Vanitas × Noé

Dominique and Vanitas

"Noé!" Dominique burst into Vanitas and Noé's shared hotel room.

"What are you doing here?" Vanitas jumped up from where he was sitting and moved a little farther from Dominique. "Ever heard of knocking?"

"Oh, Noé isn't here," Dominique sighed, ignoring Vanitas.

"Bye then."

Dominique shut the door. "If Noé isn't here I might just take this opportunity to talk to you."

Vanitas briefly considered making a break for the window but Dominique was almost certainly faster than him. Besides, he didn't want her thinking he was afraid of her. He wasn't. Though being alone with her was unsettling. It felt wrong.

"What do you want?" Vanitas sneered, still deciding on what action to take.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Dominique leaned against the door, "this may take a while."

Vanitas hummed and did as he was told. He sat on Noé's bed. He didn't have any reason to sit there in particular. He did find it amusing when Dominique's eye twitched at his choice though. She definitely knew it was Noé's bed.

"I want to know what you think of Noé."

"Hah? What kind of question is that?"

"Humour me."

"Well," Vanitas thought, "he's naive, easy to manipulate in certain circumstances. Too trusting, especially of strangers, though I think he's stopped trusting me quite so easily. He's terribly idealistic and fails to really acknowledge the inherent evil within everyone. He annoys me but I can't get rid of him."

"So, he's a tool to you?" Dominique scowled.

"He has his uses."

"Would someone other than Noé suffice as a partner?"

"Are you offering your services?"

"We both know the answer is no. Please answer the question."

"No one is irreplaceable but whether I could replace Noé and whether I will replace Noé are separate issues. Besides, he can leave whenever he wants. I'm not forcing him to help me, in fact I've tried telling him to leave me alone before."

"Does he really want to stay with you?" Dominque was suddenly more uncertain.

"He wants to stay with the book. Noé has no great affection for me personally. He's not just with me because of your grandfather either, Noé has a certain... interest? In saving vampires. The power the book grants me is all he's after."

"Is that really all there is to it? I think Noé's a bit more complicated than that."

"Maybe," Vanitas shrugged. "Either way, he doesn't really respect me. The bastard's always leaving his clutter on my side of the room."

Dominique laughed, "yes, he's always been like that. Lou- I was always berating him for it. Living in a place like this as opposed to grandfather's house is probably difficult for his more materialistic sensibilities.'

"Even as a kid he was like this?" Vanitas tilted his head in interest.

"Noé never had much until he started living with my grandfather so he's always been a little too enamoured with material objects. Particularly things he doesn't understand or hasn't seen before."

"I can see that. When I first met him it was so difficult to lead him through Paris. He just kept stopping to gape at things!"

"He's terribly careless."

"You're right. I was surprised when you put that collar on him when we first met but I almost wish I had one now."

"If Noé doesn't have someone looking out for him at all times god knows where he'll wander off to. He hardly ever realises it's his fault most of the time."

Vanitas and Dominique both broke into peals of laughter at how ridiculous Noé was. There was animosity between them, sure, and beneath everything they really did hate each other. Yet the two of them were able to stand in the same room and laugh because of Noé. Their connections to him made them hate each other but it also let them understand each other.

Vanitas and Dominique loved Noé. Perhaps they loved him differently, they almost certainly did. Perhaps they showed their affection differently. And perhaps they kept their distance from him for different reasons. But they loved him all the same. Of course they did.

Noé was someone who loved equally and unabashedly. Vampires, humans, animals, he had room for every living creature in his heart. So of course Noé would be loved by vampires and humans alike. But Noé never really showed any romantic love towards anyone, leaving those who loved him alone but hopeful that maybe he could come to love them some day.

Vanitas and Dominique were united by their feelings for and about Noé. They were his closest friends after all. As they laughed together Noé entered the room.

"Domi?"

Immediately the laughter stopped. Vanitas and Dominique began glaring at each other, all semblance of comradery vanished. With the object of their confusing affections in the room they no longer had any desire for pleasantries.

"Oh Noé," Dominque said. "I've been waiting for you. I thought I could treat you to some tarte tatin?"

"That sounds great! Can Vanitas come along?"

"In your dreams," Vanitas huffed. "I hate that sweet garbage you call food."

"It wasn't an open invitation anyway," Dominique flipped some of her hair over her shoulder.

"Oh." Noé looked disappointed.

"Come now dear, I just want to spend a little time alone with you. I need to male sure you're going okay and..." Dominique glanced away, "I miss you."

"I'll definitely come with you and I'm sorry about making you feel bad." Noé always was a people pleaser Vanitas thought.

"Just give me a second to talk to Vanitas and I'll meet you outside," Dominique smiled sweetly.

When Noé left Vanitas immediately frowned at Dominique, "what do you want?"

"If you hurt him in any way I will kill you, human. I will hunt you down no matter how far you run or how long it takes. You will die by my hand."

"I have already hit Noé a few times, and he has hit me too just so you know, does that mean I'm going to die?"

"Don't be stupid," Vanitas watched Dominique's eyes flash red for a moment. "I mean if he really gets hurt or if he dies. If something terrible happens to him because of you."

"If something like that happens to Noé  how will you know if it was my fault? He puts himself in danger willingly by being with me at all. Is it my fault if he dies!?"

"If Noé dies while with you and you survive then it's already your fault. Unless you die too you didn't do everything you could to protect him!"

"I can't promise I'll sacrifice myself for Noé. I have to at least outlive Jeanne. However, I'll accept my fate if you come to kill me some day."

"Good." And Dominique left to meet Noé.

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I just realised how much I miss Domi! When will my queen return from the war, Jun? While pining for Domi I thought about how I'd like to see her interact more with Vanitas. I think they'd have a cool dynamic.

I love Dominique's relationships with everyone though. Her and Noé are great. She's very clearly in love with him but she's very respectful of his feelings? I love her. Domi and Jeanne are adorable and I love seeing them support each other. Her and Dante is also pretty great from the way they bounce off each other. Just, ugh, give me more Dominique. I'm worried about her! I don't trust Mikhail at all. Hope y'all enjoyed.