cryptsleeper | 20s AU Post

20s AU Post

Current Carmilla plot outline
--Post-fire, Carmilla and Mr. Peanut team up mostly to use each other. Carmilla's spent the past several months (since November, it is now February 1925) networking, and it's clear to her that Alucard's not suited for the position and that the other two are the obvious weakness. Mr Peanut needs something back, so this is perfect on her end. Mr Peanut can only imagine the joys of vampire blood in his work, and he'd like an army of vampires for his own ends.
--Shit stirring from Mr Peanut (all of March?)
--Mr Peanut also begins to sell mis Miracle Serum, which has vampire blood in it.
--Gang is very much trying to murder Mr Peanut during this.
--Start of April, vampire gets a call from one of the blood bank contacts that 3 patients have come in and are displaying some bizarre signs. Investigation yields the fact that they're in process of turning, and they've all taken the same serum.
--Additional investigation reveals O FUCK IT MR PEANUT
--Meanwhile Carmilla's been made aware of a familiar she didn't sire, so she knows something's up. Big fight with Mr. Peanut and thus Mr. Peanut is left depowered
--Gang commits a murder
--Carmilla's well sured up on her contacts now, and it's time for open rebellion (mid-April)
--In a more subtle attempt to let Alucard just step aside, she cuts the breaks on demon car and shows up to gloat/suggest he not pull a dad and go to deal with his grief quietly while she runs the city. The how he wants to do it is up to him (black widow joke goes here.) Treffy and Sypha walk in.
--1 week of straight up rebellion; feedings, no help from allies, need to do damage control instead of fight carmilla, every dracula rule is
--MEANWHILE IN GRAVITY FALLS, triangle shows Vlad what's up to try and psyche him out, somehow this finalyl snaps Vlad out of his depression and he heads home
--Just in time for Alucard and Carmilla to be tearing each other to bits in one of the bayous, it's not going well
--Vlad coming in means the king of vampires is accosted by a belmont with a pair of blessed knitting needles and a speaker with a fucking gun and he's just like what the shit happened to the world while i was gone
--Wards around the fight means that only demon car can break the wards, everyone has to pile in.
--Carmilla gets her ass kicked AND SENT TO THE JUSTICE DIMENSION

THEN THERE WERE FAERIES.
--Prior to all of this the vampire and Sypha have done a shit ton of research on how to get their Belmont back
--Sypha has also been practicing debating with dad, which leaves everyone Very Tired.
--When Trevor is actually snatched up (1 year after marriage, it takes fae effort. Taking Arn's shape fails, so it's a lot more kidnapping by force), Sypha and Alucard go into Faerie
--But they're playing this as politics, not as heroes rescuing their damsel, so that means the faeries are just "wait what now excuse u?"
--There are 3 gates and 3 trials (the particulars we're still bullshitting.) Each is asked to sacrifice 3 things. (Alucard: voice, his titles as bestowed upon by his father and his people, i forget the third; Sypha: her human form (she's a birb), fuck what were the other two)
--They enter the court at the end of the third trial. After LITERALLY ALL THE TITLES Sypha declares she Speaks for Trevor Belmont
--Claim debate over Trevor, turns out that the rules are in Sypha's favor.
--But that means debating to leave Fae without giving up what they've chosen.
--Sypha lawyers it all out, Alucard is a safety deposit and hangs out with Fae!Trevor
--In the end, safe passage out of Faerie consists of Sypha giving up her memory of the necromancer (billed as a great mage she studied under), the vampire gives up his immortality, and Trevor is replaced with Carmilla (dad was aware of this option and OK with it), but Trevor has his ability to swear taken. He now soundslike a rubber ducky when he tries
--Everyone gets home okay, except for the AU of this AU where the gang fails, but Trevor's on their doorstep like a bat out of Hell because time doesn't work right and he's been in Hell for a WHILE.

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[Alucard and Sypha had only gotten the full sense of holiday season intensity after dinner on the 25th. (The vampire insisted Trevor dictate the menu, he was only here to cook it.) A full two hours of explaining what, exactly, had been going on since advent started, and then honestly it had ended in horrified and delighted laughing. Because this? This was Trevor's lot for all the years to come now.

