Work Text:
First Time: September 1974
Armand traces the edge of his glass with a long finger.
"Have you made your selection for the night, Daniel?" he asks without lifting his gaze.
Daniel leans onto the bar, leveling his head with Armand's to gain his attention. "What if it's just us tonight?"
Armand's eyes widen. "Just us?"
"Yeah," Daniel replies with a wink. "That okay with you, boss?"
Of course it's okay. Armand briefly dips into his mind to quell his confusion and sees that Daniel truly is trying to see if that's okay, as if Armand would deny a night alone with his beautiful boy.
"Yes, I suppose that would be enjoyable."
"Great!" Daniel smacks the table with one hand. "I'm gonna get another drink. Want one?"
"No, that's okay."
Armand doesn't like having more than a drink or two, especially not in public. He doesn't like feeling out of control. Besides, it's often useful to be the sober one in the room with Daniel.
Tonight especially, he wants to make sure he remembers everything: Daniel rolling his eyes and pretending he doesn't like the music at this bar when "The Loco-Motion" comes on, but tapping the rhythm into Armand's lower back under the bar anyway. Daniel petulantly making unblinking eye contact with him as he chugs the glass of water Armand insists he has between drinks. Daniel's furrowed brow when he somehow has to ask if it's okay that they go home alone tonight. He scoffs at the thought. Armand's favorite nights are the ones they spend alone.
He swirls and takes a sip of his drink that's now half melted ice, hoping this will be Daniel's last drink so they can leave soon. He is so lost in thought—the thought of folding into Daniel beneath the sheets, all bare skin and cotton, blathering on about nothing until Daniel falls asleep—that he forgets to listen in to see if Daniel closed out.
"Daniel, will that be your la—"
"Jeff!" Daniel smacks a hand on some man's back, who Armand guesses is Jeff. "It's been a while, man! How's everything going with your—"
Armand tunes out of the conversation and turns away from them, returning to tracing the rim of his glass. He gives a perfunctory tight-lipped smile and/or nod when it seems necessary.
People continue filing in and out of the discotheque, each new group of friends more boring than the last, but his gregarious boy seems to find new things to talk about with everyone within a 10-foot radius. As Daniel talks to some long-haired woman who seems to have forgotten to button her shirt all the way up this evening, his body language makes Armand wonder if Daniel changed his mind about the outcome of the evening.
At the third cachinnation at something Daniel says that hardly warranted a chuckle, Armand has enough. The woman's glass shatters in her hand, splattering her white blouse with whatever astringent red liquid was inside, and she screams.
"Oh, shit, are you okay, uh…"
"Mary," she huffs, checking both sides of her hand. "No cuts, just ruined my favorite going out shirt is all."
"You should ask for some soda water," Armand says, not facing the two of them.
Daniel cocks his head.
"Yeah, I can try that," Mary says and makes her way to the bar.
"Maybe you can give her one of your shirts at home," Armand suggests, "though I don't think it would be her style."
"Was that you?" Daniel whispers.
Was what me? Armand speaks into his head, straightening up.
"What's the matter with you?" Daniel asks, now at full volume.
"Nothing is the matter, Daniel. Silly me, I thought I was enough for you."
"Armand," Daniel groans, running his fingers through his hair. "You are. I was just having fun. Do you want to just go?"
"No, have your fun."
Daniel sighs. "I want to have fun with you."
"And who else?"
Another sigh. "Hey, what if we danced?"
Armand blinks. "Dance? Together?"
"No, on opposite sides of the room." Daniel playfully smacks his arm. "Yes, together."
"You want to dance with me. Here."
Daniel lets out a glittery laugh that Armand finds it physically impossible not to smile at. "Yes, Armand. I would like to dance with you. Here."
"Fine, okay."
Daniel pulls him by the shirt toward the mass of dancing bodies, and he shakes his hand off. Daniel turns around, confused. Armand puts his hand in Daniel's instead, who smiles brightly.
They make their way to the center. It smells like sweat and shitty cologne and shittier drinks. The humidity from the air makes Armand's shirt stick to his skin in a way that makes the music sound uncomfortably loud. He knows without needing to check that his hair has nearly doubled in volume. "Love is the Message" comes on, a song Armand actually likes, but he can barely hear it over the woo-ing.
