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The lights adorning the reception hall shimmered in a kaleidoscope of pink, orange, and silver hues, fragments of color cascading over the shuffling crowd that filled the hall. Noé stared in awe at the shifting mosaic before him, Vanitas gazing at him fondly at his side.
“You’re acting like you’ve never been to a ball before,” Vanitas teased, the refracted light catching in the deep blue of his eyes.
Noé chuckled as he tugged at his cuffs absently. “Yes, but that was over a year ago now, and I don’t remember it being half as beautiful,” he said.
Had it really been that long since Domi had dragged them to a ball like this? One with throngs of vampires swaying and laughing and chatting jovially amongst each other? The last time they attended a party like this, Vanitas had been masquerading as a fellow vampire before outing himself boisterously and nearly getting himself killed. Though the subconscious feelings of resentment against humans was still present—and Vanitas was once again hiding his identity—it felt like half a decade had passed since they were last here.
“Hey,” said Vanitas, snapping Noé from his reverie, “I already promised not to make a scene this time, okay? Let’s go have a good time.”
His stance eased, and he couldn’t help the goofy grin that spread over his features as Vanitas gazed up at him. That’s right, they should enjoy themselves. Noé offered Vanitas his arm, and the man giggled under his breath, concealing his smirk behind a gloved hand.
“You’re no good at keeping secrets, Noé,” he joked, looping his arm through the vampire’s nonetheless.
The two strolled through the reception hall with their arms linked until they reached a table adorned with decadent sweets. At the other end of the display stood Dominique, Jeanne, Luca, and Dante, the four of them engaged in conversation over glasses of champagne—except for Luca, who’s glass was filled with grape-juice instead. Despite his nonalcoholic beverage, he held his glass with the grandeur of an indulgent prince treating himself to a fine wine.
“Ah, Noé!” called Domi, waving her hand at the duo as they strode over to her side. Vanitas dropped his arm and Noé rushed to embrace his dear friend. “I’m so glad you could both make it tonight, I know it was short notice,” she said, fidgeting with the vest of her crisp suit.
“Of course we would come! It’s always nice to see you all,” Noé reassured her, his expression positively radiant even in the bright hall.
Luca tutted, waggling a finger. “Invitation or not, it’s incredibly risky for you to show your face here tonight, Vani—”
“Ah-ah-ah!” Vanitas said in response, waggling his own finger at the boy. “It’s Vincent tonight, my dear.”
“Tch, even with a different name my uncle will still kill you if he sees you here,” he said, taking another swig of his juice.
“If he sees me. Besides, I like the high stakes—keeps me on my toes.” As if emphasizing his point, Vanitas rolled on his heels and stood on his toes, smirking at him all the while.
Noé tilted his stance to better observe the man’s behavior, the hat on his head shifting off-balance until Domi reached out to fix it for him. “Well, don’t keep secrets, now. How has your research been going?” Domi asked, turning a blind eye to Noé’s fumbling as he turned away from Vanitas. “You and Van—I mean, you and Vincent have been gone for... how long has it been?”
“About four months now.” Accepting a glass of some bubbly serum from a passing server, Noé pressed the rim to his lips and tasted sparks on his tongue. “The research has been going well, but we’re still far from fully understanding how the Formula works. Still, Chloe’s guidance was indispensable for helping us grasp the essentials,” Noé said, swirling the glass in his nimble fingers while he glanced at Vanitas from the corner of his eye. “The clinic has been doing better than I initially thought it would, however I still think it would be a lot more accessible if it was located in a more central region. Montpelier is beautiful, but if a patient isn’t from that area, getting over to us is a struggle.”
Domi chuckled into her glass, gazing at Noé through piercingly golden eyes. “Yes, it truly is upsetting that Lord Ruthven has you blacklisted, but it’s something of a compliment that he would actively go out of his way to keep you out of his sight. Still, I’m glad to hear things are going so well.” She took a sip of her fizzing drink, glancing at Vanitas as he chatted idly with Dante. “But, I have to ask: how are things with Vincent? You two don’t clash too harshly, do you?”
Noé paused, blinking twice before finally speaking. “We’ve adjusted.”
