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Daniel doesn’t understand how Armand can focus with all of the noise when he can hardly pay attention to what he’s doing. His typewriter whirls loudly even when he’s not typing, which is typically soothing to listen to, but not when it’s layered on top of the Jaws leitmotif and the other sounds that accompany each shark attack. Adding to his annoyance, his ass is starting to ache from sitting on the floor hunched over the coffee table, already having sent his nice writing desk to wherever Armand stores things in preparation for their move to London.
He would’ve sat at their dining table to save his slowly aging body the discomfort of the floor, but he wanted Armand’s input for this article. It’s not that he needs help with it, used to spinning whatever bullshit he needs to get paid for dispassionate work. But for some reason, Le Monde thought that he was qualified as an American to talk about the new wave of experimental ballet artists flocking from the states to Paris.
Hence why he’s sat in front of the couch while his lover watches a movie next to him. Because if anybody has an opinion on ballet and multimedia theater, it’s Armand.
And it should’ve been easy to pick Armand’s brain to hammer out an article within an hour or two, but he’s distracted. From the noise, yes, but every time he glances up at the vampire, he can’t bring himself to disturb him when he looks so enraptured in the film playing. His eyes are wide enough for Daniel to track the way his dilated pupils follow each movement on screen and he refuses to look away from it. Not even for a moment. Daniel knows that Armand notices each time he looks up to him for answers, but he misunderstands what he wants and reaches down to play with his curls absentmindedly without looking, petting him like a dog that wants attention.
He’d be lying if he said he didn’t like it, the casual affection always warms him in a way he can’t explain, but it also makes him ache for more. He wants to be closer somehow and stares at his lover with purpose this time, thinking his name on repeat like his silent plea of ‘Armand, Armand, Armand,’ will be enough to fully grab his attention. Whether he heard him or not, those sharp nails blindly reach out to ghost over his scalp again in a touch too brief for his liking. It’s soothing, but not enough to ease the growing ache that’s starting to gnaw at him.
After waiting a few seconds for more and not receiving it, Daniel abandons the paragraph he’s been working on in favor of tenderly kissing the knee next to him, just a gentle press of his lips against the soft fabric of Armand’s slacks. He considers laying his head in Armand’s lap, but he settles with nuzzling his cheek against his lover’s thigh, waiting for something. Daniel doesn’t know what he’s expecting from the action, maybe some grand gesture, but it only earns him a pleased hum and another pet, still missing those passionate orange eyes on him.
He’ll have to do better somehow.
Armand doesn’t react much as he turns his typewriter off before slipping onto the couch next to him, only tucking his feet up under him and angling his knees towards Daniel. The unconscious movement to be closer reinforces his need for some kind of intimacy, but he doesn’t want to come off as needy and turn the movie off even though he wants to nudge Armand in the direction of wanting him back. And want is usually easy to spark in the vampire because he seems to enjoy just having his boy near him, always giddy each time the space between them disappears, but the warm hand Daniel places on one of his thighs still isn’t enough to steal his attention from the television screen. All he gets in response is a soft, “Hm?” once he starts swiping his thumb over the fabric of his pants.
“Hey, look at me…” It’s the only thing he can think to murmur as he shifts onto his side to get closer, reaching out to cup Armand’s face when his head finally turns towards him. There’s only a brief pause as he strokes his lover’s cheek and relishes how his bright eyes mellowed into that warm amber color before he leans in to kiss him softly and chastely. It takes him a moment to process it, but his chest constricts when he realizes that Armand was already subtly moving towards him the moment he held his cheek, either anticipating his next move or simply seeking comfort from his lover.
Daniel takes it as a sign to deepen his kisses, though he’s unhurried tonight, taking the time to savor how they move together in sync. Practiced in a way that shows they know each other.
The vampire lets out lazy hums that vibrate against his lips and he can feel the exact moment his fangs drop as they press into his bottom lip, dangerously brushing against the soft skin, yet gentle enough to keep from piercing it. He has to fight his own groan as he tries to pull back for a breath and Armand follows him forward, bunching his hands into his shirt to keep him close. Refusing to let him go now that he has him. Daniel doesn’t want to part either, especially because he was the greedy one who started it, so he nips at Armand to make him gasp, giving him the opportunity to break away for a few seconds to pant softly against him.
