Just beginning to drift off, there was a soft rapping at my coffin. “Louis?”
Movement was difficult. Rather just stay down. Pretended to sleep.
“Louis, are you awake?”
He wouldn’t let up. “Can this wait ‘till tomorrow?“
A brief silence, and the rustling of fabric. He was probably wringing his hands.
I rallied my strength and pushed the lid of my coffin aside a few inches. “Well, what is it?”
When I saw his face I immediately regretted my tone. Tears wobbled in his eyes, a few red trails of tears already marked his cheek. He leaned back as if to step away.
“Oh, Lestat, I’m so sorry, please, what’s wrong?” I said, opening the lid enough to sit up and reach for him. He hesitated, then knelt down, shivering a little as our hands met.
“I- I miss her. A little girl tonight… I bought her a doll… and she smiled…” He managed, shoulders folding in like a bird’s wings. I was so drained, though, the sunrise was rapidly approaching. “She had sweet little dimples just like… just like…”
“Shhh, get in, here, there’s room for you,” I tossed out a few ragged old pillows I normally used. He was shaking a little as I guided him in, and let me arrange him. I shut the lid and fell back finally as he wrapped his arms around me. “Better?” I looked deeply into his eyes.
“Better.” He nuzzled into my hair. “You smell like her.” He took a few more deep breaths.
“So do you, Lestat.” I gripped him tighter, his hair brushing my face, took in his wholesome scent, and let the darkness take us both.
Earthquakes. Humanity’s oldest foe. Right up there with snakes, fire, and other humans when it comes to things that will definitely probably kill you some day. Which is why you need one of these terrifying earthquake-proof beds. In the event of a quake, your conspicuously massive four-poster will simply swallow you up whole, letting you get back to sleeping while the world itself shatters around you.
(oh I ACCIDENTALLY forgot to get you a coffin Louis MY BAD guess we’ll have to share one wow is it hot in here maybe we should get rid of some of these pesky clothes am I right Louis)
It’s definitely one of the sweetest and cutest moments in the whole story.
Also, there’s this parallel in that Claudia is cradling a doll against her, and Louis is cradling his doll (Claudia herself) against him. Claudia’s and the doll’s face are similar in their direction. Claudia has her cheek in the doll’s hair, and her hand in Louis’ hair, and Louis has his lips in Claudia’s hair. It’s all very cuddly *u*
In movie!IWTV, the first night Louis spends without Claudia since her turning is the night the Theatre des Vampires separates them, and beats him up. It’s one week after he turned Madeleine, so he may have been sharing his coffin with Madeleine, or alone, but just one week later, he spends the day locked in a metal coffin upside down with no cushioning, stripped of most of his usual comforts ;A;
Children sleep with dolls/stuffed animals for a feeling of safety, protective of their comfort object but also feeling like it can protect them back. Kids sometimes do sleep with their parents when they’re very young (that old, “Mommy I had a nightmare!” thing). This is where the mommy!Louis fanon comes from.
I like the idea that Louis and Claudia were protective and nurturing to each other in a way that Lestat couldn’t be at that time.
I-want-my-IWTV 