[ He doesn't know how to respond to this. To hands working through the knots and dirt, trying to put it in order. Trying to put him in order. It's nice, and he doesn't want it to be nice. ]
She didn't have to think about it. It could have been just saving the town from a monster and breaking a curse.
[ Well shit. The vampire got it in one. He tries to close himself off, to move away and pull his arms across his chest and distance himself in every way he can, but his limbs refuse to disturb or leave the warm water. Much as he wants to die out there, bodies are infuriatingly attached to continuing to function. ]
-snow doesn't get fucking second thoughts. Wouldn't hurt it if it did.
[Alucard sighs, and it's a truly sad noise. It doesn't migrate into pity though, he seems to understand that that? That's a bad idea. Liable to just get the man angry at him.
He reaches behind, grabbing a bar of soap and then dipping it into the water.
Sorry Trevor. You're getting scrubbed down.]
I suppose not. But if your death failed to free Sypha, would that be fair to her?
[ This is really happening, isn’t it? He’s being scrubbed down with soapy water and it’s nice but also he feels obligated to hate it. ]
Her people said that the way to remedy a broken oath is to make and keep an oath to the victim of the curse. That’s why the - all of that. It’s a guess. But it’s the only guess I have.
[One arm down! And....the bath water is super gross. Alucard ignores that and goes for the other arm, but that one is slower going. It's the one with thorns.]
Mmm, so my oath is your best shot for freeing her.
[ He grumbles and flinches occasionally as Alucard works around the thorns. The thorns themselves twist about like veins. They enter and exit the skin through what look both like puncture wounds and burn scars, like wounds made with a heated blade. The wounds, at least, are clean. ]
Only knew her for a few days. She’d go catch up to her people and be happy.
[Alucard makes a noise that suggests he doesn't buy it at all. But he pays attention to the thorns more than Trevor's words, and then he moves onto Trevor's chest.
He's still gentle as he scrubs that. Then moving down, aware that it could become awkward quickly.]
Have the roses always grown like this, or do they spread over time?
[ He's not quite socialised enough for this to be inherently awkward. But he still tenses as Alucard moves downwards. That feels weird. He preferred it before. ]
I just- woke up like this, one day. Before that it was hot and bright, and I don't remember much.
[Alucard makes quick work of washing below. For propreity's sake if nothing else. He then turns his attention to Trevor's hair, first getting soap onto his hands and then? Then he starts to scrub at Trevor's scalp.
Well, massage. That's the better word for it. He's avoiding even a hint of roughness.]
Is there anything you remember either before or after hot and bright?
[He knows what Hot and Bright is. That's a fire. A murder attempt.]
[ This is nicer. Comfortable, almost. It's still strange, an he still doesn't like that it's nice, but- it is. He's warm, warm and safe and about half as heavy as he was before.
That last part might be literal. He's lost a lot of dirt. ]
It was just hot and bright, and then I was there in the den and I was like I usually am.
[ And then, unusually for him, he continues. He's not been dishonest in these talks, but he's been terse. Unhelpful. But- this is nice, the way he can feel life returning to his body under the hands of someone who isn't here to hurt him. Even if he doesn't want life to return to his body. Even if his throat aches from talking more than he has in years.
He keeps talking, because if he keeps talking then this will all continue. ]
People tried to tend the land, after I was here. I didn't see any reason to stop them. They cut the roses and took them home to their wives, and I didn't stop that, either. Then one of them beat his child in his home, and I could see it through the roses, and I decided to stop that. So the roses made a noose of thorns and hanged him. The work stopped, after that. They didn't try to tend the land anywhere those roses grew.
[The vampire keeps washing the Belmont's hair. Cool finger pads run over and over his scalp, and it's impressive how much dirt has clung to the man over the years. A skill of sorts, although he'd never say that out loud.]
You're not the curse.
[He can say that much with confidence.]
All this means is that the roses are connected to innocence and cruelty. Which I believe makes sense in regards to the rumors of what happened here.
Can't. I can lie down and close my eyes anywhere I please. Maybe even close my eyes for a while and stop thinking. Could do it here, if I wanted.
[ And honestly? That sounds like it'd be nice. Just closing his eyes here. Letting the warmth revive him, letting Alucard's fingers keep moving through his hair. ]
But it doesn't work right anywhere but the den. Just get more tired.
[ It's sharper than anything else so far, and he suddenly pulls his head away from Alucard's fingers. He can feel the loss keenly, but not so keenly as the sudden terror of the idea of someone poking around in the fireplace.
Someone was there before, looking for something. And he doesn't know how he knows that but he does and he hates the idea. ]
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[ He doesn't know how to respond to this. To hands working through the knots and dirt, trying to put it in order. Trying to put him in order. It's nice, and he doesn't want it to be nice. ]
She didn't have to think about it. It could have been just saving the town from a monster and breaking a curse.
