[But more than that, Alucard will lean over. Bump his shoulder against Geralt's briefly. It'll be a true embrace when the time to make a choice comes, regardless of which direction Alucard goes with. Geralt's earned it.
Fuck if this relationship hasn't been an evolution though. The dhampir remembers how vividly he was terrified of the Witcher at first, how certain he was that the monster hunter could look at him and clock every atrocity Alucard had done. How certain he was that Geralt was just waiting for the opportune time to make the world a little safer. Learning the man's morals about the matter only helped some. He still remembers the frost caves too, when too long corridors hinted at the past.
Moving beyond Thorne hadn't magically solved everything. They had still clashed, Alucard asking for advice at the wrong times, dumb nonsense in making sense of each other. But Geralt was reliable in the worst of times, in no small part because he was made for them. It was sometimes impossible to look at him and not think of the Belmonts. Others, all Alucard could see was Trevor picking stupid fights and losing through Geralt's sheer indifference.
The Horizon's broken, the Singularity is yet again misbehaving, and for all of it, the most reliable thing is sitting next to Geralt with a drink, enjoying the luxury of each other's company and silence.
Alucard knows that that much is how it ought to be, for as long as it can be.
He bumps against Geralt again. Just to underscore the point for himself.]
can probably call it here and WEEAUUUGH about that fact
[But more than that, Alucard will lean over. Bump his shoulder against Geralt's briefly. It'll be a true embrace when the time to make a choice comes, regardless of which direction Alucard goes with. Geralt's earned it.
Fuck if this relationship hasn't been an evolution though. The dhampir remembers how vividly he was terrified of the Witcher at first, how certain he was that the monster hunter could look at him and clock every atrocity Alucard had done. How certain he was that Geralt was just waiting for the opportune time to make the world a little safer. Learning the man's morals about the matter only helped some. He still remembers the frost caves too, when too long corridors hinted at the past.
Moving beyond Thorne hadn't magically solved everything. They had still clashed, Alucard asking for advice at the wrong times, dumb nonsense in making sense of each other. But Geralt was reliable in the worst of times, in no small part because he was made for them. It was sometimes impossible to look at him and not think of the Belmonts. Others, all Alucard could see was Trevor picking stupid fights and losing through Geralt's sheer indifference.
The Horizon's broken, the Singularity is yet again misbehaving, and for all of it, the most reliable thing is sitting next to Geralt with a drink, enjoying the luxury of each other's company and silence.
Alucard knows that that much is how it ought to be, for as long as it can be.
He bumps against Geralt again. Just to underscore the point for himself.]