Alucard \\ Adrian F. Ţepeş (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cryptsleeper) wrote2018-11-10 11:26 pm
cryptsleeper) wrote2018-11-10 11:26 pm
[ He can't tell if the pain has faded or if he's simply grown used to it after the last few hours. He doesn't care.
He does speak, after a while, and it's all mercilessly practical. Instructions to Alucard and Sypha to find the Renard and Lacarde branches of the clan, in hiding (he would never have been able to make contact with them. Alucard ought to be able to find them easily.). The Gandolfi family (last known to be in Florence but likely exiled from Italy now for their work in alchemy). The Morris clan (Ireland, if he recalls correctly). Any of them ought to be able to use the whip, even if the cost of it upon themselves might be horrifying. If the worst should happen, the two of them won't be left without a hunter. Only without him. Instructions to leave both whip and stone here, behind the many layers of protection that Mathias put on this place. Along with him. And he will wait here, and he will live (and that is his compromise for talking strategy now, of all times, that he will live for as long as he can remain himself), until either whip or stone are needed. And when they are, he will join one or the other.
And then he goes silent again, only holding them, because that's all he can do now. Even that seems like too much. He's disgusting, more so than he ever was before. He can't kiss away their tears, because his mouth is all full of fangs.
It must have been about three hours since sunset. He doesn't know that because he has any particular concept of how the time is passing - he doesn't know if it's racing past or dragging, and he has no heartbeat to measure it by. But there are noises now, quieter than Alucard's occasional sobs or Sypha's whispers. He's heard them before, but he can pick them out more clearly. The bottles and containers that had their contents used on the stone shifting slightly as their contents refill. It's midnight, and the day is beginning again.
And his heart beats.
And after three hours without a heartbeat, it feels rather like being punched behind the ribs. He recoils back, because he doesn't know what the fuck this is but Sypha still has that awful bruise from the last time something happened and he's not going to hurt her again. And the worst of the pain is back, his skull reshaping itself again. Things inside of him that have been deathly still for the last few hours forcing themselves violently back to life. His lungs are burning and he can't understand what he's meant to do about that until he takes a great, gasping breath and then chokes it out again and-
-fuck, he needs to breathe. ]
He does speak, after a while, and it's all mercilessly practical. Instructions to Alucard and Sypha to find the Renard and Lacarde branches of the clan, in hiding (he would never have been able to make contact with them. Alucard ought to be able to find them easily.). The Gandolfi family (last known to be in Florence but likely exiled from Italy now for their work in alchemy). The Morris clan (Ireland, if he recalls correctly). Any of them ought to be able to use the whip, even if the cost of it upon themselves might be horrifying. If the worst should happen, the two of them won't be left without a hunter. Only without him. Instructions to leave both whip and stone here, behind the many layers of protection that Mathias put on this place. Along with him. And he will wait here, and he will live (and that is his compromise for talking strategy now, of all times, that he will live for as long as he can remain himself), until either whip or stone are needed. And when they are, he will join one or the other.
And then he goes silent again, only holding them, because that's all he can do now. Even that seems like too much. He's disgusting, more so than he ever was before. He can't kiss away their tears, because his mouth is all full of fangs.
It must have been about three hours since sunset. He doesn't know that because he has any particular concept of how the time is passing - he doesn't know if it's racing past or dragging, and he has no heartbeat to measure it by. But there are noises now, quieter than Alucard's occasional sobs or Sypha's whispers. He's heard them before, but he can pick them out more clearly. The bottles and containers that had their contents used on the stone shifting slightly as their contents refill. It's midnight, and the day is beginning again.
And his heart beats.
And after three hours without a heartbeat, it feels rather like being punched behind the ribs. He recoils back, because he doesn't know what the fuck this is but Sypha still has that awful bruise from the last time something happened and he's not going to hurt her again. And the worst of the pain is back, his skull reshaping itself again. Things inside of him that have been deathly still for the last few hours forcing themselves violently back to life. His lungs are burning and he can't understand what he's meant to do about that until he takes a great, gasping breath and then chokes it out again and-
-fuck, he needs to breathe. ]
Mmm. Think of it as a suggestion then, rather than edict.