All of this ceases to matter when Daniel puts his hands on Armand's hips, gently presses his body against his back, and whispers "sorry for earlier, baby" into his ear.
Armand feels a smile creep onto his face, closes his eyes, and leans his head back into Daniel, catlike, as an acceptance of the apology.
Love is, love is the message that I sing to you
Love is the message that I bring to you
They move rhythmically together, Armand's eyes still closed, hand reached back into Daniel's curls to hold him close. Daniel's lips graze his neck, and Armand's lips part slightly, letting out a moan quiet enough that he's sure Daniel can probably feel it against his face more than he can hear it. Daniel's grip on Armand's hips tightens, and his hardening length makes its presence known against his backside, just as he feels his own threatening the zipper of his trousers.
Armand is hit with a wave of gratitude that he stopped halfway into his only drink, allowing all of his senses to take Daniel in, in, in.
He turns around to get a better look at him, and even in the dim light, Armand can see that his pupils have almost entirely overtaken Daniel's green irises. Armand hums with a slight smile and returns his hand to its proper home in Daniel's hair. He feels his own heart light in his chest and rubs his thumb back and forth against Daniel's scalp.
Daniel leans in and angles his head to Armand's ear. "Wanna go to the bathroom?"
Something like disappointment that he can't name fills Armand's stomach. Another perfunctory grin. "Sure, Daniel."
Armand allows himself to follow the motions of wherever and whatever Daniel is leading him toward and finds his back pressed against a bathroom stall. They are a mess of lips and tongues and teeth; Daniel's pants are already unzipped, cock ready and leaking, with Armand undoing his own so Daniel doesn't mess up the buttons.
"Fuck, I need you so bad," Daniel whines, tugging at the waistband of Armand's underwear.
Another perfunctory grin.
"Hey," Daniel pants, curling a finger under Armand's chin. "What did I do now?"
Armand shakes his head. "Nothing, nothing."
Daniel squints. "Mhm."
"I just…"
"Mhm…"
"When you said you wanted it to just be us, I thought you meant really just us, as in going home soon to just be us. I should have clarified; I suppose it's my own fault for assuming. Of course I would always want—"
Daniel shuts him up with a kiss. "Okay, okay." Kiss. "Let's go home, baby." Another kiss. Armand can feel Daniel smile against his lips and matches with his own.
The two walk home, Daniel needing a little more support from Armand's shoulder than he expected.
"Daniel, you're still very drunk."
Daniel laughs brightly. "You think it's cute."
"No."
"You think it's very cute," Daniel sing-songs.
"I do not."
Daniel spins around and moves to block Armand's way, then takes his face in both hands. "You think I'm cute."
Armand can't hide the smile blooming, nor can he stand looking into Daniel's fond expression, so he settles on looking at the ground.
"See, I knew it!" Daniel kisses his forehead. "Armand liiiikes me," he sings loud enough for the whole street to hear, head tipped back to face the sky.
"You're entirely too loud for this hour," Armand says, putting Daniel's hand around his arm to guide him the rest of the way home.
"I want you to feel this good. You never get drunk with me."
"I don't like to."
"Look how much funnnnn I'm having," Daniel coos.
"You definitely look like you're having fun, yes."
"Pleeeease, Armand? Just tonight? It's just me," Daniel pleads, and Armand knows he's batting his long eyelashes without checking.
Daniel's right. It's just them. He doesn't have to get just as trashed, just a little loose so he can feel warm and giggly while maintaining awareness of his surroundings. It does sound… kind of nice. And Daniel is in such a good mood tonight.
"Fine, yes."
"Hell yeah!"
Armand busies himself finding the one wine glass Daniel has among the mismatched cups (Daniel stole it from a restaurant), wine bottle in hand.
"Hey, hey, Armand, what are you doing?"
"You know I prefer to drink the wine from a wine glass so it—"
"I thought you could, you know," Daniel says, baring his neck, "get some from me."
"Hm." Armand tilts his head appraisingly. "I suppose that's always more effective anyway."