Truthfully, it hadn’t taken long for Noé to buckle and expose his then-unnamed feelings for the hypnotizing man—there was no way he could have kept them a secret for their entire tenure in Montpelier anyway, but he had hoped he would have been able to conceal his affliction for longer than a handful of weeks. Alas, he was a weak man at heart, especially concerning matters of the heart. To his surprise, Vanitas didn’t turn tail and run, instead asking to spend some time with him outside of the pretext of work—after avoiding his gaze for a day, of course. Four months later, after bleeding their hearts out to each other and spending numerous nights making love under the sheets, they decided to make their relationship official, if only to themselves.
They had agreed to keep their personal affairs a secret to maintain professionalism and avoid extortion from any third party (such as Lord Ruthven, who so often caused problems for them after Gevaudan), and that included not telling their friends and companions in Paris.
Domi quirked a brow, examining Noé’s countenance as she pursed her lips. “That so?” she cooed, taking another sip of her drink. The corners of her lips curled into a smile as she said, “I’m glad to hear it, Noé.”
As Jeanne chimed in the conversation and Domi shifted on her heels, Vanitas laughed heartily as Dante only scowled at him. “You haven’t changed a bit, Dante,” he mused, muffling his laughs with a gloved finger pressed across his lips.
“And you act like I haven’t seen you in years, quack,” Dante muttered, a hand shoved deep into the pocket of his slacks. “Should I stop calling you that—you have a clinic with Noé now, don’t you? Hate to ruin your reputation.” He rolled his eyes dramatically.
“I was never a quack, baldy,” he hummed, the drink bubbling over his tongue as he took a tentative sip. “And that’s precisely why the clinic is located so far away from here—so fools like you don’t scare off my patients.”
“And that’s also why you keep Noé around—to get them to come back!” Dante joked, chuckling into a glass a passing server handed him. He made a wry face at the taste. “Besides, didn’t you skip town because you were threatened?”
Vanitas didn’t respond, opting to steal a glance at Noé from the corner of his vision. The man was dressed in formal attire, dark slacks and a buttoned vest over a long shirt, sleeves folded to his elbows in a way that made Vanitas’ mouth water at the sight of his exposed forearms. His maroon tie was tucked under the dip of his vest, and he wanted nothing more to grab him by the silky material and kiss him in front of everyone so they all knew that they belonged to each other.
Perhaps he was getting carried away; Dante snapped his fingers in front of his face. “Earth to, uh, Vincent?” he droned, waving his hand in front of him. “You in there, quack?”
“Why, do you have something to say?” Vanitas responded, a smirk returning to his lips as he turned his gaze back to Dante.
The dham scoffed, setting his drink on the table at their side. “I’m going to see if they have something stronger. Need anything?”
“Hm? No, I’m fine, thanks.”
“Whatever you say.”
Making his way back towards Domi and the others, he listened to Noé’s voice as if filled the air around them. He stood beside the vampire, though he admittedly wasn’t listening to the words he spoke so much as he was entranced with the timbre of his voice. So mesmerized, in fact, that he failed to notice the eyes on him until after Noé gave him a gentle nudge.
“Did you heart that, Vincent?” Noé asked, his words filled with a kindness Vanitas would have once found revolting.
“Forgive me, I didn’t.”
Noé laughed. “You always zone out at the worst times.”
“It’s a flaw of mine.”
“Domi asked how things are at the clinic,” Noé said, emptying his glass as he pulled his eyes from him.
“Ah, yes,” Vanitas began. “We’ve gotten a surprising number of patients in the short time our doors have been open. By the way, thank you for the recommendations, it’s no doubt helped us with building a reputation.” He passed Noé the half empty glass in his hand, subduing a grin as he happily accepted the drink; their fingers brushed, lingering for a moment longer than necessary before separating.
On the opposite end of the hall, instruments began to echo as their musicians readied themselves to perform. A wave of vampires hurried to the dance floor as they began to play a slow waltz.
