Baldwin Montclair

As much as other people might feel unsettled in Baldwin’s presence, to Amadeo it was the polar opposite. Even if they disagreed on topics, he wasn’t feeling hurt or intimidated by it; it was much more a fascination with understanding someone else's perspective. And he could change his mind when he found Baldwin’s argumentation reasonable and much more logical than his own. Maybe those with an ego too big couldn’t join sparring matches, as it would pull them from a pedestal they made for themselves.

A soft hum fell from his lips, nodding a bit. ❝At least then I would be able to see your face once in a while. Then again, hearing your voice is also very pleasing. Everything is better than just texting in the long run.❞ He didn’t abhor texting for basic conversation, but it lacked intimacy at times. Their relationship, whatever it will be in the future, will have to endure long distance for quite a while. Perhaps it was a good thing, perhaps it wasn’t. 

His heart fluttered pleasantly against his chest, and he even leaned further into the touch. Hearing those compliments from Baldwin’s mouth meant more to him than when someone else would compliment him. The other man’s words held more meaning to them. Each kiss felt like an explosion in his stomach, leaving a longing for more behind. As if he was insatiable when it came to Baldwin’s kisses.

Mentally, he put Istanbul and Kyoto on his list of cities he had to visit in this lifetime. Even though he was aware that the old Constantinople and modern Istanbul were not the same anymore. ❝Oh, New York, hm, yes, I will pay more attention to New York next time. I’ve been there once but only for two days, for New York Fashion Week.❞ An indicator that he didn’t see much besides his accommodation and his workplace during that short amount of time. 

❝Ohh, I’ll change into something very demure and elegant tonight then. I already have something in mind, all black, elegant. Demure as it covers the neck and maybe a little cheeky still because the top appears sheer but the lace does not expose anything. Trust me, it is very tasteful.❞ Amadeo described the outfit he had in mind in great detail before he tilted his head a bit to the side, giving Baldwin a questioning stare.  ❝Approved? Or shall I replace the sheer top with a Japanese silk black button shirt? And before you say something, the reason I asked is that your opinion matters to me.❞ 

Amadeo wrapped one arm around the other man as he leaned into him further after he felt Baldwin’s arm around him. Some people would claim that Amadeo adapts too much to the people he was with, but the model understood fashion and occasion. You cannot dress up like a cheap flamingo just for the sake of being extra in an environment where it was not appropriate. And you want the person you are with to feel comfortable with you by your side. Fashion is always a statement whether you want to or not.

He shifted a little bit to press his chest further against the other man while his arms wrapped around Baldwin’s neck. Dark, brown eyes softened as they looked deeply into those tired-looking eyes of the older man. A soft hum fell from Amadeo’s lips.  ❝You do. I can tell that your mere presence in the room makes people turn their heads. You have a natural authority on you, something most men don’t have anymore. You don’t have to be loud, you don’t have to be aggressive, you don’t have to belittle someone else to carry yourself as a man who demands respect. Some will call it scary, but to me it makes you even more attractive. Call me shallow, but I don’t like insecure boys.❞ Amadeo seemed to scan Baldwin’s face with his eyes closely. ❝But do you know what really drew me in initially?❞ He paused even though it was just for a second. ❝Maybe I am wrong, but when we first spoke, I got the feeling that you thought of me as another pretty boring boy with no brains.❞ Amadeo was longing to be seen, and he could feel that this was a longing they shared.

Slowly, he got a bit on his tiptoes. His hand came to rest on the back of Baldwin’s head while Amadeo tilted his head to the side. He closed the distance between them and captured those lips with his own. His lips moved against the others with passion and almost innocent longing for intimacy. A kiss that could make Baldwin guess how much Amadeo was craving to see him again, to be in his arms again.

"You can stay in my penthouse next time. It's in a beautiful location near enough to Manhattan but not in the noise of Manhattan. Triple glazing in the windows, it's as quiet as a rural village up there. You can visit your painting then-"It amused him slightly the idea of Amadeo asleep in a bed under a large painting of his nude self. "New York is where I will spend most of my time after September." He had multiple properties in New York but only one he actively lived in, the rest were investments. Maybe he ought to put a painting of Amadeo in each one, make a theme of them. "Are you booked for September" he assumed Amadeo would be. "Who are you walking for?"

"No, I think you can wear the sheer tonight. It's business casual attire." He responded after taking a good long look at the young man and made up his mind. He was not the type to say oh I don't mind do whatever you want, no he had opinions about everything and if he didn't already have one he could form one on the spot. They were in each others arms he was about to kiss Amadeo when the model asked him if he wanted to know what drew him in. "Go on-" and he listened looking…well his face was mostly lacking an expression which had been a change from that somewhat lustful look he wore just moments ago. "You are wrong" Baldwin did not stop Amadeo's incoming kiss though so his incorrect assessment was not offensive this time at least.They shared a kiss of longing, yes, he could taste the yearning in Amadeo's lips, he could feel it in how the model pressed himself against the vampire.

