Part I Disclaimer: Anne Rice owns everything. I'm not making profit from this. C&C are very welcome! :)

          SPOILERS: Tale of the Body Thief.

          Advanced warning: not sure about the timeline, accuracy of facts, etc.. Apologies to Lady Jane Austen for somewhat using her
          title. Kindly forgive any inconsistencies regarding the timeline.

          Note: I know I'm still not finished with Fall Back on Cruelty, but I just want to get this out before it drives me crazy :).

          Dedicated to DarkAngel! :) Many thanks to those who have been commenting on my specs! I'll reply personally once I access
          my e-mail over the weekend X).
 

          It was by chance that Armand came upon both of them. David was in the pool, wearing shorts and a loose white shirt,
          swimming gracefully across the waters. Louis had been saying something from where he sat, a book in his hand, his hair loose
          and being blown by the wind, inadvertently shaping it in the most artistic forms possible.

          “Louis,” Armand greeted as he made his way to the younger vampire.

          Louis smiled softly at him while he approached. His smile was extremely disarming. More delightful was that he was not even
          aware of it; and to think that it was just a polite one...Armand wondered if Lestat was graced with fuller, more genuine smiles
          than what Armand was accustomed to. Still, any smile from Louis was an aesthetic wonder. “Armand. Good evening.”

          “I see David has found out that there is no monster inside our pool,” Armand said as he gazed at Lestat’s newest fledgling.
          Louis’ smile widened a bit. It was something of a joke that none of the vampires aside from Armand and Daniel would
          partake of the benefits of their swimming pool, though many came by to sit by it or observe the beautiful surroundings. “Why
          don’t you join him?”

          Louis shook his head in polite refusal, “No, thank you.”

          It was worth a try. David had reached the other end and seemed about to reply to Louis’ earlier comment when he saw
          Armand.

          "Good evening, Armand," David greeted with a smile. He placed his hands on either side of him on the pool's edge, then
          hoisted himself out of the water. Armand marveled at how in tune David seemed with his body. He achieved a subtle grace to
          his movements through sheer strength and force-- both of which David certainly knew how to use. "Will you and Daniel be
          joining us?" David asked.

          "Not tonight," Armand said. "We have other plans."

          "Ah."

          "Have you fed, Louis?" Armand asked, more out of habit. He knew what the answer would be, and so did David.

          Louis smiled politely, "I will later."

          "Lestat called," Armand continued, addressing both of them. "He said that he may be gone for another week or so. The
          opening of Marius' gallery has been postponed to a few more days, or weeks, the date is uncertain."

          "Nice of him to just drop us both here and expect us to wait while he's gone," David muttered, quite loudly. He had risen
          completely and had taken a towel while Armand spoke, then began to towel himself dry.

          "It isn't very often that Marius holds an art gallery devoted to rock stars," Louis said in playful defense. "Although I do wish
          we could be with him for the preview."

          "Actually, it's more of Lestat going there earlier to make sure that everything's perfect for his exhibit rather than a 'preview' of
          any sort," Armand added. "Marius told me that he had 'arrived faster than lightning' when he was told of the _plans_ about
          the rock exhibit. I could just imagine how surprised Marius had been."

          "Why couldn't he have left us in Rue Royale, then?" David asked.

          "We wouldn't be such good fledglings if we missed a _day_ of his exhibit, would we, David?" Louis said with a short laugh,
          one that Armand found very pleasant. "We should never let an opportunity to view the glories of our Maker pass, and it
          should be prioritized above all other concerns."

          "Ah...I think I missed that. Is that the Second, or the Third of the Ten Laws of Lestat?"

          "Third. Second is 'We must serve Lestat at all times, and at all times on pain of extreme torture.'"

          Armand laughed with them, finding those small bouts of friendship between the two brothers extremely pleasant. He didn't
          think he'd like David--actually, he hated the thought of even meeting him...that is, before Lestat had unceremoniously dumped
          them into Night Island and headed for Marius' gallery, which was just a few hours off the island. He had thought David's
          presence a nuisance to Louis, whose comfort and well-being rang first on his and Daniel's mind. Louis was not exactly fond of
          David as a mortal, and what more as a vampire and a dark brother?

