Title: The Living Years
Author: bnomiko
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Trevor + Sypha + Alucard, Dracula + Lisa
Spoilers: post S4
Disclaimer: "The Living Years" is performed and recorded by Mike + The Mechanics. 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: Vlad Tepes, formerly known as Dracula, utilizes a distance mirror in hopes of reconnecting and reconciling with his estranged son. But while a lot can change in four and a half years, like marital status and children... other things can stagnate, like the physical and emotional scars left behind by grief and a moment's rage. Post S4 animation canon based.
Archived at: http://www.phenixsol.com/Miko/FF/
* * *
The Living Years
Ch. 10: We all talk a different language
Talking in defence
* * *
Trevor growled as he caught himself nodding off yet again. He'd grown too complacent with his comfortable life at the castle if he could let missing half a night's sleep lull him into shutting his eyes for even a moment, while his family's mortal foe was sitting in the room right across the hall.
He dragged a hand down his face, then looked around. Despite Sypha's earlier claim that she wasn't tired, the feel good aftereffect of Adrian's bites could only do so much against the trauma of delivery and surgery and she was now asleep, looking just as tuckered out as her tiny daughter.
Trevor stood up and stretched. With Lisa likely down in the kitchen, that meant he and Vlad were the only ones awake on this floor, though when he went to check on Adrian, he found Vlad slightly slumped in his undersized chair, head bowed, looking suspiciously similar to a man who'd dozed off. Then the black-haired head lifted and turned, and Trevor could see deep, troubled creases on Vlad's forehead and sorrow pulling down the corners of his mouth, a heaviness weighing on his eyelids, before the dark clouds were forcibly pushed back and something closer to the usual indifference settled on the man's face.
They stared at each other a moment, curious blue boring into sullen burgundy, neither one willing to back down to the other. Then Vlad's gaze flickered to Adrian and Trevor did the same, noting that at some point Adrian had rolled over onto his stomach, his hair streaming like rivulets over his bare back, both of his arms tightly wrapped around Trevor's pillow. The hunter boldly stepped up to the side of the bed, then, still seeing no reaction, reached down to carefully smooth Adrian's hair away from his face before gathering it up and twisting it out of the way, all so he could pull the blankets up and over his shoulders.
Vlad released a silent sigh. He had been prepared to scold Trevor if Adrian had woken, but thankfully he hadn't. "You shouldn't worry about that, he doesn't get cold like a human would."
"That doesn't mean he doesn't prefer being warm," Trevor insisted in a low rumble as he continued to lightly tuck the blanket around Adrian, much like he would for his kids on a chilly night, before briefly rubbing the half-vampire's shoulder. By the time he finished, Trevor's expression had softened considerably; he was satisfied that he'd done his part to ensure that his lover was continuing to rest comfortably.
In the meantime, Vlad sat frozen in his seat. He didn't know what he'd been thinking. No, worse, he hadn't thought about it at all; it made sense that Adrian would find it more pleasant to be under the covers on a relatively cool day. But he hadn't done a thing, telling himself that he wanted to disturb his son as little as possible while wallowing over the damage he'd already caused, and then this mess of a Belmont, a man he'd considered capable of harming Adrian, had simply swept in and taken care of what he'd failed to do.
"You're right," the vampire begrudgingly admitted under his breath.
Trevor blinked, then again. Well now he knew for certain where Adrian got his moodiness from. But that meant he also knew how to deal with it. A smirk tugged the corner of his mouth upward. "I'm sorry, I think my hearing is going. I thought I heard a fucking bloodsucker tell a Belmont that he's right."
Vlad growled faintly. He really did hate dealing with this fool, and yet, it was preferable to trade barbs with Trevor than swimming alone with his thoughts at the moment. "Since you apparently believe you know my son better than I, do you think he'll agree to let me stay for a few days?"
"Maybe." Trevor shrugged jerkily. "Probably. Adrian's a forgiving kind of guy. As long as he accepts that you aren't an active threat to us, he'll likely agree." A feral sneer twisted his lips. "Why, you want me to put in a good word for you or something?"
"And what about you?" Vlad asked, his head tilting slightly. "I am surprised that you did not object."
