sleepytimejunction | ❧ open rp

I can imagine with your father gone now. Did your other siblings agree it was for the best?

[The question earns a faint shrug from Adrian.]

Mostly complications from those who were loyal to Carmilla. Everyone else has fell into line nicely otherwise.

I prefer diplomacy, but I have no qualms in making sure they understand where they belong.

Yeah, well. Let me know if any of them aren't falling into line so easily.

[It's not that Adrian needs help, exactly, but on the other hand, there's no reason for him to do things alone.]

But yeah. Turns out me and my siblings work better when we're not under our father's control. How about that, huh? Even Envy's stopped trying to kill me.

[Adrian's first instinct is to politely decline, because he is used to carrying everything on his shoulders. But it might not be bad to have aid from another court to encourage better unity.]

I'll consider it.

[He settles more, further relaxed in Greed's arms.]

What a curious thing. [He sounds a bit amused.] If nothing else, I'm glad for you in that regard, Greed. That he's gone from your lives.

Yeah. Me too.

[For just a moment, his usual smile fades, his voice dipping into something like sincerity. But that can't last, especially not here; soon enough his eyes are brightening once more.

The first song comes to a close, and rather than pull him closer, Greed releases him.]

Maybe I shouldn't monopolize the vampire ambassador, huh? I'll come find you later.

[The dance ends, and it almost feels too soon. Not that he's trying to be too eager to spend his night with Greed, but he knows that he's missed him immensely. Now more than ever it feels evident.]

Of course. And please do.

Perhaps you still have time to properly amaze me, hm?

Perhaps? You're amazed.

[He leans in, his hand cupping his cheek for just a moment.]

Though if you wanted to get some air . . . I could probably sneak off for a bit.

I forgot how humble you are, too.

[He finds himself leaning against the warm palm.]

I'm sure you could make time for me.

Go wait on a balcony.

[He looks down at him. He wants to kiss him, very badly, but he won't. Not yet. He's got a plan for that, and if that doesn't render his Adrian speechless, nothing will.]

I'll be there soon. Go on.

[A curious look is in his golden eyes, but he nods. He places his hand over Greed's, but leaves the affection there without any push.]

Don't make me wait too long.

[He pulls away, heading out to the balcony as instructed.

It's a beautiful night, he muses. There's a bit of anxiety waiting for Greed, now that he's reflecting more on the previous night and now. The irrational, admittedly paranoid part of him is concerned it's one grand trick -- but everything about Greed indicates he's sincere and he believes that. Adrian believes him, even if there's still hurt there that's mending. But it's more like a healing scar than a raw wound that hasn't been tended to, at least.]

[For what it's worth, he doesn't make him wait overly long. He goes to Wrath first, and then Envy, checking in with them, murmuring a few bits of pertinent information, trading words with this ambassador and that. He has responsibilities, much as he hates them, and he loves this new order too much to neglect them.

But soon enough he comes out. He's all but silent, his hands in his pockets, his eyes locked on the lithe figure waiting for him. He's careful in how he closes the glass doors behind him, giving them a bit of privacy.]

Hey, you.

[Soft. A Greed that Adrian knows, not the Greed that scoffs and boasts out in public.]

I got you a drink.

[Something sweet, alcoholic but laced with honey.]

[The tone that Greed uses with him makes him smile more comfortably, and Adrian turns to face him. He likes it, that this is the side he uses for Adrian and just Adrian alone. The dhampir reaches out, accepting the drink.]

Thank you. Terribly thoughtful of you.

[It won't do anything to inebriate him, but the taste will be pleasant. Faeries, he thinks wryly, make an incredible drink and always have.]

How long do I have you for?

Half hour, at least.

[If not longer, depending on how the party goes. He sips his drink and braces one hand against the rail, glancing over to smile faintly at Adrian. He feels a little stupid, suddenly, full of affection and adoration, not really knowing what to say. He'd had a whole plan about kissing Adrian, about drawing it out and making him desperate for it, but now--

Now, he wants only to bask in his presence.]

Tell me something about the past five years. Something good.

Mm. Something good. It feels so oddly scarce to think of something...

[Adrian has a sip from his glass.]

The two people that helped me defeat Father are good friends of mine now. Good people. Belmont even offers to put someone in their place in court when I need to tend to them. [He chuckles to himself.]

I think perhaps the best thing was restoring the castle. I can go anywhere now. It took me nearly five years to fix the damned thing, really. But it listens to me.

Huh.

[That sounds more like a fae invention than a vampiric one, but that castle was always weird. More important: that mention of friends. He waits, bracing himself for a rush of jealousy, but . . .

Huh. It doesn't come, and that's surprising. Pleasantly so, though, and he wonders at it, but doesn't probe too much further. Maybe he'll think about it later and maybe he won't.]

Tell me about them. Those friends. Last time I saw you, you weren't exactly Mr. Popular.

Rude. [Adrian smiles crookedly, but he knows that Greed isn't wrong.]

Trevor Belmont is somehow even more rude than you are. Just barely stopping being an alcoholic, and at his heart he's a good man. Still uncouth and crass, but I value his friendship immensely.

