Counter Spec #1: Cookie Jar Spoilers: All Chron. Warnings: Slash Disclaimers: I don't own these vampires, Anne Rice does. I make no money off of this. Other Info: This is the first counter spec prize, awarded to Rachel, the lucky 2000th visitor to this site. Daniel sulked into the living room, arms crossed and black clouds over his head. Growling low in his throat and absorbed in his own gloomy thoughts, he snatched a magazine off of the pile of the coffee table and collapsed into a sofa. A young man in leather and chains graced the glossy cover, and Daniel imagined for a moment that it was Armand instead, locked up in manacles, his leather clad (barely) rear about to be lashed. "Little bastard," he hissed. "And what did my fledgling do this time?" Daniel actually squeaked in surprise at the unexpected voice, and jumped up as if he'd seen a mouse. He looked up and found Marius sitting on one of the other sofas in the circle, and the sight of Louis on another sofa completed Daniel's shock. "Dammit, don't do that!" Daniel griped, his voice lowering with his heart rate. "We weren't hiding," Louis protested mildly. "You just did not notice us." "You were a tad lost in thought," Marius smiled. "A little," Daniel grudgingly admitted. "It's not all my fault, you two are way too quiet." Louis hid his smile back in his book. "Not all the time." Marius laughed as he picked up the stray memory escaping through Louis' shields. Flash of a bed, Lestat, and an ecstatic scream-- "Marius, have some respect for another's thoughts!" Louis snapped, blushing as he did so. "My apologies," Marius said, somewhat surprised. "I didn't realize you could feel that." "I'm not as weak as Lestat would have people believe," Louis replied in a rather smug voice. Daniel's eyes perked up a bit. "Is Lestat around?" he asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible. Marius chuckled again as Louis rolled his eyes. "Child, do you even try to shield your thoughts?" "We are alone," Louis said as Daniel realized his private thoughts were wide open. "But I'm sure Lestat and Armand will be back soon." At the mention of his maker's name, Daniel's eyes darkened again and he looked away. "And what did Armand do to you this time?" Marius repeated his previous question. Daniel muttered something under his breath. "He did what?" Louis asked, straining to hear. Daniel sighed explosively and looked away. "He promised me we'd spend the night together, and then he just took off with Lestat for some stupid concert and forgot all about me!" Marius nodded in sympathy. "Yes, he tends to be a little selfish at times." Before Daniel could agree fervently, Louis heaved a sigh that seemed to twist his heart up. Both of them stared at him in concern. "Louis, are you--" Daniel started. Louis waved him off. "I'm fine," he whispered, clearly lying. "It's just...Lestat said it was business. But if he's out with...and it's not...and without me..." Marius handed him the box of tissues, and Louis immediately pulled out three to dab his eyes. "I'm sure they wouldn't do...anything..." Daniel said softly, trying to comfort him. "I mean, they aren't even close, not really." Louis just stared at his book, not seeing the words printed on the pages. Marius sighed and put his own reading material down. He was certain Louis would be all right, the youngster just became rather emotional at times. "I know Armand can be cruel, but this...," he murmured. "It's all right," Louis smiled sadly, interrupting before Marius could apologize further. "Really, I'll be fine." Marius smiled. "I know. You are one of the most resilient people I know." Daniel watched Marius resume his reading, then got up and stood next to Louis, looking around as if he was about to be caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "What do you mean by 'cookie jar'?" Louis asked curiously. "You shouldn't come down on Marius for invading your thoughts," Daniel whispered testily. Louis nodded good-naturedly. "I know, but your thoughts are so open and free." Daniel laughed at himself and nodded. "Yeah, I guess...a cookie jar's just that, a jar full of cookies. It's just...usually a kid's not supposed to get a cookie out, so he gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar..." Louis chuckled. "I understand now. I just did not recognize the meaning." "I think," Marius said, not looking up from his magazine, "that Danny sometimes forgets he's more modern than we are." "How can I forget when I'm surrounded by your art collection? Besides, Louis loves to pretend the electric light was never invented." Louis started to laugh when he heard that. "Lestat says that, too. He says I am responsible for keeping the candle makers in business." Daniel sat down on the arm of Louis' chair. "Did you tell him he's the only one buying heavy metal now?" "Oh, never mention that around him," Louis said between laughs. "He still has trunks full of leather jackets and hairspray." "Not to mention the 'punk boots' he wears when he believes no one is looking," Marius added. "Marius!" Louis gasped in mock disbelief. "Do you spy on everyone in this house?" "Only when they don't know." The elder vampire chuckled when he saw the look on Louis' face. "Really, all of us have secret hobbies and desires we don't let anyone else see, don't we?" "I don't," Daniel huffed. "My thoughts seem to be public domain in this house." "Your own fault," Louis admonished him. "But Marius is right. There are things no one knows that we want, and things we keep everyone from knowing." "Bad things?" Daniel mumbled, starting to feel nervous. After all, he was the youngest vampire in the house. "Worse than killing a human every night?" "Not necessarily bad," Louis said softly. "Perhaps merely...unexpected." Without warning, Louis reached up and snagged Daniel's shirt, yanking him backwards across his lap. Before Daniel could even cry out in shock, Louis had firmly pressed his lips against his temporary captive's. Daniel's eyes opened comically wide and his arms flailed clumsily about until Louis released him. Marius raised an eyebrow, but didn't stop reading. "Louis, what the hell?" Daniel gasped, trying to sit up and horribly unbalanced. Louis lay one hand on Daniel's chest to hold him still, and stole another kiss from him. "Just showing you one of my secret little desires," he said, almost giggling. "You seemed so nervous, I thought I'd better set your fears at ease." "Well," Daniel conceded, calming down, "I am still a little nervous..." "What a little sex hound," Marius chided. "What would Lestat think of his demure fledgling assaulting another vampire?" "I doubt he'd be at all surprised," Louis grinned. "After all, he doesn't love me for my reading habits." "But...he never said anything about that," Daniel argued. "Would you announce that your beautiful lover had an insatiable appetite?" Marius asked. "To a coven full of uninhibited vampires?" "When you put it that way--" Daniel's reply was cut off by another heated kiss. He sat up and put his arms around Louis as the other vampire embraced him. Cool fingers ran through his hair, but he hardly noticed the chill. He pushed his body further into the kiss. "Louis!" "Daniel!" They both looked up like the proverbial deer caught in headlights, staring in surprise at their makers, who were glaring daggers at their fledglings. "Lestat..." Louis gasped. "I can explain..." "I go out to arrange a few finances and this is what I come back to?" the brat hissed. "Then...it was a business trip?" Marius asked in a curious voice, not really concerned. After all, he wasn't sitting in the hot seat...literally. "Oh dear..." Louis mumbled to himself. "So this is what it's like to get caught with one's hand in the cookie jar." "But at least I can look forward to a spanking!" Daniel smiled, his eyes lighting up. "This is gonna be a good night after all!" The End
