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It's what makes us human.
[Alucard takes a few bites of food before continuing, and he evaluates Trevor's work from his own distance. It's nice, having supplies without paying for them.]
She will. That much I can promise you.
[Alucard takes a few bites of food before continuing, and he evaluates Trevor's work from his own distance. It's nice, having supplies without paying for them.]
She will. That much I can promise you.
[Alucard keeps stroking. Rocks back and forth a little, in case that adds to anything happening here.]
Just ride everything out. I understand.
Just ride everything out. I understand.
"Maybe you should start," she tosses out, "For the sake of future historians, and all the ridiculous theories they'll cook up to explain how one man could live so long. I'm putting my hypothetical money on the 'Adrian Tepes was a title, not a person' school of thought."
True, though, that his perspective is that of a single person, and one bound to be uniquely alien at that. Setting aside the immortality and the...parentage, he's also accustomed to a certain level of wealth and standing. But then Sypha supposes that's true of most surviving accounts of the ancient world. Little people haven't the time, energy, or anyone to look after their posthumous estates.
None of which helps her address the enormous gap in her understanding of her own people's history, or access that ancient knowledge right now. Sypha flings herself into the open end of the sofa, arms over her head in a posture of abject dismay and frustration. "It'll be weeks before I can get word back from any of the nearby caravans, with this weather," she bemoans, "And that's assuming any of the elders take my request seriously, or feel I can be trusted with what's probably considered apocrypha." She scrubs her hands over her face and fixes Adrian with a wry look. "I did mention they're not so pleased with the whole 'settle in a city semi permanently' decision, yes?"
True, though, that his perspective is that of a single person, and one bound to be uniquely alien at that. Setting aside the immortality and the...parentage, he's also accustomed to a certain level of wealth and standing. But then Sypha supposes that's true of most surviving accounts of the ancient world. Little people haven't the time, energy, or anyone to look after their posthumous estates.
None of which helps her address the enormous gap in her understanding of her own people's history, or access that ancient knowledge right now. Sypha flings herself into the open end of the sofa, arms over her head in a posture of abject dismay and frustration. "It'll be weeks before I can get word back from any of the nearby caravans, with this weather," she bemoans, "And that's assuming any of the elders take my request seriously, or feel I can be trusted with what's probably considered apocrypha." She scrubs her hands over her face and fixes Adrian with a wry look. "I did mention they're not so pleased with the whole 'settle in a city semi permanently' decision, yes?"
Watching all of this, one truth becomes evident: Sypha is one of the most animated, expressive people that Alucard has ever encountered. It is neither a good nor a bad thing, just a simple truth that speaks to her passionate nature and how strong her opinions can be. And watching her? He...
...there's feelings, and he hasn't the time to reflect terribly long on them.
"I actually might like to read that argument," he admits with a terribly sly smile, before growing serious again. The matter of the Speakers is the real focus here, and how they have long contended with history.
With Sypha flinging herself into the awaiting end of the sofa, Alucard's focus shifts there. He doesn't reach out to offer comfort though, if only because it seems obvious that she'll be moving in a second and shrug his hand off.
"You alluded to it, yes," Alucard replies. "Although if you mention my name, there may be more of a response. Positive or negative though, I can't possibly say. I've long since lost track of where your people stand on me."
...there's feelings, and he hasn't the time to reflect terribly long on them.
"I actually might like to read that argument," he admits with a terribly sly smile, before growing serious again. The matter of the Speakers is the real focus here, and how they have long contended with history.
With Sypha flinging herself into the awaiting end of the sofa, Alucard's focus shifts there. He doesn't reach out to offer comfort though, if only because it seems obvious that she'll be moving in a second and shrug his hand off.
"You alluded to it, yes," Alucard replies. "Although if you mention my name, there may be more of a response. Positive or negative though, I can't possibly say. I've long since lost track of where your people stand on me."
[ He does. He clings to Alucard, so fragile and lovely, and cries until his head aches from it. It's humiliating, the way everything hits at once and hits so hard.
His sisters are gone. Leon is gone. Until minutes ago, he'd had nothing left in the world but the time-locked ghost of a dog. And now he has two humans, and somehow that's harder than having nothing at all.
Eventually the sobbing stops and he falls still. It's a while after that that he actually talks. ]
Can we try that again, some other time? The magic and the- [ kissing. ] -everything else.