          But after the first few hours of speaking with them, he found nearly the exact opposite of what he had earlier perceived the two
          vampires were sharing. David and Louis got along well—very well, in fact. There was an understanding between the two of
          them, and a warm friendship that Armand found very surprising for Louis to be sharing with another vampire.

          So Armand welcomed David, and he and Louis had been entertaining him ever since.

          Armand's cell phone beeped, marking the arrival of a text message. He excused himself and walked a few feet away to see if
          Daniel wanted to speak.

          Daniel's text message read: _Why don't you join them? Looks like fun._

          Armand smiled fondly and looked up toward the house, finding a distant figure leaning on the balcony, viewing all of them in
          the distance. The figure waved.

          _Nice view from up there?_ Armand texted back.

          As he waited for Daniel to reply, his view once again got caught with David and Louis' forms a few feet away. David was
          half-standing, half-leaning in front of Louis: one arm braced against the backrest of Louis' chair, the other holding an end of
          the large towel that was slung across his shoulder. Louis had his legs crossed and was resting comfortably on the chair,
          replying often with smiles that quickly reached his eyes. David also seemed to be enjoying the conversation.

          "...much I love your smile...," Armand caught David saying. The blatant come-on made his cynical eyebrow rise.

          Louis' cheeks colored slightly, but he managed to say with a straight face, "I'm flattered. Just so you know, you're dripping on
          my book."

          "I see where your love for me ends and your love for books begins," David teased back.

          "Forgive me if my love for literature precedes you," Louis said with a charming smile. His blush had crept to his ears, but the
          effect on him was very pleasant. "But at least my books are more functional than they are ornamental..."

          The implication of those words hit Armand like a lightning bolt, and it was then that something registered on him as he
          watched Louis speak quietly with David. Something he was sure Lestat would definitely not like to hear.

          His cell phone beeped again, startling him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the small screen and read Daniel's message:
          _Come up and leave the two lovebirds alone, for Chrissake._

          Daniel always did have a propensity to think vulgar thoughts of other people, but in that case, Armand was eager for his
          insight. Could it be true? David and Louis?

          He excused himself from the two brothers—became highly amused when neither noticed him—and proceeded within the
          mansion and up the stairs to the balcony. It took him quite a while to reach the top of the stairs with his normal pace, but as
          he opened the doors, he found that Daniel was still where he saw him from below, looking downward at the pool.

          "Would you look at that?" Daniel said.

          Armand went to his side, placed his arm across Daniel's waist as he did so. He felt Daniel reciprocate, and the two of them
          observed the view below.

          It seemed Armand had not missed much—David and Louis were still in the position he had left them, although now, it seemed
          as if David was leaning closer, arm still braced against the backrest of Louis' chair, and Louis had abandoned his book on the
          nearby table and was leaning forward slightly as he...toweled...David's...hair...

          The hell...?!

          "Alright," Armand muttered as he incredulously watched the scene before him, "they have been here for a few days. Since
          when have they been acting like this?"

          Daniel gave a short laugh, "Since they got here, as far as I'm concerned."

          "And I missed it? All of it?"

          "If you have to ask, then yes, you did."

          He looked at Daniel, totally baffled by his own ignorance. "You didn't even tell me?"

          Daniel smiled back, tossing his head a bit to the left as his hair got into his eyes. "You were too busy trying to determine if
          David's a good witch or a bad witch."

          Armand sighed. "And here he turned out to be the horny witch."

          "Nah, that sounds more like Lestat." Daniel laughed. "Maybe 'cunning'."

          "Conniving is more like it. I'd hate to be here when Lestat finds out."

          Daniel returned his gaze to the two. "You and me both."

          Armand looked down again, just in time to see David walking back to the house, carrying dry clothing. Louis followed, the
          wet towel draped across one arm, his book sheltered in the other.

          -- End of Part I --

        Part II

          Their tension amused Armand to no end. He found himself constantly watching them from a distance, reveling in their
          mutually shared yet never acted upon secret, delighting in the small smiles, the quiet laughter. A gentle touch would often
          bring deeper meanings that neither dared to even acknowledge. To Armand it was a strange and refreshing game, and both
          parties seemed to be playing it well.

          There was, of course, a note of fear in Louis' thoughts as these took place. There was only tension because Louis was not
          willing. There was distance because Louis was afraid.

