petcromancer | Musebox

You can transform?

[Is it too soon to propose marriage? Being stunningly handsome is one thing, but being able to transform into a giant wolf or a bat is so much better. Hector steps toward Alucard, then forcibly stops himself.]

No, don't show me now, I'll get nothing done.

[Tomorrow, tomorrow for sure. Hector steps out of the back door and comes back with a bucket of clean water and a cloth, which he sits down on the floor beside Alucard's chair. On his way back up, he gives Cesar a quick ruffle behind the ears.]

I don't mind if you take the bed. I'll be up packing anyways.

[Alucard's smile is small and fleeting at Hector's enthusiasm, but oh, it's there.]

I'll wait until we are closer to the castle.

[Closer to the castle means far safer. And so Alucard keeps showering attention on Cesar, until clean water arrives. He considers the stuff for a moment, then nods.]

Well, if you insist.

[Hand on the bucket handle, Alucard stands slowly.]

You don't mind if I close the door for a few moments?

[He's clearly doing a lot of washing up from the road.]

[Hector sighs, but that is for the best. He isn't a patient man, but having to wait will motivate him to get his affairs in order quickly and get moving.]

Go ahead. You can treat this house as your own.

[Hector just...is not going to think about the state of undress the dhampir will be behind that door. This is fine. Um. Pet inspections. He should do that.

While Alucard is getting himself cleaned up, Hector begins to rotate through the pets, lifting them one at a time to stand on the table so he can inspect their pelts, paws, extremities. There is some minor repair work to be done, accompanied by the sound of a hammer strike and glowing blue light.]

You're ready as you'll ever be to go back into the wild. [He tells the fox, stroking its long coppery back. He's done some patchwork on it to get it whole again, and the grafts have taken well.]

I appreciate your hospitality, truly.

[And with that, Alucard takes the bucket of water into Hector's room and closes the door. It's not the luxury of heated water through pipes like he has at home, but it's more than enough for Alucard to scrub off all the grit and grime of the road. He takes his time, starting with his face, then arms and legs, and then shedding his shirt and trousers for just long enough to clean off the worst of what has accumulated there.

It takes him fifteen minutes or so to be cleaned to his level of satisfaction, and when Alucard does re-emerge, it is with his hair lightly and messily braided back so that sleep can be an option for the evening.

But he is careful not to disturb Hector's work. He instead walks the bucket of water outside and discards it, knowing full well it's too dirty to have a second life. When that errand is done, he returns with the empty bucket.]

Where would you like me to place this?

[Hector looks up from his work.]

By the door is fine. I'll need to fetch more water in the morning.

[Alucard is being polite. Hector's hospitality is nothing to write home to Daddy Dracula about; he is too caught up in his work to prepare for hypothetical guests. Now that one such guest is here, he is scrambling to do what he can.]

How are we going to be traveling, once we reach the mainland? I have a cart I can use to get the animals to the nearest port. If we're going to be traveling by foot from there, I may need to invest in a beast of burden.

[Does 'invest' mean buying or making? Who can say?]

[By the door it is. Alucard places the bucket there, then retreats to the bedroom. He does understand the need for logistics, but now that he has seen a bed? Oh, oh the desire to sleep has overtaken him.]

We'll travel by wagon along regular routes, and then walk for a time. The castle will meet us at an appropriate spot.

[Meaning that there's no need for a cart, but there is a need for transportation.]

How many companions will be joining us?

[Hector hums. No cart, so he'll need to only pack what he can reasonably expect to carry with him. Good thing he doesn't have much.

He points to Cesar and then to the second dog, a black Cretan Hound that has curled up beside him.]

Two. Cesar and Antonius. The others came from the wild, and are fit to return to it.

[Antonius is a useful companion. A hunting dog and a guard dog, which Hector would likely need more if his traveling companion was not a dhampir. Cesar, on the other hand, is coming because only Hector loves him, and because the silly little thing could never survive on his own. He will need to be carried for basically the entire journey, and Hector will not go without him.]

