Stitched Up Hearts (Alucard X Fem! reader)

Betrayal

Betrayal, treachery, perfidiousness. A legion of synonyms exist for the word, just as there exists a myriad of ways to stab a person in the back. The Greeks had their own god dedicated to the craft. Dolus. He is the apprentice of Prometheus, who betrayed Zeus's orders by giving humanity fire. History, both human and vampire, runs deep with breaches of trust. It has happened and will happen over and over again. Selfishness is human, just as human as trust is. Thus, betrayal is never far. No matter where or when faith will be breached, and hearts will be torn. Judas will always sell out his savior to the chief priest for only 30 silver. Jason betrays his wife, Medea, and casts her away in a lie that he does not know her. Ephialtes will give away his people to the Persians. Yet, regardless, time's arrow will always march forward.

It is quiet in the castle, for now. Sumi and Taka have retired to their rooms, leaving me and Alucard alone in ours. So much remains unsaid between us. It seemed that before, there was no end to what we would talk about. Anything that popped into our heads was fair game for discussion. I knew anything and everything he wanted me to. Now the conversation had dried and withered like a flower in winter.

Alucard lay on top of the covers beside me, golden hair spilling across the sheets and pillows like rays of sun blessing cold snow with their warmth. It's quiet between us, as the hours slip deeper and deeper into the night. "You should rest." I break the silence, my hand sliding against his.

"I know." he sighs, turning onto his back, and facing the canopy that hangs limp over the bed. I observe his profile, as I so often do. The straightness of his features, the sharpness of them, the long delicate lashes that frame his eyes. He keeps my hand in his as he folds his arms over his chest. "Maybe I should find a coffin to sleep in."

I hear their footsteps before I hear the door creaking open, or see the light creeping into the dim room. I sit up, looking to see who is at our door. Taka and Sumi stand in our doorway, tan skin against white cloth. "Is everything alright?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Nothing's wrong," Taka assures me. He is wrong, there is something wrong. I can feel it, frustratingly enough, though I cannot place my finger on what. The two of them walk into our room, and the door closes behind them with a sound like a judge's gavel. "Everything's fine," Sumi confirms, their steps matched as they get closer and closer to our bed. It dips under their weight as they sit on the edge. Distantly, in the far and much more sane corners of my brain, an alarm is going off. I push it away, foolishly, like a child rejecting their vegetables.

Taka's hand hit my chest gently, fingers resting on my collarbone. I'd forgotten how warm human skin was. "You have been so alone." the slant of his accent meets my ears, his tone softer than usual.

"It's time for your reward," Sumi tells us, leaning in closer, her hand on my husband's chest, mirroring Taka's actions. The world feels as if it has sunk underwater. As if these last few weeks, the room has been slowly flooding with water and it is finally up to my nose. My vision feels far off as if I am watching myself through a smudged window. My arms feel heavy like they are being dragged down my water. The room, Taka and Sumi, and even Alucard feel unreal, almost, as if this were a dream. Perhaps this is a dream, just a strange, long dream.

Sumi tugs at the hair tie keeping her silky straight hair back, allowing it to fall delicately like a waterfall over her shoulders. Taka follows suit, his hair tumbling down into loose fluffy curls. I see them, and in my mind, I see a flash of bouncing blond curls. Synthia's curls. That comforts me, and causes my muscles to relax ever so slightly as I allow myself to be pushed back onto the bed. How could anyone ever have such beautiful, soft curls? Surely it would be impossible. I do not notice that my hand is reaching up until I see it enter my vision, cold fingers wrapping themselves around Taka's curls, admiring them, feeling them against my skin.