          David, of course, honored his choice and left him to it.

          _Lovely fledglings you have, Lestat,_ Armand thought to himself laughingly.

          Their "flirting sessions", as Daniel put it, had been around for a few nights already. Armand kept watch silently, as he was
          sure Daniel also did, pretending as if they knew nothing, all the while aware that both Louis and David knew they'd been
          found out. Tonight, however, seemed especially tense, as the night had started with Louis on the phone, arguing heatedly
          with Lestat.

          Armand and Daniel were unfortunately caught in the sofa when the fight had started, and Daniel had quickly excused
          himself to get something that Armand couldn't remember them having in the house, and Armand himself had retired to the
          balcony. Louis would, of course, apologize later for their having witnessed the fight, but as of the moment, his attention was
          focused solely on his prodigal maker.

          There came a time when Lestat was speaking so loudly that Armand could hear the electronic crackle that insinuated
          Lestat's voice. Louis was trying to keep his own voice down, but it was equally obvious that he was just as enraged.

          "...are _not_ moving to a hotel! We are just fine where we are!"

          Armand could almost guess what Lestat answered to that. He couldn't help a small smile—-Lestat had absolutely no
          qualms of stating his distrust toward Armand and Daniel. Specifically toward Armand. Not that Armand could blame
          him, but he certainly felt sorry for Louis during the Brat's jealous moments.

          "No...no, _you_ listen, Lestat, you finish whatever it is that you have to do over there within a _week_, or David and I are
          going back to Rue Royale without you!"

          The electronic crackle grew louder. Louis had to distance himself from the phone for a few inches as Lestat shouted across
          the line. Armand caught the words "ingrate," "fledgling," and "stay." As Louis listened, a flush crept across his face,
          reflecting just how angry Lestat was making him at the moment.

          It was during this that David made his entrance. He was in a jovial mood, Armand noticed, as he walked into the room with
          rushed steps and a welcome smile. When he saw Louis, though, he quieted considerably. He watched for a few moments,
          then scooted around his incensed brother and headed for Armand, who was still in the balcony.

          When David reached him, Armand greeted him with a cheerful comment, "They're having a fight."

          "Over the phone?" David asked, amused.

          _They could have a fight over anything...,_ Armand mentally sent to him.

          David snorted, but looked worried. _Perhaps I should intervene..._

          _Oh, let them finish, David,_ Armand said. _It would be to your utmost advantage if you do._

          That made David smile. _So you know. I hope we'll keep this among ourselves?_

          _Perhaps. I'm not known for being close-mouthed with regard to anything that may make the Brat suffer._

          _Even when Louis' involved?_

          Armand almost answered a quick "yes," but he had always been soft when it came to Louis. Louis' torment always made
          Armand melancholy--he still cared deeply for him. He was glad Daniel shared his concern as well. _No. Of course not._

          "That's what I thought," David said softly.

          An awkward silence settled between them, made even more strained by Louis' heated conversation over the phone. Armand
          broke it after a while, "So what prompted the Talamascan to suddenly play with fire?"

          David laughed. "I'm not exactly in any real trouble, you know that." His eyes glazed slightly after he said this, as if he were
          listening to something. It disappeared after a few seconds, and David laughed. "Daniel says that if Lestat were here, I would
          have been dead for days."

          "He's speaking with you?" Armand asked wistfully. He still regretted the silence between maker and fledgling—words
          were often weak among the problems he and Daniel faced in their relationship.

          "He says hi, and that he's eavesdropping on Louis and Lestat on the other line."

          Armand gave a small laugh. He could almost imagine Daniel in their office.

          The argument seemed to have ended. Although Lestat's voice was still clearly audible through the receiver, Louis ended the
          call by cutting him off. Louis, still aware that it wasn't his phone that he was using despite his anger, dropped the receiver
          properly. He still maintained the license to glare at it, though.

          David started forward, then looked back at Armand. _Aren't you...?_

          Armand looked smugly back at him. _No._

          David gave him a brief half-smile before exiting the balcony to join Louis. Armand was contented to lean back and watch
          David's attempts at consolation.

          Armand nearly jumped as Daniel suddenly landed beside him. Daniel had apparently used the phone in the room above
          the balcony, and merely jumped out the window to join his maker. Armand frowned at this, as he was sure there would
          come a time when Daniel would make a faulty landing and drop to the ground.