"Yeah, see?" Daniel says, closing the space between them. "And it's way sexier."
Armand's gums ache as he reaches out for Daniel's waist. He remembers his anticipation of being folded up next to his boy under the sheets. "In the bedroom maybe?"
"Perfect," Daniel barely gets out before pulling Armand's hand toward the bedroom.
They are once again a mess of lips, tongues, and teeth, this time both undressing much quicker. Daniel is somehow already fully naked, and Armand lets him work his pants as he removes his own shirt because Daniel is never careful enough with the buttons.
Daniel straddles Armand onto the bed, spitting into his hand and moving to hold both of their cocks together sloppily.
Armand whines and feels his fangs poking his lips. In a flash, he moves to flip them over, straddling Daniel now, and starts kissing from the center of his chest up to his neck. "Now?"
"Fuck, please, please."
Armand sinks his teeth in, tasting creme de menthe and the unmistakable flavor of the lifeblood of his beautiful boy. Daniel moans with each pull. After he's had enough, Armand cuts the tip of his tongue with his fang and licks the wound closed.
"Shit, Armand, you look—haah—" he pauses to react to Armand grinding their weeping cocks together. "Need you."
"Need me to what?" Armand taunts, wiping the blood from his chin with two fingers and shoving them in his own mouth.
"Ride me, baby, please," Daniel whines.
Armand laughs, the pace of his hips unrelenting. He feels good. He feels light, warm, almost glowing. He puts a hand up to catch the lube flying up from the nightstand, squirts some on the other hand, and begins to open himself up, unrestricted moans filling the air.
"You're so fucking sexy, Armand, fuck," Daniel pants. "Want to feel you."
Armand finds Daniel so irresistible in this moment that he decides to forgo stretching himself further and deal with the sting of Daniel's cock. He needs to be full of him now.
He reaches behind him to line the velvety head up to his hole, teasing at first until Daniel is whining, then slips it in to breach his opening. They both let out a hiss. Armand rocks back and forth slowly, inch by inch, until he's seated back down.
He starts with a slow grinding motion that he knows drives Daniel crazy, then picks up the pace until the filthy sound of their bodies slapping together matches the volume of their tangled moans.
"I'm—you need to slow down, baby, I'm—"
I don't care, Armand speaks into his head, impossibly picking up his pace even further. He grabs one of Daniel's hands and presses it to his belly. Fill me up, Daniel, feel it?
"Fuck!" Daniel shouts, pressing his hand further into the bulge and using the other to dig into the swell of Armand's ass.
Armand feels himself getting close too, and moves Daniel's hand to his own cock.
"Baby, baby, oh my God—" Daniel gasps, spilling into Armand, eyes nearly rolling back into his head.
Armand reverts to grinding down so Daniel's cock touches the perfect spot, and moves his hand to cover the other hand over his cock, quickening Daniel's pace. Seconds later, spurts of red-tinged spend cover Daniel's belly and both of their knuckles.
Cleaned up and naked under the sheets with Daniel's head on his chest, Armand recounts a conversation he had earlier when he dialed a random number with a Parisian area code. Once Daniel's giggling and humming turned to deep breathing, he wraps a leg around him and holds him close to listen to his breathing. He buries his nose into the brown curls atop his head, and inhales.
His heart feels heavy, but in a good way, and he knows why. There's no harm in admitting it to an unconscious audience.
On exhale, he releases an "I love you, my ridiculous boy."
"Hmm? S-sorry I got so sleepy, were you talking?"
"No, no. Sleep well, Daniel."
Second Time: December 1984
It's been a little over 10 years since Armand told a sleeping Daniel that he was in love with him, and not a day has gone by where it hasn't threatened to escape his lips again. He hasn't said it outright, but he has said "my love" and "beloved," which feels kind of the same, he supposes. This isn't to say Daniel hasn't noticed, though. He has, and Armand has heard him wonder a few times if Armand will just say it. Not a chance.
This evening, Armand is toiling away at the kitchen table on a cassette Walkman. Daniel comes in from his Christmas movie marathon, and explodes in laughter. "I was going to ask you to come watch with me, but I see you're busy." He steps closer. "Is that the Walkman? That's our only one; I lost mine, remember?"
