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, 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.
Archived at: http://www.phenixsol.com/Miko/FF/

* * *

Coming Around Again

Ch. 2: Trevor vs. A Night At an Izakaya

* * *

On the way back from Okutama Alucard stopped a few times, both to give his little bat wings a break, and to send some necessary texts. He asked Yoko and Julius if they were available to bump up their usual bimonthly get together to tonight - they said they could - and if Soma and Mina would like to join them - they happily said they would.

As soon as the dhampir got back Soma left to meet up with his girlfriend and Arikado grabbed Trevor and headed back out into the city. He needed to get the other man new clothing and more importantly, a phone. Thankfully they lived in an area with stores that catered to foreigners, as Trevor was both taller and broader than the general populace of Japan. They also needed to pick up some groceries - though dinner was accounted for and Soma had shown Trevor how to use the microwave so he'd had some leftovers for a late lunch, Adrian figured he'd try his hand at cooking again since that was what his husband wanted. He barely suppressed a chuckle at his own expense... what was he, a doting housewife? Yet he couldn't help himself. He was his father's son after all; his brand of love was all consuming.

In short order Trevor learned first hand about urban density and public transportation - and Arikado hadn't been kidding at all about the sea of people with black hair! - and was loaded up with a pair of cargo pants and boot cut jeans, a few shirts, and a leather jacket. And of course sturdy boots and basics like socks and underwear, cotton loungewear, and a belt and wallet. For the phone, Arikado didn't go top of the line even though his natural knee jerk instinct was to do just that, instead opting for one that seemed easier to use as far as options. Since reading and language in general were going to be an issue for Trevor, the more icons, the better. He also began looking into translation apps to hopefully help ease the hunter's transition into this new, foreign land.

"So tonight it's going to be six of us?" Trevor asked as Adrian decided he'd need to figure out the app thing later, or else they were going to be late. "Anyone else?"

"That should be it. Normally we wouldn't bring the 'kids' along but since they just finished their midterm exams I thought it would be a nice treat for them, and it's been a while since we've all gotten together." Adrian tossed Trevor his new phone, pulled out a coat, considered it, and grabbed a different one instead - black of course, with a red brocade lining. He slung it over his shoulders, took another peek at the ornate gold leafed hallway mirror and decided it would do. "Are you ready?"

Trevor checked out his own reflection. "How do I look?" He was wearing some of the clothes purchased earlier: dark wash jeans, the coffee colored leather bomber jacket, a tan henley with red contrast stitching. They felt comfortable and easy to move in, even if the fabric and style weren't anything he was used to.

"Very nice," the blond assured him with a smile. "You'd fit in just fine at almost any casual occasion." The shirt was probably a touch more snug than it should be, and the jeans Adrian had picked out were certainly accentuating the muscles of Trevor's thighs, but Adrian could enjoy that privately without pointing it out.

Trevor could only shrug. He himself was good with anything. But if Adrian liked it, then he liked it too.

"Dinner should be right up your alley. We're going to an izakaya, which is basically the equivalent of a tavern or bar. It offers a wide assortment of food and alcohol, including plenty of beers. Julius likes drinking as well, so you'll be in good company."

The hunter grinned widely. "I'm looking forward to it - both meeting everyone, as well as the booze."

* * *

Yoko had chosen an izakaya close to her apartment yet a little off the beaten path. It was one of their default picks when more than just the three of them planned on attending, so Alucard was agreeable to it, especially since a few of the private rooms in the back were set up Western style with tables and chairs.

As soon as he and Trevor arrived, the hostess whisked them away to a reserved room, where Yoko and Julius sat, snacking on edamame.

Julius greeted them with a quick wave - his other hand was wrapped around a cold glass of shochu - then looked Arikado up and down, taking in the fitted silver vest and darker pewter slacks, the billowing sleeves of the white linen shirt, all with the coat worn like a cloak. "You are the only person I know who can dress like a poet dying of melancholy and get away with it."

"You're one to talk. They still haven't started casting for the all-musical remake of Tombstone, I'm afraid," Arikado volleyed back with ease as he took a seat next to the old hunter, with Trevor settling down beside him.