"I thought you a problem. A stain on Marius' stellar record of discipline and good choices. A young man too intelligent to be fooled and yet allowed to remain mortal. There are rules to our existence, Amadeo. Laws. Even monsters have to abide by basic etiquette of conduct and to not reveal ourselves to mortals is to some the second most important." Baldwin spoke honestly to him. "Marius is respected in our community, or feared. Sometimes the two cohabit so close to each other you could not tell them apart if you tried. And here is a young man, handsome and intelligent , a daydream in light blue and white that knows his secret and dares to point it out. Dares to speak to me of it, to scold me of not blending in- and making it my problem too that he perceives things he ought to be blind to"

He inhaled and pulled back, he didn't need to breathe per say but it was important to inhale to regulate his thoughts. "I thought you a threat to my peace and I was correct. A disruptor of peace. Harbinger or herald is soon to be revealed. One way or another- I can't judge Marius. I took it far further than he ever did. I invited you into my bed, allowed myself a taste of your rebellion and there you are. Two ancients complicit to your audacious inquisition." He was either going to have to turn him himself or make him Marius' problem again.

"There is no love affair for you to find where I watch you grow old and burry you. Entangle yourself in my presence like this too long and you will wake up deprived of the sun for centuries and a heart unbeating. Don't say I didn't warn you" It was a serious threat, if he chose to take it. Amadeo chose to see too much, to know too much and some evening soon would find him one of them.

❝Do you think there was an underlying motive for them to consent so easily?❞ Amadeo asked because by now, he learned to think critical and not just accept a nice gesture as something without needing to offer something in return. It might be an unhealthy way of thinking in some way, but Amadeo knew very well that Matthew despised him. He didn’t have to take a look into the older vampire’s mind to know that. A problem they should figure out together at some point. After all, Baldwin wasn’t alone anymore. Baldwin’s struggles were his struggles now. ❝I know he doesn’t like me. We met in the library once by accident. Auntie Verin let me pet her Spaniels yesterday.❞ 

A soft hum fell from his lips, and the young vampire nodded a bit. ❝I’m sorry, father. I know I took it too far. I felt that someone wanted to get into my mind. I’m not sure who…, it was just a faint scratch I felt, and I wasn’t sure if this was a test.❞ As part of not having any secrets, Amadeo was very attentive in telling his (now) father everything that happened. He told Baldwin about the tension he felt and that he was certain that at least two were ready to lunge at him when his eyes turned black, and how he forced them to stay seated with his mind before inviting Philippe into his mind. 

Armand tried to talk as they made their way back to his chambers. ❝I couldn’t eat; I was too nervous,❞ he admitted, and it was the third day he hadn’t been eating. Amadeo slipped out of his shoes and slipped under the covers. As Baldwin taught him the past days and weeks, even, Amadeo managed to keep his head up high the entire walk back, no matter how exhausted his body was. But the praise he got from Baldwin was worth every bit of dizziness and unwell feeling.

❝I will be more careful.❞ His slender fingers curled around the cloth to hold it under his bleeding nose. At the same time, he closed his eyes. He listened to Baldwin’s soothing voice reading a chapter of the book Amadeo started reading the other day, Marcus Aurelius, as his father recommended. Even with his eyes closed, the world was still spinning. After approximately an hour, his bleeding had stopped, and the headache and dizziness were gone. Amadeo took the cloth from his nose and turned his head to Baldwin. Amadeo’s skin looked a little dull, a sign of his body craving blood. ❝It’s better already. But I am hungry.❞ He sat up, leaned in, and kissed his father on his cheek. ❝I showed Sieur Santino’s abilities to communicate with rats.❞ He suddenly told Baldwin because he forgot to mention it earlier. ❝I know, he said to bury the thought of war.❞ Amadeo showed the same to Baldwin a few days prior. It was one of the memories he shared with his father before, so Baldwin must know what he was talking about.  

Amadeo got up from his bed and slipped into the shoes he left neatly close by.

"Yes. There is underlying motive. There is always underlying motives to those threatened by you giving you tribute. Maybe it's an olive brach, a way that our inconsolable differences don't affect you and she is one of the most intelligent and women you will ever meet, diplomacy can be a strong strategy. If the Trojans did not drink themselves into a stupor and checked the tribute…" he left the next part unsaid. "Trust...but verify always. From friend, from surrendering foe alike. Count the things that matter in your hand. Hold them close. Five things worth your loyalty..." he stroked Amadeo's slender fingers. "And the five things that will take them from you."

