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. 8: I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears

* * *

Time had always been the playground of immortals, and this was no exception. Every moment that passed in silence had a cumulative effect upon the human sitting across from the former king of the night: the tensing of muscle and the slow trickle of sweat running down the back of the neck, the acceleration of breaths, coupled with an increase in heart rate. Those signs of nervous anticipation and indecision were like a siren's song to a vampire, the rushing of blood an underlying rhythm that beckoned with each passing second. It was a good thing Vlad had much better control over his physical responses than Trevor did, for the human's sake.

"I suppose you have a number of things you've been wanting to say to me, now that we're alone," Vlad finally stated as he continued to evaluate the man across from him. Trevor twitched, eyes narrowing. Everything in his expression indicated that he was about to begin uselessly barking again... and while Vlad wasn't going to allow him the satisfaction of a "surprise attack," why not let the agitated hunter unload like he was obviously dying to? That would at least ensure he stayed out of Lisa's way while she did her work.

Trevor frowned deeply. He hated the fact that Vlad seemed to pick up on his every thought. But since the gauntlet had been thrown, who was he to refuse it? Decided, he folded his arms across his chest and wasted no more time before launching into his rant. "You're a real piece of shit, you know that?"

Vlad sighed inwardly. Was this man just intending to curse at him the entire day? How far the family had fallen since noble Leon had sworn to hunt the night and begun pursuing him across Europe. This particular Belmont was as irritating as a mosquito, relying on volume and vulgarities to attack since he could no longer physically do so. If Vlad could've gotten away with it, he would have simply walked out of the room to avoid dealing with Trevor... but he couldn't. Just as he was keeping Trevor trapped in the room with him by initiating this line of conversation, this man also had Vlad neatly pinned in place, all without having to lift a finger.

"I bet you were thrilled when you heard the Belmonts were wiped out," the hunter continued, jerking his shoulders in a harsh shrug.

Vlad straightened up slightly, ready to point out that that wasn't his doing, when Trevor added, "I didn't understand it when I was younger. Why my father didn't fight to avenge our murdered family. But now I get it. There was no point in fighting for those who were already gone. That's why he stood between me and the mob that wanted to kill us and told me to run, to live. He only fought to give me a chance to escape."

"So I can say this now with certainty, because I'm a father now... What you did to your own son... I don't care how much you might've doted on him when he was little, how much you taught him or gave him or cared for him. Because when he needed you the most, you failed. No... worse than that. You turned on him. You struck him with all the hatred you had for those who'd wronged you. You mutilated him and left him crawling around in his own blood like he was nothing more than an ant you happened to step on. And that's the one thing I absolutely will not forgive you for," Trevor snarled, eyes flashing.

It was a bit roundabout, but Vlad... couldn't say he was surprised by Trevor's anger. Ever since he'd regained enough of his sanity to realize what he'd done, he'd regretted it. As he'd tried to assure Adrian in their earlier conversations, it wasn't the younger man's fault or his failing - the blame solely lay on Vlad's shoulders. He'd let rage and grief seep into him like poison, blinding him and hollowing out his heart, and Adrian had suffered for it.

"I do not expect forgiveness for that. I still cannot forgive myself," the former vampire lord said in a low voice, his right hand tightening into a fist until he could feel the tips of his claws piercing his own palm. It wasn't even close to a shadow of the pain his boy must have felt. With a scowl, Vlad forced himself to relax that same hand and opened it up again, but the wound was already closing up. Adrian hadn't been so fortunate.

Trevor caught the movement of Vlad's hand and saw the punctures before the pale gray skin knit itself back together. He couldn't get the mental image of Adrian's blood coloring those claws out of his head; it made him relentless in his attack. "Did you think you were being merciful in sparing his life the day you struck him down? His heart was left mangled all the same. But despite what you did to him, he still called you his father. He spoke highly of your intellect and your love for your wife and thought that you could have even changed the world for the better, if Lisa hadn't been murdered. Can you imagine then how devastating it was for him to have to come back here and kill you? The monster who was damning the world, the same man who taught him everything he knew, here, in his home... in the damn room he grew up in. He put on this act, like there was nothing more than duty and that was all that mattered, but the burden he carried..."

