, at least not outside of the requirements of his job, which often called for him to really get in there with people in order to better tell their stories. He was skilled at being social, but making friends was the part of the whole deal he didn’t really get. Molly would be the first friend he’d made since Louis and maybe Armand.

“I don’t wanna send the wrong impression,” Daniel grunted.

“Then tell her what impression she should have,” Kate shrugged, “You only want to be friends but you’d love to do what friends do and spend time with each other in a variety of settings.”

Daniel knew it was that simple, really, and he didn’t think that Molly had the wrong end of the stick on this, but he chafed at the idea of dropping it on her so bluntly. Even so, when he saw her at their next session he figured it was better to get it out of the way.

“My daughter suggested I invite you to family dinner, as a friend,” he quickly clarified.

“Oh, dear,” Molly chuckled, “With that qualifier I’m guessing she got the impression that we…”

“Look, you’re a nice lady and I don’t have a ton of friends my age,” Daniel admitted, “And a friend is really all I’m after. I just got outta something that was… pretty intense. I’m taking a break from romance of any kind.”

“Well, fortunately for you, I find most men to be too high maintenance and I lack the energy to deal with that,” Molly smirked at him, “Besides, I have a pretty sweet setup and the last thing I need is a boyfriend messing it up,” her eyes narrowed at him, “That and I thought you were gay.”

Daniel burst out laughing, weirdly pleased that he still set off people’s gaydar.

“I’m bi,” he corrected her, “But that’s funny.”

Molly turned out to be the only thing that made rehab bearable, but despite extending an invitation to her for dinner, she didn’t accept right away. Daniel surmised that was for the best, given how nosy and invasive his family could be. He could make them promise to behave, but that didn’t mean they would.

So the pool remained their little friendship haven, and soon they were co-conspirators gossiping about their fellow attendees. There was one fellow in particular that they enjoyed dunking on between themselves, especially because he seemed fixated on Molly and she couldn’t have been less interested.

“If you need me to step up to him, I will,” Daniel offered.

“Steven is recovering from a broken hip,” Molly waved Daniel off, “I may have arthritis but I’m pretty sure he’s not steady enough on his feet to chase me if I walk away from him even slightly briskly.”

Daniel snorted, “God, being old is a nightmare.”

“It’s not all bad,” Molly gave Daniel a cheerful smile, “Every now and then lovely things like this happen.”

Around that moment, Molly’s son’s car pulled into the parking lot, and she headed over to greet him. Daniel was pretty sure the man, who looked to be around the same as his own children, gave him a dirty look as she climbed into the vehicle. Daniel observed the young man and Molly have a brief exchange that he could see but not hear and she gave him an exasperated look. He related to Molly in that moment, because he could imagine her son was giving her the third degree about him and she was having to explain that he was just a friend.

This all bled through a good portion of February and by that point, even Louis was too curious to keep ignoring him.

“I hear you’ve made a lady friend in rehab,” Louis said as though he hadn’t spent the last month and a half punishing Daniel with his silence.

“Mm,” Daniel grunted, wondering what Louis was about to say next.

“Tryna replace Lestat, or me,” Louis continued, and Daniel was so flabbergasted by the utter gall of Louis’ words that he couldn’t speak for a moment.

“You’re fucking joking, right,” he finally replied, “Is that really what you think of me? That if I make another friend it’s an attempt to ‘replace’ you? Am I not allowed to make other friends, or…?”

Louis sighed heavily, “Yes, of course you are. I’m sorry. I’m just… still feeling confused about everything, and I still don’t understand.”

Daniel had moments where he didn’t understand himself either, and then he’d get a little short of breath and he’d remember why he was in Los Angeles and not New York. He was losing steam and he was gradually losing his ability to keep up, even with rehab and meds and rest. The trip overseas would really test his limits, especially since they were headed to Dubai, where the weather was relentlessly hot all year round.

“Look, if you don’t get it, you don’t get it,” Daniel stated, “That’s fine. Hell, if you need to punch me in the face to make yourself feel better, I’m good with that, too. After all, what goes around comes around.”

“I’m not gonna punch you in the face, Danny,” Louis mumbled, though it seemed like he did consider it for a brief instant.

Daniel took Louis calling him by his affectionate nickname as a sign things were finally taking a turn for the better.

“Thanks,” Daniel gave Louis a crooked smile, “Look, everything is going to be okay, eventually. I know I probably could have handled all of this better, but time and distance will be a good thing.”

Louis regarded him for a few quiet moments and Daniel let himself be seen in all his fragility. Something shifted in Louis’ expression, maybe it was him finally accepting Daniel’s decision and choosing to let it go. If that was the case, then Daniel was relieved to finally be past all this.

“You should come over for dinner, and you should bring your new friend,” Louis said in a thoughtful voice, “I think I’d like to meet her.”

Daniel’s head wound back on his neck and he nodded, mildly surprised by Louis’ words.

“Okay,” he nodded, “I think you’ll like her.”

“You like her,” Louis shrugged, “So I probably will.”

Daniel smiled to himself, because he was glad that his intuition was correct. Things were finally moving forward, which meant he could let Lestat go anytime now.

Anytime now, Daniel thought, rubbing at the ache under his breastbone with his fist.

Lestat, having realized he’d avoided spending time with his daughter long enough, decided to splurge on a weekend trip to Niagara Falls. It wasn’t far or particularly fancy in comparison to other vacations he’d taken his daughter on, but considering they both had absolutely packed schedules, a trip to somewhere nearby seemed like a good idea.

Claudia didn’t seem to care where it was that they were going. She hopped into the nice car that Lestat had rented for their little road trip with enthusiasm and understood the solemn responsibility she had as the trip’s DJ and navigator. Claudia had always been an excellent companion whenever they went on excursions together, making sure they got from one point to another with a level of efficient focus that meant they never missed anything important and never wasted their time on something uninteresting. Lestat’s daughter ran a trip like a little drill sergeant, and for something that was a quick back and forth like this, that was the exact energy required.

“Are you prepared for torrential waters, ma chérie,” Lestat asked as Claudia slid into the passenger seat of their rented chariot.

“Yup,” Claudia quipped, looking bright eyed and eager, “This was a great idea, Père.”

“Consider it my grand apology for neglecting you these past few months,” Lestat said, his tone taking a serious edge, “Truly, I should not have shut you out, ma Lestafette.”

Claudia rolled her eyes the way she always did when he used that nickname but smiled anyway. Her hand reached over to find his and she squeezed it gently.

“I know you were having a hard time,” Claudia said gently, “I was around if you needed me, and now you do, so I’m here.”

“I wish I could express to you just how fortunate I feel that you are my daughter, Claudia,” Lestat said, looking fondly on her.

“You are, aren’t you,” Claudia gave him a cheeky grin, “Let’s get out of here, whattaya say?”

“Yes, let’s go,” Lestat agreed and pulled out onto the road so they could be on their way.

