![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
The first time that Sypha and Trevor left the castle in the aftermath of Dracula's demise (defeat, murder), Alucard had explored the depths of his grief. Alone, he could be as much a monster as his father, throw things around, tear, rend, destroy in an attempt to purge the waves of emotion that rolled off of him. It was better that no one else was around to witness the actions, for surely they would take one look and proclaim "like father, like son."
That anger was followed by tears, and so it went on and on. In the in between moments, Alucard focused his attention to the castle and the Hold. Neither were inhabitable, and Trevor and Sypha would be back at some point. They'd need a wing of the castle to stay in, and so Alucard began rebuilding in the most literal way.
Work channeled so much. Freed his mind to focus on the less overwhelming but equally important feelings that lay beneath the surface. Alucard found himself wondering when the other two would come back. That? That was a path to longing, and then the realization that there was a deep and abiding love for them both.
Sypha was the one who kept them all on track after, negotiation and navigating emotional waters that neither he nor Trevor were good at exploring. Trevor had years of trauma and walls to break down. Alucard's problems were mercifully obvious, and so the name of it all became balance.
He had grown up around parents who were overly affectionate with each other. There were such vivid memories of his father walking into a room where his mother was reading on the sofa and just settling right in beside her. Or scooting her onto his lap. He had seen them kiss a little too much. In theory? In theory Alucard knew what he should be doing.
Be should and practicing? Two different things.
Alucard knew that change only comes from dedicated effort. It was a matter on his mind when he awoke, and why he remained in bed next to Sypha rather than roll out and go to make breakfast. Somewhere in all of that, the scars on her upper arm captured his attention, and then? Then a mind still mired in grief took over.
"Almost eleven," was the response, said in barely a whisper. "Trevor's gone out hunting, he thought he saw wild boar tracks yesterday."
That anger was followed by tears, and so it went on and on. In the in between moments, Alucard focused his attention to the castle and the Hold. Neither were inhabitable, and Trevor and Sypha would be back at some point. They'd need a wing of the castle to stay in, and so Alucard began rebuilding in the most literal way.
Work channeled so much. Freed his mind to focus on the less overwhelming but equally important feelings that lay beneath the surface. Alucard found himself wondering when the other two would come back. That? That was a path to longing, and then the realization that there was a deep and abiding love for them both.
Sypha was the one who kept them all on track after, negotiation and navigating emotional waters that neither he nor Trevor were good at exploring. Trevor had years of trauma and walls to break down. Alucard's problems were mercifully obvious, and so the name of it all became balance.
He had grown up around parents who were overly affectionate with each other. There were such vivid memories of his father walking into a room where his mother was reading on the sofa and just settling right in beside her. Or scooting her onto his lap. He had seen them kiss a little too much. In theory? In theory Alucard knew what he should be doing.
Be should and practicing? Two different things.
Alucard knew that change only comes from dedicated effort. It was a matter on his mind when he awoke, and why he remained in bed next to Sypha rather than roll out and go to make breakfast. Somewhere in all of that, the scars on her upper arm captured his attention, and then? Then a mind still mired in grief took over.
"Almost eleven," was the response, said in barely a whisper. "Trevor's gone out hunting, he thought he saw wild boar tracks yesterday."
"He's g'na get himself gored," Sypha yawns, apparently unconcerned with Trevor's grisly fate. A little kernel of worry hardens in her gut despite her sleepy eyes and lazy stretch; if Trevor isn't back by late afternoon, they'll go looking. He can handle himself, but boar are no joke, and they don't have any dogs to sound the alarm.
Now there's a thought. Dogs. Puppies. Rolling around on the floor in front of the fireplace, getting underfoot in the kitchen, sleeping at the foot of the bed. Sypha smiles to herself, eyelids drooping shut again. How domestic.
Another handful of syrupy minutes pass by before she remembers she's awake, and there's a whole day full of things to do. Grumbling in the back of her throat, she rolls closer to Alucard, blindly butting her head under his chin. The sweep of his fingers up and down her arm is nice, but feels a touch preoccupied.
"What about you?"
Now there's a thought. Dogs. Puppies. Rolling around on the floor in front of the fireplace, getting underfoot in the kitchen, sleeping at the foot of the bed. Sypha smiles to herself, eyelids drooping shut again. How domestic.
Another handful of syrupy minutes pass by before she remembers she's awake, and there's a whole day full of things to do. Grumbling in the back of her throat, she rolls closer to Alucard, blindly butting her head under his chin. The sweep of his fingers up and down her arm is nice, but feels a touch preoccupied.
"What about you?"
