[ They survive the solstice. Sypha has long since found ways of procuring moth larvae, and he slowly rebuilds himself again. Leon has his family prepare themselves for a terrible response that never comes. There are great floods, and Sypha freezes bridges across the water while his eldest sister swoops and dives into it to carry survivors out in her talons. Enid's hounds bear men and women out of the paths of mudslides. But none of them are made to hurt. The land that remains is flat and fertile and easy to tend, a tame place made out of a wild one. And Leon smiles, softer and brighter than he has in centuries, because maybe there is still hope after all.
He falls asleep after the most recent of these disasters with his arms around Sypha. And just feels- wrong, when he stirs. Her shoulders are broader, her hair longer and- cold. She's cold.
That strokes him as the most important thing. Humans aren't meant to be too cold. This is a fact that he knows about humans. So he pulls her tighter to him, pulling a wing over them both. ]
[Alucard wakes once a week, takes food, then returns to sleep. His parents are fighting in the rare way they do where they can fight for hours, drift apart to other areas of the castle, then come back together not long after in order to make up. The process has repeated itself for much of the summer, and Alucard is no closer to being allowed out of the house than he was at the start. He is not allowed out until he can be protected from the Queen, and Alucard? He's fine with that.
So he sleeps, dreaming of deep winters and long nights. He dreams of deep forests, happily wrapped up in his warmest coat (his normal coat but with a fur lining), walking through crunching snow.]
[ It's only when he stirs a second time that he realises that he isn't holding on to anyone at all. He pushes himself up onto his knees, staring at the snow where he was lying, where Sypha ought to be, and pawing at it softly. He lowers his eyes when Alucard approaches, not rising. ]
Look- I'm not here because I'm following you. I swear.
[ He doesn't even know how he feels about Alucard anymore, but he knows that he doesn't want him to feel unsafe because of him. ]
[Alucard's words are soft. Too much like the last time, it is twilight here, with a glowing deep purple sky settling over the snow covered landscape. Alucard's fear doesn't exist though, not like the last time.]
Did she use some kind of spell that impacts sleep?
[ He has to think, because- where was he before this? It's difficult to remember, from here. the waking world is distant. He only barely remembers that he was lying next to Sypha. ]
-is that what this is? She made a medicine, I think.
[ He has. A little. Sypha's been worried about Alucard's inability to leave the castle and he- he doesn't know anymore. He finally stands, dusting the snow from himself and looking about. ]
Sorry for- intruding? I think? Lucky your dad didn't find a way to put iron in here.
[From no where, there is a small bench behind them both. Simple, just made of wood, nothing fancy. No iron holding it together either, just interlocking pegs. That's where Alucard goes to sit.]
I don't think you could intrude if I wasn't allowing for this on some level.
[ It's the reverse of their last meeting in a lot of ways. A place entirely under Alucard's control. The difference is that he probably doesn't have to be afraid, just- uncertain. Deeply uncertain. He'd rather hoped not to see Alucard again after their last meeting. Safer for both of them. Safer for everyone who could possibly be involved.
And there's only so much not being wanted that he can bear.
He sits a little too far from Alucard to be described as 'next to' him, but on the same bench. ]
She's been worried about you. Wanted to make sure you were doing okay, but- that'd be a fucking awful idea.
[ Also, Dracula's been keeping them busy. But that's an awkward topic. ]
[ He blurts it out a little before he thinks about it, then backtracks. ]
-I mean. Assuming I don't wake up choking to death or something, she could see you. If this shit works that way. It'd be better for her to be here than me. Then she could see you're all in one piece for herself.
Letting her know wouldn't fix shit. If she was here, then you wouldn't be so isolated.
[ The only reason that the two of them can't be together is because he's here, isn't it? So if they can both be here, if they can both be here and he can't-
-the more he thinks about it, the more perfect it seems. ]
Once we know it's safe. Once we're done testing, I'll tell her to take the medicine herself.
You don't owe me thanks. It was my fault. If I hadn't-
[ He shakes his head. ]
I made it impossible for the rest of my family to get close to you safely. If it weren't for me, we could have explained. Spoken to your father. Protected you with a vow, the same way he is protected. It shouldn't have happened in the first place.
[Trevor isn't wrong, not at all. Alucard can't contradict that.]
But that was what was done, and you've since then taken responsibility for that and for my safety. That's still important. Worth saying thank you for, because I wouldn't have made it out of that place without you.
[ He says it a little bit awkwardly. He's not entirely used to thanks. ]
I don't want you to have to be afraid like that again. Once your father has calmed enough to treat with him, we'll try to ask his leave to protect you. It doesn't have to be me- it could be Leon, or one of my sisters. As long as one of us has laid claim to you, our kind can't interfere.
[Funny. Here Alucard thought fae took life debts more seriously. After all, that's what it is. Alucard's life was in the balance, not from death but imprisonment eternal and...it didn't happen.
He can feel himself becoming more and more brittle as Trevor speaks though. Alucard knows his father. Knows a fraction of what's going on, and he shivers for the thought of what that conversation would really mean.]
