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[ The last thing he has left of his family. He's hunting down the last thing he has left of his family. To protect- what? People he doesn't know. People who less than a full day ago tried to kill the both of them. Who forced Sypha and the castle into their situation. Who caused all of this to happen. To protect them from maybe a few weeks of wooziness, assuming Alucard still has the sense about him not to take too much.
He doesn't care. It doesn't matter that he'd sooner Alucard's company than any of theirs, and it doesn't matter that Alucard stands to do more good than any of them will. All that matters is that there's a vampire, that there are people and that the former is taking from the latter without leave. That's all that can ever, ever matter.
He narrows his eyes at the wolf. His hand is at the whip. ]
You take- [ And he wishes his voice was steadier. It hasn't trembled like that since it broke. ] -a single fucking drop, and I'll kill you. Dracula or no.
He doesn't care. It doesn't matter that he'd sooner Alucard's company than any of theirs, and it doesn't matter that Alucard stands to do more good than any of them will. All that matters is that there's a vampire, that there are people and that the former is taking from the latter without leave. That's all that can ever, ever matter.
He narrows his eyes at the wolf. His hand is at the whip. ]
You take- [ And he wishes his voice was steadier. It hasn't trembled like that since it broke. ] -a single fucking drop, and I'll kill you. Dracula or no.
Of course, we are somewhat at your mercy and generosity regarding the timeline.
[Incoming mildly delicate topic of conversation incoming: compensation.]
We are very happy to repay the generosity of your time as well, Mr. Tepes. You are doing us a great favor.
[Incoming mildly delicate topic of conversation incoming: compensation.]
We are very happy to repay the generosity of your time as well, Mr. Tepes. You are doing us a great favor.
[The wolf's eyes move from Belmont to whip back to Belmont. There's no growl. Only a quiet look that is questioning what the Belmont is really going to do.
Then he simply sits in front of Trevor, unmoving. Quiet. Watching.]
Then he simply sits in front of Trevor, unmoving. Quiet. Watching.]
[ He lets the whip unwind, snaking across the grass, but goes no further than that. They're at a stalemate - Alucard is just watching, Trevor just waiting for Alucard to try to leave. ]
Please. Take from me. I'm a big fuck with a lot of blood. Or hang in there until we can get Sypha back to normal or- shit, we can just go to someone's house and come up with a bullshit reason why we'd need blood and a bullshit way to repay them. Just not this.
[ IT'S A LITTLE LATE, TREVOR. ]
Please. Take from me. I'm a big fuck with a lot of blood. Or hang in there until we can get Sypha back to normal or- shit, we can just go to someone's house and come up with a bullshit reason why we'd need blood and a bullshit way to repay them. Just not this.
[ IT'S A LITTLE LATE, TREVOR. ]
[Alucard sighs. He becomes a man again, holding Trevor's gaze.]
I've already taken care of the matter. I did not take from a vein, the man awoke and shooed my bat form away, and I am about to go find bandages and the like to leave at his door.
I've already taken care of the matter. I did not take from a vein, the man awoke and shooed my bat form away, and I am about to go find bandages and the like to leave at his door.
No.
[ Something horrible flashes over Trevor's face, just for a moment. Disgust and hurt and betrayal and shame. And then it's gone. His breathing becomes steady, with only the occasional hitch as his side troubles him. ]
Find them, then. Leave them for him. Come back here.
[ Something horrible flashes over Trevor's face, just for a moment. Disgust and hurt and betrayal and shame. And then it's gone. His breathing becomes steady, with only the occasional hitch as his side troubles him. ]
Find them, then. Leave them for him. Come back here.
[What just happened?
Alucard narrows his eyes, but doesn't move. He expected the whip, in truth. That kind of swift and sometimes very stupid Belmont judgement that is the mark of them all. Not...not what this is.]
Belmont?
[The question is soft. Confused.]
Alucard narrows his eyes, but doesn't move. He expected the whip, in truth. That kind of swift and sometimes very stupid Belmont judgement that is the mark of them all. Not...not what this is.]
Belmont?
[The question is soft. Confused.]
Leave him whatever medical supplies you expect him to need. Then come back here.
[ Then, flatly. ]
I'm going to kill you. Finish your business first.
[ Then, flatly. ]
I'm going to kill you. Finish your business first.
And how do you expect Sypha will react to that? Or have you forgotten the fact she's fused herself with my home?
[Alucard breathes out, coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.]
Never mind that you're out of bed, aggravating that injury far more than you should have. And that you ignored my comments about how a taste could trigger a frenzy and proceeded to shove your fist in my mouth!
Are you always like this or does injury and blood loss cause your plans to hit an incredible level of stupid?
[Alucard breathes out, coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.]
