bakerstreet | bad dreams

[There's an openly confused expression on Walter's face. An apology is about the last thing he expected to hear, and with the sound of it lingering in the air he's not quite sure what to do with it.]

I was mostly just reading things related to our work.

[He'd been restless, too. Though he is less so now.]

I can't exactly play a record on the gramophone upstairs, what with everyone sleeping. And there isn't much recreational reading material in this place that I consider interesting.

[ alucard almost regrets saying it as soon as it leaves his mouth but it's too late for second thoughts now, even if it'd been strange enough to make walter look at him like that. it's not that he's incapable of apology, just that he never sees a reason to.

he looks at walter a moment in the dark, head canted slightly. ]

The nazi part or the vampire part? Or both?

[ he's not even sure what the damned room holds, honestly. it's not as though he's allowed in it and even he can't read through walls. ]

If he had a heart, he'd put one down here somewhere too. It's not as though the sound would carry all the way upstairs.

[ alucard would hear it, though: he hears it upstairs when it's in use, faintly, through the layers of stone and wood.

at that last, he snorts. ]

Is there even any recreational reading in this whole place that isn't some of his absurd smut?

[By feel alone, Walter retrieves the chrome lighter tucked in his pocket. He flips it open with a metallic click, the scrape of the flint wheel sending sparks flying the short distance needed to set the wick aflame.

It is only a small light, but he can see better now, and it feels just a little bit more natural to converse with a face you can see instead of a set of faintly glowing markings.]

Believe it or not, there is. [He says with a snort of something between amusement and derision. Arthur's... tastes are not his own.] Not much in the way of fiction, but I definitely saw a few things upstairs.

[ alucard's eyes flick from the small flame and back to walter's face. he had no trouble seeing, of course: but there's no light to turn on down here and so that lighter's all walter's about to get.

the pain in his seals is getting worse: he hasn't disobeyed this long since abraham's days, so it's been a while since the burning has escalated this much. the only show of discomfort is a faint grimace, one that passes quickly. ]

Is there? I'm surprised, based on his behavior. If he doesn't straighten up he won't leave behind an heir, and then, well.

[ if arthur dies without an heir, without a plan, alucard won't have a master any longer. he grins, a sharp thing in the dark. ]

That said, at least he's not completely occupied in that way, I suppose.

You say that as though it isn't remarkable that he doesn't have half a dozen heirs already. The things I find when I clean up after him... [Walter mutters the last statement, eyes squinting almost shut for a moment. He has seen things. Things that no child should see. Things that he cannot un-see. Yet, they are burned into his memory.

He finds the horrors of the battlefield much more comfortable to contend with.]

What would you do? If he had no heir. Please don't tell me you'd go to the little brother. Bastard's a sodding prick and I can't stand talking to him even if it's just on the telephone. [From the brief conversations they have had when Walter answered said telephone, Walter has come to the firm conclusion that Arthur's brother, Richard, is a two-faced, self-entitled brat.]

I hope he never comes here.

Well, I meant legitimate ones. I actually don't know if bastard children would count. They'd still have the blood, but not the family name. [ he sounds thoughtful about it, leaning against the side of his coffin further. it's interesting to think about. ] Abraham had an heir late in life, after all, upon realizing he couldn't just die without one.

[ alucard squints at the mention of richard before he barks an absolutely unkind laugh. ] There's no way that idiot is going to take over. Arthur wouldn't leave it to him, and even if he did, Richard seems the type of man to make just the right kind of mistake.

[ alucard's teeth click together with that, for emphasis. ]

I've not heard Arthur speak a kind word of him, in any case. If he comes here, I'll eat him given the first opportunity.

[A wistful sigh leaves the boy's lips.] Haah~... I am going to imagine that the next time I pick up the phone and it turns out to be him.

[The teeth sinking in. The blood spraying. The bulging eyes. The impotent scream of fear and indignation.

He doesn't think Arthur would approve of said thoughts, but he doesn't think his master would approve of the other times and ways he's imagined Richard dying, either.]

Try not to let your eagerness for his demise bleed into the conversation.

[ with a wry smile. he aches for it though, to rip him to shreds, to rip arthur to shreds. walter, though: walter hasn't earned his ire. walter is, despite everything, the person that alucard views as his only friend, even if walter doesn't see it the same way. ]

I can't imagine him trying to be my master. Arthur well knows that if his hand slips even the slightest bit on my leash, he's done. I don't think Richard would take to that warning wholeheartedly.