"I know. There is nothing to worry about, Daniel. I've already taken this one apart and put it back together twice."
"Okay, freak." Daniel pulls something out of the cabinet above the fridge that no one ever uses. "I think you'll like what I got you for Christmas, then."
"Daniel, you shouldn't have! I thought you said no gifts this year?"
"I did, but I knew you were going to get me something anyway."
Armand is impressed, both that Daniel knew this, and that he managed to surprise him at all. He opens it and gasps. "A compact disk Walkman!" He carefully opens the box so as not to damage any of the packaging, then pulls out the device to inspect all of the screws and components. "I can use the same tools for this as the cassette player."
Daniel laughs and playfully shoves Armand's arm. "You're supposed to listen to music with it, baby. I knew you'd be excited, though; they just came out. I didn't think I'd be able to get my hands on one."
"Yes, right. Well, this is a perfect gift, Daniel. Thank you." Armand kisses him. "It's perfect. You're perfect."
"Aw, shucks." Daniel's cheeks redden. "Can you leave this stuff and come watch with me now?"
"Give me five minutes to put the inferior model back together."
Daniel raises his eyebrows. "Five mi—? Okay. I'll be out there."
About an hour into alternating between making out, listening to Daniel complain about being uninvited to his family Christmas while kissing all of the individual freckles on his shoulders, and getting up to refill Daniel's hot chocolate so he didn't miss any of the movie, Armand hears the question that he knew was coming.
"Hey, Armand?"
"Hmm?"
"Where's my present?"
Armand hums. "I was planning on giving it to you before you go to bed."
"Oh?" Daniel shoots up in his seat, eager like a puppy who just found out he's going on a walk. "Is this one of those gifts that's for me but I really wear for you?"
Kind of. Armand sees flashes of leather collars and leashes. Close. But another collar would be a boring gift. "You'll see."
Armand paces the bedroom with the small wrapped box in his hand, awaiting Daniel's return from getting ready for bed.
It's only a matter of time, he thinks to himself. You have to do it tonight.
Since the call from Daniel on Thanksgiving explaining that the fallout of the latest screaming match with his parents included no longer being invited to Christmas dinner, Armand knew their time was running its course.
"Armand, baby, please," Daniel sobbed drunkenly. "I know you're not a Christmas person, but can you please spend the day with me? I don't have any family, I don't have anyone, I need you."
Armand thought of Louis in vain. He couldn't turn Daniel down, not in this state. There was no need for contemplation; he would figure out the rest later.
"Yes, yes, of course, beloved."
He was in too deep. With a boy. With a mortal boy. He would do this for him, this one last thing, and then he had to get ahead of the inevitable.
Daniel returns, shirtless with pajama bottoms on. "So can I see it now? Or should I take these off first?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
Armand just hands him the box.
Daniel tilts his head. "Smaller than I thought." He continues opening up the packaging, revealing a box clearly meant for jewelry. "Oh, Armand, this is too nice. You shouldn't have."
"Open it."
Daniel opens the box, pulling out the gold chain and observing the pendant. His eyes widen in recognition. "Is this your blood?" he gasps.
"Yes. Do you like it?"
"Holy shit!" he shouts as he puts on the amulet. "This is the coolest shit ever!" He practically skips over to Armand to kiss all over his face. "Thank you so much. For everything."
Armand thinks that if he were a human, he would have toppled over from the sheer force of the kissing. "I'm glad. Anything for you, my love."
Daniel beams. "I'm never taking this off."
"Good, you shouldn't," Armand says, schooling his expression into a more serious one. "Now, come sit with me." He sits on the foot of the bed and pats the space next to him.
Daniel follows.
"Listen to me," Armand demands calmly, placing both hands around Daniel's face. "I love you. I love you more than anything else in the world. I'm sorry."
"Armand, what—what are you—"
"Shh, rest." Armand's eyes begin to shake. "September 8th, 1973."
"September 8th, 1973."
"You woke up in a drug den."
"I woke up in a drug den."
Third Time: August 2025
To: Deadbeat
Today 3:42 AM
Daniel:
What happened to proving it?