When they hit the freeway, Claudia started fiddling with the radio to find a station for them to listen to. In the past, whenever their little family would hit the road, they always flipped back and forth between prepared playlists and local radio just to keep things interesting. When Claudia got old enough to appreciate them, they started mixing in podcasts as well. Claudia pressed the scan button a few times, then paused when a familiar name came through the speakers

“Rumors hit the internet today that Akasha, the famous former Disney star turned pop icon and now breakout supporting actress in the Broadway revival of Carousel has been seen entering and leaving the New York apartment of costar Lestat de Lioncourt several times over the past few weeks,” the DJ on the station reported in an enthusiastic voice, “Pictures of her sneaking in with him and then leaving alone hit the usual spots, releasing first on TMZ and then spreading like wildfire all over social media. From what we can tell Akasha and Lestat have yet to make a statement about the rumors.”

Lestat sat in stony silence as the DJ spoke, his eyes flipping over to Claudia who was staring at the radio in shock. As if on cue, he felt his phone start buzzing in his pocket, and the screen display in the car told him that it was his manager calling. He sighed and looked at his daughter.

“Is it alright if I take this,” he asked and she nodded, still dumbfounded.

“Bonjour,” he said once the call connected.

“Lestat, I know you’re on a trip with your daughter but I’m getting calls-,” his manager sounded a little irritated but otherwise on mission.

“Yes, I imagine so,” Lestat’s lips pursed, “I have no comment other than ‘my private business is not the public’s concern’.”

He heard his manager sign, “Of course it isn’t, but what you might not be aware of is Akasha ended a really high profile relationship right before being cast in your show and the guy is bad news. Just keep an eye out for him. I can get some security sent to your apartment for when you get back?”

“None of that seems necessary,” Lestat objected, “Consider the tryst over, for it was never more than that anyway.”

Lestat could hear Jesse’s warning revolving in his head and frustration bubbled up in his gut. He snuck around with Daniel for three years without it ever becoming rumor fodder but a few hookups with Akasha and now he was national news, and for none of the right reasons.

“You might wanna tell Akasha that before you get back, so she doesn’t go around saying something different,” his manager advised him.

“Consider it done,” Lestat replied, “I shall call her as soon as my daughter and I have found a rest stop.”

“Is Claudia with you,” the young woman on the other end of the line asked.

“Hi, Chrissie,” Claudia cut in from where she sat.

“Hey, girl,” Lestat’s manager greeted her, “Sorry to interrupt your trip.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Claudia reassured her, “It’s not your fault.”

Lestat could feel the daggers Claudia was staring into him and he chuckled nervously, “We should let you go, Chrissie. I’ll call Akasha in a bit.”

“Thank you,” Chrissie replied and the call ended.

Lestat looked again to his daughter, whose arms were crossed over her chest.

“Akasha? Really Père,” the young woman said.

“She’s an adult and I’m an adult,” Lestat shrugged, “I can hardly understand why it qualifies as newsworthy.”

“Because she’s at least as famous as you are, Père, more so, maybe,” Claudia pointed out, “So she has people who are literally stalking her every move. You know, the way they used to do with you.”

Lestat hadn’t been the subject of gossip rags and paparazzi drivel since Antoinette, his brief break from the limelight having lowered his profile enough that he’d enjoyed some relative privacy over the past few years.

“Well, keep your eye out for a rest stop, since now I must call her and see this resolved,” Lestat requested.

Claudia muttered something under her breath that Lestat didn’t quite catch.

“Pardon,” he prompted her and she shook her head.

“Nothing,” Claudia lied.

Lestat frowned, “Claudia…”

“You don’t wanna know, trust me,” his daughter insisted.

That didn’t help Lestat feel any less suspicious but he let it go for the time being. Within the next fifteen minutes they started seeing signs for a rest stop a few exits ahead and Lestat pulled off the highway and stepped out of the car to make his call to Akasha once they were parked.

“Hey, big boy,” Akasha answered after a few rings, “Let me guess… you got a call from your manager?”

“Indeed,” Lestat replied, ignoring the pet name, “She encouraged me to call you so we could get our stories straight.”

“Our story is that we’re adults and it’s no one’s fucking business,” Akasha snorted, “But if you wanna lie low and cool things off for a while, I’m fine with that.”

“It would likely be better for us to discontinue seeing each other all together,” Lestat pointed out.

“You’re being silly again,” Akasha purred, “We’re not doing anything wrong and I know you like it when I put this pussy on you.”

Lestat shivered, unable to deny the effect Akasha’s words had on him. She was a lusty entity, driven by a physical need Lestat could appreciate, but the way she casually disregarded his words reminded him of something unpleasant.

“It has been enjoyable, Akasha,” Lestat conceded, “But I must think of more than just myself. I hear your ex-boyfriend is bad news and I have a family to protect.”

“Let me worry about him,” Akasha said, her tone cold, “How about I meet you when you’re back from your trip and we can talk about what happens next?”

Lestat thought it odd that this woman, who wouldn’t spend the night, didn’t like to cuddle or do anything emotionally intimate, was so determined to keep him on the line. Even Armand, who manipulated him seven ways from Sunday to keep him from leaving him, was desperate for real connection with Lestat.

Having a god-tier dick is a curse, he thought to himself, mostly jokingly.

“Fine,” he acquiesced, “We will talk.”

Lestat hung up and stood there for a moment, aware that he was tempting fate by granting Akasha an audience. Sunday would be his one chance to put an end cap on this nonsense, and he had to be firm about it. He never had been good at breaking things off, even when they’d outlasted their natural expiration. Lestat couldn’t afford for that to be the case with Akasha. They were still ahead of what could end up being serious scandal, so long as he didn’t lose focus on what mattered. With Claudia in New York, the potential for this to blow back on her made continuing to see Akasha outside the bounds of their profession associations with each other a non-option.

He got back in the car and saw Claudia looking expectantly at him.

“How about we start over, ma chérie,” he offered.

Claudia nodded, “Will everything be okay with Akasha?”

“That is Sunday’s problem,” Lestat firmly dismissed the issue, “This weekend is about spending time with you, and I will not allow for anymore distractions.”

“Okay,” Claudia replied, still eyeing him warily, “If you say so.”

“I do, ma fille,” Lestat nodded with finality, “Let’s go to the place of cheap plastic ponchos and too much water.”

It did end up being a nice trip, that first speed bump aside. Lestat got a few pictures of Claudia underneath the falls that he thought even Louis would be impressed by, and sent them on to him. He got to hear some about Claudia’s budding relationship with Kaya.

“Is she your girlfriend,” he asked her when they were getting ready to turn in for the night.

They had a small bungalow to themselves, an excellent Airbnb find on Claudia’s part. Lestat didn’t mind a hotel, but he liked the space afforded by a small, private home.

“I mean,” Claudia gave him a shy smile, “We see each other almost every day, and we go out once or twice a week and…”

Lestat didn’t need Claudia to finish her statement to conclude that the two had likely reached a certain level of physical intimacy with each other.

“Hm,” he hummed, “But no official titles?”

“I should probably get on that,” Claudia conceded, “I think I’d like her to be, if she wants it, too.”

Lestat somewhat envied his daughter, who was young enough that things like this still felt like innocent choices, instead of life altering ones. His thoughts drifted to Daniel and with them, his heart, still broken, still aching, but held in a kind of stasis so that Lestat could function. He got a little better at ignoring the pain every day, but he wished like nothing else that Daniel was with him now, because then he wouldn’t be dealing with this Akasha issue at all.

“What about Akasha,” Claudia sighed, “She girlfriend material, or…?”

