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. 6: I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my father held so dear

* * *

Trevor wasn't surprised when Adrian had trouble sleeping that night. The blond's restlessness had gotten bad enough that he'd fled the bedroom and taken up temporary residence in the spare room rather than risk keeping Sypha up as he tossed about, when she was already struggling to sleep. Trevor gave serious consideration to simply following his husband to the other room, throwing him down and railing him until he couldn't see straight, but that was a stopgap and not a solution. Plus it would be irresponsible for him to leave Sypha unattended with her due date approaching, so in the end, he settled for reminding Adrian that if he wanted to talk, he'd listen, even if it came at three in the morning, and let him go.

Since the bed in the extra room had already been set up for the impending delivery, Adrian ended up lying down on the sofa instead. It wasn't quite long enough for his tall frame (which was probably why it had ended up in there), but he pulled up his knees and told himself to make do while he stared at the ceiling, the wall, and then the faint shadows of random furniture and stacks of books, as minutes, then hours, crept by.

He'd gotten some answers, but the half-vampire would be lying if he'd said he was satisfied with them. If his father had revealed that he'd delayed in reuniting with him because he'd spent his time traveling the land and wiping out the armies of the night that he himself had unleashed, Adrian thought he would've happily accepted that. He would've been proud of him. Heck, he'd already be talking to Trevor and Sypha about the possibility of having his parents over for dinner!

Instead, he found himself wondering if any of that would've ever occurred to his father without being prompted, either by himself or by Lisa. And why was his mother okay with such inaction when she was the one who'd wanted to become a doctor in order to help people? It was fine and good that she was serving her new community since there was no doctor in the area, but what about the people of Wallachia who'd suffered so greatly at Vlad's hands? Maybe the Church was less active in England so it was safer for her to administer aid there, but since when did his mother take the easy route in anything?

The border of his scar prickled. Adrian scratched at it mindlessly. He supposed... he'd already suspected that his mother knew about its origin, even without Trevor's observation. But it still hurt to hear her confirm it. His father had said his mother had been furious about it, but during that time did she ever think about breaking away from Vlad to come and see if he was okay? To ask if it still hurt? He hadn't been a child prone to carelessness or injury, but during those few instances when something did happen, he remembered her fussing over the wound even if he'd already successfully willed it to heal, hugging him and kissing him on the forehead to make it better. It sounded stupidly childish, but he wouldn't mind that indulging in that level of care right now...

For a moment he thought about crawling back to the bedroom and snuggling up against Trevor like a cat, except he didn't want to wake the other man. Although Trevor couldn't have known about it, his approach to comforting Adrian was very similar to Lisa's: a warm embrace, a kiss atop the head, and low, soothing words. Adrian wrapped his arms around himself, imagining it was Trevor hugging him, or even Sypha, who had a slightly different approach, but one that was equally welcome and loving: she liked to hold and rub his hands and arms before pressing herself against his chest, or if they were lying in such a way that allowed for it, she'd fold him against the soft pads of her breasts instead. But pretending wasn't anywhere close enough to be satisfying. With a disgruntled sigh, he rolled over.

His father had said he didn't blame him for what had happened to his mother. But the aching in Adrian's chest wouldn't cease even as he repeated that to himself. Even if Vlad didn't hold him responsible, Adrian still felt like he'd failed. He'd been eighteen then, well old enough to not engage in frivolous behavior. If he'd focused on picking up the listed items as instructed and hurried along instead of wandering the streets and alleys, exploring the unfamiliar city with wide eyes, he could have made it back to Lupu that evening, instead of the next. He could've prevented the whole tragedy before it happened.

... Of course, that would've meant he likely wouldn't have met Sypha or Trevor, at least not on friendly terms. And that would've been a massive loss. He couldn't imagine his life without the sweet and spicy Speaker and the bullheaded, loyal hunter, or the beautiful children they were raising together, but the reality was the two of them would've done just fine as a couple. So it seemed selfish to think about his own wants when his mother had lost her life, when his father had lost all grip on sanity, when so many others had suffered because of those events.

