"Home sweet home."

Vanitas heaved a sigh of relief as he dropped his luggage by the end of his bed. He immediately began to strip himself of his scarf and extra sweater, folding them carefully into the dresser. Murr dashed ahead of Noé and made it to the armchair by the window. Finally Noé stepped in himself.

"I'm glad to be back as well," Noé acknowledged as he set his hat aside on the desk before settling on the side of his own bed.

They'd finally returned home after their extended stay at Averoigne. After Vanitas had explored every nook and cranny of the castle things had been uneventful. Noé had passed the time doing what he usually did while he was on the castle grounds: read and train. The reading had bored Vanitas enormously but he had seemed to enjoy observing the training. He'd made a point of asking him about every formula he employed and what martial arts styles he was familiar with.

It had left Noé feeling pleased for reasons he couldn't fully understand. What did it matter if Vanitas was impressed with his fighting style or not? He'd already known Vanitas thought that; it had been what had drawn Vanitas to him in the first place.

He had been gratified to find that it didn't feel like Vanitas was sizing him up as a bodyguard anymore but was genuinely interested in what Noé was doing though. Was that the difference?

"What do you plan to do now?" Vanitas asked as he settled himself in the chair across from Noé. It surprised him; he'd expected Vanitas to go straight to bed. While Vanitas was prone to staying up for prolonged periods of time, he truly hadn't gotten much rest even for him while they'd been in Averoigne. Idly he noticed that Vanitas had removed his coat. He wasn't sure of the last time he'd seen him without it. He looked strangely thin and vulnerable without its billowing sleeves. Perhaps he had tired of wearing so many layers.

"I'm not sure," Noé admitted. "I still don't know why Teacher wanted us to go home. He does things like that on occasion. I figure after we rest a bit we'll go back to saving vampires."

"Quite right. However, I figure I should ask you more about what that teacher of yours taught you. It seems like a rather specific set of skills."

Noé didn't miss the slightly suspicious tone of voice Vanitas had when he said there. But if Vanitas wanted to know more about what Teacher had taught him Noé really didn't have any objections. In fact…

"Perhaps I could teach you?" Noé offered hesitantly. He was fully aware that Vanitas already knew how to fight but despite that Vanitas was still all too willing to put himself directly in the line of fire against opponents he couldn't possibly win against.

"Ohh?" Vanitas drawled out with a smirk. "You'll fight me?"

"Train you," Noé clarified with only the barest flicker of annoyance. "We're always going up against vampires. It could be useful. You'll also see exactly what my teacher taught me that way."

Vanitas was silent, his eyes growing distant. A small frown situated itself on his face. "You know the chasseurs already trained me to fight against vampires."

"I know."

"One of the reasons I keep you around is because I don't have a hope against a vampire one-on-one. I don't have access to that drug anymore."

"I know that, too." Noé hesitated. He'd never considered Vanitas taking the same drugs as the chasseurs. Something about it made Vanitas hunting vampires in the past as opposed to saving them much more real than it ever did before. Shaking it off he continued, "But having more experience fighting against someone stronger than you," Vanitas's eye twitched at the insinuation, "can only be a useful thing. That way if you're fighting against a vampire there will be time for me to get to you."

Vanitas took in a deep breath and finally stood up. He stretched out his back briefly and Noé could hear soft pops as everything was realigned. He really needed to correct his posture more often. There was a twist of displeasure to Vanitas's face.

"What's wrong?"

A more familiar annoyed look appeared. "Nothing. I think I'll take you up on your offer. When do we start?"

"We could start right now," Noé shook off the sliver of doubt hanging in the air and focused on what could prove to be a good time.

"You're always full of surprises," Vanitas chuckled. A sudden warmth filled Noé's chest.

"Let's head onto the rooftop. This room surely won't have enough space."

Noé followed him obediently and took in the sights. Paris looked much the same as it always did but it was a clear day though it was quickly approaching evening.

"I suppose having a practice duel on a rooftop would only make sense for us," Vanitas continued, chuckling. "Let's have at it then! What will we start with?"

At this Noé floundered. He hadn't thought this far ahead. He teacher had been a difficult sort and would knock him with his cane if he got anything wrong. He also wasn't afraid to defeat Noé entirely. Noé found this wasn't the approach he wanted to take with Vanitas. Vanitas was human, for one, but the thought of seriously hurting him was also just … unpleasant. Vanitas crossed his arms impatiently.

"What would you say has given you trouble in the past?" Noé asked instead.

