![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I didn't know you wearing this came with a time limit.
[ Said with a bit of a huff albeit playful in nature before he leans in to press one, two, three slow kisses along the dhampir's neck, a hand allowing the tips of his fingers to still slowly roam over the front of it all. ]
Sounds like bullshit if you ask me.
[ And, pulling back a bit to look down to the blond. ]
Besides, I think you look better with nothing at all on.
[ Said with a bit of a huff albeit playful in nature before he leans in to press one, two, three slow kisses along the dhampir's neck, a hand allowing the tips of his fingers to still slowly roam over the front of it all. ]
Sounds like bullshit if you ask me.
[ And, pulling back a bit to look down to the blond. ]
Besides, I think you look better with nothing at all on.
Hidden like caches? Or hidden like the estate?
[ Both make sense. He's pretty sure it was Mathias' power that made the estate as it is, rather than Leon's. Leon had gained an understanding of magic over his long years, one that allowed him to work with the gates, but was hardly a natural.
He shakes his head. ]
S'fine. I'm best equipped if anything decides to try to come through the gate. And- I Wouldn't want to separate you.
[ Both make sense. He's pretty sure it was Mathias' power that made the estate as it is, rather than Leon's. Leon had gained an understanding of magic over his long years, one that allowed him to work with the gates, but was hardly a natural.
He shakes his head. ]
S'fine. I'm best equipped if anything decides to try to come through the gate. And- I Wouldn't want to separate you.
[ He spends a few months with Alucard, and he never touches him except to carry him from place to place. He plays at domesticity, creating only grassy land outside the cottage and tending it in the human way with digging and planting and weeding. He builds parts of the cottage in the human way, too, until Alucard has a little windowed area built of real stone and wood to sit in the sunlight and read. Trees take too long, the human way, so he never manages to put one in the garden. But he digs a little pond and brings brightly coloured fish to fill it with. Builds a little seat by it so Alucard can sit and let his feet dangle in the water.
He knows it won’t ever be enough, and it isn’t. He brings Alucard back to his own world. Takes him to a place where he says students of medicine are safer. He doesn’t ask to kiss him goodbye.
Time passes. Years. There are no real consequences to breaking the deal that he can sense, not most of the time. Occasionally, his mind screams at him to seek out Alucard (an unconscious attempt at a summoning in moments of danger, not that either of them know it). But he can ignore it. He does ignore it.
It’s seven years and two days since the burning when he next sees Alucard. It’s the very early hours of the morning when he knocks on the clinic door, antlers and wings hidden behind glamours, with a person in his arms. Breaking all the rules again, because he doesn’t know how to repair a human without magic. ]
I need a doctor. Please.
He knows it won’t ever be enough, and it isn’t. He brings Alucard back to his own world. Takes him to a place where he says students of medicine are safer. He doesn’t ask to kiss him goodbye.
Time passes. Years. There are no real consequences to breaking the deal that he can sense, not most of the time. Occasionally, his mind screams at him to seek out Alucard (an unconscious attempt at a summoning in moments of danger, not that either of them know it). But he can ignore it. He does ignore it.
It’s seven years and two days since the burning when he next sees Alucard. It’s the very early hours of the morning when he knocks on the clinic door, antlers and wings hidden behind glamours, with a person in his arms. Breaking all the rules again, because he doesn’t know how to repair a human without magic. ]
I need a doctor. Please.
Not so much a limit as a means of encouragement.
[He laughs softly, angling his neck so that there's more of it to kiss. If nothing else is true about Alucard, he adores attention to his neck to a ridiculous degree. All those kisses come with a soft, pleased hum.]
I could turn that statement right around at you in return.
[He laughs softly, angling his neck so that there's more of it to kiss. If nothing else is true about Alucard, he adores attention to his neck to a ridiculous degree. All those kisses come with a soft, pleased hum.]
I could turn that statement right around at you in return.
Like caches. If we could hide things like the estate...
[They'd never be in this situation to begin with. Alucard sighs and--
--oh.]
We miss you, you know. When we're away.
[They'd never be in this situation to begin with. Alucard sighs and--
--oh.]
We miss you, you know. When we're away.
