Chapter Text
It's a typical Friday afternoon.
Granger was late to lunch, as usual, and he sat down on the furthest table possible in the dinning hall. As he tries to enjoy his mashed potato, he couldn't help but listen to whatever gossip passing through today.
"Alucard is back!"
"Huh? Didn't he died during a demon attack?"
"Yeah, but he's part demon now! Have you seen his right hand?"
Alucard this, Alucard that, what had that pretty boy gotten himself into? Granger admires Alucard, well, he's the best demon hunter the Monastery of Light has to offer, but he was pronounced dead a week ago after he was cut down by a demon blade. No one truly believed he's dead, but they just have to act surprised when he's back and running around the Empire again. Granger hasn't seen him yet, there's no reason for him to approach the warrior for any conversation of some sort. Sure, they're friends once upon a time ago, but as they grow older, they grow apart. Alucard picked up his father's sword, Granger picked up his gun.
His train of thought was cut when someone sat down in front of him, dropping their tray with a bang and immediately fall face first on the table. Her wavy brunette hair covered her head like a carpet. Granger couldn't help but laugh internally before poking her arm with his index finger.
"Rough day?"
A groaned came from the girl, very unladylike of the daughter of a high knight. Finally, she lifted her head up, and Granger's deep red eyes meets those endless dark eyes.
"Alucard this, Alucard that?" Granger offered.
"Yeah, someone has to do the paperwork." She sat up straight and stretch her arms. "They told me he's dead, so paperwork, and now he's alive, so paperwork. Now he's what? Rebelling against my father? Paperwork. He's getting banned from the Capital? More paperwork for me. Don't die, or else I'll get more paperwork and won't be able to attend your funeral."
"No promises." Granger shook his head and continued eating.
His mind is filled with the thoughts of what could possibly make the best demon hunter out there rebel against the high knights? That's like a death sentence for anyone's reputation and a chance of good life.
"Jay?"
The girl looked up at him, a spoonful of mashed potato haft way in her mouth. It's obscene how such a small person can eat so much in one go. Again, she's the daughter of a high knight, a dutiful servant of the Monastery of Light and a Record Keeper of its members. Meaning, if anyone in the Monastery dies, gets their first sword, gets married, have a baby, forge a new weapon, it's her responsibility to note everything. So, she needs enough energy to run around.
He's also forever thankful for the free violin lessons from her. She's not the best teacher, he's not the best student either, but it worked out well enough.
"Alucard is the Arbiter, isn't he? Why rebel?" Granger asked, he doesn't expect much in the form of an answer.
"He accused my father of corruption." She swirled her spoon in explanation, as if she didn't just disclose some confidential information of the Empire. "Not just him, Alucard talked shit to all of the members of the Council of High Knights. That's about it. They're kicking him out of here."
Is he hearing this right? Alucard, ever the golden boy, is getting kicked out of the Monastery? The sky is blue, the grass is green, Alucard is the golden boy of the Monastery. What the hell happened?
She shook her head and let out a sigh. "Do you wanna be the next Arbiter, though? I can vouch for you."
And Jay is offering him Alucard's title. No, thanks.
"No, thanks, Jay." Granger took a sip of water from his mug. "There's a lot of people waiting in line for that title. I don't think I fit."
"Yeah, yeah." She chuckled and popped another spoon full of food into her mouth. "I don't think anyone fits other than you and Alucard, though. But If they're kicking him out, someone has to be the next Arbiter."
Talking about the devil and he shall appear. Loud and commanding footsteps made their way into the dinning hall, and everyone immediately made way for him.
"Where's the record keeper?" Voice loud and proud even though soon he'll be kicked out.
Granger looked up from his food to see golden blonde hair from across the room. He still has his usual blue armor jacket, and his eyes are as blue as ever. Even though he's a warrior, his sculpted face is free of scars, and his smile is brighter than the sun.
Fucking pretty boy.
One of the junior hunter of the Monastery pointed to their table, and Jay let out a groan. It's not a groan to anyone, just a disappointed gasp, but for Granger, he understands she's tired.
And oh lord, Alucard's grin gets bigger as he getting closer to their table. With every steps he takes, people moved out one by one, as if they're afraid to be in his way. Judging from the rumors, Granger understand that people are scared of "Alucard is haft demon", but Granger himself doesn't know how to feel about it.
Well, if Alucard truly lost his light and walk the demonic path, Granger has no choice but to put a bullet through his head. No matter how pretty he is.