Don't let me keep you up. I'll try to pack quietly.

[In terms of physical possessions that need to come along with them, he has only a few sets of clothes, his necromancer's tools, and a few odd and ends for the dogs; the rest of Hector's night is going to spent trying to sort through years of notes to wrangle it down to what will fit into his bag.]

[Alucard understands that Cesar's issues can be hidden with careful bandaging, and that the little pug's endurance is going to be a problem. They can carry him in one of the packs, and he'll probably enjoy it a little too much. Antonius draws the dhampir's attenton, and he looks the hound over carefully.]

I'll defer to your judgement on all these matters.

[And that's all he'll say on that. A yawn escapes, and Alucard knows better than to fight exhasution.]

Thank you. I'll see you in the morning.

[Alucard retreats into the bedroom. Perhaps it isn't surprising that the son of Dracula's sleeping form doesn't move at all. He's more statue than man. Easy to mistake for a corpse. But he does get himself well tangled and settled in what blankets are in the bed first, and his hair seems to trail after him.]

[Hector is surprised that Alucard leaves the door open as he sleeps. He tries not to look, though he does sneak into the little room once during the night to collect his extra clothes to pack. Alucard is doing his sleep of the dead in a hopelessly rumpled bed with an undead cat curled up beside his pillow.

It’s hard to breathe, and Hector sneaks back out, silently scolding himself that Lord Vlad’s son would absolutely be off limits. There is no point in even looking.

Morning finds Hector asleep on the floor in front of the little fire place, wrapped up in a spare blanket and surrounded by his pets.

Hector had had all the best intentions of only napping for an hour once he’d finished sorting his notes. He’d planned on being up at dawn to prepare for their departure, but here he is, still asleep.]

[Alucard sleeps like the dead, but he also wakes up all at once. He's up in the morning without blinking, and when he walks out the door, he...

...he can't say he's surprised to find Hector curled up in front of the fire place. He does nothing to disturb the man. Instead Alucard focuses on remembering where Hector pulled food from last night, and scrounges up a little bit of cheese, more wine, and staleing bread that he knows probably has only a day left until mold kicks in.

Only once the table is laid out and water is brought in from outside that Alucard dares to disturb Hector. Crouches down and places a soft hand on Hector's shoulder.]

Good morning.

[Hector is accustomed to movement when he sleeps- his pets come and go as they please- and even to falling asleep in the lab area when his work outweighs his common sense.

It is hearing a voice as he is shaken that jolts Hector out of his sleep in confusion.]

Wha?

[He sees Alucard, angelic in the morning light, and his mind races to catch up with his startled heartbeat.]

Right. Fuck. Sorry, I overslept. Let me get you...

[He looks past Alucard and sees breakfast already arranged on the table, because Vlad's son is infuriatingly perfect and Hector is The Worst Host Ever.]

...never mind.

You clearly needed the rest.

[Alucard takes a few steps back, and his eyes move to Cesar.]

Forgive me, I wasn't sure what your friends needed in the morning.

[Hector sits up, shrugs his shoulders, and scrubs his hands across his face.]

I'll be fine. I keep strange hours.

[He stands, and the animals dance around his feet on his way to the back door. They rush out. The wild ones will see to their own needs. The dogs go out to run around the well and sniff at various landmarks.]

They don't need as much as they did in their first lives, but they can eat. Cesar will beg shamelessly for scraps when he comes back in. Harden your heart.

[Because he's noticed you melting when you look at him, Alucard.]

Then home won't be any different for you.

[It could be a joke, but Alucard's a little too matter of fact with that statement. He himself goes towards the table, because he's hungry and would prefer to get going soon. Still, watching the rush of animals just go. It's a joyful thing.

Once settled, Alucard tears a hunk of bread off for hmself.]

I'll try my best. Do you have everything you need to travel with?

I was able to adapt to your father's schedule easily enough during his visit.

