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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[The sounds are horrible. Alucard has to fold his hands over his chest and let his terrible claws dig into his own arms, rather than the furniture. He knows why he's been chided for doing so in the past (and that desk blotter hides so many sins it seems), so this is what it has to be. Whatever blood gets drawn, however it hurts, it is nothing compared to Trevor at the moment.

He looks away from the mirror out of politeness though. Medical proceedures need that if they're self administered, there's nothing worse than a pair of eyes watching your every move as you heal yourself.

When Trevor swears, Alucard looks back. There's an immediate upswell of anger at the state of Trevor, all sweat and blood, and this still isn't the worst of it.

Fuck indeed.]

Are you going to be able to get home?

[He has zero compulsions about getting into the car right now. It's only because Trevor might tell him not to that Alucard isn't on his way as is.]

[ That's- a question with a multi-layered answer. ]

You really don't want me home right now. Trust me.

[ He came here prepared to run into a vampire in her sixth or seventh century, he's wrapped up in so much anointing oil and holy magic that he probably can't so much as safely be in the same room as Alucard, let alone the effects he could have on the defenses of the castle. He sits up, giving a weak grin. ]

Don't worry, I just needed to know what to do about this shit. Once I'm done, I can finish my work here. Bunicuta will be here at dawn. She'll take me back to her house, and I'll stay there until everything wears off.

Is it going to be like this every time...?

[Every time he has to go out and investigate some fresh new hell? Every time that work involves more than just playing along at bullshit parties? If so, he hates it.]

This shit needs better documentation. [He can't believe he's at the point in life of having to keep medical records for the fey. That's. That's a thing happening now. Alucard reaches for a notebook within his desk.]

How long will it take for everything to wear off? Days?

Until we know her aims and whether or not she's capable of compulsion? Yeah. Sorry. Safety first, and all that shit. I'd rather not be turned against the two of you, and I'd really rather not be turned in general.

[ He didn't use any of this shit when confronting Alucard for the first time. If it hasn't been long clear that his aim there was never really to succeed. He talks, waiting for the bleeding to slow a little so that he can start scrubbing at this cut. ]

For the cold iron? No fucking clue, this is a first for me. For the shit I've used to protect myself? A long bath in saltwater should take care of the worst of it, and Sypha to break the spells. Bunicuta'll want me to stay with her a while just in case, but I should be able to come home at evening. I just-

[ -will still be painful to the touch. ]

-I'll have to use my own room for a few days.

You're right. [He sighs, not hiding how much he hates this.] This is the right thing to do.

[Alucard never doubted that Trevor showed up on the doorstep with a deathwish. All these layers of protection only confirm that fact. Over the months he has had terrible pangs of guilt about that night and where it forced Trevor. Now is one of those times the pang kicks in.

(Logically, he knows that nothing could be changed. After all, how was he to know that this is where they would end? Yet what was endured due to Damien upsets him. Trevor will never know about this train of thought.)]

I did mean everything that wasn't the iron. I'll have Sypha come pick you up in the demon car just to be sure since if you're in your own room, you shouldn't be in my car.

[He really hates that last sentence.]

The minute that iron wound starts behaving badly, you need to tell me.

I was going to ask Bunicuta to bring me back but- the demon car might be best. If nothing else, it'll make a decent test of if I'm safe or not.

[ The tin cup of water over the paraffin burner is starting to bubble. So it's as good at time as ever. That stupid forced smile returns to his face, but there's a warmth to it. Something apologetic. He shouldn't be putting Alucard through this shit. ]

Time for the shitty part. Let's see if this works. If not- I guess I get to find out if any of the furniture in this shithole is made of yew wood.

The demon car apparently is complaining that it hasn't been out for too long, so we need to shut it up. My apologies.

[He hates the demon car. Why did Sypha have to make it a demon car?

He's already flinching at that boiling water. Alucard. Hates. This. But he needs to make sure it works in case this ever happens again.]

Do what must be done.

[Alucard knows where there's some in the house, at least.]

Well, if it ends up exorcised, I warned you.

[ And he half debates putting this off to talk about the car, but- no. It's slowed, but he can still feel the chill spreading. He'd really rather not find out what happens if that creeping cold reaches his heart or brain. And so he puts the whip between his teeth again, soaking one of the cloths in the boiling water and covering it with salt, then sets about scrubbing the injury with it.

There is a yell this time, at first, though he silences it quickly. He holds the cloth still for a few seconds, breathing heavily, getting used to the horrible sensation, before he starts to scrub. And for a long time, the sound is just breath. Heavy, steady breath, with the enormity of the pain only given away by tiny twitches of his fingers and legs.

(Alucard will have last seen those little twitches in much happier circumstances. Hopefully this won't ruin that too badly.)