"We will get you some Earth doggers soon from a breeder in Scotland who breeds them for the French aristocracy. Two good, obedient working dogs that you will train yourself. It will give you purpose and teach you responsibility. You will teach them to obey and be disciplined. Every boy should have dogs for company-my mortal father told me that when he gifted me a Molossus and a Lacornian. My mare does not get along well with dogs-" hence why Baldwin currently did not have any. "She has been bred for battle, hounds to her are a threat. She obeys when we hunt with Verin but she is anxious by them. Alert."

An hour of reading to him and Amadeo seemed to want to forfeit rest for food. "You will not go a night without feeding again, nervous or not. I will come with you tonight." Baldwin picked a riding cloak for Amadeo and when he fastened it Amadeo would see Baldwin's sigil on the brooch. "A lesson for you my son. Some wisdom from an old man to the child that will inherit his burdens.War is an interaction of three things: intense emotion, politics and luck. Philippe is right to be cautious- Rome will strike sooner or later. Let them declare war, we will be ready. When you hold the ears of many you have to ensure that every word carries the weight of the previous and the next. Give him time, settle into your home, into your duties, pressuring him to our cause will only cause frustration. Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward" Patience was a virtue.

"You done well. Alright? You passed a difficult test and you have a family now. A home. Allies. Enemies. We will go to Montferrand the evening after next to get you clothes. A man of your station has to dress for it. We will go to the stables first on the way out, there is a colt just under four that I think will make a good horse for you. Young, wild, a little too playful to grow into a war horse. Philippe thinks him a good choice for you as well. He's been saddle trained but you would be his first real handler" And they would indeed head out and to the stables to the very end where the almost four year old colt was chewing on a willow tree branch out of boredom.

#CHERVBINO; indie , semi-selective roleplay blog for THE VAMPIRE ARMAND of anne rice's vampire chronicles. mainly based on the books & headcanons. amc verse available. written and adored by ellie ( 35+ / she/her ). est. dec 2025.  

# rules # about armand  # memes

Assad Zaman as THE VAMPIRE ARMAND

The day of the trial has come faster than expected. And Amadeo followed Baldwin’s orders to dress up well and to get his hair done properly. Now, Amadeo stood straight next to his new father in his best posture, well dressed and his mind tightly closed. And he could feel the velvet-like strokes on his mind as Baldwin spoke. Amadeo couldn’t tell which one of the family members tried to pry into his mind, but he could feel that one or some tried to be subtle about it. But Amadeo stood his ground. His walls had gotten stronger since he was here. In Rome, he practiced his skills for survival, but in Sept Tours, he trained his skills for acceptance and to make Baldwin proud. Amadeo wanted to become useful, and despite all the training in combat and swordfighting, Amadeo knew that his biggest weapon was his mind. And Baldwin practiced that with him too.

For a split second, Amadeo broke eye contact to look over his shoulder at Baldwin. With the soothing hands on his shoulders, he turned his head back to look at the council. All muscles in the body of the young vampire were tense, and his tension only increased when his father left to sit on the empty chair, and Philippe’s strong voice echoed through the room. Without any sign of fear or hesitation, Amadeo stepped forward as he had been told to. He stopped at a respectful distance and kept his amber-coloured eyes on the Patriarch. Only when he was told to convince the council of his strength, Amadeo bowed his head a little bit.

❝First of all, I want to thank you, Sieur, and your family for the hospitality and the trust you put into me for allowing me to stay in your lovely home for these ten days. And I do hope that I didn’t interrupt someone’s peace. If I did, I apologize.❞ For a split second, he looked over to Matthew, who always seemed apprehensive about him, but maybe it was not directed toward Amadeo but Baldwin. This was something the fledgling couldn’t know. ❝My Maker did not teach me how to fight; he did not teach me war. He was a scholar, and so I came here to this place with the education of a scholar. No words of mine can convince you of my strengths and the worth to the family. I can tell you now that I never lacked the will to survive and that I never lacked loyalty, but what do words matter when I can just lie through my teeth to get a place here I might not even deserve. I will not beg or plead; I will give you all something else to base your decision on, something I cannot lie about.❞  

