Chapter Text
Their room was starting to get claustrophobic.
Amelia had insisted that Noé continued to rest at the Hôtel Chouchou despite his wounds having visibly healed.
“The soul sometimes needs a little longer. Plus, we cannot account for any internal injuries.” she had asserted. “I will not have you bedridden, again, due to an early dismissal.”
The Dhampir trio were even more persistent.
“You idiots almost passed out on the way home, like hell you’re done resting.” Riche had said.
“I agree,” Johann added, “You are not a vampire Vanitas. And if Noé still needs time, so do you.”
“Don’t be stubborn and stay put.” Dante affirmed.
Thus, Noé and Vanitas were begrudgingly trapped in the confines of Hôtel Chouchou until their friends were satisfied.
Awkward silences were broken with small talk. Small talk would develop into jokes about their adventures. Then a serious air would fall on their conversations, like the heavy spring rains that now washed the streets of Paris. Although Noé was still assured of his promise to Vanitas, the tension it brought between them was dense. Eventually, the elephant in the room would be addressed. The question was, who would address it first.
“Did I ever tell you,” Vanitas started. “About seeing Roland and Olivier at the cafe?”
Noé was laying on his bed, a book propped on his chest. Although his breath stopped for a moment, Noé did not look up from the pages. The early afternoon sun was streaming in through the window, at the perfect angle to light up his novel. He recalled eavesdropping on Vanitas spilling his crisis to the two chasseurs after his date with Jeanne.
“The cafe down the street? When was that?” Noé said, despite Vanitas’ voice burning in his mind. “How could someone like me be loved?”
“Yes. I was in a weird place and confided in them about…” Vanitas’ pause felt endless to Noé. “About my date with Jeanne.”
“How did that go?”
“Wonderful.” he breathed, remembering the promise he made with her and the bites she indulged in. “I think, at least. But it did send me into a spiral about all sorts of things.” Vanitas was sitting on the window sill, instead of his usual view on the rooftop. The early spring air was cold but Noé did not mind. “I thought about the time we danced together.” Noé smiled at the memory.
“Have you improved since then?” he teased, putting the book down and sitting up on the bed.
“Have I improved? You’re the one who stepped on my feet!” Vanitas huffed. “Have I improved. The nerve!”
“But have you?”
“Does it look like I am in the state for dance lessons? Besides, you’re the one with a bourgeois upbringing. Didn’t Dominique teach you anything?”
“Domi usually leads.”
“That sounds about right.” Vanitas scoffed. Noé blushed.
“That is beside the point.” He countered. “You were recalling our dance together after chatting with Roland and Olivier, then what?” Noé insisted. Vanitas took a deep breath.
“I thought about the question you asked me. I’m now thinking about it myself.” Vanitas refused to look back at Noé. He felt a comforting warmth in his chest. The flutter in his stomach that he taught himself to suppress was bubbling up. He steeled his nerves and continued. His words came out slow and calculated. “I am thinking about our promise and those spiraling ideas come up.” Noé stood up from the side of the bed. “I asked you for this favour because I trust you. And because I-” The word caught in his throat. He took another breath, daring to turn to face Noé. “I trust you and…” Vanitas did not expect Noé to be standing right in front of him. The vampire moved silently when he wanted to. Vanitas stood up to match his gaze. “I trust you-”
Noé closed the distance between them. He casted a quick glance to his lips before he kissed Vanitas. It was a momentary softness as he pressed their lips together and stepped back. Vanitas was frozen in shock, processing the feeling of Noé’s lips. Noé held his breath, bracing for any reaction. The silence was deafening.
“I'm sorry” Noé started. “I shouldn't have assumed that you meant-”
Vanitas cupped his hand along the back of Noé neck and pulled him close, sealing the distance with another kiss. When he pulled away, Noé’s lilac eyes met his with a softness. He wore the same gentle smile from the clocktower, the same glow when he accepted Vanitas’ wish. Noé held his gaze, wanting to memorize Vanitas' vulnerability. His blue eyes were a lake, wide and glimmering in the sunlight. Vanitas smiled, running his hand down the back of Noé neck to his collar. He started to fold it over, laying it down properly on his chemise.
