HER KIND

Helping?

'Chapter 3'

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Thanks for the help," Alucard muttered, his words sounding strained and forced as he looked up from the counter.

Dria's gaze swept over his dirt-smeared attire, a clear indication that some of the fabric had likely been torn during whatever ordeal had unfolded earlier. Her attention shifted to his hands, where burgeoning bruises were starting to take shape, before fixing on the cuts marring his face. Although he was doing his best to conceal the pain, it was evident that he required medical attention. "Alucard, we need to get those cuts cleaned," she asserted firmly.

Leaving the kitchen behind, Dria headed for the bathroom to retrieve the first aid kit. While she rifled through its contents, a surge of anger welled up within her, a visceral reaction to the cruelty inflicted upon him. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on aiding Alucard. Returning to the living room, she settled beside him and delicately began the process of cleaning his wounds. Despite the evident pain, he maintained a stoic demeanor.

Dria noticed Alucard's eyes tracking her movements as she tended to his wounds. She sensed he wanted her to inquire about his presence and the beating he had endured, but she firmly believed it was none of her concern. Instead, she offered him water and asked if he required anything else. She couldn't ignore the unmistakable signs that he was involved in something illicit, and his presence in the neighborhood only heightened suspicions. If he had remained in his upscale home, people might have assumed he had fallen victim to a mugging and clamored for justice.

"You knew him," Alucard remarked, causing Dria to look up from her task and meet his gaze. "Javier, you knew him."

Dria sighed before confirming, "Yes, he's my cousin."

She could feel tension coursing through his body beneath her fingertips, and her gaze remained locked onto his face, searching for any hints about what was transpiring in his mind.

"You're worried," she observed.

"Shouldn't I be?" he retorted.

Dria shrugged and replied, "I would be if I were you, considering. My guess is that you lost a fight and cost him some money."

His intense gaze bore into her, prompting her to exhale slowly and return the items to the kit. She observed as he lifted a hand and rested it on his chest.

"But as long as you're under this roof, you're safe," she assured him.

A weighty silence hung between them, and he seemed to scrutinize her, finally breaking the silence with a question. "He's your cousin."

Dria couldn't help but scoff at the statement. "Your point?"

"Isn't it...a family business?" Alucard inquired.

She distanced herself from him, heading towards the living room to begin preparing dinner.

"First of all, he is my cousin, not my boss, and just because we're family does not mean I am in the family business," Dria explained, regret tinged in her voice as she recalled her decision to intervene when Javier's crew had confronted Alucard. "I have my own career and life outside of the family, and I don't want to be associated with their illegal activities," she affirmed, her tone resolute.

"When do you plan on leaving?" Dria inquired.

"I'm sorry," Alucard replied.

They both spoke simultaneously, and Dria locked eyes with him.