Title: Coming Around Again
Author: bnomiko
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Trevor x Alucard, Trevor x Sypha x Alucard, Richter x Alucard, Maria x Alucard, minor Soma + Mina
Spoilers: post S4 animation + all "good endings" for the referenced games
Disclaimer: "Coming Around Again" is performed and recorded by Carly Simon. Castlevania is the creation and property of Konami. Castlevania (animated series) is the creation and property of Netflix. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.
Summary: During the events of Grimoire of Souls (quick summary in the end notes), Alucard learns that Elgos' catalogues are not the only way to bring back those loved and lost from the distant past. An immortal heart, an eidetic memory, vows of love and friendship, can call forth beloved, brave souls all the same. But once crisis is averted, what happens to those same heroes who have been forgotten even by the annuls of history?
A reunion tale combining aspects of various game canons including Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow, Grimoire of Souls, Judgment, plus the original Castlevania animation. May include some minor referencing of other games / source material. Trevor, Sypha and Alucard's relationship based off "Under the Milky Way," my post S4 animation canon based series (quick summary in the end notes), but this story can be read as a standalone. Maria and Richter based off Symphony of the Night.
Archived at: http://www.phenixsol.com/Miko/FF/
* * *
Coming Around Again
Ch. 1: Trevor vs. Tokyo, 2036
* * *
Genya Arikado watched as one by one, the heroes summoned from the various grimoires returned to their designated catalogues, to continue their duties as safeguards over their time and space.
It wasn't too difficult to watch Richter go. After all, the energetic, idealistic, almost naïve nineteen-year-old wasn't the Richter he'd known - the face was familiar, though less weary; so too was the power in every move. But his Richter had fallen victim to his own folly; Shaft's shadow had tempered the heat of his fire and tainted his natural self-deprecating humor. It had taken him a while to struggle back into his own, to gain a maturity and sensibility he hadn't possessed before, things that the younger copy still lacked.
It was harder saying goodbye to Maria. Not the younger version on the cusp of her teens, for the same reason as Richter. But the older one, blossoming into womanhood... that was exactly how she was when they'd first met. But Arikado did not say a word to slow or stop her, understanding that she could not stay, and that this was not his Maria anyhow. She didn't have the same fire, for one, and the smiles she threw his way were still a touch uncertain; the Maria he'd fallen for was a woman who knew what she wanted and doggedly pursued it, regardless if it was a hunt for a deadly demon or a romance with the half-vampire son of Dracula.
But seeing Trevor after five hundred years - even a copy of him... Arikado couldn't think of words suitable to describe how difficult it would be to see him go. It wasn't just that this was the Trevor he remembered, being quite literally built off his own memories and the impression made on the family's heirloom whip; Trevor, unlike the others, felt alive, almost. His smell was familiar. Even the sound of his heartbeat, faint though it was. Arikado could discern neither scent nor pulse from any of the other summoned heroes - why was that?
"Well then..." said Trevor, looking about, and Arikado did his best to keep his face schooled into its usual indifference at the sound of that slightly rough, rich voice, knowing he would likely not hear it again in his lifetime. "What about me?"
Lucy Westenra had been seeing each hero off with a slightly wistful smile and a nod of her head as they returned to their original texts. She turned and stared at Trevor blankly for a moment, then suddenly gasped. "That's right; you weren't summoned from a grimoire! So then, you... you... er..." Her eyes sought out Arikado on their own. He stared back placidly, having nothing to add given that he didn't have knowledge about the kind of magic used to summon someone from the past.
"Admittedly, this is the first time I've pulled someone out of a memory instead of a historical catalogue. So to be honest, I'm not sure what will happen," Lucy confessed before looking to Hermina instead... or should she think of her now as Acting Director Lecarde? Either way, Hermina was surely more knowledgeable about such things... "I imagine this is a little more similar to your family's technique for extracting a reproduction from the whip's memory. Is there any record of what happened in previous cases, if the copies weren't vanquished?"
Hermina shook her head. "No, and it's not the same type of magic. Those reproductions are like echoes - embodiments of technique and power, with no personality or sense of self. Trevor, clearly, has his own individuality and thoughts, similar to the summoned figures from the catalogues. I too have never heard of someone being drawn from the memory of another, but it's yielded quite the unexpected result."
Lucy swallowed. She looked around as if to confirm that all the other wielders of the Vampire Killer had gone, then asked, "Do you feel any differently than before, Trevor? Any weakness, pain, difficulty concentrating?"
The brunet glanced at Arikado, fascinated by the way the marble-like façade softened very slightly under his gaze. "Not at all."