"What doesn't give me trouble? Your people just keep going about making foolish decisions and refuse any kind of sensible help."

"Let's start with dodging," Noé replied back. Getting a chance to chase Vanitas around was starting to sound a little more appealing.

"Dodging? I can do that just fi—" He cut himself off suddenly as Noé charged. Vanitas barely dodged in time.

"Good," Noé said. "But you need to be more prepared for sudden attacks. Many vampires will alter the formula to increase speed like I did just now."

Vanitas glared at him but settled into a more battle-ready stance. "You've got a lot of nerve," he muttered. "Am I to just dodge everything you hurl at me? No retaliation?"

"If you can find time to retaliate you're welcome to." Noé couldn't help the small smirk that settled on his lips. Now Vanitas was starting to look downright angry but he clenched his teeth into a forced grin.

"Then let's continue."

Noé charged once more, this time preparing a punch as well. Vanitas was better prepared and his reaction time was smoother but he still had a hard time getting out of the way. They continued like that with Vanitas getting marginally increasing in skill each time. Had Noé been paying proper attention he may have noticed that Vanitas was adjusting a little too easily.

Instead, Noé felt himself beginning to relax. This was actually quite a bit more fun than he'd anticipated. Messing with the world formula was always difficult but Vanitas was giving him a good opportunity to fine tune it without being in serious danger. Perhaps this kind of training would be good for him too; he hadn't realized he'd needed a sparring partner. He'd have to mention that to Vanitas later.

They continued their rooftop dance for a while longer with Noé making faux swings at him and Vanitas dodging every which way.

Vanitas started to breathe heavily after some time. His breaths were small, gasping things. Noé frowned. Should they stop?

Then Vanitas slipped on the tilted roof. Noé felt a spike of true concern and he rushed forward.

"Vanitas, are you all ri—"

Vanitas noticed his hesitation and immediately corrected his stance. He let out a wild grin and flung himself at his opponent. Startled, Noé could only manage a single step backwards before the full weight of Vanitas landed on him and they toppled over awkwardly. The tiles of the roof dug into his back and he was suddenly aware of how cool the air was and how the blue of the sky was slipping away to inky darkness. He felt the cool steel of a dagger being pressed against his throat.

"Finally," Vanitas huffed. "Even in training your weakness is still the same." Noé eyed the dagger carefully. "My weakness?" He noted that Vanitas's breathing had evened out suspiciously fast.

"You're too gentle. If you think you're fighting someone weak you'll hold back just like you did now." Vanitas pushed the dagger against his throat a little harder. It wasn't drawing blood but it was uncomfortable. Noé eyed it briefly before resuming eye contact with his partner.

"But if you let your presuppositions get in the way even a weak person like me will overpower you." Vanitas removed the dagger smoothly. His eyes were hard and unforgiving.

"I thought I was the one who was supposed to be training you," Noé said. He was faintly annoyed that Vanitas had somehow turned this around. "You said you wanted to learn what Teacher had taught me."

He let out a barking laugh. "As if I'm just going to let you treat me the way a cat treats a mouse. Don't insult me."

"I wasn't doing that," Noé frowned. Vanitas was still sitting on him and it was starting to make his own breathing difficult. He was heavier than he looked. It didn't help that Vanitas was idly twirling his dagger around. Hopefully he wasn't planning on using it again. Noé might be capable of overpowering Vanitas in this situation but that didn't mean he would and Vanitas wasn't as restrained as he was. Perhaps Vanitas had a point about him.

"Of course you weren't. You and your bleeding heart," Vanitas flicked his forehead with the hand that wasn't currently holding a weapon, mild disgust written all over his face. Noé glared back.

"If you didn't want to you could have just said so. It was your idea." A fun idea in Noé's opinion but it wasn't worth getting the full force of Vanitas's ire. Noé found Vanitas's irritation amusing but this wasn't quite the same.

Vanitas's features smoothed out into something more pensive. His gaze met Noé's once more. He wondered just what Vanitas was thinking in that moment for him to calm down so swiftly. Vanitas finally sheathed his dagger and let out a heavy sigh.

"It wasn't a bad idea either." He didn't say anything else but he did stand up at long last. He truly bewildered Noé when he wanted to.

"Then what's the problem?" Noé slowly stood up himself and began a series of stretches. He wasn't winded exactly but there had been such a heavy aura there that he felt the need regardless.

"The problem is your motivation."

"I want to help you."

"Yes, the way you'd help someone who is weak. I haven't forgotten what you said before."

