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 + "best 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, 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, but this story can be read as a standalone. Maria and Richter based off Symphony of the Night and Nocturne of Recollection.
Archived at: http://www.phenixsol.com/Miko/FF/

* * *

Coming Around Again

Ch. 11: The Willingness to Work vs. A Lack of Motivation

* * *

Genya Arikado blew into the office with a minute to spare in his usual swirl of black and white, fueled by coffee and the lingering pleasant memory of a wonderful night spent with Sypha and Trevor. He'd intended to get some work done on the weekend as was his usual modus operandi but for obvious reasons had been too distracted to do so.

He gave his usual morning greetings to everyone present and rapidly began setting up in his office, wanting a quick start to the workweek. But just as quickly he was reassured that his department was still making progress, even without his individual effort.

He was proud of his team and immediately let them know it. While he'd been getting his family settled over the weekend his agents had continued work on the harvest case, knowing it was the top priority. Martin had reviewed the same translations for Saint Germain's book that Sypha had and come to a similar conclusion as she: there simply wasn't anything in there related to the Infinite Corridor. Matsunaga and Yang had looked through airport footage and credit card records, but there was nothing useful - Ms. Castillo had taken the Narita Express from the airport but vanished from there; there was no record of her booking a hotel room or purchasing additional train passes or even buying a snack. Matsunaga was already looking into footage from the train stations as well but it was going to be difficult picking out a single woman from a crowd if she timed her trips for busier parts of the day. Phone records were still pending, but if Ms. Castillo had been this careful to cover up her tracks, that could prove to be a dead end too.

The best new lead came from Ueda, who'd spotted a thread on a subforum for vampires considering their last sunrise. A user named Mari79 had made a post two months ago about choosing a location for their final day, and someone with the rather tactless name of TimeToGo had commented that the land of the rising sun was where they'd go. They said were willing to meet up with Mari79 if they wanted someone to talk to before the end. There were no publicly visible follow up posts from either user, but Ueda was working on getting access to private messages for both accounts as well as IP logs. If it could be confirmed that Mari79 was indeed Marisol Castillo, then TimeToGo would be an obvious person of interest.

In light of the news, Arikado did a little reassigning - while waiting for subpoenas to be delivered to the forum host, he had Martin switch to helping Ueda with sorting through the interviews with members of the artist's commune Ms. Castillo had belonged to. They needed to cultivate a list of individuals and specific questions if they wanted the American branch to further pursue that lead. And Delilah was being pulled off the case entirely, as that was hardly the only matter their department was working on; for the time being she would be taking lead on the other cases. In between meetings Arikado himself planned on sending out inquiries to vampire enclaves in the greater Tokyo area, Shizuoka, and southern Kyushu, in case Ms. Castillo had visited any of those during her stay, as well as investigating within the Agency about any sales or reported thefts of blessed silver. The only man with access to such in their particular branch was Julius, and Arikado knew he took inventory regularly. If Julius hadn't noted anything missing or tampered with, then Ms. Castillo's attacker / co-conspirator had brought it with them, from somewhere else, but where?

While Arikado settled back into his work routine, Richter and Maria headed out for their turn on Soma and Mina watch duty. The young lovebirds lived in different wards, so the adopted siblings had to go their separate ways as soon as they arrived at the station. Richter kept a confident smile on his face as he saw Maria off, but it sagged and vanished once she was out of sight. He sighed as he began heading to his platform. Like Trevor, he wasn't used to being unarmed while heading into enemy territory and the thought of something going wrong - really wrong - with Soma, while he had no whip or sword at his side, didn't sit well with him...

His fingers unconsciously grazed over the pocket watch chained to his belt. At least he had magic, unlike Trevor - and the thought of a Belmont without magic was still mindblowing to him! - so he was hardly helpless. Plus, Maria and Mina seemed to be getting on fine, so maybe they'd even end up friends if they spent more time together; they were close in age and were both optimistic, upbeat young ladies. Thankfully Maria had regained her spirits ever since Adrian had informed her that the building manager said they were allowed one smaller pet per bedroom, which meant Maria could have an owl or even two. Or two owls and a cat, since Trevor brought that up again...

