audio; un: alucard

[reposing]

Since it seems many of us are coming close to preparing to attempt to break down at least one of the locked doors, I find it necessary to prepare myself further and have the strength necessary to help.

As stated before, I am a dhampir. That is to say, I am half-vampire by my father. I look for any who bleed to volunteer and allow me to drink from you. The more that I have, the stronger that I will be.

With that request in place, I ask another: I want to know if anyone here has been properly ordained. I am in need of holy water.

Comments

[donkeyballs]

[ He nods, again. It does not translate over audio this time, either. But he follows it up. ]

Well, alright then. [ There's a slight pause. ] You got a... timeline for this, or...

[reposing]

...Just stop by when it's convenient for you to.

[donkeyballs]

Then might as well get it over with now. [ Before anyone else stopped him. ] You at the med bay? [ Or the makeshift room they were calling it, anyway. ]

[reposing]

As you wish. I am at the medbay, and I shall waiting.

[donkeyballs]

Alright, on my way. [ The feed disconnects.

He stares at the comm bracelet for a few seconds, snapped around the wrist of his broken arm. This was a bit insane. This was a bit insane? But he'd seen a hell of a lot of insane shit since getting here, and this is one of the few things he actually got forewarning about. It'd been on his mind for weeks now. So. Alright. Just go for it, Alex.

Eight minutes later, he arrived at the room, took a breath, and knocked on the door. ]

[reposing]

[Without hesitation, Alucard calls out to the door:]

Enter.

[Inside, he's continued to help arrange the medbay as cleanly as possible. Frankly, at this point, it's probably one of the cleanest rooms one will find in this place.]

[donkeyballs]

[ It's honestly a little impressive, considering how everything else looks. He offers Alucard a lopsided smile. ]

Not bad. Might even feel like a med bay, soon. [ His arm was still attached in a sling and held tightly to his chest, but otherwise he looked healthy and even chipper. ]

Don't suppose you brought some juice?

[reposing]

I will only feel better about it when I have medicine and proper tools. I feel even less equipped than when I was in Wallachia.

[He sighs, then gestures to the table. There is a mug, filled with liquid.] I don't know what the kitchen provided. But it should help you after we are done.

I am... sorry that it's come to this. I would not ask so soon if circumstances weren't so dire.

But you know that better than anyone else here.

[donkeyballs]

Well, you ain't wrong there. Id be a hell of a lot happier with a decent med bay, too. But we gotta work with what we've got.

[ He glances at the drink and then gives Alucard a small, sympathetic smile. ]

You gave me plenty of warnin' and you asked. Ain't the first time I've donated blood, partner. Just uh - little different circumstances. But I ain't about to blame you. Would rather help you get better than not, right?

So how, uh, how do we do this?

[reposing]

I will guide you. As I said, the initial bite will hurt, but after that you shouldn't feel much pain. When I remove my fangs, you should scab shortly, but I will make sure to clean your bite.

I will take no more than a pint.

[donkeyballs]

[ Right. Okay. He moved as if to roll up his sleeve, but his broken arm made that annoying, so he just sort of stopped half way. He didn't even know where the guy needed to bite him, anyway. So he just took a breath. ]

Alright.

I'm ready.

[reposing]

Thank you once more, Alex. From what I have seen, you have a good heart.

And I remember what is human, in the best of ways.

[Alucard does step much closer, abruptly getting into Alex's business. Before, quite clearly, Alucard had a respectable and polite distance, but now he is raising a hand to cup the back of Alex's head to guide him to expose his throat.

Minding the broken arm, Alucard leans in. Fangs pierce flesh, bringing blood to the surface.

From there, Alucard begins to drink.]

[donkeyballs]

[ A sudden flash of panic arose in his breast when suddenly this was no longer a hypothetical and instead very real, but he stood still and stoic, only moving to tilt his head away as he was bade. He closed his eyes at the last second, gritting his teeth--

Then the sharp pain, followed by an almost sickly warmth. He kept his eyes closed, even though he was suddenly hyper aware of what was happening around him, including the way that the sudden rush of unbidden fear had made his heart suddenly race. But he said nothing.

