Title: Coming Around Again
Author: bnomiko
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Trevor x Alucard, Trevor x Sypha x Alucard, Richter x Alucard, Alucard x Maria, 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. 7: Five Adults vs. 2LDK

* * *

"Richter."

"What?" the aforementioned hunter asked, looking up from his self appointed task of setting up the sofa for the night.

Alucard sighed heavily. "'M gonna sleep with Richter," he clarified, feeling like he was minutes away from just face planting onto the futon regardless if the sheets were laid out or not.

"Huh?" "What?" "Why?" was the chorus he was greeted with in return.

The dhampir sighed again. Sypha was the only one who hadn't reacted with surprise; instead, she searched his expression in silence. Richter had dropped the pillow he'd been stuffing into a case; Trevor and Maria had stopped glaring at each other to turn their stares onto him instead.

"Just... need sleep," he said by way of explanation, obviously implying that the others might be less inclined to let him do so.

Maria's mouth opened, then she snapped it shut, hard.

Sypha approached Adrian and gathered his hands in hers. From his drooping stance alone it was clear he was tired, even after having slept the entire way back. He'd finally woken as they were driving down into the parking garage, making it out of the car under his own power even as the ladies clung to his arms, dragging beside him like a pair of floats caught in his wake, but was sagging again by the time the elevator reached the eighth floor. There was no telling how much of a drain this would continue to be or how long it would last for. But Adrian looked as if he'd been caught off guard as well... this wasn't the result he'd intended, and though he surely had to be happy to see all the pieces of his heart gathered together, it had to be overwhelming trying to deal with all the personalities at once.

"That's fine. There's only the one bathroom, right? You should get ready for bed, then," Sypha suggested.

"Oh. Yes," Adrian mumbled, as if it had just occurred to him that he should shower and change. He began taking a few heavy steps towards the hallway.

Sypha shot Richter a quick look, intending for him to take responsibility and make sure Adrian made it to the bathroom and back. The younger hunter was almost startled by it, his second surprise in less than a minute - Sypha momentarily reminded him of his grandmother Lydie and how she would get his grandfathers to do her bidding with just a glance. Quickly giving up on the pillowcase, he hustled to Alucard's side. Maria took the opportunity to join them as well as Richter placed a hand on the blond's back to help support and guide him.

"Can you grab the spare pillow off the bed you're using? Otherwise I think that's all... oh, but we do need to find something for you to sleep in, Maria," Richter mentioned. "For me as well."

Alucard's face scrunched up slightly as he tried to process that. Clothing Richter was no issue; they were similar enough in height and build that they'd worn one another's garments before. But Maria... he had no idea what he could offer. His pajamas would be rather large on her. A T-shirt, maybe? Did he have any long T-shirts?

"If I may, I can choose something myself. Is that all right?" she suggested, taking pity on her boyfriend's struggle.

Alucard nodded. That seemed safer, to let her pick.

While Richter trailed Alucard as he went to brush his teeth, Maria dug around in the wardrobe until she found two pairs of pajamas, one dark gold, the other black. She kept the former for herself and took the latter, plus the extra pillow from the second bedroom, to the sofa for Richter.

Trevor and Sypha were still in the living room, having a hushed discussion. There was a moment of awkwardness where it sunk in that they were likely talking about her, just as she also realized that she'd taken all of Alucard's sleepwear. Didn't he need something as well? Her brow furrowed, but before she could say anything on either front, the brunet shrugged jerkily and said, "Hey, he didn't choose any of us, so we're in the same boat."

"He's exhausted. I understand that," said Maria, crossing her arms.

"That's all we were talking about. Ask Sypha if you don't believe me," Trevor huffed, as said Speaker jabbed him in the arm. "What? I'm serious."

Sypha continued to scowl at him. "This is why people punch you when they first meet you - how rude can you be? I'd be suspicious too if you spoke to me like that!"

Maria's lips parted and Trevor braced for another round of pointless debate, but the blonde didn't question his assertion nor look to Sypha for confirmation. Instead, her shoulders dropped slightly, and she uncrossed her arms. She looked down the hallway, as Richter stepped out of the bathroom and into the primary bedroom, then returned a half-minute later with a bundle of tan fabric before disappearing into the bathroom again.