Armand:
Proving what?
Daniel:
You know what
Armand:
Oh.
Armand:
Yes.
Armand:
Well, I didn't know if you wanted to see me.
Daniel:
But you want to see me.
Armand:
Of course I do.
Daniel:
Because you're in love with me.
Armand:
Yes.
Daniel:
I don't believe you.
Armand:
That is your prerogative.
Daniel:
You know what would help get the point across, Pops?
Armand:
Please stop calling me your father. It reminds me of Lestat and Gabriella.
Armand:
What is it?
Daniel:
Teaching me how to walk in the sun.
Armand:
That can be arranged.
Armand:
When would you like to see me?
Daniel:
I'm free now. Sunrise in a few hours.
Armand:
I can be at your hotel in a few minutes.
Daniel:
I didn't tell you where I am.
Daniel:
Oh, right.
Daniel:
So, is it me you're addicted to? With the steps and all?
Armand:
You could say that.
Daniel:
Would you say that?
Armand:
Does your hotel have newspapers to cover the windows?
Daniel:
Answer me
Armand:
You know that I love you. I don't understand why you are insisting that I say it in so many iterations. I will not humiliate myself further.
Daniel:
I picked up a few newspapers
Armand:
Splendid.
Fourth Time: August 2025 (Next Morning)
Daniel gets up to touch the papers with one finger, pulling it away quickly with a hiss. "You know there's curtains here, right? The newspapers on the windows are kind of reminding me of the Divisadero apartment."
Armand shudders. "I just want to be able to control exactly how much light is coming in."
Daniel sits down next to Armand on the couch.
"Okay, boss. How is this going to work?"
Armand opens his mouth to speak and closes it.
"What, I can't say 'boss' either?"
"No, I'm…" Armand sighs. "You will need a lot more of my blood." He slits his wrist with a nail and offers it to Daniel.
"No."
"Of course, I should have anticipated that you would not be comfortable with this so soon after reconciliation. I can decant it into a glass if you would be more amenable to—"
Daniel silences him with a finger to his lips, which are now tingling slightly.
"No, shut up." Daniel sighs. "It's inconvenient not reading my mind, huh? This hasn't happened to you since—"
Armand moves to say "my maker," but realizes Daniel's finger is still on his lips, and he doesn't want him to move it, so he slightly shakes his head.
"Oh, uh, sorry," Daniel removes his finger.
Armand nicks a finger to close his wrist.
"No, I got it, sorry." Daniel nicks his own finger and closes it for him.
Armand lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Then why did you say no?"
"I prefer drinking straight from the jugular," Daniel says, tapping Armand's throat.
Armand swallows thickly. "Okay." He blinks away tears starting to form, hoping Daniel doesn't notice, but his fangs are already descended, eyes locked on Armand's pulsing blood vessels.
As soon as Daniel's fangs pierce the skin, Armand's skin lights up like a live wire.
Daniel picks his head up and looks at Armand, panting, chin dripping with blood, pupils blown.
"I can't believe you taste this good. Is this a you thing or a maker thing?"
Armand finds his hand reaching up to cup Daniel's jaw, thumb grazing his lip and tracing the edge of one of his fangs. They're longer than his own. They're exquisite. Daniel looks beautiful. Armand pricks the pad of his thumb, blood beading and dripping onto Daniel's tongue, evoking a moan. Daniel licks it, suckling on his thumb.
Armand grins and removes it with a pop, and his fingers move back to his favorite spot in Daniel's curls, which somehow still feels like home despite the change in color. He guides his head back to his neck. "Drink up, beloved, you will need more than that."
Daniel resumes sucking, and Armand finds him practically in his lap. He rakes his nails over Daniel's back and sighs.
The younger vampire begins rutting against Armand's leg, squelching and moaning as he drinks. Armand moves his hands to Daniel's waist and is rewarded with a gorgeous moan.
Armand also moans, and feels the blood drain from his face, less because of the insatiable fledgling attached to his neck like a lamprey and more because of the humiliation. It's typical for fledgling vampires to get aroused when drinking, especially from their makers, but Armand should know better, especially considering the nature of their relationship.