"He's a big, strong, Belmont. He'll be fine." Alucard's dealt with the boars plenty of times, and Trevor? Trevor's spent most of his adult life hunting food. He has no worries about his ability to handle himself in a situation, gored or ungored. The dhampir's thoughts are on how to prepare the meat instead.
While Sypha thinks of puppies, Alucard thinks of dinner. His mind goes to the spices in the kitchen, what's running low, and what markets will have replacements. The Ottomans are so heavily involved in the trade that their invasion is almost a good thing, at least from a culinary perspective. They bring cheaper spices.
Right. They'll need cinnamon, he's down to the last stick.
His shopping list done, Alucard is about to close his eyes. It's Sypha's collision against him that drags him out of his thought process, and back to--
--he's been stroking her scars all morning, hasn't he?
"What about me?" The emphasis and tone are as warm as he can be for still being in bed.
While Sypha thinks of puppies, Alucard thinks of dinner. His mind goes to the spices in the kitchen, what's running low, and what markets will have replacements. The Ottomans are so heavily involved in the trade that their invasion is almost a good thing, at least from a culinary perspective. They bring cheaper spices.
Right. They'll need cinnamon, he's down to the last stick.
His shopping list done, Alucard is about to close his eyes. It's Sypha's collision against him that drags him out of his thought process, and back to--
--he's been stroking her scars all morning, hasn't he?
"What about me?" The emphasis and tone are as warm as he can be for still being in bed.
Sypha muffles a snort in her elbow. Yes, Trevor's a big strong Belmont, but he's a big bulky target. Alucard has the advantage of speed and slightly stab-resistant skin.
Only slightly, though. She slips her hand under his sleep shirt and smoothes her palm over the raised, smooth edges of the scar beneath.
"Mmm, you don't usually sleep in," she mumbles. Ugh, morning breath. "Bored of boars? Nothing to catalogue in the library? No mail?"
Only slightly, though. She slips her hand under his sleep shirt and smoothes her palm over the raised, smooth edges of the scar beneath.
"Mmm, you don't usually sleep in," she mumbles. Ugh, morning breath. "Bored of boars? Nothing to catalogue in the library? No mail?"
"You were very comfortable against me. It seemed rude to get out of bed and have you wake up alone."
He has slept for a year. Now, with the other two in his life? To sleep is to lose precious moments that he could otherwise spend with them. Why sleep when he could have Sypha's hand against his scar, wonderful and warm and moving close to his heart.
He has slept for a year. Now, with the other two in his life? To sleep is to lose precious moments that he could otherwise spend with them. Why sleep when he could have Sypha's hand against his scar, wonderful and warm and moving close to his heart.
Sypha hides a pleased smile against Alucard's neck. Her industrious, forward thinking vampire, taking a morning off because he recognized she might like the company? That's progress. She sighs her approval and squirms a little closer, fingers opening and closing over the tip of the scar. Everything in balance.
"Thank you," she says, "I hope you weren't too bored."
"Thank you," she says, "I hope you weren't too bored."
"You're very cute when you sleep."
She is. Cuter when she's squished between himself and Trevor, but even with one of them? Sypha's a peaceful little thing, hiding the terrifying powerhouse that the night world knows her to be and fears. It has never escaped Alucard's notice that he and Trevor get a side of Sypha that isn't just her at her best, it's her at her most caring, because there's only two people that will ever get to see that side of her.
Alucard's fingers go still at the scars on Sypha's arms. By accident, they line up precisely with where his father's claws once gouged, and it is as he lifts his head up that Alucard clocks their position. The realization makes him go still, and all words stop flowing.
She is. Cuter when she's squished between himself and Trevor, but even with one of them? Sypha's a peaceful little thing, hiding the terrifying powerhouse that the night world knows her to be and fears. It has never escaped Alucard's notice that he and Trevor get a side of Sypha that isn't just her at her best, it's her at her most caring, because there's only two people that will ever get to see that side of her.
Alucard's fingers go still at the scars on Sypha's arms. By accident, they line up precisely with where his father's claws once gouged, and it is as he lifts his head up that Alucard clocks their position. The realization makes him go still, and all words stop flowing.
"Cute is for kittens. And puppies." Sypha grumbles, puppies on the brain this morning. Cute is for harmless things...and those that choose to set harm aside for a select few. All right, fine, she can get behind that line of reasoning; possibly no one else alive has ever seen the way Alucard catches his tongue between his teeth when he's reading a particularly dense passage.
She's smothering laughter when he freezes up beside her, slow dhampiric heartbeat stuttering against her cheek. Frowning, Sypha peels away and catches him staring pensively at her shoulder.