Who would've known, the older hunter had a soft spot for cats. It made Richter's mouth curl up slightly. How very random, yet he bet Adrian found that quirk charming.

Alas, Richter didn't think he had anything that could compare to that - he just wasn't a soft and fuzzy sort. Best he could do was contribute and help out as much as he could, even if he currently had no intention of taking up a hunter's mantle once more. But this was Soma, as Adrian kept insisting, not Dracula. So he could do this...

With a nod to himself, he squared his shoulders and straightened his spine as the train pulled in. Adrian was counting on him to do his part, so he'd make sure to do it well.

* * *

After cleaning up after breakfast, Trevor and Sypha went to the new apartment to do some tidying up over there, though Trevor honestly thought it was pointless. The place looked spotless to him - how much cleaner could it get when automated floor sweepers were the norm and no one believed in wearing boots past the entryway? Sypha laughed at his observation; she agreed that it was move in ready as-is, but the building manager was generously allowing them early access so might as well accept the courtesy. Just another perk of the respect the dhampir had cultivated, as an esteemed long term resident in very good standing. Plus Sypha wanted to map out the layout and take measurements of each room to help with furniture placement, to ensure things would go smoothly on the day of - and even before that: the rented sofa was scheduled to arrive that afternoon.

She walked to the balcony and looked out through the glass. The view was nice enough: the unit overlooked the small park that bridged the space between the two towers. Given that they were in the middle of a metropolis, it was a relative luxury to have some greenery and trees and very little foot traffic, as the only public facing storefronts in the lobbies were a small sundries shop, an office services counter and a dry cleaners.

"Looking out from this high up, it's a little bit like being back in the castle," she mused.

Trevor joined her. "Yeah. Except back then it was all forest, and just a few buildings, and this is the exact opposite."

"I never thought I'd see anything like this, not even in the largest cities of Europe. It really is amazing how much humans have accomplished, even beyond Vlad's science."

"And in exchange they've forgotten about the creatures of the night that still bump around in the darkness." Trevor shook his head slightly. If it weren't for the fact that the Belmont clan and other demon hunter factions had perpetuated to this day, would modern cities like Tokyo, with its unarmed citizens in packed quarters, easily distracted by their glowing electronics, even exist? "They think vampires are something only seen in those silly recorded plays for entertainment."

"Perhaps it's better that way. Would things be so orderly - would humanity have had the time and energy to devote to advancements in medicine, art, science and more - if they lived in constant fear?"

Trevor just shrugged. Probably not. As he'd said in the past, no one in their family expected to be thanked or rewarded for carrying out their self appointed duty. It simply was what they did... though it sounded like at least one of them had had their doubts... "I wonder what happened with Richter, why he doesn't want to join the Agency as a hunter. You must know, right, Sypha?"

"I don't. We may have some of Adrian's knowledge, but not his memories, not like that. I pretty much know what you know, that Richter fell under some sort of manipulation spell, and that Adrian and Maria saved him." The redhead trailed off before tapping her lips with a forefinger. "Why don't you ask him about it? I've noticed he seems to have a good amount of respect for you. He might confide in you, one Belmont to another."

The brunet grunted. He did want to know. But he didn't want Richter to feel obligated to talk just because he was the so-called 'great ancestor,' especially since Trevor's ultimate goal was to convince him to apply for a position at the Agency together with him, because maybe it would be enough if Richter could handle the talking and driving until Trevor got a handle on those things himself.

"Or if you really aren't comfortable with it..." Sypha began, but Trevor shook his head.

"It's not that. I don't want to be unfair to him, that's all. Just because I don't know what to do with myself outside of monster hunting doesn't make it his problem; it's mine."

She smiled at his consideration. "You like him."

Trevor took a moment to ponder that. "Sure, well enough. And yeah, same with Maria, even if I bitch about her from time to time." He flashed a grin. "If nothing else we all apparently have good taste in men."