"We agreed it was his choice," Sypha reminded them both. "And Richter is doing his part, so I have no complaints about Adrian's decision."

Maria began chewing on her thumbnail for a moment, then caught herself. "Yes. I just... well, I don't know what I expected," she said, turning back to study the pair before her. Without Alucard, Sypha and Trevor still had one another. And Richter had had Annette; it wasn't like his wife had become any less precious to him even if he'd taken Alucard as a lover after her passing. Why, even Richter's grandparents had partaken of what they'd half-jokingly called the Belmont "tradition" of having a third partner. That left her with the distinction of being the only one who didn't have anyone else - Alucard had been her one and only love. And now... "I understand things can't be like they were before. This isn't... we're practically in a whole different world. I understand everything's changed... but my heart's still trying to accept what my mind is saying."

Sypha nodded, stepping forward to put her hands on the younger woman's shoulders and rub them in camaraderie. No matter what, she didn't want this to degrade into some sort of rivalry or competition. Yes they all loved the same man, but because of that very reason, they needed to find a way to make things work. "It'll take time, and that's okay. You cannot force it. It's all right if you find it upsetting, or confusing, or have days where you just want to cry or yell. But ultimately we're all here for him, yes?"

The blonde nodded.

"So be as supportive as you can, however you can. But if it feels like you can't, well, you can always talk to me. Or Richter, I'm sure. Or... take it out on Trevor..."

"Hey!" Trevor protested.

"... He likes a good sparring match," Sypha finished with a sly smile.

Maria took in a deep breath. She couldn't dislike the other woman even if she tried. They should have been love rivals, but instead she felt like she'd gained a friend, an ally, even a new family member... that was the kind of aura the Speaker gave off. "Perhaps... I just need to sleep on it. Thank you, Sypha."

"Of course."

Alucard suddenly stumbled into the living room just as gracelessly as he'd departed, only now in a loose cotton shirt and striped pants - Trevor's unused loungewear - instead of a slightly rumpled suit. While he'd been showering Trevor and Sypha had finished fixing up the sofa bed so the dhampir was welcome to simply sink into it instead of fighting against his exhaustion. He crawled in under the covers without a word and was out like a light moments after his head hit the pillow.

"Take up the whole bed why don't you," Richter muttered, amused, at the diagonal sprawl he was faced with.

Maria frowned at him. "We could simply trade beds for the night," she commented, picking up the pajamas she'd grabbed for her brother and slapping him in the chest with it. "Ingrate."

Richter gave her an apologetic grin. "Sorry, sorry. I'll go get changed," he said before disappearing back into the bathroom.

"Honestly..." she sighed. She gave the once more sleeping figure a lingering look, then said, "I guess I'll head to bed too. Though I don't know if I'm actually tired..."

Sypha hummed. "Same. It can't be helped. We really only just arrived."

"He has some books in there, if you have nothing else to do," Trevor mentioned. When Maria turned to him again, unsure if he was actually trying to be helpful or not, he could only shrug. "What now? I know you can read whatever language they're written in."

"I... don't understand you," Maria said, before leaving for her assigned room.

Trevor just tossed his hands in the air as Sypha groaned at him. "Come on you, to bed as well. You look tired for sure."

"Not that tired. I gotta brush my teeth first anyhow," the brunet said, just as Richter returned. Trevor couldn't help but look him over. The black silk pajamas were nearly a perfect fit on him, just a touch snug on the upper arms and legs as the material had little give.

"Good night then?" Richter said, brow arching, even as he tried to figure if it was better to move Alucard's upper or lower half. Legs were lighter and nudging them over was less likely to wake him, so he carefully pushed them forward until Alucard curled in a bit more on his own, enough to let Richter squeeze in behind him. "Mind getting the light?" he whispered.

"Of course. Good night, Richter," said Sypha, following Trevor to the light switch before the older hunter headed to the bathroom to get ready for bed as well.

