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--Yes?
[Few people call the house. Few people have the number, and Alucard can guess at who might be calling right now.]
[Few people call the house. Few people have the number, and Alucard can guess at who might be calling right now.]
Me. Trevor.
[ Thank fuck. He was still half expecting Dracula to answer. He sighs with relief before taking a deep breath, moving closer to the phone because the common room is standing room only and barely that. ]
Not going to be able to meet you later. It's- [ He can't talk about the litter of kittens here. If the house owner has even a suspicion that he's responsible for animals being in here then he'll be out on the streets before evening. ] -something important came up. Sorry.
[ Thank fuck. He was still half expecting Dracula to answer. He sighs with relief before taking a deep breath, moving closer to the phone because the common room is standing room only and barely that. ]
Not going to be able to meet you later. It's- [ He can't talk about the litter of kittens here. If the house owner has even a suspicion that he's responsible for animals being in here then he'll be out on the streets before evening. ] -something important came up. Sorry.
Something....
[Alucard pauses, trying to read between the lines. Carefully. Considering.]
Do you need help?
[Alucard pauses, trying to read between the lines. Carefully. Considering.]
Do you need help?
It'll be fine. Just something I need to deal with before tonight.
[ He, in turn, tries to read the pause. Alucard makes his life complicated, but he's also one of the few really bright things in it right now. He doesn't want to lose that. His voice softens, goes quieter. ]
Sorry for the- you know. The sudden cancelling. Still want to meet you, just busy.
[ He, in turn, tries to read the pause. Alucard makes his life complicated, but he's also one of the few really bright things in it right now. He doesn't want to lose that. His voice softens, goes quieter. ]
Sorry for the- you know. The sudden cancelling. Still want to meet you, just busy.
I don't mind the cancellation, but is that bad?
[Alucard tilts his head, even if the gesture can't be seen.]
Are you at the boarding house?
[Alucard tilts his head, even if the gesture can't be seen.]
Are you at the boarding house?
Yeah. So- you know. Can't talk about it too much. Or for too long, I think the next guy in line is getting antsy.
[ It's true, but it's also other things. An excuse to end the conversation, partially. An explanation for why he has to be so vague. ]
Work's kind of shitty right now - don't think I'll be free during daylight. I'll try to get back to you on Sunday to plan?
[ It's true, but it's also other things. An excuse to end the conversation, partially. An explanation for why he has to be so vague. ]
Work's kind of shitty right now - don't think I'll be free during daylight. I'll try to get back to you on Sunday to plan?
You don't have to. I'll talk to you on Sunday.
[ And he hangs up, because of course he does. Not always boyfriend of the year.
When Alucard inevitably shows up, Trevor's not at the boarding house itself. Instead he's in one of the alleys nearby, out of the way but not quite hidden from view, staring into a canvas bag. ]
You're doing fine. I think. Just- fuck, get those little arseholes out of you, and we'll figure out the rest later.
[ And he hangs up, because of course he does. Not always boyfriend of the year.
When Alucard inevitably shows up, Trevor's not at the boarding house itself. Instead he's in one of the alleys nearby, out of the way but not quite hidden from view, staring into a canvas bag. ]
You're doing fine. I think. Just- fuck, get those little arseholes out of you, and we'll figure out the rest later.
[Alucard is all set to knock on the door of the boarding house, and--
That is his boyfriend. In an alley. With a canvas bag. He pauses, staring at the sight.]
Trevor? What's with--
[He gestures at the bag.]
That is his boyfriend. In an alley. With a canvas bag. He pauses, staring at the sight.]
Trevor? What's with--
[He gestures at the bag.]
Fuck off, fuck off.
[ He's not exactly surprised that Alucard showed up - he knows that he gets worried. But it's not exactly a great time. It's also not exactly a great way for him to say hi to his boyfriend. Sorry Alucard. His face softens and he's about to say something apologetic when the bag yowls. ]
It's fine. It's fine. He's not trouble. [ He looks up. ] Just- try not to stress her. She's having a hell of a day.
[ He's not exactly surprised that Alucard showed up - he knows that he gets worried. But it's not exactly a great time. It's also not exactly a great way for him to say hi to his boyfriend. Sorry Alucard. His face softens and he's about to say something apologetic when the bag yowls. ]
It's fine. It's fine. He's not trouble. [ He looks up. ] Just- try not to stress her. She's having a hell of a day.
[That is a very feline yowl. And a very concerning one at that.]
Would a warmer place with running water be beneficial right now?
Would a warmer place with running water be beneficial right now?