The first sleepless night was followed by a second one not dissimilar to the first. At least the daylight hours in between weren't quite as bad, simply because he refused to allow Trevor to make excuses for him - there was work to be done, and Adrian wanted to keep to his schedule. And even during downtime there were plenty of other things keep his mind occupied, including double and triple checking that he had everything set up just right for the upcoming birth, as Sypha was starting to feel some mild, sporadic contractions. Trevor couldn't help but joke that Adrian reminded him of a mama bird, fussing about the nest and making sure that every last bit of straw was just so, but Sypha pinched the brunet on the arm for that, reminding him that the hatchling they were waiting on belonged to him too.

By the third night Adrian gave up on trying to fold himself onto the too-small loveseat and went to the family room at the end of the hall. There were no doors to close it off but privacy wasn't an issue; he was keeping his ears pricked for the kids anyhow, as well as any sign of distress from Sypha, as her contractions had started picking up in length and number around midday. The seating in there was more generous, so he could at least unfurl himself across the cushions on the longer sofa; as a bonus the scent of the entire family suffused the room, so that added a bit of familiar comfort that had been lacking the two previous nights.

From where he was lying all he had to do was tilt his head back to look up and see the painting of his parents on the wall. Lisa appeared angelic in all her portraits - lovely, serene and glowing - and this was no exception. Vlad usually looked imposing - and he still did due to his stature and the stark contrast of ebony hair against pale grayish skin - but for once he was also relaxed, pleased and proud as the pillar of his family. Adrian couldn't recall the last time his father graced him with an expression like that. Try as he might, he could only remember his father's face twisted in rage and hatred as he'd surged towards him with claws outstretched. Or just as bad, how his features had melted away in the painful moments after Adrian drove the stake through Vlad's heart, leaving behind empty sockets and a hollow, gasping maw as the desiccated remains lurched, arms outstretched, towards Adrian. In the end he'd never figured out if his father's last thought was to embrace him one final time, or if the hunger that was an all-encompassing component of a vampire's curse was trying to survive at any cost. But Trevor and Sypha's timely arrival on the scene meant the question had gone unanswered.

His mother had said they'd delayed contacting him because she'd worried about "tensions" between him and his father. By that he assumed she was concerned they'd fight once more, that maybe if he were goaded by someone like Trevor, he'd stake his father again. In the end it was Vlad that Lisa was protecting. Because even though her husband had wounded Adrian terribly, and beaten him until he could barely stand, he hadn't taken things further. He'd let him live. It was Adrian who'd crossed the line, killing his father after he'd stopped fighting, stopped resisting.

No... that wasn't fair. Maybe her intention was to protect him from his father too, knowing that even with Trevor and Sypha's help, Adrian couldn't beat Vlad at full strength in a fight. How many times could the blond flirt with death and survive?

He should've asked her to clarify what she'd meant. Something for next time, perhaps. Or... was it better not knowing? He rolled onto his side. Maybe a more comfortable surface wasn't worth it if he had to lay there and judge himself in lieu of the pair in the portrait.

Narrowing his eyes, he sat back up and spun himself around so that upon lying down, he was facing towards the entrance of the room instead. But that made his eyes search for the furthest door on the left, where Trevor and Sypha lay sleeping.

Earlier in the day Adrian had overheard Trevor complaining to Sypha that Lisa wasn't perfect, that she wasn't a saint. Well of course she wasn't, Adrian had never claimed that she was. But she was a good, kind person, and he was a little surprised that Trevor didn't see it that way.

He'd felt guilty about overhearing even that much, even though he couldn't help it; his hearing was far too sharp and Trevor was almost always loud. So rather than confront his lovers and ask for an explanation, Adrian had found himself hustling towards the nearest room with a heavy door and slammed it shut, just to mute their voices, so he wouldn't be tempted to listen for more of Trevor's unfiltered opinions.

He sighed. He could only run away from difficult questions for so long, yet he didn't know what else to do. Adrian pushed himself back up and despite himself, looked back over at his parents' gently smiling faces, at his own cluelessly cheerful infant's grin, and wondered if it was possible for him and his mother and father to find their way back to such simple, happy contentment. He'd thought he'd been satisfied with finding such harmony with Trevor and Sypha, but yet here he was, alone and struggling to sleep for a third night in a row, no closer to an epiphany.