Amadeo focused on Philippe’s eyes. And suddenly, Amadeo’s pupils dilated and swallowed his orange-amber colour. He could feel the pressing urge of some of the family members to protect their patriarch. Even though it was no more than the flinch of a muscle, Amadeo grasped the hooks he could find and forced the family members to stay seated. Even if they wanted to pounce at him to stop him, they wouldn’t be able to do so. For mere seconds, he looked at them, then his gaze lingered on Philippe again. The Patriarch was ancient and powerful. Amadeo had never seen someone as old as him, and the hook to his mind was almost non-existent. There was a tiny one, almost invisible, but Amadeo could feel it. His mind grasped onto the very fragile little hook and within a mere second, he pulled Philippe’s mind into his own. He wouldn’t invade Philippe’s mind; there wasn’t even an attempt to do so. Amadeo let Philippe into his most vulnerable region of himself. The walls around Amadeo’s mind were still up so that no other family member could see the things he was now showing the Patriarch. Amadeo brought Philippe to his twelve-year-old mortal self. Arun, who was sold to slavers on a ship. Physically abused, prepared to be a body slave. He showed Philippe the fragments of his three-year torture, shipped and sold from one pleasure house to the other, abused by more men than the mortal mind could count. Young Arun seemed to disassociate, refused to speak, but the boy never cried. He brought Philippe to Venice when Marius came to the Venetian brothel where the young Arun had refused to eat for days, but his body fought hard for survival. He showed Philippe the family he once had, the fatal fever the boy now called Amadeo suffered, and how his body once again refused to die and healed when Marius giving him vampiric blood to overcome this sickness. Happiness lasted for a couple of years until a reckless affair with a red-haired Earl of Harlech, who, in his obsession to get Amadeo to himself, slaughtered two innocent children in the Palazzo. Amadeo, who got himself between the raging Lord and his innocent brothers, fought a man much taller and broader than him. Amadeo got injured by daggers. A deep cut on his cheek was the most prominent. Amadeo let Philippe feel the pain; he let the Patriarch see how he won the swordfight against the Lord with a strong will to protect his family. And with that, the rest of his story followed: the poison that killed his body, his turning, the few months of being a newborn vampire, the invasion of the Roman coven, his attempts to fight and protect his family just to be thrown into the fire with them, his abduction and the torture and starvation in Rome. Philippe saw the incident of a vampire throwing the ashes of innocent children in Amadeo’s face and how Amadeo ripped the head off so swiftly. He saw Santino and his rat-whispering abilities, the underground coven; he saw everything Amadeo saw until Baldwin rescued him. Philippe even saw their first few nights together before Amadeo let go of the hook and guided Philippe’s mind out of his own. At the same time, he released the grasp on some other family members and his eyes got back to normal. Keeping vampires so much older than him on their seats by force and leading Philippe through his mind has taken a toll on Amadeo’s strength, but he still stood tall and straight.

❝I have no secrets from you anymore, Sieur. This is me with all my strength, flaws, and wrongdoings. But I do swear that my loyalty to family has never wavered. And I give my life to protect those I swear loyalty to. No matter which decision you will rule out, I will accept and bow my head. And yet, I will never regret showing you everything and putting my trust in you. Because I know, Sieur, your verdict will be made for your family. ❞ 

After saying those words, he remained silent so the family could speak their verdict. Amadeo’s eyes moved from Baldwin to Philippe’s wife. Ysabeau’s verdict surprised him even though he didn’t show it, but with Matthew’s consent, Amadeo couldn’t quite hide the surprise in his eyes. One by one, they consented, and by the end Philippe stood in front of Amadeo.

❝Yes, Sieur. I will obey your orders. My life is dedicated to keeping the family safe. Thank you, Sieur.❞ Amadeo bowed his head politely, but he kept his strength until everyone but Baldwin had left. This was when all the tension fell from his shoulders. He nearly ran over to Baldwin and crashed into him. Amadeo held onto Baldwin’s garments while his knees started trembling a little. He strained his body, and now that tension was gone, he could feel it. His head was throbbing, and a small trail of blood ran out of his left nostril, but it didn’t matter.

❝Thank you, father. For now, I am just relieved that I am allowed to stay and that I did not bring shame and disappointment to your doorstep. I was certain that Matthew does not want me here and that some of the others will follow him.❞ Amadeo sighed softly and quickly told Baldwin what he did when all the others only watched Amadeo staring down Philippe with black eyes. ❝I was worried I couldn't show him my mind in private. But I’m glad it worked.❞ Amadeo wiped his nose with the back of his hand and smiled up at Baldwin. He felt so dizzy. His head felt like exploding but he wanted to keep it together. ❝I vow to you that from now on, I will officially be your obedient son. I want to make you proud. You risked it all for me.❞  

Whatever Amadeo shared with Philippe would remain between them, trust went both ways. You had to give a little and take a little and as much as others would ask as they could tell what happened Philippe would not divulge the images not even with Baldwin, although the heir would not ask. He knew better than that.

"You will be blessed in this house. You will be a blessing in this house" Philippe spoke to them in parting and soon Amadeo would know how it was how he greeted all his children and grand children as their Patriarch.

For a long moment Baldwin and Amadeo held each other with the tension of the past month just slowly allowed to leave their muscles and new tension would soon settle in. Baldwin's pledge of Amadeo was accepted, now the stress of inducting him and moulding him into the son he ought to be would begin.