          "I told you to stop doing that," Armand said. Daniel stood and brushed himself off quickly, smoothing out his clothes. He
          smirked.

          "This from someone who taught Louis to climb a tower," Daniel retorted.

          "'Climbing' is far from falling. I'm sure Lestat himself will be more than willing to tell you how painful that could be."

          "I think it's only painful if you have an imp to push you off..."

          "Hush."

          Daniel laughed. He often did whenever he referred to any of Armand's and Lestat's share of fights. His nearly irreverent
          nature, however, sometimes helped when dealing with subject matters that would normally be considered taboo around
          both of them.

          David had seated Louis on the sofa and was speaking quietly with him. Louis was obviously very upset, and still more than
          a bit angry, as reflected by the frequent "hand-through-the-hair" mannerism and flushed countenance. David, though,
          seemed to be doing a good job of consoling him.

          It was somewhat frustrating to see how successful David was in matters related with Louis. Armand gave a small sigh. "I
          find it cruel that David has the unfair advantage of knowing exactly how to win Louis over."

          Daniel turned to him, curious. "Hm? How come?"

          "With Lestat, he has the perfect model of how _not_ to be around Louis."

          Daniel frowned. "So do we. All we have to do is avoid being a 'Lestat' while we're with him, right?"

          "Yes, but David has no history with Louis," Armand reminded him. "He's a perfectly clean slate, and he's obviously on the
          right footholds." He inclined his head toward the pair.

          Daniel was silent for a while, reflecting on what was said. Armand had learned to appreciate Daniel's uncanny ability to
          keep up with past conversations that Armand thought he wouldn't understand. He also had this strange habit of pointing
          out problems where Armand found none, though this was no time for such introspection.

          "Is he really after Louis?" Daniel asked wonderingly. "I thought they were just...you know...fooling around."

          "They are," Armand assured him. "But I'm sure David's considering it. Who wouldn't?"

          Their conversation was cut short as they saw David stand, holding both of Louis' hands in his own. He said something
          softly to Louis, who nodded after a slight pause...then David led Louis out of the room, Louis' white hand in his own
          darker one.

          "...and he scores," Daniel said appreciatively.

          Armand laughed and crossed his arms against his chest. "A week more of this, and Lestat won't have anyone to come back
          to when his gallery's done."

          -- End of Part II --

 
          Part III
          "Play that funky music, white boy"
          -- Play That Funky Music

          "Where do you want to go?"

          "Let's just walk," Louis said, granting David a small smile.

          They walked in silence for a time, Louis stopping now and again to look at a few things--flowers, bookstores, antique
          shops. At one point, he paused in front of a store selling candles and candleholders. David stood beside him and managed
          to visually isolate the candelabra that had caught Louis' attention. This one had a strange grape and vine motif that David
          found unnerving.

          "We had one just like that," David heard Louis say. "Paul insisted, and, of course, my parents relented. It was beautiful in
          the hall."

          David glanced at Louis' face, but there was no remorse nor jealousy in his features as he mentioned Paul's name. It made
          him wonder, not for the first time, about Louis' attitude toward his mortal brother. There was no
          doubt that Louis loved him, but David suspected that there may have been an abject favoritism on the part of the parents,
          one which may have wounded Louis in a way he did not even realize.

          "I'm sorry about your brother."

          Louis stepped back from the window, letting his hand slide across the glass as he slowly moved away. His voice was low
          and sad as he said, "He was beautiful."

          _So are you,_ David thought, and wondered whether he should place his arm around him or just keep his distance. Louis'
          mood was sometimes almost as unpredictable as Lestat's, although his often moved around in thin gradations of grief and
          depression.

          "I have one now who is...more a brother to me, perhaps."

          David couldn't help inwardly starting at the light-hearted words. He managed to keep his composure, enough to curiously
          look down at Louis' face. He was even more surprised to find Louis smiling, amused, back at him.

          "Did I disturb you, David?" Louis asked, cocking his head to one side, as if considering him.

          _Considering to do what?_ David couldn't help asking himself. He afforded a half-smile and feigned offense by thrusting
          his hands in his pockets and looking forward.

