#poor dracula has to resist

[beevean]

I found a post with some pages of the MF manga in Japanese, so, well, I couldn't resist the temptation :P

Devil Forging. Originating from great magical power, it's a demonic technique to create a familiar (Innocent Devil) that is loyal only to you. It is said that there are only two people in this world who have mastered this hideous technique: a young man with red hair blazing like fire, Isaac, and a young man with silver hair like the shining moon, Hector. The place where they acquires their demonic skills, the castle...

The original translation translated Devil Forging as "Demonic alchemy", perhaps to connect it with the rest of the introduction. Fun fact, the Japanese term is actually "refining", as in purifying an impure metal.

"Loyal only to you" is "己にのみ忠実". 己 can either mean "I" or "oneself" in a humble way, or "you" in a derogatory way. I went with the latter.

"All right... My name is Hector. This is my cursed power."

Mostly 1:1. Interesting that Hector uses the formal wa ga rather than ore no.

"Death has vanished!"

"It was Belmont. The Belmont man has come. To think this hall has fallen so soon..."

"But of course. The person coming with Belmont... is the Count's son."

"Adrian... Not just Hector, but you as well... Foolish traitors..."

The official translation was more literal and translated shinigami as God of Death lmao

Worthy of note is that Dracula is calling Alucard kisama :) oh he's mad :)

"Wouldn't it be better to become a demon? Hey, let's do that! And then we'd have more friends!"

Admittedly I'm guessing with the last line, because I can't see the whole bubble. But it would make sense, more than child Hector wanting to "befriend" adult Hector. He was so lonely he thought he'd find companionship with devils, and he might as well have turned himself into one :)

"It's your fault, Hector. Ggh... If you hadn't betrayed us... I would never have left Lord Dracula's side! If you...! Hadn't run away... If you and I had been there! [...] N... no... That's not it... If I... If I had been at His side... at least... Why? Why, sir?"

"What's happening...?"

Yes, it's 1:1. I decided to include it for the pain :) also Isaac switching to polite language to make clear that he's speaking to Dracula in his mind shattered my heart :)

(too bad the picture cuts "Why can we not even die together?", which destroys me on the spot every single time. This poor man.)

Hector only says "様子が...". It means "state, situation, appearance, demeanor", so it's hard to translate. The general meaning is that Hector finds Isaac's behavior odd and concerning... although I still think it's not too strange, considering his beloved Lord just died, no wonder he's in shock and blaming himself.

«Just now...»

"Excuse me, what was all that fuss earlier?"

"[...] Well... You've come at a bad time. The town has been in an uproar since morning. Indeed... How didn't we realize until now? She's a witch. [...] Everyone who ate died."

«I'll go into town. Can I ask you to chop some firewood?»

"It looks like she was immediately captured and taken to the plaza. Truly terrible stuff... I heard that the witch had been living on the hill all this time."

«I'll be right back, Hector!»

Again 1:1. Nothing to note, admittedly. It's again for the pain :)

[omgkalyppso]

Your OTP as GIFs

from an old game, but I'm not doing it exactly the same way as before because search engines have greatly deteriorated since then.

Tagging @umbralstars, @boghermit, @lucius-the-sinful, @lovely-english-rose, @jackalopedread and YOU.

Étoile x Astarion

Originally posted by nancykali

I wanted to find a gift related to the keyword Trust but had to give that up after like an hour of fruitless search. So instead we have the moment from Bram Stoker's Dracula where after attempting to refuse Mina his blood because he was feeling guilty about corrupting her, Mina says to her monster, "Take me away from all this death." And. Well.

Étoile x Halsin

No idea what this gif is from, but I couldn't resist. While ultimately I do think it was part of the writer's insensitivity to polyamory to have Halsin be relationship averse, and then turn his epilogue content into fan service — I really like aromantic Halsin expressing love in his own way and not wanting "a relationship" or labels.

Étoile x Zevlor

I don't remember what's being said in this scene, but the romance in the movie Snow Cake is a Very Small part of the movie, but Alan Rickman's character does have a complicated relationship with Carrie-Ann Moss's character — a win for "fucking that old man." The main character of the film is dealing with life after having assaulted (and accidentally killed) the drunk driver who hit and killed his child. He is also present / indirectly responsible (but feels greatly responsible) for the death of a hitchhiker, which brings him to Wawa, Ontario where he meets the hitchhiker's mother, a disabled (autistic?) woman played by Sigourney Weaver. It's a really heavy movie that I only saw once but the layers of it and the fleeting comforts and difficult intimacy of it made this a good gif for what's going on with Étoile and poor Zevlor.

Étoile x Komira x Locke

Another Sense8 gif. The woman in the middle, Kala, had a lot of anxiety about being in love with the man on the left Wolfgang, while living a life that was leading her to be with her betrothed, the man on the right, Rajan. This is also an extremely small sideplot of this show that was hastily wrapped up in the movie / final "episode." It was kind of silly but tbh I enjoyed this particular "unrealistic" resolution where Rajan was willing to explore what love would look like (even initially in an extremely sexual sense) with Wolfgang if it meant Kala's happiness / not losing her heart. A fair, if inaccurate, comparison to be made for how in my primary canon-compliant state for Étoile, I'd ship them with werewolf!Komira but leave Locke to his fate in the House of Healing; though I'd imagine the three of them would have very enthusiastic joy and supportive love in other au's.

Étoile x He Who Was

I wanted to find a gif of love of someone/thing that was not completely human for He Who Was. I first thought of Meet Joe Black, and the few surreal moments, and the moment when his love interest asks him to stay, but I couldn't find a gif of the exact moment I wanted. I'd only seen The Time Traveller's Wife movie once and it was straighter than I remembered, the dialogue in the gifs I found was all wrong for Étoile and He Who Was' dynamic. I just wanted reference to the waiting, to the loss, to the not knowing if your supernatural love would return. Oh well. Instead I was looking up characters described as masochists (intended for He Who Was, but I guess observations can be made about Étoile which would be ... entirely correct), and found Marko from The Lost Boys, like the rest of them. In the scene I chose, they're initiating a (the?) protagonist into their vampire gang, jumped from a bridge and hanging to the beams while a train rushes overhead, scaring their initiate and having the time of their lives. I think He Who Was has a manic excitable laugh in his euphoria and that he enjoys the presence of danger, negotiated and known not to be a sincere threat against him and his holy missions. He and Étoile have a lot of fun in the limitations of a relationship across planes.

[hecula-propaganda]

Every interaction between Hector and Dracula

or the two's feelings for each other :)

Prelude to Revenge

A place to cling to...

The ability to rebel and blaspheme against the Divine Providence Is accepted without blame A place where we are allowed to exist.

[We] respectfully obeyed, to cling to.

Why yes, I am perfectly normal about Hector and Isaac clinging onto Dracula because he's the only thing they have in this world :')

I'm not sure if Hector is speaking also on Isaac's behalf or only for himself, but I choose to believe it's the former because it makes sense.

But what's important here is that they are in the same position. It's easy to imagine Isaac, irrationally loyal and perpetually insecure, latching onto Dracula. But even Hector, in his icy pride, did the same :) he cared. Just not to the point of self-nullification.

And also look at that. Dracula gave a piece of his power to Hector. In the game itself, Zead says that the Devil Forgemasters are "suffused" in his magic (or "Devil Forgemasters are always with my Master's power" in Japanese). Part of Dracula is literally in them.

“What did he wish from me, that he even rebelled…? Unforgiveness is my nature. The more precious things are, the more they resist and are lost…”

I've spent enough words talking about that one word, 惜しい :)

Of course, this happens right after this lovely scene:

“Please, I beg of you I am human too!”

“My nourishment is human life and mistakes. I will disappear when humans perish…”

There’s no need for me to be chased away The disposal of my body Can’t even happen here... Anywhere...

So, hm. First you gravely injure your rebellious general without even listening to his concerns, then you wonder why your precious thing doesn't love you anymore. I don't think Kojima intended for him to look like a stereotypical abuser, but that's the vibes I get. it doesn't help that this is more or less his attitude with Alucard...

It is said that my former master was destroyed by the wielder of the holy whip. However, the devastation of the human world will not end...

Nothing major, just for completion's sake. This is the only time, as far as we know, that Hector calls Dracula his "master".

Media Factory manga

Unlike with the PtR manga, I need to talk about Isaac here, because he can't be separated from either Hector or Dracula.

i swear that the mf manga is a long long draactor propaganda, the love triangle here is insane

Isaac is the one who warned Dracula of Trevor, and the one who begged him to be sent to kill the Belmont. And yet...

Hector was sent instead. Hector was the one deemed worthy of facing such a big threat. Look at Isaac's eyes. He's so not happy about this blow to his fragile sense of self-esteem.

And Dracula once again puts Hector over Isaac, by ignoring his concerns, ordering him to go find the lost General and leaving himself unprotected well technically there's death but no one mentions him here. Even Isaac's own underlings aren't so convinced by the Lord's actions, and they chalk it up to sheer favoritism, which triggers poor Isaac. Everyone knows that Hector is Dracula's specialest boy :)

Of course, this line matters much more in Japanese:

In case you're wondering, there exist other words that imply unfair favoritism and nothing more, such as 依怙贔屓.