“Oh, most definitely not,” Lestat immediately replied, “Our… affair is one of convenience. She’s not interested in anything serious and I-”

He stopped himself before he could say anything more. Lestat wasn’t sure he’d be in a place to try for something serious again for a long time, not after how things with Daniel ended.

“Do you…,” Claudia chewed at her lip, “Do you miss him?”

Lestat tried to hold back his anguish, but he wasn’t sure how successful he was, because Claudia immediately reached out to grip his hand.

“Oui,” he whispered, “But it is getting easier.”

It wasn’t getting easier as quickly as Lestat wanted it to, some days being better than others. Lestat figured that if he kept faking being okay eventually he would be.

They drove back the next day and Lestat dropped Claudia off at her dorm before returning to his apartment. He didn’t even see the tall, well built young man approach, but suddenly he was being whipped around by his shoulder and punched down to the sidewalk.

“You on my girl, motherfucker,” the unfamiliar young man spat, his face a mask of fury.

Lestat winced and wiped the blood from his mouth, “Who the fuck are you, sale merde?”

“I’m Akasha’s man is who the fuck I am, you punk ass bitch,” the stranger raged, coming at Lestat again as he was trying to get to his feet.

“Enkil,” a voice came from behind Lestat and he turned to see Akasha stomping up, “What the fuck?!”

“Baby,” Enkil gave Akasha a toothy grin, “Come on, this guy? This old, basic, white ass motherfucker?”

“Enkil, get the fuck out of here,” Akasha demanded, stepping in front of Lestat.

“Akasha,” he spoke up, “I can defend myself.”

“Oh yeah,” Enkil egged him on, “You wanna go?”

Lestat shook his head in disbelief. What was this guy’s damage and why was Lestat in it now?

“We’re not dating anymore, you freak,” Akasha reminded the young man, “Now go, or I’ll fucking call the police,” she threatened.

“No doubt someone already has,” Lestat crossed his arms over his chest.

Enkil leapt at him, reaching across Akasha to tag him in the face again. Akasha cried out as he did and Lestat tried to move so she wouldn’t be caught in the middle. What followed was an awkward shuffle of limbs as Enkil wrestled him back to the pavement. In the distance, Lestat could hear sirens approaching and his face curled into a bloody grin. Even as Enkil kept attempting to overpower him, Lestat managed to stay agile and Akasha cursed furiously next to their tangled bodies, repeatedly hitting Enkil with her hand purse.

“GET THE FUCK OFF HIM, ASSHOLE,” Akasha screamed.

What a mess, Lestat thought, knowing none of this would have happened if Daniel had stayed.

Chapter Text

“So… the friends and family have officially lost patience and are insisting on meeting you,” Daniel mentioned to Molly after what turned out to be a pretty enjoyable session of physical rehab.

“You did mention to them that we were just friends, right,” Molly chuckled, casually scrubbing her hair dry with a towel.

“Yeah,” Daniel assured her, “But considering I’m an ‘old grouch who doesn’t make friends’, my younger daughter’s words, by the way, this is kind of an event for them.”

“I don’t think you’re that grouchy,” Molly gave him an appraising look.

“Yeah, well you haven’t known me that long,” Daniel chuckled, “I am definitely a grouch.”

“Well, whatever you are, if your family and your friends want to meet me, I’ll never turn down a chance for a good meal if it’s on offer,” Molly waggled her eyebrows at him.

“The language of free food is universal,” Daniel shook his head in amusement, “Let me figure out how I wanna introduce you to my people. Guessing you’re not catching the same curiosity from your family unit.”

“The day my son asks me to invite a guy over for lunch will be the day Hell freezes over,” Molly snorted, “He doesn’t care how many times I tell him we’re just friends. He’s certain you’re trying to steal me from him like he’s not a grown and married with kids of his own. I swear I didn’t raise a child. I just reared a big baby.”

“Well, as someone who never had a son, I can’t say I relate,” Daniel shrugged apologetically, “Way my kids act you’d think I was the child in the dynamic.”

“Maybe it’s just that pesky Y-chromosome disease you have,” Molly joked.

“That must be it,” Daniel replied in a dry tone, and then they both laughed together.

“Anyway, yeah, I’ll let you know when it is the various busybodies in my life want me to bring you around for introductions,” Daniel’s informed Molly, “Can’t make any promises about how they’ll behave.”

“No promises needed,” Molly gave him a fierce look, “I may be a little old lady, but I can hold my own.”

“Honestly, I think you’ll fit in really well with my ex-wives,” Daniel mused, “They’ll love you, and they’ll like even better that you’re not destined to become one of them.”

“I like that, too,” Molly snorted, “Becoming someone’s ex-wife is not on my bucket list.”

“Honestly, if anyone is in danger of stealing you from your son, it’s them,” Daniel admitted, giving Molly a sheepish look, “That’s a lot of why I haven’t been pushing you to meet them.”

“Don’t tell me your ex-wives ended up with each other and are looking for a third,” Molly laughed.

Sometimes Molly said things that caught Daniel by surprise and this was one of those times. He burst out laughing from his gut, something it felt like he hadn’t done in a really long time. It took him a moment to calm down, wiping tears from his eyes as his laughter subsided.

“Not at all, thank God,” Daniel wheezed, “But they did become best friends. They trauma bonded over being married to me.”

“Well, I see it as a mark of a decent man that he’s still friendly with his exes,” Molly granted him.

“Oh, trust me, I’m not a good man at all,” Daniel corrected her, “Having kids with both of them meant we would never stop being in each other’s lives, so we figured we might as well be friendly.”

“I know the young people would consider it the ‘bare minimum’ but at least you didn’t become an absent father,” Molly offered.

Daniel grimaced, “I did for a little while…”

“I should probably stop making assumptions before it’s too difficult to dig myself out of this hole,” Molly snickered.

Molly’s son pulled up at that very moment and with a wink, Molly took Daniel by the hand and dragged him over to the car. Daniel saw her son regard their approach with a cold glare, but a tap on the window from Molly prompted the unhappy man to roll his window down.

“Joey,” Molly straightened up and gestured to Daniel, dropping his hand, “This is my completely platonic and not at all romantic friend, Daniel.

Daniel wanted to get sucked up by a hole in the ground but instead he smiled and waved at Molly’s son.

“Hey, Joey, nice to meet you,” he said, though the glare had yet to melt from the man’s features.

“Don’t be rude,” Molly pouted, “Say hello to your elder.”

“Good evening, Daniel,” Joey said in a tight voice, “Mama, can we go now?”

“You’re such a baby, Joey,” Molly rolled her eyes, “I’ll see you in a few days, Daniel. Goodbye.”

Daniel watched with a bemused expression as the car pulled out so fast he was worried Molly might be given whiplash, which would surely go against Joey’s best interests. Leo showed up not too much later to drive him home. Between the heart attack and his Parkinson’s continuing to progress it was no longer considered safe for him to operate a car, but Daniel hated not being allowed to drive himself places anymore.

So, Molly is amenable to meeting you over a meal, he texted to Louis.

Great. Why don’t we have lunch together next week? I think Armand has a half day on Monday.

Weird day to do it but sure. I’ll ask if she’s free then.

Molly had a phone but she didn’t necessarily use it very reliably. There was about fifty-fifty chance she would see the text at all, and another fifty-fifty chance that if she did see it, she’d actually respond. Daniel was willing to take those odds, considering he’d see her on Sunday. Fortunately she not only read the message, she also wrote back saying lunch on a Monday sounded ridiculous but she was free.

