sleepytimejunction | ❧ open rp

[ Safe.

He sleeps better, for a little while. He’s never been safe since he was twelve, and Adrian probably doesn’t understand just how much that phrase meant to him (which is a blessing, of sorts. It would make things weird if he understood). It’s an hour before the bible verses begin this time, ragged desperate things spoken in the language he spoke at home.

Except this time, they stop. He recognises where he is - the rug by the kitchen fireplace with the warm weights of the dogs around him. Where he’d always be sent when he was afraid, when the things that his family was became too overwhelming. When he killed his first human-shaped thing. When they recieved news that one of their own wouldn’t be returning. When the threats began.

He buries his face and twisted hands in Adrian’s fur, as if hiding against him, and the bible verses stop. ]

[Patiently, he lays next to Trevor for however long he is needed, his tail occasionally thumping. When he feels the hunter's face press into his fur and hands gripping him, he curls around him protectively, huffing softly. Nightmares are a different brand of personal demons, one that he knows, and if this is how to ward them off then he'd do it a thousand times over for him.

It is not for all night, and physical demons are tireless things when the sun is gone. Adrian's ears twitch at the approach of beasts, and he growls, baring his teeth instinctively. He nudges Trevor at his brow before he pulls free, dashing into the woods without waiting.

They're Isaac's creations, lovingly rearranged into gargoyle-like furred beasts. Adrian launches himself forward, still a wolf, brutally tearing away one's throat with his fangs before gnawing at another's chest to get to the heart.]

[ He blinks into wakefulness, and Adrian is gone too quickly for him to be able to process the way that he was clinging to the dhampir in his sleep. It's with more difficulty than usual that he pushes himself to his feet and grips the Vampire Killer (safety. safety makes him sloppy.) but soon enough he's at the wolf's side, sending the whip into the chest of one of the beasts. A short, olibanum-wood knife finds its way into the eye socket of another, the blessed wood seeping into its blood like poison and burning it from the inside.

The wolf, he only half recognizes. But it's an easy enough guess. ]

Adrian, that's you?

[When he hears the whip, he knows Trevor is up and ready to fight; he watches how it causes the demon's chest to explode in a fiery mess, something he dodges easily enough.

He looks up after hearing his name, then tips his chin up to reveal the glint of silver around his throat. Even in this form, the collar remains, making him now look like an exotic pet. It appears no matter what form he takes, it resizes to adapt to his body.

With a leap, he snatches one of the flying demons out of the air, dragging it down to the earth below. Shaking his head viciously, he snaps bones and tears into flesh. It's violent, lacking any sign of the regal man from before, now content to kill whatever enemies decide to follow them. He did promise to keep Trevor safe, and he's had enough of being a hapless prisoner to anyone.]

[ So it is Adrian. Good to know that he isn't going to have to fight the big angry wolf, and useful to know that he should probably avoid hitting the big angry wolf with anything blessed.

It's good, to be able to defend himself again, to not have to wait for Dracula's leave to use the whip. To mostly be covered in the blood of things that aren't himself.

There are a lot of demons. Not all that Isaac means to send to the border, more than likely, but a substantial first wave. Enough that it'll take time to rebuild the forces after a loss like this, and enough that Trevor's left gasping down air desperately by the end of the fight. A few have made it through, flying ones too high for either of them to pull down, but no more than three or four. Those, they'll have to trust their Speaker to see to. ]

Fuck, that was more than I expected. [ He gasps out, slowly getting his breath back. So he might be a little out of practice, after a long period of only either fighting one on one of acting as a glorified punching bag. ] You still alive, not-a-fucking-dog?

[When the fight is more or less finished, Adrian shifts back, upright and human looking. He spits out a glob of meat and blood before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.]

More or less.

[Adrian pauses, glancing him over, then places a hand on Trevor's shoulder to steady him.]

We should make some distance before having you rest again. [He hesitates, then he asks quietly:] Are you all right?

[ He's had the dubious honour of being on Adrian's bad side before. It wasn't- quite this bad. It's hard to say for sure whether the period of captivity has added an edge to him, or whether he was holding back before for knowledge that he facing a human, or if this mess of gore and bone is just a consequence of having to fight desperately against the numbers they were facing. ]

Been better. I'll live.

[ It's hard to tell at a glance, so much of the blood is from things other than the two of them, but his own injuries amount to cuts and scrapes. Nothing too deep or dangerous. He's concerned with something else.

Carefully, he wades through the corpses, digging through the various creatures, comparing their hands to his own, pausing at one the the gargoyle-like things. ]

[Whatever the reason, there is no explanation given. Adrian doesn't seem particularly ashamed of his methods, and he had been just as brutal the brief moment he came across Trevor in the castle before their escape. Though it is clear that with Trevor he had a certain odd etiquette and almost politeness with how he fought him, more clean and honorable, he has it less here.

He watches Trevor for a moment, how he digs through the monsters, and there is a brief moment of confusion before he sees what he's doing.

Ah.

Adrian approaches, his hand gentle at Trevor's elbow.]

Trevor--

[Adrian stops himself for a moment, then looks at the hunter, brows knitted.]