Trevor snorted under his breath. The older man was avoiding all the bait, but that was fine. Trevor found that far more agreeable than if he'd asked him to butter up Adrian for him. "My wife just had some scary medical shit done. Having a doctor here would be a good idea," the hunter sniffed. Then before Vlad could point out that that didn't mean he'd be included in such a consideration, Trevor added, "Having multiple doctors is even better."
"I see."
"I assume you can refrain from eating the villagers during that time," Trevor threw in for good measure.
Vlad lifted his nose slightly. "I had no such intention." Now that he was no longer mourning the loss of his wife, his appetite had returned. But being as old and powerful as he was, his need to feed was fairly minimal, and Lisa was generous with her blood. He had no desire to find sustenance elsewhere. "Though on the subject, I was thinking of going hunting - and do not give me that look, I did just tell you I was not going to harm your human populace," the vampire amended, given the dark look that had crossed the brunet's face. "Rather, Adrian had mentioned that demons and other creatures of the night still prowl the area. I could reduce the numbers further. I even managed to reestablish contact with my former forgemasters, and they were agreeable to ordering their creations away from human habitation, if they could be brought here in order to do so."
That was an additional headache; keeping an eye on Vlad was one thing, but bringing in humans that hated humanity enough to side with monsters was another. In many ways Trevor trusted the forgemasters even less than the king of the night himself. At least he knew what to expect from Dracula.
"Of course I would not do so without first discussing it with my son..." Vlad clarified.
Trevor waved his hand. "Yeah, 'cause I'm not making any decision like that myself." He eyed the still sleeping blond, thought about the equally debilitated redhead across the way, and added, "We'll all talk about this later. Didn't really have the time to consider it yet."
"Ah, of course," Vlad said, reminding himself that the trio made decisions as a group; it wasn't just Adrian who he had to appeal to. Admittedly he'd been rather surprised when he first saw his son deferring to the loudmouthed brunet or the polite yet assertive Speaker, but then it became clear that there were nuances to how their partnership worked. Each one had their say; each had things they were knowledgeable about or opinionated on. Adrian might've been the most broadly educated, but he was probably the least worldly as well, with relatively little exposure to human society before his world was turned upside down.
Trevor glanced back at the doorway. With nothing more to discuss at the moment and Adrian continuing to rest comfortably, he wanted to get back to Sypha and Mary. "I'll check back later, then," he said, trying to make it sound stern like a warning, rather than a ceding of Adrian's care to his father, but it was hard to do so at a bare whisper.
The hunter waited for Vlad's hum of agreement and then backed away from the bed and sidestepped out of the room, moving as he did out of habit. Once he was back in the room across the hall, he returned to Sypha's bedside and sat down. It seemed that waiting was really all he could do at the moment. He was itching to go get the kids, but he knew he couldn't keep an eye on them plus Sypha and the baby, plus Adrian and Vlad, so it was better that they remain with Greta for the time being. But he sure was eager to bring them home and have them meet their new baby sister.
* * *
Lisa found it rather nostalgic to be back in the little kitchen she'd spent many an afternoon in. Cooking hadn't really been anything more than a chore at first - like a dutiful daughter she'd learned the basics from her mother and her aunts - but once she'd had a son to raise she'd put more effort into it. And Adrian, her charming little angel, had taken to helping her, so she'd encouraged it, figuring that meant he'd at least never struggle to keep himself fed. At some point he'd even starting putting meals on the table all on his own so she could concentrate on her medical studies and practice... such a thoughtful child!
Adrian was still handling the cooking and from what Trevor and Sypha had told her, he did quite well at it. She couldn't be more proud of him.
The kitchen really didn't look much different from how it had looked back in the day; it seemed Adrian had been satisfied with keeping things organized the way she'd had it. So finding seasonings and utensils and cookware was no issue, and there were enough ingredients on hand that any number of basic dishes could be made. Someone had also left loaves of bread sitting on the counter, so that would help save some time.