Daniel hoped Louis didn’t intend to embarrass him too much in front of the only new friend he’d made in fifteen years, unless he counted Armand. It occurred to him that he was probably going to have to lay out some ground rules, otherwise things could get messy.

For a start, they would not be allowed to bring up Lestat.

“What part of avoid miscommunications, bad behavior, and scandal did you not understand,” Jesse laughed ruefully once Lestat was safely in her car.

Jesse was the only one he could think to call to pick him up, having bailed himself out of jail after getting arrested the night before. They just managed to fight their way through the crowd of paparazzi at the door and Chrissie had already texted Lestat to let him know his new security detail would be meeting him at his apartment. Lestat’s lawyer advised him to keep his head down and she’d meet with him to go over charges the next day.

Lestat was likely going to get away without charges considering he was the victim, but he’d likely have to pay a fine for being a public disturbance. Enkil was in far more trouble and also far more danger given that he was a brown foreign national from a Muslim country and Americans never stopped being pieces of shit about that. The young man being a famous Egyptian rap artist could go either way as far as working in his favor. Lestat wasn’t sure if pressing charges and potentially getting the man deported was the best idea. Optically it was a PR nightmare that would just bring more negative attention to Akasha and the show. Lestat simply wanted it to be a non-issue, which said a lot about how much he’d grown as a person.

“Akasha and I communicated exactly as we needed to, neither of us did anything wrong, and the only one who caused any scandal was him,” Lestat calmly explained.

“Technically all true,” Jesse sighed as she pulled out into the street, “I guess this is me feeling guilty about suggesting you hook up with her in the first place.”

“Well, not to worry,” Lestat huffed, “She tried to convince me, while I was being arrested mind you, that we could still work something out. I told her to kindly find someone else to entertain her. That is finished.”

“How was she, as far as rebounds go,” Jesse asked, unable to restrain her curiosity.

“Very enthusiastic, an excellent distraction,” Lestat admitted, “But things have definitely run their course.”

Lestat couldn’t help but wonder if Daniel had heard about the disaster bookends to his holiday with Claudia. If his fling with Akasha made the news, then a wrestling match with her unhinged ex certainly would. Lestat was still nursing a fat lip on top of all the bruises and scratches, which was incredibly aggravating because it meant he couldn’t perform for at least another night. He might have been slightly less aggravated about it if he’d gotten the fat lip and the bruises and scratches in a sexy way at least.

“Seth is going to have a conniption,” Jesse sighed, “And of course this will either spike demand for tickets for our show or tank us.”

“Please trust that it is my hope to make this all go away as quickly and as quietly as possible,” Lestat informed her, “I have forgotten how unsavory this type of attention could be.”

“Am I taking you back to yours,” Jesse asked.

“Oui, Chrissie has my new security detail waiting for me there,” Lestat told her, “Hopefully they’re just a temporary measure until this kerfuffle is resolved.”

“Fingers crossed,” his friend lifted her hand from the steering wheel to show him her crossed fingers.

“Thank you kindly for the ride, Jesse, and…,” Lestat laughed to himself, “For being a friend.”

“Of course,” Jesse reached over and patted his shoulder, “What were the odds we’d ever actually meet again? I’m really glad I got you back.”

Lestat knew there was a debt of gratitude he owed Jesse for more than just being a good support system while he’d been in New York, especially now that he was fairly certain he would be staying in the city for some time. Daniel was the only person he’d talked to about it, with Louis and Claudia still none the wiser. Things dissolving with Daniel so suddenly put a wrinkle in informing others of his intentions and he never did bring them into the know. Now the plan was to tell them when Louis flew into town for Romeo and Juliet.

“Well, you’ll probably get to keep me,” Lestat mentioned, “I’ve decided to remain in New York for a while.”

Jesse looked at him out of the corner of her eye, “This isn’t because of Daniel is it?”

“No,” Lestat said, trying to hold back the animal called Grief as it attempted to crawl up his throat and escape from him, “Daniel was the first to know of my intention to remain. I asked him to stay with me.

Telling her about Daniel’s departure had been one of the harder things he had done in a while, though it wasn’t until after New Year’s and after hooking up with Akasha again that he did. She was upset that he didn’t tell her sooner but she was glad to finally know why he’d been so off since opening night. Jesse was the one who insisted he reach out to Julian and get some referrals for professional support in New York, which he was still working on. Lestat had honestly forgotten that speaking to a therapist was an option, one he likely should have recalled on his own. He hoped to find someone soon, because his coping mechanisms weren’t working as effectively as he would have liked.

“I’m sorry, hon,” Jesse said in a low, gentle voice, “You still… haven’t heard from him?”

Lestat grimaced and shook his head. Despite the way Daniel hurt him, he couldn’t help but feel as though their lack of contact wasn’t just on Daniel. Lestat had been too afraid to reach out. When he expressed that to Jesse she acted as though he’d lost his mind.

“It’s not on you to reach out,” she protested angrily, “He left you. He broke your heart. He’s the one that should be on his knees, crawling back. I don’t care how geriatric he is.”

“No,” Lestat sighed, “Still nothing.”

“Do you still want to,” Jesse continued.

He knew it made him pathetic, but Lestat was practically dying to hear from Daniel in any way. He knew Daniel meant for him to hate him, but he couldn’t find it in him to do so. It took him three years to get over Louis and that only happened because of Daniel. Lestat was petrified of how long it might take to get past his dear l'ancêtre.

“Oui,” he confessed.

“Man, he really, really dragged you in deep,” Jesse gave a low whistle, “Was the dick that good?”

“I couldn’t even begin to tell you,” Lestat mumbled, “But it was more than that. Things were simple with him. Easy.”

Until they weren’t, he finished in his head.

“Still, in your shoes, I don’t know if I could forgive him so easily,” Jesse shook her head.

“Well, I have yet to be given the chance to forgive him at all,” Lestat replied mournfully.

Jesse was quiet next to him for a while, contemplating something, “You want me to keep you company for a bit when we get to yours?”

Lestat looked over at her and gave her an uncertain smile, “I think I might like that.”

Jesse hung out with him for an hour or two once they arrived, and Lestat was thankful that his new security detail was discreet. They melted away like snow in spring the moment he was inside, likely to remain unseen until he left his apartment for work the next day. His friend and him did little more than kill time watching television and chatting about nothing, but it helped Lestat feel settled.

Jesse left for Carousel and Lestat decided to call it an early night. It was harder for him to get to sleep on nights he didn’t perform, so he would often slip into bed early to give himself enough time to wind down and drift off. Tonight he was fairly certain it would be next to impossible to slip into slumber, his thoughts spinning on Daniel as they were. Lestat just wished the man was with him, that he’d never left, that none of this nonsense with Akasha had ever happened.

He wished he knew what it would take to bring Daniel back.

Armand’s fingers were laced under his chin as he listened to Daniel’s new friend talk a bit about her life prior to her arrival in the States. He could tell that talking about Vietnam wasn’t easy for her, even after so much time having passed, but when the topic came up, she insisted that she didn’t mind sharing some of what it was like.