"That's good. Um..." The younger researcher couldn't help but hesitate again. Regardless of what the proper protocol should be in a case like this, she felt responsible... they'd needed Trevor's help, but was it right to just dismiss him now that things were mostly under control? Could she even dismiss him, and where to? It wasn't like he could just take up residence in Arikado's thoughts, could he? But what would happen if he were let loose to walk the modern world, so far removed from his time and place in history?
Hermina sighed; it looked like it was up to her to make the final call. "What's done is done." When Lucy stared at her, eyes wide, she added, "I said it before, didn't I? Surely, this must be fate."
Lucy exhaled. In a way it was a relief to not have to say goodbye to everyone, especially to the man that was the embodiment of hope in their darkest of hours. "Then... I think, Trevor, you will need to stay close to Mr. Arikado if you wish to extend your stay."
Arikado's heart jumped, an unexpected lurch that he hadn't felt in a very long time. "How 'close' and how 'extended'? Do we have to be in the same room, the same building, the same block? And are you thinking a few hours, a few days?" he asked with a little more urgency than intended. He looked over at Trevor, his carefully crafted mask slipping; bright blue eyes met his, just as intense as they'd been when he was alive.
The women exchanged glances again; neither one of them recalled seeing the dhampir express any form of excitement during the time he'd been there... he'd barely shown any emotion other than being a bit eager to help Maria, and upset about Soma, Death and Dracula of course. It was almost like watching a statue turn into a living man. "In theory... well, it's hard to say," Lucy began mumbling, mostly to herself, though her voice grew in strength as she considered the possibilities. "Since Trevor is tied to you via your memory, it's entirely possible that he could remain as long as you're alive and have energy enough for him to draw from. And now that I think about it, he might be able to interact with the real world as well, unlike the others - we didn't have the opportunity to test that earlier, did we? I just assumed... But as to the range - that, I'm uncertain. The others wouldn't have been able to make it much further than the exterior of this building, given that they were bound to books. Even magical grimoires can only contain so much power. But you have inherent magic as well, Mr. Arikado, and, pardon my saying, it's a power far greater and ancient than any tomes we have in our library."
"So I can stay indefinitely as long as I'm with Ad... er, Alucard?" Trevor asked.
"Potentially. I can't guarantee it, but at the same time, there's nothing preventing it either," Lucy warned, and then she squeaked in surprise as Arikado suddenly launched himself at Trevor, wrapping the slightly shorter hunter up in a tight embrace, as if that was the only way to keep Trevor in solid form.
"Trevor..." Arikado sighed, burying his face in the man's hair and breathing in deeply. He had half expected to go right through him; he couldn't believe that Trevor was real, that he was touching him.
"Oh, so you do still want me, you bastard. What was with all the, 'So, you recognize me... even now.' You think I couldn't see through your glamour?" the brunet complained, but his voice was almost a purr, thick with affection.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want... I had to keep my distance. This was difficult for me, seeing familiar faces, reminding myself they were only shadows from the past." His hands automatically wandered up and down the familiar lines of Trevor's back, over the broad expanse of his shoulders. "But Trevor... you're... you."
Arikado could feel Trevor's answering smirk against his cheek. Even something that small was enough to cause his eyes to start misting over, and he fought tooth and nail to hold on to his dignity.
"Far as I can tell, yeah." Trevor pulled back slightly, his own eyes soft and sympathetic, as he reached up to finger the loose, ink black waves that hung just past Arikado's shoulders. The contrast of it against pale ivory skin was attractive, though there was something familiar about it that didn't quite sit right with him. He whispered, "I prefer the blond, but this kind of suits you too, though in a weird way. I mean, I could almost imagine your father had a face like this when he was younger - and human."
Arikado's hand came up and touched his own face, as if he'd forgotten. "I can only manipulate my appearance to a certain extent before it starts looking uncanny enough to be unbelievable; part of that is the fact that yes, as you're aware, I do happen to look like the product of my parentage. As far as the hair... dark hair blends in better with the denizens of this country," Arikado explained with a shrug.
"And the lack of fangs blends in better with humans in general?"
The dhampir smiled - all normal, blunt teeth. On him, it just looked wrong.
"I prefer the fangs myself," Trevor said, flashing his own smile.
"I'll keep that in mind," Arikado responded, his voice dropping in timbre.
Hermina coughed politely into her hand, interrupting the conversation - much to Lucy's dismay, as she was enjoying the flirty banter. "While it's heartening to see that the stories of the relationship between the Belmonts and the son of Dracula weren't exaggerated, I don't think you need an audience for your reunion."
Arikado flushed a pale rose, as unexpected a reaction as his earlier excitement. He looked away, though that just made it all the more obvious he was trying to hide it. "Then... I'll call you, Lucy, if any issues arise. Shall we go, Trevor?"
