sleepytimejunction | ❧ open rp

[henlo here is my proposal based on discussion from before:

-post-reverie Adrian travelling through various worlds
-he finds his way to the fake Tokyo of Imeeji where Minato (now Lily) is, under the alteration that rather than being straight from canon Minato, it's a post-reverie Minato that was taken
-he approaches Lily because that is so clearly Minato what is even going on
-end goal: they do a bang and Adrian uses a lot of teeth because blood for the blood gods

thoughts/additions/etc, otherwise I can start a thing for you]

[I'm into it! Only thing of note: Adrian is probably still all deviled up, but he's gotten better control and can conceal his appearance to look like his canon self. BUT I'M READY!]

When Adrian arrives in this new world, it already strikes itself as being completely different than most.

It's a large, expansive cityscape, buildings standing tall and looking quite modern and sleek. But notably, it's completely empty. It's eerily quiet, no people lining the streets, no sounds of speeding vehicles and conversation, just... so quiet, you could practically hear a pin drop. Any and all plants are also completely fake and plastic, further emphasizing how bizarre this eerily pristine city is.

The city, whatever it is, is lightly dusted in snow, only adding to the lonely feeling it exuded. All lights are also off, no street lamps or anything are in working order, which is quite apparent as the sun is slowly setting. However, the farther you travel along in search of something, anything, a light shines in the distance -- there's a cafe lit up, and a single person sitting inside.

If anywhere, that's probably your best place to start to figure out why you're here.

[ Adrian is not treated unkindly, so far as Trevor knows, in any way save for the complete theft of his free will. His prison is a childhood bedroom and the thick, silver-woven curtains covering the door intended more to keep him safe from the conspiracies of Dracula's court than to keep him in. He will not be hurt. Dracula makes this clear when they first arrive, when the collar is placed on him and the whip pulled away and he looks over the burns that the Vampire Killer has made upon his son's arms and orders the skin to be stripped from Trevor's wrists to match. Makes it clear that Adrian will not be harmed within his walls.

Time passes. Enough that the marks from it are just tight, too-shiny scar tissue. The vampire Carmilla makes her appearance and sends Dracula's court into disarray. It makes Trevor's job far less pleasant, so far as it was ever pleasant before. 'Keeping the court in line' becomes less about being an agent of punishment when they step out of line and more about being a demonstration of what became of what Dracula might make of those who stand against him. He sees Adrian only rarely, each time stealing away to his star-painted prison in desperate search of medical treatment from anyone other than Isaac.

(He thinks he can feel himself becoming less and less human every time he receives treatment from the forgemasters. One day he won't be able to touch the Vampire Killer, and then it'll be too late. He doesn't know what he'll do then. He promised to survive.)

But there is news, from the Transylvanian border. Better news than he could have hoped, and everything that he's been waiting for. A speaker magician leading the other refugees in battle, destroying their captors in a single night.

For the first time since they came here, he draws back the silver curtain to Adrian's prison without getting blood anywhere. ]

Hey. 're you- you know. Yourself?

[You are forbidden from leaving your room.
If you are attacked, you will defend yourself.
You will feed. You will eat.

Such basic orders, but still far too confining. Adrian is unable to refuse the blood given to him in whatever final act of rebellion he can manage. Otherwise, he is confined to his room, unable to leave. For the first while, he's tried to plan, tried to think, but the collar makes it impossible to execute anything. Hector is not entirely unsympathetic, but is loyal to Dracula. Isaac is considerably less pleasant by comparison, and his loyalty is firmer than the oldest stone.

On Adrian's lowest days, he sleeps. On better days, he draws, little else to do to spend his time. He looks forward to and dreads seeing Trevor at the same time, but truly he is the only friendly party within these walls. When he sees the scars on Trevor's wrists, he never hides his grimace, his anger at being unable to do anything in regard to it, his father's sense of justice and equality.

Today, he'd considered sleeping again. He almost does, but the silver curtain parts and he faces the hunter. Adrian is tense, prepared to see him bloodied, but no. Not today.

And he knows, gradually, how his humanity is less and less. It worries him, but Trevor will not abandon his position.]

At the moment.

And you?

[ The room is so normal. It's never struck him before, because he's always come here too desperate to notice before. The stars, the toys, the little pieces of evidence that someone grew from a child into a man here. But it's still a prison, no matter what it looks like.

He looks down at his hands, at the way his fingers twist into too-long, bony charcoal-coloured things as if they were somehow stretched out and burned. They're not the worst of the change, but they're the most visible while he's clothed. They can still touch the Vampire Killer for now, at least. ]

Still a Belmont. S'all I need to be.

[ Despite everything, when he looks up, he's smiling. It meets his mostly-still-blue, too-bright eyes, just about. ]

The forgemasters were called this morning, to replace a whole squadron of creatures. The ones that were watching over the refugees. Dead, every last one of them. At the hands of a Speaker witch.

