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Armand didn’t know what to do with the invitation he had somehow gotten in the mail after hiding away from everyone. But if only one person could find him, it would be Lestat. No matter how hard he tried to hide, it seemed as if he was the only one who could always locate where he was.
Lestat had a way of always finding him. No matter how much he denied caring for the gremlin, he was very attuned to him. So Lestat finding him wasn’t a surprise, to say the least. After the trial and their farewell in Paris, to the slight comments of that dreadful week in September 1973, they hadn’t been in contact since.
It was for one of the final dates of Lestat’s world tour after the mess of an interview Lestat had seemed to have with his fledgling, Daniel, who had abruptly left after a fight between the blue-eyed vampire and himself.
Which made Armand further curious about what Lestat wanted with him. It was as if Lestat wanted some company, and begging wasn’t usually Lestat’s way.
Armand didn't want to meddle with either of them after the Dubai fiasco, as he liked to call it in his head. The truth, boss, Daniel had told him once before he had departed from Armand again. He wasn't accustomed to being alone, not after turning Daniel. But as things tend to go, a small reconciliation and some fighting, they found a middle ground. Leaving had been Daniel's decision this time, no cowardice of Armand's burden with immortality and cursing his beautiful boy with it.
It seemed that keeping their 12 years together hidden from the journalist had to do with it. His ever-truth-seeking personality was coming through. Daniel wanted to know more about the past they shared without knowing the whole truth. Accusations started being thrown out by the younger vampire towards Armand for him becoming a horrible father to both his daughters and husband to both his ex-wives, all due to Armand fucking up Daniel's relationships by erasing himself from his life. Small things turned into big fights, to the point that Daniel preferred to leave to work on Lestat's documentary full-time, before also having creative differences and parting ways with the blonde vampire.
Last he heard of Daniel, he might have visited and stayed with Louis for a while.
Armand wanted to burn the card, forget that Lestat had pinpointed his location. But what harm could it do after all? It was one concert, and by the looks of it, Louis and Lestat hadn't been on the best of terms either. From maker to maker, they could finally understand the weight of giving another the Dark Gift and their fledgling's withdrawing from them. They didn't handle being companionless dexterously, given Armand's tendencies to beg for love and Lestat's desire to make more fledglings. Alone was not a word either of them liked.
So what else could it hurt if Armand saw Lestat at one of his concerts, when their fledglings seemed to be cozying up together?
Begrudgingly, Armand attended the concert Lestat had invited him to. It wasn't like he hadn't seen clips of the tour when keeping tabs on Daniel, or that he hadn't been stalking the rock star in the months leading up to the tour. But he didn't know what to expect from being led to a secluded area backstage.
Seeing the chaos that cursed through the people working to get everything right, the costumes and the props that went on stage. It was like a lawless dance, one that Armand knew too well Lestat could handle.
It reminded him of their time at the Théâtre de Vampires. Even if Lestat had not been part of it for that long, as his dear violinist Nicolas de Lenfent had, he had seen the machinations Lestat could get behind when acting. But this was something else entirely. A production Armand had not seen up close. Stardom suited Lestat in a way he could handle, and the groupies that followed him unbothered him. Lestat did not care about being followed, as if he seemed so familiar with it.
And maybe he was. Hadn't Armand followed him before introducing himself to Lestat? Before terrorizing him, Gabrielle, and Nicolas? But that was beside the point.
The loneliness was suffocating him in a way he did not want to endure anymore, and if the younger vampire was offering to spend some time together, who was he to deny Lestat his request? Sharing their loneliness didn't seem that bad.
The person guiding him stopped before a red door with a star in the middle, with "The Vampire Lestat" written on top. Without the person having to knock, the blonde vampire was there, opening the door for them.
"Thank you, Amy," Lestat said, dismissing one of his many assistants. Finally turning to the older vampire, he acknowledged him with a simple "Armand."
"Lestat."
Lestat moved away from the door to allow Armand in without another word. It looked similar to what he remembered Lestat’s old dressing room in the Théâtre, which he used to share with Nicolas. A clean, ordered environment that would seem unusual for someone who didn't know Lestat for as long as Armand had.