“You assumed correctly.” Vanitas mused. “I had a feeling you wanted more than just my blood.”
“What do you mean?” Noé tilted his head to the side.
“When Dante had visited for the debrief about Gevauden, after I had met up with Jeanne.” Vanitas brushed past him, taking a seat on his bed. “My arm was still bleeding. You just had to get a taste that day.”
Noé flushed red.
“I find you beautiful,” he softly admitted, catching Vanitas' breath. His stomach dropped and his heart twisted.
“Oh” was all Vanitas could muster.
“Just like the blue moon. Dangerous but beautiful”
“That's cheesy”
“Shut up. I'm confessing to you, idiot.” Vanitas grew silent. Noé scanned his face, looking for any insight behind his astermite blue eyes. After a heavy pause, Vanitas was saved by Amelia's knock on the door.
“Come in!” Vanitas called, clearing his throat. Amelia opened the door, followed by Dante.
“We need to talk.” Dante huffed, glancing at Vanitas.
“Of course.” He avoided a glance back at Noé, now exiting the room. “Shall we, baldy?”
“I'm not fucking bald. I am not afraid of giving you a second concussion you quack.”
Dante and Vanitas' banter continued down the hall. Amelia shook her head in joking disappointment.
“Never a dull day with-” she voice caught in her throat. A tear rolled down Noé’s face. “Monsieur Noé, are you alright?!”
“Yes, Mademoiselle.” Noé assured, regaining composure. “Just still waking from a nap”
Amelia nodded but still added before she closed the door.
“If you need anything, I am here to help.”
“Thank you.”
The day came and went, nightfall illuminating the room with the pale bluish light of the Parisian moon. Streetlights filtered through the curtain, as Noé sat along the edge of his bed. He stared at the glowing teal astermite lamp, anxiously tapping his foot. At last, Vanitas came through the door.
“Where the hell have you been?” Noé said, his purple eyes darted up to him. Vanitas sighed dramatically.
“Getting some fresh air?”
“Since noon? It's past midnight.” Noé countered. “You've been out for over 12 hours.”
“I can count, you know.”
“Then you should be smart enough to know that your wounds aren't healed and neither is our relationship with the Chasseurs. Not after what happened at the amusement park. And who knows what Mikhail-”
“Why does it matter? Can't I have some time to myself?” Vanitas argued.
“Why does it matter?!” Noé scolded. “Because you could have been hurt! Because you could have been killed!”
“I don't care if I’m-”
“Stop.” Noé snapped. His crimson eyes burned. Then, he took a deep breath and stood up. “I care, Vanitas. I care about you.”
“Right.” Vanitas froze. Calculating his next words. “I felt…”
“Scared?” Noé suggested. “So was I for the past 12 hours. I thought I completely lost your trust and you ran off for good.”
“I wouldn't do that to you.”
“I know but…” Noé sighed. “I was still worried.” Vanitas nodded, finally meeting Noé’s gaze. The soft tired look on Vanitas' face reminded him of the morning on the rooftops, when they made their promise. Vanitas slugged off his coat, hanging up with his bag.
“I need to shower.” Vanitas dipped into the hotel room's bathroom, shutting the door with a soft click.
Only when Noé heard the running water, did he finally relax. He quickly changed into his pale yellow chemise, still tending carefully to his arm. He settled into another novel recommendation from Count Orlok, one about Parisian architecture, just as Vanitas finished his shower. Noé peeked up from the page and did a double take.
Vanitas' midnight blue hair was draped over his shoulder, dripping water along his shoulder blades and scarred back. His linen breeches were all he wore as he crossed the room to put on his white chemise. Noé watched, tracing the path of each droplet along the curves of his lean muscles with his reddening eyes. Vanitas started to button up his shirt when he caught Noé staring. A smile twitched on his face.
“Like what you see?” he smirked.
“Absolutely” Noé breathed. Vanitas blushed, immediately facing away from him. He was used to Noé reacting bashfully to any flirting. But his bluntness and honesty was something Vanitas was not prepared for. At least, when it came to flirting. Vanitas continued to button up his chemise, despite hearing Noé get up to stand behind him.
