Lucien pays a farewell visit to his Sanctuary before the Purification. Lucien/Vicente. Slash.
Disclaimer: I do not own Oblivion and its characters.
A.N. This fic would have never come about without The Winged Ferret's 'The Fangirl Sacrifice'. Prior to that, I never even thought about the Vicente/Lucien pairing. But really, I have to blame Crisium more for this story because I would not have actually written it without her 'dare' challenge. So Crisium, this one is for you. ^_^
One More Kiss
There is nothing unusual about Lachance's visit to his own Sanctuary. After all, it is his responsibility to oversee its running. And though the Imperial looks much too tired and even paler than usual – such an unnatural complexion for an Imperial, a simple explanation is at hand for the visible neglect. His duties as a Speaker have kept him busy.
Really though, Vicente feigns ignorance because he does not want Lucien to destroy the one chance of fulfilling his secret yearning. He has sent countless souls to the realm of their Dread Father only to be denied the final peace himself. There is nothing more disconcerting than to know that he may never meet his own end without disgracing his name as a professional assassin. Sithis would not welcome him with open arms, were he to deliberately sabotage the services expected of him. Love is no excuse for an assassin to miss his mark.
Vicente longs for the Void. He has lived long, far too long for a Breton. His race is simply not designed for such a long life span. There is no more delight in his heart when he spills blood for their Dread Father. Everything has become too repetitive and dull. Once, he was grateful for being accepted into a family, for the opportunity to converse with like-minded individuals. For two hundred years, the Dark Brotherhood has been all he's got. His adopted family gave him a purpose, a meaning of existence that he thought he had lost forever. Now, it is no longer enough. His mind has grown more and more despondent with each passing year.
Of course, he knows the Purification is coming. His pity for his family, however, does nothing to abate the maddening anticipation for his own end. Except,
Vicente still cares for one thing in his undead life. One person who can make him feel as though his still heart is beating, pumping warm blood into his frozen veins. One person whose lust-tinted love he desires and fears like nothing else in his unnaturally long existence. Lucien doesn't even have to speak of love. The Imperial could break Vicente's firm resolve by merely professing his need for the vampire.
Lucien naturally does no such thing. He is faithful to a fault when it comes to duties. He cannot possibly warn Vicente of the impending doom that awaits his Sanctuary. Ironically, it is Vicente who taught Lucien the secrets of the Void and helped him become a living incarnation of their Dread Father Sithis. Black as night and cold as winter, Lucien's heart is a thing of beauty. He is the sanest of the Black Hand for only the purest black can absorb red and remain unscathed.
Clad in his robes and hood, Lucien's calm composure never falters as he enquires about the progress of each and every family member and listens to Vicente's catalogue of accounts as though Fate has not deserted his family. And for that, Vicente is grateful.
The desirable end of this visit would be rather simple, really. Lucien will leave the Sanctuary as though he hasn't come to say farewell to his most skilled assassin, the one family member he cares for above everyone else. He will not look back, leaving his assassins behind along with one vampire whose blood would leave a mark on even his blackened heart. Vicente will get his possibly only invitation to the embrace of the Void.
Lucien's touch isn't all that important for the turn of this unremarkable event. It is just a brotherly gesture, a hand on the other's arm as he speaks their usual parting words. Unfortunately, the simple motion sparks a long-forgotten hope and like a fool, Vicente searches the impassive face for a sign, any expression that may just betray Lucien's feelings towards him. A glimpse of anguish in the deep brown eyes is the only response to the unguarded longing. It isn't what he has been looking for, but Vicente is now trapped helplessly. He can no longer shake off the question that he desperately wanted to ignore.
What will become of him when I'm gone?
It really isn't fair that he worries. He dreads that Lucien may be the next target of the Black Hand if the purification yields no satisfactory outcome. The prominent Speaker's end may be much worse than the fates of those whom he has forsaken for the love of Sithis and the Night Mother. But what is one moment of painful despair, however intense, when viewed from the perspective of infinity? If Vicente misses this one opportunity, he may have to endure an eternity of joyless existence, with no prospect of ever meeting his beloved Speaker in the Void.
Regrettably, Vicente's mind still thinks like a mortal. When the vision of Lucien covered in crimson red assaults him mercilessly, all his reasons simply fail to convince him that it does not matter in the entire scheme of things.
"You are not sleeping well," Vicente finally speaks, somehow managing to keep his tone neutral. There is no denying, however, that the Imperial must have seen the secrets of his weary heart.
"Brother, if I did not know any better, I would presume that you had impure designs on me," Lucien replies, his eyes now sparkling with amusement. "It would then be impolite of me to leave you while you were in a state of painful arousal."
"It would be, wouldn't it?"
Lucien's hand on Vicente's arm tightens to an iron grip. And when his lips furiously descend on the other's willing mouth, Vicente cannot remember why he wanted to die in the first place. The kiss is forceful and demanding, as though anything short of complete submission is unforgivable. Nevertheless, it is sweeter than any kiss Vicente has ever tasted. Because it is from Lucien Lachance, and there is nothing brotherly about it.
To Vicente's disappointment, Lucien releases the other man from their embrace all too soon. And with a triumphant grin at the sight of the vampire's bruised and swollen lips, he turns and leaves the room.
Lucien of course has no idea what he has just done. But Vicente knows he can no longer quietly await his end in the Sanctuary. He will have to make himself mysteriously disappear. He will uncover and dispose of the traitor, because his mortal mind is now convinced that he can trade his eternal peace for just one more kiss.