She has other scars. Worse ones. Hell, Trevor's practically a topographical map of some alien hellscape, his hide's so marked up. These are things they accept about one another. Yet Alucard knows the history of these particular scars, and seeing his fingers splayed over the raised marks is...jarring in a way she hadn't expected.
"Are you sure you're all right?"
She's smothering laughter when he freezes up beside her, slow dhampiric heartbeat stuttering against her cheek. Frowning, Sypha peels away and catches him staring pensively at her shoulder.
She has other scars. Worse ones. Hell, Trevor's practically a topographical map of some alien hellscape, his hide's so marked up. These are things they accept about one another. Yet Alucard knows the history of these particular scars, and seeing his fingers splayed over the raised marks is...jarring in a way she hadn't expected.
"Are you sure you're all right?"
Oh.
[ That changes the stakes here, doesn’t it? He’s asking Alucard to give up his last connection to his family to survive. Sypha will lose her means to protect people, but she’ll also lose the things that she needs to protect them from. He thought he was asking the most of her.
...whatever happens at dawn, one of them loses all they have left of the people they love. ]
What were they like?
[ That changes the stakes here, doesn’t it? He’s asking Alucard to give up his last connection to his family to survive. Sypha will lose her means to protect people, but she’ll also lose the things that she needs to protect them from. He thought he was asking the most of her.
...whatever happens at dawn, one of them loses all they have left of the people they love. ]
What were they like?
They were--
[Alucard's heart leaps into his mouth, blocking his ability to continue. There is only pained silence in response to Trevor's question.
Out of instinct, Alucard wants to curl up. He doesn't, and he knows he can't trail off either. After a deep breath, he just manages:]
wonderful. And they cared so much.
[Alucard's heart leaps into his mouth, blocking his ability to continue. There is only pained silence in response to Trevor's question.
Out of instinct, Alucard wants to curl up. He doesn't, and he knows he can't trail off either. After a deep breath, he just manages:]
wonderful. And they cared so much.
"Oh, there's no proper answer to that."
Alucard, lost in thought as he is, knows that much. He can lie and say he's fine, but Sypha will call him out in an instant. He can say nothing, and she'll prod at him until he speaks. He can be truthful to the degree of admitting he's thinking of his father, but that's a mood killer.
So the honest but vague answer it is. His fingers slide a little bit beyond those marks, curling around the back of her upper arm instead.
"Just tracing lines."
They both do it to Trevor in their idle moments. He rarely seems bothered by it. Alucard has no issue with either of them touching the horrid gash that marks the start of events that brought them together. This shouldn't be different and yet.
Alucard, lost in thought as he is, knows that much. He can lie and say he's fine, but Sypha will call him out in an instant. He can say nothing, and she'll prod at him until he speaks. He can be truthful to the degree of admitting he's thinking of his father, but that's a mood killer.
So the honest but vague answer it is. His fingers slide a little bit beyond those marks, curling around the back of her upper arm instead.
"Just tracing lines."
They both do it to Trevor in their idle moments. He rarely seems bothered by it. Alucard has no issue with either of them touching the horrid gash that marks the start of events that brought them together. This shouldn't be different and yet.
[ He nods. ]
I was too young to remember meeting them. My sisters just said that they were clever. Father never talked about them. I know- I know they helped to make us like this. [ Making him and his siblings into Dhampir, he means. ] And that without that, we'd have had to die.
If they'd have wanted magic to stay, then I owe them it.
I was too young to remember meeting them. My sisters just said that they were clever. Father never talked about them. I know- I know they helped to make us like this. [ Making him and his siblings into Dhampir, he means. ] And that without that, we'd have had to die.
If they'd have wanted magic to stay, then I owe them it.
You don't owe anyone anything.
[That's the version of the truth Alucard is sticking with. It's easier to deal with.]
Can we please talk about something else?
[That's the version of the truth Alucard is sticking with. It's easier to deal with.]
Can we please talk about something else?
Mm.
[ He tries to think of something. He really does. But the truth is, none of them really have anything to talk about that isn't emotionally fraught. Strategy, the place they're in now, Sypha and her awful tea, the book in front of him, magic. Even the awful dragon chair. All of them are tied up in uncomfortable feelings. And it's hard for him to tell what's bad and what's not, the grief still being so fresh. Nothing's really sunk in deeply enough yet to act on it. He's tried complaining about Sypha, which he feels is a good and inoffensive topic, but Alucard doesn't like it much. ]
Is- that what all humans eat? The meat-leather?