"Hello, buddy! We haven't talked in awhile!" Alucard doesn't take a seat, instead, he stood in between Jay and Granger.
Granger just nodded back in greeting. What's with him being friendly all of a suddenly? The golden boy is usually friendly to everyone, but Granger likes to keep his distance.
"And hello, Record keeper." Alucard directed his smile at Jay, who's still chewing.
"Y-yes. You're looking for m-me?" She gave him a nervous smile.
"My lady, your assistant told me to come to you once I finish with the high knights." Alucard's smile seemed a bit more rigid, and Granger feels like something is wrong here...
"Yes! Yes... About that..." Jay slowly lifted herself up from her seat.
"Jay, your lunch." Granger immediately protest her leave.
"Hmm..." She smiled nervously. "Maybe next time–"
"If you don't take care of yourself, who's gonna take care of my paperwork when I die?" He said in an all-seriousness voice which he meant for joking around.
A small giggle escaped her lips before she craned her neck to see eye to eye with Alucard. "Haha, alright. If Arbiter d-doesn't mind waiting, of c-course."
The gauntlet resting on Alucard's sword tightened, it doesn't go under Granger's notice that the golden boy is tenser than usual.
"Of course! Take your time, Record keeper." Alucard's smile doesn't weaver, not even one bit.
Out of politeness, Granger moved closer to the wall, allowing Alucard to sit next to him. Meanwhile, Jay started shoving food into her mouth.
"Lunch yet?" Granger asked, hoping to pry out whatever holding the golden boy from exploding.
"Ah, don't worry about me, Granger." Those blue eyes squinted as Alucard rested his head on his hand.
The gauntlets are new, Granger has never seen any hunters of the Monastery wore any. He started checking out Alucard's gauntlet instead of his distracting face.
After Jay finished her lunch, she stood up from her seat and gesture for Alucard to follow her. As someone who always uses words Alucard hesitated for a bit before Granger nudged him with his guitar case.
"Are you coming too, buddy?" Alucard unsteadily smiled.
Of course, Granger is coming. Whatever Alucard has going on is making him nervous, and Jay is just as nervous, as if both of them sense something is off with Alucard. Jay tends to be a nervous wreck when talking to anyone who's she's not comfortable with. And Jay knows Alucard as much as she knows any other honorable people of the Monastery. So, why stutter now?
Granger nodded and followed closely behind Jay.
As they walk along the silent hallway, Alucard ever the extrovert, decided to make small talks.
"Record keeper, I appreciate your help in finding evidence of my father's whereabouts." He started.
"I-I never s-said that." Jay whipped her head around to face him. "I-I j-ust need you t-ta-to do pa-p-perwork, Arbiter."
"I no longer hold the title of Arbiter." Alucard chuckled, but there's no humor in there.
"Y-yes. A-alrighty." Jay skipped into her office, and Granger doesn't mind making himself comfortable in the first chair he sees. "Alu-card. P-please have a s-seat."
Alucard wasted no time sitting down in the chair next to Granger if it means Jay will get to the point quicker. She walked to her wall of books and pulled out one. Granger's eyes widened in shock when Jay ripped out a page.
"F-for you." She placed the piece of paper in front of Alucard.
It's a map of the whole world, with pencil scribbling names and places. Alucard's gauntlet gently held on to it, his face puzzling.
Then, Jay dropped something on her desk. Sunlight came from her window bathed the jade pendant in a soft yellow light.
"Alrighty... Please look on t-this paper." Jay pointed at the map in Alucard's hand. "S-see the x marks? It-it's where all the mass g-graves of s-soldiers w-ere during the w-war."
This got both of their attention.
"I-I-I nar-row them d-down to two." Jay waved her finger in the air as she explained. "T-he double x. I-I suspect it's where t-the Second R-regiment was b-buried. I-if you w-want the truth, it's t-the only place I-I can think-k of to begin."
"Thank you, Record keeper." Alucard smiled, genuinely this time, which lifted a bit of weight out of Granger's chest for some reason. He doesn't even know the weight was there in the first place.
"A-and-and..." Jay picked up the pendant from her desk by its string.
A pale yellow jade sits in the middle of the string and decorative horse tail end. Granger remembered it's Jay's signature pendent, she made quite a few of them.
"T-this is your last resort." She put it back down on her desk and gently slide it to Alucard. "Y-you have a few days at most b-before my f-father label you as a d-demon. I-if you don't know w-where else to run, go to Cadia Riverlands. A-ask for Luo Yi."