* * *

Trevor awoke to find himself in an empty bed. No Sypha, no Adrian. Yet all the evidence was there that the night before hadn't been a dream. There was a small stack of books by the bedside along with his phone and a strand of fiery red hair on the pillow beside his. Sitting up and stretching, the brunet got up, grabbed the thick burgundy robe Adrian had gifted him, and went to take care of his morning needs.

The simple act of opening the door and stepping out into the hallway was like popping the cork off a bottle - the soundproofing in the unit was no joke - releasing welcome smells and sounds into his world. There was toasted bread and the soft bubbling of something boiling and hushed conversation. Trevor quickly took care of business in the bathroom, then joined the others in the living area.

The ladies were in the kitchen. Richter was still on the sofa bed, fully awake but still partially under the covers, with Alucard a mound of gilded curls at his side, his right hand peeking out of the sheets to clutch at Richter's bicep as he slept on, unbothered by all the activity.

It was... strange, to say the least, for Trevor to see his husband's face pressed into another man's shoulder, even if they both appeared to be fully dressed. But what could he say? If Richter tried to move or get up, it might wake him.

The younger hunter tilted his head back slightly to study his senior. Then, he cupped his hand around his mouth and whispered, "Sorry, I'm rather stuck like this," before shooting him an apologetic smile.

Trevor nodded. He turned away from the scene and went to the kitchen instead. Sypha looked relieved to see him. Maria, not as much. At least she didn't snap at him.

"Trevor, do you have any idea how much coffee goes in with the water?" his wife asked.

"I... don't have a clue. I thought... don't you guys know everything Adrian knows?"

"Mm, no. It doesn't work like that, apparently."

"We know what coffee is. But we don't know how Alucard likes it," Maria finished explaining.

"Or really, what a 'normal' ratio is. There's no instructions on any of this," Sypha said, frowning slightly at the cylindrical storage container in her hands. It was interesting that some knowledge had transferred over, while some had not. She could name coffee drinks, she knew that the roasted beans had to be ground before adding them to hot water, but the most crucial detail was missing.

"Uh..." Trevor scratched at his head. He'd seen Adrian make coffee in the mornings. He'd never paid attention to the actual process. "You could use my phone to look for instructions, maybe?" he tried.

Sypha blinked at him. "Oh... that's a good idea."

He ran off to grab it, unlocking it before handing it to her. "You know how to use it?"

"Yes, I should..." The redhead tapped rapidly at the screen, her eyes lighting up at how easy it was to find information in this technologically dominated age, then she handed the phone back to Trevor and opened the container she'd been holding. After doing some quick calculations, she began counting out scoops into the grinder. "Here's hoping," she said when she was finished, turning it on.

Trevor didn't remember the device being so loud. Or maybe they'd overloaded it? Regardless, the whirring of beans was finally enough to wake their sleeping dhampir.

Alucard opened his eyes to find Richter's amused gaze staring back at him, centimeters from his face.

"Good morning," Richter greeted him quietly.

Alucard blinked, his fingers tightening on the arm he'd been clinging to before the digits relaxed and reflexively smoothed their way over the hard curve of muscle. Solid... And the scent suffusing the air around him was familiar, even after the passing of decades: forest undergrowth, clear water, ancient leather, a masculine musk... all accompanied by a voice which was rich and smooth and mellow; Alucard remembered nodding off to it every now and then as Richter spun tales for his young children.

It... hadn't been a dream. Richter was there. Alucard shuddered minutely; he remembered feeling completely drained, the blurry faces of his loved ones surrounding him. He thought he recalled riding up the building's elevator with them, but the bright lights reflecting off the metal surfaces and the slight sway of the cab had made his head swim. And then there were the questions about who would sleep where before they'd turned to him with varying degrees of eager looks, so he'd gone for the "safe" choice, latching onto the one who had next to no expectation of anything at all.

Brow furrowing, Alucard released Richter, then sat up and looked around. Maria caught sight of him and excitedly announced, "He's up!"

Sypha stopped grinding beans. "Sorry, I didn't think it'd be so loud. Adrian, how do you feel?" she asked a bit sheepishly.

