Musebox

[petcromancer]

A home for PSLs.

Comments

[cryptsleeper]

I think I saw a few things in Greek. Plenty in Latin, if that's also something you have a reading knowledge of.

[Alucard doesn't actually know. For all the time they've spent together lately, the more academic questions have been eschewed. There'sthe reason of but the dogs tho, and then there's the kissing.

But Alucard keeps eating, careful not to take more than half. Hector needs to eat as well.]

Can't you tell them not to and be listened thanks to how the forge works?

[petcromancer]

I have some Latin. Greek's preferable, though.

[He can't speak Latin, but reading he can manage with time and a reference book. He needs to brush up on it in preparation for Dracula's grand library, but definitely not in front of any of the Ţepeşes.

Once Alucard has sampled the dishes, Hector begins to eat. They're going to need energy for all of the book shopping and architectural tourism they'll be doing today.]

I could, but I won't. They're living creatures. [basically] I try to let them act freely, unless it endangers them. [or occasionally if it interferes with kissing a very hot dhampir].

[cryptsleeper]

There may be specialty shops that focus on only one language. We'll have to see.

[Yeah, he sounds more than a little excited about that possibility.

Alucard's approach to their feast is to take a little of one dish, move onto the next, and then return to where he's started. It's a careful rotation, although one he fully admits is odd. Truly it's just to keep any one set of flavors from being overwhelming.]

Ah, I see. Well, there may be foods we bring back that are not safe for dogs to eat.

[petcromancer]

[Hector can’t help but smile into his lunch at Alucard’s enthusiasm for book shopping. Hector’s interests are...niche, to put it delicately, so he often goes away from booksellers disappointed. Seeing Alucard so hopeful and excited...it makes the world feel like a kinder place than Hector has experienced.]

Books before our bath? If you want to spend more time here, we could delay our departure another day.

[He knows Alucard is eager to be home and assure his parents of his safety, but Hector doesn’t want him to go away having missed out on anything.

It’s totally just that and not also the niggling fear that Dracula will take one look at him, know he’s been kissing his son and heir, and put a clawed fist through his heart.]

Do you want me to order the dogs not to eat your snacks?

[cryptsleeper]

I can always come back. [Perhaps that's a little too optimistic. But Alucard does want to return home sooner rather than later, and to delay departure might impact all the other time tables they must take advantage of once they reach Wallachia itself.] Baths are more important when traveling.

[He hasn't had a real bath in a while, Hector. He hates it.]

Mmmm, I think that might be required. But only this once.

[petcromancer]

If you're sure you can tear yourself away...

[Probably best to go bathe before they are laden with more books, unless they are taking a trip back to their rooms midday.]

Ok, but really, just the once. I don't want to make a habit of it.

[He has the power that could wreck havoc on the world, but his temperament prevents it. Hector prefers to let everyone be, as long as they aren't actively harming him or his.]

Are you ready for dessert?

[He holds up a lokma between thumb and forefinger. Just platonically offering to hand feed a friend, totally not a date.]

[cryptsleeper]

We still have to carry all of them. [He shakes his head gently at that.] I'll be fine. I promise.

[And that's that, in the end. Alucard has always been fine. There's no reason to presume that things will change, not really.

But as for desert? Alucard's eyes linger on the lokma for a moment, ready to insist that Hector need not hold it like that, but...it's far too thick with honey, and there's no merit in both of them getting sticky yet.

So he leans down and takes a bite. What if his lips accidentally brush against Hector's fingers in the process?]

[petcromancer]

[Hector’s heart skips a beat when Alucard indulges him and takes the honeyed morsel from his fingers. While his fingers are still sticky with honey and saliva, he picks up a second lokma and brings it to his own lips. Delicious.]

We’ll come back.

[He promises, because ‘fine’ is a state to be endured, not something that you should aim for. He offers another dessert for Alucard to sample.]

[cryptsleeper]

It's entirely likely we'll have to. Istanbul is the crossroads of trade, and...well. [Alucard pauses, considering phrasing.] They are trying to invade Wallachia and the kingdoms around it. Dealing with the Ottomans will be inevitable.