Julius huffed. "Hey, I like this coat, okay?"

"Oh stop, Julius. The gothic prince of Shibuya always looks good," said Yoko with a laugh.

Arikado rolled his eyes, then squinted at her when she smiled smugly. "The... what? Is that... a thing?"

"Mmhmm." She began messing with her phone, then a few moments later showed him a Facebook group that was indeed titled "Gothic Prince of Shibuya" with a few photos of him, most of them blurry but a couple were a little too sharply focused on his face for his liking.

Arikado simply sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose. He mentally made a note to see if he could get the page shut down or at least blocked, given that it potentially exposed his schedule or whereabouts to malicious parties. That was the downside to technology, and to the fact that even with a glamour, he couldn't really make himself look drastically different or older than his natural appearance.

Yoko was torn between pitying him and teasing him. "I know, but even if you wore baggy sweats you'd drive the ladies crazy," she pointed out, eyes crinkling. She couldn't help but cackle as his expression soured. "Oh, it's harmless. Just schoolgirls fangirling over a pretty face."

"Until someone realizes he doesn't age," Julius commented. "Maybe switch up the look once in a while, eh?"

'What a hassle," Arikado muttered.

"Or aim for plain or ugly, I could care less," Julius said with an eyeroll of his own before he looked over his shoulder at the newcomer who had yet to say a word. Trevor was already surreptitiously studying him in return, so apparently their curiosity was mutual. Julius' gaze sharpened at the sight of the bisected scar over Trevor's eye. "So who's your friend?"

Arikado switched to an older Romanian dialect, dropping his voice out of habit as if anyone else in the shop could possibly understand it. "Trevor, this is Julius and Yoko. Would you introduce yourself?"

Trevor was happy to put his limited Japanese to use. "Nice to meet you, I am Trevor Belmont." He did a quick dip of his head in lieu of a more proper bow, but it was good enough.

Yoko had been all smiles. The smile turned into a polite but confused wobble of the lips. Still, she switched languages automatically, as they often used Romanian to minimize any eavesdropping when talking about work. "Excuse me? Where'd you dig up another Belmont?" She leaned across the table slightly. "Hmm, he does bear a slight resemblance to you, Julius. It's the eyes and the brows."

It's the other way around, thought Arikado, though he didn't say it. Quite a number of Trevor's male descendants had inherited those intense blue eyes and the heavy, expressive brows.

"You may be young, but I can tell, you've seen your share of combat," Julius said to Trevor. It was in the build of his back and shoulders, the way he positioned himself in his seat so he could keep an eye on the exit, the fact that he'd walked into the room and immediately assessed everything with a sweeping glance. Someone had trained this man as a hunter, and it wasn't him, which raised a whole other set of questions.

"You don't know the half of it," Trevor replied. He kept things vague on purpose; Adrian had told him it was his decision to reveal as much or as little as he wanted, so he figured maybe it was better to get to know his descendants without the weight of expectation getting in the way. For now he was fine just testing the waters. Besides, he had other things on his mind. "What is that?" he asked, eyeing the other hunter's drink.

"A type of spirits called shochu. This one is maewari mugi - barley with water - and tastes a little like whiskey, but lighter."

"Hmm, I might have to try one. I prefer beer but whiskey's not bad either, though Adr... Alucard said there's many types of beer here."

Julius sat up a bit straighter. He nearly called him Adrian... not Alucard or Arikado. Alucard knows him well enough to let him use that name.

"Does he only speak ye olde Romanian?" Yoko asked Arikado, swapping to Japanese for the moment.

The dhampir nodded. "He's very newly arrived in Japan, I'm afraid."

She and Julius mulled that over as the hostess peeked in. Arikado ordered a mugi shochu on the rocks as well as a beer flight for Trevor, plus a Riesling for himself, along with a few different grilled skewers and gyoza to go with the drinks.

"Not even going to wait for the kiddos, huh?" the young sorceress commented.

Normally he would have, but Arikado wanted Trevor to enjoy himself, which meant alcohol, which meant food too. "I'll foot the bill. Order whatever you want."