The blond's head tilted. He was still teetering on the edge of sleepiness, but whether it was due to the extra strain or the fact that he'd been woken abruptly, he wasn't sure. More importantly, he was trying to figure out if everyone else was just as real as Richter, or was he simply hearing and seeing what he wanted to hear and see? "Sypha?"

"Yes?"

The lilt of her voice was just as he remembered. So were her big, round eyes, an endless blue as bright as the sky, and the rosy hue of her pursed lips. But it made no sense, Sypha standing in the kitchen in her blue Speaker's robe, her red hair shimmering under a combination of artificial LED lights and morning sunbeams, while holding a coffee grinder in her hands.

His eyes shifted over to the other woman in the room. Maria had rolled up the sleeves and waistband on the gold pajamas to shorten them a bit; the extra bagginess along with her loose hair was a cute combination. She used to borrow his nightshirts as well, saying she liked them more than her own; he'd never denied her the right to wear them because they looked good on her, and he liked the idea of his clothing skimming over her skin. The sight of her in his modern day garb seemed too unbelievable to be true. "Maria?"

"Alucard, are you okay?" Maria asked, concerned, taking a hesitant step towards the confused man.

Alucard looked down at Richter again, who by now was also mostly sitting up, fat, loose curls of dark chocolate hair rolling down over his silk clad shoulders, then back up and across to the last member of their quintet in his fluffy dark red robe. "Trevor... I am awake, right?" he asked, his voice strained.

Trevor took quick, long strides towards him, then reached over the sofa to grabbed his husband by his shoulders before moving his hands up to cup around his jaw. "Do you not remember coming home with everyone last night?"

"We did it?" Adrian whispered.

"You did, yes," Trevor promised, brushing his thumb over his cheeks, then kissing him on the forehead. "Come on now, you've slept long enough. I think Maria in particular is dying to hug you properly."

Adrian let Trevor help him to his feet, with Richter getting up as well on the other side of the futon. Maria was already heading over towards them, coffee and boiled eggs forgotten as she reached out towards Alucard, colliding into him with enough enthusiasm to stagger him slightly.

His arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders; his face pressed into the crown of her golden hair. He inhaled, shuddering, remembering the softly sweet scent of edelweiss garlands. The last time he'd held her she'd been so frail, laid low by cancer when obvious dangers like monsters and vampires could not.

Maria's breath hitched; she burrowed against him harder.

"Room for another?" Sypha's voice lightly floated in.

Alucard hummed against Maria's hair. A moment later she gave a tiny nod, so he gathered her over towards the left and opened up his right arm to welcome Sypha in as well. She too was solid, healthy, in her prime... but time and human mortality, not disease, had been her demise.

"Group hug!" Trevor announced, attaching himself to the back of Adrian's left shoulder. He could feel the man in his arms starting to quiver as reality was finally sinking in, shaking him to his core. "Get in here, Junior, there's room," he told Richter when he realized their little grouping was slightly lopsided. No reason to leave anyone out, not for something like this.

Richter shrugged but had no issue with joining in as well, filling in the missing corner of the square around Alucard as the dhampir shook in the security of their joint hold, tears silently dripping down like rain on the women he clutched to his chest. No one said anything for a while, giving Alucard time to work through his accumulated stress and confusion until he was drained enough that he could regather himself.

"I apologize," he sniffed when he realized he'd cried all over the ladies, his hold loosening to allow them to escape if they wished it. Neither one pulled away.

"It's all right. Frankly I was more surprised at your relatively mild reaction yesterday, but I understand now that you were probably not fully aware of what had happened," Sypha said, rubbing at his forearm.

"It felt like a dream." Adrian swiped at his face with his forearm, trying to catch the last stray teardrops. It did nothing to help minimize how red and splotchy his countenance had become. "It still does," he added, his lower lip starting to tremble again.

Richter squeezed his shoulder in support as Maria reached up to stroke Alucard's cheek, drawing his forehead down enough to rest against her own. Tears sparkled in her eyes as well, but she held them back with admirable strength, not wanting to add to the number that had already been shed. "You needed us, so here we are. We're all very happy to be with you again."