He doesn’t have to open his eyes to know his lover’s mouth is hanging open slightly, his lips parted and waiting for him. Always trusting Daniel to come back to him.
Daniel moves by feel alone and drags his hand down Armand’s back until he’s coaxing him forward by his waist with an insistent tug. Gentle, but firm enough to give his lover the direction he secretly craves. His lips pull into a grin when Armand automatically wraps his arms around his shoulders and melts against him with a sigh, pressing their chests together as he settles halfway into his lap. The vampire could’ve taken it further by straddling him instead of keeping his legs curled next to him, but it seems like he wants the same thing as he waits for his boy to settle again before his cool lips brush against his lightly.
Daniel can’t tell if Armand is simply teasing him with his mouth while he’s in his head or if he’s speaking out loud, making his lips caress his, but he can hear the quiet ‘Daniel, lover, beloved,’ in response to his earlier plea. There’s also the sound of drunken singing in the background that he pushes to the back of his mind, solely focused on Armand’s hushed voice, but before he can close the space between them again, a loud crash from the television causes him to jerk backwards the same moment Armand surges forward to kiss him.
It would’ve been amusing in any other circumstance, but Daniel yelps as a fang catches on his lip harder than Armand’s usual love bites. Instead of a pleasant, throbbing pinprick, the wound is a gnarly gash that spills blood and is bound to scar anybody else, but his lover is quick to lap it up, shushing him while caressing his cheeks in between gentle kisses that sting. Armand must not think it’s bad since his tongue leisurely swipes against the cut a few times, taking his time and indulging in his lover’s taste while he has the chance. Daniel tries to stay quiet and enjoy the strange intimacy, but his pained groan is the only thing that breaks Armand’s stupor, causing him to finally spill his ancient blood over the cut with an even softer press of his lips to Daniel’s.
Armand, being the thorough nurse that he is, kisses Daniel more firmly until his boy stops squirming underneath him and is completely healed. Unfortunately for him, the interruption soured his lover’s mood and instead of continuing on and pretending he wasn’t accidentally bitten, he’s looking around Armand to see the screen.
“What was so fucking loud?” Daniel complains.
Armand is somewhat smug while he leans in and murmurs, “I would tell you, but you distracted me, lover.” The words trail off as he noses into Daniel’s warm neck, trying to elicit a specific response from him while keeping his teeth tucked safely away. Predictably, Daniel’s eyes flutter shut and he tilts his head to the side, giving Armand the opportunity to rewind the tape fully without his lover fussing that he only missed a few minutes and didn’t need to go back so far. He slides away from the other man’s lap once it’s back to the very beginning and sits up straight, nonchalantly putting an arm on the back of the couch to be able to card fingers through Daniel’s curls. “Come now, Daniel. Lay down like you wanted to. I’ll even answer your burning questions after the film.”
It takes a moment for the words to hit Daniel, too focused on the hand tangling itself in his hair, but he snaps his eyes open when he realizes that Armand did hear his every thought earlier. He just chose to ignore him to watch his movie uninterrupted. Feeling petty, he side eyes Armand before he gives in and slowly lowers himself to lay his head in his lap with a mumbled, “Asshole.”
Despite the attitude, Armand is grinning as his hand follows Daniel down, his fingers migrating to slip underneath the collar of his shirt to delicately rub at his skin. “ Rest , Daniel. The sounds from the television don’t concern you. You can rest, I’ll be here.”
The slight compulsion takes root almost immediately with the way his lover relaxes on top of him, nestling in to get closer. He never stirs no matter how loud the movie gets, only unconsciously shifting closer each time a hand affectionately passes over him. He also doesn’t know that Armand watched the tape three times in totality, only getting away with it by gently pushing Daniel back into his slumber until he could give his lover his undivided attention in bed.