"I did not think Ysabeau, Matthew and Louis would consent so….willingly." Baldwin was not only surprised but he expected the string in the tail. He and Ysabeau did not have much love lost between them, this had been far too easy. A problem to consider in the future, right now one massive hurdle was cleared and when you require a horse, you can look the gift horse in the mouth or saddle it.

"You need rest. You can't push yourself so much. Resilience takes training and fortification skills." Baldwin would not hear otherwise as he took Amadeo by the arm so it simply looked like they walked and he could keep his dignity intact although one little wobble, one misstep and Baldwin would carry him to bed if he had to. "Have you fed tonight?" he asked as they got to Amadeo's quarters and he all but forced him under the covers sending his servants to bring him a wet cloth so he could attend to his bleeding nose.

"You did really well" He praised stroking Amadeo's hair off his face and with the now wet cloth washed his face. "You have to be more cautious. The minds of our elders are tricky labyrinths that can trap you even without the elder intending to. Perilous terrain requires training and patience." Baldwin's voice was gentle but his instruction firm enough. The fact that Amadeo managed to pull such an incredible feat spoke of his power, of his skill, of the threat he could pose one day. "The dizziness will pass in an hour or so-"

Now the Edelweiss made perfect sense to Amadeo, and at the same time, he now liked the bouquet even more. It was personal on top of the meaning it represented. A fond smile plastered on Amadeo’s lips followed by the nod of acknowledgement. ❝I should’ve seen that. I didn’t think it was your favourite though.❞ He chuckled a bit and shrugged almost innocently, even though he was far from innocent. ❝You will laugh when you hear the full story I came up with. So…❞ Amadeo cleared his throat.  ❝I was unsure about the Edelweiss part as it has two meanings when it comes to you and me. At first I mused that the Edelweiss could represent my courage to speak to you at the soiree. I connected it with my quite brazen courage of having a sparring match over flowers and thorns with you. Not everyone would dare to do that when they set their eyes on you for the first time. Edelweiss is a flower with more meanings, but I do see you in Edelweiss, which gave it a double meaning to me right away. Not because of the German literal translation of noble and white. Devotion, immortality, courage, and resilience. All these words resemble Edelweiss, and I see all those traits in you. In that sense, I settled for the Edelweiss to be you. The single rosemary is a symbol of memory, which I see as the memory of our first date; hence, there is only one because one date night, so one memory. Blue thistles around them as a protective shield of whatever is blooming inside, not yet decided if the protection is for the vulnerability inside or outside. Maybe the thorns you keep around yourself for now to protect yourself or the thorns you are longing for to shield you from the outside disruptions. Because what can shield better from disruptions than the disruptor? White hellebore, as a symbol of hope for whatever is blooming, may grow in pureness. A hope you carry in front of your shield without even noticing it. And Black calla lilies being the symbol of the persona you show on the outside, hence them being not inside the thistle shield but at the very outside edges. Mysterious, elegant, and with sophisticated power, that’s what you represent on the outside. You will forgive me because I didn’t have that much time to get into the full interpretation yet. It might be a little wonky.❞

Oh, how much he missed feeling that hand in his hair and the other’s presence near him. He knew that some could feel uncomfortable and intimidated in Baldwin’s presence, but to Amadeo he radiated so much strength and power that it became eerily soothing to be around. And he had enough humor to make Amadeo laugh effortlessly.

❝I know, right? I was often tempted just to call you via FaceTime to debate properly.❞   The reason he didn’t do it was that Baldwin was a busy man. But that didn’t mean that he hadn’t been tempted. He lifted his gaze and his dark eyes found Baldwin’s eyes for a bit. It was only their second time meeting face to face properly, and yet there was still so much longing in Amadeo’s deepest regions of his soul. His heart fluttered just at the prospect of potentially being seen. Once more, he leaned against that hand and smiled a bit. ❝At least I have warned you back then. Maybe I try to get under your skin like a splinter. To make sure you will not forget my presence.❞ His hand traced over Baldwin’s side just so gently, then he suddenly lifted his hand, caressed Baldwin’s cheek, and placed a peck on his lips.  ❝A man who did nothing but treat me well and made sure I was well taken care of during the travel does not deserve any ill thought.❞ Amadeo spoke softly. ❝But that doesn’t mean that the gifts didn’t bring a big smile on my face because they did and still do.❞ 

Curiously, he looked at the shopping bags and widened his eyes a little, seeing the Berluti shoes, the belt, and the pocket square. ❝They are gorgeous. And they’ll match so well with the couture piece I am planning to wear. I will write a little thank you letter to your personal friend. Would you be so kind as to deliver it for me the next time you see him? It is very important to be very polite and grateful in the fashion industry. No one wants to work or support a diva.❞ And Amadeo had a certain image to keep. People don’t have to know how much of a snob he could be. No, he would hide all his personal feelings so well in front of clients that they would only see his smiling face.