With a grunt, Adrian rose to his feet. It was a lousy time to go for a walk, and he really couldn't go too far as even his hearing wasn't sharp enough to hear from one corner of the castle to the other, but anything was better than pretending to fall asleep while troubled thoughts whirled around in his brain like a trapped tornado.

* * *

After two laps which looped by the stairwell up to the balcony in the sky, past Lisa's study, around the circumference of the library, down to the main entrance, and then a pivot by Vlad's main lab, Adrian headed back to the family room to see if he'd expended enough nervous energy to sleep. All the fretting and sleepless nights were starting to catch up to him, leaving him worn down and tired despite the continued buzzing of his thoughts. But just as he was about to start climbing the spiral staircase to reach the level their rooms were on, he thought he heard Trevor calling his name, so he picked up his pace and jogged up the steps two at a time, brow furrowing. Sypha was close enough to her due date that anything was possible.

Sure enough the brunet was starting to come down the stairs to meet him, mild concern creasing his forehead. "Sypha said her contractions have picked up. It's still a little early, isn't it?" he asked as he turned and accompanied Adrian back up towards their bedroom.

The blond had thought she still had another day at least, but given that this was her third time, it wasn't unusual for the timeline to compact down so that each step came quicker. "It can happen; some babies are born a little earlier than others. And she's done this before, so if she's concerned enough to send you to come get me, then it's probably time."

Sure enough when they entered the room, Sypha was half sitting up, doing her best to moderate her breathing. Her relief was obvious as she quirked a smile at Adrian as he sat on the mattress next to her. "There you are."

A little sweat was starting to bead up around her hairline. Adrian stroked back red curls, cupping her face as he said, "Sorry, I was taking a walk. How are you doing? Trevor mentioned your contractions have increased. Have you counted the time between them?"

"Oh, well... not down to the second. But they're definitely coming more regularly, trust me," she huffed.

"Any discharge?"

Her back and belly were hurting enough to distract from being able to tell if she was completely dry or not. It didn't help that she was a bit sweaty in random places. Sypha began shaking her head, then looked down, not that she was able to really see past the swell of her midsection. "Not sure? My water hasn't broken yet, at least."

Adrian nodded, very gently resting his hand on the side of her belly, then sliding it down to the lower curve. He concentrated on the baby's heartbeat, the blood flow around the general area, and Sypha's pulse as well. So far everything seemed to be progressing normally. "All right, let's head to the other room. I'd like to do a quick exam, and then we'll go from there." He stood and held out his hands to help her to her feet. "Up we go," he urged as he pulled her upright, quickly moving to help support her from the side and back before carefully guiding her out of the bedroom.

Trevor had run ahead to get the door to the prepared room across the way. Adrian got Sypha situated on the bed, then pointed to a pair of jugs on a side table and asked Trevor to fetch some hot water. The brunet was quick to comply; when he returned he filled the wash basin without being asked and set the extra jug next to it, then waited another moment to see if there was anything else that was required of him. Adrian waved him off even as he began tying his hair back, so Trevor left and pulled the door almost shut behind him before sitting by the entrance (how nice, Adrian had even set up a chair there for him!) in case he was needed for anything else. Funny thing was, even with all the conflict and fighting and gore he'd seen in his life - everything from maggots crawling out of the eye socket of a swollen, rotting corpse, to a man getting his innards torn out as a flying demon dropped him, claws still sunken into his guts - when it came to a woman giving birth, he was squeamish as hell. He just couldn't reconcile how something as large as a baby could safely squeeze through such a soft, delicate passageway.

He could hear some rustling in the room, as well as quiet words being exchanged. A few minutes passed, then the half-vampire came out, tucking his hands behind his back as he observed, "She's definitely moving along. It probably won't happen tonight, but tomorrow morning, perhaps?"

Trevor just nodded, trusting that Adrian knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You should get some sleep if you can; I'll let you know if anything happens."

"Ugh, how can I sleep at a time like this?"