Sypha laughed in agreement, though "time to time" was more like an hourly occurrence. "At least Maria helps out around the apartment. Richter... not so much." She paused, then said in a conspiratorial whisper, "He is... kind of an idiot at times."

"Ha! I'm glad I'm not the only one to think that. It's the only time he remembers he's a hunter: 'I'm not a laundress, I'm a hunter,' 'I'm not a chambermaid, I'm a hunter.' Adrian even stopped to help him convert his bed back into a sofa this morning, even though he'd already said he had to hurry to catch the train. Such bullshit!" Trevor spat. Maybe he'd thought that way too once upon a time, but when your family was dead and your home burnt to the ground, you figured out how to take care of yourself real fast.

"We'll work on him. Maybe he just needs time to adjust: to this era, to us, to the fact that humans aren't meant to stand as individuals, even if they're the most exalted hunter of a generation. We only accomplish great things when we're working together."

Trevor could only shake his head. Well, it wasn't like he hadn't dealt with children before. But before he could make the comment, Sypha's phone rang. She picked it up and spoke briefly with the person on the other end, while Trevor tried to act casual as he teased out as many Japanese words as he could.

Sypha paused in her conversation and eyed his chest and arms. "Feel like bringing up a sofa?"

* * *

As soon as the train pulled in Richter began looking for Maria. She wasn't hard to spot, standing out against the flow of bland, suit clad commuters with her golden locks, a chiffon scarf in tangerine, slim fitting white sweater, and swirling skirt in midnight blue with a fanciful flock of black, white and orange birds. She approached with smooth, confident strides, matching his welcoming smile with one of her own.

"How did things go with Mina?" Richter asked as she fell along side to begin their walk home.

"No problems! She's very nice." She considered her next words, then switched to Romanian. "We had lunch together, and then I had a look around the general area while she had class, before I accompanied her to her part-time job. I didn't notice anything odd, but it was good to familiarize myself with the area, just in case."

Richter nodded. His day with Soma went pretty much the same, except the young man had club activities instead of work, so he'd left Soma's university earlier. "This country seems very safe, but because there are so many people and tall buildings with narrow walkways, it makes it tricky looking for any threats that may be lurking about," he cautioned.

"Yes. I reminded Mina to continue checking in with Adrian twice a day and she said she would." She eyed her brother. "I assume there were no issues with Soma?"

"None. I'm almost... surprised. I know how he was yesterday, but I thought, maybe without Adrian around... " Richter said, his voice betraying his uncertainty even before the actual words came out. "It really is hard to believe that there's even a fragment of Dracula in there. He's a completely different person - energetic and friendly. He even asked if everything was okay with 'Arikado' now that all of us were living together; he said he'd always worried about how Arikado was doing, since he seemed so disinterested in everything. So he'd make excuses to drop by and see him, just so he'd have a friend to talk to."

Maria hummed. Soma's behavior sounded nothing like Dracula's, but Arikado sounded just like the Alucard she'd known, the one she'd pursued after recovering Richter. He'd tried to tell her to go home, that he was not interested in the friendship she was offering, but she'd stubbornly persevered until he found it more tiring to evade her than to just accept her offer of a room to rest in. But even then, it wasn't like it got any easier for her. Even trying to have a simple conversation was like pulling teeth at times... he'd been so reluctant to make any connection that he'd walk off, or just shut down if leaving wasn't an option. Sometimes he wouldn't get out of bed for days. After all he'd woken up to a world where everyone he knew or loved was long gone; even the castle where he'd raised a family was no longer recognizable, twisted into something malevolent. By his own hand, he'd sent his father to the grave once more. But Maria persisted, offering companionship and a sympathetic ear if Alucard wished for it, and through consistent and repeated effort he finally began opening up to her little by little until he was able to return to some semblance of a normal life at her side.

When her health began failing she'd worried about what would happen to Alucard given how he'd shut down after his previous losses, hence her making him promise that he wouldn't return to his eternal slumber. She wasn't at all surprised that he'd stayed with Richter after that, as they'd become close as family - what she hadn't expected was for them to become a family.