          "David!" he heard the sudden, soft laughter, then felt those long, slender hands encircle his right arm, "don't be like that."
          Louis had proceeded to hook his left arm around David's right and move closer to him, giving his arm a light squeeze as he
          did. It had occurred so quickly and so casually that David barely had time to analyze the actions. These sudden bursts of
          uncharacteristic emotion nearly left David reeling, and he found himself stopping abruptly in his tracks and looking at
          Louis in utter surprise.

          Louis, surprised in his own right, looked back at him wide-eyed, wondering what was suddenly wrong. "David?" he asked,
          searching his eyes curiously.

          _Does Louis do this often?_ David wondered. He felt the assured grip on his right arm and recovered enough to relish
          it.Louis' searching gaze at him caught his eye, and he gathered enough of himself to smile back, at least enough to comfort
          him. _Or should that be: does Louis do this at all?_

          "Nothing," David said after a while. Louis raised an eyebrow at that, expecting a more elaborate explanation that did not
          insult his intelligence. David laughed at this, and said afterwards, "I'm just thinking how pleasant this night is going to
          be, after all."

          Following up on his cue, and on the sudden impulse that seemed to have enveloped his dark brother, David placed his left
          hand on the nape of Louis' neck and drew him forward, then landed a quick kiss on his cheek.

          He drew back first, perhaps afraid to see that Louis would, or perhaps surprised with his own forwardness, he wasn't sure.
          Louis did not draw back, however, and David had the pleasure of watching a faint dash of red creep from the base of his
          neck up to his face.

          When Louis did draw back, he passed a hand through his hair self-consciously. He met David's eyes briefly and shyly. "I'll
          meet you at the Cafe?"

          David smiled warmly. _He's not angry,_ he thought, elated. "Yes. 'Til then."

          -0-

          David tapped his finger impatiently on the table. He checked his watch - 3:00 a.m.. Where the heck was Louis?

          A waitress approached him cautiously, shyly clutching a tray to herself as she said, "Sir? We're going to have to close
          now."

          David gave her as comforting a smile as he could manage despite his worry and left his payment on the table. He stood and
          left the cafe, wondering where to start looking for his brother.

          He stood still and let his mind loose, still a bit unaccustomed to this new telepathic skill. Tuning out the mortals, he tried
          to find the mental signature that he had registered as Louis, and, not finding it, he grew worried.

          "Louis, where are you?" he muttered, and began walking.

          His search did not take long. As he was rounding a corner, he caught the scent of kill, fresh for but a few hours. Following
          the scent, he arrived at a dark alley, where on the ground lay a corpse, and standing against the wall was Louis.

          He breathed a short sigh of relief, and was about to call to him when something else registered to David--the scent of the
          man's blood was still in the air, and as he inhaled it, he knew at once that Louis had killed a drunkard...

          ...and was currently utterly drunk himself.

          Louis' eyes were closed, and it looked as if he was waiting for the blood lust to pass. David tried to link telepathically with
          him, and found that Louis' mind was muddled, confused and lethargic. There was also a slight indication of pain, as Louis'
          system was rejecting the alcohol, but David knew it would take him a full day's sleep before the alcohol could be completely
          removed from his system.

          "Louis," David said, but Louis didn't hear him. He walked closer and took hold of Louis' arms, drawing him forward.
          "Louis, come on, let's go home."

          Louis moaned slightly and opened his eyes. He gave a small smile when he saw David. "David," he greeted, and leaned
          closer as he followed David's lead out of the alley.

          David's arm was round Louis' shoulders, clutching Louis to his chest. Louis' senses were out of sync, and he had to lean
          closer to David for support. Unfortunately, the closeness had adverse effects on David, and he found himself fighting the
          urge to stop walking and just...do something to Louis.

          Louis, however, had no such concerns as he slid his hand around David's waist and laid his head against David's chest. It
          would be reasonable to assume that Louis would be highly sensual when drunk--David knew, from experience, that to take
          away one's inhibitions was to bring out deeply-hidden repressions full force. Understanding this, David strengthened his
          resolve and continued walking slowly, contemplating just gathering Louis up and flying to the mansion.

          That was before he started taking in Louis' scent. Louis had drunk well, and he smelled more human than David could ever
          remember.