He wasn’t sure yet what Louis thought about Molly, but he liked her. She had the same sardonic, acerbic nature as Daniel, but with the gumption of a real life survivor undergirding it. Daniel had that, too, but it was very different, flavored more like self-preservation than self-determination. Armand could see why Daniel had been drawn to Molly as a friend.

That was the other thing he observed between the two older people at the table. Louis had expressed to him some doubt that the two of them were simply friends. Within a few minutes it was very obvious that Daniel and Molly were more Statler and Waldorf than some late in life love story. All in all the lunch was going well, the conversation otherwise light and the food delicious as always.

They were interrupted when Louis needed to step away from the table very briefly to accept a call from Claudia and Armand remained to keep the conversation going. He expected Louis to be gone for longer but within a few minutes, he returned.

“Uh…,” Louis stammered, “Armand? Can you join me in the kitchen?”

Daniel raised an eyebrow from where he sat, “Everything alright, Louis?”

Armand registered a flash of discomfort in Louis’ expression and he stood, ready to join his husband in the other room.

“Everything is fine,” Louis replied.

Armand winced, because it wasn’t a very convincing lie. For the most part he appreciated that Louis was terrible with deception, but there were certainly times when a soft skill for fibbing would have come in handy. Louis was likely thinking that now would have been one of those times.

“Uh huh,” Daniel said in a flat tone.

Next to him, Molly was visibly confused, “What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing, really,” Louis tried his little lie again, doing a slightly better job, “Just need Armand’s help with dessert.”

Armand looked to Daniel, whose jaw was working a bit with displeasure as he tried to decide if he was going to let Louis get away with his attempted bluff. He stood quickly, hoping that maybe he could diffuse the tension.

“Come, love,” Armand said, walking to Louis’ side, casting a glance over his shoulder as they traveled back into the kitchen, “What’s wrong, darling?”

“Look,” Louis said in an almost growl, shoving his phone into Armand’s hand.

Armand trained his eyes on the screen, not clear on what he was looking at for a moment. As he continued to read his eyes widened, and he looked up at Louis, aghast.

“He was arrested,” Armand exclaimed, perhaps louder than he meant to because Louis shushed him, “Arrested,” he hissed again, his voice lowered.

“The way TMZ tells it, he got into a full on brawl with this guy in front of his apartment,” Louis shook his head, “All over a girl fifteen years younger than him.”

Louis’ fingers were rubbing little circles into his temples in a self-soothing gesture.

“Is this what Claudia called about,” Armand asked, his expression growing grim when Louis nodded, “Christ.”

“I swear, Lestat never did learn to stay out of trouble,” Louis lamented.

“Lestat is in trouble,” a voice came from behind him and Armand turned to see Daniel in the doorway of the kitchen.

He turned back to see an uneasy expression on his husband’s face.

“Show him, baby,” came the gentle command from Louis, and Armand passed Daniel Louis’ phone.

They’d promised Daniel that they wouldn’t bring Lestat up in front of Molly, and their absconding to the kitchen was meant to be a tactic to keep that promise. Armand supposed the man heard his exclamation and his investigative nature made it too difficult not to come into the kitchen and find out what was happening. He stood next to Louis as they both watched Daniel read the through article, back out of it, scroll through more search results to confirm it wasn’t just gossip page nonsense and then hand the phone back over, his expression blank.

“Danny…,” Louis started.

“Nope,” Daniel said in a clipped tone and turned on his heel, heading in the direction of the backyard.

Armand felt Louis start to follow him and he put out a hand to stop him.

“Wait,” he said gently to his husband, “May- May I try?”

Louis blinked at him in surprise, “Um… sure?”

Armand smiled at him, leaning forward to press a kiss to Louis’ lips, “Not to worry, love. I think- I think I know what to do.”

Armand slowly made his way out to the back deck, finding Daniel standing with his back turned at the front edge of it looking out into the yard.

“I don’t wanna hear it, Louis,” the older man said gruffly.

“Not Louis,” Armand smiled as Daniel looked back in surprise over his shoulder at the sound of his voice.

Armand walked up to stand next to Daniel, his hands shoved in his pockets. For a while he just stood there, letting Daniel stew a bit before he started speaking.

“The very first time I saw Lestat, I wanted him,” Armand stated, “I thought he was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen, and a younger, stupider me thought it was love at first sight.”

Daniel answered him with stony silence, but Armand wasn't expecting him to respond just yet.

“I did everything, everything I could to make him want me and only me,” Armand continued, “There was no line I was unwilling to cross to make him mine. I told him I loved him, but he never said it back.”

Daniel gave him a sidelong glance that told Armand he needed get to his point quickly, and he pulled his hands from his pockets. They folded in front of him as he turned to lean on the guard rail of the deck and tried to better order his thoughts.

“Lestat isn’t capable of withholding love unless he genuinely doesn’t feel it,” he explained to Daniel, “And word on the street is that he’s in love with you.”

Daniel let out a slow breath, casting his gaze up at the beautiful, blue SoCal sky, “Yeah.”

Armand looked at him, “You think he can do better than you.”

“Yeah,” Daniel’s said again.

“You seem to think you’re the only person who’s running out of time, but none of us know how much time we have left, Daniel Molloy,” Armand grew contemplative, “It slips through your fingers, like sand. You turn around and someone you thought had their whole life ahead of them is just… gone. It’s all too precious to waste, and Lestat knows that better than most.”

“That didn’t stop him from hurting Louis,” Daniel grunted.

“And it didn’t stop you from hurting him,” Armand’s pointed out, “People are good at hurting the ones they love, inadvertently, on purpose,” he paused before continuing, “Why did you leave him?”

“You already said it, he deserves better than me,” Daniel’s shrugged.

“Why did you leave him,” Armand asked again, knowing he needed to push the words out of Daniel once and for all.

“Because it was the only way he’d actually try to find someone else,” Daniel continued to obfuscate.

“Daniel,” Armand said softly, though his tone was pointed, “Why did you leave him?”

Daniel glared at him, but Armand held firm.

“I’m not going to stop asking until you tell me the truth in its painfully obvious entirety,” he told Daniel, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I could just leave, you know,” Daniel’s eyes flicked to the door and his potential escape route.

“You could,” Armand nodded, “You can keep running if you want, but there’s a man in New York who needs you, and unless the honest answer to the question I am asking is something other than what we both know it to be, there is nowhere you can run that will change that truth.”

Armand leveled his gaze at Daniel on more time, locking him into a staring contest that he fully intended to win.

“Why did you leave Lestat, Daniel,” he prompted the old man one more time.

Daniel closed his eyes and let out a shuddery exhale, shaking his head, “Because- Because I- fuck. I can’t fuckin' do this.”

“You have to, Daniel,” Armand tried to encourage him.

“Well I’m not gonna say it for the first time to you, man,” Daniel protested.

“Then maybe you should go back so you can say it to him,” Armand shrugged.

“I got a job,” Daniel tried to excuse himself, “There’s this trip to Dubai. My family is here. I’ve lived in California my whole life and everything I care about is in LA.”

“Not everything,” Armand’s reminded him, “Work can wait, family will always be there when you need them, but love? Real love? I can tell you right now that letting that get away… I’m glad that wasn’t how things turned out for me,” Armand smiled at the memory of Louis locking his office door and making it very plain how he felt about him, “I don’t know what I would have done if Louis had decided not to come for me, but I hope I would have eventually been brave enough to go after him myself.”