Yoko clapped her hands together, equal parts pleased and grateful. "Oh goodie! Let's see, sushi... premium beef..." She normally was more budget minded, but if Arikado was in a mood to splurge, so would she.

"So you're going to have to explain to me where you've hidden another Belmont this whole while," Julius pressed as Yoko mentally compiled her order. "Because - and I know you probably think my memory is still shit - I know for a fact that I had no other siblings other than one sister who died in infancy, and I sure don't remember my father ever telling me about any brothers of his. Unless you're saying the family tree you've so carefully compiled is lacking in some way."

"He's married, too," Yoko commented offhandedly in Japanese to avoid tipping off Trevor. When Julius furrowed his brows at her, she lifted her left hand slightly to indicate a ring.

Julius' eagle eyed gaze slid over and sure enough there was a band around the man's ring finger, but Trevor slipped his hand back under the table once he realized what Julius was looking at. Where, interestingly enough, Arikado's hand was resting on a denim-clad thigh...

"Okay, what's going on here?" the old hunter demanded. "You disappear for days, then turn up with some long lost relative of mine... and you're wearing matching rings."

Trevor exchanged looks with his spouse. Arikado shrugged. Trevor nudged him back, clearly intending for him to explain in his stead.

"It is as he said. He is Trevor Belmont, the very Trevor Christopher Belmont who I married half a millennia ago, who is your distant ancestor."

Julius looked down at his drink, as if half a glass of diluted alcohol was to blame. He turned his attention back to Arikado. "Seriously... What. The. Fuck."

Arikado took in a breath, knowing the story would take a while. At least the hostess had come back with the beer sampler and wine, along with some skewers, so there were some easy distractions if he should need them.

He was about ninety percent of the way through the events at Elgos - and Trevor about seventy percent through his beers - when Soma and Mina showed up. The young couple were quite chipper, unaware of the minefield they'd just stumbled into; Yoko quickly relayed that Arikado was paying and encouraged them to order up a storm.

"Okay, so let me get this straight," said Julius in hushed Romanian, determined to get the full story from Arikado even as the other four exchanged pleasantries, with Yoko doing her best to translate from one side to the other. "You answer a letter requesting your help, and it turns out to be one of Death's plots to try and rewrite history, to undo everything that we managed to accomplish?"

Arikado hummed. "Well... that's a very simplified summary, but yes."

Julius glared at him. "Oh, and by the way, a bunch of my ancestors somehow got... copied and are running around too?"

"Not copied, per se. They are historically accurate renditions of them, drawn from a moment in time, but still bound to the volumes they came from."

"... But because Trevor was plucked from your magically perfect memory, he's actually Trevor," Julius continued with just a hint of snark.

"From what we can tell, yes. Because he was fleshed out by the entirety of my memory, as well as the memory of the whip, as drawn out by a Lecarde."

Julius considered that, then reached under his coat and touched the Vampire Killer, as if needing reassurance it was still there. The motion hadn't gone unnoticed, not by Arikado, and not by Trevor. Even Soma was eyeing the old hunter with a hint of wary curiosity, sensing the weapon's power.

Arikado couldn't help but remind Julius, "It has happened before. With Jonathan Morris combating the whip's memory of Richter Belmont."

"But that wasn't actually Richter," Julius growled.

"No. Just an echo."

"And now the echo's gone full 3-D..." Seeing Arikado tilt his head at him, no doubt wanting to point out that his description was inaccurate or lacking, Julius waved that off and finally asked, "So now what? You just live happily ever after?"

"It's impossible to say, as there's no precedence. The current theory is that as long as he can draw energy from me - that is to say, as long as I'm alive and well and he's part of my memory - he'll exist. As to what happens from this point on... Really, I'm pretty much fine with whatever Trevor wishes." The dhampir shrugged. "It's not like money is a concern, Trevor," he added softly, when said hunter turned his scrutiny onto him.

Trevor groaned softly. "I have no intention of lying around your comfortable home, leeching off of your kindness. We both know I only 'retired' because I was no longer able to physically keep up in combat - and even then we had kids to raise, a village to look after." He gave his left shoulder a roll, then flexed his right arm. "I seem to no longer have those restrictions, though I haven't put it to the test. So if there's something I can help with, I'll do it."