Now, unlike with 惜しい, it's a third party that uses 可愛がる. But then this means that Isaac's underlings were sitting there, joking that Dracula loves his Hector so very much... within Isaac's earshot. Bro. No wonder he found the first excuse to kill them off 😂

I said enough about this nightmare in this post. It's hard to judge where memories end and inner feelings begin, but I do believe this has actually happened, and I chose to interpret this scene as Dracula leaving Hector behind, a display of both humiliation and favoritism.

(I also choose to believe that this episode happened some time before Dracula ordered Hector to kill Trevor. Ah, if only Isaac knew...)

Kinda interesting that Hector's last thought as he's about to die isn't for Isaac, but for Dracula :) could it be the power of the Curse seeping inside him? oh don't worry honey, this is far from the last parallel you two have...

Nothing major, but once again confirmation that Hector "got closer to Dracula" than Isaac did. Whatever that means, beyond the acts of favoritism we have seen...

When he's sealing away his dark powers, made strong by Rosaly's love (the proof of which he's holding in hand), his mind goes to Dracula again. I'm still emotional over this. He felt joy at serving Dracula, at being "recognized and needed" :')

Curse of Darkness

Hector, who has spent the entire game calling all the men kisama (except for Zead, whom Hector trusted and so called omae), refers to Dracula as anata, a neutral-polite pronoun. Zead and Julia call Hector anata, and Isaac uses it for Dracula in PtR, which speaks of the amount of respect it can convey.

It is not your (あなた) place to judge the worth of humans.

However, his lack of any kind of honorific and body language convey disrespect. While he's not being aggressively antagonistic, he is not even remotely intimidated by him anymore. It's been three years since they've last seen each other, and Hector has changed immensely since then. Plus, at this point he's just too tired to give a single shit lol.

(in English, Hector calls him "Lord Dracula". Actually, Trevor is the only character who simply says "Dracula", but of the other characters, two are devoted to Dracula, and two might simply respect the Count's power. What is Hector's reason? Does he still respect his former master, to a point?)

I also love the way Hector humiliates Dracula as a last kick in the teeth. He uses his own Devil Forging powers to transform the curse. Look at the first pictures I posted here: that power was given to him by Dracula. Hector was the best student of the two. He is using Dracula's own power and teachings to free the world of his influence. He's not the only protagonist who defeats Dracula with his own powers, Shanoa did the same and it is poignant in its own way, but with Hector it simply is more personal.

(and, you know, you can steal his throne under his nose :P)

Dracula, of course, can humiliate Hector as well if the player isn't careful :)

yeah you know this was coming. Just sayin' that of all Belmonts and affiliates, Hector is the only one that he attacks like this. Bet that curse tastes good.

[keeper-of-books]

G'day, welcome, hello, you have found me

• what you can call me: Kathan, Kaden/Kade, Kian, (Knox, Kyro, Emrys <- these are actually too cool for me) Evan, keeper, faggot, whatever you want (except girl/woman etc.), hot

• he/him + they/them + it

• I was born in march 2005, if you wanna find out how old I am, do the math (or just look at the little info box at the top of this blog)

• 175cm is this relevant?!

• english is not my first language, like you might have already guessed, so please excuse mistakes/errors, or maybe correct me !nicely! since:

• I am not good with confrontation and will cry myself to sleep when yelled at, which most likely (hopefully) won't happen here

• shows:

Death Note, Assassination classroom, Big Mouth, Human Resources, Disenchantment, Aggretsuko, Vox Machina, Castlevania, Arcane, Q Force, The Imperfects, The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance, Orange is the new black, AJ and the Queen, Matrjoschka, Dr House, Sandman, Hilda

• movies:

The Dark Crystal, Coraline, Nimona, Suicide Squad, Deadpool, Chicken Run, Howl's moving castle, Charlie and the chocolate factory

• books:

Have read: Hell followed with us, Frankenstein, The meet cute diary, Aristotle and Dante, The midnight library, The cat who saved books, Coraline, The Graveyard Book, Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Punk 57, Skulduggery pleasant, If we were villains, Under the whispering door, Arthur and Teddy are coming out, Pan's Labyrinth, If cat's disappeared from the world, Dracula, The picture of Dorian Gray, Gwen & Art are not in love, Near the Bones, Paul takes the form of a mortal girl, I wish you all the best, The marriage portrait

Reading: Carmilla

Going to read: The Scottish boy, Gay Bored Werewolf, The Spirit Bares it's teeth

• games (Just games I like, doesn't mean I played them. I mainly watched the let's plays):

Sally Face, Little Misfortune, Little nightmares, Fran Bow, L.A. Noire, Beyond two souls

• music/artists:

Mika, Tx2, TJ beastboy, Eminem, Doja cat, Ashnikko, Noahfinnce, K.Flay, Delilah Bon, Lin Manuel Miranda, ÉASY, Gorillaz, mother mother, Imagine Dragons, poor man's poison, Harry Styles, Jhope, Pink, Shuba, and several who I only know about one song from, (K-pop groups/bands I know because of my friend: NCT, Straykids, Ateez, Xdinary heroes)

I'm still figuring out the whole Tumblr thing so if anyone has some tips, I greatly appreciate it.

[no-side-us]

Dracula Daily Liveblog: September 27

This scene is great. I sometimes wonder whether people who read this in Stoker's time would be surprised or not by moments like this, whether they would understand all the evidence the story has provided so far or whether Van Helsing is needed to connect the dots for them.

What Van Helsing says here seems to coincide with what he said when Lucy first died on September 20:

"She is dying. It will not be long now. It will be much difference, mark me, whether she dies conscious or in her sleep. Wake that poor boy, and let him come and see the last; he trusts us, and we have promised him."

This would suggest that if Lucy had died outside of her trance then the situation would be different. I don't know if that means Lucy would have died permanently, or if it might mean that she'd have her own personality as a vampire.

Van Helsing also seems to be saying that vampires normally look really evil when they're sleeping in their coffin, kind of like how the Count looked when Jonathan first saw him in his coffin on June 25:

I thought he might have the keys on him, but when I went to search I saw the dead eyes, and in them dead though they were, such a look of hate, though unconscious of me or my presence, that I fled from the place, and leaving the Count's room by the window, crawled again up the castle wall.

Perhaps this means that Lucy would also have the "look of hate" if she had died outside of her trance. Or maybe Van Helsing is suggesting that Lucy doesn't have such a look because she was just so sweet when she was alive?

I like to imagine that each of those things were from separate vampire myths Van Helsing studied, but he's going to do all of them together just to be safe.

You know, if someone were ever to write a version of Dracula where the protagonists were actually crazy the entire time, the idea of being buried alive would probably be a good way to do it.

Would this mean that the older the vampire, the more resistant they would be to garlic and crucifixes and such?

Maybe that's one of the reasons why the Count left his castle now instead of years before; he grew old and strong enough that the charms of the villagers had less of an effect on him and he could move pass them. Maybe that's also why his roommates didn't leave with him; they were still young. But that's just conjecture.

So the "home" of vampires is also shelter to the vampire which turned them, which would suggest that the Count would be keen to turn more people than just Lucy. Although he does have all those dirt boxes which also act as shelter for him.

More conjecture: maybe the Count used to have more vampires that he turned back in Romania, but over time they were eventually hunted down and killed. So with few "shelters" back home, he decided to move his base of operations to England.

Lucy's hunting ground is near the park where she was buried, presumably because it's close to where she has "shelter." However, the Count's natural "shelter" is back in Romania, so that's why he has all those boxes of his homeland's dirt moved to London, so he too can have "shelter" prepared for him in case of emergencies.

Okay, I think this confirms that Van Helsing doesn't know the exact way to kill a vampire, but he knows of many possible ways, which is why he has this "either/or" line here, which doesn't even mention the garlic method he mentioned earlier.

It's a nice use of the epistolary format that Van Helsing's farewell letter in case he died is labeled as unopened. But it still says a lot that Van Helsing even wrote a farewell letter in the first place. He knows the risks and what might happen to him, and he's going to do it regardless.