Was that truly what the problem was? That had been quite some time ago and Noé had said that in a moment of anger; he'd been outraged that Vanitas never took any precautions to ensure his own safety. But he knew that Vanitas was talented with the world formula, which was unheard of for a human. He knew that Vanitas could do things he could only hope to do, namely saving vampires. Noé's brow furrowed. It didn't seem like that was what Vanitas meant though.

"I don't follow," he admitted.

Now Vanitas was just exasperated. He sat down and gazed upon the familiar landscape of Paris.

"You think that just because I'm a human I can't possibly defend myself. I was trained by the chasseurs to fight against opponents who are stronger than me, specifically vampires." He stressed vampires with a pointed glance at Noé. "We won the war, Noé. We must be doing something right."

Noé was about to unleash an angry retort that war was never justified and never proved anyone "right" but reigned himself in at the last second. Now Vanitas was just goading him. Instead he took a seat next to him. He saw Vanitas's eyes widen in surprise.

"You're right," Noé admitted. "I wasn't considering that you are already quite skilled." He remembered Vanitas's bluff and the way he had twisted himself in graceful arcs to avoid Noé's attacks. He had pushed Noé further than he had anticipated.

"Oh? Trying to sweet talk me now, are you?" Noé smiled in response to the familiar teasing tone.

"It's true though. You do some amazing things. Perhaps," Noé reached for the correct words. "Perhaps you would train with me instead?"

"Hmm." Noé couldn't make out Vanitas's facial expression as his bangs were covering it up but he sensed that his words had pleased him. "I'd gladly take you up on that."

A comfortable silence enveloped them then. It occurred to Noé that if he had been sweet talking Vanitas he must have been successful. Vanitas's face was unmarred by anger, irritation, or that manic joy he sometimes indulged in. He looked almost … peaceful. Noé couldn't think of a time he'd ever seen Vanitas look quite like that before. Night had fallen and the moon peaked out from behind a cloud. It highlighted Vanitas's features in an almost ethereal light. He took a swift intake of breath. He'd never considered it before, but it dawned on him that visually Vanitas was as lovely as the scent his blood emanated. Noé forced himself to look away, uncomfortable with the knowledge sneaking up on him.

"I wonder what the denizens of Paris made of all that," Vanitas finally said.

"Maybe we were too high for them to notice?" He wanted to ask Vanitas what his feeling meant. He hesitated though. There was something about it that felt like it shouldn't be disclosed so readily. It felt an awful lot like how people had described…

"Maybe," Vanitas conceded. "I don't think I mind either way."

"Neither do I." They were silent for a moment.

"But you were right," Noé suddenly continued.

"Hmm?"

"Exercise was an excellent prescription. And I really am getting a lot with you." Noé smiled.

"You remember that, do you?"

"I do."

"I'll get us some breakfast then."

"Vanitas, it's nighttime. We haven't even gone to bed."

Vanitas smirked. "I'll make sure to bring the tea as well then. Don't worry; there will be more come the morning. Have you been sleeping better then? I haven't noticed quite as much tossing and turning."

Which was to say it had decreased only marginally. Noé would never be restful sleeper. Even so, things had improved somewhat. He didn't contemplate how he lost Louis quite as often as he once had.

"It's improved," Noé confirmed.

"Good. I'll be right back."

As Vanitas stood up Noé decided that he didn't really want to keep things to himself. Who better to ask what it meant than the person it was directed at?

"Vanitas, I think I—" He stopped. But what was he trying to say? Straightforwardly asking Vanitas questions tended to have mixed results and if he was right about what he was feeling…. Vanitas was looking at him expectantly now from where he'd been about to slide through the window and Noé remembered a dance they'd had long ago and a conversation he couldn't begin to understand.

I can't tell him. Noé wasn't even sure if he'd reached the right conclusion or not. He hadn't been feeling like himself on several occasions already.

"What? Out with it already."

"I think I … don't dislike you."

Vanitas gave him a flat look. Then his lips curled and he was laughing like a madman once more.

"You truly say the strangest things. That's it?" But there was something forlorn in the statement and Noé was even more lost than before.

"I—yes. We should do this again soon," he mumbled.

Vanitas nodded but said nothing more as he went to raid the kitchen.

They spent the rest of the evening talking quietly and partaking in their "breakfast." Vanitas laughed at several things Noé said throughout and offered all kinds of questionable advice. The scent of baked bread was heavy in the air. Warmth spread in Noé's chest and he vowed to investigate the feeling more fully as time went on. Someday he would know what it was beyond a shadow of doubt.

And on that day he promised he would let Vanitas know his findings.