"So I was wondering, just how did you and Adrian become lovers?" she asked as they began crossing the street.

Richter nearly stumbled off the curb. He figured she would ask at some point, but he hadn't expected it in the middle of a crosswalk... "Well, you know the Belmont family tradition..." he began joking.

She narrowed her eyes at him, not in the mood for deflection. "As if you ever cared for that. You said Annette was the only one for you."

"Yes, and I still don't. Care about that, I mean." Richter scratched the back of his head, trying to think of how to best explain things. "I guess... it just happened. It wasn't like we'd planned it."

"But you've never showed any inclination towards men."

"No. And that almost made it easier, because I had no intention of getting remarried. But I needed help with the household chores, with the youngest children. So because it was Alucard... because he was willing to stay - and then leave, with me - without any further expectations... well, it just worked. Does... that make any sense?"

"So you used him because he was a willing housekeeper and nanny?"

"No one was using anyone..." Richter huffed, thick brows knitting. Yes, maybe he'd been the recipient of Alucard's kindness, but it wasn't one sided. He'd done his part to provide for them all as the head of the household should, and Alucard had said himself that he enjoyed having children in his life again. When Richter could no longer bear the burden of being the Belmont after succumbing to Shaft's magic, could no longer face the loss of his wife and baby and eldest son, he'd grabbed onto Alucard's offhanded suggestion and ran, and that had suited Alucard just fine, both men wanting to escape their mutual losses. So really, they'd been more like two peas in a pod, not whatever Maria accused him of being.

"But at some point, things changed. Wasn't it because that's what you wanted?" Maria continued pressing.

"No. I... he..." How had it all started? If Richter remembered correctly, it had been a chilly night on the road. He'd done some work clearing out predators near a small village and one of the farmers had agreed to let them use the barn for shelter for a few nights; fourteen-year-old Albrecht and Liselotte, eleven, opted to climb up into the hay loft with their blankets to sleep where it was warmer. He and Alucard had remained in the wagon, curled together for warmth. Maybe they'd been talking about eldest daughter Odilia's engagement to the clerk of a trading company, or discussing the practicality of delivering the Vampire Killer to the Morrises far across the sea.

At some point they must've turned towards each other at just the right moment and their faces brushed by one another. Richter would've laughed it off as a matter of bad timing - but then Alucard leaned in a tiny bit further and touched his lips to Richter's before pulling back slightly, to gauge his reaction.

"I'd noticed him looking at me before; I wasn't blind. I just didn't think he'd ever act on it," the hunter finally admitted.

"You acted on it too," Maria observed, squinting at him like an irritated owl.

"... I did. Like I said, I wasn't blind. Not to his interest, and certainly not to the fact that he's unusually beautiful, regardless of his gender." The family portrait that had hung prominently in the manor - and now Adrian's living room - hadn't done him justice. Even upon their first meeting, moments after Shaft's defeat, all Richter could think was that God had been merciful - an angel, radiant and ethereal, had descended to Earth to fight for his soul. He had been even more impressed once he'd learned that that was no angel but the legendary dhampir himself, roused from slumber to once more stand before the darkness for humanity's sake. Of course Richter hadn't been thinking about desire at that point, but Alucard had certainly made quite the impression on him from the get go.

Everything changed once Alucard made the first move. Intrigued and emboldened, Richter had chased after him for a proper kiss and then allowed his hands to roam where they would. He never thought he could've laid with another man, but he was driven by lust for the slender figure writhing beneath him, the smooth skin, the ageless face, the halo of soft hair pooling under his fingers. And a darker desire for dominance - every flash of fang as Alucard gasped silently reminded Richter that that was the son of Dracula pinned below him, every thrust into that pale, cooler-than-normal body drove the awareness of vampire into his brain, and the hunter in him thirsted for blood. His fingers tightened on unresisting wrists as Richter fought the urge to stake him, to behead him, to drag his body out into the sun to ash...