A smile passed over Domi’s lips at the orchestral sounds, immediately looking to Noé as the music rang through the hall. In the not too distant past, he would have hurried to her side like a lost puppy, floundering as the guests joined in a dance he didn’t fully understand; instead, he looked to Vanitas as a tenderness rose to the forefront of his visage, locking eyes with the man at his side as a genuine smile adorned his lips. She ached, but Noé’s happiness could never cause her to feel upset.
Vanitas and Noé stood next to each other silently, fidgeting with sleeves or bows or hems of clothing until Domi’s voice rang true. “Jeanne, dance with me.”
“Wh-What?!” she stammered, flummoxed by the question as Domi laced their fingers and lead the woman to the floor, a gentle hand on the small of her back as they swayed to the music. Though she had been caught off-guard, Jeanne quickly adjusted as she giggled at the woman’s movements, a blush rising to her cheeks.
Grasping his hand, Vanitas pulled Noé to the floor as well. “Glad I didn’t have to fight over you,” he whispered, bodies pressed closer than required for this particular gait.
Noé flushed, falling in step at his side as the music guided their movements through the glittering hall. His hat nearly tumbled to the ground, but Vanitas caught it with a swift flick of his wrist over Noé’s shoulder. He clicked his tongue at the man.
“You have such an obsession with headwear,” Vanitas said, flashing a playful smirk as he moved to place the hat on his own head.
Stumbling as he disrupted their rhythm, Noé grabbed the garment and placed it back over his hair. He looked askance, lips pursed. “You shouldn’t do that, someone might notice...”
“Quoi?”
“You know what I mean, mon Cheri.”
Vanitas hummed, the smirk leaving his features barren aside from his wide eyes. The light reflected in them beautifully, and a burn edged its way through Noé’s torso at the sight. “Ah, forgive me, Minou, I forget myself so easily these days.”
Noé squeezed at Vanitas’ hip, grazing his thumb over the soft material of his dress-shirt with a glazed look in his violet eyes, toying with a ribbon’s edge; in response, Vanitas dug his fingers into his shoulder and clasped his hand tighter. As they continued to sway, their bodies grazed each other with enough friction to make the heat in Noé’s chest burn hotter at the pressure of his partner’s body against his own. Whether it was the flush rising to Noé’s cheeks or the strengthening of his grip, Vanitas was well-aware of the growing tension that filled the air between them—he licked his lips, savoring the delicious response it elicited.
“Is something the matter, mon amour?” he asked, leaning close enough to warm Noé’s cheek with his breath.
Noé inhaled sharply. “It’s nothing, I probably just had too much to drink.”
“Is that so?”
As they swirled around each other, pulled to the core of the gravity they created together, Vanitas pushed the edge of his pelvis against Noé’s groin, relishing in the whimper that caught in the vampire’s throat. He felt the bulge of Noé’s erection against his hip, a smirk toying with the edge of his lips.
Noé sucked in a shaky breath, urging his blush to dissipate as Vanitas pulled his body away to maintain the metronome of their swaying. They continued to dance despite the desires pooling deep within their bodies; the moment their gait carried them close to the edge of the capering crowd, Vanitas released Noé’s shoulder and pulled the aroused man at his heels, leading them away from the hall and to somewhere more private.
Vanitas had a knack for finding secluded places to hide, nooks and crannies and hidey-holes buried deep in the corners of architecture just waiting to be found. It was a skill he developed to be alone, but now he was using it to be alone with the man he loved—the man he couldn’t help but tease until he had him aroused in the middle of the crowded ballroom. Oops.
Shutting the door and locking it behind them, Noé immediately cupped Vanitas’ face as he pressed a tender kiss to his lips. His cheeks flushed impossibly bright against his dark complexion, and Vanitas reciprocated in kind.
Hands tangled in each other’s hair as they pulled themselves deeper, deeper into their shared warmth, and Noé bucked his hips against Vanitas, begging for stimulation against his throbbing member. The man obliged, reaching down to palm him through his trousers; Noé whimpered into his lips, heart hammering against his ribs as the heat echoed through his bones. Vanitas flicked his tongue against Noé’s, tasting the sweetened alcohol on his breath as he pressed further.
They separated, gasping for air in the sweltering heat of their desires, chests heaving in tandem as they gazed at one another in a trance. Noé caressed his thumb over Vanitas’ cheekbone. “Not here, it’s obscene,” he murmured, each word dripping with a husky vibrato.