Label as a demon? So the rumors of Alucard was brought back to life and became haft demon is true?
Alucard's eyes squinted. "Lore Yee?"
Jap pressed her lips into a hard line. "Luo Yi. E-everyone knows who she is, just s-show her this."
"Got it, thanks." Alucard stood up and grabbed the jade pendant from her desk. "I appreciate your help, Record Keeper."
"Stop calling her Record Keeper. She has a name." Granger scolded. If Alucard is going to leave, he'll just tease him for a bit.
Alucard blinked dumbly at him, and then as if it's even possible, his blue eyes pouted into puppy eyes as he turned to look at Jay.
"I apologize, I never got to learn your name, my lady." And he smiled like he's the most innocent being in the world.
"Birth name J-Jin Xue." Jay gave him a tiny smile. "B-but Jay is fine, too."
From years of friendship with the record keeper, Granger knows of two things: one, she's the product of a high knight's drunk adventures in Cadia and he had to take responsible for her existence; two, rarely anyone can pronounce her name right, not even her father, so they decide to skip it all together.
"Thanks again, Jay." Alucard chuckled as he tucked the jade pendant into his coat.
Then, all three of them peeked up at the footsteps in the hall outside of her office. Rattling armor and heavy footsteps, combined with the scratching of metals. They know exactly what it is: the imperial knights.
Granger and Jay stared at Alucard for a second before snapping out of it when he apologize.
"Sorry for causing you trouble." The pretty boy whispered.
"Don't b-be." Jay waved him off. "G, t-take him t-to the tunnels out of the capital, a favor from me."
"Sure. A favor for arranging my death paperwork." Granger gave her a thumb up and picked up his guitar case. "Let's go."
Jay smiled at him, a small little lift on her lips, but to him, it's a full blown grin. "I'll delay it for another 80 years."
As the heavy footsteps echo closer, Granger nudged Alucard with his guitar case towards one of Jay's bookshelves. The warrior looked confused at first, but then Granger pushed in a book, making the whole bookshelf slowly sink into the floor. Where the bookshelf once stood is now a hallway, barely enough for a man to fit in.
Granger held his guitar case to his chest and ran in with Alucard following behind. As soon as the bookshelf was put back into its proper place and making the tunnel almost pitch black, they heard knocking on her door.
"I-I'm c-coming!" He heard Jay shouted.
Light gets sparser as they headed in deeper, but Granger is familiar with these tunnels. Left, left, right, left, and soon they faced a dead end.
"You sure we're in the right place, buddy?" Alucard whispered behind him, and his breath is dangerously close to Granger's ear.
"Wait."
Granger decided to ignore the obvious invasion in his personal space by touching the wall in front of them.
"If I'm correct, this is the garden."
After a few more seconds of trying to find the right stone to push, a hiss came from underneath them, and Granger internally cheer.
He's still worthy of being a hide and seek champion.
Once the wall was down, they are indeed in the garden. Granger doesn't waste anymore time, and he ran as quiet as possible to the next tunnel hidden all across the Empire. The tunnels has been around for hundreds of years, but it fell out of use until the last Record Keeper came along and taught about it to his sole successor, Jay. And Jay taught it to Granger, and Granger is now showing Alucard.
Just as Granger is trying to remember which stone is the correct one, an arrow handed a bit above his shoulder. Another one came and Alucard deflected it with his blade.
The two orphans of the Monastery turned around just in time to see two of their juniors pulling out another arrow.
"Die, demon!" One of them shouted as they released their arrow, only for Alucard to deflect it.
Granger is thankful those two kids haven't gotten their hands on guns yet.
"Hurry up, buddy!" Alucard said as he blocked another wooden arrow from the juniors.
Granger grumbled a few curses under his breath before he touched the correct brick. Then, the wall in the garden began sinking. Very slowly.
"Can it go any faster?" The golden boy mumbled, and Granger gave him a look which says: I didn't make these shits.
As soon as it opens, Granger pulled Alucard in.
"Granger is helping the demon!" One boy shouted as the wall began closing up. "We have a traitor to the Empire!"
Shit.
Just what exactly did Alucard do?
If his memory serves him well, they have to keep going straight forward. And straight forward they did, only to end up at a random roof top that's connected to the roll of houses alongside the Monastery.
The afternoon sun hits them directly from above, making Alucard's head a walking beacon of gold.
"There he is!" A guard shouted when he spotted them. "Demon!"