She opted for a simple dish of cabbage stewed with onions and ham as it was easy to eat and would keep well in case someone wanted to have some later. Vegetables were chopped and cooked, and the meat was added at the end so it would stay salty and juicy and make for a more savory meal. Satisfied with the result, the blonde paused to consider if she should just carry it upstairs herself, or ask Trevor to come down, or...
"Vlad, could you come down to the kitchen for a moment?" she called out the open door, raising her volume a bit higher than normal. She couldn't quite recall just how loud she needed to be for him to hear it from this distance, but if he didn't appear in a few minutes, she'd just try again, louder.
While waiting, she gathered bowls and spoons, then sliced up the bread into thick planks and loaded them onto a platter.
Just as she was thinking of repeating her request, a soft shifting sound was heard just outside the door, and Vlad stepped in, looking slightly concerned. "Is anything wrong, my love?"
"Not at all. But I could some help bringing dinner up to the kids."
Vlad rolled his eyes. The kids? They were too old to be thought of as such. But Lisa had been thrilled to learn that Adrian had a wife and children (even if they weren't directly his) and now seemed to have accepted the damn Belmont - despite all his assorted shortcomings - as well. So she'd cooked for them and now wanted it delivered. Obviously Vlad couldn't refuse, nor did he have reason to. "All right." He eyed the number of bowls, and added, "Adrian is still asleep."
Lisa removed one bowl from the tray, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "I was hoping he would've awakened by this point... but I made plenty, and there's a good amount of bread too, so he can have some later." She tilted her head towards the table on the other side of the space. "I need to eat as well."
Reluctant as Vlad was to be away from Adrian's side, there was no indication that he'd wake any time soon. Even if he did, his partners were just across the hall, so it wasn't like he was being left completely unattended - surely Trevor would check in on him if asked. "Shall I join you after I bring this up?"
She smiled and went to fill another bowl. "Certainly." Vlad didn't need human food, but she'd always appreciated that he'd sit down for meals with her and Adrian. It's just what family did.
* * *
"... Belmont, I've brought your dinner."
Trevor started, not expecting Vlad's voice to come floating in through the partially open door; Sypha on the other hand, had only woken up minutes ago and was still sleepy enough to simply yawn and mumble, "Is it that late already?"
Since she'd been in and out of it most of the day, it was understandable that Sypha had lost track of time. Besides, when she was awake her attention was mostly on her daughter, not the time of day. Trevor gave her a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, it is. Do you think you can eat?"
She made a soft, affirmative murmur. She wasn't hungry really, but she knew she ought to be mindful of her health as the baby was reliant on her for food and comfort. At least she didn't feel sick or overly painful: her midsection was mostly a blur of dull discomfort - achy, but nothing worse than that. Her head was a bit fuzzy too, like she hadn't slept enough, but at least it didn't hurt.
Trevor nodded, then stood up. "Okay, I'll come get it," he called out to Vlad, grateful that the vampire at least had the courtesy to wait outside rather than barge in and startle them, especially since Trevor was still armed. It was weird enough answering the door and seeing the former lord of the night standing there with a tray of stewed vegetables and sliced bread, like a polite butler, one that just happened to have sharp claws and teeth and eyes like banked flames in hell.
The hunter grunted as he accepted the food. He carried it back to the table near Sypha's bedside, then turned back to the waiting figure in the doorway. "Er... I assume there's extra for Adrian when he wakes up?"
"Yes. Lisa always makes a little too much anyhow."
Trevor couldn't help but snicker. "Ha - Adrian does that too!" It had been especially egregious during Sypha's pregnancies, since Adrian seemed to take "eating for two" quite literally. But on the plus side his excessive tendencies also meant that lunch was often as simple as re-heating leftovers, no extra labor needed.
Vlad's eyes crinkled slightly in momentary amusement. Any similarity between mother and son had always warmed his heart, though immediately on the heels of that came the memory of Adrian's scarred chest, and Trevor's bitter accusation: And yet he still wasn't similar enough to Lisa to spare him from your wrath. He frowned, suddenly feeling guilty for having taken time away from his son to ferry food around, even though Adrian would surely want his family cared for, and Lisa had been the one to ask...