Vlad sighed heavily. Adrian had always been remarkably mature for his age, even taking into account the fact that he'd grown up unusually fast. But despite all that, his mixed blood and the briefness of his childhood had left him sheltered, inexperienced and unprepared for the harsh reality that he'd been abruptly thrust into. The reality that Vlad had forced him into. To either commit patricide and kill one half of who he was in order to save humanity, in honor of his mother's wishes, or to stand aside and allow Vlad's genocidal war to happen, letting the other half of who he was die along with the humans.

"After we'd finished the job, this place... he said this would be his grave," Trevor spat, twisting the dagger one more time, in case the other blows hadn't done enough damage.

The hunter didn't realize Vlad's eyes could get so wide. "He... intended to follow us?"

"Not literally. But I told you, didn't I? There was nothing merciful about sparing him; you still left him in agony, bleeding out slowly." Trevor's arms tightened across his chest. "I admit I didn't understand exactly what he meant at first, but now I get it - and what he planned was even worse than what I'd originally thought. He intended to seal himself in the castle. Neither dead nor living, simply an endless and meaningless existence, in order to protect the knowledge you left behind." He took a deep breath, pained at the thought. "I thought I could save him, if he had something to live for... so I gave him the Belmont Hold and appointed him guardian..." With a shake of the head he trailed off, haunted by the memory; since he'd taken Adrian's words literally, rather than offer him companionship or support or anything useful and meaningful, he'd chained him to a new and additional duty instead.

Silence descended upon the room for a minute, then with a rueful twist of the mouth, Trevor said, "Just 'cause I can't forgive you doesn't mean Adrian won't. That's how he is - kind, considerate and generous to a fault. Even to people who don't deserve it."

Vlad looked up, surprised, the usual severe lines of his face softening slightly. That sounded personal. Or was he reading into it too much? Maybe Adrian had simply told his husband that he was considering letting Vlad back into his life in spite of everything, and Trevor hadn't been happy about it? "Yes. He truly takes after his mother and all of her best qualities: integrity, intelligence, tenacity, compassion, curiosity..." There was no masking the note of pride there.

"... And yet he still wasn't similar enough to Lisa to be spared from your wrath," Trevor grumbled, feeling his temper flare up again. What was the point in bragging about what a great son Adrian was, when it hadn't meant shit as Vlad carved into him? "Hell, you didn't even trust him enough to allow his mother to come help without coming along with her," he snapped for good measure.

Vlad's brows came together. "What? I did no such thing."

"Are you calling your son a liar?!" Trevor seethed. "Adrian said... well, you said you'd follow wherever she goes, to ensure her safety, right?"

"I did, yes."

"And Adrian said he's not exempted from that..." the brunet continued, though the certainty in his voice wavered as he recalled that his husband blamed himself for failing to protect his mother when the Church came - and that Vlad had assured Adrian that he hadn't held him responsible. Was it possible that Adrian had assumed his father wouldn't let his mother come alone, and hadn't bothered to ask otherwise?

Vlad shook his head. Apparently he'd been too optimistic earlier... "He asked if we could come to lend our aid. He did not request that I stay behind."

Trevor frowned, still somewhat unconvinced, but went along with it, just for the sake of argument. "... Would you have, if he'd asked?"

The vampire considered it. "I cannot say for sure... Perhaps? I do understand... he has misgivings. We are still in the process of reconciling... But this emergency situation forced his hand."

Trevor grunted.

Vlad sighed. It was a little hard to swallow, but maybe it would be best to remove himself from the situation. Certainly Lisa was safe as long as she remained in the castle with her patient, with Adrian watching over them both. Maybe Adrian would look favorably upon his father if Vlad showed some faith in him and continued to keep some distance between them, so he and his human family would feel safe...

Vlad looked at the shards of the mirror, pooled on the floor. "Since you are giving me all the obvious indicators... would you rather I leave?"

"Oh, I'd love that. But..." and Trevor sighed heavily, as if even he couldn't believe what he was about to say, "that would upset Adrian, if you just left without a word."

"If I am to understand your implication, isn't it already upsetting him that I am here in the first place?"