"Lie down, close your eyes?" Adrian joked, feeling a little awkward about his own failure to do just that. It was even worse when he couldn't suppress the yawn that squeezed out. When Trevor frowned, the blond quickly reminded him, "We have two kids who'll want breakfast in a few hours. Someone has to see to that."

"Yeah..." Trevor sighed. "Yeah, I know. You'll take good care of her."

Adrian nodded; that was a given.

The hunter rose to his feet, gave a quick hug and a peck on the cheek to his husband, then wandered in to give their wife a kiss as well, whispering a few words of love and encouragement to her before turning and shuffling back to bed.

* * *

Trevor remembered tossing and turning for a while and then suddenly... it was morning. He squinted at the sunlight streaming through the window, wondering when he'd conked out, then immediately began pushing himself out of bed despite the fact that he was still a bit groggy. Sypha had Adrian's full attention, so that meant a breakfast of porridge for the kids, since even Trevor could manage that without too much difficulty.

He got dressed quickly, strapping on a bare minimum of weapons, as he could already hear Frediric's feet pounding up and down the hallway and Ann squealing from the opposite direction, likely trying in vain to catch up with her brother.

As soon as he stepped out, Frediric zeroed in on him, aiming to tackle a leg. Chuckling, Trevor pivoted and neatly sidestepped the move as he went and scooped up his daughter instead as she rapidly toddled towards him on unsteady little legs. He needed to get both kids properly dressed, then they could go down and eat.

Before heading down, he stopped by the closed bedroom door and rapped his knuckles lightly on it. Adrian cracked it open a few moments later; he looked tired, but there weren't any pained grunts or cursing coming from behind him, so it seemed Sypha would be a bit longer still.

"Want me to bring up some breakfast?" Trevor asked softly, in case their wife was dozing. Ann immediately began reaching out for her papa, so the hunter switched arms to prevent her from just latching on to the blond.

Adrian glanced over his shoulder, then turned back and nodded, holding up one finger. Sypha wasn't going to eat, and he wasn't sure if he'd have time for it either, but he knew he should if he had the opportunity.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Trevor promised, hoping he wouldn't miss anything.

* * *

Once the essential morning tasks were done and the kids were fed, Trevor hustled back upstairs with a bowl of porridge and fruit for Adrian. He let Frediric hold onto it while he carried Ann (who contributed by clinging to the spoon), though he kept a close eye on both children to make sure they didn't lose focus and drop anything or accidentally dump oats on themselves.

Again knocking softly, Trevor waited for Adrian to come to the door. It took longer this time but as soon as the door cracked open Frediric tried to shove the bowl through the opening while loudly asking, "Where's the baby?"

The half-vampire bent over quickly to catch the edge of the bowl so oats didn't end up splattered on his pant leg. With the boy's attention on him, Adrian lifted a finger to his lips to signal him to be quiet, then whispered, "Not yet. It's still too soon."

Frediric pouted; Ann waved her spoon. Trevor frowned slightly, looking down at his husband. Adrian had found time to get dressed at some point but looked even more harried than before, even with his sleeves neatly rolled up and pinned and his hair tightly tied back. He'd apparently just washed his hands as his forearms were still a little damp, the skin worryingly paler than normal, enough to blend in with the white of the plain nightshirt he wore as a doctor's smock.

There was suddenly a harsh inhale from behind Adrian, and he swiftly straightened back up and turned his head just as both Belmont males instinctively tried to crane their heads to see what was going on. Sliding back a half step, the blond gave the trio an apologetic smile and thanked them for bringing breakfast but he had to get back to Sypha, so Trevor handed him the spoon and stepped back, instructing Frediric to do the same, and the door was once again closed.

* * *

"Treffy, how much longer?" Frediric complained, kicking his feet. He'd been sitting at the table, drawing on pieces of scrap paper, but that could only keep him occupied for so long.

The hunter looked over. After letting Greta know that the three of them wouldn't be available for the next few days (she'd slapped him on the arm and congratulated him heartily), he'd taken care of a few more chores as efficiently as he could. Since then he'd spent his time folding and putting away laundry and tidying up around their living space. So it had to be a couple of hours since he'd last checked in, but he didn't want to be a bother when Adrian surely had his hands full. He trusted that Adrian would tell him if he needed anything, otherwise it was best to leave him to handle things as he saw fit. "Not sure, Little Man."