[flowerish-cherry-blue]

book review: the sorrows of satan by marie corelli | 1895

summary:

the setting is london, 1895, and the devil is on the loose. he is searching for someone morally strong enough to resist temptation, but there seems little chance he will succeed. britain is all but totally corrupt. the aristocracy is financially and spiritually bankrupt; church leaders no longer believe in god; victorian idealism has been banished from literature and life; and sexual morality is being undermined by the pernicious doctrines of the "new woman." everything and everyone is up for sale, and it takes a special kind of moral courage to resist the devil's seductions.

my opinion:

well… it wasn't easy, honestly. i confess that the first 10 chapters i thought i would die of boredom, although the most boring novel i've read so far was dracula, in terms of writing style, i mean. i really struggled to get through the intro where all geoffrey does is talk about how poor he is, don't get me wrong, i think it was important to make it clear what kind of character he is, but i think it could have been done in a more interesting way.

after i got over the opening of the book, i will say right away that it was all clear and obvious to me who was who. that is, from the first only mention of lucio i understood that he is satan, when lady sybil appeared i understood that geoffrey would decide to marry her, but there would be no happy ending for them and that mavis clare is the author's alter ego, and in fact the real love interest of the character. there weren't any interesting plot twists in the book, maybe a couple literally when they were sailing on a ship from england and perhaps the first death of that poor man from the gambling club.

overall, if you close your eyes on the predictability and boring writing style, i liked the book just for its moral and message that those who have everything may not appreciate the little things and be spoiled, like geoffrey, to whom money overshadowed the view of the real world, and that those who lack something in life learn to appreciate what they have, like mavis clare. this is what i appreciated in the book, and there were also some very beautiful moments, for example the discussion of balance in art, the scene where lucio sang while playing the piano and of course his monologue when geoffrey realized that he was satan.

of the whole book perhaps the following can be highlighted, as every book has pros and cons:

• despite the rather boring beginning, the book becomes interesting in the aftermath, even when you're just watching geoffrey try to find love or lucio pulling the strings like a puppeteer.

• although i said the plot is pretty predictable, a couple of moments still pleased me because i wasn't expecting them.

• i was invariably pleased with the morals and message of this book and i think this is a major plus, it was probably the best way to teach everyone a lesson with an example like this.

• in places the book reminded me of something in the style of edgar poe, and this appealed to me because there was some kind of dark vibe.

• the development of the character of geoffrey made me happy, he went from poverty to riches to a kind of stability, i think he is a good example for people today of how in one moment you can gain and lose everything.

perhaps this book is recommended to read for a reason, for the millionth time, i will say its meaning is what people today should remember - appreciate what you have and don't forget, that's why i liked it, so i would advise you to read it.

my rating:

3.9/5

sleep, my beloved, sleep!

be patient! － we shall keep

our secret closely hid

beneath the coffin-lid, －

there is no other place in earth or air,

for such a love as ours, or such despair!

and nether hell nor heaven shall care to win

our loathed souls, rejoicing in their sin!

sleep! － for my hand is sure, －

the cold steel bright and pure

strikes through thy heart and mine

shedding our blood like wine; －

Sin's sweetness is too sweet, and if the shame

of love must be our curse, we hurl the blame

back on the gods who gave us love with breath

and tortured us from passion into death!

[alma37]

A[h]arrowing evening - chapter 2

I kind of promised another chapter if I reached 100 hits on AO3. I am a little behind schedule, but a promise is a promise.

So, here is the chapter 2.

Fandom : Dracula TV 2020

Relationship : Agatha x Dracula

Rating : this one tends to M but not quite

I still have not counted the words.

@hopipollahorror​ @lady-of-the-wolves​ @thebeautyofdisorder​ @festering-queen​ @feralstare​

[let me know if you don’t want to be tagged]

@vampyrsbride​ @khyruma​ no idea if you even read fanfiction

Anyone else who didn’t ask to be tagged but still read my shit,

everyone, I hope you’ll enjoy!

As Dracula was settling comfortably for the night, a knock resounded on his door. Curious, he went to open and was startled to find a swaying Agatha in front of him.

- Agatha! To what do I owe the pleasure? Or is it displeasure tonight?

The young vampire waved her hand and slurred :

- I came to aplo... to aloo... ap.., to say I'm sorry.

The older vampire frowned :

- Are you all right?!

- Nether bedder!" She was leaning dangerously sideways until she was supported by the doorframe.

- Did you take something?" Dracula asked, incredulous.

- Noooo!... " But after a short pause, she admitted : "I just drank a drunk!" And she sniggered. Agatha never sniggered.

- Oh my! Are you drunk?!

- Mabee a little bit. But he tasted sooo good!" Agatha mumbled, ecstatic.

- What did I tell you about drinking drunk people?!

- Pff!" The younger vampire scoffed. "I drrink whoeve' I want, Mr 'now-it-all.

Now she was listing dangerously towards Dracula who held her upright by the shoulders.

- Do you understand how much alcohol is needed to affect us?! How much blood did he have left in his alcohol stream?!" He asked drily.

The former nun, leaning on his chest now, snorted.

- Did you just make a joke?

- Perhaps.

- You shooould not do that.

- Why not?

- Because... it makesss you likeable. And I am not sh-supposed to like you. I am sh-supposed to.. to kill you! See? I still have my little arrow with me, just in case.

Agatha brandished in all directions the wooden weapon she got used to carry since Dracula turned her. Weary, the older vampire got hold of it before his younger kin could do some damage to either of them.

- Yes, I can see that. I'll keep it for now, if you don't mind.

Agatha made a gesture, that could either mean she didn't mind or its exact opposite. When she didn't try to take back her weapon, the Count concluded it was the former and returned to their previous conversation :

- Did you just said you liked me?

- Ov course not! Why would I do that?! You mush... must get deaf in your old age.

- I assure you my hearing is quite good. You just said you liked me." He persisted.

- Nooooooooo. No, no, nononono. No..." Another short silence, before :" Maybe. A little. But I am rrrreally d-drunk at the moment, so you'll have to ashk... aks... hashk me again tomorrow. When I sh-slept it off.

- When you slept it off, you are going to wish me to the devil. So...

- Zat's not... jat's... that... Yeah!... Maybe we should sleep it ohf togejer, zen.

- I beg your pardon?!

- Zat way, no dish... no dims... no w... no sc-scoffing at.

- I won't sleep with you when you are drunk, Agatha.

- Why not?! I am vewy ri... very vi... willing at the moment. When will you 'ave anozer chance, do you think?

- God, give me strength!

- Did you..." Agatha sniggered for the second time in the evening. " Did you just take God's name in vain?!" before she dissolved in laughter, at the utter dismay of her older kin, while actually slouching against him.

- That's exactly why." The only thing keeping her up was his arm around her waist. When she finally calmed down, he tried to lead her towards the bedchamber :

- Come now. I am putting you to bed.

But Agatha resisted his pull. Even drunk, she was still a vampire.

- Only if you're coming with me into it.

Dracula towered above her.

- Agatha, don't push me. You know I want you. But not like that.

Far from being cowed, the younger vampire slid along his chest until she was an air breath from his mouth before flashing him a brilliant smile :

- Draaackeyyyy... me loveyyyy. Don't be so meaneyyyyy.

The older vampire snapped :

- That's it. That's enough! I am putting you to bed now.

Lifting her like she was a bag of feather, he threw her on his shoulder. Sober Agatha would have been scandalised. Drunk Agatha, however, sniggered for the third time and purred :

- Ooooh! Me very own cave man!... Cave vampire!" Then, even upside down, she set about removing his shirt from his trousers. Dracula couldn't believe what was happening : a few weeks ago, she almost killed him and now, it appeared that she was intent on undressing him.

- Agatha, stop that!" He admonished her, to no avail.

The younger vampire, apparently, was determined to see him naked before they could reach the bedroom. She was really trying his self-control.

- Agatha, if you don't stop, I am going to do something I have wanted to for a long time and you will be left with only regret and self-loathing in the morning. Is it really what you want?

At last, this made her stop. Dracula couldn't help but release a relieved sigh.

Once they reached the bedroom, Dracula slid her down to the bed. He put a knee on the floor to remove her shoes. Agatha, surprisingly silent, was watching him. When he straightened up to help her lie down, she unexpectedly put her hand under his shirt flat against his abdomen. Dracula fought to keep what was left of his restraint.

-Show me your scar.

- It's gone. You know we don't scar." The older vampire answered while removing gently her hand from his skin. She was warm from the blood, which wasn't helping with his growing lust. Luckily, she didn't resist. But she looked disappointed :

- I wanted to kiss it better, as you asked me. As an apology.

- You did, don't you remember?

- Hum! Yes. But I wanted to do it more... Can I kiss you better somewhere else, then?

- Agatha..." But before truly realising it, he was leaning forward. His restraint was flying through the window.

The kiss started sweetly, a mere brush of the lips, but drunk Agatha was demanding and Dracula, unable to resist, gave her what she asked. Soon they were tangled with each other, the older vampire not sure anymore how many limbs his younger kin had, as she seemed to touch him everywhere at the same time. He finally stopped her hands from their roaming and threaded their fingers, while exploring her mouth with avidity. In all their 123 years of fighting, she had never let down her guard and never allowed him this close. Until tonight. She was exquisite, as always. Warm and soft and... softer?

Dracula raised his head to note, with a mix of dismay and amusement, that his nemesis had fallen asleep in his bed. Well, at least, she finally was where he wanted her. The vampire shook his head and laughed softly at the irony. As it was, she wouldn't be able to stake him come morning. Small mercies.

*************

A few hours later, Agatha emerged slowly from her slumber. For a few instants, she couldn't remember but when memories flooded back, she put a pillow on her face and groaned. How could she do that?

