[ Well. Now he's definitely not going anywhere. His eyes flit between Sypha and his husband, and then he closes them to sigh. ]
It'll fix itself, now I have one of them that isn't poisoned. Just might take a while. I'll need to get new moths to replace the poisoned ones as they die off. They're easy enough to come by in summer.
[ His husband is fretting over him. That only just strikes him, and he's both happy about it and concerned. He's supposed to not bother the man at all, and here he is worrying over him! But it's still nice to know that he cares. He opens his eyes to give an anemic smile, the kind with gritted teeth behind it. ]
I'm really fucking hard to kill, you don't need to worry.
[Alucard and Sypha are both careful as they listen. Alucard nods, but the rest is...he knows it's magic. There doesn't have to be logic involved. And yet the idea that just having moths around will fix the issue chafes at him in a way that he doesn't like.
I'm really fucking hard to kill he boasts, but Alucard isn't convinced.]
[ He tries to shake his head, but that doesn’t happen. ]
Not much. Salt’ll rust the iron, but it’s too late for most of them. [ The moths, he means. ] They’re going to die no matter what at this point. Worst comes to worst, I’ll be down to just the one you were taking care of and have to rebuild. But it shouldn’t get that bad. Might be down a limb or three for a couple weeks.
Just going to need time. Time and moths.
[ Which is to say that he’s going to have to trouble Alucard a while longer. Leon’s going to be mad. ]
[Down a limb or three for a couple of weeks.. Trevor says it so casually, and Alucard's jaw simply drops. He's not okay with that concept, and the look he gives Sypha betrays all of it in a second.
And so Alucard says the only thing he can manage now:]
The sun will be up soon.
[Leon must be able to speed this along. He must.]
We can make you comfortable until then. I'm not sure what that looks like for you but...
No, I meant- I just want to be able to move my head around.
[ His eyes follow Alucard when Sypha asks her question, and he frowns as he tries to figure out how much he’s supposed to be telling either of them. In the end- ]
Got stuck in a box. [...no, she deserves at least a little better than that. ] There’s vampire bullshit happening, and I got distracted and missed some human bullshit. And then the human bullshit wanted to sell me to the vampire bullshit and- lot of bulls, all with very healthy digestive systems.
[Alucard can do that much. He removes the few psuedo restraints that were useful for trying to stabelize Trevor, but now? How he just puts a few extra pillows behind Trevor's head and that's that. Comfy, but he can move.
Sypha frowns at the explanation, which makes it clear she really doesn't buy it. Alucard only shakes his head.]
[ He breathes out deeply, settling his head into the pillows properly. There’s probably no such thing as comfortable right now, but this is as close as he’s likely to get. ]
Wouldn’t have. Not as long as you had the last moth. [ He’s being stubborn about this, but it backfires. Sypha’s the one to catch on. ]
If there was never a chance of the Queen finding her way here- [ Her eyes narrow ]
...it’s not her you were talking about, is it? It’s a different ‘she’. Your- ‘vampire bullshit’?
[ Ugh. Uuuuuugh. He’s gonna get in so much trouble with dad for scaring his husband if he tells the truth, but- ]
Speak. Truthfully.
[ -But Sypha Belnades is very dedicated to protecting her boyfriend, and he literally cannot not tell them the truth, because she’s also in possession of a will of steel. ]
...A vampire we thought we’d killed [ Please at least let him get away with not specifying Carmilla in front of his husband. ] is gathering forces under the pretence of rescuing their stolen prince from us. I fucked up investigating her, one of her human prisoners betrayed the others while I was leading them away. He thought she’d pay well if he put me in a box, I suppose.
[That's more than Alucard would have even thought of, and no wonder she angered the Faerie Queen. Alucard doesn't say that out loud, but oh, he listens. Listens and...
...oh.
Carmilla's name isn't said, but he knows her all the same. She was dead. Leon said it was so, it was the only reason Alucard even followed after the man who murdered his father. If he could kill Carmilla, he could make sure no one else tried to do the same thing with Alucard.
It was a child's logic, of course, but it had long since proven true.]
That's enough.