Three hours wasn't nearly enough to cover a lifetime, but Adrian did his best to answer the numerous questions Trevor fired at him on the drive back to Tokyo. Most of them were about what happened to his family after his passing; others were about the marvels of technology now that science ruled the world.
On the former, Adrian recounted watching Frediric, Ann and Mary as they matured into adults and then began growing older. By the time of Trevor's death at barely forty-four years of age, Frediric had been awaiting the birth of his first son; Trevor had at least met the two older girls, as well as the daughter Mary had birthed during her initial travels with the Codrii Speakers. He hadn't survived to meet any of Ann's children with Lloyd Morris, nor had he witnessed Mary's subsequent marriage to Leo Helsing.
By the time Frediric's heir Leonhard had come of age, the Belmont manor had been rebuilt and Adrian had returned ownership of the castle back to his father, as he and Sypha had no desire to stay in the massive structure by themselves. At the time he'd thought it was a good decision... but time had proved him very, very wrong. While the castle hadn't had any ill effect on him, there was something about the ancient building that affected Vlad. Between Lisa's inevitable passing years earlier and the castle's creeping corruption, Vlad had begun to distance himself once again from humanity, from even his own son. And there, Adrian had made his second mistake.
He'd thought he'd understood grief, how it was a stone lodged in one's throat, an endless numbness in one's chest. But he'd been wrong. Losing his mother or even Trevor had been one thing. Losing Sypha, Frediric and Ann in a span of thirteen months... that was a flock of carrion birds picking slowly and relentlessly at one's flesh, wolves gnawing at one's bones, worms twisting and writhing their way through the rot, an empty void where one's heart had been, swallowing even silence and softness. Why couldn't it have been him instead? He'd found himself wondering if it would've been better if he'd never loved at all.
Was that the sort of grief his father felt? If so, did that mean he was susceptible to the same madness that had consumed his father, that his love could be twisted and tainted into something destructive and unspeakable? Was he damned, like his father, to only love and lose, until he cursed God and his own existence and even all life around him?
Spiraling into deep depression and unable to face the prospect of having to fight or even kill his father yet again, Adrian had sealed himself away in a coffin within the Belmont mausoleum, entrusting the decision to hunt to future generations of the family.
He'd woken up some two hundred sixty years later to a mostly abandoned village and a strange sense of unease that something had gone horribly wrong, launching him right back into conflict against the lord of the castle, who turned out to be one Richter Belmont.
Adrian rattled his way through meeting Maria and Richter, how the young lady had helped him recover the Belmont heir, and how her persistence had convinced him to give living - and love - another try. But before he could settle in comfortably with his new partner, he'd lost Maria, and Richter lost his wife Annette. Both lonely and grief stricken, he and Richter leaned on each other, with Alucard helping his friend / eventual sometimes lover raise his children. From generation to generation afterwards the dhampir remained the Belmonts' protector and benefactor, because that was Richter's final request, and because Maria had wished for him to stay in the world of the living, instead of returning to his eternal slumber.
While the end of Alucard's guardianship was technically in sight with the current head of the Belmont family being Julius, fifty-six years of age, with no progeny, the bloodline would continue on - through the Morrises in the Americas, the Helsings of the Netherlands, Germany and England, various branches of Belnades in Spain, France and now Japan, and even the Lecardes, along with a number of other families. The Vampire Killer was slated to return to the Morris line if necessary; currently Jonathan and Charlotte's great-grandson Curtis was the most likely successor.
"You only thought to mention it now that Hermina's my descendant as well?" Trevor griped.
Adrian gave his hand a squeeze. Although he and Trevor weren't much for handholding - that had been Sypha's thing - it reassured him to have tangible reminder that the man was still there at his side. "Apologies. A lot has happened in a short period of time, hasn't it? In a sense, you've met many of your descendants these past few days: Hermina, Simon, Richter, Maria, Jonathan, Charlotte..."
Trevor couldn't dispute that. Even spending time with facsimiles of his grandchildren had been eye-opening. The names and methods may have changed, but his family was still carrying out their duty, a sword and shield against the darkest of nights.
"And that doesn't even include your actual flesh-and-blood of this era," Adrian continued. "Though both Julius and Yoko Belnades are at the Agency, we don't often work together. So I've made it a point to have dinner with them twice a month when possible. We drink and complain about work, which seems to be something of a time honored human tradition. Still, I can hardly wait to see their reactions when I introduce you!"
Maybe Adrian thought it would be funny, but given who he was claiming to be, Trevor had to think disbelief and confusion would be their primary reactions. He stroked his thumb over the edge of the hand holding his, then looked down. "I can't help but notice, you're still wearing our ring."