[Alucard's all content with just this. The gentlest threats of affection becoming more, but not venturing beyond, until Trevor does exactly that. There's a sharper intake of breath as lips and teeth meet neck, and the hand on Trevor's chest grips his shirt just a little bit tighter for it.]
None, and I the same to you.
[Alucard's all content with just this. The gentlest threats of affection becoming more, but not venturing beyond, until Trevor does exactly that. There's a sharper intake of breath as lips and teeth meet neck, and the hand on Trevor's chest grips his shirt just a little bit tighter for it.]
None, and I the same to you.
[The practicality aches. It's smart. It's important to establish. But every single word is a horrible reminder. He's not coming home. He's not coming home. For your father's blood, he's not coming home. It is an undercurrent, a horrible one, one that fills every muffled noise.
But Alucard still takes careful note of the families and where they are supposed to be. He begins to draft the letters of introduction, how they shall be worded, how they shall be signed. He is, for all intents and purposes, the executor of the estate. He has been for three years now, but it changes with death. Maybe these families will want more involvement with the Hold, take great offense at the son of Dracula administering to it's needs. Maybe the fighting shall begin anew, and this time with the castle crippled.
He'll confide none of it to Sypha when this is over. Her feelings are her own, she must process them as is best for her. They'll have to talk about those when they get home but. But it probably won't be articulate words for a while, just horrible noises of loss.
Somewhere in it all, midnight comes. And then, for the second time in 24 hours, it all goes to shit.
Trevor's recoiled, he and Sypha are in the opposite direction, the question of what the fuck?! on all of their lips. Alucard nearly says it, but the pain, the sound of bones, that drowns out everything else and then, with soft wonder and fear:]
...Everything resets.
[Again. With the tiniest bit of hope:]
Everything resets.
But Alucard still takes careful note of the families and where they are supposed to be. He begins to draft the letters of introduction, how they shall be worded, how they shall be signed. He is, for all intents and purposes, the executor of the estate. He has been for three years now, but it changes with death. Maybe these families will want more involvement with the Hold, take great offense at the son of Dracula administering to it's needs. Maybe the fighting shall begin anew, and this time with the castle crippled.
He'll confide none of it to Sypha when this is over. Her feelings are her own, she must process them as is best for her. They'll have to talk about those when they get home but. But it probably won't be articulate words for a while, just horrible noises of loss.
Somewhere in it all, midnight comes. And then, for the second time in 24 hours, it all goes to shit.
Trevor's recoiled, he and Sypha are in the opposite direction, the question of what the fuck?! on all of their lips. Alucard nearly says it, but the pain, the sound of bones, that drowns out everything else and then, with soft wonder and fear:]
...Everything resets.
[Again. With the tiniest bit of hope:]
Everything resets.
Oh, is that so?
[ He laughs, nipping lightly at Alucard's neck before returning to his jaw. His free hand goes to Alucard's, the one at his hip, and pushes it down more firmly. ]
I will remember that next time my lord bids me to sleep in an empty bed for want of a softer mattress.
[ He's getting titles confused all over the place, insofar as 'princeling' is a real title. Sypha would do a better job of this. But she'd also be doing it sincerely and not trying to see how much of a jerk she can get away with being while also kissing the vampire. ]
[ He laughs, nipping lightly at Alucard's neck before returning to his jaw. His free hand goes to Alucard's, the one at his hip, and pushes it down more firmly. ]
I will remember that next time my lord bids me to sleep in an empty bed for want of a softer mattress.
[ He's getting titles confused all over the place, insofar as 'princeling' is a real title. Sypha would do a better job of this. But she'd also be doing it sincerely and not trying to see how much of a jerk she can get away with being while also kissing the vampire. ]
[He doesn't even attempt to correct the titles nonsense. There's just a soft laugh as Trevor decides that the intent is much, much more important, even as he continues to be an absolute shit.
