Chapter Text
You awaken with a pounding headache, and the concerned faces of Julia and Trevor looming over you. Julia’s hand is clasped onto your wrist and Trevor’s hand is lingering in your shoulder. You sit up, and they seemingly reluctantly remove their hands.
Julia sighs, relieved. “Thank god, you’re awake. I wasn’t sure if that spell would work.” She looks you over and her eyes settle onto the bags that have accumulated under your eyes. Julia’s expression hardens and anger settles onto her face. “Why didn’t you tell me, Adrian?,” she asks, disappointed. “I could perhaps understand why you wouldn’t ask me for blood but… Do you not trust me enough to let me know of your condition?”
You look away and, out of the corner of your eye, you see Trevor’s hands clench into fists on his thigh. “Why didn’t you ask me ? I told you I was fine with it. If I had known it was this bad…,” he trails off. He runs a hand through his hair and chews on his lip.
Guilt twists and turns your stomach. Once again, you’ve made your friends concerned on your behalf. “Forgive me,” you say. “I didn’t mean to make either of you worry.”
Julia shakes her head. “When will you learn, Adrian?” She looks at Trevor. “I’ll take my leave. I think it’s best if you talk to him about this,” she says. “You both seem to have a strange predisposition to ignoring your wellbeing,” she adds with a huff.
Trevor flushes with embarrassment. Once she leaves, he clears his throat. “Was it because I was injured? I know I said you could wait until I was healed but… that’s only because I didn’t know it had gotten this bad,” he asks, shame running through his voice.
You grasp his hand weakly. “It was my choice. I didn’t know it had gotten this… dire myself. I was planning to hunt to chase it off, but I was absent minded. Don’t fault yourself for my mistakes,” you tell him, hoping it eases his conscience. There’s no reason for him to be so worried.
He frowns, still unpleased. “Alucard… You and Julia seem close. Why didn’t you ask her?”
You shake your head. “Don’t you remember? I only take blood when it's offered. And even then, I would hate to take it from someone who doesn’t even fight. Draining blood from a wound, with consent, is one thing… To draw it myself, even if I asked first, is another.”
Trevor sighs. “Would you draw it from someone if they asked?” You hesitate. At this point you need to but that doesn’t mean you want to. Before you can answer, Trevor adds, “I worry for you. Draw my blood and drink from it. Alucard, please. I’m not that injured. If you will not draw it from Julia, then take what is freely offered.”
“Need I remind you that you were stabbed , Trevor,” you respond, thankful that your voice doesn’t stutter.
“You can look at the wound. It’s been a few days. Sure, I’m still sore, but between Julia’s healing and the bed rest it’s almost entirely gone,” he states. “Do you really think I plan to let myself heal while you suffer in silence? Let me help you, Adrian. It’s what friends do,” he says, and he sounds so confident you almost want to do it.
“Did Julia say you were in a position to give blood?,” you ask, voice measured.
Trevor scoffs and nods. “Yes. I knew this would be a point of contention with you. She said it should be fine, given how much strength I’ve already regained.”
You really have no reason to keep resisting. You let out a slow exhale. “What a strange turn of events. First I was watching over you while you heal… Now you’re the one helping me. Alright, Trevor. I’ll do it.” He sighs in relief.
He pats the spot on the cot next to him. “Well, you’ll have to move. You can’t drink from all the way over there.” You pause, still unsure. Trevor smiles and shuffles a little closer to you. “There. Now I’m meeting you halfway. Now, come here,” he says, tenderly.
Once again, you’re not strong enough to keep resisting. You move closer to him and trace a finger lightly over the scar that’s visible above the neckline of his blouse. “I didn’t notice before but… it seems you got injured multiple times during your time here,” you remark quietly.
He shrugs. “Wounds from combat are unavoidable, no matter how much I refine my skills,” he answers, causing you to purse your lips. You move his hair away from his neck and he moves his own arms to pull his hair back into a ponytail, tying it with a ribbon Julia must’ve given him. He looks… good like that, you can’t help but think to yourself.
You cup his jaw gently with one hand, turning his face to the side and exposing more of the flesh of his neck. You remove your hand from his face and rest your forehead in the area between his neck and shoulder, pausing before you finally draw blood. You groan, lightly. It’s difficult to do something you had convinced yourself you never would (or should) do. “Trevor… I…,” you trail off. If you’re going to drink his blood, you should be candid with him but…
He runs a hand through your hair, resting it momentarily on the nape of your neck before he speaks. “Take your time, my friend. I know… that you still feel guilty about what your father did. I knew that you felt and would feel that way the moment we struck him down.”
Your throat feels too dry suddenly. You forget how, despite his hot head and impulsivity, deeply Trevor cares for his friends. You never quite know what to do when this care is directed at you but you always feel grateful and unworthy in turns. Three years later, you still feel the same, it seems.
His hand resumes running through your hair. “I understand if this is difficult for you. It probably reminds you too much of your ancestry. But I’ll be here, until you’re ready,” he promises.
That’s only half the problem, you want to say. Instead, you say, “Thank you… you don’t have to do this for me,” without looking up, nearly murmuring the words into his skin. He pushes you away, and for a moment you fear the worst, but he looks at you with those ever kind and fierce eyes and your fears are dissuaded.
He gives you a lopsided grin. “After all we’ve been through? Of course I do. You helped me restore my family name. This is really the least I can do in return,” he says.
“Would… would you allow me to continue helping the Belmonts, then?,” you say slowly. “Might as well protect what I helped to restore,” you add, trying to sidetrack.
“Protect us, huh? Like our guardian?,” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
You redden a bit, the suggested title flustering you for whatever reason.“S-something like that,” you respond.