I don't know. I've only done this before with pups-
[ Another yowl, and he turns his attention back to the bag, whispering to its contents softly. ]
You're doing fine. There, there. You're going to clean her up aren't you? Keep her warm. Get her breathing.
[ He gestures for Alucard to come a little closer. ]
Careful, but- look.
[ One kitten is already cleaned and huddled against its mother, with the chew through another's cord before setting about the task of cleaning it and massaging its tiny body into breathing. His voice lowers to a whisper. ]
Can't get seen with them, or the landlord'll have me out. But I can't move them too far either. It can't be good to jostle her around right now.
[ Another yowl, and he turns his attention back to the bag, whispering to its contents softly. ]
You're doing fine. There, there. You're going to clean her up aren't you? Keep her warm. Get her breathing.
[ He gestures for Alucard to come a little closer. ]
Careful, but- look.
[ One kitten is already cleaned and huddled against its mother, with the chew through another's cord before setting about the task of cleaning it and massaging its tiny body into breathing. His voice lowers to a whisper. ]
Can't get seen with them, or the landlord'll have me out. But I can't move them too far either. It can't be good to jostle her around right now.
[Alucard looks down, and oh. Oh this is moving so much faster than he thought. It wasn't early, it was late as anything.
He nods once.]
We'll go to the backseat of my car. Keep an eye on her, I'll find some kind of a box so that there's something sturdy you can put the bag down on. When all is said and done, we'll get her to the townhouse my mother uses for when she has to remain in the city for a few days at a time due to hospital shifts.
Okay?
He nods once.]
We'll go to the backseat of my car. Keep an eye on her, I'll find some kind of a box so that there's something sturdy you can put the bag down on. When all is said and done, we'll get her to the townhouse my mother uses for when she has to remain in the city for a few days at a time due to hospital shifts.
Okay?
[ Oh right. Yeah. His boyfriend is rich and being rich solves problems. ]
Okay. Once this one's started breathing. I think it'll be safest to move them then. Hopefully it'll just be these two. If not, we'll at least have a few minutes where they're all breathing and not shoving out babies.
[ It will not just be those two. And for once, he doesn't react like he's afraid of owing Alucard for doing something nice for him. Probably because it's not for him, it's for the cats. ]
Hear that? Going to be dragging you around again, I'm afraid. But to somewhere safer this time, promise.
Okay. Once this one's started breathing. I think it'll be safest to move them then. Hopefully it'll just be these two. If not, we'll at least have a few minutes where they're all breathing and not shoving out babies.
[ It will not just be those two. And for once, he doesn't react like he's afraid of owing Alucard for doing something nice for him. Probably because it's not for him, it's for the cats. ]
Hear that? Going to be dragging you around again, I'm afraid. But to somewhere safer this time, promise.
Come on. I'm parked around the corner.
[Of the street he means, but Alucard doesn't move at his normal hurried pace. He's slow. Trying to let Trevor set the pace for the sake of what's going on in that bag, and how delicate it all has to be. Alucard's heard so many stories from his mother's work that he knows that this moment is key, be it person or animal.]
Have you named her?
[Of the street he means, but Alucard doesn't move at his normal hurried pace. He's slow. Trying to let Trevor set the pace for the sake of what's going on in that bag, and how delicate it all has to be. Alucard's heard so many stories from his mother's work that he knows that this moment is key, be it person or animal.]
Have you named her?
[ He waits a little longer, until the kitten's tiny chest starts to rise and fall just slightly. There. It's as safe to move them now as it's going to get. He picks up the bag so, so carefully, shaking his head when Alucard asks about the name. ]
Havn't had time. I only found her a little while before I called you.
[ He looks down at the cat in his bag. ]
...Yeast?
[ It sounds like a better name when english is your third language okay. ]
Havn't had time. I only found her a little while before I called you.
[ He looks down at the cat in his bag. ]
...Yeast?
[ It sounds like a better name when english is your third language okay. ]
--No. Absolutely not.
[Yeast is an awful name for a cat who deserves better than delivering in a bag. So he keeps moving, and once at the car, opens the back door.]
Get in. I'm taking the keys with me so it looks like you're waiting for the driver to get back.
[Yeast is an awful name for a cat who deserves better than delivering in a bag. So he keeps moving, and once at the car, opens the back door.]
Get in. I'm taking the keys with me so it looks like you're waiting for the driver to get back.
What's wrong with yeast?