He moves a hand to the back of Daniel's head and yanks it back with more force than he intends to use, and Daniel moans at that too. Fuck.
They both look at each other for an awkward beat, panting.
"Sorry," Daniel says, looking mortified. Wiping his mouth with the back of his arm, he rasps, "Sun's out," and pads over to the window.
Armand follows, then peels a little piece of the newspaper off, tossing it in the trash can.
"Start with just your hand, Daniel."
He raises a hand to the beam of light and rotates it around for a second before it starts burning, then yanks his hand away.
"Give me your hand." Armand pricks a finger and rubs his blood over the burn, mostly healing it and leaving what looks like sunburn behind. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just in shock, I guess. Why didn't I burn as fast as Louis did that first day in Dubai?" His eyebrows furrow. "Didn't you guys share blood? Why didn't it work for him?"
"Ah, yes. It's because you are my fledgling. It's my blood. I just didn't let you have enough when I…"
Daniel scoffs and snatches his hand back. "Oh, right, yeah." He reaches to peel more of the newspaper off, but Armand stops him with his hand in an instant.
"Stop, Daniel. This must happen very precisely. I will not allow pain beyond what is necessary, and I want to be able to control the exact amount of sunlight you are exposed to."
Armand releases Daniel's hand, who brings it back to his side, and peels off another small piece of newspaper.
Daniel rolls his eyes. "Oh, come on. How long are you planning on doing this with me for?"
"As long as it takes."
"At this rate, we won't uncover an entire window pane before the sun goes down. I have shit to do, Armand."
"Cancel your plans," Armand says, glancing at his watch.
"Okay," Daniel replies, almost obediently.
Armand smirks.
After a few hours, after a bit of progress, Armand notices Daniel's tolerance going back down.
"That's all for today, Daniel."
He loves the way Daniel's name feels in his mouth. He loves that he can say it to someone besides Louis. He loves that the person he's saying it to is Daniel.
"No way, come on," Daniel whines. "What if I drink more blood?"
"I told you that I would not allow you to face more pain than absolutely necessary. And besides, I should probably feed more before we try again so that you—"
Daniel shuts him up by shoving him onto the bed and digging his fangs back into his neck.
Armand yanks his head back by the hair again, this time intending to be just as forceful.
"You insatiable, petulant child! I am trying to teach you a skill, a gift, and this is how you—"
Daniel cackles, eyes wild. "You think it's cute."
"I assure you, Daniel, I do not."
"Yes you do. You think I'm cute." He smiles a big, toothy grin, and a drop of blood falls onto Armand's shirt.
Armand surprises both of them by pulling Daniel in for a kiss. Daniel pauses for a moment, and finally parts his lips, allowing Armand's tongue to find his, or the other way around; Armand isn't sure.
"I'm still mad at you," Daniel rasps.
"I know," Armand whispers.
"Now it's my turn to tell you what to do."
"Yes, Daniel. Anything."
"Clothes off, bend over the bed, face down, hands behind your back."
"Yes, Daniel."
Armand does as instructed as Daniel removes his own clothes, and waits patiently for what is to come, cock straining against the scratchy hotel comforter.
Daniel groans, and suddenly Armand feels warm blood drip onto his ass. He cranes his head around to see Daniel spilling blood from his wrist onto his cock as he pumps it and coats both hands.
"What don't you understand about 'face down'?"
Armand complies.
Daniel rubs two fingers onto Armand's tight hole. Armand lets out a muffled moan.
"You like that? Not just some fuckin' fledgling anymore, huh?"
Daniel puts one finger into Armand's entrance, and Armand stiffens with a hiss.
"Too soon? Haven't been fucked in a while, huh?"
"Nails," Armand whimpers into the covers.
Daniel leans over Armand's back and pulls his head up by the throat. "What did you say, boss?" The 'boss' sounds ironic and condescending this time.
"N-nails. Your nails."
Daniel drops his head and stands up. "Oh, right, sorry, fuck." He bites his nails off.
More blood.
Daniel resumes working Armand open, pulling out whimpers with every few thrusts that Armand forgets to be ashamed of.