"Probably. But now that you are, he'd be even more hurt if you just ran off." Trevor ran a hand through his thick hair, pushing it out of his face, then shook his head. "Look, I don't have to like this at all - and I don't. But even if he's still not sure how he feels about you or if he wants you back in his life, the worst thing you could do is to abandon him. Don't put him through that again. He's been so hurt already; the fact that you and Lisa waited so long to contact him has left him with nightmares and endless sleepless nights."

Again, there was the sense that the hunter was talking about something personal, something that went beyond the attack on the castle. The vampire's lips tightened. "Then, if I may... a question?"

He didn't have to grant his opponent any quarter. But still, Trevor grunted in the affirmative. Depending on what it was, he could always refuse to answer.

"How exactly did the three of you come together? Speakers do as they will, that I understand. And I assume Adrian sought you out because of his self-imposed 'duty'... or was it yours, as a Belmont? But you must have realized what he was the moment you met..."

"Considering he came floating out of a coffin with his super pale skin and pointy white teeth, it wasn't exactly hard. But no, I wasn't looking for him, and he certainly wasn't looking for me, given that he was taking an extended nap. Sypha... well, there was a Speaker prophecy or some bullshit. She went to find him, I went to find her, we fell down a hole and accidentally woke him." Trevor suddenly gave a dry chuckle. "I mistook him for you and attacked him."

Vlad's eyebrow slowly climbed.

"In my defense... he did not bother correcting me until afterwards," Trevor huffed.

Vlad thought back to the battle that had taken place through the halls of the castle. Trevor had made a valiant effort, had absorbed multiple hits and even gotten a stake in him, but even a Belmont was at his core, a soft and squishy human. As if to reinforce his appraisal, a cursory glance made it clear that this hunter was already past his prime, thanks to years of accumulated wear and tear. He didn't even bother hiding it, wearing his burn scars like a sleeve, the slash over his eye as keen as a dagger's edge.

"Did he dispute the point while he had you pinned to the ground?" Vlad asked with a hint of amusement.

"Actually... it was right after that. But don't look so pleased. He may have had his fangs at my throat, but I had a knife in his chest pointed right at his heart. It was a draw."

"Ah, it was a test, then."

"Yeah. And then Sypha threatened to incinerate his pretty face, so that was all it took to convince him. He needed a hunter and a scholar. We passed."

Vlad pondered that a little bit, then his gaze flitted over the numerous marks on Trevor's throat. "And how did you go from a draw to a relationship? I cannot imagine you were ever encouraged to fraternize with the enemy."

"Fuck if I know. I couldn't help but be aware of every movement he made the entirety of the first day, but after fighting by his side, well... I still didn't like him. I didn't want to. He is your son after all. But... he hit it off with Sypha no problem." The thought made Trevor smile slightly; somewhere along their travels Adrian had begun flirting with her, with all the clumsiness and awkwardness of a kid facing his first crush. He'd offer her a hand on and off the wagon and give her little closed-mouthed smiles when she thanked him, as if that could make her forgot that he was half-vampire. He'd blather on endlessly about science and language and history as if to impress her with his knowledge. When she'd mentioned the bread from a certain stall was soft and tasty he'd snuck off and bought a whole bag full, "for the road." Who gave a lady a satchel of bread as a gift?! Poor guy; she was likely the first woman he'd met who didn't go running for the hills after seeing all his vampire shit, and she was cute, optimistic and competent to boot. He couldn't help himself.

... But in retrospect, perhaps his efforts hadn't gone to waste after all. The brunet wasn't sure if Sypha had noticed half the things Adrian said or did. But Trevor had thought it was funny to watch, so it had stuck in his head... and it charmed him now.

But between back then and later and now, so much had changed. Now Trevor, whose only skills lay in combat and survival, felt like the useless and incompetent one, and Adrian was scrambling to save the woman they loved, even going as far as putting aside his unresolved feelings towards his parents in order to try and pull off a miracle...

"So you simply... tolerated him. For the sake of a prophecy," Vlad commented flatly. "I sincerely hope that is not still the case."