And they were never going to help, because Alucard couldn't, and Sypha would be too beside herself with laughter to be effective in any way, shape or form.

Dramatics are the word of the night, aren't they? Alucard's own type tend to be confined to the house because they undermine any sense of dignity he has. Except for this, and even then it feels like half dramatics because Alucard's wanted to do this all night instead of keep up the usual facade.

From the stares in Damien's direction, Alucard is certain the reaction is furious. Which, good. Damien could have had a brain and waited for his father to return, but he didn't. So now he has to watch this instead, knowing he gave Alucard not just the greatest way to keep the city in line, but apparently someone to love.

Trevor's weight is nothing in this moment. It's comfortable and warm and Alucard's just going to keep kissing him like this until he remembers air is important. When he does, when he pulls away, it's only be a few inches. The softness was a surprise. A welcome one.]

[ What a wonderful tribute he made.

He wants to joke about that, but he doesn't. He doesn't do much of anything, really, other than kiss back until the kiss is broken, other than tightening his hands around the fabric of Alucard's suit, other than forgetting that the rest of the hall exists. He can't make a joke at Damien's expense, because the vampire may as well not be here. He isn't Alucard or Sypha, and so he probably doesn't exist right now.

He doesn't need to care about him. He doesn't need to keep one eye on him the whole night, knowing that he will be displeased and that that's going to show itself somehow and the last thing he wants to become is a weakness that someone can strike at Alucard through. It doesn't matter, because he's safe.

He doesn't speak for a moment after the kiss breaks, letting himself just be a warm weight in Alucard's arms. When he does talk, it's breathless and quiet and accompanied by a small, genuine smile. ]

A whole half hour?

[That joke would have gotten a terrible sour face from Alucard beside.]

Changed my mind. We're leaving now.

[Half an hour won't make much of a difference anyway. There have been more people leaving early tonight than normal, and Alucard is keenly aware that he has absolutely played himself in how much longer he's willing to charade about.

That smile's too much anyway. Alucard wants to lean down and kiss Trevor again, but that means wiping that look off Trevor's face and that, in this moment, feels like a sin of sorts. All Alucard can do is smile back and nudge Trevor just a little. This embrace has to break so they can get going.]

...Well, there's one way to find out. I'm going to have a bite.

[She casts a quick glance at him, just briefly checking for approval, before wasting no time in picking up her fork and bringing a few loops of noodles to her mouth and starting to chew.

She'd had a very vivid picture in her mind, when she'd thought of this dinner — a big plate of pasta, and long, long noodles that seemed to go on forever, covered in sauce and herbs and nestled around big, rich meatballs. So it's no wonder, maybe, that her delight grows as the noodles prove far longer than expected, and she has to keep chewing and chewing in search of the noodle end that seems to be nowhere in sight.

Also, it tastes fantastic, which helps a lot.]

Mm — !

[Alucard doesn't start eating right away. Instead he watches Sypha's investigation of the dish, not bother to hiding the fact he's waiting for her reaction. No pressure, but also, he really does want to know.

So when it meets approval, not just in taste it seems but in exactly how long it takes to spin the noodles onto her fork, there's a little glow of pride he didn't know he cared about that much.]

I didn't go too hard on the garlic?

[A reasonable concern. Which he then goes about investigating himself, starting to get some spaghetti onto his own fork.]

Mm-mmm! No, it's just right, and the sauce is nice and warm, and —

[And that's about when it hits her, and all of a sudden she looks mortified, as she sets down her fork and slaps her hands over her mouth instead.]

I asked you to make a dinner full of garlic! Why didn't you say something?

[Sorry, Sypha. That reaction is too much, and he can only laugh at it. Not at her, just at the tone.]

Because it isn't a problem for me. Mild allergy for full vampires, and even then that's hit or miss.

[Plus, and if Alucard's being honest with himself, even if the garlic was a problem, he would have made the meal anyway.]

[ He lets Alucard guide his weight back up so that he's standing normally, and he likes to think he's being very restrained when he only leans forward to kiss him once in the process. Even in the dull light of the party it's clear that he's flushed and his breathing is soft and steady and so even that it has to be being forced to be that way.