[His eyes meet Sypha's, betraying to her how much more meaning there is here. Sypha's been coming to the castle for so long, she's learned about Alucard's past. She couldn't not, not when she's spent so much time going through Dracula's and Lisa's books.
She won’t make it here. If she does, your guard- [ That is to say, that one bunny- ]
Stop. Just rest.
[ Sypha sighs and looks away, a hand settling on Alucard’s shoulder. ] You should rest, too. We all should. He’s stable, that’s all that matters for now.
[Alucard lets Sypha guide him away, deep into the castle. It's the castle that guides them to somewhere safe and away from Trevor, a room of soft sofas and cushions on window niches, a warm, roaring fire in addition to the natural heating of the castle. Somehow in all of the panic and fear that the vampire's going through, Sypha's hands find his and she tries to calm and soothe him. It quickly escalates into lips over lips, and it's been some time since they've shared a passionate round of making out.
The sun does indeed rise. Alucard rises with it, and so when Trevor wakes, there is water, juice, and some soft, fluffy scrambled eggs waiting.]
[ It’s awkward. Even with his antlers cut down to tiny stubs hidden entirely beneath his hair, he can smell the speaker on Alucard. It’s fine. The marriage is in words only, after all. It’s just- still a little awkward.
He pulls himself up a little, hissing as he bends but eventually managing. The one healthy moth leaves him to perch on the edge of the glass of orange juice and drink. Nom nom nom. ]
He’ll be back sooner or later. If I had to guess- he’s probably trying to work out if the box asshole left any clue as to how to get to her.
[Admittedly, it's also upsetting that Leon wouldn't prioritze his son's well being first, but Alucard won't say that out loud. His eyes go to the butterfly instead, and he tilts his head slightly.]
It wouldn’t be better. Just different. Ought to get used to eating as a human, if I’m going to be stuck like this a while.
[ He pokes at the eggs again, then tries to put a little in his mouth. Eating successful. ]
We’re meant to stay away from you, all of us except Juliet. But- shit. Desperate times, desperate measures. Someone’ll need to come collect the speaker when it’s time for her to return, too. I can’t take her back like this.
[ It's been a while since Leon and the castle have disagreed on something, but they may start. But that, that Treovr wants nothing to do with. He doesn't like squabbling with castles. He just wants to do his work and- well, no. He WANTS to do his work. He's unlikely to be able to do much for a while yet.
The next attempt at eggs ends with him freezing long enough for the eggs falling off the fork. The castle hums with electricity, every light turning on at once as they do when Leon arrives. ]
[Alucard understands the castle to be the last vestige of his father in the world. A single connecting thread to Dracula's will, the part of him that sought sanctuary from the world. It grew up with Dracula, and now it knows that above all else, it would want Alucard safe. But safe doesn't always mean the same thing to the same people, and he's witnessed the disagreements once or twice before.
Trevor versus food goes about as well as expected, but then Leon arrives and--]
I'll go greet him.
[Alucard rises to his feet, and the castle twists and turns itself as to guide Alucard to the main entrance. Leon is...complicated. Alucard has always known that to be true, as he's had no illusions about what Leon's done: he is his father's murderer. That truth lies at the heart of every interaction. But he is a murderer with a sense of responsibility, although Alucard has never quite understood why. Nor has he ever asked. Leon saved him from Carmilla - literally scooped him up and carried him into the morning light - and that is the counterbalance to it all.
The question of responsibility, why Leon's done any of it, Alucard has never asked. He's always been formal and cautious in Leon's presence, if not a little awkward as well.
Some things don't change, as Alucard enters the room. He hasn't changed his shirt (it is still splattered with Trevor's blood), and there is exhaustion on his face as he greets his Not-Godfather.]
[ Leon is as he always is. Always tired. Always distant. Always warm beneath it. Sometimes looking through Alucard rather than at him, as if there should be something else there, and then catching himself. ]
Adrian. [ The rabbit was at his feet, she hops over to Alucard's instead. Leon's eyes catch on the splatters of blood and he sighs. ] Thank you for your hospitality.
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It'll fix itself, now I have one of them that isn't poisoned. Just might take a while. I'll need to get new moths to replace the poisoned ones as they die off. They're easy enough to come by in summer.