Trevor jerked to attention. He'd gotten sidetracked and forgotten about Vlad's question. Refocusing on the matter at hand, he answered, "Of course not. If I only tolerated him, I wouldn't be sucking his dick, yeah?" He waited for the reaction he'd knew he'd get - in this case, a strangled groan - then went on. "Like I said, I didn't want to be his friend at first. I didn't want to care about him. I didn't want to care about anyone. He tried to keep a wall between us, a cold shoulder and an aloof façade, and I was equally pigheaded and stubborn. It was easier for me to tell myself he was just an asshole, to ignore the cracks and flashes of vulnerability by pretending I didn't see or hear anything. But..."

The hunter hesitated. He didn't have to tell Vlad everything. He could just say that he fell for Adrian and leave it at that, but his own sense of justice demanded he trade honesty with honesty. If he was going to tear into Vlad for his flaws, then he had to be willing to look at his own, instead of pretending they didn't exist.

"Look, Adrian's one of the best things that ever happened to me. Him and Sypha. But at the time, I could barely handle dealing with Sypha, and she's the 'normal' one. I certainly couldn't manage Adrian's baggage too on top of my own. So like a coward, I spared my own feelings and ran." Trevor balefully scoffed at himself. "After we defeated you, we stayed just long enough to heal up, to convince ourselves that Adrian was starting to get settled too, and then we left him here and merrily drove away. Sypha wanted to reunite with her family. She wanted to save the world, because that's what heroes did. And I went with her because I liked her, and it was the easy and expected thing for me to do."

"By the time we came back, things were fifty shades of fucked up here. Everything that could have gone wrong, did. It was like a kick to the balls. We never should have left! He was suffering terribly, and we were forced to face the fact that we'd failed him..." Trevor stuttered to a stop, choking down the memory of their return "home," of Adrian drunkenly stumbling down the stairs, stinking of booze and vomit, eyes dull and lifeless, his torso lashed with angry red scars. And the confusing contrast of a castle left in blood soaked ruin, staked bodies and all, versus the nearly repaired Hold, everything neatly organized and polished with meticulous precision.

"But despite everything that had gone wrong, despite the hurt and the scars and the riskiness of it all, he still opened up his home, and his heart, bit by bit. He let us back into his life and gave us another chance to make things right. That's just the kind of person he is." Intense blue eyes lifted to meet concerned oxblood ones, scrutinizing what they saw there. "If he could forgive us even after we abandoned him to grief and loneliness, I'm betting he can forgive you too, if you make the effort."

Vlad had thought the human a complete idiot, noisy and obnoxious. But Trevor seemed to genuinely care for Adrian. And that made it easier to ask the obvious. "Will you accept it, if he reconciles with Lisa and me? If he once again wishes for a relationship with us?"

"I don't have to like it, but I'll support him, whatever he decides. Whatever brings him peace and happiness. Because he could use someone like you in his life, as much as it pains me to admit it. I'm not as clueless as you think - I am fully aware that Sypha and I won't be around forever." It hurt to voice it, but Trevor couldn't pretend it didn't creep into his thoughts every so often. Adrian wasn't aging like they did. He hadn't aged a day actually, and it was only going to become more obvious as the years passed. They hadn't talked about it, not once, and maybe they never would, because it was the one thing he and Sypha couldn't give him. They'd promised Adrian love and loyalty, but eternity (or simply "centuries," as none of them knew if half-vampires were immortal or not) was impossible and out of reach.

But that didn't mean that Vlad was the only option, of course. Frediric and Ann would one day have families of their own, and their children would as well, and so on and so forth. It wasn't quite the same, but Adrian was part of Trevor's family now, and would always be. So with that in mind, Trevor emphatically added, "BUT - and I'm only saying this once - if you ever hurt him again, God help me, even if I'm no longer around, I will ensure my descendants hunt you down like the monster you are. Even if we have to destroy you a dozen times, two dozen times, we will. Belmonts protect their own."

The thought of Adrian being a Belmont was vaguely disconcerting, even if in support of his well being. Vlad opened his mouth to say so, then caught something high pitched in the distance and tilted his head in the direction of the hall. Shutting his eyes momentarily in concentration, he kept silent until heard it again, then nodded. "I do believe that was a newborn's cry. It would appear that congratulations are in order."