- Oh! I see you are awake. Hum! And not suffering ill effects from your over-indulgence.

- Sweet Jesus! It really did happen, then?! I still hoped it was a nightmare.

- I am afraid not, Angel.

- I can't believe I did that. This is so embarrassing!

- Well, it could have been worse. I could have given in.

At those words, Agatha removed the pillow from her face - She couldn't smother herself anyway - and looked at her supposedly oldest enemy. He was watching her with a mix of fondness, resignation and longing. Or so it seemed to her guilty mind.

- I am so sorry, Vlad. I... Well, thank you for resisting. At least one of us didn't embarrass themselves last night.

- My pleasure, Angel. And don't thank me, I wasn't able to totally resist, if you remember well. If you hadn't fallen asleep, honestly..." He trailed before falling silent.

Agatha dropped her gaze on the sheets, a new wave of mortification washing over her.

- Yes, well, I provoked you. So, for once, I don't blame you. You actually showed remarkable restraint.

-  Did I hear you well? Did you just pay me a compliment?! You may suffer ill effects after all." Dracula teased her.

- Nevermind." Agatha mumbled, going out of bed. Dracula presented a helping hand, which, after only a slight hesitation, she took. Once upright, though, she had to grip it more tightly as she swayed on her feet.

- Hum. Not totally unscathed, then." The older vampire remarked, without mirth.

- I'm fine." She defended herself."I just feel a little numb.

- Yes, of course. My mistake." He answered, with a knowing smile this time.

- Oh do shut up, Dracula!" The younger vampire growled, as she tried to remove her hand from his. But Dracula didn't let her.

- Maybe you should stay the day. Sleep it off.

- Dracula...

- I promise you : no mischief, no ulterior motive. If I may say so, you don't look so good. You could rest here, I won't bother you.

- I don't think..." She hesitated.

- I can bring you some clean blood to clear your head and you can lie here as long as you want." Dracula added when he sensed her wavering.

Agatha was thinking about accepting his offer as she felt exhausted, but still she pondered.

- Where will you rest? It's daytime.

- Don't worry about me. My sofa is quite comfortable.

The former nun snorted :

- Your sofa is as comfortable as a marble coffin and at least a foot shorter than you!

Dracula shrugged.

- Well, I still have to put a bed in the guest bedroom, so it will have to make do.

Agatha looked at her nemesis' bed : it had been made for him, so it was probably a foot longer than her and at least, large enough to house a small village. She gulped then took a deep breath :

- Your bed is big enough for the both of us. And since, you were the gentleman and offered me its exclusive use, I would be a very sore guest if I'd let you sleep on this terrible furniture you dare call a sofa.

Despite his surprise at her unexpected proposition, Dracula chuckled :

- Well, if you get into the habit of coming to see me while drunk, I may need to invest into a second bed. Or...

Agatha raised a warning finger :

- Don't even think about finishing this sentence, Count.

The older vampire grinned but stopped talking. After an awkward silence, Agatha added :

- You should think about replacing that sofa, too.

- I will." At his tone, she looked at him. He was watching her back with that same expression again.

- Are you sure you don't mind?" Dracula broke the spell. "I must admit I got quite fond of my bed, since I don't need my coffin to sleep in.

- No. I mean : I don't mind." But she insisted, to be sure : "You promise me no mischief.

- You offered me to sleep with you." He countered, teasing her.

Agatha didn't catch the joke, if her scandalised look was any indication :

- I was drunk!

Dracula laughed at her outraged tone.

- I'm joking, Agatha. Relax.

he sat on one side of the bed and patted the place next to him.

- Come on. You look dead on you feet. I promised you no mischief. I'll keep my word.

Agatha sat carefully on the bed then lay down next to her old enemy. They didn't say anything for some time. Dracula rearranged his limbs then put his hands behind his head, settling in.

Agatha was lying next to him rigidly, debating with herself, until finally she sighed :

- Oh Hell!" And throwing caution to the wind, she rolled on her side to nestle against him. It was quite nice, actually.

The older vampire stayed still for a moment, unsure what to do. Then, slowly, he put down one arm to place it around her shoulders and bring her a little closer to him.

- No mischief." She mumbled into his shirt.

- No mischief." He confirmed with a smile in his voice. "Even if you make it hard for me to keep my promise."

- Not without a partner." His younger kin replied softly, already on the verge of sleep.

Dracula resisted laughing at her tart answer, so as not to disturb her. She was relaxing against him and very soon, he could sense she was fast asleep. No partner indeed.

He couldn't hold it any longer and laughed, barely disturbing his exhausted partner. She muttered in her sleep, then settled against him once more after throwing an arm across his chest.

Perhaps, she would heed his advice next time. But Dracula hoped she wouldn't. Drunk Agatha was almost as fun as angry Agatha and far more agreeable.

The older vampire looked down at the woman in his arms. Maybe he was the one high, in this instance : he still couldn't believe his nemesis was actually sleeping, sober and peaceful, in his embrace. If God had decided to be done with him and Agatha was His sword arm, Dracula decided then and there that it was a small price to pay for a few hours with her in his arms. And with that satisfying thought, he slipped in a comfortable slumber.

[vickyvicarious]

It kind of sounds like the major difference the garlic makes is not totally stopping Dracula, but more stopping him from influencing Lucy's mind.

Since, however, Dr. Van Helsing has been with me, all this bad dreaming seems to have passed away; the noises that used to frighten me out of my wits—the flapping against the windows, the distant voices which seemed so close to me, the harsh sounds that came from I know not where and commanded me to do I know not what—have all ceased.

That was with the garlic and a watchful protector. Now, with garlic alone:

I was waked by the flapping at the window, which had begun after that sleep-walking on the cliff at Whitby when Mina saved me, and which now I know so well.

+

I went to the window and looked out, but could see nothing, except a big bat, which had evidently been buffeting its wings against the window. So I went back to bed again, but determined not to go to sleep.

Dracula is right outside the window, apparently rapidly shifting between bat and wolf in order to howl and batter at the window. Lucy goes and looks right at him but her mind is not affected. She speaks openly about the repeated banging at her windows since Whitby in this entry too, not only in her memorandum but also in her diary. There seemed to be some kind of compulsion to keep her hiding her bite marks, and I wonder if it extended even to her own diary.

It kind of seems like maybe Dracula didn't want to come in and deal with someone else alert and on guard for him, but certainly the garlic all around the room is not stopping him now.

Amongst other things, she clutched the wreath of flowers that Dr. Van Helsing insisted on my wearing round my neck, and tore it away from me. For a second or two she sat up, pointing at the wolf, and there was a strange and horrible gurgling in her throat; then she fell over—as if struck with lightning, and her head hit my forehead and made me dizzy for a moment or two. The room and all round seemed to spin round. I kept my eyes fixed on the window, but the wolf drew his head back, and a whole myriad of little specks seemed to come blowing in through the broken window, and wheeling and circling round like the pillar of dust that travellers describe when there is a simoon in the desert. I tried to stir, but there was some spell upon me, and dear mother's poor body, which seemed to grow cold already—for her dear heart had ceased to beat—weighed me down; and I remembered no more for a while.

You can't convince me that Dracula doesn't know Lucy's mother is weak in this moment. He never showed himself so blatantly before, and no matter how angry he was at Lucy denying him the first time she's alone in four days, I think he also definitely was trying to shock her mother. Either he's been eavsdropping or he just heard the unhealthy beat of her heart or something but he definitely tried to at least make her swoon if not kill her here.

As soon as the garlic is removed from Lucy's neck (not everywhere else in the room), Dracula comes in. Lucy also is abruptly dizzy and the room is spinning round and round. Which, yes, her mom just gave her a dying headbutt, but I think the timing is notable there.

I kind of wonder if the garlic round her neck stopping him from influencing her mind was the reason he couldn't come in? Like, if she had previously invited him while in a trance, but it doesn't work when she's mentally more resistant? However, this moment of extreme shock/grief paired with losing the garlic is enough for him to reestablish their connection, so to speak.

[bleeding-star-heart]

I hope that this is not in poor taste, but we’ve come to the part where all the peasants start insisting “please no, please Mr. Harker don’t go to Dracula’s castle”.  Which begs the question? They all know, or suspect, that the Count is a vampire-which is bad in this setting. And yet none of them have attempted to kill him.  Did they try to kill him before, only to fail? Have they simply resigned themselves to their fate, a la learned helplessness, but are reluctant to let an innocent outsider be killed? What is the reason for their lack of doing anything about Dracula?  Why do these peasants allow a monster that terrorizes them so to exist among them? And why don’t they take more drastic measures to stop Mr. Harker from something he could die from? Does Dracula have a sort of secret police or something that prevents active resistance?  Seriously, why has no one tried to, say, torch the castle? Or, maybe stab Dracula during the daytime? They might not have the money to pay someone to kill him, and the church/authorities might not believe them- Well, actually, the church bit raises a whole different thing, but that’s besides the point. 