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[It's relaxing, working his fingers through all the knots. Using nails to get into the finer ones. Distracting, because distracting is also good.]
But she did. And doubtlessly that's another reason that laying in the snow waiting for the cold to take you seems a wise idea even now.
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[ Well shit. The vampire got it in one. He tries to close himself off, to move away and pull his arms across his chest and distance himself in every way he can, but his limbs refuse to disturb or leave the warm water. Much as he wants to die out there, bodies are infuriatingly attached to continuing to function. ]
-snow doesn't get fucking second thoughts. Wouldn't hurt it if it did.
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He reaches behind, grabbing a bar of soap and then dipping it into the water.
Sorry Trevor. You're getting scrubbed down.]
I suppose not. But if your death failed to free Sypha, would that be fair to her?
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[ Why is there soap involved now? Why is this vampire like this he just wanted to curl up and die and now he is having to endure SOAP. ]
The fuck is that, and why is it doing that to the water?
[ Bear has discovered BUBBLES. Bear hates this. ]
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They're bubbles. Part of soap.
[BRUSHY BRUSHY BEAR.]
Do you know how her own curse is broken? Or yours?
[Fuck it. Gonna be blunt.]
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[ This is really happening, isn’t it? He’s being scrubbed down with soapy water and it’s nice but also he feels obligated to hate it. ]
Her people said that the way to remedy a broken oath is to make and keep an oath to the victim of the curse. That’s why the - all of that. It’s a guess. But it’s the only guess I have.
[ That’s why you have a stone waifu. ]
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Mmm, so my oath is your best shot for freeing her.
She'd miss you if you weren't present, I think.
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Only knew her for a few days. She’d go catch up to her people and be happy.
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He's still gentle as he scrubs that. Then moving down, aware that it could become awkward quickly.]
Have the roses always grown like this, or do they spread over time?
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[ He's not quite socialised enough for this to be inherently awkward. But he still tenses as Alucard moves downwards. That feels weird. He preferred it before. ]
I just- woke up like this, one day. Before that it was hot and bright, and I don't remember much.
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Well, massage. That's the better word for it. He's avoiding even a hint of roughness.]
Is there anything you remember either before or after hot and bright?
[He knows what Hot and Bright is. That's a fire. A murder attempt.]
Did someone step in?
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That last part might be literal. He's lost a lot of dirt. ]
It was just hot and bright, and then I was there in the den and I was like I usually am.
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[Alucard frowns. Usually there's a moment of explanation before a curse kicks in, isn't there?]
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[ And then, unusually for him, he continues. He's not been dishonest in these talks, but he's been terse. Unhelpful. But- this is nice, the way he can feel life returning to his body under the hands of someone who isn't here to hurt him. Even if he doesn't want life to return to his body. Even if his throat aches from talking more than he has in years.
He keeps talking, because if he keeps talking then this will all continue. ]
People tried to tend the land, after I was here. I didn't see any reason to stop them. They cut the roses and took them home to their wives, and I didn't stop that, either. Then one of them beat his child in his home, and I could see it through the roses, and I decided to stop that. So the roses made a noose of thorns and hanged him. The work stopped, after that. They didn't try to tend the land anywhere those roses grew.
I told you. I'm not cursed, I am the curse.
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You're not the curse.
[He can say that much with confidence.]
All this means is that the roses are connected to innocence and cruelty. Which I believe makes sense in regards to the rumors of what happened here.
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[ It's a noncommittal noise. He doesn't believe it, but he's figured out already that that argument is going to be a hopeless one. ]
That's all I know. It's been - fuck, maybe a decade? I go out to hunt monsters and work as much of the land as I can alone.
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How far afield do you go, usually?
[That seems important to know.]
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[ He doesn't want someone sneaking onto the estate and smashing up the statue. ]
I can go as far as I please, but I can't sleep anywhere but the den.
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[He has to poke at the den, doesn't he?]
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[ And honestly? That sounds like it'd be nice. Just closing his eyes here. Letting the warmth revive him, letting Alucard's fingers keep moving through his hair. ]
But it doesn't work right anywhere but the den. Just get more tired.
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Would I be permitted to examine your den after the snow settles?
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[ It's sharper than anything else so far, and he suddenly pulls his head away from Alucard's fingers. He can feel the loss keenly, but not so keenly as the sudden terror of the idea of someone poking around in the fireplace.
Someone was there before, looking for something. And he doesn't know how he knows that but he does and he hates the idea. ]
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You know he's going to.
Alucard doesn't hide the disappointment on his face, and he keeps his fingers where they once were.]
Very well. I will beg you to reconsider, but I will not do so now.
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[ Okay, so he was going to announce his intention to leave. But his body still feels heavy and useless. ]
-I'll stay here. Go see to your wife.
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