          The scent, and the closeness, was turning David's mind to mush, and all that began to register was that Louis looked so
          beautiful in this flushed and uninhibited state, and that he smelled so much of sweet blood...

          _I'm weak,_ David thought, as he held that beautiful flushed face, a palm lightly on each jawline, and kissed him.

          Louis moaned, whether out of pleasure or protest, David didn't know. With his heart pounding loudly against his chest,
          David took it a step further and bent to nuzzle Louis' throat. His hands slid beneath the black shirt and settled on that slim
          waist. Louis' skin felt like silk against his hard palms, and as Louis moved slightly he could feel the beautiful mixture of
          softness and strength beneath his hands. David let his thumbs travel over the edges of that firm abdomen, and he raised his
          head slightly to trace Louis' jawline with his lips.

          He felt Louis shiver involuntarily as he licked inside his ear.

          "My God, Louis," David breathed, and recaptured that sweet mouth with his own.

          His mind reached out as their kiss deepened. Louis surrendered himself to him, totally unconscious of the disparity
          between their strengths. His surface thoughts were a haze of emotions--lust, desire, passion--moving together in a sleepy
          languor that made everything that was happening a dream-like state. There was an underlying awareness that was
          characteristic of being drunk--a heightening of the senses that tripled every whisper, every movement, and every touch.

          Addicted with his thoughts and his emotions, David burrowed deeper, going past the surface and latching on to the true
          emotions underneath. His left hand traveled lower--settling on the small of Louis' back--and pulled Louis closer to him.
          Their bodies were now pressed together. Only their clothing kept them apart.

          Louis' breathing grew deeper, and was almost husky with desire.

          As David was about to slip a hand beneath the band of Louis' pants, he stopped.

          _David...,_ Louis said in his thoughts, _David won't harm me._

          Love. Friendship. Trust. Those were the underlying emotions, the feelings past the momentary. All three had an intensity
          within them that jarred David awake.

          Louis trusted him...that much? No harm, no fear, no hurt...these were what Louis associated with him. The very word
          "David" had a warmth around the name that rendered him disoriented for a few seconds.

          "Louis," David said, only then realizing what a grave mistake he was doing. He pulled Louis to him in a tight embrace,
          guilt and regret driving him nearly to tears. Not the trust. Never the trust.

          How could he have let his emotions get so out of hand?

          The loss of intimacy did not seem to register with Louis. David took Louis in his arms and lifted him gently. Dawn was
          still quite a while away, but he hurried to Armand's mansion nonetheless, shaken by the incident and worried for his
          brother.

          When he got to the mansion's entrance, he sensed Armand and Daniel lounging on the sofa, probably watching something
          on television. Deciding he would rather avoid unnecessary confrontation, David concentrated and floated to a balcony on
          the second floor.
 

          He landed noiselessly and with his mind opened the double doors leading to Louis' room. Louis stirred slightly against
          him when he walked quickly inside and shut the doors behind him. Mentally checking to see if Louis was still blissfully
          drunk, David settled him carefully over the silk sheets. He slowly tucked Louis in, hoping fervently that Louis wouldn't
          remember what happened when he wakes.

          _Not my fault he's so beautiful,_ he thought to himself. Petty, yes, but he needed something to soothe him for the moment.

          He looked at his sleeping brother and let his hand touch Louis' soft lips slowly, noting how like rose petals they felt under
          his fingers.

          With a final sigh, he exited Louis' room and shut the door behind him.

          -- End of Part III --

        Part IV

          Armand ‘tsk’ed thrice when he sensed David pointedly avoid entering the mansion normally and opted to float to the
          second floor instead. Daniel stirred beside him, wondering what he missed out on again.

          “What is it, Boss?”

          Armand smiled up at his fledgling and let his hand trail idly on Daniel’s side. “I fear David’s done
          something...detrimental...tonight.”

          “Hm?” Daniel raised his head slightly, letting his mental abilities roam the mansion. Armand waited until his unfocused
          gaze cleared again, and saw the slow, bemused smile appearing on Daniel’s face. “Oh man,” Daniel said, laughing softly.
          “Oh man!”

          “Yes,” Armand agreed, “’Oh man.’”

          “Nah, but that doesn’t really say anything,” Daniel protested. “So Louis got drunk. Perfectly understandable for David to
          avoid us while he’s carrying him...”