Trevor jerked upright, though of course he couldn't hear a thing no matter how much he strained to hear it. "I thought you couldn't hear that far..." he commented in suspicion.

"You have two small children, surely you know how far their high pitched cries can carry."

Well, that was true. Though they left their door cracked open at night, Trevor was fairly certain they'd be able to hear the kids' shrieks and yells through the stone walls, even with the doors were closed.

"Is... can you tell, if there's anything else?" the hunter asked, his heart thudding in nervous anticipation. He wasn't sure if yes or no was the better answer at that point. No, most likely, as that meant Lisa wasn't desperately screaming for additional help, that Adrian wasn't wailing in distress. But that meant that all Trevor could do was continue to sit and wait, worry and hope, and stress himself out.

Vlad shook his head.

The back of Trevor's skull thumped against the wood frame of the settee. He swallowed, hard, as he mindlessly studied the wide crown molding framing the ceiling. "So we keep waiting."

The vampire hummed in affirmation.

Trevor laced his fingers over his stomach. His foot began wiggling again. He told himself that Vlad was being truthful, the child was born, he just had to be patient, but every instinct in his body was screaming at him to get up, to go there and see for himself. But he stayed put like he said he would, and waited.

It was probably only minutes, but it could've been hours... Trevor couldn't tell if time was standing still or speeding by, or somehow both, simultaneously. But then Vlad's voice finally cut into the silence, returning the hunter to the present. "My son..."

Trevor straightened up so fast that he was almost momentarily dizzy; his head whipped towards the doorway nonetheless. "Adrian?"

Moments later, a slender figure stepped into view, curled protectively over a small bundle tucked in his arms. Adrian stopped to lean heavily against the doorframe, as if it was too much of a struggle to stay upright otherwise, then slowly lifted his head to meet Trevor's gaze as the hunter got up and rushed over to join him. Trevor was alarmed that Adrian looked so worn out - and for some reason, was no longer wearing a shirt - but he wasn't overtly distressed, so did that mean Sypha...?

"Your new daughter..." Adrian said tiredly, offering Trevor his precious cargo.

"Our daughter," the brunet automatically corrected as he gathered her into his arms, carefully cradling her against his chest before gently pushing back the cloth near her face, so he could get a good look at her. Her tiny face was ruddy and round, softly wrinkled and squished up in sleep. A few faint wisps of fuzzy hair sat high on her forehead, and Trevor was amused to see it was reddish - Sypha had complained that all the kids looked liked him, so getting a redhead in the mix was perfect. "And Sypha?"

"Sleeping. Mother's... finishing up," Adrian mumbled.

Trevor released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. It was vague, but sleeping... he could handle sleeping. He supposed that also meant the baby was still unnamed. For a girl they'd been debating between Mary, Sypha's grandmother, Sonia, Trevor's paternal grandmother, and Lisa - and it had been decided that Sypha would get the final say this time, since Trevor had named the first two, hence Frediric Gabriel and Ann Marie. But given the circumstances it was possible that Sypha wasn't even aware that they had another daughter, so that could wait. And on the subject of sleeping... "You look like shit. Sit down before you collapse."

Adrian looked like he wanted to argue, but didn't have the energy for it. He staggered into the room, looking around in slight confusion, but managed to make it to the sofa under his own power before dropping heavily onto the seat cushion as his eyes slid closed. His back hunched; he twisted his torso somewhat so he could rest the side of his head against the back cushion, as if holding it up without support had become too difficult. Trevor joined him, taking the opportunity to unbuckle and remove his baldric with one hand so it was no longer wedged between him and his little girl, dropping it to the floor before gently bumping his spouse with his elbow, but the only response he got were increasingly shaky, labored breaths.

"Son?" Vlad leaned slightly forward, slowly reaching out to him, but Adrian didn't look over or answer. Instead, his shoulders shuddered, and he began quietly sobbing, the tears slipping out like silver beads.

All the alarms went off in Trevor's head. Had he misunderstood about Sypha? "Adrian, what's wrong?!" he asked, his voice sharpening in panic.