[You know what? He's just going to shut up and take that send lokma. Probably smarter.]

You don't have to keep feeding me, you know.

[petcromancer]

Well, if they try to enter your father's lands, they'll soon learn their lesson.

[The Ottoman Empire may be vast, but they are no Dracula.

Hector lowers his hands.]

Do you not like them? Or do you not like this?

[Maybe they are attracting the odd stare, but Hector's enjoying himself. He's sure Alucard looks handsome and noble enough that he could be mistaken for a servant feeding his lord.]

[cryptsleeper]

In fairness, I suspect he'll just move up into the mountains for a time.

[Alucard is also well aware that his mother will want to offer medical aid instead. He's not looking forward to watching this particular fight, and hopefully it can be avoided. it won't be.

Alucard pauses, tucking a few stray strands of hand.]

Neither. But I am capable of feeding myself and I think it unfair for only you to have sticky fingers.

[petcromancer]

That’s fair. No reason to fight when you can simply move to safety.

[How did Hector ever become a general? He’s The Worst at this.

Hector shrugs, but passes the cloth containing the rest of the desserts over to Alucard.]

I don’t mind it. It’s kind of nice.

[Not the sticky fingers part, but the getting to touch Alucard’s lips in public part. But Alucard’s probably right.]

[cryptsleeper]

Human empires rise and fall as well.

[Hector, at least we know you're terrible at it.

Alucard takes another piece from the cloth, and he chews very thoughtfully.]

There will be other opportunities, I'm sure. The current estimation for our time to port is five days.

[petcromancer]

[Hector makes a noncommittal hum. Human politics mean little to him; for all of the variations between their practices and policies, most civilizations agree that they won’t suffer a necromancer to live.]

Your father has the right idea, not tying himself down to a single place and having to weather the changing tides.

[Hector steals a piece of baklava for himself, then starts to wipe his fingers clean.]

So is that how you want to spend our time on the boat? I’m not opposed.

[The mental image of Alucard, draped on a couch, accepting morsels from Hector’s fibgertips... um, bath soon? Cold bath soon??]

[cryptsleeper]

He does. [Alucard frowns. He knows his mother dislikes it, and it has been a matter of tension before.

Thankfully, Alucard is oblivious to Hector's train of thought. Is there a term for a twink who doesn't realize he's a twink?]

Not all of it, obviously, I expect that we will run out of food. I'd also rather not risk bringing that much honey, lest it invite rats.

[petcromancer]

[Well, Hector will learn about Lisa's politics soon enough. Until then, he can live blissfully unaware that his soon-to-be haven may not be as safely remote as he imagines it.]

I imagine we'll take some breaks. Knowing how sweet you'll taste, I'll need to stop to kiss you.

[Also, you know, sleeping, dog petting. The essentials.

God, Hector can feel his face going red, talking about it so blatantly. He pushes himself up and dusts himself off.]

We should see about that bath, otherwise we won't be presentable enough to get into the libraries.

[cryptsleeper]

[OKAY YOU KNOW WHAT HECTOR THAT'S LAYING IT ON THICK too bad Alucard feels himself go a little red anyway. Unfair. So he's going to just. Try and get past that very quickly, and thank God for Hector standing up. Alucard takes a moment to gather up their leftovers (not there there are many), not keen to let them go to waste.]

I believe that there's one a few blocks down? [There's a helpless little shrug.] Unfortunately I don't know the city's geography well.

[You Tried Star. Alucard starts to walk though, hoping his guess is right.]

[petcromancer]

[Look, Hector's got to lay it on thick or else they're not going to get anywhere. Until Alucard learns to pick up on more subtle hints, Hector's weapon of choice is a metaphorical two-by-four.

For now, though, he's tapped out, and he needs to recover some shame before he does any more flirting. He goes the way Alucard indicated, because Alucard is way smarter than he is and probably did his research, right?]

We'll try it. If we can't find it, you can ask someone for directions.

[But surely it won't come to that.]