"I will have dinner with my wife before returning to Adrian's side," Vlad said slowly. No, Adrian wasn't a child, but he felt unsettled at the thought of the younger man waking alone and confused. "I'm sure I do not need to ask, but if you could continue to check in on my son every so often, I would feel... reassured."
"Yeah, I'll do that. And uh, thanks for the food."
"Yes, thank you," Sypha echoed from the bed, wincing slightly as she tried to push herself a bit more upright without really thinking about it. Trevor was quick to help, stuffing an extra pillow behind her back, then realized he'd turned his back on Vlad and that was the absolute worst thing a hunter could do... and yet Vlad remained rooted on the other side of the doorway, as if he still had something to say before he left. Trevor glanced over, brow furrowing, as he wondered what it was.
"... You're welcome," Vlad intoned, inclining his head slightly. "And if you require anything else, just raise your voice. I should be able to hear it and pass on the message to Lisa if needed."
A slight smile broke across the Speaker's face. "Oh! I will keep that in mind."
Vlad nodded, then turned and headed back downstairs.
"Well, that was nice of him, wasn't it?" Sypha commented as she accepted a bowl from Trevor.
"Nice? It's guilt," Trevor observed. "Since I had time and opportunity to do so I pointed out a few things that maybe he hadn't thought about, and I bet Lisa did too." He sat down with his own supper and took an experimental taste. Not exactly the same as Adrian's cooking - he hid a smirk at the realization that Adrian took the extra step of dressing up his plates to make them as attractive as possible - but very reminiscent of it with the way it was generously seasoned.
Sypha chewed thoughtfully on some bread while considering her husband's words. "He really must want to make up with Adrian if he's being so polite to us."
"Yeah. I might've given him some advice on that front, too."
"You did?" asked Sypha, sounding strangely pleased.
Trevor snorted and put down his spoon for a moment, so he wouldn't start waving it like a wand. "Don't get me wrong - I still don't trust Dracula to not turn on humanity again someday. I really think this is a temporary truce at best. But this isn't about me; I don't have to like him. And he doesn't have to like me. But I think we all can agree, this strained relationship isn't good for Adrian. I'm not saying things will be magically fixed by Vlad saying he's sorry and trying to reduce some of the problems he's caused, but I think deep down, Adrian wants to make up with his father... so I want him to have the best possible opportunity for that, that's all."
Sypha nodded. Adrian had been the one to put forth the idea of killing Vlad to put an end to his revenge on humanity. But not once during that time had Adrian expressed hatred or even dislike for his father. There'd been admiration for the man he'd once been, a bit of sympathy, for their shared loss, and unfortunately, fear, given the damage Adrian had suffered and the seemingly impossible nature of the task at hand. But he'd viewed killing his father as a necessary evil, maybe even an act of mercy, like putting down a suffering dog. Now that Vlad had returned, sanity restored, it made sense that Adrian would likely want to repair the damaged ties between them.
"I don't want to push Adrian into anything if he's not ready. But maybe this was a fortunate coincidence after all - Lisa and Vlad coming because of my difficult delivery, I mean. It can only help ease his worries if he sees Vlad being pleasant and understanding, or even helpful," the Speaker mused.
"So I assume you're all for it then, if Adrian asks? Because you know he'll ask us."
"That he allow his father to make amends? That he have a relationship with him? Of course. I assume you feel the same?"
Trevor made a slightly sour face but it passed quickly. "... Well, yeah."
Sypha hummed pleasantly under her breath, then resumed eating. Trevor followed suit a moment later. It was good to know they were on the same page. She was fairly certain that was how Adrian was leaning, but if there was anything he was wavering on, he would appreciate knowing they supported him if that was what he wanted to do.
* * *
Trevor was just tidying up and putting their dishes back on the tray to carry downstairs when the door suddenly blew open like a gust of wind had come rushing through. For a moment he thought he'd made a terrible mistake, that it was Vlad, and he was pissed. Certainly his hand agreed as it automatically went and palmed the handle of the Morning Star.
But the pale figure that now stood just past the doorway had long, slightly tousled blond hair and apparently had still not realized that he was shirtless.
A relieved smile brightened Sypha's face. "Adrian!"
