Catch All

[cryptsleeper]

Comments

[miraclewhip]

[ It's strange, having that living, human pressure on both sides. Not unpleasant, but strange. He stays still even after he wakes, trying to figure out what he feels about it. He's not sure he can. It just- is.

It's probably a good thing that he wakes first, because he manages to catch himself when Alucard tenses briefly. He's held Sypha through enough nightmares lately for his immediate waking reaction to be to pull her tighter and kiss her awake. He pulls Alucard tighter, but he manages to catch and correct himself before step two. ]

Yeah. Have been a little while now.

[ He loosens his hold, arms still around Alucard but not pulling him close. ]

Whispers. She starts kicking if you make too much noise while she's asleep.

[cryptsleeper]

Does she?

[He can whisper well enough. And he almost sounds close to a laugh with that question. But that doesn't happen. He just stills, remaining in Trevor's arms.]

How often does she sleep in?

[miraclewhip]

[ He does chuckle, trying his best to do so quietly. Even here, even now, it's hard not to smile when he's talking about Sypha. Things are dark, and it's hard to believe that they'll ever be bright again, but she's still the best thing that ever happened to this nasty fuck of a world. ]

She'd outsleep you if I let her. Just doesn't wake up unless she's offered breakfast.

[cryptsleeper]

Sounds like a good competition. [That he's so, so going to take her up on tomorrow.]

There's the dinner leftovers, I suppose.

[That didn't get eaten at all....]

[miraclewhip]

Do I have to judge?

[ It's fond. He won't be able to get anything done all day tomorrow, but this is fine. They have the deer, kept in a way that he doesn't understand but that involves ice and straw for insulation. He won't need to hunt for the next week. They have preserved vegetables and the contents of the old kitchen garden. They can just- exist, for a while, and not do anything else. ]

I'll make something new for her. It'll- It's a novelty, to be able to eat something different at each meal. It'll lift her spirits a little.

[cryptsleeper]

I think so.

[He doesn't understand the fondness. But it's there, so he can't argue about it.

Alucard considers Trevor's words. Then shifts a little in Trevor's arms.]

You'll need different methods of preparation then.

[miraclewhip]

[ He barely understands the fondness himself. He just knows that he's lying between them and it's- nice. Safe. ]

I do know how to light a fire without her help, you know.

[ He just. Maybe hasn't done it in a while. ]

[cryptsleeper]

You know to do it in the fireplace, correct?

[there he is. there's the asshole!]

[miraclewhip]

The fuck's a fireplace?

[ They found him. fucking finally. His face splits into a grin. ]

Been too long, I don't seem to remember.

[cryptsleeper]

Oh, I am not in any mood to explain basic architecture to you, Belmont.

[Why is he smiling????]

If you burn this castle down, you'll be the pride of generations and the shame, because no one else figured it out before you did by pure accident.

[miraclewhip]

Please, she already broke it. The shame's already there, generations of trying to get it to stay still for five fucking minutes and she makes it stay still forev- ow!

[ That would be a kick. To the back of his thigh, thankfully. She has bony knees. A few inches off and it would hurt. ]

-so maybe breaking the castle is a dangerous topic right now.

[cryptsleeper]

I'm inclined to agree.

[He's softer with that. Far more reserved. But he wants to keep that normal fighting up. Somehow. Just for a few more moments.]

Do you want me to wake her up with cold bits of deer then?

[miraclewhip]

She didn't kick me that hard. She still deserves something fresh.

[ There's a sleepy sound from behind him that translates into something like 'of course I do'. ]

Show me how the oven works, if we're not meant to just light a fire in it?

[cryptsleeper]

The fire lights automatically with one of the knobs.

[Alucard says that much straight forwardly but...

leaving?

Leaving.

Leaving.]

Very well.

[miraclewhip]

[ He lets go. It's more difficult than he thought it would be. Sits up, and there are soft complaining sounds from a bundle of robes and blankets behind him. It's probably Sypha. ]

Not leaving you. We're just going to make breakfast. What do you think about eggs?

[ ...there's a mumbled 'good boy', and then the bundle of blankets coils in upon itself. ]

[cryptsleeper]

--Did she just call you a good boy?

[Alucard sits up very slowly, all of the blankets coming with him. He's not getting out of his cocoon, goddammit.]

[miraclewhip]

No.

[ Shit. ]

She said- [ fuck he can't figure out a convincing lie right now. too early. ] -something else. She was probably talking about breakfast.

[cryptsleeper]

No, she definitely just called you a good boy.

[Behold, the standing vampire! Still bundled in blankets, and shuffling very slowly to the door.

Well, floating to the door. Walking is movement and that's effort.]

[miraclewhip]

She did not. She was talking about the eggs. It's- Serbian. For egg.

[ It is not. But this is normal. Almost fun, if embarrassing. And if being able to hold this one stupid thing over him is what helps, then-

-then maybe it's tolerable. He stands, untangling himself from the pile of blankets, and follows Alucard. ]

They're duck eggs, from down by the lake.

[cryptsleeper]

Mmhmmm.

[Alucard keeps on floating. Slowly. Not going too fast.]

Don't take too many more, their population needs as many as they can get at this point.

[miraclewhip]

Really? Fuck.

[ He knows those ducks! Or. Knew their ancestors, at least. He liked them! He's immediately concerned for his duck buddies. ]

Has the winter been harsh on them?

[cryptsleeper]

Night creatures, mostly.

[He sighs, the train of blankets following him down the stairs.]

I have some bacon in the refrigeration unit

[miraclewhip]

They're going after the ducks? That's just not fucking right. The ducks never bothered them.

[ Is he mad about this? Absolutely. Yes sure the night hordes are eating people and that's bad but they're also antagonising ducks, what the fuck. ]

No more eggs after this, then. And I'll put traps up by the lake.

[cryptsleeper]

They were. I frightened them off, most of the ducks survived. They're just scared, and it impacted their laying.

[They're good ducks!]

I already have traps. They just have to feel safe again.

[The ducks are not a metaphor.]

[miraclewhip]

[ He sighs in relief. The ducks are not a metaphor. They're just good ducks who deserve better. ]

Fucking night creatures, can't even fight things that can fight back. Just going after ducks.

[ There's a basket on the table. The duck eggs, some early-spring greens and berries. A few more things from the kitchen garden. ]

The least they could do is bother the swans. Swans don't just mind their own business. Swans'll have your eye out. Swans could beat the shit out of anything that looked at them wrong.

[ MAD ABOUT DUCKS. ]