[The comment about Arthur earns Alucard an inquisitive look. Walter tips his head to the side, thoughtful.]

Do you hate Arthur?

[It's a serious question. He hasn't truly thought about it until now. He's young and thinks mostly of the here and now, not of what may have transpired before his being taken in. He knows how Alucard acts, but very little of how he feels. And now... now he is curious.]

[ alucard pauses, looking to walter for a long moment before he answers. his tone is a little more careful now, a little less flippant. ]

Well, he's not as bad as Abraham, but it's difficult to not hate someone that keeps me locked away and alters me against my will.

[ because all the experiments on alucard, everything to make him stronger, are against his will. he never wanted any of it, after all. ]

I think he's a foolish man, but foolish men prosper often enough.

...I see. I never thought of it that way. [It's a sobering thought. It hadn't even occurred to him that Arthur's experiments might be against Alucard's will. Not when they were aimed at making him stronger. Walter had grown stronger by similar means, after all. And he had wanted it. Even though it was painful, even though it was dangerous for him, he had wanted it; it was the only way he would have been allowed into combat at such a tender age in this era, even in their unusual organization.

As much as Arthur's habits and personality drive him up the wall at times, he is grateful for what the man has done for him.]

It's not that I mind being stronger. I mind not being given a choice in the matter.

[ he sighs, scrunching up a little where he sits. he knows walter isn't in the same position as him, which he supposes is good, but even when he was Vlad he didn't have child soldiers. It sits oddly in him, but he doesn't speak of it.

what he will speak of is: ]

Being locked in my coffin until I'm being useful is pretty annoying too.

Is that what your prohibition is? Being in the coffin?

[There are ways around that, Walter thinks, if all he has to do is stay in the coffin.]

What if someone took you outside, coffin and all?

Well, the lid's supposed to be closed too, but that's not very conducive to carrying on a conversation.

[ walter's suggestion makes him blink and he shrugs--he's never really thought about doing much about it other than breaking the rules long enough to kill arthur or something, but it's a small enough disobedience... ]

It'd burn, but I don't see why not. It's not like I'd be going on a rampage through the manor.

Good. I'll be your chaperone. Or your kidnapper. Whichever story works better.

[With a sharp clap, the lighter is closed, the space around him plunging back into darkness. Said darkness is short-lived. Little more than a second passes before he has the door open again, the light from the hall spilling in once more.

The lighter pocketed, he walks over to where the lid rests on the floor, crouching down once he gets there. The lid is larger than he is, but he has more than enough strength in his body to hoist it with ease.]

You can be both, I don't mind.

[ it is a little funny that a 15 year old is going to be his chaperone, but he doesn't comment on that. he watches as the teen moves, eyes following him intently before he's close enough to touch.

alucard doesn't, naturally, but the coffin lid's right there and he sighs rather dramatically, twisting and flopping back so that it can be put back where it belongs. really, walter could just close him up and leave him there, but alucard trusts him to his word.

he realizes that he does belatedly, and it surprises him. he certainly doesn't trust anyone else. ]

[Amused, Walter lets out a short huff of laughter. While he's thoroughly accustomed to being the more responsible party — especially around Arthur — he can't help but enjoy the mental image of the looks he might get from telling people the kidnapping story.

They'd probably think he was barmy.]

It's not a clear sky tonight, but you might be able to see a few stars between the clouds.

[Lifting the lid up, he's careful in setting it back down over the coffin, letting one side settle in as he gives the vampire a cheeky smile through the remaining gap.]

See you soon!

That's enough for me.

[ he says it softly but carefully, like it's letting on too much to show any emotion about it. but he misses the sky so damn much, misses having even a moment of peace, that it's a lot to think about.

red eyes glint in the low light as the lid comes down and he wiggles his fingers slightly in a wave.

he doesn't say anything, because he's concentrating on this moment. his seals stop burning the second the lid settles closed and he snorts, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. honestly, even if that conversation was all he got, it's something.

if he gets more, that's just icing on the cake, isn't it? he won't mind his seals burning again as soon as the lid opens because he's getting something he wants. ]

[There's a moment of quiet perforated only by Walter's quiet breathing. Slate blue eyes sweep their gaze over the coffin, analysing.

The size of it is too cumbersome to carry at waist level. He'll have to hoist it onto his back.