[ Because Leon insisted on teaching him and his sisters to cook, even if none of them really needed to eat human food. And exactly 0 of it was dried meat. None of it was a soldier's rations at all, even though he was undoubtedly familiar with them. ]
[ He tries to think of something. He really does. But the truth is, none of them really have anything to talk about that isn't emotionally fraught. Strategy, the place they're in now, Sypha and her awful tea, the book in front of him, magic. Even the awful dragon chair. All of them are tied up in uncomfortable feelings. And it's hard for him to tell what's bad and what's not, the grief still being so fresh. Nothing's really sunk in deeply enough yet to act on it. He's tried complaining about Sypha, which he feels is a good and inoffensive topic, but Alucard doesn't like it much. ]
Is- that what all humans eat? The meat-leather?
[ Because Leon insisted on teaching him and his sisters to cook, even if none of them really needed to eat human food. And exactly 0 of it was dried meat. None of it was a soldier's rations at all, even though he was undoubtedly familiar with them. ]
One of the many things.
[Alucard feels himself grow a little light headed. He sighs, reaching out to take the tea.]
I mostly eat this though. Easy to carry around and eat.
[Alucard feels himself grow a little light headed. He sighs, reaching out to take the tea.]
I mostly eat this though. Easy to carry around and eat.
Do you like it?
[ It's a genuine question, not an attempt at calling Alucard out for eating what has the best ration of nutrients to ease to come by. Even if maybe the topic of eating is also not a good one, considering recent events. ]
I don't think I've ever known anyone's favourite food. Is that yours? The leather meat?
[ It's a genuine question, not an attempt at calling Alucard out for eating what has the best ration of nutrients to ease to come by. Even if maybe the topic of eating is also not a good one, considering recent events. ]
I don't think I've ever known anyone's favourite food. Is that yours? The leather meat?
Not really.
[Alucard takes a sip of the awful tea. His face curdles, and so that? That means he chugs the rest down in one fell swoop. God. It isn't going to work, why did he just do that?
His face contorts. Easier to focus on Trevor's question.]
I don't think I have a favorite anymore. I don't have the luxury of enjoying meals.
[Alucard takes a sip of the awful tea. His face curdles, and so that? That means he chugs the rest down in one fell swoop. God. It isn't going to work, why did he just do that?
His face contorts. Easier to focus on Trevor's question.]
I don't think I have a favorite anymore. I don't have the luxury of enjoying meals.
Oh. Not leather-meat. And probably not old blood tea.
[ Well. Now he knows two foods that AREN'T Alucard's favourite. That's a start! Not a GOOD start to his attempts to know things about people, but a start. ]
...do you think she has a favourite?
[ Not that he's going back and forth about whether he has a crush on Sypha or hates her or anything. ]
[ Well. Now he knows two foods that AREN'T Alucard's favourite. That's a start! Not a GOOD start to his attempts to know things about people, but a start. ]
...do you think she has a favourite?
[ Not that he's going back and forth about whether he has a crush on Sypha or hates her or anything. ]
Maybe. She probably has had more time to think about those things.
[Alucard stops, then looks down at his lap. Trevor's coat is still there and....]
Sorry, did you want your coat back? I realize you probably don't feel the chill as badly as we do, but...
[Alucard stops, then looks down at his lap. Trevor's coat is still there and....]
Sorry, did you want your coat back? I realize you probably don't feel the chill as badly as we do, but...
If you don't need it.
[ He doesn't exactly need it back, but it feels odd not to be wearing it. ]
I didn't know what you needed. For the blood. I get warmer if I take blood, so I thought that you might be colder.
[ He doesn't exactly need it back, but it feels odd not to be wearing it. ]
I didn't know what you needed. For the blood. I get warmer if I take blood, so I thought that you might be colder.
....It's cold here. I'll return it to you in the morning, if you'll permit me to borrow it overnight.
[Alucard won't allow fires here, for obvious reasons. This'll do.]
Thank you.
[Alucard won't allow fires here, for obvious reasons. This'll do.]
Thank you.
Least I can do. You're- you know. Like this because you're helping me.
[ He looks back at his book. In truth? He's kind of glad to not be reading it anymore. Maybe he should put it back. Books, it turns out, are Upsetting. ]
You want me to let you sleep?
[ He looks back at his book. In truth? He's kind of glad to not be reading it anymore. Maybe he should put it back. Books, it turns out, are Upsetting. ]
You want me to let you sleep?
It's a fair trade.
[Alucard sighs, then settles back down onto the sofa. He really ought to sleep, huh?]
I think it would be wise. Wake me if something happens between now and morning.
[With that? He settles back onto the sofa properly, face mushed into the cushiosn and darkness around him. Alucard is so quiet, so still, and....
...asleep.]
