088 » guess i won't be coming to church on sunday

[soulsteal]

[by the time alucard finds him at the top of that clocktower — with the night sky up above, moonlight caught against his silver hair and starlight gleaming in his eyes — soma has sobered up. a little bit, anyway. not enough, but mostly.

soma is seated over the ledge with alucard's sword in its scabbard resting against his shoulder; irresponsibly, he is still drinking, though at the very least he's just got a beer held by the neck of its bottle rather than any of the harder drinks that got him to this point to begin with.

when he sees alucard, he smiles and lifts his beer by way of greeting.]

You found me.

[well, there's only one clocktower in town. but yes, alucard found him. honestly, he sounds a little bit happy to be found.]

Comments

[cryptsleeper]

[It's night. It's dark. So to hell with it, once Alucard walks himself out to the clock tower he decides that there's no particular value in hiding his own nature. If anyone sees him levitating the full height of this thing, then they're clearly seeing things.

His movement upward is slow and practiced, his hair gently billowing out behind him like the floating vampire Jesus that Trevor once accused him of being. Yet just like Soma his hair gleams against that same silvery moonlight.

One step forward, then another. He's on the roof, gently looming over Soma.]

I checked the ten other clock towers first, obviously.

[His eyes settle on the beer, the flash of really? clear in his eyes.]

I'd love to know how you got up here though.

[soulsteal]

I did some very stylish, very inadvisable parkour.

[soma laughs a laugh almost like a cackle — father, on the rare occasion he laughed at his own jokes, before the madness set in, but too light, too, the voice younger. the night breeze ruffles his white hair and the fur cowl around his jacket. they'd be a sight if anyone was around to see them: gold and silver, like twin stars against the night sky.

soma tips the bottle back, taking a measured swig of it before breaking into another irreverent smirk. it's empty now, so he sets it aside, leaving it at the top of the clocktower, where maybe the tower keeper will find it in the morning.]

I don't need vampire powers to do crazy, badass shit.

[cryptsleeper]

Of course you did.

[It's said with resignation and a total lack of surprise, because truly, what did Alucard expect? The attitude isn't entirely unfamiliar to him, and it's more an exhausted friend than anything else. Defining the best way to navigate this entire situation has been impossible to do, and the little pangs of nostalgia for six hundred years ago are when the impossibility manifests the most.

Admittedly, it helps when a little bit of punkass shows. Like that smirk, and it comes with a thin frown.]

How did you intend to get down if I didn't show up then?

[soulsteal]

Ehh... [a shrug.] I was pretty sure you'd show up.

[because — and soma does believe this, even if he wouldn't be the first to say it out loud — alucard is, at heart, a kind person. soma does believe that he is a kind person. he may not know why or where that kindness stems from — he may not always even get along with alucard — but he does, fundamentally, think of alucard as a nice guy.

are they friends? are they not friends? soma isn't sure. he's had so few friends in his life aside for mina, and the other friends they've made along the way are very strange.

he extends one arm out to alucard from where he is sitting. for alucard to take his hand, or haul him up, or whatever else seems appropriate.]

But if you didn't, I could just nap up here until I sobered up enough to get down or the maintenance guy found me. You know, whichever came first.

[cryptsleeper]

I suppose I should be flattered by that level of confidence.

[And he is. Alucard makes a point of not examining that too hard, as there's bound to be too many emotions in that snake pit.

It's much easier to focus on the present. He hauls Soma up with pointed ease, and then clicks his tongue gently.]

I suppose I either carry you down like a princess, a sack of potatoes, or like a child demanding a piggy back ride.

[soulsteal]

[soma just scoffs in a mildly disgruntled way, though not quite to the degree of being truly angry.]

Go with "princess" or "piggyback." I had enough of being slammed and swung like a sack of potatoes when I was going through the castle the first time.

[regardless of what alucard chooses, however, soma will move his limbs to accommodate and be as... comfortable of a load to carry as possible. he may be a little lazy and spoiled, but he's not inconsiderate!]

...I'm not a princess or a child, for the record.

[cryptsleeper]

Piggyback it is.

[So with that, Alucard turns his back to Soma and crouches down. It'll be easiest for Soma to hop on.]

No, you're closer to bratty teenager making bad choices right now.

so sorry for how late this is ;;

[soulsteal]

[ahh, does he really have to do this? it's... hm. embarrassing isn't really the word for it. it's familiar in a strange way, nostalgic without any nostalgia — mostly in that soma can't remember ever doing this, even as a child. nonetheless, the difference in height and build between him and alucard is pronounced enough that this shouldn't be too difficult. both arms around the neck, legs half-cinched around the waist...]

Hey, in a few years, I won't have any excuses for my bad behavior. Cut me some slack.

[...all right, maybe he does bury his nose into that fine waterfall of golden hair. just a little. but nothing creepy! it'd be irresistible to just about anybody!]

You can call me a bratty teenager making bad choices now. Later on, I'll just be an asshole.

no apologies i will always tag back

[cryptsleeper]

When have I ever given you the impression that I cut people slack?

[Alucard's careful as he makes sure Soma's legs are secure, and he goes so far as to hook his arms under them to be sure. It isn't as if Soma's small or fragile by any means, but there's still a need to make sure all is well. That all is safe as he begins to float them both down.

It's a very nice vanilla and amber shampoo, thank you.]

No, you'll still be an immature brat. Asshole is far more willful and damaging, I think.

♥

[soulsteal]

Okay, fair point.

[to his credit, soma is, as promised, not a shitty drunk, and he doesn't squirm or cause any trouble as alucard dutifully takes them to lower ground. he's not even particularly heavy — a belmont would surely be heftier.]

But seriously, what if a hundred years pass and I'm still causing you trouble like this?

[cryptsleeper]

I always have a new rash of trouble in a hundred years.

[There's an unintended weariness when he says this. Every century, there is his father. That Soma asks this particular question feels like aun intended joke.]

Trouble will just have your face for something different.

Tell me, what do you think you'll be doing in a hundred years?