Never mind that you're out of bed, aggravating that injury far more than you should have. And that you ignored my comments about how a taste could trigger a frenzy and proceeded to shove your fist in my mouth!
Are you always like this or does injury and blood loss cause your plans to hit an incredible level of stupid?
"And I know Wallachia, her people, and her monsters. Limits are dependent on environment, D."
It's a shame the parasite is quiet. As annoying as D doubtlessly finds it, Alucard has frequently found it to be the only true offer of sense in the face of D's stubborn nature. A blessing, to be sure.
D's question is one that Alucard can answer easily enough, and he's calm and clear with his explanation.
"This castle could not become a looted grave. The Belmonts gifted me their Hold, which is a library and archive and museum of their work and contains likewise untold resources. They cannot be left defenseless, nor can they administrate themselves.
"The Belmonts go out into the world. I stay here. That is my preference."
It's a shame the parasite is quiet. As annoying as D doubtlessly finds it, Alucard has frequently found it to be the only true offer of sense in the face of D's stubborn nature. A blessing, to be sure.
D's question is one that Alucard can answer easily enough, and he's calm and clear with his explanation.
"This castle could not become a looted grave. The Belmonts gifted me their Hold, which is a library and archive and museum of their work and contains likewise untold resources. They cannot be left defenseless, nor can they administrate themselves.
"The Belmonts go out into the world. I stay here. That is my preference."
I don't care.
[ He cares. About a good third of that, anyway. But he's never been one to let caring change what he does. ]
I'm giving you a chance to finish your business because the frenzy was my fault. But you could have chosen to take from me. From someone willing.
[ He cares. About a good third of that, anyway. But he's never been one to let caring change what he does. ]
I'm giving you a chance to finish your business because the frenzy was my fault. But you could have chosen to take from me. From someone willing.
There should be some kind of grating device to your left in the cabinets below. If you believe adding some of the rind would help, then take advantage of it.
[Dracula invented the zester send tweet.]
In truth, I was biased towards crisp anyway.
[Sometimes a vampire just really likes to gnaw on something. It's good for the fangs, or so that's the lie Alucard's going with.
Regardless, he keeps going with the bread, having only four pitas left.]
Once I'm done, what do you need next?
[Dracula invented the zester send tweet.]
In truth, I was biased towards crisp anyway.
[Sometimes a vampire just really likes to gnaw on something. It's good for the fangs, or so that's the lie Alucard's going with.
Regardless, he keeps going with the bread, having only four pitas left.]
Once I'm done, what do you need next?
From someone who was in no place to give! Which is a point you keep ignoring!
"My limits are not. But I don't expect you to understand," D sighed. From what he understood, nature had been allowed to make what it willed of Adrian, no enhancements made through science. It was difficult then to explain what he was capable of and why D felt a need to try and break the Sacred Ancestor's work so thoroughly.
Regardless, he imagined that this wasn't going to stop being a point of contention between them any time soon.
"Would your mother want you to hide away?" he asked softly. "It seems less that you feel the need to take care of this castle as you do to avoid the world."
Regardless, he imagined that this wasn't going to stop being a point of contention between them any time soon.
"Would your mother want you to hide away?" he asked softly. "It seems less that you feel the need to take care of this castle as you do to avoid the world."
Because it's a bad point!
[ Well no. It's a good point. But it's not one that Trevor's particularly concerned about. He moves his arm back and forth impatiently and the whip shifts along the ground like an extension of him. ]
Are you going to get those bandages or not? I'm not having a great time standing around here.
[ Well no. It's a good point. But it's not one that Trevor's particularly concerned about. He moves his arm back and forth impatiently and the whip shifts along the ground like an extension of him. ]
Are you going to get those bandages or not? I'm not having a great time standing around here.
We do this fight when you're healed then. Is that fair enough in your mad Belmont mind?
No.
[ Fine. If he isn't going to finish his fucking bandage errand, then Trevor's sick of stalling. With a flick of his wrist, the whip is suddenly flying toward Alucard. ]
[ Fine. If he isn't going to finish his fucking bandage errand, then Trevor's sick of stalling. With a flick of his wrist, the whip is suddenly flying toward Alucard. ]
[It isn't an artful dodge. Actually, it isn't a dodge at all.
Alucard only steps back, letting the whip graze him. It'll hurt, yes, but he's dealt with this weapon before. He can anticipate the pain, and sure enough, his wrist bears the brunt of the pain.
But nothing hurts.
One couldn't tell that from Alucard's face though, as there is pain there. Pain and--]
Belmont.
[There's more weight in that surname now. It's coupled with something that's about to break.]
Your great-many-times over-Juliet. What happened?
[Alucard knows. But he needs to say it out loud.]
Alucard only steps back, letting the whip graze him. It'll hurt, yes, but he's dealt with this weapon before. He can anticipate the pain, and sure enough, his wrist bears the brunt of the pain.