Alucard sucked in a breath but nodded, his forehead rubbing against hers slightly. He looked like he was on the verge of crying anew.

Trevor patted him on the shoulder, hard enough to jar him a bit, in hopes that that would be enough of a distraction. Not that there was anything wrong with Adrian having a good cry, but he needed to take a break or he was going to exhaust himself completely before the day even began. "Let's sit you down before you fall over. The ladies already started breakfast; some food will do you good."

"Oh - yes!" Maria enthused as the cluster finally broke apart. Trevor kept hold of Adrian and guided him to the dining table as Richter pulled out a chair for him. "It's nothing special though, just toasted bread and eggs."

Alucard blinked up at her. "Is any of it going to be edible?" he asked before he thought better of it.

Maria's mouth dropped open momentarily, then she showed as much restraint as her boyfriend by shoving him, but he'd sensed it coming and braced himself, so it was as effective as pushing against a brick wall. "You...! I only burned boiled eggs once!" she yelled, shaking a finger in his face.

"You fucking what?" Trevor blurted out, before he began laughing. "How did you manage that?"

The huntress' hands flew to her hips. "You shut up!"

"Maria's famous for her cooking talents," said Richter, grinning, as Alucard recovered and began snickering. "As exemplary a summoner as she is, she's equally bad in the kitchen. Why, if it wasn't for Alucard she probably would've died from food poisoning or starvation."

"Oh! Richter!" Maria crossed her arms and stomped her foot, her face growing redder by the second. Trevor could almost see why Adrian would find it cute to tease her. "At least I try to cook, you just show up at the table and expect to be fed!"

Richter's grin widened. "... Yes, as I'm a hunter, not a chef."

"We should all feel fortunate that at least one person here is a good cook," Sypha said, putting her hands on Adrian's shoulders. He tilted his head back slightly to look up at her as she gazed down at him with affection crinkling her eyes. "He's also a busy man, so we need to do our best to help out where we can. For starters, I already noticed the internet is full of recipes."

Adrian chuckled. "I really don't mind cooking, you know. I rather enjoy it."

"Wait, so out of the five of us, only Alucard can cook?" Richter asked.

"I'm sure any one of us can put together a simple breakfast..." Sypha began countering.

"... Not Maria, apparently," Trevor mumbled, earning him a searing glare from the blonde who appeared to be giving serious thought to setting his hair on fire via phoenix. But Adrian was chuckling again, his eyes sparkling like cut citrine, and from the way Maria's gaze softened at the sight it was clear that for a moment like that she could forgive almost anything. Trevor smirked, figuring Maria would try to put the beat down on him once she got the chance, but it was satisfying being able to poke a bit of fun at her and get Adrian laughing in the meantime.

Breakfast was indeed extremely basic, but tasted just fine. Adrian still wasn't fully used to eating early in the morning anyhow, and the company more than made up for any lack of creativity in the meal. Since there weren't enough dining chairs Trevor fetched the chair for the desk in the spare bedroom and squeezed in next to Sypha to enjoy their meal. They talked about what needed to get done for the day - as with Trevor, phones and clothes seemed to be Adrian's main priority - and touched briefly on the whole sleeping arrangement issue. The dhampir said he was open to all suggestions, though the reality was they were going to need a new apartment. Five adults in a two bedroom unit wasn't going to work long term; even though Richter said he didn't mind, having someone permanently camped on the sofa was problematic.

Somewhat reluctantly, Alucard texted Yoko after breakfast to see if she had any plans for the day. He figured he might as well rip off the bandage and introduce her to even more of her predecessors as she was going to find out sooner or later, and perhaps he could enlist her help with shopping. Just because he felt fine at the moment that didn't mean it would last... maybe it was just the caffeine shoring him up.

Of course she was game. And of course she also texted Julius because he lit up the phone minutes later, wanting to know what the hell was going on and should he expect a whole Belmont family reunion at this rate? So that meant two more people for lunch, and in the meantime he called the building manager to see if there were any larger units available and in fact, there was.