Arikado was both sympathetic as well as realistic. "We live in an era where there's no need to chop wood or hunt game. Even laundry is washed with a machine. I did think about bringing you into the Agency, but the language barrier and the fact that you're simply 'out of time' are currently the biggest issues. And too the fact that teaching you to read and write in a completely different writing system may be near impossible."

Trevor grunted. He... probably had to concede on the writing front. But there was no reason he couldn't pick up the spoken language. At the time of his passing he'd been semi-fluent in English and Spanish just from casually practicing with his kids, since Ann had moved to England and Mary spent nearly all her time with her mother's Speaker train. And that was in addition to a passing understanding of Latin and French, which had been used during his childhood and was revived and polished up thanks to Sypha. "Give me a few months and I bet I could hold this entire conversation in Japanese."

Arikado smiled, realizing the same thing. As much as they'd all - including Trevor - joked about what an idiot he was, he picked up things quickly and memorized them easily, provided it wasn't in writing. And now that Arikado thought about it, Trevor's struggle with reading and writing was most likely a learning disability, one that could be diagnosed and worked with with modern techniques. "I don't doubt that. But until then, it would be near impossible to find you employment in these lands. Perhaps if I enrolled you in some language courses we could speed it up..."

Julius scratched at his goatee. "Actually... Trevor, would you be willing to spar with me? Ah... not right now of course."

"Do you still not believe he is Trevor Belmont?" the dhampir asked, perturbed.

Julius shook his head. "No, it's not that. If he's combat ready, or close to it, perhaps I could take him on as my partner? And I could teach him Japanese at the same time."

"Hmm. Something to consider," Arikado agreed as Trevor nodded. "We can see about setting up a time later for that, and I'll talk to Satou about it if needed, should we decide to go that route."

Julius smirked, glad that his friend was willing to pull some clout with their director since he was higher up on the food chain. "Sounds good." Relaxing into his seat a little, he looked past Arikado to Trevor. "So how are you liking the drinks?"

"Shochu is fine; the beers are very good! I can't decide which one I like best. And the meat is tasty," Trevor enthused as he polished off another yakitori, "though still not as good as your cooking, Adrian."

Arikado couldn't help but preen at the compliment, though that just meant the bar was set that much higher the next time he made a meal.

No one called Trevor out on his name slip up, but there were some knowing smiles around the table, especially since Trevor was starting to comfortably snuggle against his spouse's side, and Arikado was dipping his chin slightly to nuzzle him in return. If anyone wondered if their affection for one another had survived the many years, there was no doubt about it now.

"Maybe our next get together should be at your place," Yoko suggested, all smiles again. "I want to try your cooking! Oh, but shabu shabu doesn't count!" She waggled her finger.

Trevor made a vaguely surprised sound that rumbled against Arikado's shoulder. "Have you really not cooked for everyone? You used to love doing that," he said wistfully.

"I often work long hours. But you're right, I should make the time," Arikado agreed, already mentally shuffling through the types of dishes he used to make for Trevor.

"I can butcher the meat if that helps," Trevor volunteered, before frowning at the empty glasses before him. Had he really polished off all the contents?

Arikado offered to order more beer, but Trevor declined. As tempting as it was to indulge, no one was going to have a good time later tonight if he was drunkenly pawing at Adrian with a belly sloshing with beer. Still, the dhampir slid over his half-finished glass of wine, in case Trevor wanted to try it. "No need, remember the grocery store we went to earlier? That's how food stuffs are obtained now."

The hunter hummed, but let the matter drop. He was already satiated and feeling cozy too, as it had been a long time since he'd simply indulged. With half the conversation going over his head, he was content to slouch against his husband and watch him interact with his friends, picking up snippets where he could.

"Pretty crazy about that plane that went down, eh?" Julius was saying right after the rest of the dishes they ordered got dropped off. The conversation often touched on work, whether they wanted to or not.

Arikado paused with his chopsticks hovering above a piece of tofu. "What plane?"

"I know you said you were busy this week, but did you really not check your work email or anything? Even the newsfeeds?" When Arikado shook his head, Julius growled, "I hope you plan to put in overtime this weekend."