[cryptsleeper]

[...Fair.

To perhaps no one's surprise, it does come to that. Alucard's quick to realize that if they walk too far one way or another, they're liable to become lost in the city's layout, and so he makes a choice: goes back to the bookstore and asks the shop keeper there. The man had a few texts in Latin, it stands to reason he might know.

And he does. It's a walk, the man says, but well worth it. A walk that sends the two onward for about half a mile before they get to where they need to be, and then there's reason to pause outside of it.]

We did want to time this apart, correct?

[petcromancer]

[Hector looks up at the towering door of the bathhouse. It is one of the larger ones in the city, one that will accept travelers and outsiders.

Inside is going to be a maze of hallways and steam rooms and closets.

It’s not like Hector has to worry about Alucard’s safety. Intellectually, he knows that Alucard has more power than he does, that he could kill any man that threatened him, or more likely dissolve into mist and remove himself from the situation.

...but he is also a hopelessly sheltered, breathtakingly beautiful man who had never been kissed before Hector, and Hector has concerns about leaving him alone in a building full of naked men.

But it is not his call.]

If you think it best. I won’t deny you your privacy, if that’s what you want.

[cryptsleeper]

I'll take tea first then.

[That requires clothing, and Alucard knows he'd be comfortable getting a read on the place and understanding the norms better. Easy enough, and Alucard smiles softly at Hector in an attempt to be reassuring.]

I don't mind. Come find me when you're done.

[petcromancer]

[Hector nods, tries to forcibly eject the demons of worry from his brain, and turns down one of the hallways to find a pool.

Turkish baths are always a delight, but Hector can't relax. He scrubs and rinses, and tries to make himself presentable, but there is no lounging and soaking in the heat. There is still too much to show Alucard in the city. No one bothers him, or even gives him much notice, but he's not the one who is ethereally handsome.

With the dirt and funk of travel scrubbed off of him and his hair washed and combed, Hector dresses and returns to find Alucard in one of the lounges with his tea.]

Look, there was a man under that sea spray all this time.

[He wishes he'd thought to bring nicer clothes...or that he owned nicer clothes, so maybe he could impress Alucard. The struggle of life as a hermit.]

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard finds a nice corner of the waiting area for himself, and it is there that he curls up with some of the tea on offer and simply sits observing. It's different, being here. Watching old friends embrace, some men fight over a chess game in a low, fussy way that suggests that this is not the first or the last argument, just. All of it. And he understands why his mother wants himself and his father to be out in the world instead of apart from it.

His hands are holding an empty glass when Hector does return. He's refilled twice, and a third is probably ill advised. More than that though, Alucard looks up at Hector with a soft smile on his lips. One that matches the laugh that leaves his throat.]

So there was. [But Alucard takes that as an opportunity to stand.] I'll have to go on a like journey of discovery it seems. I promise to try and make it quick.

[No promises.

On the other hand Hector, you can sit and think about how to ask Dracula for better clothes...]

[petcromancer]

[God, Hector is pathetic. That small smile, that little chuckle, and Hector feels like he could melt into the floor.]

Take your time. The water's fine. I'll be here when you're done.

[Hector can sit and let a cup of tea grow cold in his hands while he tries to not panic about how Dracula is going to know he's got a hopeless crush on his son the second he crosses the threshold of the castle. Is impaling as painful as they say? He's probably going to find out.]

[cryptsleeper]

[Well, mom's there, so there probably won't be impalement.

Either way, Alucard does end up taking his time. It's closer to half an hour, and most of it is the novelty of the heated stones that can be used for lying down on. His own body temperature, running as cool as it does, means that absorbing heat and having something like a normal human's temperature? That's an absolute novelty, and one he rather enjoys.

But there's salt to be rid of and a long journey ahead, so Alucard forces himself upright and scrubs through all the build up. Moreover, he takes advantage of the deep pools to truly wash out his hair, and oh, it feels so much better.

He finds Hector again, hair sodden but looking otherwise immaculate.]

I think that next time, I'm going to have to allocate more time for this place.