[He leaves the door open and comes to sit down for breakfast. He'll leave the doors open when he leaves, so that the pets staying behind will have a safe place to come home to.

He picks at the food Alucard set out, too anxious about starting the journey to have much of an appetite. This is probably why Vlad sent Alucard to fetch him; because Hector is an idiot who can't be trusted to take care of himself.]

Yes, I got everything together before I laid down. Once we eat and I get my friends settled, we can go.

My mother and myself generally run on an afteroon until midnight schedule.

[Alucard feels that it's only fair to let the young man know what home's clock is like. If his mother's not at the clinic, it's afternoon to evening hours. If she is, then it's far more oriented to the hours of the living.

The dhampir eats, eyes moving up and over to Hector every so often.]

We can take whatever isn't eaten on the road with us, if you've no appetite.

Yes, I can imagine you're able to operate at whatever hours you desire. Vlad said his castle has light sources more efficient than candles, and that it can be as bright as daylight even at midnight.

[Such a thing is a miracle to Hector. Vlad had chuckled at his expression when he'd told him about some of the castle's amenities. Right now, he taps his foot with nervous energy.]

Eat your fill, and we can pack the rest.

[The dogs come back in and Hector, in spite of what he told Alucard about being strong in the face of those puppy dog eyes, tosses scraps to the two greedy mouths. The tapping of their nails against the wooden floor as they dance around fills the quiet cabin.]

You're going to enjoy learning about the castle's advanced ammenities.

[Alucard sounds proud about that, borderline smug. His father's home is an absolute achievement of science, and to be there is an absolute fortune.

But he does eat his fill, clearing his plate. That means no scraps for the dogs, although Alucard smiles when he watches Hector give in and be defeated in front of those puppy eyes.

Then that's it. He stands, and looks to Hector.]

Whenever you're ready.

[There isn’t really a reason to clean up the table from their meal, but Hector does anyways. A quick clearing away of dishes, then he refills the bucket of water and leaves it on the floor. The back door and bedroom door, he keeps open.]

The hawk won’t return here, but the fox will until she finds a new burrow, and the cat definitely will.

[Hector explains as he slips a scrap of blanket over Antonius’ back, covering the fatal gouge in his side where he’d been pierced by a wild pig’s tusk. He ties it into place like a saddle blanket. It might look a little odd to a passer by, but the weather is turning chilly enough that they hopefully won’t question it further.

Cesar gets a strip of bandage wrapped around his paw. Hector doesn’t bother with his head yet; the little menace will wiggle out of them long before they encounter any populated areas.

He wraps a strip of cloth around his chest and tied it the way some of the young mothers in the villages do to hold their babies. He takes up his bag, the scoops up Cesar and cradles him in the cloth. The dog pops his head and front paws out, panting in excitement for whatever adventure awaits him.]

Such is life with pets. We can be off now.

[The little saddle is darling, but it gives Alucard another idea. He retreats into the bedroom and gathers up two of the blankets he slept under the previous evening. They're quickly folded so they too can be packed, as Alucard knows that if they don't need them for cool nights of sea travel, then they're good items to barter with.

He walks out in time to see Cesar now in his little doggy backpack, and for the first time there is a real smile on his face. Small, yes, but it is equal parts delighted and endeared to the scene in front of him. Alucard lets out a soft laugh, and then brushes past the two in order to get to his own bag.]

Very well. Let us begin.

[Begin means get a boat to a more major port, and from that port gain access to another ship that will go so far as Istanbul. Alucard knows that sea travel is risky, but once in Istanbul oh, there are options aplenty.

He has money, which buys them their own little bit of space on a ship that's a healthy mix of passengers and cargo. The room is claustrophobic, but there's two hammocks and the illusion of privacy, so what else is there to fuss with?

They have five days to port. Days Alucard spends on deck watching the ocean go by, and nights showering both dogs with affection if Hector isn't. Like now, with the pug content on his lap.]

((Figured that this would be a good jump to smoochin point.))