"I gave my vow to you and Sypha. I intended to keep to it for the rest of my life, regardless of circumstances."
Trevor's eyebrow lifted. He knew that Adrian wasn't talking about celibacy or even love, but apparently his interpretation of their exchanged promises meant not taking another spouse. "What about Maria or Richter? Or any other lovers you've had? I would not have faulted you if you wanted to marry again." Although he said that, selfishly, a small part of him did revel in the fact that Adrian had kept part of his heart shackled to them, even beyond the grave.
"Sypha's last wish was that she hoped I would find love again. And I did. She did not request that I remarry. Neither did you," Adrian responded, a bit defensive.
Trevor just raised his hands in surrender. He didn't realize it was a touchy subject.
Adrian exhaled, reeling back on his tone. "Maria did bring up the subject of marriage, but I explained to her why I could not pledge myself to her even though I loved her. And as Richter was a widower himself he was not interested in such a thing, nor did I ask." He gave a rueful shake of his head. "Beyond that, there was no one else, not even casually. Dating for fun is common in this era, but I've never tried it, though I've had plenty of people ask if I'd like to be introduced to someone or another."
Well, that was depressing. Trevor rather regretted his earlier selfish thought. Now he had to wonder... "When did Richter pass away?"
"1846. He was seventy-three, quite an accomplishment for a vampire hunter. I'd like to think I took good care of him, but maybe it was his own stubborn nature as well."
"And it's 2036." Trevor did the math... "One hundred and ninety years is a long fucking time to be alone. And two hundred and sixty years before that."
"The two hundred sixty-six years didn't count. I was asleep for one, and I had my coffin wedged in between yours and Sypha's, so I was right where I wanted to be," the blond assured him.
Trevor sighed. Why did he think Adrian would be any different after all this time? Still depressing, even if he didn't see it that way.
Switching subjects to the advancement of science was a talk that was equally necessary and difficult, but for different reasons. Although there was no emotional toll in detailing how modern society favored machines and automation and convenience, trying to explain a concept like nuclear power or artificial intelligence was impossible when it was so far removed from anything that Trevor was familiar with. So Adrian tried to keep things relatively simple, but the hows and whys and whats came faster and faster once they reached the city proper and Trevor was exposed to the fact that over fourteen million people were somehow crammed into a sprawling marvel of concrete and steel and electric lights.
"Humans have truly embraced Vlad's science, haven't they?" Trevor asked as they passed by an electronic billboard featuring an attractive lady holding some sort of mechanical device in her hands.
"It's no longer my father's science. Although it took humanity hundreds of years more to rediscover it, this is the realm of humans now. Vampires, demons and other creatures of the night are actually quite rare nowadays, with most of them remaining in hiding for survival."
"I can see why. Rather than the eternal night the forces of darkness strove for, this is now a world of light."
"In some ways. Technology has evened the playing field, so to speak. But you and I both know, it's never that simple..." Adrian sighed. "Hence why I - and the others - work for the Agency: to counteract supernatural threats, dark cults, wicked plots, and so on and so forth. But as I had to take a few days off to deal with Lucy's request, I undoubtedly have quite a bit of work piled up."
They drove on a little longer, winding through the canyon of business towers and retail spots until the car began slowing in an area that was more residential, not that a hunter out of time could tell one type of building from the other.
"And here we are; this is my building," Arikado said, gesturing casually at the structure before them as his glamour snapped firmly back into place. Since Trevor had mentioned his preference, he had let the illusion drop while driving; no reason to expend energy unnecessarily after all. But now as he headed for the ramp down to the secure parking lot, he needed it to get through security. As the apartment complex housed a number of his coworkers, as well as other government employees, business executives, and even foreign representatives, safety and privacy were top priorities.
"This is your castle?" Trevor breathed as he tilted his head and tried to spot the top of the building before it disappeared from view. It was crazy that his husband had secured such a palatial estate in the middle of the city.
"Ha - hardly a castle," Arikado chuckled before realizing the misunderstanding. "This is called an apartment building. It's a form of shared housing. There's many other residents here; I only live in a small section, on one level."
"I see..." Trevor fell silent for a few moments as the dhampir spoke to someone through some sort of grid in order to open the security gate, and then as Arikado parked his sedan in its reserved spot, he spoke up again. "Do you live with someone then, in your shared section?"
"I don't. Though I have an extra room, as acquaintances will occasionally stay overnight."
