cryptsleeper | Catch All II

[What Hector has stumbled into is Alucard's personal living room. He has his actual bedroom behind another door, but this? This is where he spends most of his time when not at the office. It's more medieval in here, stone walls with tapestries of fantastic beasts and library shelves with books - some contemporary works, most older. There's a sofa in front of the fireplace, where Alucard's laid out with the pug sitting on his chest.

There's a happy bark! as Cezar runs over to greet his human properly, and Alucard sits up slowly. He's kept on all his finery save his coat, and taking one look over at Hector, there's a long sigh.]

You look terrible.

[Hector does not even notice that he's in Alucard's chambers. He's got tunnel vision for his dog.]

Cezar, who's a good boy? You, it's you <3

[He scoops up the pug, a little shakily, and receives a few nose-kisses before he deigns to respond to the dhampir.]

Oh fuck off, Alucard, we cannot all be Adonises.

[Alucard blinks.

He.

He heard that correctly, right?

Yes, he did, and so Alucard is absolutely tired and offended.]

Excuse me?

[Hector's head is in the clouds, and he doesn't recognize that he's offending his host. He continues to let his puppy give him greeting kisses.]

We can't all look like... like that. [He juggles Cezar so he can wave one hand vaguely at Alucard's whole thing.]

Well, maybe vampires can, but mortals? Nah.

[Oh good lord.

Alucard finally sits up, and crosses his arms. This is absolutely ridiculous.]

I'm ignoring all of this and blaming it on my father's terrible choices. [He's up now, and pauses to grab his coat.]

Come on, you're going home.

[See, the problem is, when Alucard sits up, freeing up half of a lovely, comfortable couch, Hector steps forward and plops himself down on it. Thanks, Alucard, he was getting tired of standing.]

What's terrible? We talked... no fight to the death... Isaac and I might even cl'aborate on a lecture.

[They'll see if that idea survives once sobriety hits. Dracula did give them some very tantalizing ideas to pursue that they didn't run into fundamental ideological differences on.]

[No this is the opposite of what he wanted. Alucard groans, and moves so that he's looming over Hector, arms crossed. Goddamnit. Leave it to his father's stupid solution to leave him with cleaning up this mess.]

Well that is actually music to my ears and incredibly heartening, it occurs to me that you need to get yourself home before anyone notices you're gone, and you are in no state to escort yourself along the roads.

[Well...]

If you intend to live, I mean. A few street urchins could have a field day with you and make your family's life fairly miserable.

[Hector settles deeper into the couch, letting Cezar slide down to his lap. He stares up into Alucard's eyes.]

Have you looked into my family?

[Hector hates them. He's distanced himself from them as much as he's been able to. If it wouldn't disrupt his work or endanger Cezar, he'd gladly let urchins terrorize his parents.]

Of course I have. I wasn't about to let anyone just wander into this home unknown and unresearched.

[Alucard nudges Hector's leg with his foot.]

Your being missing would be a public scandal and embarrassment, which I think everyone is keen to avoid at this point at night. Plus I think we can both agree Cezar travels safer in darkness.

Mmmmmm, no.

[You're making valid points, Alucard, but counter-point: this couch is very comfy.]

Neighbors are used t' me being out late. I'm 'absent-minded' and 'lose track of time' while I'm studying.

[And Cezar is used to traveling hidden in a basket during daytime. It's fucking adorable.]

[Okay, puppy in a basket is a strong, strong argument Hector.

But Alucard really wants some sleep. He doesn't move, frown growing in size as he glares down at Hector.]

And I'm used to not being awake right now. Please let me see you home.

[Hector sighs. Alucard is just going to keep pestering him, huh?]

Will you at least call a carriage? 'm not sure I can walk all the way home.

[A vampire could fly, or turn into mist, or whatever other such fuckery. Hector only has his legs, or the legs he reanimates, and he's been strictly forbidden by multiple people from using any of those within the city limits.]

I'm almost certain carriages aren't running at the moment.

[Well. Hm. There's an idea, and Alucard's face almost lights up. Almost.

What he does next is reach down to haul Hector up by the shoulders, and forces him to look steady(ish.)]

Come on, we'll try out the fake carriage.

[Car. He means Dracula made a car with a fake robo horse in the front.]

[Against Alucard's nearly vampiric strength, Hector's drugged body has no chance of resistance. He's dragged up off of the couch. Cezar slips off of him and bounces on the couch with a startled yip.]

Hey!

...

How's a fake carriage supposed to help?

[He has no idea what he's in for, but his curiosity is beginning to peak through the opium-induced lethargy.]

For the-- you'll see.