Vanitas turned, pressing a kiss against the heel of Noé’s palm. “At least let me help you,” he whispered, the words warm against his trembling hand. “If you don’t want me to, then I’ll stop—but just say the word and I’m yours.”
He took a moment to think over the offer, chancing a glance at their surroundings in the pause between movements. The room was filled with plush furniture, some covered with more dust than others, and a single window illuminated the space with the cool glow of the moon as it hung high over Altus Paris. Vanitas twirled a strand of Noé’s hair over a gloved finger, gazing at him with gentle eyes as the vampire decided.
Pursing his lips, Noé felt the pulse of his burning need as he ached for the man before him. Without wasting another moment, he murmured a quick, “Please, Vanitas,” before his lips were captured in a passionate kiss.
Vanitas pressed his entire body against the man, a pitiful whine escaping his throat at the contact as he was pushed into one of the long-forgotten sofas that filled the storage room. He dropped into the seat, dizzy with lust as Vanitas continued to ravish his clothed body with open hands; Vanitas fell on his knees before him, squeezing his hips as he urged the vampire to spread his legs for him.
Surrendering himself to the sensations, Noé gave Vanitas the room to press his torso flush against his groin as he nuzzled against his chest, hands roving over his body as he reveled in the stiffness of his member. He sighed, gazing up at Noé through half-moon eyes as his hands occupied themselves with his belt buckle. As the clasp came undone, Noé gasped at the feeling of one less article of clothing between him and his lover.
With his abdomen exposed to the dull moonlight, Vanitas pressed feather-light kisses to the taught muscles beneath his navel, tracing his lips over the slope of his Adonis belt and grazing over the protruding bone of his pelvis as Noé trembled beneath him. His chest rose and fell jaggedly, and he clenched his hands at his sides as he watched Vanitas work towards his growth. As he reached the trail of short hairs leading to the base of his shaft, Vanitas removed his gloves with an exaggerated movement, smirking at the smoldering man above him before slipping his fingers under the hem of his trousers.
Noé whimpered as Vanitas pulled his clothing just enough for his cock to break free, the chill air against its sensitive surface enough to send pricks down his spine. He bit his lip as the man pressed the pad of his finger against the tip. A bead of pre-cum dripped down his length the more he was toyed with, and he shuddered at the sensation of his slender fingers tracing the stream back up his shaft. Vanitas licked the substance off his finger, not taking his eyes off Noé all the while.
Gripping his thighs, Vanitas squeezed him as he dragged the flat of his tongue from base to tip, cheeks flushed bright as Noé’s moans hitched in his throat. He bit deep into his knuckles, urging the sounds bubbling inside him to dissipate as Vanitas pushed the head past the barrier of his lips. His hips bucked instinctively against the sensations only to be pinned against the sofa by a strong, unyielding hand against his abdomen.
“Stay put,” Vanitas ordered, a raspy edge in his words that only made Noé’s arousal burn hotter through his veins.
Without another word, he went back to work at pleasuring his partner, the very thought of Noé being satisfied with his work aching him to his core. Inviting him once more beyond his plush lips, Vanitas kept a steady pressure over his hips as he suckled on his member, pressing his tongue along a particularly sensitive vein until he twitched in his mouth. He took him deeper, pausing briefly to adjust his breathing before bobbing his head over the vampire’s cock, tasting as many inches as he could until he felt the tip brush the back of his throat.
Noé’s moans tumbled out of him like an ancient tongue of sexual intimacy, the pleasured sounds mixing with words of praise and adoration as Vanitas edged him towards sweet release. In his carnal reverie, he wound his hand through Vanitas’ thick locks, gripping them like a lifeline as he ate him whole. Vanitas whimpered softly against him, the vibrations shooting through Noé like lightning as he neared climax.
“V-Vanitas, my love,” he moaned, eyes screwed shut as the warmth blossomed through his core. His fingers tightened against his hair, and Vanitas mewled at the sensation ravishing his scalp as he took Noé completely, lips kissing the base as tears burned the back of his eyes.
“Aah, ngh...”