I don't think you'd survive that discussion. Whatever means he takes, he's going to insist it be in his hands, or not at all.
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He falls asleep after the most recent of these disasters with his arms around Sypha. And just feels- wrong, when he stirs. Her shoulders are broader, her hair longer and- cold. She's cold.
That strokes him as the most important thing. Humans aren't meant to be too cold. This is a fact that he knows about humans. So he pulls her tighter to him, pulling a wing over them both. ]
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So he sleeps, dreaming of deep winters and long nights. He dreams of deep forests, happily wrapped up in his warmest coat (his normal coat but with a fur lining), walking through crunching snow.]
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Look- I'm not here because I'm following you. I swear.
[ He doesn't even know how he feels about Alucard anymore, but he knows that he doesn't want him to feel unsafe because of him. ]
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[Alucard's words are soft. Too much like the last time, it is twilight here, with a glowing deep purple sky settling over the snow covered landscape. Alucard's fear doesn't exist though, not like the last time.]
Did she use some kind of spell that impacts sleep?
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[ He has to think, because- where was he before this? It's difficult to remember, from here. the waking world is distant. He only barely remembers that he was lying next to Sypha. ]
-is that what this is? She made a medicine, I think.
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May I ask what the medicine was for?
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[ Uses of extremely durable boyfriend - animal testing. ]
I suppose I'll have to let her know about bullshit side effects.
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[Sypha you beautiful genius. Alucard pauses, then realizes something else.]
I suppose we have been looking for each other then, for you to end up here.
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[ He has. A little. Sypha's been worried about Alucard's inability to leave the castle and he- he doesn't know anymore. He finally stands, dusting the snow from himself and looking about. ]
Sorry for- intruding? I think? Lucky your dad didn't find a way to put iron in here.
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I don't think you could intrude if I wasn't allowing for this on some level.
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And there's only so much not being wanted that he can bear.
He sits a little too far from Alucard to be described as 'next to' him, but on the same bench. ]
She's been worried about you. Wanted to make sure you were doing okay, but- that'd be a fucking awful idea.
[ Also, Dracula's been keeping them busy. But that's an awkward topic. ]
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He listens. Nods. And then the only thing he can admit is a simple truth.]
The isolation is lonelier than I first anticipated.
[He's been spoiled for traveling with Sypha now. He knows that even doing that can't be easy, not really, not with what he knows his father is doing.]
I am...very sorry for worrying her.
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[ He blurts it out a little before he thinks about it, then backtracks. ]
-I mean. Assuming I don't wake up choking to death or something, she could see you. If this shit works that way. It'd be better for her to be here than me. Then she could see you're all in one piece for herself.
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[Ugh. Words. He shakes his head slowly.]
Never mind. That sounds too simple.
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[ The only reason that the two of them can't be together is because he's here, isn't it? So if they can both be here, if they can both be here and he can't-
-the more he thinks about it, the more perfect it seems. ]
Once we know it's safe. Once we're done testing, I'll tell her to take the medicine herself.
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[There's a very thin smile at that, coupled with an all too weak laugh. He's quiet for a moment more, then shifts so that he's turned, facing Trevor.]
I don't remember I thanked you for everything you did to help.
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[ He shakes his head. ]
I made it impossible for the rest of my family to get close to you safely. If it weren't for me, we could have explained. Spoken to your father. Protected you with a vow, the same way he is protected. It shouldn't have happened in the first place.
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[Trevor isn't wrong, not at all. Alucard can't contradict that.]
But that was what was done, and you've since then taken responsibility for that and for my safety. That's still important. Worth saying thank you for, because I wouldn't have made it out of that place without you.
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[ He says it a little bit awkwardly. He's not entirely used to thanks. ]
I don't want you to have to be afraid like that again. Once your father has calmed enough to treat with him, we'll try to ask his leave to protect you. It doesn't have to be me- it could be Leon, or one of my sisters. As long as one of us has laid claim to you, our kind can't interfere.
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He can feel himself becoming more and more brittle as Trevor speaks though. Alucard knows his father. Knows a fraction of what's going on, and he shivers for the thought of what that conversation would really mean.]
I don't think you'd survive that discussion. Whatever means he takes, he's going to insist it be in his hands, or not at all.
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[ But he notices the shiver and awkwardly offers a wing and an anemic attempt at a smile. ]
We will protect you. If Dracula won't give his leave then we'll simply ask yours instead.
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Ah, so we'll all get in trouble instead of just your family. Very good.
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[ It’s enough to get a genuine laugh out of him, something that isn’t awkward and stilted. He falls quiet afterward, looking away. ]
I won’t let it happen again. Not just to keep her from starting this stupid war, but- I want you to be safe. Safe and happy.
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[It feels wrong to laugh, but Alucard does. It's thin and very weak, because that feels about right.]
I don't think happy and safe intersect now. [His voice is quiet, and a little too certain.]
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[ He doesn't know how much is appropriate to comfort Alucard, but the wing curls about his shoulder more tightly. ]
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