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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[ And Lisa's face pales, the colour fates from her hair and her features grow sharper, crueler. The last form that the queen takes is Carmilla's, and she has no game, no trick, no test.

She is simply a very sore loser. She takes Alucard by the neck, lifting him effortlessly, claws extending into him-

-Trevor is already awake when Alucard wakes, panting and staring at him wide-eyed, Sypha asleep between them and contented as anything to be there. ]

[He's still holding onto Trevor, even as claws extend into him. They're not done, this isn't done, he still has their Trevor in his arms.

Alucard takes a few more moments to wake up. True enough to form, he barely reacts as he wakes from the nightmare. There's only golden eyes staring out from the dark and a tired huff.]

...That was new.

[ They don’t usually have faces. Certainly not those ones. Usually nobody comes for him. He just stares for a moment longer, because he doesn’t know where he is or who these people are. Because he can still feel phantom pain from bones that are entirely intact, Because he can still smell his own flesh burning, and he knows that smell too well.

Alucard is speaking, and that gets his attention. ]

You- you’re Adrian.

[ It’s not a question, but nor does he sound certain that he’s right. ]

Yes?

[The vampire still has his face buried in Sypha's hair. He finally picks his face up, and when he looks at Trevor, his face is uncertain. Scared, just a little, which isn't normal either. Usually the vampire just looks annoyed by his bad dreams.]

Trevor?

[ The pain was normal. Horrific, but normal. But he saw Arn again. Arn wanted him and this man took him away. Said that he was theirs, as if yet another fucking thing had any right to lay claim to him.

No. This is Adrian. And he is theirs. He has said so himself so, so many times. And the person between them, hair worn like a speaker's- ]

They're not- [ Shit. He knows this, he knows this. They're not Arn. They're someone else. Someone just as important. Fae dreams always do this to him, fuck with his head like this. ] -who are they?

[It's a bad dream hangover. That's how Alucard lies to himself that Trevor's sudden memory loss is completely normal and explainable. He's fine. Just disoriented. It was a terrible fucking dream after all, why shouldn't he be allowed to have this?]

Sypha. Our Sypha. [He's soft spoken, making sure not to wake her. The last thing she needs is this.]

You were asleep.

Right. Sypha. And-

[ This one is easy, because her chest is pressed against his. ]

-a woman, then.

[ Look just because he can't remember a fucking thing doesn't mean he can't lower the tone of the conversation entirely accidentally. But it does return to him. This is Adrian, and this is Sypha, and this is their room, half a world away from the place where he was born and sold. ]

I- sorry. Usually-[ what happens usually? he knows this one. ] -the two of you are asleep, and I can figure this shit out on my own.

[It's the usually that has the vampire's attention. Hell, he's trying to find a way to sit up without disturbing Sypha at that, which really just means he's propping his head up with one free arm while the other is still wrapped around Sypha's middle. Still protective. Maybe a little bit more on edge thanks to what feels like the combined powers of their shitty, shitty imaginations.]

How...frequent is that sequence of events?

[He doesn't like this not one bit nope!]

...got weird this time.

[ Which isn't much of an answer, is it? But it makes sense as one to him. This exact sequence of events is new and strange. ]

Once a month or so, I suppose?

Why haven't you ever--

[No, the vampire knows why. No point in sharing something like that as far as the Belmont's concerned. Alucard breathes out softly.]

Weird because I was there?

Weird because-

[ Because he passed the tests. Because he didn't let go at the first one. Because the tests were different this time, crueler and more personal. Because-

-wait. ]

You were-? [ Shit. That fucking spell. He sighs, half burying his face in the pillow. It's all he can really do without letting go of or waking Sypha. ] Shit, I'm- sorry.

....Unless I also had an extremely specific dream involving the fae, Belmont, I believe so.

Shit. [ He repeats. He gave them a hell of an openning to get at the other two, didn't he? He knew there was a chance of this and he didn't care because it meant getting Sypha back. It's easier to regret it now she's safe. ]

...sorry. Should have known they'd jump at the chance to get to you.

You do realize that I also very much provoked the matter, right?

[Alucard gives up. The hand on Sypha's side rises, and reaches over to brush against Trevor.]

Could've sat there and done nothing.

Of course you fucking couldn't have.

[ His tone isn't quite warm, but it's trying for it. It was only a day or two ago, depending on how one counts days in the small hours of the morning, wasn't it? That Trevor had told Alucard that he was a monster, but that it was his own refusal to accept it that it was wrong. That he shouldn't have been denying the existence of half of him just because it was more comfortable that way.

And that was tempting fucking fate, wasn't it? Because he's not been letting the others accept what he is, either. It's humiliating, having Alucard see him as he is. ]

...You're right.