Daniel was silent, likely considering Armand’s words and what they meant for him.

“A small part of me, an old part of me, envies you, Daniel,” he chuckled to himself, “You have what I never could get a hold of, and the great irony is, from what I can tell, you didn’t have to try at all.”

Daniel remained still, contemplative, looking off into the middle distance. Armand got the feeling that the man wasn't ignoring him, he was simply lost in thought, wrestling with whatever demons lived inside him.

"I'll leave you to think on it, Daniel," Armand finally acquiesced, "But I think you miss him. I think it's killing you not to be with him, figuratively and literally. There's a solution to all of this, and it's not as complicated as you're making it out to be."

A deep frown decorated the elderly man's face, and Armand gave him one more long look before righting himself and heading for the door that would take him back inside. Behind him, Daniel had yet to move, and Armand wondered if it wasn't a good idea to let Molly know that her friend might not be back in for a bit.

Louis had brought the tiny lady to their living room to sit, providing her with some little cakes and some tea. Despite the nerves Armand could read in Louis' posture, his husband appeared to be doing a lovely job of entertaining Molly and keeping the atmosphere light.

"Is everything alright," Louis asked the moment he saw Armand enter the space.

"Daniel is ruminating," Armand explained, "He might be awhile."

Even as he was saying the words, he heard the door connecting to the deck opening and shutting, and footsteps indicating that Daniel had come back inside. Louis stood expectantly as Daniel crossed the threshold into the living room.

"I, uh, I have some things I need to go home and take care of," the older man said, giving Molly an apologetic look, "May I call you a Lyft or something?"

Molly shook her head brightly, "Louis told me that it might be a good idea for me to call my son when you decided to step out for a moment. He's on his way."

"I'm sorry, Molly," Daniel apologized, "I didn't exactly mean to bring all this to a screeching halt."

"Don't worry about it," Molly waved him off, "I got a nice meal with two young, lovely, very handsome men and Louis has been telling me some very fun stories about you."

"Oh, God," Daniel's brow furrowed, "Do I wanna know?"

"Well, I guess that depends," Molly pursed her lips thoughtfully, then gave him a mischievous look.

Armand watched Daniel try to decide if he wanted to spend more time untangling whatever was going on in that moment, but the decision was quickly made with a short shake of the gray-haired man's head.

"Louis, could I grab a ride," Daniel asked, and Armand smiled to himself.

"Sure," Louis asked, momentarily confused and tossing a glance in Armand's direction, "You mind making sure Molly is okay until her son gets here?"

"Of course not, my love, go on," Armand shooed the two men off and peered at Molly once they were out the door, "Now, why don't you fill me in on what Louis has been telling you?"

Lestat scrolled through the options on Zillow, less impressed with each house and apartment the longer he looked. He knew it was simply fatigue from trying to find something that would suit the breadth of his needs. He wasn’t looking for some luxury penthouse place at the top of one of the many skyscrapers in New York. He didn’t require another large mansion, which kept reminding him that he needed to put his Los Angeles home back on the market and downsize to something smaller there. He would still be finding himself in LA often enough to need a home base, he simply didn’t need one as large anymore.

There were a few brownstones that had caught his eye, and there were some spots in neighborhoods he was aware had already been gentrified to death. Someplace close to Juilliard but not so close that Claudia would feel stifled was the hope. Lestat was willing to settle for two bedrooms in a pinch but a third room that could be turned into a study…

Lestat closed out the Zillow tab and set his phone aside, closing his eyes so he could take a deep, calming breath.

You don’t need a third room for a study you will never use, he thought to himself, You only want a third room to turn into a study for someone who isn’t coming back.

A week had passed since the incident with Enkil and thanks to some pretty impressive work by Lestat’s lawyer, a settlement was already in the works. Lestat wasn’t being charged with anything and he’d decided that provided Enkil pay Akasha some form of restitution for the undue stress he’d caused her, Lestat wouldn’t press charges for the assault. Everyone involved seemed to understand that this was a better outcome than a loud legal mess, so Lestat was fairly certain the problem would be resolved in the immediate future.

In that time Lestat decided a few things. He was going to find a permanent residence and he was going to accept that Daniel wasn’t going to return. It was time to stop pining and move on with his life, which would be the last time he ever did something Daniel asked of him. He also managed to secure a new therapist, though they had yet to speak for more than thirty minutes for intake. Lestat’s first impression of Raphael was that he was slightly less serious than Julian, but they had a very similar vibe. Lestat wondered if his former therapist had set out to refer him to people similar to him on purpose.

Part of the moving on was repeating hard truths to himself, the main one being that Daniel was gone and it would likely be some time before Lestat ever saw him again. His heart was still trying to fight back, hope being an incredibly hard thing to kill, despite its frailty. Lestat never had been adept at winning battles against his heart, but he had to this time, or he’d never heal.

He was completely lost in thought when he received a text notification and looking down he saw it was from one of his security guards, who was on retainer until the Enkil matter was fully closed.

Some dude is trying to get up to your apartment, read the text, Says he’s your boyfriend?

Lestat shot straight up from where he’d been sitting, unable to believe what he was seeing.

An old man, he texted back, his hands shaking.

Yeah, grumpy as shit, too.

Lestat stared at the text, certain he was hallucinating the words that were on his screen.

Should I let him up?

Yes! For the love of God, please let him up.

Lestat didn’t even wait for Daniel, because it had to be Daniel, to reach his front door. He rushed out of his apartment and down the short hallway to stand eagerly at the elevator doors, waiting for them to slide open to reveal the man.

Daniel looked good, that was the first thing Lestat thought when the man became visible. The second thing he thought was that the man had a lot of luggage.

“Daniel,” he whispered, “You’re here.”

“Yeah,” the much older man looked at him uncertainly, “I… heard about what happened and I thought you might- thought you might need me.”

“Need you,” Lestat looked at Daniel, not knowing entirely what to say in response.

Daniel struggled for a moment to get all his suitcases out of the elevator, and Lestat wondered how the man managed them alone from Los Angeles.

“Are you headed somewhere,” he asked, afraid to give voice to the more obvious question.

Daniel glanced up at him, looking as though he might be sick as he swallowed hard, and Lestat couldn’t help but pity the poor man. He seemed so nervous.

“Well… ah,” Daniel scratched the back of his head before squaring his shoulders, “Fuck it. Look. I fucked up. I fucked up big time and I know I have some nerve showing up here with all this shit hoping you’ll forgive me and take me back but I’m so-”

“I forgive you,” Lestat blurted out, unable to contain himself.

“What,” Daniel gawped at him.

“I forgive you,” Lestat repeated, feeling tears welling in his eyes as he stepped into Daniel and took the man’s face in his hands.

“What,” the old man asked again, clearly confused.

Lestat began to kiss Daniel, tears mixing in with every press of his lips to Daniel’s skin, “I forgive you. I forgive you. I forgive you. I forgive you.”

When he pulled away he saw that Daniel’s eyes were wet, too, and he was trying very hard not to cry.

“You- You’re forgiving me? After what I did to you,” the older man inquired, stunned.

“Yes,” Lestat replied, kissing Daniel again, this time very softly on the mouth, “You came back. Of course I am.”

“You’re crazy,” Daniel laughed in disbelief, “Why aren’t you angry with me?”