          “Mmhm. Let’s just see, Daniel.”

          -0-

          Louis woke to the night rather unpleasantly. His head painfully throbbed, and his whole body felt disoriented. He groaned,
          grimacing at the uncomfortable sensations, and tried to recall the events of the previous night which could have led him to
          feel that way.

          He remembered David and spending a pleasant night with him. They had agreed to meet later, then Louis had left to feed...

          That must be it. Fed on a drunkard. Again.

          Louis sighed. David must have found him and brought him back. He tried to recall the moments between feeding and
          waking up, but when he failed to do so opted to merely hope that he hadn’t embarrassed himself in front of his dark
          brother.

          Louis sat up slowly, careful not to increase the dull ache in his head. He looked down at his clothes while he paused to catch
          his breath. Unbidden memories of how the drunkard had grabbed on to him, the smell of blood and alcohol on his whole
          body, came to Louis, and he decided he should take a bath before leaving his room.

          He rose uncertainly on his feet, feeling the dull ache throb dangerously while he stood. Drunkards were always the bane of
          his nights. That, and petulant Makers. He half-smiled to himself, imagining the lecture Lestat would be delivering if he
          knew he had fed on a drunk again. Just a few days before his Maker gets home.

          Louis crossed his arms at his hips and lifted his shirt from his torso, his motions slow and careful, still mindful of his
          slight headache.

          As the shirt was nearly off him, Louis found himself pausing, and, after a while, dropping his arms slightly again, the shirt
          coming back down to cover his body.

          Both of his hands went under his shirt and lifted part of it near his face. After a slight pause, he tentatively smelled the
          fabric.

          Unbelieving, he lifted another part of the shirt, this time nearer to his neck, close to his nose and inhaled the scent clinging
          to it.

          David’s cologne.

          He quickly took off the shirt, ignoring the sudden pain the swift movements caused his head, and investigated nearly every
          section of it, still incredulous.

          David’s scent was all over it, nearly every part, and for it to smell that strongly...

          Louis had spent enough time alone with Lestat to know what could cause another person’s cologne to cling to his clothes.

          But...David...wouldn’t...

          Louis, shocked at the implications, could only slump on the floor next to his bed.

          -0-

          Armand and Daniel were exceptionally silent as David tried to concentrate on his reading. He had a feeling that the two
          knew more than they were pretending to, and this added to his immense guilt and the apprehension he was feeling about
          Louis’ waking were successfully driving him insane.

          He shifted in his seat for who knows how many times that night. Armand cast him an amused glance.

          “Something wrong, David?” Armand asked politely. David thought there was a hint of mischief in it as well.

          “No, no, everything’s fine.” David mentally berated himself when it came out sounding quick and hurried. Armand smiled
          at this and returned to watching television with Daniel.

          “Lou’s awake,” Daniel said, while changing channels.

          David’s head snapped up. Louis was awake...what now? Should he go to him, confess, or pretend nothing happened? Hope
          that Louis remembered nothing of last night and pray that Armand and Daniel do not breathe a word to another living
          soul should they know more than what David gave them credit for?

          Perhaps he should just curl up and die in a corner somewhere, that certainly sounded more inviting...

          “Lou’s coming down the stairs,” Daniel said, and changed channels again.

          David tried to block out the irritation he was feeling for the pair. _Vultures,_ he thought, a bit fondly if that was possible.
          It didn’t show, but David knew that the two were enjoying his discomfort very much.

          “David...?” Louis’ soft voice floated from the adjacent room.

          David froze for a moment before standing and excusing himself from the two. He couldn’t know from Louis’ tone what to
          expect, but apprehension quickly turned into foreboding as he traveled the distance between the two connected rooms.

          Louis was standing near the stairway, his hair damp from a shower, with a fresh change of clothes. He quickly noted the
          delicate scent of crushed roses coming from him—no doubt Armand’s doing. Armand had little time to prepare their rooms
          for them before Lestat had dropped them off, and providing for what he thought were appropriate toiletries for both of
          them had been part of the preparations. David could just imagine how Armand and Daniel had delighted in choosing the
          soap, shampoo, towels, and other items to leave in Louis’ personal bathroom.

          Despite the impish thoughts, he had to give them credit, though. The scent fit Louis rather well.

