Catch All

[cryptsleeper]

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[miraclewhip]

[ After a while, the knot of roots is uncovered. It was partially under the fireplace, partially within it and simply covered in earth by the sloped sides. It's stone now, as everything else is, but new growth writhes about under the old, breaking through the petrified roots in places like a bird breaking out of an egg. The curse's heart is still alive, and whatever is within it is untouched by the petrification. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard's covered in dirt by the time he's gotten to the knot of roots, using both trowel and his own hands to get there. His long fingernails trace over the heart of the curse, but he doesn't touch it further. Not yet.

Research. He needs to do research and for that he has to go into the house. He covers the excavation up with furs again, and then?

He just casually drags the bear into the house. Takes care of him along with Sypha while devouring page after page from Dracula's library, knowing that the answer must be in there. Surely. It must.]

[miraclewhip]

[ Nothing that concerns curses seems to provide him any answers. Nothing matches this. The Belmonts have enemies who use magic powerful enough to do this, certainly, but nothing that would place a creature like Trevor here as the curse's steward. And any of the Belmonts' enemies that were powerful enough to do this wouldn't have escaped Dracula's notice. He wouldn't have cared before Alucard became involved, but once he did- it's unfathomable that he wouldn't have been able to learn what was happening, had the culprit been anyone under his command.

He wakes. The bear form falls away, and with it, for at least a little while, the stone. Trevor falls to the ground, digging his nails into the wood of the floor and snarling before the confusion sinks in. What happened?

He was furious, he remembers that much. And he struck out at Alucard, and-

-and broke his word, turning all of his curses upon himself. ]

Why? [ He gasps out, for want of anything else to say. Why is Alucard still here? Why is he here, with the two of them? Why all of this? ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard's gone through the books so many times over now. It's a scary thing, that there's no suggestion of a creature or creatures that might be able to place a curse over the Belmonts like this. Not a trace. Alucard privately wonders if even Dracula could pull it off, and surely there must something that can.

But in his research - reading out lout to Sypha as he has promised to do - he hears Trevor. Springs up to his feet and races over to Trevor, fur blanket in hand and immediately throwing it around Trevor's shoulders.]

I promised, didn't I?

[miraclewhip]

You could have left.

[ He brings a hand up to the thorns growing through him. Those are still stone, not living.

His shoulders sink, and he looks up at Alucard. ]

Thank you. I'm glad she has you.

[cryptsleeper]

I could have, yes. But it is as I said, you all deserve better.

[Alucard makes sure the blanket around Trevor is secure before guiding the Belmont over to the nearest sofa. Makes sure he sits down, and Alucard settles beside him.

He doesn't dare to touch Trevor more. Not yet. It hasn't been earned.]

Belmont, I found the heart of the curse.

[miraclewhip]

[ He brings his feet up onto the sofa, leaning forward into his knees. Curled up in the same way the body inside the heart was, only larger. He doesn't attack this time, just stares forward. ]

I-

[ His voice sounds choked, like some combination of terror and disgust. ]

-I don't like that thing. It's awful.

[cryptsleeper]

I am trying to find out more about it. Who might have cast it.

[Alucard rests his hand on the small of Trevor's back, delicate and feather light.]

If destroying it removes the curse, but doesn't harm you.

[miraclewhip]

Who might have cast it.

[He repeats it quietly, thoughtfully. Sighs. ]

I- don’t want you to do this. Don’t want to know more about it. I just- it hurts, to think about it to hard. [ But- ] If this means so much to you-

-have you thought about what might have done this, rather than who?

[cryptsleeper]

....

[Alucard's hand moves up. Settles on the top of Treovr's head and starts to stroke through all that hair. It's instinct now.]

I haven't. Which means I've been approaching this all wrong, haven't I?

[miraclewhip]

I don’t know.

[ He sighs and leans into the touch, despite himself. ]

You keep saying that I’m not the curse. And so- you probably haven’t even considered it, have you? That what I am might be the cause of this.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard just brings Trevor close, so that if the Belmont wants, he can rest his head in the crook of Alucard's neck.]

What, your bear form?

[It doesn't make sense.]

None of this follows logic.

[miraclewhip]

I don’t know. But if you want to know- maybe it’s a place to look for answers.

[ He goes still and silent for a moment, then pushes himself down from the sofa, walking toward the door on all fours, even as a man. ]

Follow me.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard rises, and...

Trevor what the ever loving fuck.

Nope. Not the point. Alucard follows after Trevor quietly, deciding to just not question why he's walking like that.]

Lead on.

[miraclewhip]

[ Wow rude this is just how he’s used to walking you don’t have to kinkshame.

He leads Alucard out of the room, out of his wing, through the ruins of the house to a stone door set into the ground. He lays a hand on it and it opens, revealing a long stairway, and he sets off down it and into the darkness. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[THIS ISN'T KINK SHAMING IT'S GENTLE CONFUSION

that only grows as he keeps following. The stairway? Oh what the fuck. He's losing Trevor in the darkness, so Alucard declares to hell with it and he floats down after Trevor instead.]

Would you care to explain?!

[miraclewhip]

I don’t doubt that Dracula’s library has a lot of information. But if you need to know about monsters, monsters specifically-

[ He takes Alucard’s hand and brings it to a firesteel on a short chain and a flint set into the wall by a torch. He doesn’t possess the dexterity to light it in a form he’s so unused to, but Alucard does.

If he lights the torch, it illuminates an entire library they’re standing above. ]

[cryptsleeper]

I was only able to bring a portion and--

[Oh.

Alucard stares out at the Hold before them both, breathless.]

It rivals his.

[Alucard doesn't let go of Trevor's hand. He instead squeezes it gently, wanting to just show some kindof gratitude.]

You'll allow me here?

[miraclewhip]

You can have it. I don’t have any use for it.

[ IT’S NOT A GIFT I JUST DIDN’T WANT IT ANYWAY TSUN TSUN.

He squeezes Alucard’s hand back. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard pauses. Then he presses a soft kiss to the very top of Trevor's head.]

Thank you. I'm sorry that I caused you to turn to stone. I will do better. I will fix this. I promise.

[miraclewhip]

You didn’t-

[ He sighs. He’s going to have to explain himself, isn’t he? And he doesn’t want to, but that kiss- it’s making him feel a lot more cooperative. ]

-the thing that’s buried there. I can’t sleep unless I’m near it, but I hate it. It- hurts to look at it. And if I try to think to hard about it-

-I hated that you found it.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard picks his head up. Starts to guide them both down the stairs. Slow and careful and so aware that he's still treading on dangerous ground.]

I understand. Trevor, I do understand. It was curiosity and a desire to find a way out for you that led me there.

[He sighs, still moving down.]

I care about you.

[miraclewhip]

[ He has to stand while walking with one hand in Alucard’s. It gives the strange impression of him becoming more human the deeper he goes into the library as he grows more confident on two legs and stands a little straighter. ]

I know. But I don’t expect you to find a way out for me. I just want you to finish your time here, take her back to her grandfather and go back home.

[cryptsleeper]

And if I do find a way out?

[It's an earnest question. One that hasn't seen Alucard let go of Trevor's hand or do anything else. They're on the ground floor now. They can start to research.]

Or even if I find your name down here?

[miraclewhip]

My name.

[ He repeats it softly, distracted. ]

I don’t know. I don’t like thinking about who I am. Or about the future.