I ruined it this time.
His sisters are gone. Leon is gone. Until minutes ago, he'd had nothing left in the world but the time-locked ghost of a dog. And now he has two humans, and somehow that's harder than having nothing at all.
Eventually the sobbing stops and he falls still. It's a while after that that he actually talks. ]
Can we try that again, some other time? The magic and the- [ kissing. ] -everything else.
I ruined it this time.
Hopefully she'll wake up soon. It'd be nice to have something to call her other than just 'plague lady'.
[ Not that giving one's name to him would be the best idea in the world to someone who doesn't know how bad he is at fairy-ing. But at least he can have a fake name to call her by. He sets the cloth down. He doesn't really like looking at the imperfect work, and it'll be a relief when it's shredded into bandages. And so he turns his back on it, scooting over to Alucard's table to sit by his feet. Watching his hands, how they're bony in places and acid-marked in others, with that shiny burn scar along one. ]
Is it easier now?
[ Touching he means, not that he's giving any indication that that's what he's talking about. ]
[ Not that giving one's name to him would be the best idea in the world to someone who doesn't know how bad he is at fairy-ing. But at least he can have a fake name to call her by. He sets the cloth down. He doesn't really like looking at the imperfect work, and it'll be a relief when it's shredded into bandages. And so he turns his back on it, scooting over to Alucard's table to sit by his feet. Watching his hands, how they're bony in places and acid-marked in others, with that shiny burn scar along one. ]
Is it easier now?
[ Touching he means, not that he's giving any indication that that's what he's talking about. ]
...I've just been referring to her as a Speaker, which seems a slight step up from plague lady.
[It comes with a very soft laugh. Alucard doesn't mind that Trevor's bad at fairying, although he knows that from experience already. What does surprise him is that Trevor moves closer, but not up. There is, indeed, a chair across from him. Alucard pauses, then looks down.]
You don't have to stay on the floor, you know.
[Alucard pauses, then gives an honest response.]
I flinch less at things now, if that's what you mean.
[It comes with a very soft laugh. Alucard doesn't mind that Trevor's bad at fairying, although he knows that from experience already. What does surprise him is that Trevor moves closer, but not up. There is, indeed, a chair across from him. Alucard pauses, then looks down.]
You don't have to stay on the floor, you know.
[Alucard pauses, then gives an honest response.]
I flinch less at things now, if that's what you mean.
[Alucard does nothing more. Trevor has to ride this out, and he knows that the best he can do is just be physically present. It sucks. But it could be so much worse.
He continues and continues holding. Being quiet.
And then when Trevor asks, he only has one question in response:]
Do we have to go all the way back to Hell?
He continues and continues holding. Being quiet.
And then when Trevor asks, he only has one question in response:]
Do we have to go all the way back to Hell?
Just for the magic.
[ The laugh he gets in response to that is weak, but genuine. ]
The rest- I think the rest would be best here. [ The kissing, but also the gathering Alucard up and carrying him around. He'd like to do more of that, too. ]
[ The laugh he gets in response to that is weak, but genuine. ]
The rest- I think the rest would be best here. [ The kissing, but also the gathering Alucard up and carrying him around. He'd like to do more of that, too. ]
But there are other speakers. There aren't other plague ladies.
[ He looks up at Alucard, then at the chair. And then moves to sit there in a flurry of moths. He can follow instructions! Look how good he is at following instructions!
Is that what he means? He doesn't really know. ]
I think- I think that's what I mean. You touched me before. All on your own. It was- nice.
[ He looks up at Alucard, then at the chair. And then moves to sit there in a flurry of moths. He can follow instructions! Look how good he is at following instructions!
Is that what he means? He doesn't really know. ]
I think- I think that's what I mean. You touched me before. All on your own. It was- nice.
[Oh...okay. Sure, that seems a little dramatic when one could just sit up off the floor but you do you, you funky moth man.]
The culture here is a little more touchy in general. I've had to adjust, but your sister's dog and yourself made it a lot easier to manage.
The culture here is a little more touchy in general. I've had to adjust, but your sister's dog and yourself made it a lot easier to manage.
That'll do.
[Alucard pats Trevor softly, then nudges him.]
Let's get inside.
[Alucard pats Trevor softly, then nudges him.]
Let's get inside.