          Louis’ eyes were fixed uncertainly on him. He seemed almost...nervous? David couldn’t place it. He could see that Louis was
          walking a bit unsteadily—perhaps an aftereffect from last night.

          “Are you feeling alright?” David asked.

          Louis nodded. “Can we speak somewhere more private?” he asked, and cast a brief glance toward the adjacent room. David
          looked over his shoulder at Armand and Daniel, who both seemed rapt in the television program but damned if they
          weren’t listening in on them.

          As David followed Louis outside, once again at Armand’s pool, he heard a mental chuckle and Armand's slightly-chiding
          voice, _Ruining our fun, David?_ Armand asked. David blocked him out.

          Louis halted and turned, once again facing David. The light reflected from the pool was casting interesting plays of colors
          in Louis’ eyes, gradating shades of greens that David found breathtaking. Totally unconscious of this, Louis took one step
          forward, hands folded in front of himself, appearing both formal and collected.

          _And still nervous,_ David thought.

          “David...did I...,” Louis began then paused, as if trying to find the proper words. David was inwardly surprised as a slight
          blush began working its way from Louis’ neck up to his face. “Provoke you...in any way, last night...?”

          _Oh, God,_ David thought, embarrassed.

          Louis knew what happened last night, somehow, and actually thought he had initiated it in his drunken state. David shook
          his head, stepping closer to quickly stop Louis’ line of thinking, “No, Louis, it was...it was my fault, entirely, you have to
          believe me. And I apologize, sincerely, I have no real excuse—“

          “Non, David,” Louis interrupted, “I was drunk, was I not? It couldn’t have been you. Lestat, Armand...they know, when
          I’m drunk I’ve been known to do a lot of things I normally wouldn’t...” The blush had spread throughout his face now,
          and, David noted with a bit of amusement, were even creeping down his arms.

          This small revelation might have interested David in all its possible scenarios, but currently, he was more concerned with
          clearing things up. “Louis, listen to me,” Louis met his eyes, and he tried to speak as calmly as he could, “Yes, you were
          drunk. I found you that way when I looked for you. But what happened afterwards wasn’t your fault. I let my control
          slip—“

          “If I wasn’t drunk, David, your control probably would have remained in place,” Louis said, eyes averted, still unbelieving.
 

          David groaned in frustration, wondering how Louis could be so clueless about certain things without even trying, and
          grasped his dark brother’s arms, forcing Louis to look directly at him.

          “Gods, do you really need me to spell it out for you?!” David said, frustration making his voice louder. Louis looked up at
          him, confused. “I—took—advantage—of—you! You were drunk, I knew you were drunk, saw that you had little control of
          yourself and of what was happening, and threw all caution in the wind and took advantage of you!”

          Louis’ eyes grew wider as the words—finally—sank in. David let go of him and turned, palm against his forehead and head
          bowed, Louis’ headache seeming to have transferred to his brain through some divine intervention.

          “But, why...?” Louis asked hesitantly, sincerely. It was infuriating.

          “’Why’?!” David repeated as he faced Louis again. Louis flinched slightly at the sudden harshness. “Louis, look in a
          fucking mirror for once, dammit! You’re...” David impulsively took a step closer, a hand raised as if to touch Louis’ face.
          He stopped midway, and opted instead to rub his suddenly tired eyes. He gave a small, tired sigh. “You have no idea what
          you are,” David finished in a low whisper.

          After a while of silence, David turned and sat on the chair close to the pool. He laughed a little as the situation seemed
          clearer to him. Never, in his whole life, has he ever incriminated himself so willingly.

          He didn’t look up, afraid at what he’d see, as soft footfalls came nearer and stopped in front of him. A few seconds of silence
          passed between them, neither one speaking. Louis was first to break the silence.

          “Did we...share blood?”

          David groaned. “No, no we didn’t.”

          Another moment of silence, then, “You sounded a little like Lestat back there.”

          David chuckled slightly. “Is that good or bad?”

          Another pause. David didn’t have to look up to know Louis didn’t return his amusement. “I don’t know,” came the reply,
          with a hint of sadness that drove all and any hint of hilarity away from David’s thoughts.

          The sound of footfalls again, as Louis moved away.

          -- End of Part IV ­