[Of course he's right. Alucard let the world take from him exactly once and since then he's become his father when the world tries to do it again. It's...it's the thing that being called a monster forced him to accept, in the end. That if there is any point to be compared to his father, then let it just be this. Sparked by deep love and protectiveness, enough humanity in there to keep something truly terrible from happening.

Alucard's hand doesn't squeeze, doesn't dare demand more from Trevor. Holding onto the Belmont too tightly is fraught at the moment.]

We've been trying to figure out ways to make sure none of that happens, you know.

[Trevor should know.]

I- probably could have guessed that, If I thought about it.

[ He didn't know, but- he really could have guessed if he'd tried. Because of course they were doing that. Of course with a hundred thousand other, more important things to do, they'd be procrastinating with the one that didn't matter. ]

You don't need to. I was born for this. Just- think of it as an opportunity to get used to puny human lifespans.

If there was ever going to be a place with resources to fix this, it'd be here. We'd be fools not to take advantage of it.

[He does flinch at the comment regarding lifespans. How can he not? But that isn't the point, the point is the basic stupid fear that drives the vampire.]

I'm not letting anything else take away those I care about, Trevor.

[It's possessive. It's weary. It's admitting to the fear of it all.]

Selfish fucking-

[ No. No. It's frustrating (He's ready for this. He's been ready all his life. It's easier to be ready if there's no alternative, and every struggle against it makes it harder and more painful. He's been paid in full for what's being taken - he's a Belmont, he's benefited from that. He uses his training what seems like every day, the least he can do is pay his fucking debts for it). And maybe it is selfishness on Alucard's part.

But it's for his sake. It's because the two of them love him that they're doing this, and he can argue whether it's wise or foolish to do that, but that doesn't change the fact that they do. They do, and he wanted them to. ]

-sorry. I didn't mean- just don't let it distract you from the important shit.

And don't ever lump her in with those words either.

[This isn't just an Adrian's anxiety and fear issues thing. It's a Sypha thing too, it's about them, and it's about feeling the need to try everything in their power before they let anything whisk Trevor away.

The dream was easy, wasn't it? Too simple. Too clear. It'll be so much worse whenever the time comes, even with Sypha in the lead. They're agreed on that much, that the vampire cannot do the talking even if he's still regent. He's shitty at words and liable to make everything worse.

Alucard sighs.]

Really, you'll leave me an opening to point out that you're the important shit?

Right, right. Sloppy of me.

[ He sighs and finally, finally, reaches over Sypha to touch Alucard's cheek. ]

I can't be more important than the city. I signed up for this and they didn't. But- thanks.

Mmm. I won't tell you details, just in case that....creature...can get that far into your head. [The vampire has no idea if the Queen was a part of a true dream or just imagination.] You'd yell at me for shitty strategy if I did.

[The vampire is so very still at that touch. He's colder than he ought to be, and hell if he could explain it should he be asked.

He can't respond to the city comment. They both know the vampire would throw the city aside for this.]

Damn right I would.

[ The lack of a response is telling, and he hates it. He doesn't voice it any further, they're already fresh out of one fight and one disaster. They don't need him going around opening wounds that don't need opening.

(He wouldn't forgive him, if he sacrificed innocent people for his sake. Even though negligence, rather than by choice. The city has to be more important. This is what they are.)

His hand remains still on Alucard's cheek, not stroking, just there. Trembling, maybe, a little. But mostly just proof that they're both here, in their own room, with Sypha between them. ]

Not that this'll be how it works, but at the well you cover the fairy you're trying to steal with a coat of your own, so the queen can only see your own possessions. Traditionally it's green, but I don't think the colour matters that much.

[Alucard's quiet for a moment more. He's useless in the real times of crisis, it seems. Trevor has strategy, Sypha has not only her magic but her words, and he's basically a thing with a sword to wave about, rather than contribute anything else. It was Trevor that did the lion's share of the shit to do with the necromancer. It'll be Sypha carrying them forward against the fae.

He can lean against the hand on his cheek though. The vampire's hands are otherwise occupied with supporting himself up or resting on Trevor's side, thumb stroking softly against the fabric there.]

I'll remember that. The whole thing seemed...too easy, you know. Those aren't True Dreams, are they?

Depends what you mean by 'true'. None of it's real. It won't- work like that. With the hunt. Can't, over here. Don't think it even works that way in Europe.

[ He smiles weakly at Alucard when he presses into the touch. It's nice. The awkwardness isn't gone entirely, but- it's temporary, and this is as good a reminder of that as any. ]

They're real in that they're messages. 'Hi, remember that you owe us', reminders like that. I don't see them in person over here, so. Dreams. Suppose they wanted to use the opportunity to send you the message this time, instead.

[ And the message is ours. ]

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