You come from a castle. You shouldn't be sleeping on the floor.
[If he thought he could convince Alucard to share the mattress with him, he might try, but that seems even less likely than the two of them in the hammock.
He's pleased that Alucard checked the structure of the hammock before rejecting the idea.]
You just got yourself clean. Take the hammock.
[Hector trusts the dogs to keep the rats off him while he sleeps.]
You did as well, but I won't fight you further about this.
[But he isn't getting up either. There are dogs to pet, but Alucard's eyes meet Hector's, quietly asking why he's still standing when he could be down here, cuddled up against the dhampir.]
[Hector rolls his eyes at Alucard's look, but he absolutely joins Alucard half-on the mattress and in cuddle range. He scoots up against Alucard's side and reaches an arm across him to scratch Cesar's head.]
You know, you still haven't shown me your transformation.
[Hector is weak, Alucard. He needs to pet all the dogs.]
[Look Hector this has been a journey of vampiric self discovery and one thing Alucard has walked away with is that he really, really enjoys being snuggled.]
That's true, I haven't.
[Watching Cesar react to the attention, Alucard hums thoughtfully.]
In a few more hours. Once it's certain the ship is at rest.
[Well, Alucard is in the right place, sandwiched between two dogs on one side and one Hector on the other, the two sides of which are reaching across him to pet. Hector nuzzles his face into Alucard's neck, inhaling the scent of soaps and oils from the bath.]
That's a promise, and I'm holding you to it.
[So, that means that they both have some time to kill, and that Hector shouldn't wear himself out on petting just yet. He wonders if Alucard the wolf will smell as good as Alucard the dhampir.]
[Alucard shifts and wiggles a little to adjust the new (warm, wonderful) weight on his neck, but that's truly all he fusses with. There's a content sigh that follows, and you know what?
He would be just fine if this was the entire voyage. Curled up, being held, petting dogs.]
I would expect no less. But I'll smell closer to wet dog, you know.
[Hector is hoping for more before the end of this journey --he has so much to teach Alucard-- but for now, after some hours of running around the city on their errands, he's content with just this as well.]
Wet dog smell's no deal breaker.
[He scoops Cesar up and deposits him on Alucard's stomach for easier access. Antonius immediately fills the vacated space at Alucard's other side. The dhampir is truly being cuddled on all fronts now, on this sad gross straw mattress.]
You are the first and only person who will ever utter those words.
[Even Alucard can't stand his own wet dog smell. But that's hardly the point. The point is dogs, and he's so happy to move a hand to pet under Cesar's chin. This? This is probably spoiled in spite of the nightmare of a mattress.
So he stays snuggled up for an hour more, and then he nudges Hector gently with his elbow.]
Everyone else needs to learn to appreciate dogs more.
[Hector grumbles into the crook of Alucard's shoulder. Smelling wet dog means you have been graced with the presence of a dog, which is always a good thing.
When the time comes, Hector lifts Cesar again and whistles for Antonius to come to him, then rolls from his side to his back, giving Alucard a precious foot of space free of man and undead dogs.]
Am I allowed to watch?
[He doesn't know what the transformation will entail, but he's wildly curious.]
I can't say that there's much to observe, in truth.
[Alucard draws himself up, and he walks a few steps. It's as he moves that the transformation occurs, perhaps too fast, perhaps with too little fanfare. His features shift, morph, become elongated and then more canine, until a large wolf is standing there, tail curled up very slightly.
That same wolf then walks right back over to Hector, aware that there's only 1 reaction here: pet the dog.[
[Hector's reaction is to pet the dog while also asking every imaginable question- where did the clothes go? Does Alucard's weight remain the same? Can dogs see in color?
Cesar and Antonius immediately abandon Hector to examine this new friend who smells alike-but-different from Friend Alucard. They bump against him and sniff and playfully dart around him, an invitation to play.
Meanwhile, Hector is examining the wolf form as he strokes and scratches. Alucard appears, by all metrics Hector can measure, to be an honest to God wolf. The pelt, the bone structure, even the large paw pads and extra digit on the front paws.
Needless to say, Hector is thoroughly petting this dog and he is delighted.]
[Hector's questions do get a soft growl of response, because Hector he can't reply??? Like this?????
But he is happy to sniff at Cesar and Antonious. Paw at them, sniff, but he doesn't play until Hector is done Examining The Wolf. Then the wolf is happy to just move and dart a little, not exactly giving chase but definitely helping the other two to get in a bit of exercise.
And again at the question, there's a soft huff! He has to be a person to reply you know!]
[The dogs have been troopers on this journey so far, and Hector eventually withdraws so they Alucard can help them get some of their pent-up energy out.]
Now you’ll definitely be their favorite.
[There’s no weight behind the teasing, though. Hector can’t blame his pets. Alucard is his favorite too.]