He just stood there waiting for Lestat to close the door behind him, waiting to see what the rock star had to say to him.
He didn't know where they stood. It was so different after two centuries without properly interacting. And Armand knew Lestat still resented him for Louis's, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.
"Well, I would say I'm glad to see you, mon petit diable, but that wouldn't be necessarily true."
"What do you want, Lestat?" Armand asked, still skeptical of Lestat calling to him.
"I just wanted to see you. Congratulate you in person for finally passing down the Dark Gift. Only took, what, 500 years?" Lestat said mockingly. "Quite extraordinary, your fledgling, turning him after 50 years? Only took him begging for 12 years and for you to erase yourself from his life, it seems."
"If you only want me here to mock me for my past mistakes, you shouldn't have reached out to me. I guess I'll take my leave then."
"Always so sensitive, mon ange," Lestat said, reaching closer to Armand, pulling at his wrist softly. "I wanted to see you, genuinely. Even after everything."
Armand slowly removed his wrist from Lestat's grasp, crossing his arms and looking away from the blonde vampire.
A way for Armand to protect himself, Lestat knew. Faking indifference and pretending not to care. But even loneliness was a little too consuming for Armand to have left his hiding place to see Lestat. But before Lestat could add anything else, he heard a knock on his door, reminding him that he had 10 minutes before he was needed on stage.
“I wanted to-”
Still, before he could finish his sentence, Armand had left his room without saying anything else, probably to his assigned place in one of the balconies Lestat had reserved for said occasions.
And Lestat knew this wasn't going to be easy. Just trying to find him had been a tricky deal. No matter how adept he was at the Mind Gift, Armand had always been better at hiding himself when he didn't want to be found. Conversation wasn't the usual route they took when wanting to discuss things, not even in les Innocents or at Magnus Tower, where he had begged to go with Gabrielle and himself. But that had always been Armand.
Even Daniel had commented on Armand's way of leaving things, running away from the problem when things got too hard, or threatening to burn everything around him down. For the older vampire, it was always black and white, never seeing the gray in things.
Maybe Lestat was chewing more than he could try to eat, but hadn’t he always been like that? Is it not his tour and documentary proof of it? Telling everyone how he didn’t abide by any rules written in any type of book? Would it be so difficult to try to show the gremlin a little care after such solitude?
Lestat was going to attempt to get the orange-eyed vampire to understand why he had wanted him here, directly from a song he had just written for the other. The blonde vampire had noticed something before his fallout with Daniel in their last months, as his dear Louis had come to celebrate Lestat’s birthday. And something in the way Daniel kept looking longingly at the little celebration Louis had come up for Lestat made the blonde further curious. It took a little while to understand that the fledgling craved to do something similar for Armand, no matter that they weren’t on the best of terms, their shared history making something ache in the younger vampire.
This was after Louis left again, after Daniel had decided their creative differences were too much to the point that they needed a break, when Lestat had come to understand Daniel’s longing for a birthday celebration for Armand. The vampire himself didn’t even remember the day that he was born.
One of the many tragedies that seemed to surround the 500-year-old vampire. Even if they didn’t need to celebrate another year of roaming the Earth, the kind gesture Louis had tried for Lestat, how both of them had tried for Claudia in New Orleans, when Lestat had tried for Louis many times in their home and now at days with something small he would appreciate, even Armand had done something for Daniel when he was still an addict running around the world with him in the 70s. It felt fair that someone would try at least once for Armand. And maybe Lestat wasn’t the best bet, but they only had one another at this time. Their fledglings cuddling up somewhere else would not stop him from showing once that he did care for the gremlin.
And so the show began with Lestat's old theatrics, something he had crafted with his team and band. He had always been a fan of props placed accordingly, smoke coming out of the stage, and good costumes. Which had not surprised any of the vampires in his close circle, he consistently favored the extravagant and dramatic.
Armand even pretended he didn’t know the set list and the setup Lestat had for his concert. It was something else getting to watch him perform in front of thousands of mortals. As he had told Daniel a few years ago in Dubai, he was totally unnatural.
It was the charm of his show, the way he brought people together just by being. Something Armand couldn’t grasp at first back in their Paris days. That had made them feel like unequals back then. Armand could not understand how a vampire so young had come into their own so quickly when he still felt so raw at times. Even now, he could not begin to comprehend it.