[Alucard sighs, then settles back down onto the sofa. He really ought to sleep, huh?]
I think it would be wise. Wake me if something happens between now and morning.
[With that? He settles back onto the sofa properly, face mushed into the cushiosn and darkness around him. Alucard is so quiet, so still, and....
...asleep.]
[ He doesn't know what to do when the humans are asleep. Until now he's been reading, Sypha gets frustrated that he knows so little about humanity when he's trying to make decisions for them. But he doesn't like reading. It was nice at first, but then the books kept being about upsetting things.
He tries, for a while, but then he finds himself putting the book back and hovering over the humans instead. Sypha hates it when he does that. She doesn't like the idea of a vampire watching her sleep.
But if he didn't watch, he wouldn't notice things. Notice how still Alucard is, compared to Sypha. Notice when that stillness is broken by tiny shivers, so small that he wouldn't have picked up on them before his senses were sharpened by the blood.
He knows enough to be aware that it's improper to curl up against a person while they're asleep when he's human-shaped. But dog shaped? That seems normal. A moment's consideration and he's a wolf with dark, shaggy fur, trying to find room to curl up on the Sofa next to Alucard, burying his way between his arms. ]
He tries, for a while, but then he finds himself putting the book back and hovering over the humans instead. Sypha hates it when he does that. She doesn't like the idea of a vampire watching her sleep.
But if he didn't watch, he wouldn't notice things. Notice how still Alucard is, compared to Sypha. Notice when that stillness is broken by tiny shivers, so small that he wouldn't have picked up on them before his senses were sharpened by the blood.
He knows enough to be aware that it's improper to curl up against a person while they're asleep when he's human-shaped. But dog shaped? That seems normal. A moment's consideration and he's a wolf with dark, shaggy fur, trying to find room to curl up on the Sofa next to Alucard, burying his way between his arms. ]
[ He hadn't realised, in truth, how badly Leon had injured him. Everyone had been hurt in the aftermath of the battle and been too glad to be alive for it to matter. Compared to the humans, with his natural healing closing the surface wounds, he seemed the picture of health. And in their absence, there was nobody to notice slurred speech. The constant headaches and dizziness became something that he adjusted to. The trail of dried blood from one ear that he noticed every now and then was concerning, but never enough to do anything. What action would he have even taken about that?
Sypha had laughed the first time he forgot what he was talking about mid-sentence when they came back. The second, she had seemed concerned. The third, something like guilt crossed over her face. She poked at the side of his head. She had Alucard poke at the side of his head. They got scared. Talked about skull fractures. And then he'd been confined to bed for the last few days, with each of them taking turns to make sure he had a consistent supply of blood. More than he was really comfortable taking. More than they could afford to give in such a short period of time, even with the burden shared between them.
Alucard was the first to struggle, because of his refusal to drink the horrible tea if Sypha is to be believed. By the time Trevor was up and about, his legs were starting to fail him as he walked. He'd caught him and carried him to a guest room. ]
Food.
[ He says it before he enters the room with a tray. It's a few hours later now. Sypha's taken his ability to catch a falling alchemist as proof of health, at least enough to let him work around the kitchen. ]
Sypha had laughed the first time he forgot what he was talking about mid-sentence when they came back. The second, she had seemed concerned. The third, something like guilt crossed over her face. She poked at the side of his head. She had Alucard poke at the side of his head. They got scared. Talked about skull fractures. And then he'd been confined to bed for the last few days, with each of them taking turns to make sure he had a consistent supply of blood. More than he was really comfortable taking. More than they could afford to give in such a short period of time, even with the burden shared between them.
Alucard was the first to struggle, because of his refusal to drink the horrible tea if Sypha is to be believed. By the time Trevor was up and about, his legs were starting to fail him as he walked. He'd caught him and carried him to a guest room. ]
Food.
[ He says it before he enters the room with a tray. It's a few hours later now. Sypha's taken his ability to catch a falling alchemist as proof of health, at least enough to let him work around the kitchen. ]
Page 147 of 199
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 141
- 142
- 143
- 144
- 145
- 146
- 147
- 148
- 149
- 150
- 151
- 152
- 153
- 154
- 155
- 156
- 157
- 158
- 159
- 160
- 161
- 162
- 163
- 164
- 165
- 166
- 167
- 168
- 169
- 170
- 171
- 172
- 173
- 174
- 175
- 176
- 177
- 178
- 179
- 180
- 181
- 182
- 183
- 184
- 185
- 186
- 187
- 188
- 189
- 190
- 191
- 192
- 193
- 194
- 195
- 196
- 197
- 198
- 199
- »
Page 147 of 199