[For Hector, being on the ocean is nerve-wracking. The depths hold no fear for him, but being on a ship with strangers where he could not hope to escape...if they discovered a necromancer and a dhampir within their ranks, Hector and Alucard would have no hope. That is the occupation of his mind during the day.

In the evenings, the rest of the ship is forgotten in the safety of their little room. The torture is much sweeter. Alucard smiling. Alucard quietly laughing over Cesar's antics. Alucard lavishing praise and affection on his dogs, which sends Hector simultaneously into jealousy and weak-kneed infatuation. Hector should not want his mentor's son, but Hector is human, and humans are weak.

Hector returns to their quarters for the evening, and seeing Alucard rubbing Cesar's chin with such gentle joy, he cracks.

He seats himself beside Alucard and lets one hand bump against Alucard's as he strokes the dog in his lap.]

Careful, if you spoil him too much, he'll love you better than me.

[There's obvious teasing in his tone. He pauses a moment, as if assessing the room, then casually remarks...]

It's grown warm in our little room. Aren't you hot with all that hair on your neck?

[Emboldened from the madness born of this torture, Hector abandons his petting of Cesar to stroke a hand through Alucard's golden locks, in the guise of brushing the strands behind his ear.]

[There is the risk of traveling in close quarters, that someone might mutter vampire or see the damage to the dogs and demand explanations. It's one of the reasons Alucard has made a point of being visible during the day. Making sure he's seen, and if he interacts with anyone, it's only ever pleasant. He's good at it. He's learned, mostly from watching his mother at his clinic all these years.

She'll be glad to have him back. That much he knows.

But also through observation, he has caught what he thinks is something more affectionate from Hector. He's not sure, and it has seemed inappropriate to ask. They're already in close quarters, and they'll be in close quarters even upon returning home. Misinterpretation could cast a dark shadow over Dracula's plans.

So the bump against his hand definitely feels like a confirmation of suspicions. The statement gets a wry little noise.]

I'm fairly sure that's impossible, based on his circumstances.

[Forgemasters can instill loyalty, after all. And Alucard is far too new to Cesar's afterlife anyway. There will always be Hector.

He opens his mouth to respond to the question, but far too late. Hector's already made a move, and at this point, the intention is obvious. What Alucard feels as heat in his own cheeks is a faint trace of red to a trained eye.

Alucard fails to consider that Hector is the kind of person who'd notice that.]

Mm. I hadn't noticed, but that is a little better. Thank you.

[Hector could argue about Cesar's freewill and Alucard's own charms, but he is too distracted by Alucard's reaction to his touch.

He made a dhampir blush.

...perhaps Alucard is not so out of reach as he thought.

This is a terrible idea and Hector should be careful to do nothing to jeopardize the opportunity to study under Lord Dracula.

Those golden strands of hair are silken soft beneath his fingers as he strokes again, already disregarding his mind's warnings against this.]

Let me braid it for you?

[The longer Hector's fingers linger in Alucard's hair, the more obvious the color becomes. For that reason alone, Alucard is quick to agree. It means Hector can't see his face. Or any other reactions that follow.

So he nods, a little too quick.]

It probably needs it.

[Alucard has only worn it pulled back while on deck. It is also so much easier to focus on that fact rather than how new all of this is to him. The faster heartbeat, the red in his cheeks, the sudden threat of being overwhelmed.

He doesn't shift away quickly. Wrong message. Rude. Instead Alucard half scoots so that he's diagonal instead, leaving Hector plenty of hair access for braiding.]

[Hector scoots so he is better situated behind Alucard and begins to comb his fingers through his hair, caressing the scalp as he separates out the sections. He has mostly braided horses' manes and tails, but Alucard doesn't need to know that.]

Tell me, is it just you and your parents at the castle?

[Tell him about his competition, Alucard. He begins to twine the sections together, careful not to tug too tightly and ruin the moment. Perhaps later, if this seduction attempt does not end in tears.]

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