[Alucard snuffles for that, but you know what? It's so much fun to run with the dogs that he keeps at it until it seems the other two are going to slow down. There's not much jumping about on Alucard's part, just quick movement to give chase, and then letting the other two run themselves mad. It's stupidly endearing. A reminder of why it's nice to not be human some days.
But it all winds down, and when that happens, Alucard settles back down beside Hector, now human.
[Hector watches the canines at play, absurdly fond. It's almost scary, how much he doesn't mind his dear pets cozying up to someone other than himself. Hector has often felt content in his cabin on the island, but rarely happy.
He lets his arms wind around Alucard and nestles his nose into the back of his neck the way Alucard seems to like.]
I suppose I can let spoil them, as long as you're staying near me and not luring them away.
[Because that's the fear, that Alucard will decide he likes traveling more than he likes Hector and go off on his own fabulous adventures after he drops Hector off at the castle.
The point of action for that is to make sure Alucard is well versed in all the benefits of his presence.]
They'll have a lot more space to explore soon. That might spoil them more than anything I put effort into.
[Alucard lets out a very low, pleased noise at Hector's nose finding just the right spot to rest on. It's nice, having that warmth and weight pressed against his neck. Alucard moves one hand down, brushing it over Hector's gently.
All of this is nice. Traveling has been wonderful, as has learning the various ways to become comfortable in such close quarters. Future trips probably won't have companions, but...
...thoughts for later.]
Are you comfortable?
[They are technically half on and half off a horrible little mattress and the floor.]
[The castle is both a dream and a looming spectre. Reaching it will mark the beginning of a real education, more opportunity than Hector ever hoped he'd receive. It also means the end of this journey. He won't know how he fares in the exchange til he reaches his destination.]
I could make myself more comfortable.
[He tugs Alucard, vaguely further into the mattress but mostly closer. It's a shit mattress, but it's better than half a shit mattress.]
[Vaguely further but definitely warmer. That's one of the things Alucard has come to appreciate most from this arrangement: warmth. Running at low temperatures is all well and good, but sometimes all one wants is to be held against something warmer.
[Warmth isn’t all Alucard is going to get from him though all he has to do is say the word and Hector will really heat him up. Hector slides his hand up Alucard’s chest, caressing through his shirt. He parts his lips and begins to tease the skin of Alucard’s neck with tongue and teeth.]
[Alucard knows by now what that means, but he can't help but play just a little dumb. It makes the sigh of absolute contentment and delight that follows all the better. Makes the fact that it's Alucard who starts to tangle their legs together all the better.
His hands are far, far more confident now, knowing what they want and how to get it. One hand is quick to wind into Hector's hair, gently tugging him upwards to administer attention to a higher part of Alucard's neck. The other?
Well, Alucard's made his fondness for chests very clear alraedy. But Hector's already got a hand there, and the man does have a fine enough rear to grab and refuse to let go of.]
One morning you should actually wake me like this.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Hector watches with a raised eyebrow.]
You're not planning on sleeping on that thing, are you?
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Well, one of us has to.
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Not necessarily. If we keep still, we could probably both fit into the hammock.
[Even on a nicer ship, there will be rats scurrying around when the lights go out.]
If not, I’ll take the mattress. I’ve slept on worse.
[But really, sharing the hammock, Alucard will definitely be kept warm enough.]
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[Alucard's eyes go up to the fixtures the hammock hangs from, and he frowns.]
We may fit, but I suspect it wouldn't support both of our weights.
I don't mind the mattress. I can ignore anything that scurries.
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[If he thought he could convince Alucard to share the mattress with him, he might try, but that seems even less likely than the two of them in the hammock.
He's pleased that Alucard checked the structure of the hammock before rejecting the idea.]
You just got yourself clean. Take the hammock.
[Hector trusts the dogs to keep the rats off him while he sleeps.]
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[But he isn't getting up either. There are dogs to pet, but Alucard's eyes meet Hector's, quietly asking why he's still standing when he could be down here, cuddled up against the dhampir.]
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You know, you still haven't shown me your transformation.
[Hector is weak, Alucard. He needs to pet all the dogs.]
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That's true, I haven't.
[Watching Cesar react to the attention, Alucard hums thoughtfully.]
In a few more hours. Once it's certain the ship is at rest.
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That's a promise, and I'm holding you to it.
[So, that means that they both have some time to kill, and that Hector shouldn't wear himself out on petting just yet. He wonders if Alucard the wolf will smell as good as Alucard the dhampir.]
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He would be just fine if this was the entire voyage. Curled up, being held, petting dogs.]
I would expect no less. But I'll smell closer to wet dog, you know.
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Wet dog smell's no deal breaker.