Trevor didn't say it, but again, he thought there was something sad about living amongst others, and yet still alone. Once he figured out how to get out of the car he looked about the parking garage at the great many varied vehicles, and then he remembered that they were underground. "So your home is above us? Let me guess, you live several stories up. You and your love of stairs, I swear..."
Arikado chuckled, thinking of all the times Trevor and Sypha and even Lisa had complained about the stairs in the castle. "I don't want to hear it, I had nothing to do with that and the Belmont Hold was just as bad! But you'll be glad to know, elevators are now commonplace." He indicated some metal doors that slid open a few moments after he'd pressed a series of lit buttons.
"This doesn't look foreboding at all..." Trevor grumbled as he peered into the brightly lit but confined space, but he got in anyhow, then grabbed onto his husband's arm, expecting the floor to lurch and sway once they moved, but it wasn't nearly as bad as he anticipated. "Huh, this isn't anything like the one you built," he commented as the elevator began its ascent.
"It's been improved upon by humans, like everything else."
After a half minute the elevator came to a stop, the doors sliding open with a soft whisper. They stepped out into a wide, carpeted hallway, then Arikado headed to the last door on the left and pressed his fingertips onto a scanning device before he checked his phone and began punching in the generated keycode.
Arikado gave a cheeky little bow as the lock beeped and the door swung open. "Welcome to my home, Trevor."
The hunter snorted, taking a step in. Arikado closed the door behind him and explained, "In this country it's polite to leave your footwear here at the door." But as the words left his mouth, he quickly realized that someone else had left their shoes there since he'd last been in the apartment. Glittery dark blue canvas trainers were tucked next to the shoe cabinet. He knew only one person who'd wear shoes like that and would simply waltz into his home without telling him first.
"Soma," the dhampir called out as he quickly removed his own shoes and headed into the living room, the pitch dark ink bleeding out from his hair as he went, leaving him with his natural long, platinum curls trailing behind him.
There was a soft snort from the sofa and then a shaggy, white-haired head popped up. "Wha? Oh, sorry, I guess I fell asleep!"
"Soma, what are you doing here? What about your midterms?" Alucard scolded mildly.
"Just finished. I thought I'd pop by and surprise you and see if you had time to go out to for a celebratory snack or something." The young man looked at the clock. "Guess that won't happen. You're sure back late..."
"Despite my appearance I'm a bit too old to have a curfew."
Soma grinned, but the smile turned to confusion at the sound of someone speaking Romanian in the entryway. "Oh - you have a guest? Am I imposing?"
"It's... it's fine," Alucard said. He paused, then told Trevor, "A friend of mine is here. Let me introduce him." To Soma, he said in Japanese, "Soma, this is Trevor Belmont." And to Trevor, in Romanian, "Trevor, this is Soma Cruz."
"Nice to meet you," Soma managed in Romanian.
Confused, Trevor awkwardly returned the greeting before immediately asking Adrian, "I thought he returned to one of those grimoires. How is he here?"
"This is the real Soma Cruz, not a summoned copy."
Trevor studied the young man. It was interesting to see how different the "real" one was; while they looked the same, the Soma at Elgos had come across as a bit defeated, overwhelmed by everything happening around them. He'd seemed older than his obvious young age. This one had a smile in his eyes and a definite scent of magic about him, one that was almost... familiar? "Er... I didn't ask earlier, but is he your son?"
"What? No!" Adrian sputtered, just as Soma asked, "Is this Julius' kid?"
"No he's not Julius' kid, what made you think that?" the dhampir sighed. He had a feeling he was going to be doing a lot of that, his head whiplashing between the two.
"I mean he kinda looks like him. And the name? Unless..." Soma squinted slightly as he took in the distinct bisected scar over Trevor's left eye. "No way! Are you saying this is that Trevor Belmont? From like, five hundred years ago? How is that possible?!"
"... It's a long story. And I'm tired. But yes, the very same."
"Dude... crazy!" Soma exclaimed, fingers flexing. He almost wanted to reach out and poke the brunet to see if he was solid, but he doubted a trained hunter would stand for that.
Having heard his name, Trevor couldn't help but ask Adrian, "What's he saying about me?"
"He wanted to know if you're the legendary hunter. I said you were. He's in awe."
"I wish people would stop with the whole 'legendary hunter' bullshit - like seriously, did anyone call me that back then?" Trevor complained. Then his mouth twisted as he realized something. "Hey, this is all because of that stupid Speaker thing where they didn't want to write down their knowledge, isn't it? That's why there wasn't a usable catalogue or whatever for me."
"Very likely. But I can't say I'm ungrateful. Although this was unexpected, the extra time I've had with you has really brought back memories."
"Yeah?" The twist of the lips became a full-blown smirk. "Want me to bring back other memories?" Trevor teased, voice low and honeyed.