"I'm going to go check out an apartment in Ives' building," Alucard announced after getting dressed. Trevor's head did a full nod up and down several times as he took in his spouse's attire: a black burnout velvet blouse with red and purple roses all over it, a velvet vest, and oxblood faux leather pants. "Should only be a few minutes. We'll head out to meet up with Yoko and Julius in about a half hour."

"Ives' building?" Trevor asked.

"The twin to this one," said Adrian, with a little tilt of his head in the general direction of the other tower. "He lives on the third floor."

For some reason the older hunter imagined the other dhampir scowling at that revelation, just to be contrary. If he'd known Ives lived so close he would've invited him to spar or work out or something - or maybe Ives liked having his off-hours to himself, since he hadn't mentioned living across the way. Maybe it was a dhampir thing, wanting to keep some distance from humans, or even others of their own kind. But Trevor thought it'd be nice having a familiar face around, even a frowning one.

Trevor looked at Adrian again. "Shouldn't we come with you?" he added, aghast at the thought of letting his husband wander around dressed like that, without a bodyguard or something.

"Do you want to come?"

"Yes," Trevor immediately replied, and a quick look around at the others showed it was unanimous.

"None of you are supposed to be living here - yet. Well, other than Trevor..." Alucard paused to rub at his forehead. The manager wouldn't say anything outright but Alucard would probably get a questioning look for the fact that he was suddenly bringing in even more "distant relatives." It didn't help matters that other than Trevor everyone only had their original garb, though Alucard supposed he could lend them all some outerwear, so they simply looked eccentric and a little less walked-out-of-an-European-period-drama. "Let's have you swap your coats and robe for one of my jackets or a sweater. Just so we draw less attention, because nowadays people will take photos of just about anything."

Trevor rolled his eyes. Alucard had always had heads - or at least eyes - snapping in his direction no matter where he went, and he was concerned that they were drawing attention? But Sypha did look more like the women Trevor had seen on the streets of Tokyo with the addition of a sweatshirt zipped over her sleeveless tunic and black leggings, and Richter was less of a swashbuckler with a leather blazer instead of the long, royal blue coat with the Belmont family crest on the back. Maria ditched her forest green and gold hunting jacket in favor of a sweater from Trevor's wardrobe; on her it was oversized enough that it could almost pass for a dress, with a few centimeters of her blackened green skirt peeking out, just like how some schoolgirls dressed.

Alucard even took the opportunity to grab Richter's pocket watch from the bedroom and return it to him. The younger hunter tried to refuse it - he had willed it to his former lover with the intention that he keep it - but to Alucard it had always been Richter's; he'd merely been its custodian in the interim. The faint ticking next to the bed had been a comfort during the many years he'd slept alone, but he no longer needed it now that his home was bustling with life once again.

He intended to do the same with Maria's mirror in the entryway. But when Alucard tried asking her where she'd like it, she said she was happy leaving it exactly where it was, as it was the first thing Alucard looked at when coming home and the last whenever he left the apartment. And so he did just that, checking his glamour to ensure everything was just so before telling the group, "Let's go."

The group met up with the manager in the lobby of the second building, which unsurprisingly looked like a mirrored copy of their current tower. The man politely greeted Mr. Arikado and guests and said nothing more about the tag alongs. Part of his job was knowing when to comment and when to shut his mouth. After all this wasn't an ordinary apartment tower, this was a high security luxury complex for elites who valued their privacy... and Genya Arikado was not some run of the mill government worker either, given that he had diplomatic plates on his sedan and strangely hadn't aged one bit in the nearly twenty years he'd lived there.

The manager took them up to the fourteenth floor, one shy of the top level. The available apartment had been renovated a few years ago for a first secretary at an embassy; it was Western style with a huge balcony, three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a relative rarity in Japan that Arikado thought was absolutely fantastic. On the downside it was also unfurnished, unlike the current one, so that meant having to add in the complication of buying furniture - he could afford it, just as he could afford the doubled rent, but it was an extra consideration that he normally wouldn't care to deal with. After they finished their tour Arikado thanked the manager and told him he'd decide on it by the end of the day.