Arikado sighed. "I might have to."

Yoko kicked at Julius under the table. "Hey, no way. I'm pretty sure he wants the weekend off to..." and she loudly clacked the heels of her boots together, and winked at the old hunter, "you know?"

"No I don't know. What is that supposed... ohhh." Julius looked at Trevor, then back at Yoko. He clicked his tongue. "Got it."

"So slow! You're such an old man," Yoko said, laughing.

Arikado narrowed his eyes at both of them. What type of pervert did they take him for? He was not going to spend the whole weekend "knocking boots" or whatever euphemism they wanted to use for it. "At the very least, I'll get caught up on email. And the news, apparently."

Julius grunted, satisfied that Arikado would be back up to speed before Monday, then switched to asking Mina about what classes she was considering for next semester.

Trevor obviously didn't know what a plane was, nor an email or newsfeed, though he could at least guess on the last one. Nor could he understand any of what was being said by and to the two junior members of the group, though judging by their tones and expressions it was just casual conversation, young adults talking about their everyday lives.

Trevor's impression of Soma and Mina were mostly favorable. Soma still confounded him a bit - while he wasn't doing anything suspicious, the scent of magic about him seemed stronger than before. It was just so familiar but maddeningly enough, Trevor couldn't place it. He almost wanted to ask Adrian if he was somehow a... sibling? Cousin? Some other relative? But wouldn't Adrian have mentioned it if that were the case? His girlfriend Mina was far easier to like: a sweet, friendly young lady, cute as a doll, with bouncy red hair and honey brown, doe-like eyes. From what he'd gathered, they had both moved from their hometown in Nagoya prefecture to further their education in the big city's universities. They seemed to make a nice couple, a little shy and reserved with their affection as youngsters sometimes were. Maybe a wedding was on the horizon?

Julius and Yoko were something else. Trevor was curious to see what the other hunter was capable of; for that alone, he was looking forward to sparring with Julius. How much had combat changed since his era? And how strong was Julius to still be the wielder of the family's heirloom whip at his advanced age? He and Yoko seemed to have a good relationship with Adrian which was reassuring, since Trevor did worry that Adrian living alone meant he had no close ties to others, but he was glad to find that that wasn't the case. And Yoko... frankly he was surprised Adrian hadn't made a play for her. She was quite lovely, all curves and long limbs, with green eyes and big blonde hair - similar to Maria - and a spirited, outgoing attitude like Sypha. That she was unmarried at her age shocked him - how could a pretty lady like her not find a husband?

Or men were more Adrian's interest, right? Looking at Julius, Trevor could see he'd been quite handsome in his youth, with his strong features and tall, athletic frame.

He was curious enough about it that he finally had to ask Adrian after the gathering broke up, and they found themselves catching a late ride home an hour and a half later. Arikado took advantage of the fact that they looked like two tipsy friends on their way home, like many others, to lean against him while traveling.

"Well that should be obvious. I've known Julius pretty much since birth and Yoko since she was a toddler as well. I really can't see either one of them in that light," Arikado quietly explained.

"Hmm, I guess I was just curious because if nothing else Yoko reminded me of Maria, at least from what little I saw."

"She's nothing like Maria, really, beyond the color of her hair and eyes. Maria was..." Arikado began gesturing in futility, then gave up. "She looked like a delicate flower, yet she was a huntress with a spine of steel and unparalleled spiritual powers. She could be playful, yes, but when it came to work she was nothing but serious." He sighed, a bit melancholy. "That'd be like saying Julius could replace you or Richter, because you're all Belmont hunters with similar physical characteristics. But you're all very different people. And the last thing I want to think about are what Yoko or Julius get up to in their spare time."

Adrian's description of Maria didn't sound far off from Yoko, but what could Trevor say? He barely knew either of them so he had no way of comparing them to one another.

Trevor hummed again, thinking of things from a different angle. "Julius has never married?" Arikado answered with a nod. "You mentioned that the Belmonts would end with him, but since Yoko is also unmarried, maybe we should encourage them to marry. Their ages don't match but I bet they'd produce talented children, and that would solve the issue of succession as well."

