Title: And we shall be together
Author: gothikmaus
Fandom: Interview with the vampire (TV)
Pairing: Armand/Daniel Molloy
Rating: R/Mature
Summary: Something is bothering Daniel. Armand is determined to get to the bottom of it.
A/N: Written for Kinktober 2026. Day 25: First time + Bonus: Coming in pants
Interview with the vampire and all Vampire Chronicles characters are property of Anne Rice. I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.
Daniel stopped in front of the window and looked out at the Montreal skyline as the night slowly turned into day, dawn painting the horizon orange, pink and gold. He didn't even flinch when the first rays of sunlight landed on him.
"Are you ready for tonight?" Armand asked, looking up from the magazine he had been mindlessly leafing through.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Daniel answered. He drew the blackout curtain shut and turned around.
Armand couldn't get into his fledgling's head, but he could feel something was off. He put the magazine down and focused his full attention on Daniel.
"Something's bothering you. Did you change your mind about the plan?"
"Hell, no. I've been waiting for the chance to kick Lestat's ass," Daniel replied. "I'm just tired, guess all this day-walking has taken a toll on me." He stepped away from the window and headed for the bedroom. "I'll take the bed. You can nap on the sofa if you get sleepy," he added, trying to sound flippant but not really succeeding.
Armand wasn't fooled. In a second, he was standing in front of Daniel.
"No, there's something else. I can feel it."
Daniel immediately tensed and looked away.
"What is it? I can help you."
"What if I don't want your help?" Daniel replied curtly, but Armand could sense a slight hesitation, a faint tremor running through their bond.
"Please, tell me."
Armand placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder and Daniel winced.
"Are you in pain?" Armand asked, worried, studying his face for any sign of discomfort.
Daniel ground his teeth.
"Just leave me alone," he hissed and shrugged Armand's hand off his shoulder. He tried to walk past him, but Armand blocked him.
"Not until you tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong. I just..." Daniel trailed off, still not looking at him.
Armand reached out again and gently ran his hand down Daniel's arm. He felt a shiver run through Daniel and frowned. What he was feeling through their bond wasn't pain: it was deep, raw yearning. He put both hands on Daniel's biceps, squeezing lightly before running them up along his shoulders and neck, until he was gently cradling Daniel's face in his palms.
"When was the last time someone touched you like this?"
Daniel didn't reply. His lips were pressed tightly together, his mouth a thin line drawn across his face.
"When was the last time you shared blood with someone?" Armand went on, sounding a little more insistent.
Daniel balled his hands into fists. Armand could feel frustration and shame coming off him.
"No one has tasted you since you became a vampire." It wasn't a question. "No wonder you're so tense all the time."
"Are you done rubbing it into my face?" Daniel growled, finally looking at him. His eyes were blazing. "Yeah, I get it: you all look like hot, ethereal supermodels and I look like somebody's grandpa. Who would want me? Not even my maker wanted me," he added bitterly. "Is that what you wanted to hear? Now leave me the fuck alone."
He tried to get free, but Armand didn't let go.
"No," Armand answered, looking straight into his eyes. "I was a shitty maker and you have every right to be mad at me. But never doubt, even for a second, that I love you. I love you so much it hurts."
He gently rubbed his thumbs over Daniel's cheekbones and suddenly he was back in San Francisco, a bloodied, terrified boy sitting in front of him and stubbornly refusing to die. Daniel had changed so much since then, but, deep down, he was still the same scared boy desperately looking for his place in the world.
"Mutual feeding is an act of deep intimacy and intense pleasure. It's a shame you haven't experienced it yet," Armand went on. He paused. "But if I have to be honest, I'm also glad. I don't want anyone else to taste my fledgling."
Daniel scoffed.
"Getting territorial?" His voice was dripping sarcasm, but Armand could feel trepidation under the brash facade.
"Maybe," Armand conceded. He slid one hand down Daniel's throat, stopping just over his sternum. "Do you want to know what it feels like? Fangs piercing your skin, sinking into your flesh, the pain turning into agonising pleasure as the blood slowly flows out of your veins."
Daniel's breath caught in his throat at Armand's words.
"You know how good it can feel, you saw Louis feed on me in Dubai."
"Yeah, that was quite the show you two put up."
"Don't pretend you didn't enjoy watching us. I could feel how flustered you were, could hear your heart racing as you pictured me sitting in your lap." He leaned forward, lips brushing the side of Daniel's neck. "It will be so good, better than anything you have ever felt in your mortal life. Drugs, sex... Nothing can compare," Armand continued, pressing his fangs lightly against Daniel's throat, a promise of what was to come.
Daniel took in a shaky breath.
"Just fucking do it."