When he answered, the half-vampire's voice was so faint that Trevor had to lean in to make out the words. Even Vlad had to strain slightly to hear them. "... was so scared. Thought... we'd lose her. Lose both." A soft whimper. "... 'm just tired..."

The hunter didn't have a hand free to hug Adrian, so he opted for rubbing one knee against his leg. "Sypha's resting. She'll be okay, otherwise you wouldn't be here, right? Your mom knows what she's doing, yeah?"

There was a sniffle or two, and, after a pause, a slight nod. Yes, Lisa knew what she was doing, but Adrian's control had started to slip during the delivery. The infant's heartbeat had become erratic and Lisa had to rush to get her out and clear, had to urge her to start breathing on her own, and to cut off her connection to her mother - and Adrian's influence - sooner than planned. And then just as they were getting the situation with the baby under control Sypha had begun to rouse, so he'd bitten her a second time to put her back under, managing to hold on to the enthrallment just long enough for his mother to finish cleaning up and suturing the long incision.

Adrian exhaled shakily. "... tried my best..." he said, though he couldn't really recall what he'd done at all, past the initial cuts. He vaguely remembered watching dazedly as the baby sputtered for her first breaths, as she made a choked cry before letting loose a few louder wails. And then Lisa had pushed the newborn into his arms and told him to clean her off; apparently he'd done so to her satisfaction, because the next thing he recalled, she was urging him to change out of his bloodstained shirt so he could deliver the now-swaddled babe to her father. He honestly couldn't remember much about Sypha's condition in between all that, other than the rhythm of her heartbeat and the sound of her breaths as they echoed in his ear.

Trevor breathed out noisily as well, trying to will his heart to slow down. It sounded like his husband was just overwhelmed - too much stress and craziness all at once, plus he hadn't been sleeping well the last few days on top of that. "I know you did; you always do. You've worked hard. Come on, let's get you to bed, okay?" he suggested, standing up.

Adrian snuffled again, clumsily swiping at his face, before he took advantage of the space Trevor had vacated and flopped over onto his side, curling up on himself slightly, one leg drawing up towards his chest as the other dangled halfway onto the floor. His arms wrapped themselves over his face, his fingers haphazardly catching and pulling a few strands of hair loose.

With the way Adrian had his arms flung over his head, his scar stretched over his bare chest like an accusation. Vlad frowned, his gaze automatically sliding away from the raised margins, but remained where he was. Had his son done it deliberately, to force him to look upon the evidence of his greatest failure? Or had he been so single minded about delivering the newborn to his partner that he hadn't thought of putting a new shirt on after removing what had likely been a blood soaked smock? It wasn't like he could ask... Adrian hadn't welcomed his contact, hadn't even acknowledged him. Vlad told himself to refrain from doing anything unnecessary, given how unstable his son seemed at the moment. Besides, he doubted the hunter at Adrian's side would react well if the former vampire king suddenly approached, even if he did so out of concern... a parent with child was an unpredictable creature.

"No no no... Come on, you're going to be completely stiff and sore if you sleep like that. Get up, I know you can do it," Trevor insisted, though the firmness of his commands was muted by the fact that he was cradling a sleeping infant. If the sofa was longer, it probably wouldn't have been the worst idea, but there was no way Adrian was going to comfortably rest on that particular piece of seating.

Adrian muttered a bit of gibberish under his breath, then fell silent.

Trevor stood there a minute longer, suddenly lost on what to do. He didn't want to leave the blond there, but he was way too lanky and heavy to pick up with one arm. He obviously couldn't put his daughter down just to carry him. Was there a bedroom or something close by? No, there wasn't.

The brunet looked down. The rug in the room was decently plush; maybe he could lower Adrian onto the floor and go get some blankets and a pillow to make him more comfortable? But what should he do about Vlad then? Was it better to poke and prod Adrian persistently enough to get him to walk himself to a better location? Would the half-vampire actually make it anywhere before curling up again?

While Trevor debated with himself, tiny, congested snores began floating up from the settee.

"Well... fuck," Trevor mumbled, mindlessly relocating his daughter to the other side of his chest as if that would help him decide what to do.