Courage wasn't a lack of fear. It was perseverance though it. So he kept still, and silent, even as he felt Alucard's teeth in his throat. ]

[reposing]

[Slowly, Alucard drinks, taking it in. It's certainly human blood, almost unremarkable in comparison to Venus or Revan. It is almost lacking, not undoubtedly due to the strange form of nourishment they are forced to have, but all the same his gratitude is no less.

Eventually, Alucard pulls away, guiding Alex to sit before he goes to tend to the bite mark. Even as he tries to subtly lick his teeth and swallow, he gets to work: one of the stronger proof vodkas taken from the bar is in the medbay, and he uses it to gently douse a clean rag before he goes to apply it to Alex's neck.]

Hold this and apply pressure, just to be sure. I'll give you your drink momentarily.

[donkeyballs]

[ Relief floods him when it's over, and he sits down with barely any thought. He felt a little dizzy, but mostly subdued - the reality of the situation finally sinking in. He wouldn't have changed his decision, anyway, so it didn't make a difference.]

Thanks, [He murmured, pressing down as he was told. He raised his eyes to check Alucard's face.]

Feelin' any better?

[reposing]

[A mug of the questionable liquid from the kitchen is offered to Alex.]

I feel more... aware. Awake.

I suspect with more help, more of my strength will return to me. Enough that I should be able to assist with the locked doors, or at least one of them.

After that, I will be depleted again.

[donkeyballs]

[ With only one usable arm, it takes him a second to position the rag in a way that it won't fall down, before reaching out to take the mug. He looks at the liquid - definitely not juice, but something sort of similar - and takes a drink. It's horrible. But he's been getting used to that. ]

So it's like fillin' you up with fuel, essentially. [ He still sounded a little quieter than he had been. Reality and Theory were pretty different, but at the same time, Alucard had been straight with him about this from the very start. So it was also weirdly... affirming. Sort of creepy, but affirming. ]

Just don't spend it when it ain't necessary, I guess.

[reposing]

For now, that is true. If not for my wound, I would not need so much.

[Alucard doesn't hide the guilt in his voice. He doesn't enjoy doing this, but he has no choice in so many ways.]

I will try not to.

[donkeyballs]

[ He hears the guilt and it makes his heart ache a bit. He stalls for a second by concentrating on finishing his juice before he hands it back and returns to holding the rag to his throat. ]

Look, kid, it ain't your fault. We all gotta eat, right? And it ain't like you've been hidin' this.

We'll just try to get you back on your feet as well as we can.

[reposing]

[The mug is taken, and Alucard pauses a moment. He smiles faintly to Alex.]

You have a kind heart, Alex.

[He holds out his hand.] Your neck should have stopped bleeding. However, if you prefer, I can apply a bandage.

[donkeyballs]

[ He didn't really know what to say, to the first part. His usual go-to for compliments was "thank you" which-- didn't quite fit the situation. Luckily Alucard continued so he could focus on that.

Carefully, he pulled the rag away, and it had indeed stopped bleeding.]

If it ain't too much trouble. Don't want to go an pick the scab open. [ He couldn't believe it had healed over that fast, but he also couldn't see it - he'd have to go inspect the wound in the mirror later. ]

[reposing]

Of course not. I'll have it taken care of.

[Without question, Alucard pulls out one of the first aid kits in order to use one of the bandages against Alex's neck.]

I would say you would need this for no more than a day, at most.

I pray that this will help us find what we need in this place.

[donkeyballs]

Thanks, kid.

[ He tilts his head away, waiting patiently, his heart rate finally back to something more normal. ]

Alright. Good to know.

[ He gave a sympathetic glance. ]

We learn somethin' either way, right? If it doesn't, that's one more thing we've tried, and we can move on down the list.

[reposing]

I simply... I hope that it helps.

[Alucard hesitates, but he opts to not say more than that.]

Thank you again, Alex. Let me know if you don't feel better by tonight.

[donkeyballs]

[ He gives Alucard a lazy salute. ]

Don't you worry about me, I'll be fine.

Good luck with the rest.

[ And then he heads out to go be yelled at by his friends... ]