Armand smiled and placed a hand on Daniel's waist, using the other one to tilt his head to the side, exposing his neck.
Daniel let out a small whimper and brought a hand up to the back of Armand's head, fingers tangling in the dark curls. The whimper turned into an obscene moan when Armand finally sank his fangs into his neck, Daniel's free hand instinctively going to Armand's back, clutching at his shirt as if his whole life depended on it.
Armand closed his eyes and savoured his fledgling's blood. The taste was slightly different now, but there was still something uniquely Daniel about it, like a rich red wine that had become even finer with age. He pressed closer, pushing him back against the wall, and wasn't surprised to feel a hard bulge poking at his hip. He slid the hand resting on Daniel's waist down to his crotch, and Daniel reflexively pushed forward, grinding against Armand's palm.
Armand drank slowly, enjoying every little sound Daniel made as he fondled him through his trousers. When he finally lifted his mouth from Daniel's neck, he was light-headed and dizzy. He licked the blood still oozing out of the wounds and looked at Daniel. His fledgling was panting, lips parted and eyes bright and unfocused. He looked as delicious as he tasted.
"I told you you would like it," Armand said, sounding a little out of breath himself, and gave Daniel a hard squeeze, making him gasp. "Would you like to return the favour?" he asked, tilting his head back and exposing his throat.
Daniel licked his lips and lunged forward, fangs tearing into Armand's neck. Armand gasped and closed his eyes, still palming Daniel as he fed on him, hungry and feral and messy. He could feel blood trickle down his throat and soak into his shirt, but he really didn't care.
Daniel pulled back with a gasp when Armand unbuckled his belt. He was panting heavily and had blood smeared all over his mouth and chin, and Armand leaned forward, licking him clean as he unbuttoned his jeans. He slid his lips down Daniel's neck and bit down on him again just as he slipped his fingers into his open fly. Daniel screwed his eyes shut and groaned, the back of his head hitting the wall with a loud thud as he came.
They stood like that for a while, silent and unmoving, Armand's mouth pressed against the side of Daniel's neck. He eventually straightened up, but didn't step away.
"Well, this is embarrassing," Daniel jokingly said. "I hadn't come in my pants since high school."
"For vampire standards, you're still a teenager. Which explains the rebellious phase."
Daniel chuckled.
"It's not a phase."
Armand smiled and gently brushed a silver curl off his forehead. Daniel looked at him.
"Is this what having a companion feels like?"
Armand paused. He could feel a pleasant warmth emanating from Daniel and permeating their bond, a sense of peace and contentment, but underneath, a flicker of uncertainty.
"Yes."
That was what companionship was supposed to be. It was more than love: it was a safe place, a sense of belonging, someone who could make you forget the horror and pain that being a vampire entailed. Armand thought he had found it before, but had been proven wrong time and time again.
"It's nice," Daniel simply said, but Armand knew there was so much more behind those words.
"Yes, it is," he agreed, unable to suppress a sudden surge of hope.
"You said you wanted to be my maker. Do you also want to be my... companion?"
Armand felt his old, abused heart flutter in his chest.
"There is nothing in the world I want more than to be your companion. But only if you want it too." He cupped Daniel's cheek in the palm of his hand. "What do you want?"
Daniel's pained expression broke Armand's heart.
"I don't want to be alone anymore."
Armand could feel loneliness and longing and shame coming off Daniel. He leaned forward and enveloped him in a hug.
"I will never leave you again. I swear."
Daniel gingerly wrapped his arms around Armand and rested his cheek on his shoulder. Armand felt something spread through their bond, something he had never felt before. It was like being engulfed by warm sunlight, like a pleasant summer breeze caressing his skin on a hot summer night, like the murmur of waves lulling him to sleep. He wondered if that was what true happiness felt like.
"We should get some rest, we have a big night ahead of us," Daniel said after a while, but didn't even try to extricate himself from Armand's embrace.
"Mmh-hmm."
"And I really need to get cleaned up. I'm all sticky."
Armand felt a little thrill at the thought of why Daniel had ended up sticky. He smiled.
"Also... You don't have to sleep on the sofa," Daniel added. "The bed's big enough for the both of us."
Armand finally straightened up, pulling back just enough to look at him. Daniel looked endearingly nervous.
"I would be delighted to share a bed with you."
Armand was sure that, hadn't Daniel been so sunburnt, he would have actually blushed.
"Right. I'll just take a quick shower, I'll be right back."
Armand's eyes followed Daniel as he walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind himself. He sighed. He had caused Daniel a great deal of pain with his actions, but he had been granted a second chance and had every intention to make things right. It would take time, but he would make it work, no matter what. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his fledgling. His companion. His Daniel.
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October 2026