Exactly. If I still managed to fall into a dreadfully mundane trap such as this, then I don't want something to happen toβ ( Alucard trips on his unprecedented words, just as Johnny argues his heroic logic. part of him expected Johnny hadn't thought this through, but that idea doesn't settle entirely well; he's impulsive as hell, dangerously so, but he isn't...stupid. Alucard knows that.
but what truly snaps his voice out of his throat is what he realizes he nearly says. it isn't 'I don't think you're capable,' because even if he didn't think so, Tatsuo would never allow him to say it. what it is...
I don't want something to happen to you.
and that sits strangely in the pit of his cold stomach, and he can't understand why the concept matters so much. it's...natural to feel that way about someone you're partnered with for safety. is it his pride? because Alucard only came here to make sure Johnny wouldn't hand himself in danger, and only wound up doing that for himself?
Alucard is made to surface from a submersion he didn't realize he'd slipped into, eyes awake and hard as he blinks into the present, looking at Johnny. sweat has his hair sticking to his temples, pain wandering through his body in waves. self-aware remorse bends his expression, but they don't have time for him to try to walk his own ass through unprepared apologies. )
βYes. ( they need to focus on this first. Alucard swallows and looks back over to the half-crumpled rug. ) I attempted to move it to check for any trap, but it seems it was a trigger to another.
Not my brightest idea. ( but what else could he have done? if anything, it might have triggered either way, and wouldn't it have been worse not to bother checking an obvious detail? ) I didn't notice anything obvious under the rug; I'm not entirely sure the mechanism is hidden there with it.
no subject
but what truly snaps his voice out of his throat is what he realizes he nearly says. it isn't 'I don't think you're capable,' because even if he didn't think so, Tatsuo would never allow him to say it. what it is...
I don't want something to happen to you.
and that sits strangely in the pit of his cold stomach, and he can't understand why the concept matters so much. it's...natural to feel that way about someone you're partnered with for safety. is it his pride? because Alucard only came here to make sure Johnny wouldn't hand himself in danger, and only wound up doing that for himself?
Alucard is made to surface from a submersion he didn't realize he'd slipped into, eyes awake and hard as he blinks into the present, looking at Johnny. sweat has his hair sticking to his temples, pain wandering through his body in waves. self-aware remorse bends his expression, but they don't have time for him to try to walk his own ass through unprepared apologies. )
βYes. ( they need to focus on this first. Alucard swallows and looks back over to the half-crumpled rug. ) I attempted to move it to check for any trap, but it seems it was a trigger to another.
Not my brightest idea. ( but what else could he have done? if anything, it might have triggered either way, and wouldn't it have been worse not to bother checking an obvious detail? ) I didn't notice anything obvious under the rug; I'm not entirely sure the mechanism is hidden there with it.