The hand on Trevor's hip does tighten though under the pressure from Trevor's hand, the grip now firmer and maybe bordering on mine.]
Mm.
[It is likely felt more than heard, that noise, but the next few words are said with sincerity.]
I won't do that again. And I am sorry.
The hand on Trevor's hip does tighten though under the pressure from Trevor's hand, the grip now firmer and maybe bordering on mine.]
Mm.
[It is likely felt more than heard, that noise, but the next few words are said with sincerity.]
I won't do that again. And I am sorry.
[ He'll be more full of wonder in a moment. For the moment, this is just agony. But mercifully, so far as any of this is merciful, the process is quick. Instant, just about, with his body taking only a moment to catch up. After that, it's just his mind figuring out what to do about everything, both consciously and unconsciously. It apparently took him all of three hours for his hart to forget how to regulate itself, for his lungs to need conscious effort to draw and release breath.
He feels like shit when the process is over, and for a long time he can't do more than get his breath back and try to will his heart to pick a rhythm and stick to it and try to figure out what organ it is that feels like it's in the process of rotting away and whether it's really doing that or just being dramatic. ]
May I- [ and his breathing is slowing back down to something near to normal now. ] -may I be an asshole about your father?
He feels like shit when the process is over, and for a long time he can't do more than get his breath back and try to will his heart to pick a rhythm and stick to it and try to figure out what organ it is that feels like it's in the process of rotting away and whether it's really doing that or just being dramatic. ]
May I- [ and his breathing is slowing back down to something near to normal now. ] -may I be an asshole about your father?
Yes, and thank you for asking.
[Because that's earned. Moreover, and more importantly, there's still the need for all three of them to catch up with what the ever loving fuck just happened. Alucard's pretty sure he hasn't take a single breath in two minutes, so struck by everything as he has been about...
..about this. Whatever the fuck this loop actually means, because right now, it means a lot of things both for good and for ill.]
[Because that's earned. Moreover, and more importantly, there's still the need for all three of them to catch up with what the ever loving fuck just happened. Alucard's pretty sure he hasn't take a single breath in two minutes, so struck by everything as he has been about...
..about this. Whatever the fuck this loop actually means, because right now, it means a lot of things both for good and for ill.]
Good.
[ At both the apology and the almonst-possessive grip on him. Both are wonderful, and reassuring, and maybe he's the kind of idiot who needs that kind of reassurance sometimes. ]
But I'm still going to keep being a shit about this. Until you tell me not to, you highness.
[ At both the apology and the almonst-possessive grip on him. Both are wonderful, and reassuring, and maybe he's the kind of idiot who needs that kind of reassurance sometimes. ]
But I'm still going to keep being a shit about this. Until you tell me not to, you highness.
[Three years and you're only just thinking now it's okay to be vulnerable? Trevor, you are a marvel.]
Does telling you not to end all of this?
[He...can't quite gesture, but there's a nod of his head at the way they've embraced.]
Does telling you not to end all of this?
[He...can't quite gesture, but there's a nod of his head at the way they've embraced.]
I don't know what the fuck that was. But I'm guessing it's the best fucking thing he's done for a Belmont since [ making a dhampir baby ] he and Leon parted.
[ He's alive. He's still alive. Heart beating and a pulse and air in his lungs and everything. And yes, every cell in his body is burning with the exertion of doing that shit twice in such a short timeframe. But fuck, he's alive. As a result of Dracula's stupid fucking spell. And he only barely has it in him to pretend to be ungrateful, and even that's just because fuck, he needs to laugh at something right now. ]
And I still fucking hated it. Shit.
[ He's alive. He's still alive. Heart beating and a pulse and air in his lungs and everything. And yes, every cell in his body is burning with the exertion of doing that shit twice in such a short timeframe. But fuck, he's alive. As a result of Dracula's stupid fucking spell. And he only barely has it in him to pretend to be ungrateful, and even that's just because fuck, he needs to laugh at something right now. ]
And I still fucking hated it. Shit.