That is when Granger sees it, Alucard's gauntlet tightened his grip on his sword as his face darkened. And Granger swore the warrior's muscle pulse under his coat.
"Let's go." Granger nudged his guitar case at Alucard's thigh, and the golden boy snapped out of whatever that caught him a daze.
Together, they jumped from roof top to roof top, somewhere along the way, a few guards shouted Alucard's name and commanded him to stop running, as if it would work.
"Leave me here, I'm good on my own!" Alucard shouted when they ran out of roof top to jump on, and the only way to continue is to step down and walk the alleyways.
"I'll get you out of the Capital, like Jay said." Granger landed on the concrete street.
Alucard jumped down more gracefully than him. "You'll be a traitor to the Empire if you keep–"
"Stop right there!"
Both of them turned around to see a man in white steel armor pointing his sword at them. The symbol on his chest plate clearly shows that he's a knight. A second knight arrived a moment later on horseback.
"I thought the Monastery kids were lying when the said the Overrider has deflected." The second knight snarled at them.
Alucard's pretty blue eyes widened as he turned to look at Granger.
"Buddy, I'm sorry." He whispered.
Granger is still processing the fact that they're calling him a traitor for helping Alucard. He never thought of going against the Moniyan Empire, let alone betraying it.
Then, cold metal held the collar of his shirt, pulling him back. Before he knew it, Alucard's blade was at his neck right above his tie, threatening to cut through his protective high collar.
"If you step any closer, I'll kill him." Alucard said, his breath once again too close to Granger's ear.
He can just lift his gun to Alucard's head and the threat is over, but...
But is Alucard really a demon? Granger hasn't seen any solid proof that he is. If Jay is helping him, then she believes in him.
"We believe you." An older knight arrived on the scene. "Only demons kill their own ally."
The gauntlet holding the sword tensed up for a second, then Granger noticed it again. Muscles underneath Alucard's sleeve is flexing and pulsing, like it's alive. Soon, the blade at this neck starting shaking from how the gauntlet is holding the sword. Even Alucard's breathing quickened and became uneven.
Something deep inside of him told Granger to just grab Alucard and run.
Granger lifted his gun to aim at Alucard's head, the metal sinking into his golden hair. The knights didn't hide their surprise.
"Granger?" His lips is too close to Granger's ear, so close that it faintly touched when he spoke. "What are you–"
Red eyes looked at the tiled roof above the knights. He pulled the trigger.
BANG!
Brick tiles broke and fell down on the knights, scaring their horses and provided a moment of distraction.
Once the dust settled, the knights found the space in front of them empty.
"I'm sure it's this way." Granger made his way through the dirty unused street of the Capital, trying to find that one tunnel which leads outside without being too close to the gates where guards patrol every hour of everyday.
"Granger, listen, please." A gloved hand grabbed his shoulder.
Alucard's left hand. Because his right hand is forever enclosed in that gauntlet and hiding weirdly pulsing muscles underneath. Granger pays too much attention to the pretty boy. Again.
"What?" He mumbled back.
"You don't have to follow me. It's too dangerous." Alucard closed their distance, his chest almost touching Granger's.
Invasion of personal space seems to be another one of Alucard's talents.
"What's the point of staying when they're branding me a traitor?"
The pretty boy looked shocked for a moment. Even when he looks so stupidly confused and wet with sweat, Alucard is still very pretty.
Fucking pretty boy. Granger wished he was born with that privilege.
"Fuck, I ruined your life." The golden boy whispered.
Granger doesn't know how to respond to that. Well, the pretty boy did ruin his life, but it's his own choice to accept a favor for Jay in the first place.
Being branded a traitor of the Empire means hunters from the Monastery would gladly hunt him down like a demon unworthy of life because the Empire gives them all the right to. All the years of hard work in the Monastery is just gone in an instant.
"I'm sorry." Alucard whispered again.
Granger doesn't understand why the pretty boy thinks it's appropriate to lean in so close when apologizing. Doesn't he get the concept of personal space? Granger admits his personal space is very large compared to other people, but Alucard right here keeps stepping over the line at every chance he gets.
"Too late now." Granger locked eyes with him. Such radiant blue eyes should only belong on paintings. "Let's get out of here."
He took a step away from Alucard before continuing to search for one specific brick. As an attempt to ignore the pouting which the pretty boy is giving him, Granger placed his hand on a random brick on the wall like he knows what he's doing.
It opens.