[kiame-sama]

Hellsing Head Cannons for y'all! Come get y'all's juice!

Warnings; yandere relationship, yandere tendencies, yandere behavior, yandere, NSFW just for subject of content, AU-ish vibes, tw mercy kill,

~~~~~~~~

Some draculas and draculinas become a different kind of vampire, Succubi and Incubi. Typically exclusively and fiercely loyal to the first vampire they feed from via intercourse (almost always it is the vampire that turned them in the first place) but some resist the temptation at first and appear as normal vampires at first (the only way a Succubus/Incubus does not immediately bond with the one who turned them).

They don't feed off of blood like normal vampires do, they feed off of their partner's energy while fucking them. Often kills humans from over exertion alone which is why they tend to exclusively bond to other vampires that have more stamina and can more readily 'feed' the Succubi/Incubi in question.

Succubi and Incubi can control all ghouls, regardless of who turned them and can even turn the ghouls against their master. However, Succubi and Incubi do not have the ability to turn humans into Ghouls or Vampires, and surviving being attacked by one has few consequences other than exhaustion based off of how much energy the Succubi/Incubi drained from them.

Removing the head of a Succubi/Incubi will not kill them as it does other vampires, but their heart is 100% their weak spot since they are a more corrupt version of love and devotion.

They cannot feed themselves through masturbation. Though it does alleviate the hunger for just a little bit, it actually only makes them hungrier once that temporary relief wears off.

Once that hunger turns to pain it is agonizing to the afflicted, and should they continue to "starve" their pain becomes mind-numbing to the point it drives the afflicted completely feral until they completely satisfy their hunger (which can take up to 100 completely drained humans just to fully satisfy a starving Succubus/Incubus).

I can see a Dracula/Draculina (y/n) just giving up once you discover you've been turned (and feel no thirst for blood but instead a confusing pain) and go straight to Hellsing to request they perform a mercy kill on you. Yandere Alucard probably knows the moment you enter Hellsing grounds that you are one of these unique variation vampires and advises Sir Integra to let him keep the the poor and pitiful creature you are and turn this oddity into a positive for Hellsing. Since your hunger took a while to surface you did not stay with your sire. You are still "unbound" and Alucard is quite happy to fill that role as his cute little darling's master and keep you under control.

[1-800iamhispanic]

CHAPTER ONE 3 Months Later

"You know, you really shouldn't be doing that." Trevor Belmont leans forward taking a crate filled with thick leathered books away from Sypha. She sighs, clearly she's annoyed, but doesn't bother to resist taking back the crate from Trevor.

"I didn't say anything when you insisted I shouldn't help with the construction of the town-"

Trevor raises an eyebrow and gives her one of those looks that indicates he's about to contradict her "You did." Sypha pushes past him showing him where she was taking the books, ignoring his comment and stare.

"Then, you forbade me from going out with you on hunts, when you know perfectly well I could kill more creatures of hell than you." She points at an unoccupied table in the library, her eyes closed and a smirk of content as he passes by her, doing as she commands.

"I suggested!" Trevor sets down the crate.

He looks at her just now processing what she had said. "You do kill more hell creatures and yet there is always a bigger mess to clean-"

She begins taking the books out of the crate and slamming them onto the table. "Now you tell me I can't help with the school. I'm pregnant, not disabled Trevor Belmont!"

Trevor smiles at her. He's been happier than ever watching her take charge of the town, helping with everything she can, and for keeping their child safe. She's just about four months pregnant by now, or no perhaps closer to five he thought. God, she'd be well into her fifth month and nearing sixth soon. The small bump was becoming more noticeable, but she seemed more swollen than she was last week. And it was definitely not hard to notice how she was swelling in all the right places. He watched her carefully, taking his time to admire her at this exact moment.

"I said you shouldn't, and I meant, shouldn't be carrying heavy things. You know this town needs you just as much as Junior there does." He bobs his head towards her growing womb, and she places an instinctive hand caressing the curve of her bump.

"Surely that poor child deserves a better name than Junior," a soothing voice speaks from a distant slowly creeping closer as Alucard strolls in. He steps between the two, greeting Sypha.

"Aa-ha! Alucard agrees with me, Junior is a terrible name."

Trevor scoffs and rolls his eyes at Alucard. "And he agrees with me that Treffor is a hideous name."

Sypha glares at Alucard and scoffs at the betrayal. Alucard looks innocently from Trevor to Sypha, "I think this is between the two of you."

Sypha hands the books to a woman who has approached the table. "You mean between the three of us, clearly my child likes it when I call him Treffor," Sypha places a hand on her womb again, feeling her child wiggle about at the name and smiles.

Trevor crosses his arms across his chest and inclines himself towards Alucard. "Oh, so now it's her child. But when she's hurling her guts out in the mornings it's my child."

Sypha glares at Trevor, handing another book to the woman who approached them.

She's been helping with educating the children of the town and had requested new books. Sypha waves her hands about, getting the attention back towards her. "All I'm saying is I need to keep occupied. I refuse to become nothing but a wife who bares children."

Alucard and Trevor exchange awkward glances. Alucard composes himself as Trevor keeps his brows raised obviously very aware of her mention of children.

The woman clears her throat, obviously embarrassed to interrupt their conversation. "If it is work you seek, my Lady, we can always use your expertise in arrangements of the town. No hard labor involved, simply planning and such. I heard that outhouses shouldn't be so near the wells."

Sypha picks the last of the books up herself and nods contently. "You most certainly do not want to place outhouses anywhere near where people drink water, eat or sleep."

Alucard gives her a soft smile. "This is your calling Sypha, this town does need your expertise, for now."

Sypha sighs as the woman carries her stack of books out the door. "Oh, perfect! I get to decide where this town will be shitting for the foreseeable future of Belmont," she adds sarcastically.

Holding her stack of books, she follows the woman out the library.

Trevor holds his smile until he sees the last of Sypha. It isn't until he's certain she's out of reach that he turns to Alucard. "Was there another attack?"

Alucard's feathery blond eyebrows remain still, his features serious and grim. "10 miles west of here. It was only two but that's still two more than I would have hoped to encounter." His voice flowed like silk. Trevor turned heading back into the depths of the castle. He could feel his own face turning old with the seriousness of the topic. Even more so that he had begun to keep this information from Sypha.

"We knew this would happen."

"And yet we hoped it wouldn't," Alucard pauses. He turns in the direction they came from, at the now vanished image of Sypha and turns back to Trevor.

"She should know, you know?"

Trevor turns his head, surprised and confused by Alucard's sudden opinion.

"And she will." He opens the door to an unoccupied room of the castle.

It had been decided amongst the three that this would be a room where they could train, talk and keep for themselves. After vanquishing Death and the events of the Dracula-and-Lisa's-almost vessel, Trevor and Alucard had decided it best to always be prepared. Sypha still had the adrenaline of a win, and for now was content with how things were. She was no fool and knew that there were still monsters to vanquish but for now, she should enjoy the win. Trevor grabs a few daggers large enough for damage and small enough to hide along his body.

"Sypha thought we were finished. She truly believes we won, who am I to take that away from her?"

Alucard watches him. He stays at the entrance of the room, quietly observing. He could see the hurt in Trevor's eyes if not for Sypha's lost dream then for an uncertain future of the child and or children he may bring into the world.

"Trevor, you can't keep lying. And you certainly can't go disappearing more and more often. She has noticed. It won't be long until she starts suspecting and then she'll be the one hunting you."

Trevor laughs moving past Alucard, heading back out of the castle. Alucard unexpectedly takes hold of Trevor's shoulder, keeping him back. "How long until you tire of bloodshed? Stay with the people, with your family. I can deal with the rest."

Trevor yanks his arm free, shaking his head softly as he stares at the floor. "I'm doing this for them, until my last breath. I need you here, to protect home." He heads out the castle, leaving Alucard standing alone.

"Home..." Alucard repeats softly, enjoying the sound of it.

—————————————————

Comment if you would like to read more. Reblog if you liked it.

[bostoniangirl85]

‘Inspector Gadget’ episode review: “Haunted Castle”

I was going to go in episode order for this series, but with the Halloween season I couldn’t resist reviewing my favorite episode.^^

One thing I love about the early episodes of the 80s series is that Gadget isn’t completely incompetent and I think that’s something later adaptations of the IG franchise lost along the way. I feel like later adaptations made Gadget too childlike and idiotic, which makes him less interesting as a character IMO. That’s one reason I love “Haunted Castle” so much - it’s an episode (alone with “Mad Trap”) that shows that Gadget can be quite resourceful when needed. And who doesn’t love a classic haunted house/castle tale?^^

Penny and Brain are going with Gadget in this episode, rather than sneaking after him, and we see this happen in other episodes as well. Which makes me think that Gadget takes Penny and Brain with him if he knows he’s going to be gone for more than a few days. In other episodes Gadget doesn’t take his family along because he insists it’s too dangerous, so that’s an interesting detail here.