He panted heavily, teetering on the edge of release as Vanitas squeezed his hips and slurped at his cock, feeling utterly exposed and loving every moment of it. Finally, Noé’s nails scratched against his hair as he attempted to subdue his cries as the pleasure jolted through his body.
“I-I’m about t-to—!”
Vanitas hummed as Noé released in his mouth, pulling away enough to only engulf the tip as his hot cream filled his mouth. As the waves of his orgasm began to fade, Vanitas sucked the remaining cum from his member until he was positively drained.
His expression twitched at the taste, hot and bitter on his tongue as he swallowed; he didn’t care for the aftertaste, but he didn’t do it for the flavor—he did it for Noé’s gasping, writhing, quivering form unwinding with each touch, each drag of his fingers across his skin pulling more divine sounds from his throat. It was ecstasy to be able to see this side of the vampire, a side for no one but him, a side so vulnerable and honest it made his heart falter.
Separating from his shaft, Vanitas gazed up at Noé as he licked the remains from his lips, the pearlescent essence glistening in the moonlight as he lapped it all hungrily. Noé’s hand loosened in his hair, circling down to cup his jaw softly as he delighted in the remnants of his high. He panted heavily, lips parted as he met Vanitas’ gaze.
“Feeling better?” Vanitas cooed, face still flushed from their previous activity.
“Yes, thank you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Vanitas nuzzled into his hand, eyes fluttering shut. “I’m glad.”
After Noé fixed his disheveled appearance and adjusted his trousers once more, he helped the both of them get to their feet before pulling Vanitas into a tight embrace. “Thank you for letting me share these moments with you, love,” he said, caressing his hand over the man’s back as he spoke. Vanitas wrapped his arms around him in return, resting his cheek against his chest.
“You’re so corny,” said Vanitas, whispering Noé’s true name as he melted; his true name rolled off his tongue as if it were always meant to rest there along his lips. “...But, thank you for making it so easy.”
Noé chuckled softly, pressing a kiss against his hairline. “I’ll be sure to return the favor at the hotel,” he teased, releasing the man from his hold. To his surprise, Vanitas immediately dove behind him, crouched on the ground for a moment before jumping to his feet with Noé’s hat on his head. He put his hands on his hips triumphantly.
“Behold, my spoils!” he shouted before dashing to the door, throwing it open as he strutted back into the darkened hall with his newly acquired headwear. Noé watched him for a moment before smiling to himself, concealing a laugh behind his hand as he followed the man, watching his silhouette with a tender gaze as they made their way back to the reception.
Vanitas was still learning how to express his feelings, so moments where they were exposed to one another were almost always followed by a snide remark, or a witty joke, or any other tension-breaking device he had up his sleeve. It was endearing, and Noé was positive they would discover how to be truly vulnerable with time.
~ ~ ~
Back at the desserts table, Domi, Jeanne, Luca, and Dante watched as Noé and Vanitas finally returned from their recess, Vanitas proudly wearing Noé’s hat with a cheeky grin.
“Do they actually think we’re that dense?” Dante grumbled, jabbing a thumb in their direction as he looked to the women at his side for confirmation.
Domi sighed. “It’d be better not to ask. We should let them tell us when they’re ready for us to know.”
“Noé and Vanitas, sitting in a tree~” Luca sang, his nonalcoholic juice giving him a false drunkenness that was entirely placebo.
Jeanne placed a hand on his shoulder. “Try not to be so loud, young master. It’s really none of our business anyway.”
Leaning against her shoulder, Dante whispered, “You and Vanitas canoodled once, didn’t you? Ya jealous?”
“Huh?! Absolutely not, to both,” she stammered, flushing bright as he pressed her. “It was a temporary attraction, yes, but I no longer hold those feelings for him.”
“That so?”
Domi slapped her hand against Jeanne and Dante, expression contorting as she looked out over the crowd. “That’s Lord Ruthven! He’s here!” she whisper-shouted at them.
“K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”
“Young master!”
“Quick, let’s get them out of here before he sees,” said Domi, grabbing Dante by the arm and pulling him alongside her as they waded through the crowd towards the two men, choosing to press them about their relationship another day.