So, halfway through Lestat's show, Armand realized that maybe Lestat had been right about calling to him. Being alone for a certain time did make his mind spiral, not on purpose, but the weight of time did that. Something that Daniel could not begin to grasp, being still so new in the blood. Possibly, Lestat would catch onto his feelings from the balcony, the understanding only Lestat had in pulling Armand's strings in the way he knew how. The resistance that the blonde would always get from Armand in these new scenarios and situations that they both seem to be in together in the new centuries. But in the end, a weird sense of understanding and care that only the two of them could manage.
In the end, Armand preferred to focus on the music and the theatrics of the other after that little spiraling, as Lestat always had his way around with mortals. And he would not have for the blonde to accuse him of not paying attention, even if he knew the show like the back of his hand.
When the time came for the part of the show where Lestat would sing with only a piano, he felt a bit uneasy. The closing of his show was a slow song that he chose at random out of the many songs he did not have in his main setlist. Many of the romantic ones or the sad ones, which he preferred playing in a more intimate setting with only his piano. Perhaps he knew Armand would understand the meaning behind this new song, one he had written during their time away.
And Lestat had written songs about him, about the Children of Darkness, and everything that he had experienced as a human, as a freshly turned vampire, and his adventures while exploring the world with Gabrielle before settling in New Orleans. And Lestat didn't get nervous per se, but the wave of emotions he had just felt from Armand made him feel a certain way about the new song he had composed for the other vampire. A lot more direct than his past songs, tailored specifically for Armand and his relationship with the orange-eyed vamp.
It happens to be that the portrayal of Armand in the music videos he had put out with the songs was not enough to showcase the beauty that had captivated Lestat for so long. The actor had tried his best, but it would not even shadow the feeling of seeing Armand for the first time in Paris. His breath was stolen due to the sheer beauty of him at the ball. But his team had tried, while recreating everything as best they could for Lestat. He had wanted it to be remembered and explained to the world, for the truth about the vampires to be told. In part to help with Louis and Daniel's book.
So when Lestat started playing his last song of the night, Armand frowned. It was not one he recognized on Lestat's album. A completely different ballad played through the blue-eyed vampire's fingers.
"This may be the last song of the night, but it's a very special one. A new one for an old friend, as today is his birthday."
The crowd cheered to that, while Armand felt all the air he didn't need in his dead lungs leave him. Lestat could not be speaking about him. He did not remember his birthday, nor did he recall his parents or whether he had siblings. He didn’t remember anything before the boat.
It was starting to feel like a cruel joke. He had come up to Lestat's show, even accepted the invitation, but he couldn't leave. He felt stuck to his seat listening to another song, apparently the blonde vampire had written about him, for him.
A consolation prize for being alone, it felt worse than the pity he felt coming off Louis all those times or the weird instances he sensed it from Daniel. Throughout their time together, Lestat never showed pity for Armand's story. Not when he was begging in Paris to go with him and Gabrielle.
And it was a soft melody, nothing he hadn't necessarily heard from Lestat, but it held something underneath it. A thing Armand felt he could somewhat recognize, but he didn't necessarily want to. Perhaps it was true that this song was strictly his, that Lestat had indeed written it for him, that even after all the baggage between them, they could still find comfort. One Armand didn't feel worthy of holding.
The lyrics obviously point towards their time together in Paris. Many complicated feelings arose during that time. A deep messiness was written all over the song, added with a longing that Armand hadn’t expected from the blonde.
It all added to the way the crowd reacted to the song, using their phones as a light, swaying side by side. Which fueled Lestat even further to finish with some high notes.
“Happy birthday to my oldest friend.”
With the song over and Lestat starting to close the concert to his thousand screaming fans, Armand did the only thing he could think of. The constant thing he kept doing in this type of situation was running away. So he ran back to his apartment, where he had been hiding before Lestat had decided to disturb his brooding.
Daniel might be right in some instances, Lestat thought bitterly when he noticed Armand’s presence disappear before he even had the chance to explain his reasoning to the dark-haired vampire.
