A/N This fic is GannenxSteve. If you don't like that pairing then don't read the fic. =)
It was late when Steve finally arrived in the town where he had grown up, about 2am. He and the vampaneze only had a few hours to find somewhere to stay before the sun rose. It didn't take long though to find and settle in the abandoned theater where the Cirque Du Freak had held that fateful show so many years ago.
Not many vampaneze had come with Steve; just Gannen, RV, and a couple of guards. More would come in a few days. As the sun rose and the vampaneze drifted off to sleep, Steve decided to explore the town, see what had changed since he had last been there and what was the same. He had been warned about going out, but he brushed off the words of caution without a single thought. He wasn't stupid. He knew to be careful.
A rush of cool, fresh air hit the Vampaneze Lord when he stepped outside, and he just stood there for a minute, breathing. He loved the early morning because it somehow seemed cleaner than any other time, calm and silent. With a contented sigh, he began to walk in the direction of the town.
Throughout the day Steve found himself visiting many of the places he had gone as a child with his friends. With Darren. The soccer field, school yard, various fast food places. Steve didn't know why, but for some reason he felt drawn to them. And, as he visited each of these places, he began to feel worse and worse. Memories came flooding back to him, memories of how much fun he'd had with his friends, Darren especially. He wished suddenly that he could go back in time and not see the Cirque Du Freak. He wished he could have spent a few more years hanging out and having fun with his friends instead of having everything torn apart when it had been.
Just before the sun set, the Vampaneze Lord returned to the theater, sullen and depressed, and stood by a window in the top room where he had once asked Mr. Crepsley to blood him. Staring out at the approaching darkness, he didn't hear the footsteps, only turning when he felt strong arms around him. "What do you want, Gannen?" he asked sharply, pulling away from the vampaneze. Gannen raised an eyebrow at his lord's tone and studied the other for a minute without speaking. "Perhaps we shouldn't have come here if it upsets you so," he finally said quietly, turning to the window and looking out into the night. "I don't like seeing you like this…."
Steve sighed and shook his head. "We had to come here. It will be more painful for Darren than it is for me. I want him to feel that pain." Though Gannen didn't understand his lord's obsession with Darren, he nodded. It wasn't his place to decide what to do. Steve felt a small amount of satisfaction when he thought about how Darren would feel as he revisited his old town, but it was quickly replaced with pain once more. Why did he have to go to that damn show? He didn't notice Gannen gazing at him as he lost himself in past memories and regrets.
Then, Gannen had stepped closer and pulled him into a harsh kiss, attempting to distract him. Steve tried to pull away, not wanting this now, but Gannen had pulled him tightly against him, and he couldn't match the strength of the full vampaneze. Relenting, he stilled and let Gannen kiss him. As the kiss grew more passionate though, Steve found himself unable not to respond, and began to kiss back, his eyes closing. Without breaking the kiss, Gannen sat down, pulling Steve into his lap.
After a few minutes, Gannen pulled away, and began to stroke Steve's hair while Steve laid his head against his chest, listening to the vampaneze's heartbeat, finally relaxed. "Do not dwell on memories of the past," Gannen said softly, tenderly brushing a lock of hair out of Steve's face. "It will do you no good. Remember to live in the present. It's more important than the past." Steve nodded, eyes still closed, and let out a contented sigh.
A little later, Gannen gently lifted Steve off of him and carried him down to his coffin. He stood before it for a while, watching his lord sleep and remembering the first time they had kissed, a couple months ago. Perhaps memories weren't such a bad thing after all.