"I'm bored. I wanna go outside," Frediric whined. "But I wanna see the baby too."

Ann attempted to copy her brother. "Wah buh. Fweah."

"Yeah, I feel ya. And I can't leave," Trevor admitted, putting down the shirt he was folding. Like his son, he preferred being outdoors, but he had to help around the house for now. "But if you'd like, you can run an errand for me: there's no bread, and Adrian's busy, so would you go to town and pick up some for lunch?"

"But what if the baby comes?!" Frediric demanded.

Trevor quirked a smile at his son. "Then he or she will be waiting to meet you when you get back."

* * *

It was the first time Frediric got to go to the market by himself, and he should've been excited for that, but all he could think about was getting the job done and going home, because he wanted to meet his new sibling more. His father had tucked a couple of coins into his pocket, asked him to get two large loaves from the baker's stall, and bring them back to the kitchen.

Everyone in town knew him, so he yelled his hellos as he ran by, instead of stopping to play with his friends like he normally would. The old lady that everyone simply called "Auntie Ina" smiled toothlessly at him as he pointed at the round loaves on the counter. He pressed the coins into her palm, and she carefully picked out the two biggest loaves she had for him.

Proudly carrying his purchases, Frediric trotted back home and beelined for the kitchen, but Trevor wasn't there. So he pushed the loaves onto the counter and ran back up the stairs to tell his father he was back, since he wasn't supposed to be yelling right now.

As Frediric arrived at the floor the family lived on, he saw Trevor standing in the doorway in front of the room Sypha and Adrian were in. The brunet was leaning on one arm against the doorframe, his face taut with concern, his fingers clutching tightly at his hair. Trevor noticed Frediric too late; the boy had walked up and tried to peek in to see if he could spot his new sibling, but Adrian shifted over in time to cover the bulk of the doorway.

"Trevor..." Adrian hissed under his breath, gesturing at Frediric.

Confused, the child looked up at his fathers. He noticed there were damp spots, some tinted pinkish red, staining Adrian's shirt, and Trevor was looking down at him as though he'd forgotten where Frediric had disappeared to.

But before he could ask about the baby, he heard his mother's painful cry and subsequent loud exhales. Trevor winced in distress. That was enough to draw out an answering whimper from Frediric. The little boy didn't know what was going on - his fathers were the bravest men in the world; Frediric knew it was true, because his mother had said so, and his fathers said his mother was never wrong. So why did they both look so uncertain and scared right now? Where was his new brother or sister?

Frediric reached for Trevor's dangling hand, clinging to it, and Trevor squeezed back, hard, before turning and picking his son up as if he couldn't think of what else to do with his limbs. Or maybe he needed the weight and warmth of the little boy in his arms to remind him what was at stake...

Adrian stepped into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind him and holding it shut as he rested his weight against the wood plane. "We have to decide, now. It's already been over an hour; at some point, her body is going to force it out whether she wants to or not. The longer we draw this out, the worse the odds," he said grimly in a low voice. "Or would you have me choose?" Adrian struggled to swallow, his throat dry. "I... I cannot do this on my own."

Trevor shut his eyes. Of course Sypha wanted Adrian to save the baby at any cost. He understood that, factually speaking. He'd feel the same, if it was his life versus his child's. But that wasn't what they were talking about... he wasn't being asked to give his life for his baby. It was Sypha's life that hung in the balance... and he couldn't even begin to fathom the thought of losing her. But what Adrian was proposing... were they willing to risk everything by bringing Vlad into the equation for a chance at saving both mother and child? But without Lisa's help, the odds of both of them surviving was next to nothing, and the possibility that they'd lose them both...

The thought made Trevor's jaw clench painfully, teeth grinding together before he forced himself to take a few quick, deep breaths. "You really don't think you can convince your mom to come alone? I mean..."

"You heard what my father said. 'From now on, I will go where she goes, to ensure her safety.' If you think I'm an exception to that, you're wrong. Look what happened the last time he left her in my good hands," Adrian bitterly recalled.

