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Louis.
The cure to Owen's everything.
His lover.
Owen felt his heart speed up with a burst of adoration? Love?
Though he willed him not to, Louis seemed to notice. His kind face looked down with a smile at the frail man who lay his head in his lap, his fingers tangling through the brown hair gently.
“You’re smiling,” Louis murmured in amusement, a small smile twitching on his own face as he traced Owens lips with his finger.
“No I’m not,” Owen denied pointlessly, his voice soft to match the quiet tone of the peaceful evening. “Besides, I always smile when I’m with you.”
Louis raised an eyebrow. “Do you?” He teased, leaning down to press a gentle kiss on Owen's forehead. “Because I do recall you being rather grumpy yesterday morning when I awoke you early.”
Owen huffed, rolling his eyes, yet staying still as Louis unwound the bandages around arms. He didn’t bother answering Louis's remark.
Soon. Soon he would never need to wear them again; Louis had promised just two days ago that he would be rid of this sickness and be able to spend the rest of eternity with each other. Just them in a small but cozy home, with all the company and love they’d ever need.
Beside them, on the floor, a small pile of bandages gathered in a pathetic manner, a spitting reminder to Owen of his pain that never eased.
(The pain would be stopped today. Forever.)
His head tilted up as Louis unwrapped the bandages around his neck, leaning into the small whispers of comfort being uttered from the vampire's mouth. Owen leaned up, his lips brushing his lover's cold cheek, a reminder of what was to come.
Death, but then life. In its own way.
Living meant nothing to him if Louis wasn’t there to share it. Owen found peace in the fact that both him and Louis would be together eternally after this night.
The pile of bandages on the floor beside them grew bigger as Louis finished clearing them from his body. Something was said, but Owen could not process it, taking a moment to breathe. The bandages around his neck must have been tighter than he thought.
Louis held him tighter in a comfortable hug. Owen could see his attempts to be wary of his injuries, but his skin felt numb anyways, so the effort was wasted. It was a nice gesture though.
The time spent dwelling in the embrace was comfortable, if not a bit long. A small, whispering selfish part of him just wanted to be rid of the illness already.
“Alright,” Louis tapped Owens chest with a finger, almost as if he’d read his thoughts. “Are you ready?”
Owen blinked up at the vampire, giving a slight nod.
He sat himself up with a small shiver, the fresh air coiling over his arms where the bandages had once been. The fire in the hearth that Louis had made seemed to give no warmth, something Owen was unsure of the cause. He’d have to ask Louis what that was about later, whether it was a vampire thing or if the cellar was simply not a place where warmth could linger.
Louis outstretched his hand, offering to help the frail man up.
He took it, stumbling into the vampire's chest, eyes slamming shut.
His balance was… not the prettiest of things. Months bedridden had bestowed such weakness.
Owen’s eyes were still glued closed as familiar music slunk out of seemingly nowhere. There was no orchestra, no musicians, yet he could still hear it, how odd.
Waltz No.2, a classic.
He was swayed backwards, the flickering candlelight visible once more as he opened his eyes and stared up to Louis’s calm face. Damn him for being so tall. His hands fell to his side awkwardly.
“Does vampirism fix height?" Owen mumbled, his voice hinting at a joking tone he hoped Louis would pick up.
Louis just shook his head with a small laugh, and clasped Owens shaking hands into his own.
Owen had seen his fangs when he had laughed, like many times before, but this time he found himself staring more.
He zoned his focus back to Louis's words as he spoke again.
“Ready for a dance?” The words were light and slippery, somehow more beautiful than the music that played in the background.
No reply was needed from him, as Louis settled his right arm on the frail man's waist, getting ready for the final moments of his lover's first life.
The music picked up, and Owen was suddenly moved to the beat and sway of the dance, Louis guiding each step.
His grip was gentle, but firm. Cold, even. Not a drop of sweat gathered on Louis’s palms.
Despite the clear lifelessness of Louis, Owen could swear he heard soft breathing coming from the vampire.
(He knew he was being delusional, but it seemed like Louis held more life than Owen ever had.)
Love was strange.
He stepped back and forth, barely focusing on the waltz, his mind consumed by thoughts of the man that danced with him.
The music reached a swell, and time seemed to stop. It was just him and Louis, being held tight in each other's arms.
Louis’s eyes were sharp with a fierce flame, staring into his lovers. Owen was sure his were the same.
Then time began to move again, and Owen smiled as he tilted his bare neck.
Fangs plunged into his skin.
Louis drank from him like a lost man in a desert stumbling across an oasis, like a starving man finding himself in fields of fruitful trees.
Like a lover drunk on desire.
And drunk on desire he was, because he drank and he drank, consuming what felt like every drop of blood Owens body had to give. Owen felt the life being drained from him, but more clearly, he could feel Louis’s lips against his neck.
An odd thing to focus on in this moment, but he was thinking of it nonetheless.
Owen watched the world spin and swirl, much like the dance he had just shared with the other vampire who now leaned him gently to the floor.
“I love you.” The final departing words to his first life, and a message of love to the man who sat beside him.
“As do I.”