“You are the one who is worried about not having enough time and you want me to waste more of it by being angry with you,” Lestat asked, tilting his head to one side.

Daniel looked at him in a way that made Lestat feel as though he might come apart at the seams. It had been so long since Lestat had been allowed to bask in that look, and it took all his strength not to melt into the man right then and there. It became easier to suppress that urge as the tears in Daniel’s eyes started streaking down his cheeks and he opened his mouth to say something, immediately shutting it again.

“Daniel…,” he murmured, stroking the man’s cheek, “What is it? Tell me.”

“I- I love you, Lestat,” Daniel said, his sea foam green eyes soft but so full of fear, “I love you and I don’t know how to stop.”

“Do- do you wish to stop,” Lestat asked, starting to tremble.

Daniel immediately shook his head, “No. No, I don’t, but I’m scared, man. That’s why I left. I love you and it fucking terrifies me.”

Lestat ran his thumbs over Daniel’s cheeks, wiping away his tears and looking into the man’s eyes, able to see how terrified he was. He pressed his forehead to Daniel’s, clinging to him as tightly as he could, wanting more than anything to make all Daniel’s anxieties fade away.

“Daniel, you think I don’t understand what it means for us to be together,” he began slowly, “But I know it means taking care of you, and there are only so many ways for me to say that I am okay with that. I want to be the one who cares for you.”

”So you’re really okay with the fact that one day I might need you to feed me, and clothe me, and wipe my ass for me,” Daniel grimaced.

Lestat smiled fondly at Daniel, “If that is what it comes to, I will do all that and more for you. Anything, Daniel.”

Daniel shook his head, “I don’t get it, babe.”

“What is there to get,” Lestat admonished Daniel, “I love you. If you love me, too, truly, to stay with me so we can care for each other is all I wish.”

“I do love you, Lestat,” Daniel repeated, “And if you want me to stay, then I guess I’m staying.”

Lestat pulled Daniel into another kiss, wrapping his arms around the man’s neck and whimpering when Daniel held him tightly around his middle. The suitcases could wait, but Lestat, in his need, could not. He began to walk backwards, leading Daniel down the short stretch to his apartment. His hands roamed hungrily over the form of the man who’d been out of the picture for two and half months and by the time they hit the door, he already had Daniel’s shirt off.

“Please, mon amour,” Lestat murmured into Daniel’s mouth, “Tell me you want me.”

“Yeah, I fuckin’ want you,” Daniel growled, his hands scooping down over Lestat’s ass to squeeze at it.

“Tell me you need me,” Lestat reached back to fumble his door open.

“I’ve never needed anyone like I need you, babe,” Daniel’s mouth dropped down to Lestat’s neck, eagerly latching onto the soft skin there.

Lestat let his head fall back, leaning against the door frame despite the fact that they could enter the apartment if they wanted to. He allowed the sensation of Daniel’s lips on him to pull him under for a moment, reveling in the tingles Daniel’s touch sent through him. His body was being set alight, and he could feel a throbbing ache beginning to form in his pants, trapped under useless layers of fabric.

“Tell me, Daniel,” Lestat groaned as he pressed himself up hard against his sweet old man, “Tell me again that you love me.”

“Je t’aime, Lestat,” Daniel said, his voice so quiet and so reverent that Lestat almost didn’t hear it.

“Oh God,” Lestat loudly moaned, surprised and uncontrollably turned on by Daniel using French to express his feelings, “Daniel, s’il te plaît… Please, I need- I need-”

“Shhh…,” Daniel hushed him, stepping back to bring Lestat into the apartment, leaving the suitcases out in the hall as he closed the door, “I’ve got you.”

They wound their way back to the bedroom, clothes falling to the ground as they went. Lestat was so keyed up by the time they hit the bed he wasn’t sure he would last long if Daniel touched him anywhere below the waist.

“Daniel,” Lestat croaked, “S’il te plaît…”

“You want me to touch you, babe,” Daniel asked from where he was pressing kisses into Lestat’s stomach, “You wanna be in my mouth?”

“I won’t last,” Lestat admitted, “I feel like I’m falling apart.”

“It’s okay,” Daniel ran a hand over Lestat’s thigh as though to gentle him, “I’m not gonna last long, either.”

Lestat looked down to see that Daniel was also overcome, his perfect pink cock flushed a deep and angry looking red. Based on the way the man was panting heavily into Lestat’s abs, Lestat wouldn’t have been surprised if Daniel told him he hadn’t been with anyone else since they parted.

“Viens à moi, mon amour,” Lestat beckoned Daniel upward.

The man looked at him curiously until Lestat arranged them so that Daniel was settled between his legs, their lengths resting on each other.

“Oui,” Lestat sighed when Daniel got the picture and slowly started to rock against him, “Oui, like that…”

Daniel seemed mesmerized by the slow slide of their cocks rubbing together, staring fixedly at the action between them as though he couldn’t get enough of the visual. Lestat reached down to create a loose fist around the two leaking shafts, giving them a channel to run through and a little extra pressure.

“Shit,” Daniel hissed, “Fuck, that feels good.”

Lestat hummed in agreement, biting back a soft groan of his own as the sensitive tips bumped up against each other.

“I need your release, Daniel,” Lestat implored, “I need to be covered in you.”

“Need to be mine, babe,” Daniel managed to reply, “Need to know you belong to me?”

“Oui, oui,” Lestat nodded emphatically, “I beg you, mon amour.”

Daniel’s hips started going at him with more purpose, the stimulating drag of skin on skin and the assist from Lestat’s hand providing enough friction to make the man’s eyes roll back in his head and spill himself across Lestat’s chest. The moment Daniel’s orgasm started leaping out in hot, thick ropes over him, Lestat let himself go with a cry, adding the mess Daniel was making of him.

“Oh, Daniel,” Lestat moaned through what felt like an almost endless release, “C'est toujours si bien avec toi…”

Daniel’s hips were still twitching against him when Lestat’s climax finally subsided, but he pulled his lover down to rest against him anyway. They could worry about cleaning up later, given how likely it was that they would be going again in little time at all. Before that happened, though, Lestat really wanted to hold Daniel, ground himself in the reality that the gray haired man was actually there.

“You came back,” he whispered, his hands running up and down Daniel’s back, “You came back to me.”

“Yeah…,” Daniel replied, his fingers trailing along Lestat’s collarbones and down his chest, tripping over the occasional streak of stickiness.

“What made you change your mind,” Lestat asked.

He felt Daniel shrug, “Lotta things. Missed you, worried about you, and frankly, everything just fucking sucked without you. It hurt. Right here.”

Lestat saw Daniel dig his knuckles into his chest and he reached out to touch the man. For a moment, they were both quiet, their hands over Daniel’s heart. Lestat could feel it beating beneath his fingertips, and knew there wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do to shield it from harm.

Daniel gave him a small smile before continuing,“Then I heard about what happened, the arrest.”

Lestat’s mouth formed a hard line and he sighed, “And…,” he prompted, hoping to move on from that particular topic.

“You’re probably not gonna believe me, but it was Armand who convinced me to come back,” Daniel revealed.

Lestat blinked a few times, very much in disbelief, “Armand?”

