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[WELL THAT'S A FAIR POINT but shhhh.]
I...don't know why I thought you'd be further away, but I am surprised.
[As for the other question, Alucard gives a soft little hum of consideration.]
I may not, but people still know how to track and the like. I'd regret making you a target if all I did was come visit and pet your dog.
I...don't know why I thought you'd be further away, but I am surprised.
[As for the other question, Alucard gives a soft little hum of consideration.]
I may not, but people still know how to track and the like. I'd regret making you a target if all I did was come visit and pet your dog.
She was remarkable in every way.
[It's a relief, Vanessa's eyes going towards the books. Alucard's own focus on a spot in the ceiling, because this conversation could veer into deeply private territory.]
Mmm. You're free to browse the shelf, if you'd like. Most of it is in Romanian, you'll find.
[It's a relief, Vanessa's eyes going towards the books. Alucard's own focus on a spot in the ceiling, because this conversation could veer into deeply private territory.]
Mmm. You're free to browse the shelf, if you'd like. Most of it is in Romanian, you'll find.
[Rising from the couch she takes the invitation to gaze, not that she'll have a whole lot to say about primarily Romanian texts. It's not truly her forte, but one never knows and books say a lot about a person. Vanessa gazes at them as if she were at a museum, hands carefully clasped together to prevent touching.]
Is this a translated version of the Iliad?
Is this a translated version of the Iliad?
[Hector's cheeks go a little red, and he busies himself dicing up the herbs to toss into the mixture. He doesn't want Alucard getting any ideas about him being close to the castle on purpose.]
You and your hunters are the ones who parked the castle where it is. It just so happened to be near of the safe houses I found during my travels.
[He gets the dill and mint sprigs cut into a small, fragrant green pile to stir into the sauce.]
I'm not helpless. I can take care of myself.
[Don't you dare say a word about how he was a damsel in distress in Carmilla's dungeons for a few months, he absolutely does not want to hear it.]
You and your hunters are the ones who parked the castle where it is. It just so happened to be near of the safe houses I found during my travels.
[He gets the dill and mint sprigs cut into a small, fragrant green pile to stir into the sauce.]
I'm not helpless. I can take care of myself.
[
You can just cut it if it's a problem.
[ He doesn't know how to respond to this. To hands working through the knots and dirt, trying to put it in order. Trying to put him in order. It's nice, and he doesn't want it to be nice. ]
She didn't have to think about it. It could have been just saving the town from a monster and breaking a curse.
[ He doesn't know how to respond to this. To hands working through the knots and dirt, trying to put it in order. Trying to put him in order. It's nice, and he doesn't want it to be nice. ]
She didn't have to think about it. It could have been just saving the town from a monster and breaking a curse.
[Alucard does Vanessa the basic kindness of not watching while she browses the shelves. It seems a rude thing on principle, and so instead his eyes go to the window. True enough, there's nothing out there, but it's better than staring at a person constantly.
At her question, Alucard's gaze does return and he notices how Vanessa has chosen to carry herself.]
It is, yes. And you can touch whatever books you like, this isn't a museum or restricted library. You won't upset my organization.
At her question, Alucard's gaze does return and he notices how Vanessa has chosen to carry herself.]
It is, yes. And you can touch whatever books you like, this isn't a museum or restricted library. You won't upset my organization.
No, Sypha did.
[Important clarification!!!]
But I do wonder, were those travels before you met my father?
[Alucard very, very politely does not reply to that last statement. Because he is a gentleman who does not pick low hanging fruit.]
[Important clarification!!!]
But I do wonder, were those travels before you met my father?
[Alucard very, very politely does not reply to that last statement. Because he is a gentleman who does not pick low hanging fruit.]
With no encouragement from you, I’m sure.
[Hector will bet good money Alucard was egging her on with hearts in his eyes the whole time.]
And yes. I was mostly settled by the time your father found me. I wandered in my youth, after I left home.
[That year between meeting Dracula and being called to serve him, he’d stayed in one place so Dracula would know where to find him. Of course, he’d been hoping for an invitation to come study in Dracula’s great library, not fight his war, but he had been so eager to do anything the vampire had asked him.]
[Hector will bet good money Alucard was egging her on with hearts in his eyes the whole time.]
And yes. I was mostly settled by the time your father found me. I wandered in my youth, after I left home.