But nothing hurts.
One couldn't tell that from Alucard's face though, as there is pain there. Pain and--]
Belmont.
[There's more weight in that surname now. It's coupled with something that's about to break.]
Your great-many-times over-Juliet. What happened?
[Alucard knows. But he needs to say it out loud.]
[ Everything is so, so distant. Everything is always distant. If it weren't for his enhanced senses there would be nothing at all.
Footsteps. The scraping of a chair. ]
Well. Fancy seeing you down here.
[ It's muffled. But then the temperature and humidity changes that tiniest little bit. The coffin's lid has been opened. The next time the voice speaks, it's clearer. ]
It's been a while since I came to visit you. I'm sorry. I've been- away from home.
[ The smell of blood. Clotted and masked by the smell of disinfectant and clean linen. Dressings changed within the last few hours. Fingers brush over Alucard's cheek, through his hair, curling a lock of it around a little finger. A laugh. Warm. Tired. So very, very tired. ]
Look at you, all whole again. The speakers looked over you while I was away, you know. It's safe to release the spell now.
[ The smells, all of them - the clotted blood and the clean linen and the disinfectant and the damp leaves and dirt under fingernails and candied hazelnuts and nothing else for whatever meal was last and wet dogs and dry dogs - all of them draw closer. There's warmth, a weight above Alucard. And as lips brush against his, everything is perfectly clear. The magic's hold loosens, begins to release him.
And then, the clearer things go, the clearer one more smell becomes. Fainter, hidden in among all the others. It's sweet in a more sinister way than the candied nuts, the horrible cloying sweetness of rot. It's there, mixed in with the blood. He could map out every capillary in her body by the smell of it alone, follow its spread. Follow it to the brain, too firmly rooted there to be moved.
The answer, the horrible answer, almost comes to him. But the body protects the mind, and the spell fortifies the body. The smells vanish. The voices vanish. The last sensation is the lips leaving his, and then there is nothing.
By the time sound returns, the voices are different. The same accents on different people. The smells of different dogs. Nobody lifts the coffin's lid. ]
Footsteps. The scraping of a chair. ]
Well. Fancy seeing you down here.
[ It's muffled. But then the temperature and humidity changes that tiniest little bit. The coffin's lid has been opened. The next time the voice speaks, it's clearer. ]
It's been a while since I came to visit you. I'm sorry. I've been- away from home.
[ The smell of blood. Clotted and masked by the smell of disinfectant and clean linen. Dressings changed within the last few hours. Fingers brush over Alucard's cheek, through his hair, curling a lock of it around a little finger. A laugh. Warm. Tired. So very, very tired. ]
Look at you, all whole again. The speakers looked over you while I was away, you know. It's safe to release the spell now.
[ The smells, all of them - the clotted blood and the clean linen and the disinfectant and the damp leaves and dirt under fingernails and candied hazelnuts and nothing else for whatever meal was last and wet dogs and dry dogs - all of them draw closer. There's warmth, a weight above Alucard. And as lips brush against his, everything is perfectly clear. The magic's hold loosens, begins to release him.
And then, the clearer things go, the clearer one more smell becomes. Fainter, hidden in among all the others. It's sweet in a more sinister way than the candied nuts, the horrible cloying sweetness of rot. It's there, mixed in with the blood. He could map out every capillary in her body by the smell of it alone, follow its spread. Follow it to the brain, too firmly rooted there to be moved.
The answer, the horrible answer, almost comes to him. But the body protects the mind, and the spell fortifies the body. The smells vanish. The voices vanish. The last sensation is the lips leaving his, and then there is nothing.
By the time sound returns, the voices are different. The same accents on different people. The smells of different dogs. Nobody lifts the coffin's lid. ]
Of course you'd have something like that.
[Well, might as well take advantage of all the technology the castle has to offer. Hector retrieves the tool from the cabinet and gives it a try. After attacking it from a couple of different directions, he falls into a rhythm.]
See, I told you that was the way to make them.
[Don't ever question his judgement again...on this one very limited context. Question just about every other life choice he makes.]
Basically, we need to grate the cucumber and mince the garlic, then it's just a matter of combining it all and letting it chill a little longer. We can switch off; I'll take garlic, you finish this.
[In deference to that super-human sense of smell, though he knows it won't hurt Alucard.]
[Well, might as well take advantage of all the technology the castle has to offer. Hector retrieves the tool from the cabinet and gives it a try. After attacking it from a couple of different directions, he falls into a rhythm.]
See, I told you that was the way to make them.
[Don't ever question his judgement again...on this one very limited context. Question just about every other life choice he makes.]
Basically, we need to grate the cucumber and mince the garlic, then it's just a matter of combining it all and letting it chill a little longer. We can switch off; I'll take garlic, you finish this.