But it was the second bag that made Amadeo wrap his arms around Baldwin’s neck. ❝Thank you. You really didn’t have to. But thank you. Such nice scarves; they will love them. Winters in Venice can be dreadful.❞ Quickly, he nodded, let go of Baldwin and held out his right hand. With big eyes, he watched the Cartier be attached to his wrist. It had a nice weight to it, and the golden colour looked really nice on his skin; he had to admit that. ❝It’s beautiful.❞ He twisted his wrist a little before they both went out on the balcony, where they kissed properly, and Amadeo noticed that the phone wouldn’t interrupt them. Not tonight.

Slowly, he turned around to look at the city for a while. So many lights, and he could feel that life was pulsing around. ❝No, it is my first time here. I don’t travel much. No, wrong, I don’t travel abroad outside of work. Which place do you think is worth visiting for fun, I mean? I’m sure you’ve seen a few nice places?❞ The young man turned his head a little bit to the side and smirked almost boyishly. ❝I look forward to learning from your knowledge. I’m a fast learner. And I would appreciate not to fall for the wrong person.❞ 

He lowered his hand just enough that his fingertips could almost accidentally brush over Baldwin’s hand. ❝I like the noise of the engines. Odd, I know. I’m not so much into the sports per se. But the speed, the rush of the adrenaline that must run through their veins, the very fine line of life and death. One wrong decision from the driver or the team, one failure of the techniques. Is it the driver who achieves the win? Or is it the money spent on the technical innovations? Or can one not be without the other? And isn’t it fascinating how fast they are when it comes to technical innovations? Did you ever sit in one of those vehicles?❞ 

Oh, he rambled again. Good that Baldwin stopped him by complimenting his hair. Amadeo wore it half up, half down tonight. ❝Thank you. I’m glad you like it. I have to grow it out for Milan Fashion Week. Requirements of the designer. You don’t think it’s too long?!❞ His index finger curled around Baldwin’s while his shoulder leaned against the other man’s upper arm.  ❝I know, we have to get ready for dinner soon. Shall I dress down for the occasion?❞ He wouldn’t want to embarrass the other man by dressing inappropriately. Amadeo looked up again and hummed. ❝You really make it hard not to kiss you. You look good when the lights of the night touch your face like that.❞  

"I will not laugh, please tell me the story you came up with" the vampire was so intrigued to hear what Amadeo read into it."I think I am rather fond of your interpretation, some stories tell the same tale but are woven so differently. Your interpretations are certainly not wrong, maybe even more telling in that the subconscious might reveal itself while the conscious attempts to create a narrative" The calla lilies for who he carried in front of his shield, yes he could see why Amadeo would think that. Maybe he put more of himself than he thought into it.

"We could explore video-chats as an option if this goes somewhere past a good time." He used videoconferencing for work all the time he could not see a reason why they shouldn't at least try it to keep in touch. "Long distance is always difficult. It will not be the same but I can't reasonably think of a reason to present not to when the alternative allows me to look at your lovely face. You do have such beautiful captivating features. I don't think I have ever seen a man that resembled the ideal Renaissance beauty as much as you-" he admired Amadeo's stunning features, traced the outline of his face with his fingertips and kissed him once more. "Between New York, London, Beijing and your career about to hit a boom it's safe to say that long distance is on the cards heavily...but the road taking us to that bridge has only started to be laid down, we will worry about crossing said bridge when we get to it" his cheek pressed a little firmer against Amadeo's hand that gently touched it.

"Constantinople, where the world once pivoted. Layered, conquered, rebuilt, coveted. The meeting point of empires, the crossroads of East and West, a place where beauty and brutality co-exist. If you want to understand power you must stand where empires collided. Kyoto who embodies restraint precision and ritual-qualities. The moss gardens, the silent temples, the tea houses where every gesture is deliberate.Samarkand, the Jewel on the Silk Road, I would send you there to understand how knowledge and beauty are forms of power. But first and foremost, New York. A city that devours weakness and rewards audacity. If you want to understand the world we live in now, stand in Manhattan at midnight" he spoke a few of the cities he thought Amadeo ought to travel and see.

"We agree. I've always been mesmerised by the engineering of them. I admire the engineers and the mechanics more than the drivers. No, I don't even enjoy driving my own cars let alone miniature rockets." Baldwin was almost tempted to kiss Amadeo's head. "I am taking you to the Monte Carlo casino for dinner,La Train Blue to be precise. Le Louis XV tomorrow night-you will need black tie attire for that but we will go shopping in the evening beforehand" His arm slipped to snake it's way around Amadeo's slender frame to bring him in closer, tighter against Baldwin's side and to kiss his head, his forehead, his cheek, to nuzzle Amadeo's cheekbone and then kiss him.