"Ugh... I shouldn't be surprised, should I?" Adrian complained, but the fond smile on his face made it clear that he wasn't turned off by the idea.
Soma looked between the two. "Hey - am I getting in the way of something?"
Alucard pressed his lips together in a thin line rather than respond.
"How do I say, 'My Romanian is sketchy as heck'?" Soma tried again. He'd figured out some of the words being exchanged, but he was losing every other word or two in between.
The blond sighed and simply told Trevor, "Soma said his Romanian is not passable." As the hunter nodded, Alucard slid back into Japanese and said to Soma, "I would be very alarmed if your Romanian was suddenly good."
The white-haired man burst into peals of laughter.
"That... really wasn't intended to be funny," Alucard mumbled.
Soma re-gathered himself, grinning broadly. "I'm his father," he slyly said to Trevor, hoping he worded it right. He wanted to see what reaction that would get. He could hear Alucard choking on it, off to the side.
Trevor cocked his head. "You're right about his Romanian, I think he just said he's your father."
Alucard couldn't think of any way to respond to that without giving away the truth, so he simply dropped it. "Soma, I'm tired... is there something you need?"
"No? Like I said, I just wanted to go out to celebrate, but..." He waved his hand, dismissing the idea since it was almost three in the morning. "Anyhow, can I stay the rest of the night?"
"I'd rather you not."
"Oh come on! The last train's already long gone by this point. Are you telling me to go crash at a net café?" Soma wheedled. He crossed his arms. "I mean let's not pretend the guest room isn't available," he added with a roll of his eyes.
Alucard flushed. "SOMA."
"What? Oh come on, we're all adults here," Soma said with a wink and a nudge. "Or even the sofa's fine - it pulls out, right? You won't even notice I'm here."
Alucard shook his head, but he couldn't bring himself to kick the younger man out either. Why should Soma spend the night somewhere questionable when there were perfectly good spare beds available? "Fine, just... just don't give me a hard time, please."
"I won't. I'm quiet as a mouse!" Soma nodded at Trevor. "Good night!"
* * *
It was obvious Trevor wanted to engage in some extracurricular activities, but with Soma across the hall and a total of three days and nights dealing with monsters in and out of books, all Adrian wanted to do was sleep. Trevor didn't press the issue, quietly curling up in the large bed with his husband after a quick shower. The soft sheets and the familiar feel of the lean body at his side quickly lulled him to sleep, despite the unfamiliar environment.
The brunet woke late the next day with a golden blanket draped over his chest, a nose pressed against the underside of his jaw, and a leg hooked over his own. Trevor smiled... five hundred years may have elapsed, but Adrian hadn't forgotten his preference for sleeping half draped on top of Trevor.
The hunter took advantage of the moment to pull back and study his partner as he slept. The dhampir's face was as beautiful and ageless as ever, as if frozen in time, though there'd been the weight of ages clouding those citrine eyes: sorrow, weariness and responsibility had dulled their brilliance. His hair was longer than before, cascading well past his waist - or in this case, across Trevor's - and even lighter in color; it would almost be accurate to describe it as colorless, with just a tint of gold. Trevor carefully ran his fingers through it, re-familiarizing himself with its texture, while studying what little he could see of the once-horrific scar that cut diagonally across Adrian's torso. The mark was still present but had healed to the point that it was simply a raised, pinkish line peeking over the V-neck collar of the dark gray pajama shirt, instead of a wider furrow.
"Mm..." Adrian sighed as his eyes fluttered open. There was a hand reverently carding through his locks... When was the last time someone had touched him like that? Maria, probably, as she liked to style his hair for fun, since they both had long, loose curls. He frowned, unsure if he was truly awake or merely dreaming, but then his fingers curled against Trevor's chest, brushing over both skin and body hair, and he suddenly jerked into sitting position, startled by the warmth and solidness of the body beside him.
"Morning," said Trevor, a sad smile touching his lips. He couldn't really blame Adrian for being surprised by his presence... after all, when was the last time they had lay next to one another? For Trevor it was as if no time had passed - for Adrian, many human lifetimes had come and gone.
Adrian seemed to be struggling to process everything at once. Finally, he murmured, "Ah... yes," and relaxed a bit. "Did... you sleep well?"
"I did. This is a very comfortable room. People live well in this era, don't they?"
Adrian simply nodded, then looked at the pocket watch on his nightstand that served as a clock. His expression soured. It was nearly noon! "I didn't think we'd sleep in so late. I suppose I should be grateful that I have more leeway with my work schedule than most," he grumbled. And then he remembered he had an additional guest as well. "I need to check in on Soma."