Decision made, he stretches out an arm. With a twitch of his fingers, he brings forth the steel wires, bending him to his will with the most minute of movements.

His gift from Arthur. One augmentation out of several, but by far the most interesting of them. The most difficult to learn and manage. But the most useful in overall versatility. It's the gift that makes the other human soldiers eye him warily.

The wires wrap around the coffin. They can cut apart just about anything if he were to employ them to, but here he manoeuvres them delicately, avoiding damage. He tips the coffin up, keeping the lid secure, in place, as he settles it against his back, and lifts.

It's a bit of a walk to go up the stairs and get them outside, but he's strong enough to make it with ease. In two minutes, they are outside, and he's laying the coffin back on the ground.

He knocks on it once it is down.]

Still awake?

[ alucard hears it all, because of course he does. he can feel the care walter takes with his coffin, which is appreciated as it's as much a part of him as his arm is. that's why it's so strange and sentient, because it has him imbued in it.

still, it's a surprisingly short trip outside and when the knock comes, alucard snorts and knocks back. ]

I don't fall asleep that quickly. Let me out.

[ he's happy, he thinks, for the first time outside of battle in a long time. he doesn't get to keep many secrets, and he thinks this is a good one. so long as arthur doesn't wake up and look out the window, they'll be fine. and since arthur probably drank himself to sleep or had one of his long moments with call girls, he'd be surprised if the master of the house did wake up. ]

[The smirk returns. Curling his fingers around the edge, he lifts the lid loose, sliding it until it falls to the coffin's side. He's not supremely delicate with it this time, since it's just his hands and not his wires, but he isn't unnecessarily rough, either.

Alucard will find him sitting next to the coffin. The ground isn't wet; it hasn't rained today, even though there are clouds in the sky. There might be a rain cloud among them, but the sky overhead is absent of storm clouds.]

You don't fall asleep quickly, but you sleep like the dead.

[That might be a bad joke, but he has zero shame in making it.]

[ alucard is relieved when the coffin opens again, even though the searing pain in his seals is back immediately. he grimaces once but doesn't speak of it--the glow of them is enough for walter to know why--and just lifts himself on his elbows, grinning faintly as he tips his head back to stare up at the sky.

the air is so different than the damp stagnant state of the basement, and he takes a long breath even though he doesn't need to breathe at all.

the bad joke makes him snort faintly, but he glances over at walter as his grin widens. ]

It's the only thing that keeps what little sanity I have left from leaving me.

[ he looks back up, observing the clouds and the stars peeking out from between them. ]

I miss the sky.

[ it's more solemn, more serious. it's what he misses the most when he's locked away: the moonlight through the clouds, the stars twinkling down at him. it's so vast, and it's strange but he feels almost overwhelmed by this, by the gesture of it. he doesn't think walter actually understands what this means to him.

part of him vows to be better to him on their missions, though his prodding is always in what he feels is good fun. play, and all that: it wouldn't suit them to be gentle to one another always.

a respite like this is nice. ]

Then we should do this more often.

[He may not understand the full impact it has on the vampire, but something about it just feels right. They can be like oil and water on missions at times; their priorities are different and it frustrates Walter to no end. But he enjoys the companionship in between.

Even with the ribbing.]

Except when it's raining. [He flops down onto his back, still smirking, still amused. He'd look awful drenched. Maybe Alucard would, too.]

[ alucard wants to have fun on their missions. he never gets to have fun, and the fight is exciting to him. but he's fickle, capricious, and his attention span for their exact orders is short. so of course they clash, but it doesn't make alucard like walter any less.

quite the opposite, the fact that walter can keep up with him and does makes him like him all the more. ]

I'd probably smell like a wet dog anyway, I'm fine with no rain.

[ it's a joke, because he can turn into a dog. it's fine. he looks over at walter, grinning a little. it's clear he's in a good mood now, but it's not his usual manic demeanor. it's gentler, somehow. ]

Though if I'm a wet dog, you'd look like a drowned cat.

[Well, that wasn't quite the awful Walter was picturing. But he is now, and it's even worse.]

Oh, how cruel you are with your description.

[Belatedly, it occurs to him that the standard euphemism is actually drowned rat. He shifts his body until he's half sitting again, twisting to his side and propping his weight on one arm to look at Alucard with a curious tilt of his head.]

Why a cat?

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