The subtle tension in his jaw as he speaks is familiar, and probably about as much of a reaction as Lestat is likely to get out of him. Baldwin is not prone to emotional outbursts, not like he is. A grave? Yes. "It is. It was. I shouldn't be here, really. The memory of this place and it's wicked inhabitants keeps people away but it's not as though I can pick up where I left off.* He wipes a nearby surface only to come away with dust which he wipes on his robe. "I apologize for not returning your letters. It's been a difficult few years. A difficult decade."

Lestat descends a few steps, using the hand rail to steady himself. He can see Baldwin with clarity now, his eyesight unfailing. All hard lines and tightly wound control. There is nothing very soft about the man he has known for what feels like a very long time and he's practically the same as last time they were face to face. "As they should. The weird brothers and their strange sister. The sodomites and their devil daughter. We stayed too long. I loved this place but we should have left earlier, gone somewhere else. People knew we were unnatural." Who did this? Genuine concern. Sometimes it is easy to forget he has people who care for him beyond these walls, even if they are sometimes far away.

"My companion and I had a little disagreement. He's gone now, with our daughter. They felt I was... suffocating them and they needed..." He searches for the word. "Space? A lot of it. An entirely different country away if I'm not mistaken. I can't hear them. I can't reach out to them. I can only hope they are safe and happier now than they were with me. This was just...a parting gift." He touches the wound again and shrugs. "There is little point to cleaning. I won't be staying. Like you said, it is a grave. Some good memories, yes, but not all of them. I need to find somewhere else to relocate to. I was thinking perhaps New York."

He sounds a little livelier at the suggestion. "A fresh start, as it were. Did you have business in my beautiful city or did you just come to see if I was still alive? Perhaps you'd like to stay a while. We have lovely hotels. Much nicer than sleeping in the bath tub." He descends the rest of the way and finds himself standing before Baldwin, tilting his head and examining him with his violet blue eyes. "You look the same. You've been well?"

Lestat was not behaving like Lestat and it put Baldwin on edge. There was something off about him but for now he could not place his finger as to what. Little by little Lestat would divulge titbits and perhaps it is good that Lestat named Louis his assailant. "Maybe you ought to learn to not offer your heart out so willingly, then" Baldwin was a man cut from an entirely different cloth, an entirely different man with very polar ideals to what made a good man. Lestat loved too much, too fast and risked everything for love like some Byronic protagonist. Lelio and his poetic lamentations of love and it's trials and tribulations.

"Do you hope that they are safe and happier? You are a thousand things, a fool would be new. They are young and carry your strong blood, they would be lucky not to be drank dry just for their blood alone, never you mind what happens when the covens hear of fledglings raising hands against their maker" Baldwin's voice did not rise, did not falter, was their conversation purely academic or was he warning Lestat that there was no safety to be had.

"You should relocate. The war will conclude soon. Two years? Three? Maybe five. Two I would say, three more years to air in the side of caution. I was going to head to Boston, my investments in iron and steel have done very well...but I can accompany you to New York until you are settled. If you want me to"

New York, the beating heart of the supply chain to the allied troops. The harbour would be bustled with massive military ships and merchant vessels. "You will like The Great White way and Coney Island. An artist Piet Mondrian is making waves- you ought to get acquaintanted."

Marie didn't care enough about being involved in human matters long term to really make an effort at any kind of career. Turned at twenty-one, she could pass for a little younger or a little older but not much beyond that. She didn't stay in one place long enough to raise questions, but sometimes that in of itself made people wonder. Where did she go? She simply became someone else. She had several identities, the paperwork to go along with them. No one who checked them would dig any deeper. And so she began a new life every ten or fifteen years, but she was rarely on her own.

Her companion, Gabrielle, mother of Lestat, was often with her. Her immortal beloved, her fated match, or so she liked to believe. But Gabrielle was gone for the moment and Marie had settled into her new apartment, in the city she was once again calling home. Paris. She rarely had much by the way of belongings when she moved and yet upon her return, it has been brought to her attention that her great grandmother had a collection of art that needed tending to. She'd gone through it, selected what was most valuable, and listed for private buyers.

It was out of most people's price ranges which was fine by her, she was in no rush. But when a staffer from an unknown collector reached out and made an offer, she was inclined to at least entertain him. She would receive him at her home, which is where she was waiting now after dinner, the paintings displayed on the long dining room table. She wasn't sure if he'd be showing up in person or if he'd send someone to negotiate for him. She'd vaguely heard of him or at least his family but they'd never met, to her knowledge. Then again, she'd met a lot of people. She had no reason to suspect him a vampire like herself.