[In deference to that super-human sense of smell, though he knows it won't hurt Alucard.]
What the fuck sort of question is-
[ Don't ask him questions when he's trying to kill you! Rude! He almost doesn't answer and just attacks again, but then he looks down the whip. The whip that's coiled itself harmlessly around Alucard's wrist. ]
-you knew her. Shit. You knew her.
[ The anger doesn't melt away, but something replaces it. He doesn't quite know what. ]
Let me- shit. Let me sit down. I'll kill you once you know.
[ Don't ask him questions when he's trying to kill you! Rude! He almost doesn't answer and just attacks again, but then he looks down the whip. The whip that's coiled itself harmlessly around Alucard's wrist. ]
-you knew her. Shit. You knew her.
[ The anger doesn't melt away, but something replaces it. He doesn't quite know what. ]
Let me- shit. Let me sit down. I'll kill you once you know.
How do you think my father was defeated in their time, Belmont?
[Alucard can feel the rawness of mourning threatening to take over in full. He's dodged so much of it already, mostly by circumstance. The days have been so busy that when he's slept, his mind has been quiet. Ignoring the guilt of patricide and the regret of lost love.
That goddamn spell. He could have healed without it. Maybe it wouldn't have happened. Maybe...
...fuck. Now everything hurts.]
[Alucard can feel the rawness of mourning threatening to take over in full. He's dodged so much of it already, mostly by circumstance. The days have been so busy that when he's slept, his mind has been quiet. Ignoring the guilt of patricide and the regret of lost love.
That goddamn spell. He could have healed without it. Maybe it wouldn't have happened. Maybe...
...fuck. Now everything hurts.]
I don't fucking know. Apparently most of it was made up.
[ He flicks his wrist, trying to uncoil the whip from around Alucard's wrist. it resists, just for a moment, and then falls to the ground. As does he, gracelessly, letting his legs buckle under his weight and drop him butt-first into the grass. ]
She was turned. Usually the dogs catch it in time, but it started in the brain. There's no way to avert that, even now, no matter how early it's caught.
[ He places the whip in the grass. It's similar to Juliet's own. The leather slightly darker. A small rabbit etched into the handle, opposite the family crest. ]
This is what we do, if that happens. What we've always done. We prepare them when we're young and just- keep them around. I have one for myself in case the worst happens, not that there's anyone for it to be any use to.
[ He flicks his wrist, trying to uncoil the whip from around Alucard's wrist. it resists, just for a moment, and then falls to the ground. As does he, gracelessly, letting his legs buckle under his weight and drop him butt-first into the grass. ]
She was turned. Usually the dogs catch it in time, but it started in the brain. There's no way to avert that, even now, no matter how early it's caught.
[ He places the whip in the grass. It's similar to Juliet's own. The leather slightly darker. A small rabbit etched into the handle, opposite the family crest. ]
This is what we do, if that happens. What we've always done. We prepare them when we're young and just- keep them around. I have one for myself in case the worst happens, not that there's anyone for it to be any use to.
She wants to add that you're being an idiot by the way.
[The attempt at humor falls so flat. And that's for the better, because Trevor's words gut the vampire at the core. He doesn't fall. He doesn't sit, or do anything for a long, unending moment of silence. He simply feels every inch of his body twist inside, tighter and tigether.
The brain.
How the fuck did it start in the brain?
No. Happier in ignorance.
A long exhale finally happens. When he speaks, Alucard's voice cracks.]
That damned spell.
[The attempt at humor falls so flat. And that's for the better, because Trevor's words gut the vampire at the core. He doesn't fall. He doesn't sit, or do anything for a long, unending moment of silence. He simply feels every inch of his body twist inside, tighter and tigether.
The brain.
How the fuck did it start in the brain?
No. Happier in ignorance.
A long exhale finally happens. When he speaks, Alucard's voice cracks.]
That damned spell.
I know- I know it's a couple centuries late, but I'm sorry for your loss.
[ He could tell Alucard more, give him a name, but Bluebeard is well known even among humans. Even if it was a few years both before and after his time, he can investigate. Giving him Bluebeards name may as well be giving him every grisly detail. ]
I- fuck. Look, I still kind of want to kill you. But since the whip isn't fucking cooperating and I didn't bring a sword, I can't. Let me rethink that 'doing this once I'm healed up' thing?
[ He could tell Alucard more, give him a name, but Bluebeard is well known even among humans. Even if it was a few years both before and after his time, he can investigate. Giving him Bluebeards name may as well be giving him every grisly detail. ]
I- fuck. Look, I still kind of want to kill you. But since the whip isn't fucking cooperating and I didn't bring a sword, I can't. Let me rethink that 'doing this once I'm healed up' thing?
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