“Vanitas.” His voice was sweeter than honey. Vanitas turned to face him. “Can I kiss you again?”
“Yes.” He whispered. “Please.” He added. Noé’s lips softly met his. A small press between them and he pulled away.
“Noé,” Vanitas started, again going to fiddle with the collar of his shirt. “You want to bite me, correct?”
“Yes.” He said, honestly but warily.
“But you won't.”
“Never.” He promised.
“Unless I said so.”
“Of course.” Vanitas' heart pounded in his chest.
“What if we did something else?”
“What do you have in mind?” Noé asked, genuinely curious. Vanitas stopped fussing with Noé’s collar and met his purple eyes.
“You take off your clothes.” He whispered. “And I take off mine.”
A breath caught in Noé’s throat as Vanitas stepped back and unbuttoned his chemise.
“And then what?” He asked, mesmerized by Vanitas' waist and smooth shoulders.
“You touch me.”
Noé’s heart stopped, a chill running down his spine. Vanitas' eyes glowed in the darkness, his figure resembling a shadow in the dim lamp’s light. He reached forward with his bare, blue-scarred hands and started to unbutton Noé’s chemise. Noé stood frozen as Vanitas' soft touch, ungloved, brushed over his sternum then his shoulders as he pulled the chemise completely off.
“You touch me” he repeated, taking Noé’s hand and placing it along his neck. Vanitas' blue eyes are fixed to Noé’s with determination. He leaned forward, placing a hand along Vanitas' bareback. His other hand caressed down Vanitas' sternum to his waist, taking in the grooves of his sculpted body. Noé’s eyes followed his touch, settling again on Vanitas’ neck, his pulse now racing beneath his fingertips. Noé felt his fangs itch at the sensation.
“Can I-”
“Yes.” Vanitas whispered. He took in a sharp breath as Noé opened his lips. He planted a kiss along his neck, his eyes turning red.
“Is this alright?” Noé asked.
“Yes,” Vanitas breathed.
Noé's fangs brushed against his collarbone, trailing from his shoulder and up behind his ear. Vanitas trusted him not to bite but he so badly wanted the sensation of one; the way vampiric fangs broke into the skin, the way the venom left him tingling and numb in ecstasy, the way some bites were intimate like those he shared with Jeanne. He had envied how easily Dominique would be bitten by Noé, how the couple sounded in Altus the night they first met. He wanted to know the sensation of Noé's fangs.
Noé pressed further towards Vanitas, pushing him down to the bed behind them. He paused for a moment, gauging Vanitas' response. Vanitas shuffled further up on his bed then laid his back on the mattress and pulled Noé on top of him.
“Are you sure about this?” Noé whispered.
“You. Touch. Me.” Vanitas ordered. Noé obeyed.
Noé framed his upper body with his palms, running his hands down either side of chest, waist and down to his hips. Vanitas reached up to Noé, brushing his fingers through his smooth silver locks. He cupped the back of his neck and rubbed a thumb over Noé’s lips.
“Kiss me again.” Noé planted a kiss on Vanitas’ hand, then another on his wrist, along the shimmering blue veins of the Vanitas marking. His lips soon reached Vanitas' neck and he shivered. Noé dragged his fangs across his skin, kissing and licking to get a taste. Vanitas’ smell made Noé go mad, his kisses becoming desperate and bruising. Vanitas writhed at each touch, letting a moan escape his lips. Vanitas turned his head to the side, letting Noé gain better access. Noé reached a hand to cup his chin, guiding for more spaces to leave a mark along his neck. Noé's envy was the marking Jeanne had left during the masquerade. He wanted to mark Vanitas first. Vanitas’ moans grew louder, the envious memory driving Noé to more sensitive areas along his neck. Noé wrapped his hand over his mouth, attempting to keep him quiet as he marked his neck.
“Are you going to keep running your mouth or can I just focus?” Noé hushed.
Vanitas’ hips rolled from the pain balancing on pleasure, making his muffled moan louder. He liked when Noé's gentlemanly behavior turned feral and controlling. His vampiric strength was terrifying and that only aroused him more. Vanitas could feel how his voice and movements made Noé more aggressive. Vanitas wanted to play that game as Noé tried to hold back.