The relief was palpable in his voice as Adrian responded in kind, then slid past a still-recovering Trevor to lean over the bed and stroke a hand down the side of Sypha's face. "How are you feeling?" She looked a bit mussed still, but her expression was calm and her eyes sparkling, which was reassuring. He next searched the mattress and settled on the quiet lump of blankets at Sypha's side. "How's the baby? Has she fed yet?" he asked, his fingers drifting down to tug at the wrappings so he could get a better look at her.
"She has! Mostly she's been sleeping. She's a little tired too, I guess," Sypha explained.
Adrian nodded absentmindedly. While he recalled reading that it was normal for some babies to be less active at first, he couldn't help thinking of how noisy and boisterous Frediric had been when he was born; Ann too had been a squirmy, energetic newborn.
"It was a big day for Mary too. It's not anything you did or didn't do," Trevor grunted, cutting short Adrian's spiraling worries.
The half-vampire took in a slow breath, concentrating on the infant's heart rate and respiration... and was relieved to find it all within normal parameters. Another deep breath from a bit closer and he was certain he'd imprinted her scent in his memory too, just as he had with the rest of the family. Resting his hand on the top of the baby's head got his shoulders to relax slightly and he nodded again before catching on to the name. "... Mary?"
"Mary Lisa Belmont. Do you like it?" Sypha asked.
Gold eyes blinked a couple of times, then swiveled to Trevor. "Are you okay with that? You had suggested your grandmother's name..."
"I named both the other kids, so this is more than fair. Besides, it's not like I'm not in the mix." The hunter flashed a proud grin. "She's still a Belmont."
Adrian turned that over in his head some more, then gave a single decisive nod. He did appreciate that all three of them were represented in this little girl's name. "Mary Lisa... I do like it. Thank you."
Sypha beamed at him and gently tugged him over for a quick kiss on the cheek. "By the way if you're hungry, your mother was kind enough to make dinner for us."
"Oh..." Adrian couldn't remember the last time he'd had his mother's cooking. It had been a while, he supposed, as he'd been taking care of most of the meals before her untimely death. Try as he might, he couldn't recall what she might have made.
"We just finished. I was about to take the plates down. Your father said there's plenty left." Trevor paused, thinking of how to best word things. "Er... he's down there too, in the kitchen. In case you're not ready to talk to him yet."
"... Oh." That... Adrian wasn't sure if he was ready for it. He hadn't thought about it at all, actually. He'd been entirely focused on making sure that Sypha would recover well, that baby Mary was okay, and... that was as far as he'd gotten. He suddenly looked down at himself and realized, he hadn't even put on a shirt yet. Wait, why wasn't he wearing a shirt...?
Trevor watched as the blond stared down at his bare torso, befuddled, then said, "I have no idea why you showed up bare chested, but you brought Mary to me and then pretty much passed out on the spot. Since I couldn't manage both you and a newborn, I gave Vlad the okay to carry you back. He put you to bed." Trevor suddenly remembered snarkily asking Vlad if he expected Trevor to put in a good word for him, but given that Vlad had faithfully remained at his son's bedside, it wasn't an exaggeration to add, "And he stayed by your side while you napped."
Adrian wasn't a child suffering from night terrors that needed looking after. But his father had stayed with him regardless. Now that he thought about it, he recalled being in Vlad's study, seeing his father sitting in his favorite chair... but he hadn't been sure if it was just an old memory, or if the former vampire king really had been present. Now that he'd gotten some rest and a little more time to wake up, it was clear - of course Vlad had been there. Trevor had said he'd babysit him. Trevor... was still in one piece, and his father had watched over him as he slept...
Trevor was mildly alarmed as Adrian suddenly staggered where he stood, before gracelessly dropping onto the edge of the bed. "Are you okay?! What's wrong?"
Adrian couldn't put it into words. The man who'd only thought of his own loss, his own sadness, who hadn't spared a thought for his son's mirrored grief and pleas for mercy... who'd then wounded him terribly and then turned and walked away as Adrian clung to life, breathlessly, tearfully begging for him to come back, had carried him to bed and stayed.