He tilts his head, seeming to consider your words. “Hrmmh… I see,” he remarks. Trevor chuckles, and you look at him confused. “It’s nothing. I’m just surprised, I guess? I’m glad that you plan to stay with us,” he says fondly.
You adjust your position so you’re leaning over him and lightly scrape your teeth in the muscles near the crook of his neck. “Thank you for letting me stay,” you whisper, before sinking your teeth in. You hear Trevor’s breath hitch in his throat, and you press a conciliatory kiss onto the bite mark once you’re done drinking, by way of apology.
You’re a little disoriented from the contrast between spending months at not even half of your normal strength to suddenly being restored to full power. But, as soon as the reality of what you’ve done sinks in, you push yourself away from him. Slowly, so that you don’t raise suspicion. “Ah well, now that that’s done with… I should get going,” you say, realizing you don’t really have an escape plan.
Trevor looks at you, knitting his brows. “Go where?,” he asks, bewildered. He’s too close and you can’t look at his eyes this close up, not right now.
You step off the cot and wipe the stray blood on your mouth with the back of your hand. You notice a brief flicker of hurt crosses across Trevor’s face when you do that, but you don’t understand why. You ignore it for now. “I should go help Julia collect herbs. I don’t know how long I was passed out. Surely, she needs the help,” you try and explain, resisting the urge to wince at how pathetic your excuse sounds now that you’ve said it. “Call me if you need anything,” you say, but for once you hope that he doesn’t need anything from you. You turn to leave.
“Wait!,” Trevor calls out and grabs onto the sleeve of your shirt. He slips his hand down a little and laces your fingers together delicately.
You turn to face him, and you feel doubly guilty seeing how unhappy he looks. Now you’ve done it. Though, you realize, it feels much worse when your direct actions are the cause of that expression rather than simply the reality of your situation. “Is something wrong? Why are you in such a hurry to leave?,” he asks sadly. Your heart drops in your chest and it only sinks further when Trevor just lets you go when you push your arm out of his grasp. “...Did you change your mind about wanting to stay?”
“If your family needs me I’ll be there. Don’t worry,” you say, carefully. That’s a promise you can make safely, all it would take is a simple enchantment on your coffin, when you choose to seal yourself away. A few days ago, you weren’t strong enough to go. Now… you aren’t strong enough to stay. Every part of your mind tells you to go, now, and just send Julia an apologetic letter later. You were ready to leave just a moment ago, but looking at him now, you can’t.
“You… aren’t talking about getting herbs when you have to go, are you?” he says, and there’s something bitter in his tone that feels like daggers in your chest. “What if I … Tsk.” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Can I at least ask why?”
You avert your gaze. You’ve made a fine mess of things, already. The tender mood you shared together just moments ago is gone without a trace, so you might as well finally tell him the truth. There’s not much left to lose at this point. “Trevor… Would you still want me by your side if you knew that…” You can’t finish the sentence.
“Know what , Alucard?,” he says, now a little irritated.
You grit your teeth. “That I lo — damn it all. I. I can’t say it,” you say, giving up. You try and turn to leave but he holds you by the shoulders, keeping you there.
“ Adrian .” The use of your first name coming from him makes you nervous. “Say what? That you love me?,” he asks.
You shut your eyes tightly and grimace. “Yes… I suppose that’s how I feel—”
He interrupts you. “Tell me that then, won’t you?,” he requests, voice fainter than a whisper.
You exhale. “I love you,” you say, quietly. “I understand if you’re uncomfortable. I won’t… follow you once you leave this hut. I’m sure Julia could use an extra hand at the shop, or I could continue my travels,” you continue, but stop once you realize you’re rambling.
Trevor doesn’t respond at first, but brings a hand to your face and cups it gently. “Say that again? The first part,” he asks, hushed.
Your hands clench into fists. “Are you suddenly hard of hearing? I… love you,” you repeat. If this was some kind of game to him, you’re not amused.
Trevor brushes his thumb against your lip briefly, and your breath catches in your throat. He sighs and bumps his forehead against yours. You tense, surprised. What on earth was he planning to do? He slides his hand down to your waist and holds you closer. You think you’re dreaming. This is ridiculous. This cannot actually be happening. But his hands are warm where he holds you and it tickles where his bangs brush against your head. You’re pretty certain that no dream could capture such a fine amount of detail.
“Good. I just wanted to be sure,” he says, but now all you can think about is how close his face is to yours. “Don’t ever assume things for me again, alright? If you want to remain by my side, then… I know the future Belmonts would be proud to have a guardian like you.”
He tilts his head closer to yours, so that your lips are just barely brushing against each other. You try to say something, try to ask him if he’s really serious about what it seems like he’s about to do. You open your mouth to talk but he shushes you. The action makes you blush deeper, and you think you must look ridiculous like this, pale skin dusted so deeply red. How else could you react, though, when whatever words he was saying land right against your mouth.
He leans in even closer “Look, tell Julia sorry if she walks into the room and sees this but… Why do you think I so readily offered to let you drink my blood? So quickly asked you to stay?” Quite frankly, you’re still in disbelief that this is happening at all, so you don’t answer, at first. Your eyes flutter shut. For once, you decide that maybe it’s not worth trying to resist. ‘Let yourself have something good,’ a voice that sounds suspiciously like Julia’s says in your head. You relax, giving yourself a moment to collect your words.
You inhale slowly and sigh, revelling a little in the soft sound of surprise he makes when you do that. “Tell me the answer, won’t you?,” you ask, parroting his earlier words.
He chuckles, and the sound is so fond and soft, it makes your heart feel impossibly warm. “It’s because… I love you too, Adrian,” he murmurs right against your lips, and this time it’s you who meets him halfway.