[All that he needs. Adrian supposes that's true; perhaps he's just been too lonely to hope for even friendship, but their circumstances haven't allowed either of them to march. Trevor, under servitude to Dracula; Adrian, a prisoner in what was once his home. There are no friends here, but hesitant cooperation.

Still, he holds out his hand, no fear in his eyes. The news he seems to take well, his face impassive. Quietly, he's glad but also concerned. If the forgemasters know, then they will do everything they can to stop her.]

Come here, please.

[The hand stays out, palm up.]

What are our options do you suppose, Belmont?

[ He does as he's told. He's good at doing that, and following Adrian's directions is better than anyone else's here. Less likely to end in pain or humiliation or nails that are a little too pointed, senses that are a little too sharp. He lays his hand on Adrian's.

His voice is low when he speaks, but there isn't too much to worry about. The thick silver curtain serves another purpose, keeping sound from entering or leaving. The intention must have been to keep Adrian ignorant of the goings-on of the court, but now it makes this room the safest place there can be in this castle to plot. ]

Carmilla has been asking questions of the forgemasters, Hector mostly. About the control wand. She's been meaning to lay claim to it for some time, I think. [ Which, you know, a hell of a horrifying thing to just drop on Adrian casually like this. ] I wouldn't have allowed her, but-

-she could be convinced to act now, I think. In this chaos. And if she does, it's as good a chance as any to destroy the thing.

[The hand feels nothing like Trevor's when they first met. The fingers too long, the skin slowly becoming less human. Quietly, he mourns for him; though Adrian is not afraid of what he is now, he wishes that it would not be like this. He shouldn't have to lose his humanity.

Finally, there is a tense look on Adrian's face when he hears that news. Being under his father's direct control is miserable, but he hasn't forced Adrian to do anything untoward, nor would he.

Carmilla, though...

Slowly, he squeezes Trevor's hand.]

Do whatever it is you must, Trevor. If she can disrupt Father's plans, if it gains us the opportunity-- then do it.

Know that whatever happens, if we fail, if she gains control of me, you may have another vampire to slay. And I am prepared for that possibility.

[hi

uhhhhh request a prompt? if it is okay with you? something that ends in biting

orz]

[ It's- nice. Having his name again. This place is the only place he's had that luxury in a long, long time. He doesn't know what to make of the way that Adrian looks at his ruined hands (it was only the fingertips when he was last here, now it's almost the entire fingers. Isaac's had to bring him back from death's door a few times, and every time leaves its mark), but- it's not horror or disgust or amusement, and that's something.

He squeezes back. He doesn't know what it means, but it feels correct. ]

Won't let it happen.

[ It's not like he has that much control over the situation, and he's not usually one for comforting lies. But he has to say something, and agreeing to kill his only ally here shouldn't be it. ] I'll defend myself, if I have to. And I won't let you hurt anyone who hasn't fucking earned it.

[sure!! was there anything specific you wanted to do? any AUs, what-if scenarios, etc.]

[The reciprocation is... enough. Whatever it is. Uneasy allies, the closest thing they both have to friends, it doesn't matter. Perhaps he can't give it a definition and neither can Trevor.

Adrian's eyes soften somewhat at what he says. It doesn't sound very realistic to him, that somehow Trevor won't allow it to happen. It horrifies him to think that he is forced to submit to anyone's will. With Dracula, the worst is being forced to submission. With Carmilla, it would be much worse.]

Remember what I have demanded of you. [He wants-- he needs Trevor to live.] How are Isaac and Hector retaliating against the Speaker?

Squabbling, as always. Hector wants to let them be. They're out of the country. He didn't understand the reason Dracula was having them watched over in the first place.

[ His illusions about Dracula's vengeance being restricted to Wallachia have been thoroughly dispelled. Hector's remain. ]

Isaac knows. He'll have questions, about why I came here when the news reached us. He means to send a greater force to the border and have an example made of the speaker. I complicate things. [ Because of course he fucking does. ]

If I don't take action, I don't think your father will allow violent retaliation. They're there to keep me in line. But this might be the only chance we have to act.

Alas, Hector.

[A softer man, naive -- meaning well, as far as killing humans go. His hand stays in Trevor's, his thumb idly rolling over the hunter's knuckles.]

Then we need to make a choice.

[Adrian faces Trevor, looking at him in the eyes, unwavering.]

If we can manage to somehow... assist Carmilla, it will disrupt matters here. Perhaps long enough to let you find the Speaker and help her.

We need her. And we will need you. If nothing else, I am a very fine distraction for the castle.

[ The texture of them is leathery, which is basically the least helpful quality one can have to work with when trying to discern what kind of awful thing one is turning into. ]

The control wand, then. If Carmilla can open the way to it, I can either destroy it or- if the worst happens, I don't think I'm her first target, and taking it from her should at least be easier than taking it from your father.

[ He lets go of Adrian's hands, but puts a hand on his shoulder. ]

If she fails, I leave you here and go alone. [ Which feels kind of like the wrong thing to do, since he was the one who brought Adrian here. But if he physically can't leave the room there's not many other options. ]

But I'll come back for you, once she's safe.