[That year between meeting Dracula and being called to serve him, he’d stayed in one place so Dracula would know where to find him. Of course, he’d been hoping for an invitation to come study in Dracula’s great library, not fight his war, but he had been so eager to do anything the vampire had asked him.]
It's nothing.
[It's relaxing, working his fingers through all the knots. Using nails to get into the finer ones. Distracting, because distracting is also good.]
But she did. And doubtlessly that's another reason that laying in the snow waiting for the cold to take you seems a wise idea even now.
[It's relaxing, working his fingers through all the knots. Using nails to get into the finer ones. Distracting, because distracting is also good.]
But she did. And doubtlessly that's another reason that laying in the snow waiting for the cold to take you seems a wise idea even now.
I-
[ Well shit. The vampire got it in one. He tries to close himself off, to move away and pull his arms across his chest and distance himself in every way he can, but his limbs refuse to disturb or leave the warm water. Much as he wants to die out there, bodies are infuriatingly attached to continuing to function. ]
-snow doesn't get fucking second thoughts. Wouldn't hurt it if it did.
[ Well shit. The vampire got it in one. He tries to close himself off, to move away and pull his arms across his chest and distance himself in every way he can, but his limbs refuse to disturb or leave the warm water. Much as he wants to die out there, bodies are infuriatingly attached to continuing to function. ]
-snow doesn't get fucking second thoughts. Wouldn't hurt it if it did.
[Alucard sighs, and it's a truly sad noise. It doesn't migrate into pity though, he seems to understand that that? That's a bad idea. Liable to just get the man angry at him.
He reaches behind, grabbing a bar of soap and then dipping it into the water.
Sorry Trevor. You're getting scrubbed down.]
I suppose not. But if your death failed to free Sypha, would that be fair to her?
He reaches behind, grabbing a bar of soap and then dipping it into the water.
Sorry Trevor. You're getting scrubbed down.]
I suppose not. But if your death failed to free Sypha, would that be fair to her?
Not as if my sticking around is freeing her.
[ Why is there soap involved now? Why is this vampire like this he just wanted to curl up and die and now he is having to endure SOAP. ]
The fuck is that, and why is it doing that to the water?
[ Bear has discovered BUBBLES. Bear hates this. ]
[ Why is there soap involved now? Why is this vampire like this he just wanted to curl up and die and now he is having to endure SOAP. ]
The fuck is that, and why is it doing that to the water?
[ Bear has discovered BUBBLES. Bear hates this. ]
[ He doesn't know why it bothers him.
It's been a full day of mulling it over now, and he still hasn't got an answer. It was the logically sound thing to do, for Alucard to have swooped in front of him and effortlessly caught the night creature's massive fist in his own before it hit. Ended the fight with the least injuries possible.
It makes sense. He just can't stand the image of someone leaping in to protect him. It's all wrong. ]
I don't need you to protect me.
[ That is about the most combative way he could express that feeling, naturally. He even puts his book down loudly on the table for dramatic effect. ]
It's been a full day of mulling it over now, and he still hasn't got an answer. It was the logically sound thing to do, for Alucard to have swooped in front of him and effortlessly caught the night creature's massive fist in his own before it hit. Ended the fight with the least injuries possible.
It makes sense. He just can't stand the image of someone leaping in to protect him. It's all wrong. ]
I don't need you to protect me.
[ That is about the most combative way he could express that feeling, naturally. He even puts his book down loudly on the table for dramatic effect. ]
[NOPE. Alucard takes an arm and then? Then he starts to do a scrubby.]
They're bubbles. Part of soap.
[BRUSHY BRUSHY BEAR.]
Do you know how her own curse is broken? Or yours?
[Fuck it. Gonna be blunt.]
They're bubbles. Part of soap.
[BRUSHY BRUSHY BEAR.]
Do you know how her own curse is broken? Or yours?
[Fuck it. Gonna be blunt.]
[It had been a quick fight. Easy. One that had gotten them all home quickly and before midnight. An absolute blessing, and they had all curled up in bed, content.
So there's real surprise on Alucard's face when Trevor speaks, at...well.]
Beg pardon?
So there's real surprise on Alucard's face when Trevor speaks, at...well.]
Beg pardon?
No.
[ This is really happening, isn’t it? He’s being scrubbed down with soapy water and it’s nice but also he feels obligated to hate it. ]
Her people said that the way to remedy a broken oath is to make and keep an oath to the victim of the curse. That’s why the - all of that. It’s a guess. But it’s the only guess I have.