[Alucard's pretty sure this opium haze will obscure much of Hector's memory, so he has no problems dragging the necromancer through the portions of the house no one sees. Through corridors of pipes and boilers, along a set of stairs that lead underground, and until they get to well, a garage.

In the middle of it is a carriage - a proper one, looking a little too suspiciously of the era. Hitched to it is a horse, ready and waiting. Except it is hardly a horse, just a robot. It and the carriage are detailed in Dracula's prefference for red and black with golden accents, striking bold gold lines that herald the art deco trend to come in the centuries.

Unceremoniously, Hector gets shoved into the carriage proper. It's a comfortable enough thing with leather seats, the windows tinted to help minimize the sun.]

The carriage is fake only in so much as the horse is fake.

[Hector doesn't really have much choice about being unceremoniously hauled through the building. Cezar trots behind them, tiny feet moving quickly to keep up with Alucard's long steps. The dhampir's arm is like iron around Hector... which isn't unpleasant, but is incredibly frustrating.

They reach the coach house, and Hector is tossed inside a very real carriage. It's too high for Cezar to follow, so he sits beneath the door and yips at Alucard expectantly. Uppies for puppy.

Hector untangles his limbs and ends up sprawled out on the carriage seat, half sitting, half lounging.]

Why the fuck would you want a fake horse. Horses are delightful.

[Stoned Hector can't think of a single instance where a machine would be preferable to a flesh and blood horse.]

[Uppies for puppy granted! And belt buckles for both puppy and Hector, which Alucard takes a moment to secure. Cezar he isn't as worried about. Hector? That's the concern.

He gives up at the sprawl. Alucard shakes his head before moving to the driver's seat. He buckles in as well, and then?

Then the engine hums to life. It doesn't roar. It doesn't kick. There is simply the sudden sense of life in the machine, and Alucard grins just a little at Hector. It is so smug.]

This would draw too much attention otherwise. You ready?

[Hector sulks, partially tangled up in the belt. He likes horses.]

What makes it move? It doesn't feel magical.

[He's groggy, but he's got a decent sense for magic. It must be one of those mechanical devices the other vampires allege Dracula makes.]

Steam. Hold onto Cezar if he shifts too much.

[And there. A door opens, revealing Bucharest just as the sun begins to peak over the city spires. This is not a part of the city with a great Muslim population, and so calls to prayer are a thin, distant noise. The mechanical horse makes a rather convincing whinny as they all emerge into the sunlight, and Alucard urges the thing onward.

The streets are as bumpy as one might expect, but their blows made softer for the cushioning of rich red velvet beneath them both.]

He's proud of this one. I can't say I blame him.

[Cesar immediately wiggles out of the belt and puts his nose to the side window. Hector lets out a long-suffering sigh and hooks an arm around his squirming torso.]

If he has a problem with horses, I could help him out. Make him something sturdy, that can see in the dark, and could pass for a horse at night time...

[The carriage is impressive, he guesses, but Hector still thinks there's no good purpose behind it.]

Does he know you're taking it out?

[At lease someone can appreciate the novelty!]

Hector, it isn't about not liking horses. It's about the experiment.

[Really Hector, he has to explain that to you of all people????

Alucard's grin widens just a little bit more at the question.]

He does not.

[Alucard, are you surprised that Hector is clueless about anything that falls outside of his very narrow specialty?]

I'll experiment and build him a better horse. [He grumbles.

He can't help but huff out a laugh, though.]

So you're not always the perfect, dutiful son, hmmm?

[Anyone who knew Alucard only through interactions at the salon wouldn't expect such rebellion out of him.]

[Alucard sighs, giving up on the horse thing. Hector's stubborn, the opium helps nothing, and he doesn't care about the mechanical world in the first place. Why explain the beauty of something so inorganic to a man whose trade is dirt and bone?
But the question does get a little laugh from the dhampir. Soft, genuinely tickled.]

Is that what you think of me?

Maybe before tonight. But talking with your father was quite illuminating.

[Eventually their opium-fueled debate had spiraled into all of them complaining about various annoyances in their lives, and Dracula has had some words about his upstart of a child. There was still love in his voice, which had been a novelty for Hector-- who knew paternal bonds came in that variety?-- but also plenty of exacerbation.]

Did you really break through a wall in his castle to steal a pot roast?

[The sigh Alucard gives is put upon, but in a way that's still warm and so very, very unsurprised.]

Of course he shared the pot roast story. [Every. Single. Time.] He did explain that I was all of five years old and hadn't quite gotten a good understanding on how to use my vampiric abilities, correct?

[It is a terrible defense, but damnit, it's the only one he's got.]

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