With a heavy sigh, Trevor shook his head; he honestly couldn't think of any other option. "I... Okay." He put Frediric down, and told him, "Can you go keep an eye on your sister?" The boy was a little reluctant to leave, but Trevor gave him a pat him on the back of the shoulder and he scurried off to comply. Trevor waited until Frediric disappeared into the family room, then said to Adrian, "Go ahead and get a hold of your mother. In the meantime, I'll take the kids to Greta's... and I'll let her know what's happening."

"Don't. We can't have everyone panicking," Adrian warned.

"What do you mean, 'Don't?!' I know it might not matter if Dracula decides to sweep through the area anyhow, but I'll be damned if I don't do everything in my power to protect everyone regardless," the brunet argued back, eyes flashing. "Our family - our lives - aren't the only ones at stake here!"

"And why would he do that, unless my mother was threatened? Panic is its own danger here. You and I have seen first hand how quickly fear can get out of control. Would you have another mob with pitchforks and torches at the doorstep?" Adrian snapped, then immediately regretted it, even before he saw the hurt well up in Trevor's eyes. "I'm sorry. That... that was unfair of me. We're all stressed, but I shouldn't have..."

Trevor grunted, then reluctantly muttered, "Yeah, you're right."

Adrian leaned forward just enough to brush his forehead against his lover's. He'd have to make up for it later; there just wasn't time right now. "Besides, my mother will be here... if nothing else, that alone will keep him in check," he added weakly.

The hunter didn't point out that that was like asking a dove to hold back an eagle. It didn't matter, now that the course of action was set.

"As soon as you're done, come to my father's study. In order to bring them over, I will need your help."

Trevor didn't like the sound of that either. He didn't know how to operate a mirror, so what could he do? Carry Lisa's medical bag? Follow Vlad around like an ineffective guard dog? "Anything else?"

Adrian shook his head and immediately began swiftly striding away, intent on contacting his parents. Trevor took a breath, and headed in the opposite direction. They didn't have the luxury of time, but he wanted to make sure the children had a few toys and a change of clothes at the very least, just in case... He had no idea how long this would take, even in a best case scenario.

* * *

Trevor. There's a problem...

The hunter couldn't get those words out of his head even as he walked into the town hall looking for Greta, Ann in his arms and Frediric at his side, the kids' supplies in a knapsack, with Wolfie riding on top like a scout. He was kitted out too, since it took him no time at all to fully arm himself. Just three little words, and his world felt like it was spinning out of control. It was hard to focus, but he had to. He could fall apart later. Hell, if all went well, maybe he could get smashed with Vlad or something... and if all went horribly wrong, maybe he could convince Vlad to smash him into a wall and put him out of his misery instead. But, no... he couldn't think like that. Adrian, Frediric and Ann all relied on him holding it together.

Greta wasn't in her office but given that it was about lunchtime, he figured she was probably in her small two-room house behind the communal building, and sure enough, she came to the door after he banged on it a few times, still chewing as she frowned at him.

"I guess a peaceful lunch is too much to ask for, huh?" she asked sarcastically, but her attitude softened as she took in his distraught expression.

"Yeah, sorry. Something came up. I... can you watch the kids?"

She wasn't a babysitter. But she knew the Belmonts didn't have other family to rely on, and that they trusted her more than anyone else in town, so she didn't mind taking care of the kids here and there. Given what was going on, it was pretty obvious why he'd suddenly shown up... "Is Sypha okay?" she asked softly.

"Honestly, I don't know. I..." Trevor's shoulders sagged. "I don't know."

She reached out and put a careful hand on his arm, squeezing it. "Okay. Yeah, it's no problem, I can watch them."

"There's extra clothes and stuff," Trevor said tiredly, gesturing at the bag his son was carrying. "I don't know how long..."

"It's fine if it's a sleepover. It'd be Ann's first time, then."

"Uh... they haven't eaten yet either," he added, remembering that he'd caught her at lunch. And that he'd sent Frediric to go get bread, but he'd completely forgotten about that.

"I'll find them something. Or I can buy something at the market. Ann is fully weaned, right?"

"... Yeah."