Mingling in with the misguided instincts was the unwanted cousin of grief: rage, white hot and blind. How dare Alucard try and sympathize with him; how dare he presume to understand his loss! It wasn't like the blond dealt with sorrow any better than he - why, Alucard still wore his wedding band from three hundred years ago and had done so throughout his relationship with Maria. He'd spent over two hundred and fifty years asleep, hiding away from his responsibilities. Richter didn't need help from someone like that; he had no use for meaningless kindness. But he swallowed it down like the bitter pill it was, like he always did, even as it choked him, making his breaths come in short, desperate huffs, as he devoured the offering before him.

By the next morning he was full of regret. What would Maria think? What would Annette? He'd used Alucard, whom he considered his good friend, his brother-in-law. He'd thought terrible things about him, just because of what Alucard was, when who he was was the selfless man who'd pulled Richter out of the darkness he'd trapped himself in and then gone on to defeat Dracula once again, regardless of personal cost.

By the time Alucard awoke Richter had already retreated under the pretense of checking on the children. He didn't want to talk about the swirling mess of confusion and doubt and other feelings he couldn't even put a name to, and Alucard thankfully didn't press the issue, but as a result of that they didn't share a bed again for over a year, even when it was cold or space was lacking.

A finger jabbed him in the shoulder, and Richter started, suddenly remembering he was on a sidewalk with Maria. He grumbled and ran a hand over his face, both because he'd gotten so into his own head, and because of how badly he'd messed things up back then. Although he'd never explained to Alucard what he was thinking that first night, the dhampir hadn't held it against him - when Richter was ready to try again, he went along with it willingly.

"Are you mad that we ended up living together?" the brunet asked as she glared up at him.

Maria rolled her eyes. "'Living together'? You two were in a relationship. It wasn't like either of you had anything holding you back at that point."

"So you are mad," Richter sighed. "I never betrayed you, Maria. Neither did he."

"I'm not... and I know you didn't," she insisted, though she couldn't help the small hurt that her lover had ended up with her brother so soon after her passing. Had Alucard been admiring Richter all those years they were together? She'd always known he was attracted to both men and women... But she pushed that aside with a shake of her head. She might not be privy to every thought that passed through Adrian's head, but she knew for certain he'd remained faithful to each and every lover he'd had, until death forced them apart.

Trying again, she said, "What upsets me is the fact that you seem to brush it off like it was a minor happenstance in your life. But he stayed by your side for the rest of your years, didn't he?"

"... He did." Even when he'd been old and decrepit, barely able to take care of himself, Alucard had remained steadfast and devoted. Even though Richter had done nothing to deserve it.

"And yet you can barely acknowledge it, even now."

"He was my friend first and foremost. It was the same for him," Richter insisted, clinging to that as his truth even as it shattered like glass beneath his feet.

"Was it?" she challenged. Adrian was not someone who loved casually. If he'd chosen to be with Richter, his feelings had to be true.

Richter's arms flapped in a loose shrug. "I'm not saying it didn't become something more. But mainly... yes, that's what it was."

"Oh my God... you don't deserve him!" Maria snarled as she began stomping down the sidewalk a little faster, leaving her brother behind.

Richter continued to trudge along silently as her words struck home. What could he say? Why did she think he'd been trying to put some distance between them ever since they miraculously "returned"? Adrian was better off with Maria for certain; better off with Trevor and Sypha too. It was messy enough without him in the mix. It was for the best, for both of them - for all of them - if he and Adrian were strictly friends.

Trevor and Sypha were back as well by the time Richter got home. They'd already begun doing some packing, mostly of books, since it was unlikely Adrian would need to access those during the two weeks before they officially moved into the new place. Currently they were arguing about whether or not they should get dinner going, with Sypha and Maria being of the opinion that yes, it would be helpful and Trevor insisting that Adrian wouldn't want them messing with whatever he had planned.

"Why not text him and ask?" Richter interjected as he went to the fridge to rummage for a cold drink. The only options available were Trevor's beer and bottled tea, so he grabbed one of the latter.

"Because then he'd say he has it covered, don't worry about it, and Sypha doesn't want to hear it," said Trevor, crossing his arms.

