A beat somewhere mid-ramble where Louis thinks of kissing him.

But he isn't certain Daniel would welcome it, wouldn't take offense, so the impulse is swept aside. Feels Daniel's heartbeat ticking up and up underneath his fingertips. Waits out the rush of words until Daniel pauses to take a breath.

"I want you."

Curbing the impulse to say a handful of other things first that Daniel might argue his way past.

"This isn't about me and Lestat. There are no table scraps," he presses on. And on and on to murmur, "You don't have to want me back. It's alright if you don't."

Because maybe Daniel doesn't. Louis won't touch his mind, doesn't cheat and look inwards to see if the answer rises to the surface.