[ He watches Louis take in the sight of his body and the feel of it, studying his reaction and finding it all too easy to recognise the somewhat far away expression on Louis' face, the one he gets when he's giving something a particular amount of thought, often more than it really needs. It isn't a bad expression by any means, he doesn't hate what he's thinking about, but Lestat has to wonder what has encouraged him to give the feeling of Lestat's body such intense thought. ]

Just yet another thing that never struck us as necessary, I imagine.

[ He figures that his curiosity can wait a little. Instead, he busies himself by sliding his hands up to Louis' hairline, pressing his fingers in and back a few times, carding his hair away from his face in a similar way to how Louis does it when it's dry, only this time the water doesn't let it fall unruly back into his face. ]

I wonder if there are more small luxuries we have been holding ourselves back from that we haven't realised yet. I suppose we have plenty of time to find out. [ A little hum of thought, and Lestat brings his hands forward, tracing over Louis' smooth forehead, his dark brows, the soft skin of his eyelids and his lashes. He swipes softly with his thumbs, washing away what remains of the makeup smeared there before doing the same to the apples of his cheeks and down to his jaw. He can't resist pressing a little kiss to his lips then, even though they need no attention in the process of his cleaning. ] We can do this whenever you'd like. Stab wound or no.

[ He smiles, tilting his head a little to consider his work, expression full of the fondness he feels warming his heart through whenever he looks at Louis. As it falls quiet, that curiosity rises in him again, so as he brings his hands down to rub over Louis' slowly warming shoulders and collar, it's with a quiet voice that he asks: ]

What were you thinking about before? You had a strange look in your eyes.