(It's something about being safe. Something about being wanted enough to be worth being possessive about. It's probably about ten kinds of messed up, but he can't being himself to care that much.) ]

She'll be dancing still, I think. And she has someone else's shoes, somehow.

[ She borrowed shoes from someone who came wearing flatter footwear so that she could dance in them, but then the shoe-donor seemed to be too drunk to remember that they were still shoeless and left. So now Sypha has two pairs of shoes, holding her own heels in her hands while dancing in someone else's flat shoes. ]

[It's incredible restraint on both their ends. That kiss only gets one returned in kind, and even then that's far more tempered than Alucard feels it ought to be. He's smiling even as he has to pull away, no longer blocking Trevor's face.

Maybe they should just let Sypha drive.

(Alucard won't, they came in his car tonight.)]

Let's go and fetch her then.

[He sure as hell isn't letting go of Trevor after that. His arm remains around Trevor, hand still on his waist. That's for no other reason than wanting to reminder Trevor that he's there and that it'll be just the three of them soon enough.]

[ Sypha is radiant as usual, making the most of her break from Trevor-watching by making the best attempt she can at dancing all the way through her borrowed shoes. She's absorbed in the task, enough that it takes her a few minutes to realize that she's being stared at.

Because of course he's staring at her, because what else can he do? She's beautiful like this, all pink from exertion with carefully styled hair all mussed up and flyaway, a small bruise or two where she's accidentally hit herself with her own shoes from dancing too enthusiastically, eyes the exact kind of bright and sharp that comes from being awake so long that the tiredness becomes manic energy (they absolutely should not let her drive).

She looks back at them when she does notice, at the way that Alucard's arm is still on Trevor's waist, at the way Trevor is practically wilting against him. There's concern on her face for just a moment, and then she actually looks at Trevor's expression and it melts away. He's not afraid and he's not in pain, the expression is just absolute, stupid longing. She kisses both of them when she walks up, her own hand on Trevor's other side before long, knuckles of it brushing against Alucard's jacket when they move. It's not quite correct - they arrived each on one of Alucard's arms like a sword and shield and they probably ought to leave that way - but for now it's good. Perfect.

Home?, she asks.]

Oh? Does that mean you are going to run off and scrub yourself for an hour because it turns out you are like him?

[She raises her eyebrows, drawing back a step with quiet amusement.]

Good. I'm sure I can think of a few you might like.

[Oh. He's laughing. He's laughing, and admittedly her first thought is that she hopes he doesn't laugh too hard and burst his stitches, but her second thought is just —

He's laughing.]

You're sure you're not just saying that to make me feel better about being rude?

I promise you, I am not.

[The laughing slows, stops, and then he actually eats. Because shit, this is good and there's enough sauce to feed a family of 12. Which means there will be an awful lot of leftovers.]

Nor would I particular mind if it was. [She's treated him as just another person so far. Not as Son of Dracula or any of his titles. Just as Adrian. That is a terrible rarity.]

Home.

[It's ridiculous, how she can get both of them to stop and stare for what feels like an eternity. A wonderful, glorious eternity that's focused on her and the energy that she creates. Sypha can control ice just as much as she can control fire, she's a contradiction like that, but it is always warmth that she radiates. It is irresponsible for Alucard to put her on so high a pedestal, but there are moments he cannot help but see her as the flame in the castle's hearth.

(There are other reasons he tends not to dwell on that thought for very long, and that is not something he's focusing on now.)

Trevor's weight is warm and wonderful and if anyone has opinions on why the Belmont looks this way, then they can make some stupid conclusion on their own. Sypha's on the other, and fuck, they're leaving like this because Alucard says so.

When they get to the car, Alucard insists they both stay in the back. He's the only one fit to drive (only had champagne at midnight and it's long past that), and once they're on the road home, he fixes the rearview mirror to keep an eye on them both. Mostly just to watch, but also to account for the possibility that he may have to carry them both into the house.]

You would not mind me being rude?

[She tilts her head, blinking at him as she glances askance to regard him.]

Well, I'm going to try not to be, whether you mind or not. I don't want to give that kind of impression of myself.