"Why? The kid looked plenty old enough to be taking care of himself," Trevor said, trying in futility to pull his spouse back down.
"He is. I just..." Adrian stared at the door. "It's rude of me to leave him unattended this late in the day."
Trevor could only sigh as the dhampir got up and began getting changed. There was something weird between the two, but Adrian had said that Soma wasn't his child and that he didn't currently have a lover, so that wasn't it either. Unable to puzzle it out, he followed Adrian's example and got dressed before wandering out to the living area.
"Morning! I didn't know what you guys might want, so I just grabbed some stuff from the convenience store," Soma announced brightly as he waved his hand at the dining table. "I got uh... a katsu sandwich, egg sandwich, onigiri with spicy salmon, curry chicken, potato salad... And some of those potato croquettes you like, Arikado. And instant miso." He picked up a container and sloshed it around. "It might need to be warmed up though. And coffees too!"
Alucard had gotten into the habit of only downing coffee in the morning, with a bit of sugar, no cream. He picked one up and frowned at it. Apparently Soma had ordered two lattes and an americano, which he laid claim to. "Thank you." He quickly turned to Trevor and invited him to help himself to anything he wanted, then looked back at Soma. "Actually, do you happen to have some free time today?"
"As long as it's before four, four-thirty-ish, sure. Gonna take Mina out for ice cream once her midterms are done."
Alucard nodded; he could work with that. "I need help figuring out what the range restriction is between Trevor and myself. I can only skip so many days at work."
"Oh..." Soma glanced at the hunter a moment as the man sniffed curiously at the coffee, then said, "Sure, I can help. Like what's the plan - you go for a walk and I call if anything happens?"
"Yes, something like that."
Seeing Trevor pass on the curry onigiri, Soma quickly snagged it and took a bite. It was his favorite, but he'd be a poor host if he didn't let the guest have first dibs. "Okay, no problem! But let's eat first."
* * *
Trevor polished off one and a half sandwiches, the potato onigiri, and most of a latte before telling Adrian that he frankly preferred his cooking... but this new food wasn't bad. The blond wasn't sure how to break the news that he'd fallen out of the habit of cooking for the most part, as a busy, legally single man surrounded by modern conveniences, but since he'd done it before, no reason he couldn't do it again. Maybe he'd get back in the habit of having breakfast too, now that there was someone to eat with. In the meantime, Soma mother-henned him until he obligingly had some soup and a croquette along with his coffee. It was technically lunchtime, after all.
"All right, shall we do this?" Adrian asked once the leftovers were refrigerated and the table cleaned up. He'd explained the plan to Trevor as well as they ate, so he'd know what to expect. The assumption was that if he began feeling any discomfort or loss of sensory input, Adrian had gone too far. But since verbal communication between Trevor and Soma was going to be spotty, they'd agreed upon a couple of basic signals that they could use in a pinch to indicate that Trevor was okay, or if Adrian had indeed stretched their bond too thin.
The dhampir wasn't expecting much, truly. He thought if they could manage a block or two of separation, they could at least pretend that Trevor had the illusion of independence. The rest of the time, well... maybe he could see about getting Trevor a job at the Agency. It'd probably be a difficult situation to explain: "Well yes, my husband who happens to be the legendary hunter from five hundred years ago is back in the world of the living, but he has to stay within a thousand meters of me" - but at the same time it was normal for agents to work in pairs or groups, so maybe that would work in Arikado's favor?
Palming his phone, Arikado took the elevator down and exited the building before heading due west as he awaited the inevitable ring.
* * *
It turned out they'd all vastly underestimated just how strong and secure the bond was. By the time Soma called to remind him that he needed to leave by four, Alucard was a bat fluttering through central Okutama and Trevor was still perfectly hale and healthy back at the apartment. Surely there had to be some limit to just how far apart they could be, but the width of a major metropolitan area? Even Lucy was surprised when Alucard called her with an update.
"Amazing! I knew your magic was potent, but to be able to sustain Trevor's form from seventy, eighty kilometers away and for over two hours is something beyond what we thought possible from our research," she chirped in excitement at the report.
Alucard shared in her enthusiasm, but for different reasons. "Is it possible to use my memory to summon other heroes from the past?"
"Theoretically... but we're talking about your memory and only your memory, correct?"
"Is the Vampire Killer a requirement?" If it was, he couldn't help but wonder if it was enough that Sypha had handled it before, or did one have to truly wield it to weave themselves into the magical fabric of its aura?
Lucy hummed. "Perhaps, perhaps not; I would need to consult with Hermina as it too possesses formidable magical power. I don't know if the results would've been different with Trevor if we hadn't drawn out some of the whip's magic."