[ That’s why you have a stone waifu. ]
[ This is really happening, isn’t it? He’s being scrubbed down with soapy water and it’s nice but also he feels obligated to hate it. ]
Her people said that the way to remedy a broken oath is to make and keep an oath to the victim of the curse. That’s why the - all of that. It’s a guess. But it’s the only guess I have.
[ That’s why you have a stone waifu. ]
[One arm down! And....the bath water is super gross. Alucard ignores that and goes for the other arm, but that one is slower going. It's the one with thorns.]
Mmm, so my oath is your best shot for freeing her.
She'd miss you if you weren't present, I think.
Mmm, so my oath is your best shot for freeing her.
She'd miss you if you weren't present, I think.
I said I don’t need you to protect me. I’ve been doing this all my life. That hit wouldn’t even have bruised that badly.
[ And he had been content last night, when this was just a little annoying thought and not an all-consuming annoying thought. Now he’s sulking. ]
[ And he had been content last night, when this was just a little annoying thought and not an all-consuming annoying thought. Now he’s sulking. ]
[...That's what this is about?
Alucard tilts his head, a little more wolf like than he really intended.]
I...simply acted out of instinct?
Alucard tilts his head, a little more wolf like than he really intended.]
I...simply acted out of instinct?
Shitty instinct.
[ He’s being a shit about this. He knows he is. But it’s bothering him and the alternative is putting thought into why that might be. ]
It’s- I don’t like it. I take a calculated risk, I don’t want eith of you dealing with the consequences.
[ never mind that there are no consequences. Because vampire strength. ]
[ He’s being a shit about this. He knows he is. But it’s bothering him and the alternative is putting thought into why that might be. ]
It’s- I don’t like it. I take a calculated risk, I don’t want eith of you dealing with the consequences.
[ never mind that there are no consequences. Because vampire strength. ]
It was automatic. I didn't put a thought into it.
[Oh. He probably shouldn't have said that, huh?
Alucard frowns, making a low and worried noise at Trevor.]
It'd be more dangerous if I overthought movements.
[Oh. He probably shouldn't have said that, huh?
Alucard frowns, making a low and worried noise at Trevor.]
It'd be more dangerous if I overthought movements.
[ He grumbles and flinches occasionally as Alucard works around the thorns. The thorns themselves twist about like veins. They enter and exit the skin through what look both like puncture wounds and burn scars, like wounds made with a heated blade. The wounds, at least, are clean. ]
Only knew her for a few days. She’d go catch up to her people and be happy.
Only knew her for a few days. She’d go catch up to her people and be happy.
[Alucard makes a noise that suggests he doesn't buy it at all. But he pays attention to the thorns more than Trevor's words, and then he moves onto Trevor's chest.
He's still gentle as he scrubs that. Then moving down, aware that it could become awkward quickly.]
Have the roses always grown like this, or do they spread over time?
He's still gentle as he scrubs that. Then moving down, aware that it could become awkward quickly.]
Have the roses always grown like this, or do they spread over time?
She did land it precariously beside a basement with precious little support underneath for the structure.
[He had heart eyes before she PUT IT WHERE SHE PUT IT. Now it's just the best way to annoy Sypha.
More importantly, well, there's Hector's homesteading choices.]
Tell me about your travels? Please.
[It's a question he's asked for so much of his life. To his father. To Trevor and Sypha. And now to Hector.]
[He had heart eyes before she PUT IT WHERE SHE PUT IT. Now it's just the best way to annoy Sypha.
More importantly, well, there's Hector's homesteading choices.]
Tell me about your travels? Please.
[It's a question he's asked for so much of his life. To his father. To Trevor and Sypha. And now to Hector.]
[Hector pushes the bowl of freshly mixed tzaziki toward Alucard.]
Try that. If the flavor is good, we can set it to chill.
[He's stalling. It would be easier to talk about his childhood if Alucard was back in his wolf form, but he'll probably have questions. He's been left by himself here and probably needs to take whatever conversation he can get.]
I was too young to really be on my own, when I started out, but I burned down my house and had nowhere else to go. There were animals...well, they looked like animals, that guided me north.
Try that. If the flavor is good, we can set it to chill.
[He's stalling. It would be easier to talk about his childhood if Alucard was back in his wolf form, but he'll probably have questions. He's been left by himself here and probably needs to take whatever conversation he can get.]
I was too young to really be on my own, when I started out, but I burned down my house and had nowhere else to go. There were animals...well, they looked like animals, that guided me north.
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