[Alucard just shakes his head. Now, now it is the time for every other question to surface. The one that rises to the forefront is a two part matter, one practical, one of ethics. Will the turning happen again? And if it does, and everything resets, then how many nights can any of us suffer this?]
That's how you know it's his handiwork
[It's meant to be lighter than it comes out. Alucard can only be alone with his thoughts, and there is terrible practicality in him too.]
You need to eat.
That's how you know it's his handiwork
[It's meant to be lighter than it comes out. Alucard can only be alone with his thoughts, and there is terrible practicality in him too.]
You need to eat.
[ Look, vampire, his unwillingness to be vulnerable has saved you three years of being bothered with 'but are you sure you love me???? because I'm kind of shit, you did know that right?????' you could stand to be a little more grateful to it. ]
Are you willing to risk it?
[ Which is to say no. No. Absolutely not. ]
Are you willing to risk it?
[ Which is to say no. No. Absolutely not. ]
Not at all.
[Maybe! He wants to say that! Even more often!!! Because he likes saying it! And maybe getting it through thick Belmont skulls that he isn't a shit!!!!!]
[Maybe! He wants to say that! Even more often!!! Because he likes saying it! And maybe getting it through thick Belmont skulls that he isn't a shit!!!!!]
[ It's not as light as it ought to be, but Trevor has never been one to shy away from gallows humor. ]
Find something I don't like, even chances it's a fucker calling himself a priest or your father behind it.
[ They're all thinking the same thing, he can imagine. Whether the turning is going to happen again. His own question is how many times can he survive it, because right now it feels like a wonder that he's managed two. It's not uncommon for the turning process to be fatal in itself, and though he's always been fairly convinced he's hardy enough to be at risk of surviving it, that was assuming that it would be happening once, and that it would be happening the usual way around.
(Fuck, if this happens again he's going to need to start making notes. They have nothing on how it might look to have the turning process reversed.) ]
Let me try water, first. [ Even water seems a little much, with his digestive system having essentially destroyed and reformed itself as something designed to primarily consume something else twice in the space of a few hours. ]
Find something I don't like, even chances it's a fucker calling himself a priest or your father behind it.
[ They're all thinking the same thing, he can imagine. Whether the turning is going to happen again. His own question is how many times can he survive it, because right now it feels like a wonder that he's managed two. It's not uncommon for the turning process to be fatal in itself, and though he's always been fairly convinced he's hardy enough to be at risk of surviving it, that was assuming that it would be happening once, and that it would be happening the usual way around.
(Fuck, if this happens again he's going to need to start making notes. They have nothing on how it might look to have the turning process reversed.) ]
Let me try water, first. [ Even water seems a little much, with his digestive system having essentially destroyed and reformed itself as something designed to primarily consume something else twice in the space of a few hours. ]
Well then, maybe you can tell me to stop behaving myself once we're done.
[ He rolls that lock of hair at the back of Alucard's neck around his finger as he says 'behaving myself', which is really actually the opposite of doing that. ]
Shall I keep kissing you, dear princeling? Or- [ And he pushes Alucard's hand down further, so that his thumb hooks behind the belt. ] Would his highness prefer something else?
[ He rolls that lock of hair at the back of Alucard's neck around his finger as he says 'behaving myself', which is really actually the opposite of doing that. ]
Shall I keep kissing you, dear princeling? Or- [ And he pushes Alucard's hand down further, so that his thumb hooks behind the belt. ] Would his highness prefer something else?
[There's such a hollow, bitter laugh at that comment. Both have fucked them over time and again, and Alucard can only say the part about his father with all the love in the world for what a beautiful twenty years had happened in opposition to the 380 before it.
Shakily, Sypha's on her feet first. She's over to Trevor to help him up, and Alucard simply picks himself up off the floor once he is certain that he has it in him not to step with a terrible tremble. Everything is on a knife's edge right now.]
Water first.
[The easiest thing he'll ever agree to.]
Then food. We...we all haven't eaten.
Shakily, Sypha's on her feet first. She's over to Trevor to help him up, and Alucard simply picks himself up off the floor once he is certain that he has it in him not to step with a terrible tremble. Everything is on a knife's edge right now.]
