Catch All

[cryptsleeper]

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[cryptsleeper]

If it's dire, I can retreat to my father's coffin. It can sustain me, the same way the one in Gresit did.

[Meaning that no. He doesn't know. And it isn't something he wants to discuss, so Alucard's arms go all the way into the dish water instead. The bandages are covered now, and no one can think about them.]

Is there a reason that you used pears instead of apples for the fritters?

[miraclewhip]

She doesn't care for them. Apples.

[ He sighs. On the one hand, Alucard doesn't need to worry about this. On the other, there are a lot of things Alucard probably thinks he doesn't need to worry about that he'd sleep a lot better at night knowing. ]

You have your own shit to worry about. More of it than we were really expecting. I can tell you, but- You're sure you want ours, too?

[cryptsleeper]

[He sighs, moving a cup onto the drying rack.]

Fair is fair, isn't it?

[miraclewhip]

Mm. There's- I'm going to leave part of it out. It's not important for this, but- you know. I'm asking for honesty from you. Least I can do is give it in return.

There was an apple tree. A big one, the kind that's fit to be a galleon or a fortress. Still bearing fruit, even this time of year. And we found the bones underneath it. So many bones, and all of them so fucking small.

[ He sets down the trays, pushing the slight strain out of his voice. Trying to make it flat. ]

It was someone we trusted. We'd drunk tea with him only a few days ago. Not a friend, but- someone who treated us decently. Close enough.

[cryptsleeper]

[He can follow what's unsaid. Alucard's shoulders fall forward, as does his stomach. A child killer. Who had somehow gotten the other two to believe him trustworthy. It's awful. Beyond awful.]

No more apples in this house then.

[That's the easiest part.]

I'm sorry. I should have noticed something was wrong--

[miraclewhip]

[ He shakes his head. ]

Not like we told you. I think- I think right now she wants to pretend it didn't happen anyway.

[ Picking up a tea towel, he holds out his hands to take the dish Alucard's washing. ]

Part of me just- thought the world would be different, you know? It felt different, with her.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard sighs, passing the dish over to Trevor. His arms return immediately into the soapy water, still hiding the bandages.]

She makes it so easy to think it's a possibility, doesn't she?

[miraclewhip]

She does. She just-

[ Makes everything seem brighter. Even now. Like he has to be wrong about the world, because otherwise she could never be in it.

He dries the dish off, putting it away. ]

-I should know better. But it's so easy to get caught up in her- her everything. She does this smile. And this laugh and-

[ Like. An. Egg. ]

[cryptsleeper]

You're in love with her Belmont. [He's gonna just call it like he sees it.] That's what happens. You're allowed to have that happen.

[miraclewhip]

I- shit. Maybe I am.

[ It's easier to admit than he thought it would be. He stares into the dish cupboard for far longer than he really needs to. ]

But- you do that smile, too.

[cryptsleeper]

[...]

Wait, what?

[miraclewhip]

The kind that makes it easy to get caught up.

[ He's not drunk. But he's tired and it's been a long few days and the revelation that he must love Sypha has floored him enough that he has no filter. ]

The kind I just want to follow to the ends of the earth, just in case I might see it again. You- both of you do it.

[cryptsleeper]

[The dhampir goes so still. His eyes stare down at the dish water, where the soap has cleared away. Where he can see the criss crossing bandages and want to sob at the shame they fill him with.]

You should have been here earlier.

[He whispers it, shaking just a little.]

I could have said all those things back without any problem, I could have....

[Loved you so much easier.]

[miraclewhip]

I should have. I didn't think-

[ He doesn't touch Alucard, but he takes the dish from his hands to dry it. ]

-Even if you don't feel the same. Even if you can't. Even if you need us to leave, need us to never came back.

[ He doesn't know what that 'even' means, but- he knows it means something. ]

-If I love her, then I think I must love you. It's the same. And it won't change. And I won't hate you, for whatever you need to do.

[cryptsleeper]

[He all but collapses at that. All of the dhampir slumps forward. Threatens to fall into the dish water. The shake in his arms spreads now, and the half of a fritter in Alucard's stomach churns with far too much anger.]

I want to. I could have--

[A horrible strangled noise escapes from his throat, but no more.]

[miraclewhip]

[ He puts the plate down. Turns to actually face Alucard, to put an arm between him and the sink. There for him to sink into if he needs it. ]

We're here now. Whatever that ends up meaning- we're here.

We won't let you be hurt again

[cryptsleeper]

[He leans against Trevor.

It's an awful terrible angle. Alucard feels both too heavy and too light doing it. But he does it all the same, knowing, trusting Trevor in this moment.

Trusting one of them.]

[miraclewhip]

[ He pulls Alucard close, and it's easier than it feels like it should be. Maybe because he technically already did this last night. Maybe it was just always thus easy, and he just never tried hard enough because he was afraid. The way it was with Sypha. ]

We love you. I love you.

[ That's easier than it ought to be, too. And though he agreed that touching was to be off-limits, he presses a delicate kiss to Alucard's forehead. ]

We're here. We'll make it stop hurting.

[cryptsleeper]

[Touching is off limits. Alucard can't account for his reaction if they touch him, it's a risk it's--

--he's slack in Trevor's arms. Trying to find some sort of location to just cling and keep clinging, and he finds it. Trevor's forearms are the hold, Alucard's arms wet and soapy in spite of everything.]

I don't know if you can. I want that but I don't know--

[miraclewhip]

We'll find a way.

[ He doesn't make promises he can't keep. He usually doesn't make promises, in general. But now seems like a time for exceptions. He'll just do his best, and try to trust himself. ]

We won't stop trying until we find a way. And in the meantime, we'll be here.

[ A short pause. ]

And I hope you know that I'm not letting go until one of us needs the bathroom.

[cryptsleeper]

[There's no way. Alucard knows that, he's certain. Maybe before imitating his father he might have been convinced otherwise but now? The very notion seems the height of madness. It must be. How the hell does anything get better from here?

He sniffles loudly. Aware of how it sounds.]

That seems overkill--

[miraclewhip]

You think?

[ He tries to sound casual about it, but he’s holding on to Alucard like he might slip away and be lost forever if he let go. ]

I’ll let go once, then. Just to let you get comfortable.

[cryptsleeper]

[It isn't a wrong instinct. Alucard's too fragile right now. He knows that in the back of his head. Knows how hard he's teetering.]

Where should--?

[It'll be the floor in a minute.]

[miraclewhip]

Can you make it back upstairs? If not-

[ The room they took him to initially, the one that he and Sypha were using, isn’t far. And she’ll know to look there if she wakes up alone. ]

-the two of us weren’t sleeping far from here. Come on, dishes’ll still be there in the morning.

[cryptsleeper]

No.

[He's confident in that much.]

---Floor.

[Which is where he goes. Trying to be controlled but it's a little bit of a fall.]