* * *

"So I think we should take the apartment," Arikado said as they sat down at a table in a nearby family restaurant to wait for Julius and Yoko. The dhampir was already starting to feel tired again but didn't mention it, not wanting to ruin the outing. He hoped that lunch and another coffee would be enough to get him through it. At least he'd had the foresight of getting phones first, so that was taken care of... "Having two bathrooms is a godsend, and it's been updated; wood floors, the kitchen is big and it has an oven. Downside is needing to buy new furniture, and it only has three bedrooms. Four would've been better."

"Why would we need four?" Trevor asked. "Sypha and I would be in one, Maria in another, and Richter..."

"Do I not get a bedroom?" Arikado asked, slightly amused.

Trevor was unperturbed. "The consensus was that you rotate where you sleep on a schedule. What do you think of that?"

Arikado looked around the table. No one disputed that, so he sat back and gave it some serious consideration. It sounded... well, strange. The idea that he'd be sleeping in a different bed each night, or every few nights. Yet it did seem like the most equitable option, provided he could get over the fact that he was being passed around. Or passing himself around? He wasn't sure which applied.

"I still need space for a desk, and clothing..." the dhampir thought aloud.

"The living room was big enough to fit a good sized desk or even two," Sypha suggested.

"And we could put an extra armoire in one of the rooms," Maria said.

"Or you could use whatever space I have, you know I don't care much about clothing," Richter interjected. "Or desks."

Arikado exhaled. Right, that was the easy part... "You're all okay with me, uh... sleeping... with other people..." he asked in a very low voice, as if everyone else in the restaurant could understand Romanian. A rosy flush colored his cheeks. "Well, I mean, not like that... but maybe sort of... something like that..." he managed to stammer, wishing he could just dissolve under the table. Actually, he could do that, but it would just alarm the other patrons, and it ultimately solved nothing.

Trevor barely managed to hold back a snort. Adrian had had no trouble explaining intercourse and reproduction to their children in an educational manner, yet he still got flustered like a shy maiden whenever the topic of his own love life came up. But everyone else was giving it serious thought, so Trevor kept his mouth shut and tried to think of how to best address his lover's concerns.

Of course Sypha was the first to respond, and she did so easily. "I'm fine with it. But that should be no surprise. We Speakers do not see love as a finite thing. It is the greatest good, so why place limits on it?"

Trevor followed his wife's lead. "It'll be an adjustment for me, but in the end, what matters is what you need. I think we can all agree on that."

"I want you to be happy. It's all I've ever wanted for you," Maria said earnestly, remembering the weary stranger she'd first met in the castle as she'd searched for Richter. She'd complained to him that he was rude, but it wasn't like she'd been any kinder or any less curt with him. It wasn't until much later that she'd learned that his seemingly endless exhaustion wasn't due to being sleep deprived; he was still in mourning over the loss of his wife and children, over the irreparable rift that had grown between him and his father, whom he'd had to defeat once yet again.

"What about you and Trevor?" Richter suddenly asked.

Maria started slightly. "What do you mean?"

Richter's eyes flicked over to Trevor. "Can you two really get along?"

Arikado's eyebrow lifted as he looked between the three of them, starting and ending with Richter. Maria glanced at the other brunet at the table, sitting across from her. He loosely folded his arms across his broad chest, but didn't do anything to interrupt or interject.

"As Trevor said, it's an adjustment. A new home, a new family... I'm trying my best," Maria finally stated.

"Yes, you are. That is all any of us can do," Sypha said soothingly. Trevor might've struggled to see eye to eye with the young lady, but the redhead had taken to the other woman from the start, seeing how earnest she was and how much she cared for Adrian. And too, there was something about Maria that reminded her of her youngest daughter, Mary, a stubborn and outspoken girl, the complete opposite of her quiet, bookish sister, Ann. Trevor loved all their children, but even he'd admit that he'd had a hard time getting on with Mary when she'd reached her teen years and wanted to strike out on her own.