Tracking him wasn't hard. He had once found him where he had sent the letter to join him in concert. He knew where Armand was hiding, especially now that he wasn't on the best of terms with his fledgling or even other vamps.
When he got to Armand’s apartment, he found him huddled up, watching a show about people traveling in space, which was not what he expected, necessarily.
"Space, the final frontier, these are the voyages of the starship Enterprise..."
Without moving, Armand simply spoke, "What are you doing here, Lestat? Hadn't you had enough with the song?"
Lestat could only stare at the other vampire. He hadn’t changed since the last time they saw each other, in Paris or ever for that matter. Always defensive about everything, taking things at face value.
“I don’t know how you interpreted that song, Armand, but I didn’t mean any malice with it.”
With that, Armand finally looked at Lestat. Not a readable expression on his face, not one that someone who didn’t know him would decipher.
“How did you mean it then? If it wasn’t already a mockery of me.”
Lestat just sighed, moving around the room Armand was in. Looking at his shelf with movies in different formats. This was typical Armand. Nothing he wasn’t used to by now. A dance the two knew well, no matter how tiresome it was.
“You get so defensive, mon petit diable. Never allowing yourself to see the greater picture.”
“And that would be?”
“That I wanted to do something nice for you.”
Armand scoffs. A small laugh unconsciously escapes him. The whole situation feels like a cosmic joke. Not even Daniel had wanted to mock him this way when they were together for those 12 years, and now here came Lestat, still dressed in his concert outfit, with glitter all over his face and hair. There had to be more to it. There was always a hidden motive when someone gave him something nice.
But Lestat was here. That had to mean something, right?
“My birthday then.”
“What about it?”
“Did you have anything planned before your silly song?”
Now that Armand said it, Lestat realized that he hadn’t planned anything the way Louis had done for him or him for Louis. He hadn’t arranged ahead of time what he would do if Armand was willing to indulge him. Especially with the loneliness they both had found themselves in.
“Not really.”
“Honest, as usual.”
“But that doesn’t mean we cannot do something together, Armand,” Lestat replied quickly. “I know you feel the same way I do.”
“And how do you think I exactly feel, Lestat?”
“Alone.”
Armand hadn’t expected Lestat to be straightforward with it. Not after their fledglings leaving them alone to be together. He started rubbing his fingers against the blankets he had surrounding him, not looking at the blonde. This wasn’t how he had expected the night to go from when he received the invitation.
Lestat got closer to Armand, wanting to see if the orange-eyed vampire would object. He was aware of how the other preferred his distance when being confronted by new scenarios. This was uncharted territory for both of them, a balance of accepting their feelings and working on them together.
“Can I hold you, mon ange?”
Armand nodded. With a small sense of relief, still wrapped in his blanket, with his iPad paused on a Star Trek episode.
Lestat sat swiftly next to him, not really sure of how Armand wanted to be held. He put his arm around the dark-haired vampire, on top of the blanket he was covered with. A soft thing, maybe they could try to learn to be soft with each other for once. Not only as a gift for Armand, but as a tribute to their endurance in living so long. Neither of them wanted to admit that they could have each other to comfort their loneliness. Looking odd to anyone who knew them or knew their history. But it was a new century, a new start of many things. Resentment did not work well on immortal beings.
Lestat grabbed Armand’s hand from where it was resting on top of the blanket and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss on it. The closeness not stopping the need to constantly have Armand this way, to enjoy his beauty and give him sweet things. And Armand allowed him, he knew the other wouldn’t have any difficulty pushing him off if he didn’t want the touch.
They stayed that way for a while. Lestat holding Armand’s hand and Armand’s head on Lestat’s shoulder.
Maybe Armand didn’t remember his birthday or many things about his human family before the amount of abuse he had endured. But this felt nice. It felt like a gift he had asked for so long and was able to enjoy it after centuries. He would indulge Lestat’s intentions but also his own. He moved his head, glancing up at Lestat, who was already looking back at him. Lestat leaned down to press a kiss to Armand’s nose, rubbing his thumb back and forth. Armand moved his other hand to press play on the Star Trek episode he was watching.
It was a start. They wouldn’t stay long in that small warmth they created, but it was a small gift for Armand.