Sypha's delicate hand alighted on his back, sweeping aside enough hair to uncover his shoulder so as to begin rubbing small circles into it, just as Trevor's bigger one caught his chin and gently tipped it upward. "Adrian?"
"... He stayed with me," the blond murmured, incredulous, his eyes huge and shimmering like faceted citrine.
"Yeah. I mean, I checked in on you too, because I certainly wasn't gonna leave it up to him and him alone. But yeah, he dutifully stayed by your side," Trevor said. He sighed, and continued on to divulge some of the things that had been brought up. "He and Lisa asked if they could stay a couple of days. I said we'd talk about it. He said he wanted to hunt down demons in the area too. That... I said we'd need to talk about that too."
"Oh. I..." Adrian trailed off, unsure how to respond. It just felt like too much to process at the moment. "Er, what do you two think?" he asked weakly, twisting around slightly to find Sypha.
The redhead gave him a sympathetic half-smile, looked up at Trevor, then back at Adrian. She hadn't realized what Trevor had meant by Vlad wanting to reduce the problems he'd caused, but it made sense now. "We'd have to figure out the details of how a hunt would work - obviously we can't let anyone know Vlad is here - but Trevor thought it would be best if you mother could stay a few days, in case any medical issues arose." Sypha shrugged one shoulder; she didn't think she'd have a problem recovering with Adrian in charge of her care, but for Mary's sake, she'd rather not take any chances. "I agreed. But all three of us - Trevor, Lisa and I - also agreed that the final decision would be left to you."
"I... Yes, that makes sense. She is an experienced doctor. But..." Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt a headache coming on. On one hand, if his father hadn't done anything to Trevor after Adrian's lapse in judgment - and consciousness - he was unlikely to do so now that the blond was awake. And with Lisa there, really, their entire family should be safe. But...
Adrian's hand went to his chest, fingers finding the edge of the scar there. He should've been safe too... and what had that gotten him? Nightmares, and an extended sleep under Gresit for a whole year...
"Vlad did say that if you insisted, he would leave. So don't think it's all or nothing," Trevor assured him.
Gold eyes flickered back up to study his spouse. The hunter was being almost... calm about Vlad, speaking about him like he was just a normal person in town. "Did something happen while I was asleep? You keep mentioning talking to my father."
"Well, yeah. In the study, and then again by the bed."
"Oh."
Trevor's head tilted slightly. "Is it that surprising?"
"... I guess I figured you'd just glare at one another."
The brunet let loose a bark of laughter. "Nah. I wanted to make sure he knew how bad he'd fucked up, that he didn't deserve a son like you. He did seem contrite, but let's not pretend I'm a good judge of that."
"Yes, but... what about all the other things that happened?" Adrian asked, making a vague gesture that was supposed to encompass "everything else."
"If you think about it, I never had a personal beef with Vlad. Sure, he was trying to eradicate humanity, but at the time, I didn't give a shit. But you two were on a mission, and I'm a Belmont, so I came along with." Trevor shrugged. "He didn't excommunicate my clan and soil their name and reputation. He didn't burn down my family home and leave me adrift in the wilderness. I'm sure he's killed some of my ancestors, but I don't even know how many or who. So really the only thing I can personally hold against him is what he did to you. And Sypha's shoulder."
Sypha rolled her eyes. "My God, my shoulder's fine. My cauterizing did more damage than anything Vlad did, so stop it."
Even Adrian couldn't help but smile briefly. Sypha really was quite proud of the role she'd played in Dracula's defeat and was happy to tell the tale of how she'd earned her scars to anyone who asked, so really it was only Trevor that took offense at it. But just as quickly as the moment of mirth came it went, washed away by concern for the rest of their family. "But if I agree to let them stay... what about Ann and Frediric? We can't just leave them with Greta for days." He sighed, then mumbled, "I'm not going to put my own needs above the children; that'd be no better than what my father did."
Trevor gave him a pat on the shoulder. "I already thought about it. I can bring them home if you think this'll work: you stay with the kids tonight and I'll stay with Sypha and Mary," Trevor suggested. "For peace of mind, yeah? And tomorrow... well, daytime shouldn't be an issue since Ann's always clinging to you anyhow like a squirrel to a tree - so there's no safer place for her to be, and it's not hard to send Frediric off on errands, or just tell him to go play all day."