"What about you, Richter?" Trevor asked, turning the tables on his descendant.

Richter rubbed his chin, then looked up to meet Alucard's gaze. "You are my best friend and an integral part of my family. You've always been my support, so I too will support you any way I can. If this is what you want, I have no issue with it." He took a quick breath, then added, "That said - and I already mentioned this to the others - you also don't need to include me if that makes it easier, Alucard."

Sypha grumbled about that last part, but Richter only smiled at her. Apparently this was their version of a disagreement - far more passive than the bickering between Maria and Trevor, but still contentious.

"Why do you call him Alucard, anyhow?" Trevor suddenly asked, curious.

Richter was a little caught off guard by the question. But after a second's thought he replied, "That is how he introduced himself. He never asked us to call him anything else, and I saw no reason to go against it."

"He said 'Adrian' was buried in a crypt back in Belmont, with you and Sypha," Maria answered sourly. Unlike Richter she had asked if she could call him by his given name, but he'd turned her down.

Trevor's head whipped towards his husband. He'd known about Adrian interring himself in their crypt, but the way that was worded sounded even worse than he'd imagined. "So is 'Adrian' back with us or is this just you humoring me?"

"You already knew that I..."

"That you left part of yourself behind to die? Yeah, I get it, we went first - downside of being mortal and all. But you can't seriously think that that's what we wanted for you at all."

Adrian looked stricken, his eyes wide and blankly fixed somewhere between the table's edge and his own lap, the glamour darkening then flickering momentarily. Then his chin dropped, his hair sliding forward to curtain off most of his face.

Sypha quickly got up and went to the dhampir's side, crouching down as she took his hand and tried to get him to meet her gaze. Of course he knew that. But it was unreasonable to expect him to grieve and mourn according to some sort of set parameters; it wasn't anyone's right to tell him he'd handled it wrong. Trevor meant well, but Adrian had obviously been devastated when he'd decided to lay himself to rest alongside them. Had it been a rash decision? Certainly. But it wasn't like they'd been there to talk him out of it or to provide him the support he'd desperately needed.

"Want to go for a little walk?" she asked quietly, running her fingers over his.

He didn't say anything, but finally gave a tiny nod. She nodded in return and stood up, but didn't release his hand. Slowly he rose to his feet and pushed away from the table, allowing her to lead him away even as the others murmured their concern.

"I didn't mean..." Trevor began.

"We'll be back in a minute," Sypha said over her shoulder, making it clear that she'd handle it, as Trevor was starting to lean forward like he was planning to get up and join them as well.

"Okay," Maria said, frowning slightly, but she trusted that Sypha would do right by Alucard.

Richter didn't say anything, but even his fingers were twitching. Seeing Alucard upset didn't sit well with him either, yet he wasn't sure if there was anything he could say or do, especially since he'd accepted Alucard as Alucard without really thinking anything of it.

"Well... shit," Trevor muttered once Sypha and Adrian disappeared out the door. "Fuck me, fuck my mouth."

For once, Maria didn't disagree with him.

* * *

Author's Notes:

- Japanese apartments are described by the number and types of rooms available. So Alucard's current unit is 2LDK = 2 rooms (bedrooms) + living + dining + kitchen. He also technically lives in a mansion, which is a taller apartment building (as opposed to a low-rise), but since that's confusing in Western terms I'm sticking with apartment.

Other game references and notes:

- A rare Castlevania: Nocturne reference! I went with the addition of the Belmont crest on the back of Richter's coat. I love the tie in with animation Trevor, plus it adds a nice decorative element, even if you wouldn't really see it because of the length of Richter's hair.

- The edelweiss is a reference to NoR. At the end of the drama Alucard says he wished he had learned to make the garlands of white flowers that the young men of the village would gift to ladies they liked. Although it's not stated what the flowers are, the edelweiss is a symbol of purity and dedication, so I chose to use it here.

- Richter's voice in my head is Shin'ichirō Miki's, from NoR as well - so damn smooth! He also happens to be Alucard's VA for the Japanese release of the Castlevania animated series and Castlevania: Nocturne.

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

June 21, 2025