"All right." She waited for him to drop off the kids and go, but after Trevor put Ann down he just stood there, looking uncertain. Greta leaned down and took the little girl's hand, then made a slight shooing motion at her father. "I've got this; get going."

Trevor took a half step back, paused, then suddenly reached behind his back, only to pull out his coiled leather whip. Greta's eyebrow arched, but before she could ask, the hunter dropped to one knee and held it out to Frediric. "Hang on to this for me."

The boy stared at the weapon, then reluctantly, held out his hands and accepted it. Something like a thrum ran from the core of the whip and through his arms; there was a strange warmth to it too, almost like it was alive. It should have alarmed him, but there was something oddly familiar about it, almost soothing even, even though he'd never been allowed to touch it before.

"Wait, Belmont, what's going on?" Greta asked, confused. Didn't Trevor bring the kids over because there was a complication with Sypha giving birth? Why did he need to leave his family heirloom with Frediric as well? And now that she thought about it, he looked like he was geared up for a war, not a delivery: his chain whip swung at his hip, his sword hung on the other side, a full baldric of knives was strapped over his chest.

"Don't - I can't tell you right now. I'll explain it to you later, I swear it," Trevor said stonily, not even looking at the headwoman. His focus was solely on the weapon in his son's hold; he kept his hand on the whip, almost reverently. "This is the Vampire Killer, the legacy of the Belmonts. This is proof that you're my son and heir. Don't let go of it, and protect your sister, no matter what," he said, before finally releasing his hold and rising to his feet.

It was much heavier than Frediric thought it'd be, nothing like the toy whip he'd been playing with. He reeled his arms back in, then began twisting the whip in his hands, his head drooping as he stared blankly at the leather loops undulating like gentle waves.

It was the first time Trevor had ever seen his son too nervous or uncertain to answer him. "I need you to confirm for me that you understand," Trevor pressed insistently.

Frediric nodded slowly, his hands still wringing helplessly. "Yes... Daddy."

Trevor suddenly froze, his breath catching in his throat. He hadn't cried when his entire family had been murdered and his home burned down, nor during the lonely years after, as he'd desperately scrabbled for survival, a teenager with no one and nothing to rely on, only his whip and his wits. He hadn't shed a tear after the entire debacle in Lindenfeld, nor when he'd learned about what Adrian had suffered in their absence.

But now he could feel moisture welling up, and despite furious refusal to blink, he couldn't quite keep it from leaking out. His little boy, only four years old, couldn't possibly understand what was happening. And Trevor hadn't the words to explain it to him. But Frediric could read the mood well enough that he wasn't going to let his father walk away without finally calling him Daddy.

The hunter knelt back down and pulled his son in for a hug, engulfing Frediric in his brawny arms. "I love you," he whispered in the child's ear, his fingers stroking through tousled hair a shade lighter than his own, and then he held his arms out for Ann as well. Greta let her go and the toddler went to her dad; he hugged her tightly and breathed that he loved her as well. Now also sensing something was amiss, the little girl began wailing as Trevor reluctantly stood up and handed her back to Greta; Ann made her protest known by squirming and then screaming when Greta wouldn't let her down or hand her back to her father. She even threw her Adrian doll at Trevor in frustration, but Frediric was quick to scoop it up, knowing how his sister got without it.

Trevor shook his head. He had to go. But this wasn't how he wanted his children to remember him. So he told himself to take a breath, steeled himself for what he was about to walk into, and when he looked back up at Greta, all she could think was that that was the same grim expression Trevor had worn on the night of Death's attack.

"Belmont..." she began, unsure of what to say. There was no point in demanding an explanation again; he'd already sworn to tell her later. And that meant he'd have to survive it, whatever "it" was. But more than that, more than anything, the kids needed their father... "You owe me an explanation, so you'd better come back in one piece. Or I'll kick your ass and then go harass Alucard for answers."

He curtly nodded, then turned and ran off without another word.

* * *

Author's Notes:

- AFAIK the Vampire Killer doesn't give off any physical reaction to indicate that its being handled by a legitimate Belmont heir, but it's more fun to imagine that it could or would. Something like a glow would be the easiest, but I wanted it to be more subtle, so I went with something that Frediric could feel rather than something that could be seen.

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

March 10, 2024