I love the idea of Brain being scared of ghosts.^^ The poor dog’s nerves are probably shot by the time Penny’s a teen from all the danger he’s face, but Brain is also very brave just like his two humans.

Good lord, Gadget, I hope you don’t teach Penny to drive! Actually, Penny’s probably already a far better driver at 10 than her uncle.

Something that I’ve always wondered about...is/was Quimby a secret agent? Yes, he’s Gadget’s boss as the chief of police, but why would Quimby attend an international law enforcement conference if his jurisdiction was only within Metro City? I have so many theories about this and Quimby’s background, but all I’ll say for now is that I do think Quimby isn’t *just* the chief of police. He’s clearly a master of disguise as well and I think Quimby has some other role, which is also why Gadget acts more like a secret agent than a city-bound police inspector.

Gadget has a good point about Count Dracula’s hideout being too obvious.^^

The scene where Gadget saves Penny and Brain from falling into his ravine with his Gadget arm is one of my favorites. Poor Penny’s horrified expression when she thought Gadget had fallen really shows how much she cares about him. Although I do wonder why didn’t Gadget just press the button from inside the car? The only reason I can think of is that he weighs a lot more than a regular man would, and wanted to relieve the car of the extra weight to buy some time. This scene also shows that Gadget *can* think on his feet, especially when it comes to Penny and Brain’s safety. He was all business here and I loved it.

I find it so ironic that Gadget doesn’t believe in anything supernatural and yet in another episode he was obsessed with a four-leaf clover. I think this is another example of gaps in his memory/reasoning.

This is another minor detail but I really like how Penny is still young enough that she’s nervous being in the castle, and asks Gadget not to get too far ahead of her. Don’t get me wrong, Penny is *very* brave and I love that about her, but I also think it gives her character more depth to show that despite her courage and brilliance she’s still very young and still at an age where she needs Gadget’s reassurance. It makes her more real and human.

“These are probably priceless, fake artifacts!” Oh lordy, Gadget *snorts*

How long do Gadget’s arms extend anyways?! Also, Gadget can clearly understand some of what Brain says when the latter tries to tell him Penny is in the basement, which is an interesting little detail.

The fire scene made me think about something - is Gadget’s coat made of some special, fire-proof material? It wouldn’t surprise me if it was. Also, Gadget’s skin must be mostly synthetic and able to withstand extreme temperatures given how often he’s caught in explosions/fire.

Right after the fire scene Gadget says they should go back upstairs and looks around suspiciously. This might be me reading too much into this scene, but Gadget clearly knows something’s up. He’s got enough self-awareness to be suspicious/cautious of his next move, even if it did take him a while to catch on. This makes me think that Gadget is more self-aware at times than we see in the show, especially when it comes to Penny’s safety. And he’s competent and decisive when it matters, like we saw with the ravine scene earlier and just now with him putting out quite a large fire.

Of course my favorite scene in this episode is Gadget catching Penny when they both fall though the trapdoor.^^  That required extremely fast reflexes on Gadget’s part and it’s just so sweet.

All in all, this is one of the top episodes IMO of the entire IG franchise.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Over the centuries, Eve has taken in and harbored many vampires who are actively criminals as well as turned people who were criminals and tried to rehabilitate them, to varying degrees of success. Here are a few members of her coven that she took in and tried to redeem, and whether or not she succeeded!

Elizabeth Bathory

Crimes: Killed hundreds upon hundreds of young women in an effort to retain a beautiful, youthful appearance via bathing in their blood, stole a Muramasa blade, cheated on her sire with numerous women, harassed a witch to the point that she was cursed to have all of her portraits depict her as a dumpy and average woman

Redeemed? Debatable. She is no less haughty and condescending as she was when Eve first met her, but her serial killing tendencies were definitely curbed (mainly due to her having a severe infatuation towards Eve). It is also undeniable she still relishes in killing.

Gordon Ruthven

Crimes: Seduced and married numerous women only to kill them, essentially being an inspiration for many Bluebeard stories

Redeemed? Debatable. After joining Eve’s coven he definitely stopped with the serial killing, but he was rather arrogant and haughty. Perhaps being decapitated and having his head sit on Rasputin’s mantlepiece for several decades mellowed him out.

Sawney Bean

Crimes: Together with his mortal wife and their inbred dhampyr clan, he lured travelers to their deaths and eventually even got a taste for human flesh

Redeemed? Nope. Try as he might, Bean could not resist his cannibalistic nature, and frequently slid back into devouring people. Unfortunately, he eventually ended up eating another vampire, and so began the painful transformation into a bloodfiend. Transforming into a reptilian monster with iron teeth, he would try and isolate himself, only to fall back into the same patterns time and time again. After an incident in Glasgow in the 1950s, she had Tony Sugar seal him away deep under one of his factories.

Bartholomew Comstock

Crimes: Horrendously intolerant, banished from his puritan village for his aggressive beliefs, murdered a family with an axe in a blind rage due to his belief they didn’t value God enough

Redeemed? No. He is as vitriolic and intolerant as ever, and only listens to Eve because she is an angel and thus, in his view, a messenger of God. His bigotry has remained utterly unchanged over the centuries, and he still views any who don’t fit his narrow view of the world as unrepentant sinners needing to be punished.

Cyrus Lovelace

Crimes: Slave owner, slave trader, incredibly racist, branded Dahlia, supported the Confederacy, supported the KKK

Redeemed? Absolutely not. He’s as racist as ever, and still relishes in using his power to enslave the souls of his victims (especially if they’re of one of the ‘inferior’ races). At most he tries to keep quiet when he’s around Eve.

Mr. J

Crimes: Betrayed a very good friend of his, which led to that man’s death 

Redeemed? Yes. Both Eve and Amon agreed the man was horribly repentant for his actions when they rescued him from a suicide attempt and gave him a shot at a better life. He spends most of his time wandering the Earth, helping those he comes across as his friend would have wanted.

Jack “The Ripper” Fairchild

Crimes: Killed his abusive father in a fit of rage (not really his worst crime), killed every mortal at Dracula’s school including Rex Hart’s lovers, tried to assault his then-girlfriend Rose Milliner for rejecting him, killed multiple prostitutes in Whitechapel, kidnapped Johan Faust with the express purpose of turning him into his personal torture victim and sex slave, committed numerous acts of murder and cannibalism, killed Jefferey Dahmer (again, not really a crime), gave up his child to fairies, eggs Eve into making poor decisions, chopped up Stella and Dawn Cullen after their mother Beatrix ignored his advances, helped slaughter the Acolytes of Ra, broke Anthony Moore out of prison, sexually harasses anyone he feels like, makes literally everyone around him uncomfortable 

Redeemed? Absolutely fucking not.

[child-of-hurin]

Thinking again about Seward’s resolution in killing Lucy’s monstruous self vs Jonathan’s decision to join Mina if she fully becomes a monster...

it’s an imperfect comparison because Dr. Seward doesn’t contemplate Lucy turning - he is simply faced with the horror caused by her transformation, which quickly - with Van Helsing’s intelectual guidance - turns into disgust for the creature she has become. Seward separates Lucy-human and Lucy-vampire in his mind to the point where he stops calling the second one by her name, calling her instead “the Thing”.

Seward on chapter 16:

When he again lifted the lid off Lucy’s coffin we all looked—Arthur trembling like an aspen—and saw that the body lay there in all its death-beauty. But there was no love in my own heart, nothing but loathing for the foul Thing which had taken Lucy’s shape without her soul.

Then Van Helsing convinces Arthur, Lucy’s fiancée, he must be the one to end her vampiric self - out of love for her true, christian self. 

Seward again, same chapter:

There, in the coffin lay no longer the foul Thing that we had so dreaded and grown to hate that the work of her destruction was yielded as a privilege to the one best entitled to it, but Lucy as we had seen her in her life, with her face of unequalled sweetness and purity.

Jonathan has time to contemplate Mina turning, but/and he also has previous knowledge of what a vampire is.

This is Jonathan, chapter 22:

To one thing I have made up my mind: if we find out that Mina must be a vampire in the end, then she shall not go into that unknown and terrible land alone. I suppose it is thus that in old times one vampire meant many; just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth, so the holiest love was the recruiting sergeant for their ghastly ranks.

NOTE, I’m also fascinated that the scene where Mina talks about pity for the count and for herself comes AFTER Jonathan states the previous thought...

Seward records on chapter 23:

“Jonathan dear, and you all my true, true friends, I want you to bear something in mind through all this dreadful time. I know that you must fight—that you must destroy even as you destroyed the false Lucy so that the true Lucy might live hereafter; but it is not a work of hate. That poor soul who has wrought all this misery is the saddest case of all. Just think what will be his joy when he, too, is destroyed in his worser part that his better part may have spiritual immortality. You must be pitiful to him, too, though it may not hold your hands from his destruction.”

As she spoke I could see her husband’s face darken and draw together, as though the passion in him were shrivelling his being to its core. Instinctively the clasp on his wife’s hand grew closer, till his knuckles looked white. She did not flinch from the pain which I knew she must have suffered, but looked at him with eyes that were more appealing than ever. As she stopped speaking he leaped to his feet, almost tearing his hand from hers as he spoke:—