The sudden sound of someone shifting in a chair drew Trevor's attention back to the other party in the room. Vlad had stood up and was now towering over him, looking down at his son with a thoughtful expression. Trevor couldn't help it: he bristled, scowling noticeably at the vampire as his body moved on its own to block him from getting closer to Adrian.

"He should rest in a proper bed."

"Don't touch him, you bastard!" the hunter predictably snapped.

Vlad's head tilted. "Then what would you propose? I do not intend on leaving him here in such a position. You cannot move him right now, and you most certainly will not have me hold your newly born offspring in order to do so."

Trevor ground his teeth, unable to come up with a good retort. Of course he wasn't going to let Vlad touch his baby girl. But he couldn't figure out how to move Adrian without help, either. And even if he left his spouse where he was, he was still stuck with the fact that Vlad was a present and persistent annoyance.

"Guh - fine!" the human spat, not really seeing any viable option other than the obvious. "But you put him where I tell you, and if I see you twitch even a single finger the wrong way, I'm staking you on the spot."

Vlad was sorely tempted to point out that he could take Trevor's head before he managed to palm a knife, and never mind what would the hunter do with the infant in his care if he were to attempt to stab someone? - but he held his tongue and simply canted his head the other way. Trevor frowned, but shifted aside to watch as Adrian's father carefully untangled the jumble of limbs on the sofa, then slid both arms under the limp body and lifted up, torso first, so that Adrian's head rolled up onto his shoulder instead of dangling back over a bicep.

The last time Vlad had picked his son up was... well, Adrian must've only been four or five at most. After that, he had complained that he was too old for it and would squirm away, although he'd remained eager for affection, stretching up on his tiptoes in order to draw his father down for a hug. That trusting little boy was long gone; Vlad barely recognized the wary young man who'd replaced him... but that was the inevitable result of the sundering of their bond and the subsequent time spent apart. The vampire looked down, quickly averting his gaze from the jagged scar to focus on Adrian's sleeping face instead, and sighed. It was almost worse to stare at a face that was still sticky with tears, pale brows drawn together even in sleep. But if this was the only way he could embrace his son - while Adrian was unaware and unable to voice protest, and with his self-appointed guard dog close behind, gnashing his teeth at his every move - then so be it.

"Where to?" asked Vlad as he easily straightened up, not at all inconvenienced by the extra weight in his arms.

Trevor shook his head. "You lead; I'm not stupid enough to have my back to you. We're heading over to the guest wing, the one you set up for your wife's family, who were either too ungrateful or too scared to come and visit."

"Very well." Vlad walked out of the room, turned left, and began heading down the hallway.

As it was a little past midday, sunlight spilled in through all the open windows, bathing portions of the castle interior in golden light. Trevor was a bit curious if he was going to be told to run ahead and draw the drapes, or if they'd take some back route devoid of natural illumination, but as Vlad began walking the drapes slid shut on their own at his approach and the electrical lights flickered on, the steady, low buzz a soft accompaniment to their passing footsteps.

Trevor blinked. Vlad was an accomplished magician; he'd known that much, he'd witnessed it himself. But to see that he could still so effortlessly command the castle to obey his will was disconcerting. "I told you to not do anything funny, didn't I?"

"I only wish to see my boy safely to bed, nothing more. I cannot do that if I'm a smoldering pile of ash on the carpets," Vlad reminded Trevor, managing to sound both reasonable and condescending at the same time as he began making his way down the first of many stairwells.

Trevor hissed in frustration, but finally shut up. Adrian looked about as comfortable as he could be under the circumstances, face slack, arms tucked in and resting on his lap; Vlad was cradling him and walking with deliberate, smooth steps so as to not jostle him. There really wasn't anything Trevor could do to improve the situation other than continue to follow and supervise, whatever good that would do. So he saved his breath for the trek across the castle and continued trailing along behind Vlad, hugging his new daughter to his chest.

* * *

Author's Notes:

- In full disclosure my husband wrote the first paragraph and a tiny bit of the subsequent ones, to open the story (we were having a... difference of opinion in how I should approach this scene). I liked his opening so much I ended up incorporating it into the final version.