There is a hierarchy to the world,always, and Baldwin carried himself with the aura of a man that once commanded hundreds with a simple sweep of his hands, that once carried an entire Republic in his his gaze and marched through the worst cesspits just to give someone home. He was chosen for this, when Philippe already one and a half thousand years old at the time desired an heir he waited...and waited...until the Gods above and Fate herself willed Lucius to cross his path. Years of assessing men and how all paled in comparison to him. An heir to his great vampiric dynasty...a man forged for war and moulded for politics and even now two thousand years later the man who renamed himself as Baldwin carried himself like a man used to entering rooms and the buttholes of everyone puckering in nerves. War was the power of the past, money was the global power and the investment banker worked with the most elite of the upper echelon. Politics changed, name a Western country and he had at least one of it's ten most powerful men in his beck and call.

Two cars arrived and parked outside followed by a Triumph motorbike.

From the first car Verin entered the apartment first, her steps soundless on the bare floorboards. She paused just inside the threshold, pale eyes sweeping over the apartment with a faint curl of amusement. The space was spare—clean lines, muted colors, almost ascetic in its lack of ornamentation. It looked less like a home and more like a place someone intended to leave at a moment’s notice.

Marcelle followed her from the, closing the door with a soft, deliberate click. He carried himself like a man accustomed to cataloguing valuables and secrets alike, his gaze already drifting toward the long dining table where the paintings lay arranged with meticulous care. He the one who was contacted by an art broker to get in touch with Marie.

Only after both had settled into the room did the man from the motorbike step inside after leaving his helmet and riding jacket on his bike.

He did not rush. His entrance had the quiet gravity of someone who expected the world to adjust around him. The minimalism of the apartment seemed to sharpen him—his tailored coat, his composed posture, the faint, cold elegance in his expression. He surveyed the space with a single, measured glance before his eyes found Marie.

Baldwin Montclair aka Uncle B aka @montclairbaldwin as seen through Floribeth's eyes. From left to right:

Reminding the next generation of Philippe's wisdom seemed appropriate.

They finally have a read on Matthew's location!

Flori circled back to the lab for some more intel. Just to be safe.

He's either thinking very hard or glaring someone to death.

Squinting against the sun.

Oh, look, he does smile!

Armand shared his bed with a mortal for many years. But it wasn’t until this very moment that he started to realize how much he had been holding back. Even though he was not thousands of years old yet, his physical strength was enough to snap a mortal body in half without any effort. And now, for the first time in centuries, if not forever, he could just be himself.

"You are not the devil, I see no devil.I see no one but an overeager pup mistaking his bark for might" Baldwin was mesmerised by the young beauty, Armand was so young compared to him and yet you could easily mistake him for an ancient from the way he carried himself...until you stripped of the layers of his facade, until like a cradled lotus flower he'd open his petals to reveal the brightness inside.

To cup the face of someone many dreaded and dare to caress his dark lips with your thumb and see nothing but youth in those mischievous eyes. Such pretty ambers, Baldwin perhaps felt a little peeved some vampires got such interesting hue to their eyes and his merely steely blue. He kissed Armand's nose, a strong nose to tying together such soft features. "Do something for me first-" he demanded as he held his cheek. "Smile for me. Just a little, companion" It didn't have to be forced and unnatural, a small subtle one would do if that is all he could muster right now. Armand had been through a lot, sex would not fix all of that pain but it would distract. And if he could just muster a small smile, it would be enough.

He'd lean on his elbows to watch Armand, his left leg bent, a mountain peak over the valley. A soft tongue graced the tip, a small bead of pent-up frustration freed and coaxed. His hand reached to the bedside table to grab a hairtie for that hair cascading against Armand's face but just as he gathered some of the hair Armand swallowed him, a grunted Oh my God.. from the surprise and Armand's hair fell loose once more as Baldwin reached to fist the sheets snapping the elastic in his flexed fingers.

"Don't break your poor jaw....but don't stop" So, you know, figure that out as Armand was devouring him and Baldwin freed the sheets off the tyranny of his right hand to scoop those curls up and for a little while enjoyed this worship of his cock. It was not just a blowjob, no, it was a worship of it, the affection , the attention, how all of him was devoured and not an inch of him left unattended for too long. As he laid there grunting and softly moaning, his pupils swallowing his irises and fangs descended, mouth slightly agape and eyes fixated on the ceiling he thought to himself that perhaps, he ought to have noticed a spark with Armand before.

Perhaps he was the fool for not seeing the immense devotion Armand was capable of. He never thought Armand unattractive he simply up until tonight never thought Armand as...well...someone he ought to take as a lover. Armand rarely was not taken. Yes, that must be it. Armand did not stay single for very long.

"You're going to make me cum if you continue...and what a waste that would be"