"That's not it - I know he'll say don't worry about it, but he won't be home until around seven. And then he'll have to start cooking immediately instead of sitting down for a breather. Meanwhile we're all here, idle, so why not at least chop some vegetables or cook the rice?" Sypha argued.

Trevor looked past Sypha to Maria. All he could think about was her admission that she'd managed to burn boiled eggs. "Richter, you text him."

The younger hunter opened his mouth to ask why him, then he remembered Trevor's constraints. With a small sigh, he put down his beverage, fished out his phone, asked what was for dinner, and was there anything they could do to help?

A minute later, all their phones pinged. Adrian had answered via group chat. Tsukune, cabbage, rice.

Another minute passed. I will leave work early. You can buy snacks at the konbini if needed.

Sypha frowned. Apparently Adrian misunderstood and thought they were hungry and incapable of fending for themselves, like helpless baby birds. "Does he think we're just sitting around waiting for him to feed us?"

Trevor just shrugged. "You know how he gets. Let him work through it. I bet he'll ease off once he's more used to having everyone here."

"That's fine and all, but really... he has so much on his schedule and what are we doing? Boxing up books and polishing windows in an apartment that's already clean?" Sypha argued.

"Julius and Yoko shouldn't be gone that long. You could come and train with me once they're back," Trevor suggested. "All of you."

Richter could only shake his head. He'd been thinking about it off and on since Mina had brought it up, and his mind hadn't changed. "I don't think I'm cut out for it any longer. Being a hunter, I mean."

Trevor eyed his younger counterpart. He and Sypha had just talked about that, but Trevor still didn't get it. Historal records all agreed that the other man had been a very competent hunter, the most powerful of his era. To disregard his duty as a Belmont just because of a setback or two... "Want to talk about it?" he asked, voice pitched low. Richter wasn't obligated to respond, but if he wanted someone to spill his grievances onto, Trevor was willing to listen.

Richter's mouth opened slightly to reply; Trevor's offer reminded him of when he was much younger, and his father or grandfathers would tell him that he could come to them with any worries he had, whether it was about hunting or anything else. Richter paused, then he gave another slight shake of his head. "Not right now. But... thanks."

"Sure."

Of course that left the quandary of what they ought to be doing with their time. If the Agency wasn't an option, then what? Obviously for Trevor the language barrier was the biggest issue... he was doing his best to learn Japanese but even if he picked it up at a good clip he was probably months out from being able to communicate well enough to find a job. The older hunter ran his fingers through his hair, sighing, then something occurred to him... "Hey, Junior, you any good with lifting shit?"

"Lifting... shit?" Richter said with slight distaste. It still amazed him how coarse Trevor's language was; no one in the Belmont manor spoke in such a manner when Richter was growing up. He was nothing like the noble figure Richter had imagined he'd be. How had Trevor managed to win over someone as clever as Sypha or refined as Adrian? Yet this man was their great ancestor... it certainly wasn't Richter's place to correct him.

"Yeah. A sofa arrived earlier. The guy doing the delivery said they were shorthanded so I said as long as they brought it I'd go down and help bring it up and move it into place. I guess he joked about wanting to hire me, but I didn't understand until Sypha explained it afterwards." Trevor sighed again. "We all know language is an issue for me right now. But you don't have that problem; you can drive too."

"You want to take a job moving furniture?" Richter asked, baffled. He hesitated slightly, then added, "Isn't that beneath you?"

Sypha's expression began to sour.

"Hey now, it's honest labor - I've done way worse shit for coin. Plus it beats sitting around on our asses all day." Trevor scratched his head. "Why, you have a better plan?"

Richter didn't know if he wanted to ask what "worse shit" entailed. But Trevor did have a point, he had no plans right now and nothing to do, so if he didn't want to return to the family business, why not try something else in the meantime? "Was he serious about the job offer?"

Trevor glanced at Sypha. "Dunno. But if not there, we can try somewhere else."

It was hard arguing against his logic. Richter didn't particularly see the appeal in delivering furniture, but it made sense that that was the type of work Trevor could handle with his current restrictions. If Richter was willing to do most of the communicating and Trevor the heavy lifting, then there was no reason not to do it. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look into it, if you're sure you want to do it."