[ His husband is fretting over him. That only just strikes him, and he's both happy about it and concerned. He's supposed to not bother the man at all, and here he is worrying over him! But it's still nice to know that he cares. He opens his eyes to give an anemic smile, the kind with gritted teeth behind it. ]
I'm really fucking hard to kill, you don't need to worry.
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I'm really fucking hard to kill he boasts, but Alucard isn't convinced.]
But in the mean time, can anything be done?
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[ He tries to shake his head, but that doesn’t happen. ]
Not much. Salt’ll rust the iron, but it’s too late for most of them. [ The moths, he means. ] They’re going to die no matter what at this point. Worst comes to worst, I’ll be down to just the one you were taking care of and have to rebuild. But it shouldn’t get that bad. Might be down a limb or three for a couple weeks.
Just going to need time. Time and moths.
[ Which is to say that he’s going to have to trouble Alucard a while longer. Leon’s going to be mad. ]
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And so Alucard says the only thing he can manage now:]
The sun will be up soon.
[Leon must be able to speed this along. He must.]
We can make you comfortable until then. I'm not sure what that looks like for you but...
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[ Staying perfectly still is kind of uncomfortable. But then Alucard mentions the sun, mentions Leon. ]
Tell my pa that I have no fucking clue where she is, once he shows up? Couldn’t exactly see a whole lot from in there.
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[Alucard isn't sure he can do much else. But he does get a chair. That allows Sypha ample time to ask a simple question:]
What happened anyway?
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[ His eyes follow Alucard when Sypha asks her question, and he frowns as he tries to figure out how much he’s supposed to be telling either of them. In the end- ]
Got stuck in a box. [...no, she deserves at least a little better than that. ] There’s vampire bullshit happening, and I got distracted and missed some human bullshit. And then the human bullshit wanted to sell me to the vampire bullshit and- lot of bulls, all with very healthy digestive systems.
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[Alucard can do that much. He removes the few psuedo restraints that were useful for trying to stabelize Trevor, but now? How he just puts a few extra pillows behind Trevor's head and that's that. Comfy, but he can move.
Sypha frowns at the explanation, which makes it clear she really doesn't buy it. Alucard only shakes his head.]
I didn't follow any of that, did you?
Not a bit.
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[ And at them not following his bad explanation, he just sighs again. ]
It’s okay, you don’t need to follow it. She won’t find her way here. That’s what’s important.
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Move freely.
[But as for not knowing, well, Alucard doesn't like that. Not one bit.]
But it caused you to be hurt. We should know. It almost impacted the deal.
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[ He breathes out deeply, settling his head into the pillows properly. There’s probably no such thing as comfortable right now, but this is as close as he’s likely to get. ]
Wouldn’t have. Not as long as you had the last moth. [ He’s being stubborn about this, but it backfires. Sypha’s the one to catch on. ]
If there was never a chance of the Queen finding her way here- [ Her eyes narrow ]
...it’s not her you were talking about, is it? It’s a different ‘she’. Your- ‘vampire bullshit’?
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Or human bullshit?
[Rarely does Alucard swear. It sounds super strange coming out of his mouth, if he's being honest.]
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Speak. Truthfully.
[ -But Sypha Belnades is very dedicated to protecting her boyfriend, and he literally cannot not tell them the truth, because she’s also in possession of a will of steel. ]
...A vampire we thought we’d killed [ Please at least let him get away with not specifying Carmilla in front of his husband. ] is gathering forces under the pretence of rescuing their stolen prince from us. I fucked up investigating her, one of her human prisoners betrayed the others while I was leading them away. He thought she’d pay well if he put me in a box, I suppose.
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...oh.
Carmilla's name isn't said, but he knows her all the same. She was dead. Leon said it was so, it was the only reason Alucard even followed after the man who murdered his father. If he could kill Carmilla, he could make sure no one else tried to do the same thing with Alucard.
It was a child's logic, of course, but it had long since proven true.]
That's enough.
[His eyes meet Sypha's, betraying to her how much more meaning there is here. Sypha's been coming to the castle for so long, she's learned about Alucard's past. She couldn't not, not when she's spent so much time going through Dracula's and Lisa's books.