Water first.
[The easiest thing he'll ever agree to.]
Then food. We...we all haven't eaten.
I say it in vain every time. I know that you won't.
[That soft little stupid noise becomes something deeper with both touches. He presses closer, daring Trevor to act in response.]
Mm, I'd prefer to see where you intend for this to end.
[That soft little stupid noise becomes something deeper with both touches. He presses closer, daring Trevor to act in response.]
Mm, I'd prefer to see where you intend for this to end.
[ He doesn't like putting this much of his weight on Sypha - he'll be able to walk on his own once the shock of the transformation's faded a little more - but right now it can't be helped. The kitchen is only a short way away, and she helps him carefully down onto their makeshift bed and creates and melts ice in their water pail and hands him a cup of it before flopping down on the bedding herself. Technically there was an agreement of sorts to not eat or drink while sitting on the bedding, but- well. A lot of things have gone out of the window recently. This may as fucking well be one of them. ]
The two of you need to eat, at least. And- [ Fuck. Alucard's been awake this whole time, after using that exhausting fucking spell. Sypha's not been checked over for injury after she was attacked at the start of all of this. They've been focusing on him this whole time. He takes a tiny, experimental sip of the water, barely a drop. No problems with that much. ] -fuck, just take care of yourselves. At least for a while.
The two of you need to eat, at least. And- [ Fuck. Alucard's been awake this whole time, after using that exhausting fucking spell. Sypha's not been checked over for injury after she was attacked at the start of all of this. They've been focusing on him this whole time. He takes a tiny, experimental sip of the water, barely a drop. No problems with that much. ] -fuck, just take care of yourselves. At least for a while.
[While Sypha takes care of water, Alucard does what he always does when cooking is a matter of need and need only. He lights the fire. He asks Sypha for water, and he takes what meat scraps he can along with all of the root vegtables to their name, and makes sure that the soup will at least taste halfway decent. He's out of so many other supplies (he has to fix that today), and the pantry is still off limits. He doesn't trust it, and the last thing they need is for this problem to be solved only for a new one to arise.
Cooking is...is easier. Alucard knows how everything will react, knows the timing, knows everything required. It feels like the only thing he can control right now, and so he will. The bones in the soup pot (left from the last few bits of cured chicken meat), boil, and he stirs it carefully with a great wooden spoon.]
We will find the right balance.
[It's as close to we will as Alucard can manage. Sleep isn't going to happen.]
Cooking is...is easier. Alucard knows how everything will react, knows the timing, knows everything required. It feels like the only thing he can control right now, and so he will. The bones in the soup pot (left from the last few bits of cured chicken meat), boil, and he stirs it carefully with a great wooden spoon.]
We will find the right balance.
[It's as close to we will as Alucard can manage. Sleep isn't going to happen.]
I was rather thinking it would end somewhere in the vicinity of the bed.
[ And he adores that soft little noise, no matter now somewhat-less-soft it becomes. It means he's doing something right, making someone happy. He doesn't do that often enough. And it means that he's loved and needed and MAYBE HE WAS TAKING THAT BED THING MUCH TOO PERSONALLY.
He lets go of Alucard's hand now, confident that he's put it in The Correct Place, and instead that hand joins his other at the back of Alucard's neck, fingers stretching into his hair and rubbing at his scalp, pulling his head forward so their foreheads are pressed together. All the better for Alucard to look at his big, stupid grin. ]
If it meets your standards, of course.
[ And he adores that soft little noise, no matter now somewhat-less-soft it becomes. It means he's doing something right, making someone happy. He doesn't do that often enough. And it means that he's loved and needed and MAYBE HE WAS TAKING THAT BED THING MUCH TOO PERSONALLY.
He lets go of Alucard's hand now, confident that he's put it in The Correct Place, and instead that hand joins his other at the back of Alucard's neck, fingers stretching into his hair and rubbing at his scalp, pulling his head forward so their foreheads are pressed together. All the better for Alucard to look at his big, stupid grin. ]
If it meets your standards, of course.