You aren't like the forgemasters' beasts.

...yeah.

[ He doesn't sound convinced. He's a beast, he got made this way by the forgemasters. The only difference here is that he didn't die beforehand.

He pauses, turning the hand over. One less finger, but otherwise it's the closest match so far. When he continues, he at least sounds more himself. ]

It's- just good fucking strategy, isn't it? To know what the fuck you are. If I'm going to start belching up fire I'd like at least some warning.

I admit, I cannot completely understand how it must affect you. To know that-- you are once a man, now somewhere in between.

But I always have been. I have never... [Adrian pauses, trying to not make this sound like it's about him.] To be both human and monster is something I do know.

And you're still the same asshole that rudely woke me from my sleep. That, I can assure you. [And if either one of them have any concerns of losing control, well, that's still Adrian.]

It's- [ The Belmonts fight monsters, son. ] -about normal, really. Risk of the job, when you're dealing with- you know.

[ When you're hunting Adrian's kind. He lets the hand drop to the ground again, wiping the blood from his hands onto his already-bloody clothes. ]

And you apparently are, in fact, a fucking dog. [ He smiles, and it's not real but it's a valiant attempt. ] Thanks.

I know.

[Adrian sighs and rolls his eyes.]

And how fortunate that I have a collar to match, hm? Just don't put a leash on me.

Only if you ask, I promise.

[ COPING WITH TURNING INTO A MONSTER BY HITTING ON A VAMPIRE: A SELF HELP NOVEL BY TREVOR BELMONT. ]

You're right about needing to make some distance. A mess like this is going to attract all kinds of shit I don't want to deal with. [ More monsters, local wildlife, people with questions- it's that last one that concerns him. ] How are you with running water? There'll be a bridge about an hour's march north.

[FUCKING EXCUSE ME. Adrian honestly almost chokes at that.

But-- right. Back to business.]

I'll slow down. Though, there may be an easy way to work around that.

[ The reaction gets an honest to goodness laugh out of him, at least. He probably shouldn't be putting an uneasy friendship with the only ally he has at risk for the sake of his own amusement, but- it's nice, to pretend that things are some form of normal if only for a moment. His tone is warmer when he continues, almost genuine concern. ]

Just slow down? Will you be okay otherwise? How to work around it?

[That's incredibly rude and Adrian isn't going to hide how he looks a bit put out. But, at the same time, he is a little glad to hear something... pleasant from Trevor. He doesn't think he's heard a genuine laugh out of him ever.]

You'll carry me, of course.

[A beat, then with clarification:] I will transform into a bat and stay on you. If you can move for me, then it won't be an issue.

Oh. Yeah, that's probably easier than scattering the bridge with grave dirt.

[ Much, much easier, since grave dirt is one of the few ridiculous things he doesn't make a point of carrying around. He kicks dirt over the fire and sets about walking again, leaving the mess of demons behind them. It'll attract wild animals, the wild animals will make a half-decent distraction to slow down the next wave. ]

Could carry you without you being a bat, if you wanted. It'd just be weirder.

Probably yes.

[Adrian keeps up with his pace, then sighs with a small roll of his eyes.]

Weirder for whom? I'm not even convinced you could carry my weight.

Weirder for everyone.

[ ALL HUMAN CONTACT FALLS UNDER THE BELMONT'S DEFINITION OF 'WEIRD'. He looks Adrian over, considering. ]

'course I could.

[ watch what you say next, adrian, because he's about 5 seconds away from trying to demonstrate. ]

How fortunate that it's just you and me, then. No one else to be privy to our shenanigans.

[because that's what they are]

For a few seconds, maybe. Not for a whole bridge.

True. Nobody to see.

[ And after a moment more of what can only very charitably be described as thought, he leans down to catch Adrian’s knees above his arm and sweep him up. ]

There. Now it’s weird.

[Really, Adrian doesn't know what he expected. That maybe his weight would be enough to make Trevor buckle and decide it's a terrible idea after all, but the man is deceptively strong.

Trying to steady himself does not make it any less bizarre: he's put his arms around Trevor's neck, very carefully not making a sound, but it's still-- Trevor carrying him. Like he's a fucking princess.]

You're making it weird.

You issued the challenge.

[ It wasn’t a challenge, Trevor. He’s laughing again, shaking Adrian around a little with the force of it.

Even now, even after everything, he’s still a fucking idiot. ]

Demonstration enough for you?

[It's that genuine laughter from before, so terribly rare, and how awful that truth is but he's earned it twice now. Adrian turns his head, as if to hide his smile, not wanting to just give him any satisfaction.]

Yes, you've proven what an oaf you are. Put me down already, you're not carrying me all the way to the bridge.

Maybe I don’t want to.

[ He kind of does want to. Adrian isn’t extraordinarily heavy for a man his height, but Trevor is still tired and weakened and probably ought to be sparing his energy for things that are actually important. But this is funny, and it’s the most human contact he’s has in a decade. And-

It’s probably not appropriate even by his standards to be dragging Adrian around against his will when this all began because he’s a kidnapper. He hurriedly puts Adrian down after a moment, awkwardly. ]

Ah. Right. Sorry.

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