Daniel pulls his fingers out, and Armand whines at the absence.
Daniel puts one hand over Armand's wrists, crossed over the small of his back, and teases his crack with the head of his cock.
"You ready?"
Armand nods as furiously as he can while being pressed into a comforter.
"Ask nicely."
"Please," Armand whines, voice muffled still.
"Louder."
"Please," Armand says a little louder and clearer.
"Louder. Please who?"
"Please, Daniel," Armand practically shouts, as clearly as he possibly can.
With that, Daniel shoves himself into Armand's opening, starting slow until he bottoms out and then hammering himself in, balls audibly slapping against Armand's ass.
Armand can hardly believe this is happening. He hears the sound he recognizes as Daniel being close to orgasm, and clenches around Daniel's length rhythmically, earning magnificent sounds from his fledgling's mouth. Armand himself is close, both from being fucked within an inch of his life and from the friction of his cock against the blankets. Also, the pleasure he's extracting from the love of his life, his one and only fledgling, but it's not the appropriate time to think about that.
"Fuck, fuck, Armand, fuck!" Daniel cums with a shout and pulls out after catching his breath and releasing Armand's arms.
Armand moves his hands to press himself up off the bed, but is interrupted by Daniel pushing him back down and rolling him over.
"Daniel, wh—"
"Your turn."
"Oh, you don't have to—"
"Come on, I'm not a complete piece of shit."
Daniel spills more blood onto Armand's red, angry cock, jerking him off only a few times before Armand is panting and wriggling beneath his touch.
"Fuck, you're so close already for me," Daniel rasps.
"Yes, for you, all for you."
Only a moment passes before Armand is fucking into Daniel's fist, whimpering like he's never been fucked before. "Ah, hah, Daniel," he whines. As his cum spurts onto Daniel's knuckles, he hears himself utter "I love you, I love you."
Daniel rolls his eyes. "And we were having such a fun time." He walks away toward the bathroom.
Armand is frozen in place and can only cover his face with his hands and wait for the humiliation ritual to be over. We were having such a fun time, why did I have to ruin it?
His spiraling is interrupted by a wet warmth over his belly. He uncovers his eyes to see Daniel, dressed in sweats, wiping him clean with a washcloth.
"See? Not a piece of shit." He throws the towel on the ground somewhere. "I'm tired. Stay here or go, but don't touch me."
"Do you want me to sleep on the couch?"
"I don't give a shit, I'm literally about to pass out. Close the curtains."
Armand does as instructed, dresses himself, and considers sleeping on the bed beside Daniel. Too much.
He lies on the couch and closes his eyes.
Fifth Time: November 2025
"Armand, fuck, Armand, I can't—"
"You can, beloved. Just one more for me," Armand coos as he contracts his walls around Daniel's cock, pace of his hips unremitting.
Armand drags his hands from the hips of his lover, his companion, up his sides and onto his chest. He finds himself, as he often does, taking inventory of the ways Daniel's body has changed, falling in love with them all individually.
His skin is thinner and smoother in some places and rougher in others. His chest hair and happy trail have greyed along with the hair on his head. His freckles have disappeared from everywhere except his shoulders, which were Armand's favorite ones anyway. His biceps are stronger, his middle softer. His sea green eyes have turned fiery orange, nearly matching Armand's own.
"Stop fuckin' staring at me—haah—"
"I'll stop when you're done."
"I don't think I can—"
Armand steadies himself with his hands on Daniel's chest and begins riding Daniel like he's in an adult film. "You're so close, almost there, my love."
Daniel grips Armand's hips so tight he draws blood. With a strained groan and painful pleasure on his face, he cums again.
"Good boy," Armand praises as he gets up to grab a warm towel and their bathrobes from the bathroom.
"Bed or coffin tonight, boss?"
"Hmm, coffin."
"That's what I was hoping you'd say."
They climb into the coffin that Armand custom-made to fit them both perfectly.
Armand lies down and shoots his arms up to beckon Daniel, who curls up next to him and throws a leg over his torso, threading his hand into Armand's atop his chest.
"That was fucking crazy. I didn't know I could cum that many times. Is that a vampire thing?"