“May God give him into my hand just for long enough to destroy that earthly life of him which we are aiming at. If beyond it I could send his soul for ever and ever to burning hell I would do it!”

“Oh, hush! oh, hush! in the name of the good God. Don’t say such things, Jonathan, my husband; or you will crush me with fear and horror. Just think, my dear—I have been thinking all this long, long day of it—that ... perhaps ... some day ... I, too, may need such pity; and that some other like you—and with equal cause for anger—may deny it to me! 

Then further, on chapter 25, Mina finally makes them all swear to not hesitate to kill her if the time comes:

“(...) what will you give to me?” She looked again questioningly, but this time avoided her husband’s face. Quincey seemed to understand; he nodded, and her face lit up. “Then I shall tell you plainly what I want, for there must be no doubtful matter in this connection between us now. You must promise me, one and all—even you, my beloved husband—that, should the time come, you will kill me.”

Quincey promises, then Van Helsing, then Arthur and Seward. Then,

her husband turned to her wan-eyed and with a greenish pallor which subdued the snowy whiteness of his hair, and asked:—

“And must I, too, make such a promise, oh, my wife?”

Mina says he must, and makes him read the Burial Service, but... he doesn’t actually say he promises :o Not that I think he was trying to wiggle out; I just think it’s interesting. Van Helsing explicitly promises twice.

Jonathan’s narration makes me think his personal hatred for Dracula and vampires is more vicious and laced with disgust and contempt than anyone else in the group, but his first instinct when considering that Mina might not be saved is... To go with her...

PS to myself, 

Also this bit which belongs to the scene where they talk about pity on chapter 23:

We men were all in tears now. There was no resisting them, and we wept openly. She wept, too, to see that her sweeter counsels had prevailed. Her husband flung himself on his knees beside her, and putting his arms round her, hid his face in the folds of her dress.

*chucks it straight into the adoration tag*

[thelastranger]

Secret Santa- RA edition

To cut back on the stress of gift buying and giving, the wards (plus Cassie) and the adults divided into groups and exchanged names. 

The “Kids”

Horace: Horace received Cassie’s name. The pressure of picking out the only gift his girlfriend would receive from their friend group was a lot for Horace and he ended up waffling between many things until the last moment when he decided on a finely wrought, delicate, super elaborate fencing sword. 

Will: From Will, George gets a boxed set of his favorite fantasy series signed by the author. It's a series that they both liked as little kids and would read together to escape Horace’s attempts to drag them into the moat. 

Jenny: She gets Will a set of nice throwing knives and a set of cooking knives. She makes him promise to teach her how to throw knives properly and she promises to teach him how to mince insanely fast.

George: George gets Alyss gets her a baseball bat and it utterly confuses Will and Horace, who were there when he bought it. Alyss recognizes the inside joke immediately from their very intense game of Pictionary (George drew a baseball bat and Alyss guessed Dracula correctly and immediately to everyone’s shock)

Alyss: She gets Horace a restaurant subscription so that they can go to a new restaurant each month and hang. It's all really fancy restaurants. Half the time Horace practices his manners for dining with society with Cassie and Duncan while Alyss practices her own table manners, the other half of the time is them clowning rich people.

Cassie: From Cassie, Jenny gets a beautifully bound notebook to write recipes and journal in and a set of nice pens. Cassie wrote in her favorite cookie recipe that the previous head chef had taught her.

The “adults” + Gilan: Poor Gilan got roped into the adult's Secret Santa because he was already at the adult table since they needed a sixth person to round out the setting and he was the oldest. He'd much rather be sitting the wards and Cassie, but he was the closest adult and Crowley was already a little too into his eggnog to care

Crowley: He gives Pauline a very classy bottle of wine and a silver framed picture of the two of them and Halt during college that Pauline had never seen before. She winces at her unfortunate haircut but the memory is far sweeter than the regret Pauline has over her overly teased and permed hair.

Pauline: She gets Duncan a series of music lessons after Duncan kept mentioning that he would like to learn how to play the piano like Rosalind did. Duncan ends up being pretty terrible at the piano, but forces people to listen to him anyway.

Duncan: Duncan does not know what hip young adults like Gilan like to get as presents and Anthony is willing to help, but he is as equally clueless about what the Youth like (he suggested a set of linens and curtains) Gilan eventually receives a thick stack of cash and gift cards that are very much appreciated.

Arald: From Arald, Halt receives thick woolen socks that have a slight but gaudy oakleaf pattern on them. They are water resistant, lightweight yet warm, and practically indestructible (Crowley would know- he tried to burn the things after Halt kept rubbing them in his face both metaphorically and literally) The package is wrapped up in this morning's newspaper that is slightly coffee stained (Arald knew Halt would appreciate that touch) It's a lame but thoughtful gift and Halt wears them as often as possible. 

Gilan: Gilan last minute panic buys a pun-of-the-day calendar that costs him precisely $5. Arald adores it. Everyone else hates it 

Halt: He made no effort to hide the fact that he got Crowley, complained the whole time saying that Crowley was impossible to shop for, made a huge fuss with lots of false hints that stressed both Crowley and Pauline out, then quietly presented Crowley with a wooden oakleaf that Pritchard had carved years ago when it came time to exchange presents. It brings Crowley to tears

[johaerys-writes]

Where Blood Roses Bloom

Fandom: Castlevania

Pairings: Alucard/Trevor Belmont/Sypha, Hector/Lenore

Summary:

After Trevor gets grievously injured by a night creature, he and Sypha return to Dracula's castle to seek Alucard's help. The man they find there, however, is but a shadow of the friend they left behind.

Meanwhile, in far Styria, Hector does his best to survive in the vampires' court, a lamb amidst wolves. Little do the wolves know, the lamb has fangs of its own.

Chapter 8: Safe is up! The trio return to the castle after their brief encounter with the night-creatures in the woods, and have some much needed quiet time. Plenty of introspection, angst, hurt/comfort, Alucard POV :)

Read on AO3! Or read from the beginning

“I prepared a bath,” Sypha says with a small, awkward smile as soon as Adrian steps into his room. “I figured you would need it.”

He stands at the threshold of his study, blinking into the interior. In the time it took for him and Belmont to return to the castle, Sypha lit up the fire in the hearth, dragged one of the copper tubs in his room and filled it with warm water; she even put some order to his chaos, placed his books back in their proper place, tidied his desk, folded his blankets. It... almost feels like home again.

It is still odd, though, to see her in his space; it has been so long since anyone has stepped foot in any place he called his very own. It should have felt like an invasion, but it doesn’t. He is surprised by how much he welcomes her presence there, considering how things were left between them before he stormed out of the castle.

“You and Trevor took your time getting here. I should probably reheat this,” she says, and her gaze glides discreetly straight past him and to the tub of water, which waits for him by the fire. "Unless you have a preference for lukewarm to cold baths?”

Adrian lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Belmont's horse had been so spooked by the night-creatures, that it took almost an hour for them to find it, trudging through the snow. With Belmont stopping every so often to catch his breath, Adrian was surprised they even managed to get back at all. At length, they found the poor animal hiding behind a small thicket, close to a lake nearby. Even when they climbed into the saddle, the horse was jittery and restless, and Adrian would have turned into a wolf and ran to the castle on his own four legs if he hadn't thought it would have unsettled the beast even more.

Besides, riding two-saddle with Belmont wasn’t quite as uncomfortable as he would have once thought. The warmth of his chest, pressed up against his back, was more than welcome against the bitter cold he had had to endure that past day, and his arms resting at either side of him as he held the reins felt… good. Comforting. Infuriatingly so.

Not that Adrian would ever admit that to him outright, but still.  

Sypha flicks her fingers, and instantly there is steam rising from the water, giving off the sweet scent of herbal soap. It smells faintly like her, Adrian realises, and something warm spreads within him at the thought that she used her own soap to prepare his bath. Sypha gives him a last smile as she turns to leave. “I’ll come back to bring you some tea. Or would you perhaps like some time alone…?”

“Tea sounds wonderful,” Adrian replies, and is surprised by how readily the words fly out of his mouth. “Thank you, Sypha.”

Her smile widens, and there is a flicker of understanding, but also of expectation in her eyes. Her gaze has none of the hurt or confusion it did last time she had seen him, none of the shock and fear. That alone is more comforting that Adrian can express.

“Alright then,” she says quietly, her cheeks taking on a rosy hue. “I’ll be back soon. I'd better go check on our perpetual patient first.” The door closes softly behind her, and Adrian is on his own.

With mechanical movements, he pulls off his boots, removes his clothes. A small blanket of snow, muddle and pine needles is gathered around his feet as he undresses. He doesn’t even bother folding them, leaving them on the floor next to the tub instead; they’re all covered in so much blood and dirt that he hardly make out the colour of the fabric anyway.

The warm, soapy water is slightly on the scalding hot side, but Adrian doesn’t hesitate a moment before lowering himself in it. It embraces his body swiftly and the many cuts and scrapes on his arms and legs sting. Adrian leans back against the sturdy copper of the tub and lets the water seep into his sore and tired muscles and take away the ache, the cold, the numbness. He rests his head on the rim of the tub and closes his eyes with a sigh.