Vanitas bucked his hips again, moaning loudly as Noé finished another hickie along his shoulder. He ran his tongue up Vanitas’ sternum to his neck and Vanitas arched his head back in pleasure. Noé removed his hand over Vanitas’ mouth to kiss him, indulging in the taste of his lips. Vanitas wrapped his arms around Noé, pulling him into a deeper kiss. He hummed happily as Noé wrapped around him too, pressing their chests together.
“Noé” he moaned.
“Yes Vanitas?” He paused, halting all movement. Vanitas gave him a confused glance.
“No, Noé don't stop. I was-” Vanitas sighed, seeing the gentle gaze in Noé's now purple eyes. “I was moaning your name.”
“Oh, and that means..?”
“Keep going, it feels good, you idiot.”
“Right, of course.” Noé's blush was adorable. Vanitas took a moment to admire it before Noé rolled into him again.
“Like this?” Noé asked, innocently.
“Yes.” Vanitas whispered, clawing along Noé's back.
“Does it feel good, Vanitas?” Noé whispered back. Vanitas caught his gaze, his eyes turning red once more. Something changed in Noé’s tone during that moment.
“Yes, Noé.” Vanitas moaned back.
“Take your pants off.”
Vanitas immediately shuffled beneath him, loosening his breeches and then the rest of Noé's undergarments. He had little time to admire the sight before Noé's fangs were around him once more. His back arched as Noé's hands grabbed onto his hips, pushing them closer together. He eased into him, making Vanitas’ mind spin. Vanitas pushed into him, the feeling of their bodies stroking together was intoxicating. They started slowly, Vanitas audibly relishing every sensation of contact. Noé burned between his legs with anticipation, each one of Vanitas' cries fueling the fire. The pace quickened, soon becoming ferocious as Noé grinded further into Vanitas.
Vanitas continued to call out his name, now stuttering at the exertion of Noé taking control. His knees buckled and Noé's movements came in stronger, faster and deeper. The vampire huffed again his neck, still running kisses and his tongue along the side beneath his ear. Vanitas tightened his grip on Noé's shoulder and moved one hand into his silver hair. He tugged on its strands to force eye contact and pulled him into another deep kiss. Vanitas was starting to see spots from breathlessness. Noé's name danced across their lips as Vanitas kept praising him to continue. It only heightened Noé's resolve as he hungrily thrusted into him. Noé took Vanitas’ hand that was still in his hair, and pinned it to the side, pressing him down further into the pillows on the mattress. Vanitas felt sparks between his legs as Noé now dragged roughly into him. His thighs clenched as Noé kept him down, one hand firmly on his wrist, the other on his hip. The sparks were electrifying his nerves as Vanitas stuttered once again, singing Noé's name like a prayer. His muscles released, feeling the sparks finish down the ends of his nerves as his body relaxed against Noé's.
“Noé…” Vanitas mumbled, still recovering from seeing stars.
“Yes, Vanitas?” he panted, releasing his grip on Vanitas’ wrist and hip.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Vanitas asked, still breathless. Noé smiled.
“Guess.” Vanitas frowned, playfully punching his arm.
“Get off me, you big log.” Noé plopped down beside him, his purple eyes sparkling with delight.
“You are astonishing.” Noé marveled, glowing with joy. Vanitas rolled his eyes, turning to his side to face him.
“You are ridiculous.” he retorted, making Noé chuckle. “And very attractive,” he added, sheepishly, now turning to lay on his back. “Now go to sleep.” Noé’s jaw dropped.
“How am I supposed to fall asleep after that?”
“Simple! It’s past midnight, so just close your eyes…” Vanitas began to close his eyes with a sigh before Noé smacked his arm. “Fine, get over here.” he grumbled, wrapping an arm around Noé’s bare waist. “Happy?”
“Very.” Noé said, slinging an arm over Vanitas and pulling the sheets over both of them. “Shouldn’t you go shower first?”
“I just did.”
“No, I mean…” Noé paused. “Because you…”
“Don’t care,” Vanitas countered, indulging in the warmth and comfort of Noé laying beside him. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Vanitas.”