[In the end, he had stayed for six months. Perhaps it was more time than strictly needed, but part of Alucard had come to appreciate the place. Just a little. Just a hair, because in that closed off little world, no one else could come and go without his own or Trevor's say so. It was quiet. Safe. The only other frequent visitors was one of the dogs that belonged to Trevor's sister (Dog #8, a white fluff cloud of a thing who seemed only to exist to cuddle and warm people.) Alucard ended up sitting near the pond most days, dozing, reading, or letting the dog lie on him. Trevor's presence was no less appreciated but--
--this wasn't an acceptable forever. Alucard knew that much, even if he knew the world wasn't safe. There were some places that might be better than most though, and so for that reason, he had asked Trevor to drop him in Istanbul.
He was older now, with a fine beard and as much muscle mass as he'd ever have in his life, most likely. Alucard walked slow, sometimes with a cane on bad days, and when asked what injury had harmed him so, he never gave the same story twice.
His neighborhood was small. Mostly Europeans, although some Turks had begun to move into the area. No man of faith, Alucard still fit into the Ottoman categorization of Christian, and paid the taxes accordingly. It didn't matter, he could afford it. His medical practice was successful enough in small circles.
That he was still single was a neighbor mystery. He was handsome enough, long hair and a well kept beard, dressed in fine clothes, and clearly could use a companion to lean on. When asked, he only ever gave a sadder, rawer smile and admitted he had bad luck in love. There was something in the smile that got most to drop the subject.
It takes time for Alucard to get to the door. He still sleeps light, and the call to morning prayers inevitably wakes him. But it's too early for that, and so when Alucard opens the door, he's surprised.
Patients show up on his door all the time. Faeries don't.]
Trevor?
[He blinks slowly, before standing aside.]
What's happened?
--this wasn't an acceptable forever. Alucard knew that much, even if he knew the world wasn't safe. There were some places that might be better than most though, and so for that reason, he had asked Trevor to drop him in Istanbul.
He was older now, with a fine beard and as much muscle mass as he'd ever have in his life, most likely. Alucard walked slow, sometimes with a cane on bad days, and when asked what injury had harmed him so, he never gave the same story twice.
His neighborhood was small. Mostly Europeans, although some Turks had begun to move into the area. No man of faith, Alucard still fit into the Ottoman categorization of Christian, and paid the taxes accordingly. It didn't matter, he could afford it. His medical practice was successful enough in small circles.
That he was still single was a neighbor mystery. He was handsome enough, long hair and a well kept beard, dressed in fine clothes, and clearly could use a companion to lean on. When asked, he only ever gave a sadder, rawer smile and admitted he had bad luck in love. There was something in the smile that got most to drop the subject.
It takes time for Alucard to get to the door. He still sleeps light, and the call to morning prayers inevitably wakes him. But it's too early for that, and so when Alucard opens the door, he's surprised.
Patients show up on his door all the time. Faeries don't.]
Trevor?
[He blinks slowly, before standing aside.]
What's happened?
You do?
[ He knew they were always glad to return to the estate, to warmth and food and safety. He’d thought of himself as an extension of that. Maybe Sypha needed him, in that she needed anyone around and who it was didn’t really matter. Alucard always seemed determined not to need to be around anyone. ]
I miss the both of you, too. Aurelius isn’t bad company, but he’s- you know.
[ A dog, and not the kind that’s actually really a vampire. ]
[ He knew they were always glad to return to the estate, to warmth and food and safety. He’d thought of himself as an extension of that. Maybe Sypha needed him, in that she needed anyone around and who it was didn’t really matter. Alucard always seemed determined not to need to be around anyone. ]
I miss the both of you, too. Aurelius isn’t bad company, but he’s- you know.
[ A dog, and not the kind that’s actually really a vampire. ]
I know, I’m not meant to be here. I know. But-
[ He pulls the person in his arms tighter to his chest. It’s hard to tell their gender like this, coppery hair cropped short and face too gaunt to read as masculine or feminine. They’re bundled tightly in furs against the night air, with the collar of a speaker robe poking out beneath them. ]
I took the plague out of her. I did it right. But it’s been two days and she still won’t wake up. The queen doesn’t allow her people in our lands, and I don’t know-
[ Because just getting rid of the sickness by pulling it out and beating up up doesn’t actually repair the damage that it’s done. ]
-I don’t know where else to go. Please.
[ He pulls the person in his arms tighter to his chest. It’s hard to tell their gender like this, coppery hair cropped short and face too gaunt to read as masculine or feminine. They’re bundled tightly in furs against the night air, with the collar of a speaker robe poking out beneath them. ]
I took the plague out of her. I did it right. But it’s been two days and she still won’t wake up. The queen doesn’t allow her people in our lands, and I don’t know-
[ Because just getting rid of the sickness by pulling it out and beating up up doesn’t actually repair the damage that it’s done. ]
-I don’t know where else to go. Please.