The past couple of days drift behind his tightly closed eyelids, before he can stop them. His duel with Belmont, their ill-timed kiss, the dinner he and Sypha prepared for him, their argument. Himself running away, the castle and the forest disappearing behind him in a blur. He doesn't remember that many details after this, nothing concrete; only himself running for miles and miles until his limbs were numb and his lungs were on fire. Even when he could run no more, though, when he was so far away from the castle that he couldn’t even see its tall and sharp peaks, he remembers the ache in his heart being exactly the same, as if he’d never taken a step away.

They’re always within him, those memories, that hollowness, that pain. No matter how fast he runs, how far, they're always there. The voices in his head that tell him that he’s meant to be alone, that he's always been different, that he doesn't belong. All of his life, even since he has any sort of recollection of himself, he remembers feeling adrift, with neither foot planted firmly on the ground beneath him. Half human and half vampire; a part of both worlds, and accepted by neither. His father, after he had lost his mind, had tried to kill him because he thought him too human, soft and weak, with a human heart and human sensibilities; Sumi and Taka had tried to kill him because he wasn’t human enough, because to them he was a ruthless, heartless monster, same as the ones they’d come to know.

As if there really is any difference between vampires and humans in how monstrous they can be.

Adrian has seen enough of the world to know that anyone’s a monster to someone. He is a monster in the world of humans, and a monster in the world of vampires; an oddity and a stranger in both. If there is no place for him in this world, then where is he supposed to be? What is he supposed to be?

If you’re a monster, then so am I.

Belmont’s words ring in his ears. Adrian grips the edges of the copper tub tightly, until his knuckles go white. He presses his eyes shut, trying to ignore the shock he had felt at that moment, but also the affection that swells within him and that he can no longer deny. It rises in his chest, shy like an early spring bud on cold and frosty ground, even as he tries to push it down. It reminds him of the earnestness in Belmont’s gaze as he said it, the warmth of his touch and the steadiness of his presence, and it makes him wonder if, maybe, just maybe, there is hope for Adrian yet.

And if that isn’t the cruelest thing that Belmont has ever done to him.

So lost is he in his thoughts, that he doesn’t even hear Sypha as she enters the room. Her footsteps are quiet and her voice soft when she says his name, the teapot and fine china rattling on her tray. The sweet aroma of herbal tea fills the room.  

“I brought you tea. Would you like some?”

Adrian has no strength to respond to her. It feels like it has all been drained out of him the moment he stopped running, as if his resolve simply crumbled the minute he stopped resisting.

“Alucard,” she says again, and Adrian doesn’t quite know why that name, from her lips, tears at him. She cautiously steps closer, and set the tray on the low coffee table. She extends her hand gingerly to touch his shoulder, but he recoils with a sharp intake of breath. A look of hurt flashes over her features.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbles, and that too, sends a stab of pain through him. “Would you like me to leave?”

Adrian takes a deep, slow breath to calm his rapidly beating heart, then shakes his head silently. He doesn’t want to be alone, but he doesn’t want to look at her either. He’s not sure what he’ll see there, this time.

“Would you like to talk?” Sypha asks, and again Adrian shakes his head. She gazes around the room, her eyes falling on a low stool. Carefully, she picks it up and brings it close to the tub. “I’ll sit here and keep you company, then. Is that alright?”

His silence is enough of an answer. She sits there, quietly for a time, gazing out of the window while he stares at the water in his bath. It’s starting to get cold, but a flick of Sypha’s wrist and it’s comfortably warm again. Adrian hugs himself tightly, pulling his knees up to his chest. He doesn’t quite know what to tell her; it’s awkward, sitting with her like this, but at the same time talking feels like an impossible task right now. His throat is raw and his heart is heavy, and there's so many thoughts swivelling in his mind that he wouldn't know where to start, even if he tried.

Still, he doesn’t want her to leave. That, he knows well enough. Her presence is comforting, the scent of her skin and of her herbal soap drifting around him, and she is humming an old song under her breath, like the ones his mother used to sing once. It helps fill the void a little.

“Do you want me to wash the blood off you?” she asks softly, a while after they’ve both been sitting there in silence.

Blood. Right. Adrian’s hands are still covered in it; it’s both Belmont’s and the night creatures’, and perhaps a little bit of his own, too. He has done nothing all the time he’s been in the tub, other than dejectedly sit in the water. He listens as Sypha stands up and looks around the room, then comes back with what must be a washcloth.

“I’m going to touch you now,” she says. “Is that alright?”

Adrian nods guardedly, but he still flinches a little when he feels her hands on him. She pauses and withdraws.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers again, with patience. Adrian swallows thickly, embarrassment rising within him with every moment that passes. Her apologies somehow make him feel even worse. He wonders if she’ll really get up and leave this time, but at the same time he has no energy to speak or to comfort her. He simply waits, eyes fixed on the water, hugging himself tighter still.

Sypha tries again, more slowly and gently this time, and this time Adrian doesn’t flinch quite as much. She carefully brushes the cloth over his hands and forearms, turns his wrists this way and that, carefully cleaning the blood and grime away. The warm cloth feels rough against his skin, and it stings just a little when she wipes the blood of the scratches the night creatures managed on him, but Sypha’s touch is gentle, even tender. She is careful not to linger too long on any of his scars, to brush the cloth over them as lightly as possible, as if afraid they’re still hurting him. And in a way, they are.

It feels like an eternity has passed since anyone has touched him for so prolonged a time. It reminds him of the last time someone touched his bare skin like this, a night that is etched in his memory with blood and fire and sharpened steel, and he trembles. He tries to remind himself that he is safe now, that Sypha has been nothing but patient with him all the while she’s been here and has never physically harmed him, that he can still protect himself if need be, if bad comes to worse.

He trembles all the same.

“Would you like me to stop?” she asks, her voice but the barest whisper murmured between them. “One word, and I’ll stop, Alucard. I’ll leave you be.”

Adrian closes his eyes and breathes slowly. He gives his head a slow, steady shake. He feels so strange like this, naked and vulnerable and exposed. He doesn't appreciate being seen in this state, but he finds Sypha’s touch almost tolerable. More than that, he knows the absence of it will leave him feeling... empty.

So he takes a deep breath and lets her clean his arms, his shoulders, his chest, lets her wash his hair. Her fingers are gentle and delicate when they thread through his locks and massage his scalp, working up a lather. She touches him like he’s fragile, easily breakable, like his skin is made of paper and his bones of glass. A part of Adrian knows that this sort of tenderness is unnecessary; that kindness such as this often pushes the hurt and loathing deeper instead of washing it away. Still, he is grateful. He’s grateful for her patience, grateful for her care, and he leans into it even as a part of him rebels against it, begs to run away again.

Adrian loses track of how long they stay like this, with him soaking in the water and Sypha’s hands on his skin, his scars; her gentle humming in his ears. At length, she starts talking to him in low and mellow tones, without expecting any answer. She speaks of the books she has found in the library, of the many spells she's managed to unearth, but it isn't long before her descriptions of spells and scrolls devolve into tales and legends of ages past and long forgotten. Snow is falling gently beyond the window, fluffy snowflakes tapping the glass, and Sypha is telling him a story of a water nymph in a far away land, up to the North, that fell in love with a hunter, and saved him from certain death when he fell in a frozen lake in the depths of winter. The nymph heard his cries and pulled him out of the water, Sypha says, then dragged him to a cave, and almost scalded herself when she tried to light a fire, so that he wouldn’t freeze. She nursed the hunter to health, and stayed with him until he gained full consciousness, even though it was getting harder for her every day, being away from the safety of her cold waters.

Adrian doesn’t know why this story tugs at him so viscerally. He listens attentively while she speaks, afraid to miss a single word.

“It is true, then,” he says quietly, when she almost reaches the end of her tale, speaking more to himself rather than to her. “The things we cherish the most often do us… the most harm.”

Sypha’s fingers stop their careful ministrations for a moment. Adrian thinks he can hear a soft smile in her voice when she whispers, “Certain things are worth fighting for, even if they hurt sometimes.”

Adrian says nothing to that. He just glances up at her, golden eyes meeting crystal blue. “What happened to the nymph?” he asks, and his heart beats with a strange sort of expectation.

Her smile widens, and she tilts her head to the side so that the light from the fire paints her fair skin amber. “They fell in love and lived happily ever after. The nymph in her lake, and the hunter in the cabin he built close by to be with her.”

Adrian huffs a quiet laugh at the gentle triumph that flashes in her eyes. “Do all your stories have a happy ending?”

“No,” she says, pouring fresh water over his hair to wash the soap away, “but this one does.” Her voice becomes softer when she whispers, “At least I hope it does.”

Read the rest on AO3!