[ IT'S A GROSS NAME, TREVOR. He gets into the back of the car, putting the bag down on the back seat, only very distantly worried about the potential for the nice car seats getting soiled by cat mess and hoping that the newspapers and spare clothes he's lined the bag with do a decent job of absorbing the worst of it. ]
[ IT'S A GROSS NAME, TREVOR. He gets into the back of the car, putting the bag down on the back seat, only very distantly worried about the potential for the nice car seats getting soiled by cat mess and hoping that the newspapers and spare clothes he's lined the bag with do a decent job of absorbing the worst of it. ]
As a name, it isn't great. Look, we'll talk about it later.
[Alucard disappears after that. He takes time, ruffling around the allies in the area and-- bingo.
He comes back ten minutes later with a wood box originally used for shipping oranges. It's a sturdy thing with sides, but Alucard's found no fabric or newspaper to be lined within. He places it on the seat beside Trevor.]
This was the best I could find. How's she doing, how many kittens?
[Alucard disappears after that. He takes time, ruffling around the allies in the area and-- bingo.
He comes back ten minutes later with a wood box originally used for shipping oranges. It's a sturdy thing with sides, but Alucard's found no fabric or newspaper to be lined within. He places it on the seat beside Trevor.]
This was the best I could find. How's she doing, how many kittens?
Better for nesting than the bag, at least.
[ Carefully, carefully, he moves the bag of cats and laundry and paper into the box, pulling down the sides of the bag to turn the whole pile of things into a makeshift cat bed. There's another kitten now, in the process of being licked to life. The first two are happily latched on. For the most part, aside from the less than ideal circumstances, things seem to be going as well as they could. ]
Another kitten. Seems healthy enough. Three now. The contractions are still happening, though. think there's at least one more on the way.
[ Carefully, carefully, he moves the bag of cats and laundry and paper into the box, pulling down the sides of the bag to turn the whole pile of things into a makeshift cat bed. There's another kitten now, in the process of being licked to life. The first two are happily latched on. For the most part, aside from the less than ideal circumstances, things seem to be going as well as they could. ]
Another kitten. Seems healthy enough. Three now. The contractions are still happening, though. think there's at least one more on the way.
It'll be a little more stable when the car starts to move.
[Alucard's so quiet when Trevor slides the bag sides down. The cat nest was the goal, and oh, oh they're so tiny. He doesn't dare do anything else but look. Smiling, just a little.]
Four is a good number. [Not too many.]
When the pups were delivered, what did you all do next?
[Alucard's so quiet when Trevor slides the bag sides down. The cat nest was the goal, and oh, oh they're so tiny. He doesn't dare do anything else but look. Smiling, just a little.]
Four is a good number. [Not too many.]
When the pups were delivered, what did you all do next?
For the most part, we'd let the mother be to look after her pups. As long as she was taking care of them, she'd do a better job of it than we could. I'll need to find something that's not too difficult for her to eat while she recovers. Eggs, probably. Then just- make sure nothing stresses her too much for a while.
[ He looks over at the tiny, tiny little things. They're so small, oh god. His shoulders sink slowly. ]
She'd nested inside one of the mattresses at the boarding house without anyone noticing, so the bed across from mine just starts yowling out of nowhere. Scared the shit out of me.
[ He looks over at the tiny, tiny little things. They're so small, oh god. His shoulders sink slowly. ]
She'd nested inside one of the mattresses at the boarding house without anyone noticing, so the bed across from mine just starts yowling out of nowhere. Scared the shit out of me.
I think we can do that. And I can stay in the house to make sure as well. We'll have some better fabric scraps for keeping everyone warm.
[They're incredibly small. Alucard's starting to realize how precarious the idea of actually transporting these things may be. It's more than a little scary.]
That answers my next question, at least. [Alucard pauses and--]
Will you want to look after them as well?
[They're incredibly small. Alucard's starting to realize how precarious the idea of actually transporting these things may be. It's more than a little scary.]
That answers my next question, at least. [Alucard pauses and--]
Will you want to look after them as well?
Wish I could. The landlord's not exactly- ugh.
[ He doesn't want Alucard to offer him charity. Offering the cats charity? That's fine. But not him, and discusions of his landlord and rent and risk of being kicked out at any moment tend to make Alucard try to solve all his problems for him. ]
The mother'll be able to take care of them. She just picked a fucking awful place to do it.
[ He doesn't want Alucard to offer him charity. Offering the cats charity? That's fine. But not him, and discusions of his landlord and rent and risk of being kicked out at any moment tend to make Alucard try to solve all his problems for him. ]
The mother'll be able to take care of them. She just picked a fucking awful place to do it.
[Alucard considers this. The solution? That seems obvious.]
She'll have the townhouse as long as she needs then. You can check in on them all that way.
She'll have the townhouse as long as she needs then. You can check in on them all that way.
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