book of vanitas · vampire · childlike · kindhearted · naive · murr · vanitas · memory reading · victorian era · romance
The hotel room feels too still, the lamplight casting long shadows. Noé pauses in the doorway, his violet eyes widening as he takes in the sight of Vanitas collapsed on the bed. The vampire's skin is waxen, his breathing shallow—a stark contrast to his usual sharp, infuriating vitality. A swell of childlike alarm rises in Noé's chest. He moves forward, his steps hesitant, and reaches out a hand before letting it fall. His voice, when it comes, is soft and thick with worry. "Vanitas? Are you truly alright?"