[He scoops Cesar up and deposits him on Alucard's stomach for easier access. Antonius immediately fills the vacated space at Alucard's other side. The dhampir is truly being cuddled on all fronts now, on this sad gross straw mattress.]
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[Even Alucard can't stand his own wet dog smell. But that's hardly the point. The point is dogs, and he's so happy to move a hand to pet under Cesar's chin. This? This is probably spoiled in spite of the nightmare of a mattress.
So he stays snuggled up for an hour more, and then he nudges Hector gently with his elbow.]
I need a little space to transform.
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[Hector grumbles into the crook of Alucard's shoulder. Smelling wet dog means you have been graced with the presence of a dog, which is always a good thing.
When the time comes, Hector lifts Cesar again and whistles for Antonius to come to him, then rolls from his side to his back, giving Alucard a precious foot of space free of man and undead dogs.]
Am I allowed to watch?
[He doesn't know what the transformation will entail, but he's wildly curious.]
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[Alucard draws himself up, and he walks a few steps. It's as he moves that the transformation occurs, perhaps too fast, perhaps with too little fanfare. His features shift, morph, become elongated and then more canine, until a large wolf is standing there, tail curled up very slightly.
That same wolf then walks right back over to Hector, aware that there's only 1 reaction here: pet the dog.[
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Cesar and Antonius immediately abandon Hector to examine this new friend who smells alike-but-different from Friend Alucard. They bump against him and sniff and playfully dart around him, an invitation to play.
Meanwhile, Hector is examining the wolf form as he strokes and scratches. Alucard appears, by all metrics Hector can measure, to be an honest to God wolf. The pelt, the bone structure, even the large paw pads and extra digit on the front paws.
Needless to say, Hector is thoroughly petting this dog and he is delighted.]
Why have we not been doing this every night?
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But he is happy to sniff at Cesar and Antonious. Paw at them, sniff, but he doesn't play until Hector is done Examining The Wolf. Then the wolf is happy to just move and dart a little, not exactly giving chase but definitely helping the other two to get in a bit of exercise.
And again at the question, there's a soft huff! He has to be a person to reply you know!]
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[The dogs have been troopers on this journey so far, and Hector eventually withdraws so they Alucard can help them get some of their pent-up energy out.]
Now you’ll definitely be their favorite.
[There’s no weight behind the teasing, though. Hector can’t blame his pets. Alucard is his favorite too.]
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But it all winds down, and when that happens, Alucard settles back down beside Hector, now human.
He's absolutely figured out spooning now.]
Only for a time. They're still yours.
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He lets his arms wind around Alucard and nestles his nose into the back of his neck the way Alucard seems to like.]
I suppose I can let spoil them, as long as you're staying near me and not luring them away.
[Because that's the fear, that Alucard will decide he likes traveling more than he likes Hector and go off on his own fabulous adventures after he drops Hector off at the castle.
The point of action for that is to make sure Alucard is well versed in all the benefits of his presence.]
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[Alucard lets out a very low, pleased noise at Hector's nose finding just the right spot to rest on. It's nice, having that warmth and weight pressed against his neck. Alucard moves one hand down, brushing it over Hector's gently.
All of this is nice. Traveling has been wonderful, as has learning the various ways to become comfortable in such close quarters. Future trips probably won't have companions, but...
...thoughts for later.]
Are you comfortable?
[They are technically half on and half off a horrible little mattress and the floor.]
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[The castle is both a dream and a looming spectre. Reaching it will mark the beginning of a real education, more opportunity than Hector ever hoped he'd receive. It also means the end of this journey. He won't know how he fares in the exchange til he reaches his destination.]
I could make myself more comfortable.
[He tugs Alucard, vaguely further into the mattress but mostly closer. It's a shit mattress, but it's better than half a shit mattress.]
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There's a soft laugh on his lips.]
Careful. I'm liable to fall asleep like this.
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[Warmth isn’t all Alucard is going to get from him
though all he has to do is say the word and Hector will really heat him up. Hector slides his hand up Alucard’s chest, caressing through his shirt. He parts his lips and begins to tease the skin of Alucard’s neck with tongue and teeth.]no subject
[Alucard knows by now what that means, but he can't help but play just a little dumb. It makes the sigh of absolute contentment and delight that follows all the better. Makes the fact that it's Alucard who starts to tangle their legs together all the better.
His hands are far, far more confident now, knowing what they want and how to get it. One hand is quick to wind into Hector's hair, gently tugging him upwards to administer attention to a higher part of Alucard's neck. The other?
Well, Alucard's made his fondness for chests very clear alraedy. But Hector's already got a hand there, and the man does have a fine enough rear to grab and refuse to let go of.]
One morning you should actually wake me like this.
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[He rocks against Alucard, very much in approval.]
More than one, surely, now that the offer’s been made.
[He’ll maul your neck every morning if that’s what you want, you ridiculous dhampir.]
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