Aidan looked at Enos' gesture. The precision of it. The confidence. But also the constant movement of the image. Enos did not transcribe a thought on the canvas, he built one with the paint, reacting to the materiality of it, feeling the light and the texture.

The confidence in the process. That was what Aidan's lacked sometimes. Especially when he felt like this, stretched thin, almost a ghost.

Enos approached him silently and put his hand over his. And Aidan realized he was trembling. Enos didn't say anything, but he made Aidan put away the brush he was holding and led his hand onto the canvas. Aidan closed his eyes and felt the surface. His fingers brushed the dry paint of his previous work sessions and he recognized the shapes at the irregularities of the matter.

His breathing calmed down and his hand stopped shaking. He opened his eyes to Enos' intense gaze over him.

"Remember why you are doing this," the old vampire said.

And Aidan nodded. He took back his paintbrush and worked from the color he had in mind. It had nothing to do with the image already formed on the canvas but he painted anyway, ignoring his previous work. Covering it. He didn't want to take a new canvas. He wanted to make something of this specific one; he wanted to acknowledge the layers, the secrets.

After a while, he noticed Enos was now seated on an armchair, lost in his thoughts. He didn't know how much time had passed. But the state of his painting suggested hours. He felt like he inhabited his body in a way he hadn't experienced for a long time.

"Thank you," Aidan said.

There was a smile in Enos' eyes but he didn't answer.

On the canvas, the colors formed a face, all light against the darkness of the background. The features were not all clearly designed yet but the shade of the eyes focused all the attention, a strange mixture of sadness and joy that was unmistakingly James.

When his best friend came back from his visit to Tommaso, Enos left and Aidan hid the canvas.

"What are you working on?" James said.

Aidan smiled. "I'll show you when it's over."

James narrowed his eyes in mock suspicion. "Alright. Anyway, it's good to see you paint like this again."

"I'll be okay tonight. Take some rest. Spend more time with Tommaso. I think I'll keep on painting for a while." And after a second, Aidan added: "It's not that I don't want you to stay." He trailed off.

James waved his hand. "Don't worry. But I'll stay here. I'll just go to sleep in another room. This way, if you need me, I'll be there."

Aidan didn't feel like fighting him on that. "Thank you," he just said.

And with the comforting thought that he was cared for, Aidan painted all night. And most of the following day. James brought him some food and some blood but didn't interrupt him. Sometimes he could hear some music coming from another part of the house.

At some point, Aidan finally stopped. He left everything as it was and, as in a trance, he looked for James. The younger vampire lifted his head from the book he was reading when Aidan entered the room.

"Everything's fine?" James asked.

"Yes. I have something for you," Aidan said with a smile.

"Ah. I like the sound of that."

James followed him, but when he saw the painting, he froze.

"You told me once that I owed you a portrait of you," Aidan said. At the lack of reaction from his best friend, Aidan's enthusiasm receded and anxiety crept out. "You don't like it."

James stayed silent, not moving a finger.

"James?" Aidan finally asked, more and more worried.

James turned suddenly and wrapped him in his arms, burying his face in Aidan's neck. Surprised as he was, it took a few seconds for him to hug his best friend back. James' tears rolled down Aidan's skin.

"So you like it?" Aidan whispered in his hair.

James pulled back and punched him lightly in the arm, smiling widely amidst his sobs. "Of course, I do, you stupid asshole." Relief washed over Aidan, and he chuckled. "It's incredible. I was joking when I said I wanted a portrait. You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to. I... I wanted to show you how I see you."

"Stop it. Don't you see I'm already a mess. God."

James took a deep breath. He put his hands on each side of Aidan's face and their foreheads touched. "Thank you," James said. "I love it."