[ He made it easier. He made it easier. He perks up, not at all unlike a dog that’s been told it’s doing well. ]
I’ll tell Eight she did well when I next see her.
[ Talking to the dogs is just a Trevor being weird thing, not a fairy thing. He doesn’t reach out to touch Alucard, he still knows better, but his smile could melt ice. ]
You got so handsome, too.
I’ll tell Eight she did well when I next see her.
[ Talking to the dogs is just a Trevor being weird thing, not a fairy thing. He doesn’t reach out to touch Alucard, he still knows better, but his smile could melt ice. ]
You got so handsome, too.
If your sister allows her dogs to travel, I'd like to thank Eight in person. She....would not enjoy the weather here for very long, admittedly.
[He really misses Eight sometimes, okay? She was a Good Dog and--
--oh.
It's pretty much impossible to hide the scarlet color on Alucard's face at that.]
I...thank you?
[He really misses Eight sometimes, okay? She was a Good Dog and--
--oh.
It's pretty much impossible to hide the scarlet color on Alucard's face at that.]
I...thank you?
Okay.
[ He almost asks if he can carry Alucard again, but right now even his own weight feels almost too much. He pushes himself up unsteadily, half floating so as not to have to carry his own weight on his shaking legs. ]
I- both of you?
[ Alucard said that, didn’t he? That they both love him. ]
[ He almost asks if he can carry Alucard again, but right now even his own weight feels almost too much. He pushes himself up unsteadily, half floating so as not to have to carry his own weight on his shaking legs. ]
I- both of you?
[ Alucard said that, didn’t he? That they both love him. ]
[ He shakes his head. ]
Eight is- my sister brought her to her library because she was hurt. And she didn’t get better, she just lost the parts of her that hurt. She’s fine there, but she wouldn’t be able to survive in the human world. Dogs need all their inside bits out here, not just some of them.
[ Sometimes dogs don’t have enough organs and it’s sad. Sad enough that he won’t hit on Alucard in the same tag as discussing it. Instead, he thinks. ]
But I owe you for looking after plague lady, so- I’ll see what I can do.
[ He can’t bring Eight to Alucard. But maybe a way to make her presence known. To make it feel like she’s there. ]
Eight is- my sister brought her to her library because she was hurt. And she didn’t get better, she just lost the parts of her that hurt. She’s fine there, but she wouldn’t be able to survive in the human world. Dogs need all their inside bits out here, not just some of them.
[ Sometimes dogs don’t have enough organs and it’s sad. Sad enough that he won’t hit on Alucard in the same tag as discussing it. Instead, he thinks. ]
But I owe you for looking after plague lady, so- I’ll see what I can do.
[ He can’t bring Eight to Alucard. But maybe a way to make her presence known. To make it feel like she’s there. ]
The both of us, yes. We talked about it while we were on the road.
[It's Alucard's turn to offer Trevor his arm.]
We just weren't sure how. This seemed as good a time as any.
[It's Alucard's turn to offer Trevor his arm.]
We just weren't sure how. This seemed as good a time as any.
[Alucard considers. Then:]
When the Speaker is better, perhaps we can take an hour or so back to where we were?
When the Speaker is better, perhaps we can take an hour or so back to where we were?
[ So he might not have skin so pale it sparkles in the moonlight like blondie here has, but he's glad to know that his rugged sort of appeal is both adored and desired by the dhampir since, let's be real here, Alucard is probably the better one between them to get away with wearing something like that. Not to say that Trevor himself can't wear leathers and chains and let his own tiddies show, just, you know, he likes how Alucard looks in all that sort of stuff. Or this. This is pretty nice, too.
So those words, much as they get a chuckle out of him, have Trevor hum along the expanse of Alucard's neck as he makes his way up to nip at his jaw. ]
I could turn something else around, too.
[ That something being you, Alucard, which he teases the thought of doing with hands coming down to firmly grip those slender hips. ]
So those words, much as they get a chuckle out of him, have Trevor hum along the expanse of Alucard's neck as he makes his way up to nip at his jaw. ]
I could turn something else around, too.
[ That something being you, Alucard, which he teases the thought of doing with hands coming down to firmly grip those slender hips. ]
"You know," Sypha peeks slyly between her fingers, "There's a tacit Speaker tradition of disseminating misinformation when it suits the protection of delicate truths. If you want an alibi, we could start teasing that one out into the world."