He's not a person. He's a dog.
[He understands. But then Alucard stops, letting out a very shaky breath.]
You know we both love you, right?
[He understands. But then Alucard stops, letting out a very shaky breath.]
You know we both love you, right?
[Had plague. That's still a potential problem, and so when Alucard lets Trevor in, he gestures the Belmont to the back of the little home he's made for himself. It's two stories, with the clinic downstairs and living quarters upstairs, and in the back? A quarantine room.]
Let me take a look. While I'm doing that, I need you to destroy all of their garments. The furs, any clothes, everything, The things that carry the plague thrive on fabric. I can give them clean things later. Anything metal I'll sterilize.
Do you have any questions?
Let me take a look. While I'm doing that, I need you to destroy all of their garments. The furs, any clothes, everything, The things that carry the plague thrive on fabric. I can give them clean things later. Anything metal I'll sterilize.
Do you have any questions?
You- what?
[ He can’t have heard that right. It’s- too easy. Surely it’s too easy. Leon said that they were monsters. Part monsters, at least. That if humanity were to tolerate them, it would be the result of a lifetime of work. He’s just- just been here. Just done what seemed right. It can’t work like that, that people just-
-just love him. ]
...why?
[ He hasn’t done anything. ]
[ He can’t have heard that right. It’s- too easy. Surely it’s too easy. Leon said that they were monsters. Part monsters, at least. That if humanity were to tolerate them, it would be the result of a lifetime of work. He’s just- just been here. Just done what seemed right. It can’t work like that, that people just-
-just love him. ]
...why?
[ He hasn’t done anything. ]
You take care of us. [He says it as if this is all obvious. Which to him, it is.]
How can we not?
How can we not?
...won’t she- not have clothes on? If I destroy them?
[ NOT THE TIME TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. He carries the woman to the back, where Alucard leads them. Lays her down carefully on the cot there. Tries to be businesslike about it as he strips away the many, many layers of blankets and robes covering her. ]
I’ve been trying to give her sugar water, to keep her from starving or having too little water. But she can’t swallow it in her sleep and I can only give her a few drops at a time in case she- I don’t know if humans can drown from being fed water wrong.
[ NOT THE TIME TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. He carries the woman to the back, where Alucard leads them. Lays her down carefully on the cot there. Tries to be businesslike about it as he strips away the many, many layers of blankets and robes covering her. ]
I’ve been trying to give her sugar water, to keep her from starving or having too little water. But she can’t swallow it in her sleep and I can only give her a few drops at a time in case she- I don’t know if humans can drown from being fed water wrong.
I have to look at her injuries regardless.
[That's all Alucard says. He just goes about his own business, washing his hands first. Pulling his hair back and up. Putting on thick hide gloves that have been treated to deal with bodily fluids. Then a scarf is tied over his nose and mouth, certain that while Trevor probably has destroyed the plague? He can't take any risks.
Alucard's examination is slow and careful.]
How long was she ill? And if there's any remaining plague in here, can you kindly destroy it now?
[That's all Alucard says. He just goes about his own business, washing his hands first. Pulling his hair back and up. Putting on thick hide gloves that have been treated to deal with bodily fluids. Then a scarf is tied over his nose and mouth, certain that while Trevor probably has destroyed the plague? He can't take any risks.
Alucard's examination is slow and careful.]
How long was she ill? And if there's any remaining plague in here, can you kindly destroy it now?
Of course I do. It’s- what I’m meant to do. Protect humans.
[ Just. You know. Two specific humans. Who he just happens to adore. ]
You don’t have to, you know. Love me. Things won’t change if you don’t. I’ll still- I’ll still be happy to have you both.
[ Just. You know. Two specific humans. Who he just happens to adore. ]
You don’t have to, you know. Love me. Things won’t change if you don’t. I’ll still- I’ll still be happy to have you both.
[...This is it. This is really where it's going to happen, huh?]
Look at me for a moment.
Look at me for a moment.
None left. I’ve checked. I thought it was still there, at first. But it’s not. It’s gone, it’s just- it’s not hurting her anymore, but she’s not getting better from the hurting it did already.
[ There’s an art to not looking while also not making a big deal out of not looking, and Trevor is not great at it. But he’s trying, and slowly each layer is removed and added to a tight bundle of cloth. ]
Her caravan said she left them two weeks ago, when she first knew she was sick. And she’d have to have been sick to know that she was sick so- maybe a little longer than that.