By the time Adrian got home, Richter had already called the delivery company on behalf of himself and his "cousin" Trevor. The owner was indeed looking for some part timers and two strong, fit young men certainly fit the bill, but neither Belmont had work visas; there was the insinuation that maybe they could work under the table, but still, at least one of them needed to be able to drive... Maybe the dhampir could help with that?

"Oh... Hmm, I don't even have residency cards for you all yet, only Trevor," Adrian observed as he got the rice going. He was going to have to pull more favors to quickly get all the documents they'd need, even for something as simple as a part-time blue-collar job. Even with diplomatic privilege there was only so much he could get away with; Director Sato had already voiced concern earlier in the day over possible scrutiny that this might draw from other government representatives. One undocumented individual appearing out of nowhere was one thing; a quartet of them was entirely another.

"I may have implied that my driver's license would arrive this week..." Richter said.

If it was just a driver's license, that was perhaps doable. Though he'd feel better about it if Richter legally got one, especially if he was planning on driving a moving truck. He'd need a semi-medium vehicle license at the very least. But there was no way he could legitimately get it in a week. "You'd also need a work visa," Adrian pointed out.

Richter simply shrugged. "We could work for cash."

Adrian made a slightly disgruntled sound. He could not let his boss find out about that - or the driver's license - if they were going that route. "It'd be better if you didn't."

"Why? This isn't gonna be a long-term thing. Just something to do until I can pick up the language here and shit," said Trevor, crossing his arms.

Adrian sighed. He did want his loved ones to have the chance to discover who they were, beyond the legacy they'd once been chained to. Even if that meant doing a stint as illegal delivery workers, apparently... Note to self, try and expedite work visas as well for the two of them. "Sypha, Maria, how about you?" Might as well bite the bullet and get it all done at once...

"I was thinking of going to school like Soma and Mina," said Sypha. "Or the public libraries that Mina spoke of... I think that's a wonderful thing; I would not mind working in such a place!"

Adrian thought about it. A student visa wouldn't be a big deal. Getting her enrolled in a university was another matter. "For school, you'd need to decide on a field of study, then choose a school and apply for admittance. It's not something I could influence, unfortunately, beyond fabricating a transcript, I mean. Or since you mentioned libraries... well, it isn't quite the same, but the Agency has archivists on staff, as they hold a large portion of the texts that once were part of the Belmont Hold. Would that be of interest to you?"

"Hmm. I'll take it under consideration," Sypha agreed. As she'd mentioned before, she didn't mind the idea of working to support the Agency's cause, but she recognized she was being given the luxury of considering multiple avenues, so she wanted to give thought to all possible options before deciding.

Maria spoke up next. "I'd like to do something with birds, but not like that café we went to. There's not much demand for bird trainers or caretakers is there?"

Adrian racked his brain. He hadn't had reason to think about it before, but maybe there was a raptor rescue or something that could use her expertise? Or a veterinary office, if one specialized in birds. He explained that to her, and she said she'd look into both of those.

"Or Yoko said she bet I'd do well at the stores we visited - I could get a discount on clothing and accessories that way too! But... if you think it's better that I join you at the Agency, I am willing to do that instead. I want what's best for you, Adrian," Maria added eagerly.

"Please. You've all lived lives that were dictated to you; you've had expectations to live up to. So now, I only wish for you each to find your own way, whatever that might be."

"Says the man who has continued to chase Dracula's shadow for half a millennia, all around the world," Trevor said, scoffing.

"For your information I did do other things in the interim," Adrian sniffed as he began slicing cabbage into thin ribbons with the precision of a machine.

Trevor had to bite his tongue, literally, to keep from spitting out that sealing oneself into a coffin and sleeping to avoid reality for hundreds of years didn't count.

"Besides, someone had to do it. And I was hardly alone in my task," the blond added, thinking of all the generations of hunters and magicians and scholars that had come and gone since Richter's day. Just as he'd supported the Belmonts, as Richter had asked, the extended clan had returned the favor tenfold.