Daniel nodded, “Mentioned it was pretty special, you being in love with me. Tried to get me to admit out loud how I really felt. Made a good point about neither of us really knowing how much time we had left. It was annoying, but he was right,” the old man sighed, “I never should have left you, but I was so caught up in my own bullshit that I refused to accept what everyone, including me, already knew to be true.”

Lestat wasn’t sure how he felt about it having been Armand who finally convinced Daniel to return to him. The Armand he knew in high school would never have done such a thing. Then again, maybe it was high time Lestat accepted that Armand wasn’t that lâche kid anymore. Did he need to call the man to thank him? Lestat wasn’t sure he could stomach thanking Armand for anything truly significant, but a small seed of gratitude planted itself in Lestat’s heart anyway.

“And what about work, your family,” Lestat asked, moving himself along, “I know those things are important to you, too.”

“Ready for some more unbelievable news,” Daniel looked up at him with crooked smile, “I’ve decided to retire. Not quit writing,” the man reassured Lestat, whose mouth had dropped open in shock, “But not do the whole full time job thing anymore. I’ll type up the occasional op-ed for Raglan, just to keep things spicy, but I’m thinking I might write a book or two. And my family understands, honestly. They practically threw me on the plane themselves.”

“What about Louis,” Lestat wondered, “You’ve been partners for forever.”

“That won’t change,” Daniel explained, “Part of my very nice severance package was an agreement that Louis can still work with me, even with the non-compete clause. He won’t have me as a partner at the Times anymore, but he never worked exclusively with just me, anyway.”

“The trip to Dubai,” Lestat’s brow furrowed, “Louis mentioned to me that you two had a big story taking place overseas?”

Daniel wet his lips before answering, “I’ve asked Raglan to find someone else to go with Louis. I could technically still do it, but I don’t want to, not really. Dubai sucks balls in the not fun way and I’d much rather be here with you.”

Lestat was having a hard time processing Daniel’s words, “Have you ever refused an assignment before?”

“All the time,” Daniel stated, “It’s not as uncommon an occurrence as you might think,” the old man chuckled to himself, “The best thing about retiring is that I never have to go the New Year’s gala ever again.”

“You’re really here to stay,” Lestat said, finally allowing himself to believe it was true.

“I am,” Daniel smiled at him, “And I think I’d like to kiss you a bit more if that’s okay?”

“You may do so much more than kiss me, l'ancêtre,” Lestat whispered, “You may have all of me.”

New York, 2032…

“Anything for me,” Daniel asked, peering at Lestat over his glasses as the man went through their mail.

“Hm, yes, this,” Lestat pulled an envelope free, “From your doctor. Strange. You didn’t have any tests recently, did you?”

“No,” Daniel’s brow furrowed in confusion, taking the piece of mail from his long time companion, a label he liked much better than ‘boyfriend’.

He pried open the envelope with slightly wobbly hands and pulled out the letter inside to read it. As his eyes skimmed the words they widened, and he felt Lestat take a seat next to him.

“What is it, mon amour,” Lestat asked, slipping an arm behind him to rest next to his hip on the sofa and his chin on Daniel’s shoulder.

Daniel cleared his throat and began to read, “'Dear Mr. Molloy, We hope this letter finds you well.' Blah blah blah… 'We have recently begun screening the most up to date test results from among our Parkinson’s patients to determine compatibility with a new medication that has shown excellent results in curing Parkinson’s and believe you to be a promising candidate. We would like you to schedule an appointment with us to discuss this treatment and your options further.'”

“Is… did I hear that right,” Lestat murmured in his ear, “They’ve found a cure for Parkinson’s?”

“They’ve found a cure for Parkinson’s,” Daniel muttered in disbelief, “And they wanna give it to me.”

“Daniel…,” Lestat breathed, “Daniel, this is incredible.”

Daniel let the letter fall to his lap and he turned to look at Lestat, who was crying, of course. Lestat was a crybaby about everything, but that was one of the things that endeared the man so deeply to Daniel. He leaned in and kissed the man he loved, the man who never once gave up on them. After seven years together, Daniel couldn’t believe that whatever time they had left would see him cured of the thing he feared would eventually take him away from Lestat in the first place. He never thought he’d live to see an actual cure for Parkinson’s.

The kiss led them to their bedroom, a slow and celebratory love making the only thing Daniel wanted to do in that moment. Lying together in the afterglow, Daniel felt a completion unlike anything he’d ever known he could feel.

“Daniel,” Lestat said softly from where he lay beside him, “Marry me.”

Daniel snorted, “What?”

“Marry me,” Lestat said again.

“Lestat, I love you, but what are you talking about,” Daniel asked him.

Marriage was one of the few things they'd both agreed was not an end goal for their relationship, both fully satisfied with the untraditional nature of their arrangement. They weren't seeing other people, they were very much exclusive, but marriage felt unnecessary, and they were happy with things as they were. Lestat's proposal was a bit of a curveball as far as Daniel was concerned.

“I’m not speaking of a wedding or anything like that,” Lestat tried to explain, “No ceremony, no invitations, no officiant, no lines for a license. I mean here, right now, just you and me. Marry me, Daniel Molloy.”

Daniel looked at Lestat, who was looking back at him with all the love in the world and he shook his head.

“Fine,” he acquiesced, “I’ll marry you.”

Lestat sat up and Daniel followed him so they faced each other, legs crossed and their hands joined between them.

“Daniel, I take you to be my husband,” Lestat said, his smile mischievous, “Your turn.”

Daniel sighed and checked Lestat’s chin with his knuckle, “You’re ridiculous.”

“You love me,” Lestat reminded him.

“I do,” Daniel confirmed, “And I take you to be my husband, too.”

Lestat smirked victoriously and planted a kiss on Daniel, who decided that turnabout was fair play.

“Hate to break it to you, Lestat,” he sighed, “But we both know I’m no good at this marriage thing, so I’m afraid we’re gonna have to get divorced now.”

Lestat pouted, “Non, mon renard argenté, I do not wish to.”

“Tough,” Daniel shrugged, “We might as well get it out of the way, cause it’s gonna happen sooner or later.”

“Fine,” Lestat crossed his arms over his chest, though the gleam in his eye indicated that he was amused by their little game, “I divorce you, Daniel.”

“I divorce you back,” Daniel gave a single, satisfied nod, then turned to lay back on the bed.

He could sense Lestat looking down at him before he finally moved to rest his head on Daniel’s chest.

"You're divorcing me, but you're not leaving me," Lestat asked.

"That's right," Daniel replied, wrapping his arm around the blonde.

“Well, if you’re going to stay we might as well remarry, mon cher,” Lestat pointed out.

“Oh, we might as well, huh,” Daniel wondered aloud, “Is that how this works?”

“I’m afraid so,” Lestat ran his hand lovingly over the soft pooch of Daniel’s belly, “I’ve lived in sin long enough.”

“Well, I guess we can’t have that,” Daniel gave Lestat a half-smile, “Let’s get married, then. Again.”

The man Daniel was in love with was a vain, ridiculous, dopey crybaby sometimes, but he was also a fiercely passionate, deeply devoted human being. The last seven years hadn’t always been easy, but Daniel didn’t know if he’d ever been happier at any point in his life than he was the moment Lestat ‘married’ him again. What kept cycling through his head was the dawning realization that there was still so much life ahead of both of them, and Daniel was so grateful that he was going to spend the rest of his with Lestat de Lioncourt.