Sypha Belnades is a Speaker magician. Immensely knowledgeable, well studied, and a powerful sorceress. A good person to put Belmont into his place. She'll be an excellent wife for him.

[He leans against him, hip bumping against hip, arms touching, not quite an apology so much as something quietly supportive.]

And that's the two of them squared away.

[Another little observation, and he reaches for him, his fingers sliding against the back of Adrian's hand.]

But they're human. Aren't they? And you're not.

[It's not a bad thing, because he isn't human either. And as much as he loves humans, he does . . . there's a difference between them and people who walk among the circles he and Adrian do.]

Edited 2019-03-04 04:55 (UTC)

[Adrian's expression settles into a faint smile, closer to being bittersweet than anything else. He finds himself leaning against Greed.]

They are.

That's why they will marry and have children without anything to do with me but my love and support. They will grow old together, ideally. And die together.

What few other friends I have are various demons and other creatures of the night. The vampires don't love me, are afraid of me at best. Perhaps they always will be. Humans will never take me in either.

So here I am, Dracula's son, filling his seat and trying to make a better world.

[He listens to that little speech, and it isn't wrong, not really. It's hard being a child of two worlds. It means you never really fit in, not really-- or at best, you only fit in with a few, not the majority. It means you're constantly on the outside, always looking in, always lonely, always different in a myriad of ways.

But at least here, he's half-human. It's better, in Greed's opinion, to be half-human among the vampires sand the fae and the elves, than to be half-inhuman among the mortals.

But there's something about that speech that rings incorrect. And so once he finishes, Greed straightens up. Reaches to take Adrian's chin, tipping his head up, diving down to kiss him. It's not so much hungry as searing, demanding, a kiss you can't argue with. His grip on his chin doesn't release-- and when he finishes the kiss, he stays close, breathing hotly against his mouth.]

Here you are, Dracula's son. And Greed's lover, and the owner of the Țepeș castle. The head of the vampires, the commander of what they do and how they manage themselves. The man who stopped a genocide, and honored his mother's wishes, and kept going even when it seemed like you'd do nothing but spend your days all alone.

You aren't just your father's son, little dhampir. You aren't just my lover. You're your own man. It's past time you recognized that, and started taking what you were owed, respect and love and all, instead of acting like the world only barely tolerates you.

[It's startling how much the kiss silences him, hot and determined. He opens his mouth, pressing back, shuddering and not pulling away. And he listens, his brows knitted.

He's never-- heard that before. Much of his life is spent figuring out how to manage himself, how to fit in to either world. He loved his parents, but it always felt like both mortal and not would hardly accept him at best.

Adrian presses his hand over Greed's, closing his eyes and only able to nod silently. He felt like for so long that he's nothing but a servant to his family's wishes or their legacy, but it's gratifying to hear something differently.]

[His eyes dart over his face, but it seems like his message got across. He pulls his hand back, but only so he can cup his cheek, one thumb brushing over the curve. There's a sad sort of smile on his lips, something sympathetic and soft both. It won't last. It might not even last by the time Adrian opens his eyes. But he does so love his Adrian, and god, but he hates seeing him so lonely.

He leans in, kissing his forehead lightly.]

[It's not that it's softness he's never experienced from Greed before, but rather one that he thought was all a lie after Greed effectively broke his heart. Friends are few and his family is dead, and that made what Greed did all the more difficult. Though he understands now why.

Adrian really would have been stubbornly noble, he thinks. He's never been one to abandon those he loves.

He opens his eyes, then reaches up to cup the back of Greed's head, pulling him down for another kiss.]

[It's a better kiss than any of the ones before. Those had been good, yes, in the same way that any contact with Adrian is almost always good, but this kiss feels right. Heavy and heated, harsh but not cruel, and Greed surges into it, one arm wrapping around his body, hand splayed over his lower back.

He's so aware of everything around them. Of the faint hint of music from the hall; the coolness of the air around them, and the relative chill of Adrian's skin. The way he feels, mouth moving against his, the broadness of his frame, the muscle and strength in the way he surges against Greed . . . even the slight brush of his eyelashes against his cheek is noticeable right now.

They break an eternity later, and Greed looks raw. Not proud or leering or boastful, but uncertain. Not of Adrian or his intentions, but simply . . . uncertain, because he's never done anything like this, and for all he acts arrogant, he really has no idea what's going to happen next.]

[This time, he knows to take the expression to heart. How Greed looks, open and emotional and uncertain, and Adrian can relate. He brushes his knuckles over Greed's face, down his cheekbone.]

It's okay.

[And he thinks he can say that sincerely, knowing that he is indeed warming back up to Greed, recognizing how serious he is about this. How honest he's being.]

Yeah?

[If they ever speak of this again, he won't mention this part. The neediness, the weakness, the emotionality of it all. It's embarrassing at best and vulnerable at worst, so it's something he won't want to recall.

But here and now, he leans into it, both figuratively and literally.]

Mm. What do you say we ditch the party and get outta here?

You're showing me... how much you mean in trying to mend things. I won't forget that.

[Adrian considers his proposition with a hum, idly trailing his fingers down Greed's arm.]

Mm. I think I might like our own personal party, as it were.

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