Trevor's eyes softened, as did his voice. "I'm glad - that it wasn't solely on your shoulders, I mean. And I do intend to join you soon. Just need to pick up the language, and maybe a few more things."

He made it sound so easy. But if there was one thing Adrian could be sure of, Trevor could pull off even the impossible as long as he put his mind to it. If he really wanted to join the Agency, he'd do what was needed to force the issue. The dhampir smiled. "Thank you."

The older hunter grunted. "Yeah." He eyed the growing pile of cabbage. "And speaking of which, you're just driving me nuts now. Give me the knife, I can do this at the very least. Go find something else to do."

Adrian blinked as Trevor nudged him aside the moment he put down the kitchen knife. "Er..."

Sypha eagerly jumped on the opening Trevor had created. "Yes, I agree. You just got home; the rest of us did little of consequence all day. I'm fine if you want to supervise, but at least sit down; we can help make dinner."

Adrian went to protest, then thought better of it. Richter was already pulling over the desk chair that Trevor had dragged into the dining room and parked it at the end of the counter. "Well, if you insist..." the blond said, sitting down gingerly.

"We do," said Maria, rolling up her sleeves. "So what are we making?"

"Tsukune," Adrian answered, eyeing the laptop where the recipe was displayed. It was safer to have Maria do the sauce than the meatballs, but he wasn't sure how to tell her that...

Thankfully Sypha was on his wavelength. "I can make meatballs and you can do the sauce, Maria."

"And Junior can go set the table," Trevor added.

Richter's eyebrow lifted. "Eh?"

"You have hands. Set the table," Trevor repeated in that same mild tone, though it was clear he wasn't merely making a suggestion. One of the first chores they'd had for Frediric was setting and clearing the table. If a four-year-old could manage it, so could his much older counterpart.

Richter stared at Trevor's back. The older hunter continued to shave cabbage. He hadn't even turned to look at him. He was just going to assume he'd do it...

Maria's mouth dropped open as her brother wordlessly pulled open the drawer and began counting out spoons.

"Also learn how to make and stash away your bed. I don't want to see Adrian doing it, especially right before he's supposed to leave to catch a train! And I don't want to see Maria doing it - and Sypha and I sure as hell won't. You want to eat? Contribute," Trevor said with finality.

Adrian made a confused sound. "But I'm not allowed to cook?"

Trevor's whole demeanor softened, along with his voice. "No... not today. You just got home from work. I know you like taking care of everyone, but let us take care of you from time to time, eh? Just make sure Maria doesn't set the sauce on fire."

"Hey!" Maria protested. She stuck out her tongue, and Trevor chuckled, eyes crinkling.

Adrian sighed. Watching everyone else cook was going to give him more anxiety than rushing to do it himself. But... he stayed put. Trevor was right; he probably ought to rely on them more. It had just been so long since he last lived with anyone that it felt foreign to not be doing everything himself, without having to consult with anyone.

Of course, Trevor hadn't said that the dhampir couldn't do anything at all. So Adrian fished out his phone and began checking work emails, while keeping one eye on Maria. He was sure that Trevor had been joking about her setting the sauce ablaze, but there was always the distinct possibility...

* * *

Author's Notes:

- Sorry for the slow update. I've unfortunately used up much of the buffer I'd had at the start, and being in between lemons sucks. I might choose to write 'em, but I'll always struggle with 'em!

- Couldn't help but play up the family portrait in this chapter (the Blu-ray box reveal came when I was first working on it) though my headcanon version has more kiddos. Sypha would've been carrying Mary, Trevor would've probably had both hands on Frediric's shoulders as the kid was squirming and complaining he was bored for the fifteenth time. And it definitely would've been Ann tugging on Alucard's hair, and she'd (and he) would be overdressed compared to the rest of the family, because Alucard would've insisted on buying her a new dress for the session even though Trevor would've figured it'd be fine putting her in her brother's hand-me-downs instead.

- Thanks to Nenya85 for beta work. Reviews are appreciated!

February 5, 2026