Softly, his shoulders slump forward.]
I'm going to go get some water.
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Stop. Just rest.
[ Sypha sighs and looks away, a hand settling on Alucard’s shoulder. ] You should rest, too. We all should. He’s stable, that’s all that matters for now.
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[Alucard lets Sypha guide him away, deep into the castle. It's the castle that guides them to somewhere safe and away from Trevor, a room of soft sofas and cushions on window niches, a warm, roaring fire in addition to the natural heating of the castle. Somehow in all of the panic and fear that the vampire's going through, Sypha's hands find his and she tries to calm and soothe him. It quickly escalates into lips over lips, and it's been some time since they've shared a passionate round of making out.
The sun does indeed rise. Alucard rises with it, and so when Trevor wakes, there is water, juice, and some soft, fluffy scrambled eggs waiting.]
Your father is slightly delayed.
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[ It’s awkward. Even with his antlers cut down to tiny stubs hidden entirely beneath his hair, he can smell the speaker on Alucard. It’s fine. The marriage is in words only, after all. It’s just- still a little awkward.
He pulls himself up a little, hissing as he bends but eventually managing. The one healthy moth leaves him to perch on the edge of the glass of orange juice and drink. Nom nom nom. ]
He’ll be back sooner or later. If I had to guess- he’s probably trying to work out if the box asshole left any clue as to how to get to her.
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[Admittedly, it's also upsetting that Leon wouldn't prioritze his son's well being first, but Alucard won't say that out loud. His eyes go to the butterfly instead, and he tilts his head slightly.]
Would necter be more helpful since....
[Moth.]
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[ Feed him flowers om nom nom. He pokes at the eggs but doesn’t try to eat them yet until he’s had a little more of the juice. ]
He’ll be pissed that I dragged you into this, but- it’s going to be fine. We won’t let her get to you.
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[It is all so weird to say. Nothing about this isn't weird, honestly. Alucard sighs, runninqg a hand through his hair.]
The castle just landed where it did. He can fight it instead.
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[ He pokes at the eggs again, then tries to put a little in his mouth. Eating successful. ]
We’re meant to stay away from you, all of us except Juliet. But- shit. Desperate times, desperate measures. Someone’ll need to come collect the speaker when it’s time for her to return, too. I can’t take her back like this.
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[He falls silent, and then there is a sigh.]
The castle can steer Sypha back to her people though. That much is easy.
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[ It's been a while since Leon and the castle have disagreed on something, but they may start. But that, that Treovr wants nothing to do with. He doesn't like squabbling with castles. He just wants to do his work and- well, no. He WANTS to do his work. He's unlikely to be able to do much for a while yet.
The next attempt at eggs ends with him freezing long enough for the eggs falling off the fork. The castle hums with electricity, every light turning on at once as they do when Leon arrives. ]
He's here.
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[Alucard understands the castle to be the last vestige of his father in the world. A single connecting thread to Dracula's will, the part of him that sought sanctuary from the world. It grew up with Dracula, and now it knows that above all else, it would want Alucard safe. But safe doesn't always mean the same thing to the same people, and he's witnessed the disagreements once or twice before.
Trevor versus food goes about as well as expected, but then Leon arrives and--]
I'll go greet him.
[Alucard rises to his feet, and the castle twists and turns itself as to guide Alucard to the main entrance. Leon is...complicated. Alucard has always known that to be true, as he's had no illusions about what Leon's done: he is his father's murderer. That truth lies at the heart of every interaction. But he is a murderer with a sense of responsibility, although Alucard has never quite understood why. Nor has he ever asked. Leon saved him from Carmilla - literally scooped him up and carried him into the morning light - and that is the counterbalance to it all.
The question of responsibility, why Leon's done any of it, Alucard has never asked. He's always been formal and cautious in Leon's presence, if not a little awkward as well.
Some things don't change, as Alucard enters the room. He hasn't changed his shirt (it is still splattered with Trevor's blood), and there is exhaustion on his face as he greets his Not-Godfather.]
Leon.
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Adrian. [ The rabbit was at his feet, she hops over to Alucard's instead. Leon's eyes catch on the splatters of blood and he sighs. ] Thank you for your hospitality.
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