Armand hums and picks up Daniel's hand to kiss each finger. "Fledglings have increased sexual stamina, so yes, sort of."
"But you?"
"I suppose I'm just very good at what I do," he answers, kissing over the back of Daniel's hand and down to his wrist.
"You're alright." They both laugh. "Alright, I'm beat."
Armand smiles so big that his face hurts. He's been in love before, of course, but this is something else entirely. He can hardly believe he gets to lie beside his beautiful, incorrigible boy again. He gets to buy him bathrobes Daniel would never pick out for himself and keep them in his bathroom, along with the collection of artisan toiletries arranged on the vanity he had installed for when Daniel sleeps over. He gets to bring him to orgasm six times and laugh about it after. And he gets to do this forever.
Armand kisses the top of his head. "Sleep well, Daniel. I love you."
"Ignoring that."
"I do."
"I know. Go to sleep."
Armand feels only the slightest twings of shame for allowing himself to say it again and waits for Daniel to roll over out of his arms so they're not touching like they do when they piss each other off before bed, but he doesn't.
First Time: December 31, 2026
Armand knocks on the door to Daniel's apartment, champagne in hand.
"Come in," Daniel calls.
Armand opens the lock and enters, following Daniel's heartbeat to the study, where he's typing furiously.
"Gimme like ten minutes."
"When you're done, would you like to go on a walk with me to ring in the new year? I brought champagne."
Daniel swivels around his chair to face Armand. "And since when do you celebrate the passage of time, you ancient angsty freak?"
"Since now." Armand smirks. "With you."
"Quite the charmer. Is this how you court people? Is this your only move? Showing up and asking to go on walks?"
"I would like to go on a walk with you, please."
"I said to give me ten minutes."
Armand pops the cork, pricks his finger, and spills some blood into the bottle. "Or now?"
"Fine, twist my arm," Daniel groans, getting up from the chair to grab a swig of the blood-champagne.
Armand moves it away from his reach. "You're forgetting something."
Daniel sighs dramatically. "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Daniel reaches up for Armand's face and kisses him, chaste and sweet. Armand smiles against his lips. He hands Daniel the bottle.
Armand looks at his watch. "Why do people set off fireworks before midnight? It's 11:52."
Daniel hesitates. "I was about to try to come up with something snarky, but that does piss me off," he slurs.
Armand feigns surprise. "Are you drunk, Mr. Molloy?"
"Are you trying to get me drunk, Armand?" Daniel giggles in a way that nearly transports Armand to 1974, and his stride stutters.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, I just—" Armand sighs. "I was reminded of when I first told you I loved you for a moment, is all."
Daniel's brows furrow. "How is this anything like—"
"I mean in 1974."
Daniel stops and moves in front of Armand, finishing the bottle and throwing it to a trash can no less than 10 feet away. He puts a finger through one of Armand's belt loops. "Tell me more."
"We don't have to discuss it."
"Of course we do, baby," Daniel slurs, pulling Armand even closer by the belt loop.
Armand tries and fails to hide his smile, ducking his head instead. "You haven't called me that since—"
Daniel interrupts him with a kiss. "Tell me what happened."
"I told you when I thought you were asleep. You were just barely awake, but you still didn't remember."
"In bed? Fucked it out of you, huh?"
They both laugh, pressing their foreheads together.
"No, that was just the one time," Armand says just above a whisper.
Daniel kisses him. "Don't be shy, baby."
"Okay, let's get you home, beloved," Armand says as he tries to move them along.
"Wait," Daniel interjects, stopping them.
"Yes?"
"And you've loved me this whole time?"
"I didn't think—yes, Daniel."
"Did I love you too?"
Armand opens his mouth to speak and closes it when nothing comes out.
"I did, didn't I?"
"There is no way to be sure."
"I'm sure now."
Armand's breath hitches. "Daniel."
Daniel pulls him in for a kiss, but Armand's lips don't respond. He sighs. "I'm telling you I love you, idiot."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes! Yes. I love you." Kiss. "I love you." Kiss. "Of course I love you."
Armand envelops Daniel in his arms, nearly knocking him off balance as the fireworks go into full swing. "I love you, beautiful boy."