"Mmh... though perhaps I should be the one staying with Sypha tonight, in case she or Mary need immediate medical aid," Adrian said after a moment's thought. "Not that I think anything like that would happen, but..."
"No, that makes sense," said Sypha. "Thank you, Adrian."
"We'll do that, then," Trevor agreed. He took in a breath. "So... ready to go and have a chat with your parents? I can go fetch the kids right after if all goes well."
Adrian fidgeted slightly. There was no reason to hesitate - best to get the children home before it got too late in the evening - but still...
"Trevor, you'll just run him over again. Adrian has to be allowed to speak for himself," Sypha chided.
"I won't, I swear. I'll be like a church mouse; I won't make a sound," the brunet promised. Then he thought about it some more, and added, "Unless you don't want me there, Adrian. I'm really not trying to impose; I'm just offering support if you think that would help."
It sounded terribly cowardly to want his lover there just to stand by his side, but the thought was comforting. "... It would. You'll come with me, Trevor?"
Trevor ran a gentle hand down Adrian's cheek and jaw. "Of course."
"But shouldn't you be here with Sypha? And Mary?" Adrian tried again, awkwardly. He shut his eyes, as if that would blind him to his own uncertainty.
Sypha frowned. "It shouldn't take that long, should it? In the meantime I can take care of Mary and myself just fine; I don't need to be watched over every moment while I'm awake. I'm not helpless, even if I am currently on bed rest," she pointed out, calling a small bit of magic to her fingers, making them glow as an arcane wind danced through her hair for a moment. "You know I'm perfectly capable - and willing - to call to you for help if I need it." Her lips twisted into a smirk. "And on top of that, I already ate. You haven't."
Adrian wasn't all that hungry, but he knew she was only scolding him because she cared. "Ah... yeah."
Trevor reached down and took Adrian's hand. "No time like the present," he said decisively, figuring that would get the blond back up on his feet.
Adrian stared at the warm hand engulfing his, then sighed and rose to his feet, even as a distant look began clouding in his eyes. He was probably already running through different conversations and scenarios in his head, and Trevor didn't like that.
"But first, let's get you a shirt," Trevor said, flashing a rakish grin at his husband, earning him a confused look. "Not that I mind in the slightest, but it's probably not your intent to walk around half-dressed."
Adrian flushed in embarrassment. No, that hadn't been his intention at all. "Er, yes. Thank you."
"And you forgot those as well," Sypha added, gesturing at the rings sitting on the table near the bed.
Reddening further, the half-vampire quickly scooped up the bands and slid them on, though he hesitated for a moment on the second one. He wanted to return it to his father, but the safest place to stow it for the moment was still his hand. He sighed, a little discouraged. To have forgotten about the rings after having removed them for the delivery AND the fact that he'd ditched a stained shirt without replacing it, didn't bode well for being able to handle an important and necessary (and nerve-wracking) conversation.
A finger suddenly poked him in the middle of the forehead. "Don't start. Seriously, you're as bad as your father," a mildly amused Trevor commented.
Adrian scowled faintly. "What?"
"The endless brooding. He's a moody bastard too. Is it just a vampire thing or is it specific to your family?" the brunet sighed. He shook his head, then indicated the rings by holding up his own left hand, before splaying his fingers across the center of Adrian's chest. "You were distracted; you were dealing with an emergency. That's all it is. Everything's fine now on this end, so let's deal with the rest of it so I can bring the kids home."
The blond slowly brought up his own hand to rest over Trevor's, then nodded. His lover was right, he needed to grow up and focus on what mattered.
Without further prompting Adrian patted Trevor's hand, then turned and began heading for their bedroom so he could get dressed.
* * *
Author's Notes:
- Thanks for the reviews and *200* kudos on AO3! - I need to think up some fan art to doodle : 3 I dooo have an idea but need to find time to scribble. Currently looking like this story will wrap up at around 13 or 14 chapters.
- Thanks to Nenya85 for beta work. Reviews are appreciated!
July 27, 2024