Which, actually, ties to his suggestion of invoking him with the elders. Sypha twists her hands together, purses her lips, and then blurts: "I've been trying to figure out how to tell them about you. I wondered at first if they would even believe me, but now there's...this." The knowledge of Speaker magic, however brittle and threadbare. She taps her fingers to her mouth.
There are rituals to accessing knowledge. The Speaker aversion to written word has as much to do with its easy access as its easy destruction - in the wrong hands, information can cause as much devastation as innovation. And so there are steps, rote questions, call-and-response patterns that must be danced to get at the things a seeker might wish to know. Approach one of the elders asking about magic, and they'd assume she wanted to talk about the weather.
"I could start there," she muses, "Ask about you as a historical figure, work my way backward through the oral chronology. It's a way to test the current opinion on you, too. I confess, it's been a long time since I've taken a folklore refresher."
Which, actually, ties to his suggestion of invoking him with the elders. Sypha twists her hands together, purses her lips, and then blurts: "I've been trying to figure out how to tell them about you. I wondered at first if they would even believe me, but now there's...this." The knowledge of Speaker magic, however brittle and threadbare. She taps her fingers to her mouth.
There are rituals to accessing knowledge. The Speaker aversion to written word has as much to do with its easy access as its easy destruction - in the wrong hands, information can cause as much devastation as innovation. And so there are steps, rote questions, call-and-response patterns that must be danced to get at the things a seeker might wish to know. Approach one of the elders asking about magic, and they'd assume she wanted to talk about the weather.
"I could start there," she muses, "Ask about you as a historical figure, work my way backward through the oral chronology. It's a way to test the current opinion on you, too. I confess, it's been a long time since I've taken a folklore refresher."
Both of you. Shit.
[ He's cautious about putting his weight onto Alucard. It takes him a few more steps of mostly floating, but eventually, eventually, he does. It feels wrong, to be the one to lean on the others. But maybe- maybe right now it's what he needs. He can go back to carrying everyone else's weight later. ]
Can we just- I don't know. Go somewhere to sit down? And I just- you're just there. With me.
[ Cuddling, is the word he's looking for. ]
[ He's cautious about putting his weight onto Alucard. It takes him a few more steps of mostly floating, but eventually, eventually, he does. It feels wrong, to be the one to lean on the others. But maybe- maybe right now it's what he needs. He can go back to carrying everyone else's weight later. ]
Can we just- I don't know. Go somewhere to sit down? And I just- you're just there. With me.
[ Cuddling, is the word he's looking for. ]
You would go back?
[ Only for an hour. Only for an hour but still an hour. Another hour sat by the little pond with Alucard, while Eight clambers on top of him, all fluff and happiness and big pink tongue. Like before. ]
I'll take you. And I'll bring you back, I promise, the second you ask.
[ Only for an hour. Only for an hour but still an hour. Another hour sat by the little pond with Alucard, while Eight clambers on top of him, all fluff and happiness and big pink tongue. Like before. ]
I'll take you. And I'll bring you back, I promise, the second you ask.
You could, but that, like perhaps other things, would be premature.
[Is he smirking? About that specific joke? He seems to be, and for all the world, Alucard looks rather proud for making it too.
He reaches out one hand, placing it along side Trevor's jaw. Fingers stroking along it, enjoying being able to just touch.]
Plus the view isn't as nice.
[Is he smirking? About that specific joke? He seems to be, and for all the world, Alucard looks rather proud for making it too.
He reaches out one hand, placing it along side Trevor's jaw. Fingers stroking along it, enjoying being able to just touch.]
Plus the view isn't as nice.
There are nights I do miss it. The quietness, mostly.
[And Eight. Because you can't cuddle a dog like that in this place.]
As you've already noticed, this city doesn't do quiet nights.
[And Eight. Because you can't cuddle a dog like that in this place.]
As you've already noticed, this city doesn't do quiet nights.
The library, I think.
[Alucard keeps leading. Arm around Trevor. Going up each stair, step by human step. Continuing until they're in the library itself, and Alucard can steer them over to the comfiest of sofas.]
You sit down first.
[Alucard keeps leading. Arm around Trevor. Going up each stair, step by human step. Continuing until they're in the library itself, and Alucard can steer them over to the comfiest of sofas.]
You sit down first.
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