By the end of it, once the cleaning is done and the wound has been packed entirely with salt and all that is left to done is to dress it and pray that this works, the edges of his mouth are rubbed raw by the whip, with dried drool trailing down from them. He's gasping for breath when the whip drops out of his mouth, and focusing his eyes on Alucard seems to take a lot more effort than it should. ]

Better- better fucking be worth it.

Sypha will just find a new demon and we both know it.

[Because that is who they've placed their affections with. A too powerful mage that puts demons inside of cars.

Alucard can't know the internal damage, but he can watch what happens next. This is terrible, watching it all and being unable to help. Knowing that even if he was there to help, he couldn't go near Trevor because Trevor's wrapped himself up so tightly in protective spells that Alucard could do nothing but stay away.

His focus is on the wound. Not on how Trevor's hands move, not on anything else but the injury itself because that makes this bearable. He is watching surgery to try and learn from it, he isn't watching his boyfriend pour boiling fucking water on himself and salting the wound. Just. Fey surgery. Because cold iron is a problem.

Alucard hisses when it's all done.]

To hell with this. I'm calling Agatha to pick you up now.

No. No, don't. Still got shit to do here, and now I'm behind on it.

[ The dressing is easy enough. Alucard would have never let him leave without a well-stocked medical kit, and the dressing and bandages are part of that. He tries to regain his composure at least a little as he works on that. The last of the boiling water goes onto a clean corner of the cloth and after waving it around a while to cool it a little he uses it to wipe the sweat from his face and the blood from his hands. And then he sits still, getting his breath back. ]

Just- stay with me until I know whether the cold's stopped spreading. If it doesn't stop, you can call on her. If it does, I'll continue.

How much is left?

[Trevor's getting an updated medical kit when this is done, packed with salt and yew ashes so that this never, never happens again. He is very quiet as this is all finished, one hand moving to the mirrors edge. He can't do anything. This is so fucking infuriating.]

Fine. [He'd really just call her now.]

I'll make sure your bed's got clean sheets and additional blankets when you're back.

Few more rooms. Need to go through the feeding cells again.

[ Which is in itself a difficult conversation topic. ]

Assumed the blood in there was mine and he just hadn't fucking cleaned in a year, but there's a letter here about him 'taking care of a pet'. I'm guessing that means a human, not a cat or something. And since we know there was a forgemaster involved in this shit-

[ It's time to go back in there and collect some fucking blood. ]

Edited 2019-01-26 22:56 (UTC)

[There's just a groan to all of that. Feeding cells are enough, Alucard tends to pointedly ignore how many of those he has to keep in line now have indulged in that practice. But.

The rest.

Damien's phrasing has always rankled. But the reminder of that fucking man who is responsible for all of this is too much.[

I continue to hate every inch of this.

Can't imagine why you'd dislike it. I'm having the time of my fucking life.

[ It's completely deadpan.

He rolls his head back, staring at the ceiling. It still fucking hurts. But the cold hasn't spread any further. That's probably good. He'll give it a little longer, report on it once he's sure. ]

Wednesday. Try to make sure you both have at least a little time on Wednesday. [ He should be safe to touch by then. ]

Understood. Your call on dinner then, especially if you want anything complicated. I'll have the time for it.

[Because if he can't hold on to one or both of them and he's stressed, that's whre he always ends up. The kitchen. Alucard slumps a little in his chair, eyes heavy. It is still terribly early, isn't it?]

Have you found anything else important?

[This is the office, so even in the little moments, work is the default. Damn them both for it.]

Tochitura? With balmos. [ The questioning tone is hopeful. He doesn't usually care enough about food to ask for specific things (and no doubt this is a source of irritation for their vampire, who always seems determined to display affection by feeding them both). But- comfort food from home sounds just about perfect right now. Even if it is far too rich and heavy for this city's heat. ] Bunicuta should have given you her recipe when she borrowed that book from you.

[ Agatha's recipe is also his grandmother's recipe, shared when they were friends before Agatha fled Transylvania. It's a little funny, that of all the Belmont secrets to find their way into the hands of Dracula's son, it would be a recipe for stew traded for a look at Lisa's notes on treating infection in victims of feeding. Not even fancy stew. Cheap stuff, for using up organ meats. ]

A few things. Correspondence with Canadian postmarks. His research notes. Traces of whatever this 'pet' was. I'd like to claim his personal library of spellbooks for Sypha. Bunicuta will be helping me bring it all the the church hall, so that Carmilla can't interfere with any of it, and then we'll bring them to the castle once we know nothing there can be used to spy on us.

I have it.

[It's the stupidest secret, but when there's requests the other two make and the final result is successful, Alucard writes it down in a little secret recipe book that's just an old bound journal that hadn't seen any use. All of Agatha's recipes are in the back as their own little collection, complete with index, for reasons like this. It is useful to have them on hand, and now all he has to do is assemble the grocery list. (He's meant to go the markets anyway. He'll do that this morning, since sleep is clearly not going to happen here.)