Alucard hadn't planned on mentioning it to the brunet, not wanting to get his hopes up, but if his memory had been enough to give Trevor form, was possible he could do the same for Sypha?
* * *
Author's Notes:
- Probably obvious already, but Alucard will be going by Alucard, Arikado and Adrian in this story, depending on who's talking or thinking about him or what guise he's under. Examples: Arikado = black hair, Soma or Mina speaking. Adrian = blond, Trevor or Sypha speaking.
- I stubbornly stuck with "half-vampire" to refer to Alucard in my earlier fics, as that was the terminology used in the Castlevania animation, but the modern day term would be dhampir, so I made the switch here where appropriate.
Grimoire of Souls (GoS) references and notes:
- Obviously I'm not using the events of GoS verbatim (as this is animation Trevor not Castlevania III Trevor) so consider it a general framework for what happened immediately before this story begins.
- Since it was mentioned that Lucy had tried her hand at writing romantic fiction, I thought she might've enjoyed watching Alucard and Trevor bantering. Who's to say, maybe she'd be into yaoi...
- Everything about Charlotte and Jonathan's interactions in GoS told me they would've ended up together (others can disagree and that's fine, especially since I'm solely basing it off GoS). The fact that they're distantly related isn't an issue as I have the feeling that the Belmonts (along with other hunter families) would have intermarried on and off, as that was a common way to strengthen family ties and bloodlines.
- Also as Trevor is the last character to join the roster, at no point is he specifically told that Soma is Dracula's reincarnation. But Simon does mention that included in their group is "a boy who wanted to continue living as a human despite being the reincarnation of the Dark King." So while process of elimination would make Soma the obvious candidate, he is not identified by name in front of Trevor, and Trevor probably had other people things on his mind at the time, soo... maybe he didn't quite make the connection?
Other game references and notes:
- Curtis Lang is Julius' apprentice from the Kabuchi no Tsuisōkyoku novel. I don't believe there's any indication that he's a Belmont (haven't read it) but as I needed a possible heir here I made him a descendant of Jonathan and Charlotte's.
- Obviously also implied here is at some point after Dawn of Sorrow, Soma learned that Arikado is Alucard and has come to terms with it. Which is why he has access to Alucard's high security apartment.
- Thanks to Nenya85 for beta work. Reviews are appreciated!
January 12, 2025
Summary for Grimoire of Souls:
Genya Arikado (aka Alucard) receives a letter from Lucy Westenra, a magical researcher at Elgos, an organization that catalogues information on Dracula and his castle. The historical grimoires in their collection have begun falling into chaos, releasing dark magic and sending monsters into the real world, with the potential of doing even more damage by rewriting history (just bear with me, this is seriously the plot). So to counteract the darkness, Lucy utilizes her magic to summon heroes from those very same records, to help stabilize history.
Trevor is the last hero summoned because the written documentation about his life and battle with Dracula is incomplete, so in order to recreate him accurately Lucy requires both Alucard's memory of Trevor, as well as the impression ingrained into the Vampire Killer.
At the end of the game, the heroes return to their respective volumes. But logically, since Trevor wasn't drawn from the books , where is he to go...?
Summary for "Under the Milky Way" series:
Trevor and Sypha return to the castle after their disastrous trip to Lindenfeld and find bodies staked outside and Alucard a drunk, staggering mess. Sypha encourages Trevor to reconnect with him as they help with clean up, then asks Trevor if he'd be open to a relationship with all three of them, as Trevor seems to show signs of interest in Alucard. Though he's understandably wary of getting too close physically, Alucard finally agrees to give a relationship a try. Then a message comes from the village of Danesti seeking help, and Alucard and Trevor travel to lend their aid, returning with Greta and a couple hundred refugees. The castle itself falls under attack, and Trevor ventures forth to face the mastermind Death, alone. Assuming Trevor has defeated Death but at the cost of his own life, Alucard and Sypha do their best to forge on as a couple until a Speaker train arrives with a surprise: a very injured Trevor. Adrian nurses him back to health and at the end of Trevor's recovery, the two men finally consummate their relationship.
The trio marries and settles into the castle to raise the next generation of Belmonts. When Sypha is close to the end of her third pregnancy they receive a message via distance mirror: Dracula (now going by Vlad) and Lisa are alive and living in England. They wish to reconcile with Alucard, but Alucard is understandably reluctant to do so. When Sypha goes into labor things don't go as planned; panicking, Alucard pulls his parents over as he needs Lisa's medical expertise. Once the emergency is resolved, he finally sits down to talk to his father and they come to an agreeable accord. Vlad and Lisa return to England, with a promise to continue to communicate through the distance mirror.