The door swings open and Armand can smell the whiskey before Louis enters the room. His companion removes his jacket, going on about 'the night we had' and 'you should've saw-', or something like that. He isn't really listening, his gaze fixed on the door instead, watching with barely concealed disdain as the pestering, bothersome, oh so interesting mortal, better known as you, comes trailing in.

These escapades have become a nightly routine. You two disappear for hours, engaging in any exhilarating get up offered by equally exhilarating folk. Every night he wishes, no-, wills that Louis returns safely and you're nowhere to be seen. And every night, Louis returns safely, and you're always right behind him.

A kiss on the temple distracts him, soothing his grated nerves. He stays silent as louis bids you both goodnight, and watches as you say it back. The tenderness that you held for someone who's supposed to be his, makes him slightly sick. "Good night to you too Armand". The vampire rolls his eyes, grumbling something in return. The sound of your shoes being undone seeming unnecessarily loud, maybe it's because you're the one doing it.

What about you ensnared the heart of a monster? What made you so interesting? What set you apart from him?. To Armand you're average at best, fragile, human. But Louis sees something more, clearly, and his happiness is the only reason your life is being spared.

He's not sure how he bears it. He had you sedated, you wouldn't have felt a thing, he could've just killed you, but his lover protested, and though Armand has done many things in his very long life, an open relationship was not something he foresaw. Louis promised nothing would change between them, but he feels like an outcast in his own home, an afterthought. He doesn't even touch him like he used to, that part is probably in his head but it's been a bad time nonetheless. Yes, he can see other people too, but that would take too much out of him.

And no, no matter what Louis claims, his fixation on you is not borderline anything, it's pure resentment. Yes he watches you in your sleep, but only to ensure you aren't stealing, or posing a threat, or anything else that you both know you'd never do. And yes, he wants you gone, it drives him up the walls to witness you lounging on his velvet couches, or his previously martial bed, or when you insist on sunbathing in his parlor, with nothing but undergarments on. He allows himself to look anyways, watching from the shadows of the house, but please, have some class.

Instead of sun - kissed skin and linen underwear, his eyes now rove over the glitter dispersed on your skin and the hickey on your neck. "Had a good time, I reckon" he speaks in a controlled and detached manner, the tea that he's supposed to be drinking forgotten between his hands, cold. How did you obtain the affection of a man you've known for....a few months at best, the same man that he's been with for over seven decades. Your very existence is slowly driving him crazy, what manner of 'crazy'?, that's up for debate.