I'm afraid to tell you you've already made a first, second, and third impression, Miss Belnades. You would have to be stunningly rude to shake any of the high opinions I hold of you.

[Oh.

Too much? Probably.

Gonna just eat that meatball now.]

[...Oh.

Well.

She glances back down to her plate of spaghetti, cheeks touched with a light rosy flush, and shoves some noodles in her mouth to buy herself a few seconds of time.]

...Give me an example, please?

[Oh. She should clarify.]

Of what constitutes stunningly rude. I need to know. For benchmark purposes.

Trashing the house, I suppose.

[It's the first thing that comes to mind.]

Do you really need a benchmark?

[Oh, but she's blushing. That's cute.]

[ He's had nothing to drink, but he's probably worse for driving than he might be if he had. The night's been overwhelming in every possible way. He doesn't fall asleep the second he's out in the cool-ish air (does this city have seasons that aren't warm? he's yet to experience one), but he settles against Sypha in the car. She's too warm to the touch, warmer than usual from all of the dancing, and the crook of her neck is kind of an uncomfortable place to rest one's head for the heat and sweat of it. Too warm and sticky, like trying to lean on one of this city's summers. But then, it's probably not particularly comfortable having stubble brush against you (he always tries to remember to shave before these events, as would be appropriate and the other two always stop him). So fair is fair.

He's touchier than usual, but in small ways. Little things that aren't overwhelming. Slowly untangling Sypha's hair from an ill-fated decorative hairpin that got lost in it once she started dancing, turning one of the bracelets around on her wrist. More would be- difficult. More than he can bring himself to initiate right now. ]

[The view from the driver's seat is something else. Alucard's watching the road because of course he is, but he's also watching them. The way Trevor settles on Sypha, the way she's still coming down from what probably feels like endless hours of dancing. How Trevor's touches are some of the most tender gestures Alucard's seen from the man in...since he first got here.

There's too much self control involved in not pulling over, climbing into the back, and just holding them both for a long, long while. They're so precious in this moment, and here he is, being denied it because one of them has to drive.

So when they do get home, when he opens the back door of the car for them both (the door from garage into the house just opens automatically), they're kissed in turn. Long and slow and lingering because that's what he's been thinking about since they first got on the road.]

Yes. So that I can gauge what sort of things are still on the safe side of the boundary.

[...]

Like. Admitting I was hoping this dress would make you stare at me.

That's not rude at all. That's...

[Really flattering??? He sighs, but in the soft and content way.]

Mission accomplished.

You don't think it's manipulative?

[She's teasing, a little, but there's a genuine question in it, too. It's not so unheard-of, really; manipulation is what she does, whether it be of cards or of magic or of people. Sometimes it's difficult to step back from that, to really examine her own motives and determine where their roots lie.]

Mm, all right, what about...wanting to slurp my noodles?

[ Sypha is closest to the door, and she gets out first, taking Alucard's hand to let him help her get out and holding her shoes in the other, still wearing the borrowed ones that are now apparently stolen ones. And they kiss and- Trevor just turns the hairpin he liberated over in his hand, because it's kind of like touching her and it's just so overwhelming that he's forgotten how to undo his seatbelt.

He manages eventually, though it takes him long enough for Sypha to finally break the kiss and look back at him staring at them and start laughing. It's only when she threatens to take Alucard into the house and leave him out here that he actually moves, remembering himself and scrambling out of the car and into both of their arms and then Alucard is kissing him and Sypha is still laughing and he's not entirely sure if he wants to cry or be dragged into bed but it's definitely one of those two things. He half-falls into Alucard's chest when the kiss ends, and he can feel Sypha's hand on his back. She sounds amused still, asking Alucard what on earth he did and accusing him of bringing the wrong person home. ]

I suppose one could argue that it's slight of hand, but this really isn't about tricks at the moment, is it?

[Alucard's pretty sure this isn't about tricks. It feels more like exploring something very rare and new for them both. He's afraid of it, just a little, but for the obvious reasons. With everything that's happened, he may very well just be clinging to the first thing that's offered a happy enough distraction.]

Do as you like. Although you might get sauce on your dress.

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Page 28 of 141

20s AU Post

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i thought i tagged this back what the fuck

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