[Since intentions are now so very clear and really Alucard's hand is most of the way there already, his hand moves from hanging at Trevor's belt to just straight up grabbing that ass.]
If you put a rock under the mattress, you will never hear the end of it.
[But he laughs as he says it, joyful for the warmth wrapped around his neck and how wonderful it is to rest forehead against forehead. The hand that is on Trevor's chest moves up just enough, just enough to be resting on top of his heart.]
Am I allowed to walk there?
If you put a rock under the mattress, you will never hear the end of it.
[But he laughs as he says it, joyful for the warmth wrapped around his neck and how wonderful it is to rest forehead against forehead. The hand that is on Trevor's chest moves up just enough, just enough to be resting on top of his heart.]
Am I allowed to walk there?
[ The familiar sound of bones and water filling the big soup pot is a relief, because he knows full well that solid food would be beyond him and that not eating isn't an option at all if he wants the two of them to take care of themselves for even a moment.
...and it's probably also not an option because his body is intent on destroying and reforming itself constantly, apparently, and that needs energy. But. You know. Priorities. ]
I'll live for now. Once it's dawn, I'll stick my hand out into the sun and we can know just how fucked up the situation is.
...and it's probably also not an option because his body is intent on destroying and reforming itself constantly, apparently, and that needs energy. But. You know. Priorities. ]
I'll live for now. Once it's dawn, I'll stick my hand out into the sun and we can know just how fucked up the situation is.
[Soup solves every problem, it's a fact of life. Alucard's quiet as he stands up to go chop vegetables, the words Trevor said bringing forth a thought he hasn't considered in a very long time.
There were long twilights in the year or so before his mother died that the two would sit and talk. Usually about her work, but it would veer into discussions of strange and terrifying treatments that ran the risk of not working, and soft little admissions that these were never the first time that something so wild and terrifying had been doe.
The sun is why Alucard's mind goes back to those moments now. The night that his mother admitted that neither she nor his father knew if sunlight would be safe for Alucard, and the sheer terror of how to even remotely try to find that out without death being the result.
It gets a heavy sigh out of him. This is dhampirism in a new way. A much worse way.]
We have a few hours before that. And more after.
[He also has a theory about how this is going to end up playing out, based on how the estate behaves.]
There were long twilights in the year or so before his mother died that the two would sit and talk. Usually about her work, but it would veer into discussions of strange and terrifying treatments that ran the risk of not working, and soft little admissions that these were never the first time that something so wild and terrifying had been doe.
The sun is why Alucard's mind goes back to those moments now. The night that his mother admitted that neither she nor his father knew if sunlight would be safe for Alucard, and the sheer terror of how to even remotely try to find that out without death being the result.
It gets a heavy sigh out of him. This is dhampirism in a new way. A much worse way.]
We have a few hours before that. And more after.
[He also has a theory about how this is going to end up playing out, based on how the estate behaves.]
Well shit, glad I went with this plan instead.
[ He moves his mouth forward to bite Alucard's lower lip when his hand finds his ass, a little more harshly than he might with Sypha (bruising force on Sypha and brusing force for Alucard are very different, after all, and he's staying just short of that) and grinning stupidly the whole time. He holds it for just a few seconds, and then kisses over it quickly before he speaks again. ]
You could tell me not to carry you, if you dislike the idea so very much.
[ He moves his mouth forward to bite Alucard's lower lip when his hand finds his ass, a little more harshly than he might with Sypha (bruising force on Sypha and brusing force for Alucard are very different, after all, and he's staying just short of that) and grinning stupidly the whole time. He holds it for just a few seconds, and then kisses over it quickly before he speaks again. ]
You could tell me not to carry you, if you dislike the idea so very much.
[The laugh is cut short by the bite to his lip, replaced with a pleased hiss and maybe, just maybe, fingers digging into ass a little bit more than they should be. It isn't a repeat of the wrist incident, but nothing ever will be.]
I encourage the idea.
I encourage the idea.
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