[ There’s an art to not looking while also not making a big deal out of not looking, and Trevor is not great at it. But he’s trying, and slowly each layer is removed and added to a tight bundle of cloth. ]
Her caravan said she left them two weeks ago, when she first knew she was sick. And she’d have to have been sick to know that she was sick so- maybe a little longer than that.
So some of this is starvation and dehydration. That's easy to fix.
[It requires a lot of careful control, but still. Alucard can do that, and he always has enough stored food to make that possible. He reaches for Sypha's arms, and there are sores that are barely healed.
He understands then. She went into the wilderness, survived the worst of the illness, but that left her body with no energy to recover.]
I'm going to clean all the marks from the sores and bandage them. Her body worked overtime to fight the plague, but that's why she isn't recovering. Not enough energy to do so. Sugar water wouldn't be enough.
[He shakes his head slowly.]
She'll be here about two weeks.
[It requires a lot of careful control, but still. Alucard can do that, and he always has enough stored food to make that possible. He reaches for Sypha's arms, and there are sores that are barely healed.
He understands then. She went into the wilderness, survived the worst of the illness, but that left her body with no energy to recover.]
I'm going to clean all the marks from the sores and bandage them. Her body worked overtime to fight the plague, but that's why she isn't recovering. Not enough energy to do so. Sugar water wouldn't be enough.
[He shakes his head slowly.]
She'll be here about two weeks.
[ He does, and he wants to look happy but he doesn’t quite. He just seems confused, like his entire understanding of the world has been shaken. He wants to be happy, but he suddenly doesn’t know his place anymore. He didn’t realise until just now that knowing what he was and what he ought to do about it was one of the few things holding him together.
But maybe he doesn’t need that to hold him together anymore. Maybe the humans can do that from now on. ]
But maybe he doesn’t need that to hold him together anymore. Maybe the humans can do that from now on. ]
[Alucard leans in and kisses the Belmont.
That's all it is. A soft kiss on the lips, easy to break, easy to push away from. But it is a kiss all the same, one delivered gently and with great affection, and Alucard cannot believe his first kiss with the Belmont is in Hell. Of all the things he'd anticipate? Not this. Never this.]
That's all it is. A soft kiss on the lips, easy to break, easy to push away from. But it is a kiss all the same, one delivered gently and with great affection, and Alucard cannot believe his first kiss with the Belmont is in Hell. Of all the things he'd anticipate? Not this. Never this.]
Two weeks.
[ He repeats it softly. Two weeks. Her people could have moved on hundreds of miles by then. She’ll be alone here in a country she doesn’t know with no way to find her family again. ]
...may I see her, while she recovers?
[ He repeats it softly. Two weeks. Her people could have moved on hundreds of miles by then. She’ll be alone here in a country she doesn’t know with no way to find her family again. ]
...may I see her, while she recovers?
[He nods.]
That would be a great help to me, actually.
That would be a great help to me, actually.
[ Oh. That’s what it’s like.
He didn’t realise until now that he’d been wondering. That he’d been staring at Alucard’s lips every now and then, thinking about what it might be like to kiss them. Nice. Nice is what it’s like. He doesn’t pull away, but doesn’t press forward either. Just moves enough to let Alucard know he hasn’t frozen and no more. And then he breaks the kiss and lifts the book, pushing it into his hands. ]
We have our answers. We- don’t really need to be here anymore. Let me take you home?
[ home. ]
He didn’t realise until now that he’d been wondering. That he’d been staring at Alucard’s lips every now and then, thinking about what it might be like to kiss them. Nice. Nice is what it’s like. He doesn’t pull away, but doesn’t press forward either. Just moves enough to let Alucard know he hasn’t frozen and no more. And then he breaks the kiss and lifts the book, pushing it into his hands. ]
We have our answers. We- don’t really need to be here anymore. Let me take you home?
[ home. ]
[Alucard's laugh is a little nervous, but it relaxes. He did the right thing. He needed to do this some time ago, he supposes.]
Hmm, I think I owe you slightly more elaborate magic first.
Hmm, I think I owe you slightly more elaborate magic first.
[ He looks down to the bundle of cloth in his arms. ]
I should- take all of this outside to destroy it, right? [ He’s gonna eat it. He’s a moth, eating cloth is what he does. ] And then I- I’ll wait there, until you have something for me to do.
I should- take all of this outside to destroy it, right? [ He’s gonna eat it. He’s a moth, eating cloth is what he does. ] And then I- I’ll wait there, until you have something for me to do.
Page 162 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 162 of 199