Thinking of food is much easier than thinking of work.]

I want the correspondence, I can claim that as evidence if anyone questions me. Same with the research notes, both of them are important and need to go into the records here. [But they'll be checked thrice over before they're in Alucard's hands. It is the benefit of Trevor's paranoia.]

The books are hers. Anything else will be seen to by older rules, which is apparently just letting everyone in and grabbing what they want so. That'll be an evening's adventure for me and me alone.

[ He laughs at that. ]

Good to know some of the old-world rules still apply here. Anything I ought to look out for, to grab before that happens?

[ And he's starting to flex the fingers of the cold hand. It still feels far too cold, but he can move it a little more. ]

Salt worked. Fucking slow-acting, doubt I'll be moving right for a couple days at this pace, but it worked.

Is there actually anything you think I'd want from that man?

[He's disgusted at the thought.]

I'll find yew while you're not home and leave it out for you. If it helps wash away any affects quicker, then that's information we need to know. I'm adding it to your kit next time you head out.

Point taken.

[ He struggles to his feet, and it is a struggle, but there's a desk behind him that he manages to use to haul himself up. Once he's managed that, he reaches his good arm out, touching the mirror's surface delicately. ]

Sorry for worrying you. I'll be back safe, I promise.

Only good thing he ever did was force me to take you in, which is something I had months to head off at the pass anyway.

[The sentence is muttered, and Alucard realizes he shouldn't have said it but. He sighs at the gesture. It's stupid and tender and everything they don't get to be right now.]

Don't apologize for doing the smart thing which was exactly this. [This is good information to know for the future anyway.] Call me when you're at Agatha's.

...Oh, on that note, there is one more thing I'm bringing back. You can wait and see what that is.

[ On the note of 'he never did anything right', anyway. The book of letters in which he blames his first failure to levitate as a new vampire on only drinking chicken blood instead of eagle is delightful, and he's petty enough to not care much for speaking ill of the dead in this instance. They can laugh at his misfortune. ]

I will.

[ He doesn't, in the end. It's Agatha who calls, because Trevor just about passed out the second he entered her house. He's alive, everything he retrieved is safe at the church, and goodness no she will not be waking him up.

Come evening he's still exhausted and sore, but he's also scrubbed raw with more salt to wash away the worst of the stuff he's doused himself in for protection. Sypha's gone through his protection spells, unraveling each one carefully, and he's been piled into the back seat of her car. The demon is well enough, if highly offended, and the car stalls three times before Sypha manages to threaten it into action.

He doesn't make any attempt to seek out Alucard when he returns home, instead heading straight for his own room and toppling into his bed. Sypha'll let Alucard know he's home and safe. ]

[After Trevor dismisses the mirror, Alucard returns to bed just long enough to ensure Sypha isn't facing too many hours alone. She curls atop him immediately, and Alucard holds her tightly until the first rays of sun pass into the windows. At that point he tucks her in, replacing himself with a pillow, and then goes about getting ready for the day.

He's just walked in from grocery shopping when Agatha calls, and Sypha's the one who ends up at Agatha's house. Alucard hates that dearly, and it means he spends the day pacing and waiting. Waiting and pacing. Eventually he forces himself outside, searching for yew trees, only to realize there's old furniture made of the stuff inside. And maybe it feels good to destroy and burn something after this shitty morning.

Alucard knows Trevor is home because the house tells him so. There's already a jar of yew ash on the bedside table, and soon enough, there's a vampire in the doorway too. One polite enough to knock and ask:]

May I come in?

Mmbph.

[ That's apparently the sound of 'yes' when one's face is buried in a pillow. He turns onto his back instead, gasping in air through gritted teeth as doing so agitates the great nasty cut on his side.

(He's become a little better at expressing when shit hurts, now that the castle is home, and his response to just moving is about as dramatic as his muted reaction to packing the cut with salt was when he was somewhere less safe. It's probably a mixed blessing for Alucard and Sypha. On the one hand, they know what's going on. On the other, there's a lot of shit he's been really good at hiding that he isn't anymore.) ]

Yeah, come in. Just promise you'll leave if you catch fire or something from being close to me.

[He was inside at the first noise. Alucard hasn't had any foresight of what to bring with him, but he has on a thick pair of gloves (unbearable in the south but they have their uses.)

That gasp has him at Trevor's side in a moment. There's a terrible whiff of something that makes his eyes water (oil is terribly hard to get off, after all), but he chokes down any further reaction.]

Let me see.

[The wound, he means.]

These are the kinds of gloves I wear for hauling around wood after storms. I don't own anything thicker.

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