Do whatever it takes to ensure that you can reach the Speaker. No matter what occurs here, I shall survive it. If Carmilla is convinced that she has you manipulated, then you are far from her first target. If anything, likely Isaac is her first concern.

[There is a pause, then he takes Trevor by the arm in order to guide him to sit next him on the bed. Not for anything else other than he knows he's been terribly lonely here.]

How much longer do you have to be here?

It feels like being in a dollhouse, almost.

Time and space has been distorted, not truly to his surprise anyway. Utilizing what few transportation mirrors he could was no promise to properly pierce through such things, even with the Devil's powers combined with his own. Here, he smells, sees, nor hears anyone immediately. It's disorientating.

"Charlotte," he orders his familiar, the bat fluttering into the coat he forms around his body. The rest of him adjusts to present him as more of a person than some ethereal being vaguely human shaped; his body is more malleable now than before, but in case he encounters anyone, he needs to make sure he at least looks more or less normal.

The cafe looks like a good start with someone inside. Someone who may, perhaps, be able to help.

Adrian goes inside.

[nothing specific!! beyond Oh No The Vampire Has To Bite Her as just like. a jumping-off point?? for figuring out fun times with sypha :o i am okay with au-ing anything it's just that with a New Character i am really bad at thinking of them myself at first]

I understand.

[ Thinking in terms of strategy, it's- something of a victory for them either way, should the worst happen and Carmilla take the control wand. Dracula and his court will be her likely first targets, and- so either she wins, and Adrian kills his father, or she fails, and Adrian is returned to this place. They wouldn't be any worse off.

In terms of anything else, it's horrifying to think what it would put Adrian through. Makes him say stupid shit like 'won't let it happen' as if he has any power over whether it happens or not. This is his fault in so many ways. He is the one who dragged Adrian into this, the closest thing he's had to a friend since long before this began. The collar is a Belmont thing, even.

He sits down with Adrian, for once not here to stay very still while he puts neat stitches through cuts. This isn't strategy anymore. He's given his message. He doesn't need to be here. This is a clumsy attempt at comfort, and he can't for the life of him tell who is offering it to who. ]

If Carmilla can be convinced to act, it'll be during daylight. [ While those vampires who still need to rest are asleep, and while her intended puppet can move about freely but her victims cannot. ] So an hour or so, until daybreak.

I see.

[Slowly, he reaches up, pulling Trevor's head to have him tuck neatly against Adrian's shoulder. Comfort for who indeed; it is a selfish gesture, he thinks, but he also wants to offer Trevor something, who doesn't take care of himself, who is terribly self-destructive, but he is trying to make amends.

And though he doesn't say it, it does make Adrian's heart ache to watch him like this. He doesn't hate him, doesn't hold a grudge for what's happened.]

Then rest, while you have the time to. When is the last time you had?

I slept yesterday.

[ Which isn't quite the same thing. Sleep is a part of strategy, a resource to be claimed where he can get it, stolen for a few hours at a time in hard-to-spot corners of the castle. He has quarters of his own, yes, but their location is known to every vampire here, every new fledgling who seeks to prove themselves by leaving another mark on the Belmont. He would be a fool to use them.

Rest requires safety. And this is the only place in the castle that anything close to safety can be found.

He rests his head against Adrian's shoulder, and it's only awkward at first before he settles against him easily. And there's a horrible irony to all of this, the way that if anyone, anyone, had reached out to him like this before then neither of them would be here. ]

Wish I'd known you before. [ He mumbles, allowing himself to be exhausted for just a while. ]

I may not be completely human, but I'm certain you need more than that.

[To his relief, Trevor relaxes against him, and Adrian can bear the weight easily; he's had nothing but sleep and feeding and doing utterly nothing useful by being trapped in his own childhood room. If he can be strong for awhile for both of them, then he would gladly manage it.

He closes his eyes and frowns to himself.]

I wish many things were different. ...But that has also crossed my mind more than once.

[Trevor isn't a terrible man, just a man who tried to make the best of a situation through bitterness and the life he'd been forced into. Adrian can understand that.]

Should we both be successful, I would like to know you better, I think. [It is hesitant, but he does want to offer that. Even if he doesn't think that realistically they will, but he wants to try.

Even if at the end of all this he thought to himself he would just sleep under the best of circumstances. But if they both live, perhaps otherwise...]

Shit, if you know me better you're going to find out that I'm an asshole. And then you won't let me sleep on you.

[ It's strange, how warmth manages to seep into his voice like that. How it sounds like it ought to have been there all along. He sinks into Adrian further, practically boneless against him, and closes his eyes. ]

Wake me at dawn?

If you think that I haven't already made that conclusion, then you're a fool. Yet, I let you anyway, so perhaps I am as well.

[It's the closest thing to comfort he's had in sometime -- perhaps, for both of them. He shifts slightly, letting Trevor lean against him as he'd like.]

Of course. Sleep, Trevor.

❧ open rp - adrian/alucard

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