Disclaimer: I own nothing nor no one except Mademoiselle LeBeau.
Days passed as uneventfully as they could within Mordhaus. A few days after returning home, Charles found Nathan sitting alone in the rec room writing away in his lyric notebook. Though they had shared several nights together in private, as far as the rest of the haus was concerned nothing had changed between the duo. So with his usual calm Charles strolled up to the singer with a simple question. "How are you today, Nathan?"
"Fine," Nate smirked a little, "You Charles?"
"I'm alright," the CFO nodded. "Nathan you're writing?" he asked in surprise, it'd been a little while since the band had worked on any new material.
"Uh, yea," the singer tucked the lyrics away fast before his manager could get a chance to see them.
Smiling at the larger man's secrecy, Charles shook his head a little, "Have you eaten?"
Before Nathan could even respond, his stomach let out a loud rumble answering for him. "I could eat," he smiled a little, tucking the entire notebook away before ringing for Jean Pierre to order a pair of steaks with the works as he and Charles made their way to the dining hall.
Gently the lawyer squeezed his lover's hand causing the singer to smile a more, squeezing it back as the parted to the normal seats. "You're working to hard," Nathan declared suddenly as his eyes bore into the smaller man's.
"I have to," Charles stated just as plainly, having had this discussion thousands of times with the boys.
"I'm still, like, your boss," the singer smirked suddenly. "I say you need a night off."
"You can't do that Nathan," the manager laughed softly, a sound that Nathan was growing to love more and more as the days passed on. "You have a record to work on, and I have a million other things to attend to."
"Meh, sure I can. How about this, we'll work on the album, then you come out with us," the singer countered.
After giving the deal a few seconds of thought and seeing how much it'd mean not only to his lover, but to the band as a whole, Charles relented. "I'll agree to that."
Instantly a brilliant grin crossed Nathan's face as their steaks arrived and the pair settled into their lunch.
Several hours later within the giant keep, Selene wiped at her mouth as she made her way into the rec room where Murderface was found lounging. "Good evening William," she smiled softly, careful to conceal her fangs.
"Hey you!" the bassist greeted enthusiastically. "Thought you ran away," he laughed.
"Non, just exploring a lot," the vampire smiled still as she took a seat on one of the other couches.
"You're gonna run out of schtuff to look at," Murderface laughed.
"Somehow I doubt that William," Selene joined in his laughter, smiling softly as the other three men made their way towards the joyous sounds.
As Toki flopped onto a third couch he noticed something poking uncomfortably from between the cushions. "Hey! Guys looks what I found! Nathans has been writings a new songs!"
"What's it say?" Skwisgaar questioned, raising a delicate golden brow.
"You owns my hearts, watches it beats in your hand, pierces it withs your sword," the rhythm guitarist blinked in surprise, "It ams sounding like a love songs."
"Wait a minute let me schee that!" Murderface demanded, snatching the notebook from the younger man before he could even comply. "Nate's got a girlfriend and he haschn't even introduced usch? Is sche too good for usch?"
"Yea, not like we'd embarrass him or anything," Pickles exclaimed.
"Not at alls!" the Swede agreed.
"A petite amie?" Selene whispered half to herself, frowning and leaving the room silently.
"I bets she's a pretty lady," Toki sighed softly.
"Yeah! Scho we should demand he introduce us, right guys?" William questioned, rallying the other three men into a small frenzy, causing them to shout in agreeance with him for once. "Let's go!"
Back in the dining hall, Nathan sat with Charles eating, glancing up and grunting as the foursome showed up in the doorway. "Can we help you boys?" Charles questioned after swallowing another bite.
"We wants ta meets Nathans new lady friends!" Toki announced brightly, Murderface nodding with a "Yea!" behind this.
"What gave you the idea he has a lady friend? Hm?" the CFO raised a brow curiously, masking his nervousness perfectly behind his normal day to day work face.
"We found his love song!" Pickles chipped in, causing Nathan to start turning pink and to mutter an obscenity under his breath.
"So you assumed things?" the manager pressed lightly, almost enjoying the moment.
"Well, he's not gay or nothing!" Murderface announced.
All around him the other three men nodded. "Yeas! Nathans likes the ladies," Toki confirmed.
"Maybe it's a crush," Charles sighed, seeing the agitation in his new lover's face growing more and more with each passing word. "Please don't badger Nathan."
"Yea, uh, get lost guys," Nathan growled in annoyance at his friends.
A sudden light entered Skwisgaar's pale blue eyes as he noticed the slight shuffling of uncomfortable feet behind him. "Is Selene! He ams in love withs the Ice Queens!"
Instantly Charles covered his face with both hands, shaking his head slightly, wondering not for the first time where the hell they got their ideas at.
"Oh man, that's juicy gossip!" William clapped his hands together, rubbing them.
"I wonders if she loveses him backs!" Toki pondered, the idea exciting him as much as it was irritating the two men at the table.
Nathan was fairly sure he could face-palm himself into oblivion at that moment, glancing fleetingly to Charles' hidden face before roaring, "I am not in love with Selene! God!"
"Then who is it, huh?" Pickles questioned his friend, green eyes narrowed slightly.
"None of your f-cking business," the singer growled again, growing more agitated with every exchange.
"I think it isch. We're all in this band together lascht thing we need isch your girlfriend tearing it apart!" the bassist stated as rationally as he could.
"They aren't gonna tear us apart," Nathan rumbled.
"Nat'an what's the deal?" the redhead asked.
Feeling trapped, Nathan's eyes darted between the rest of his bandmates, Charles and then back again. "It's - for - Rebecca ok!" He finally shouted out in a desperate attempt to keep the truth a secret.
"Dude Rebecca?!" Murderface felt his stomach twisting disturbingly.
"Yea," the front man muttered, finishing his food as quickly as he could.
"No ways," Skwisgaar shuddered.
"Discussion over!" Nathan growled, leaving the dining hall as fast as he could, the others dispersing behind him.
At this new revelation, Charles sighed almost heart brokenly and decided to pour his grief into something inconspicuous, "This record will never get started."
Silent as ever, Selene watched the exchange between her new brothers, saw the heartache in her old acquaintance, and finally reached a cold hand out to touch the suit clad man's shoulder. "It will Monsieur," she reassured him, "but who is this Rebecca? And why is your amant writing about her?"
"She was an ex-girlfriend of Nathan's," the CFO shook his head gently.
"I see," the vampire nodded, sitting across from the younger man and locking eyes with him. Charles got a distinct impression that the woman could read his, mind and maybe even his heart, as she spoke, "You're hurting Monsieur Charles, aren't you."
"I'll be fine," he reassured her. "Thank you though."
Frowning, Selene reached her icy hand across the table and squeezed Charles' hand softly whispering, "Désolé."
A sad smile crossed both their faces as Charles returned her squeeze gently.