"I actually did bring it up, once. I might've been slightly tipsy. Yoko... laughed in my face. She asked me if this was the Middle Ages, where girls were married off for the benefit of their families." Arikado shrugged. "I wasn't going to push it; it was merely a thought, and she already has an interested suitor. There's still arranged marriages nowadays, but generally all parties involved would have say over whether they wanted to proceed or not."

"Well yeah, it was just a suggestion. I mean we 'arranged' for Frediric's marriage because the opportunity was there, but he was quite taken with the young lady of the Schneider clan once they met, so it worked out well. And you approved of the lad Ann took a liking to, so I was happy to let that stand. Plus I assume you and Sypha were fine with Mary's eventual choice, so I'm satisfied on that front."

Arikado was silent for a bit, then spoke up again. "Would you... want to renew our vows? Marriage between men still isn't legal here, but we could get a partnership certificate..." His voice trailed off as his gaze dropped down to the ring that had encircled his finger for over five hundred years. It wasn't completely original anymore, wear and tear and the endless march of time necessitated repairs, but he'd done his best to keep it looking just like it had when he'd first made it.

"If nothing else, at least a relationship like ours isn't a crime either... nobody gets burned at the stake for such a thing. This country has its own belief system that's apart from the Church and in fact, Mina is a shrine maiden. And the Agency is quite accepting of domestic partnerships," Arikado continued to babble, thinking about what else had changed, and what hadn't. "I really need to see about getting you identification first and then start the process to enroll in health care coverage, though... I don't know if you can get sick, or if you'll even age?"

Trevor shrugged. He hadn't thought about that either. Was he even technically alive? He certainly felt like he was - he could think, obviously. When he put his hand on his chest he could feel a heartbeat. If he held his breath, his lungs would start screaming for air. And he could get hungry and tired as well as drunk and full. But as to the rest, they'd only find out with time.

Seeing no point in mentioning all that when no answers could be had, Trevor focused instead on what Adrian said earlier. "You've held to our vows this entire time. Is there a need to renew?"

"A need? No. But it's been five hundred years." Arikado's fingers began twisting the ring around his finger, a nervous habit that hadn't completely gone away with time. "It wouldn't have to be anything formal." He chuckled. "It's not like anyone else witnessed it the first time - it only mattered that the promise was made between the three of us."

"I can't say I really care. I didn't back then, either," Trevor quickly added before it came off sounding like he was being dismissive. "But it has always mattered to you. So if that's what you want, I'll make it happen," he promised.

They arrived at their stop and rose to their feet to finish the journey home. Arikado's apartment wasn't close to the station, but he had always liked it that way - he enjoyed the stroll especially at night and he had a car for all the times he didn't feel like taking public transportation anyhow.

But this night, things were different. He was used to walking alone, looking up at a starless sky amidst all the city lights. Now, a stride fell in alongside his, heavy and purposeful. There was the weight of anticipation scenting the cool air.

Adrian found himself walking slightly faster than usual. But no further words were exchanged. In companionable silence they made their way back to the apartment, side by side.

I've always loved the joke of "What if Alucard's bat form was a Honduran white bat?" as they're so darn cute. Now combine that with his SotN bat form, tiny crown and all, and imagine lil' Battycard lugging a smartphone across Tokyo, if he can't find a way to shrink it and keep it functional...

* * *

Author's Notes:

- "You are the only person I know who can dress like a poet dying of melancholy and get away with it" was the first line I wrote for this story. It's so true that it hurts ^^;

- I needed a name for the Agency's director. Originally I named him Satou - a typical Japanese name. But I hate pulling names out of nowhere, so the director position made me think of Seward from GoS, and if his character had been voiced it would've been done by Masaharu Satō, so... Satou it is!

- Trevor really isn't obsessed with matchmaking here, it's just the huge divide between how marriage worked then and now. He's mildly horrified that all these marriageble adults are walking around unmarried and that no one seems bothered by it.

- So a bit of forewarning: I'll be labeling all the explicit chapters as "Intermission" with the pairing listed. If you don't care for the pairing, skip it - I'm trying to keep pr0n and plot separate since I figure not every pairing will be everyone's cup of tea.

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

February 3, 2025