Spring Forward, Fall Back (Alucard x Chubby! Reader)

Chapter 9 - Wine And Misconceptions Part 1

Reader P.O.V.

Finishing dinner was a breeze with everyone helping. I'd gotten questioned a few times about how I was going to cook the 'huge chunks of meat' as Trevor put it, but was given my way at the stove and finished them up with no problems. I did, however, note that Alucard had taken off at some point only to return with a couple bottles of red wine, and couldn't have been happier about it. It had been quite a while since I imbibed, as having an abusive alcoholic ass monkey will do to you when you fear being too slow in the head to move, and it seemed that tonight would be a great way to enjoy the spoils of my investigation.

Since we'd returned from the hold there had been a sort of low hanging cloud over the group. I knew it was due to me, but I wasn't in the business of caring at the time because I felt that I was justified in reacting the way I had. I still had a bit of anger hanging over my heart, but it was quickly dissipating in the atmosphere of this band of misfits I was happy to have joined...and even counted as friends.

"That smells wonderful, Y/N," Trevor said with an air of surprise. I looked over my shoulder and smiled when I saw that his eyes were closed while he sniffed the aroma of the cooking meat into his nose.

"I have to agree, Y/N," Sypha added. "I never would have thought you'd be able to get meat that didn't have to be cooked over an open flame just to get the gaminess out."

"Where I come from, this is actually the norm. You can get freshly butchered meats from just about every grocery store out there," I responded. And, just for shits and giggles I added, "Hell, there are some places that allow you to pick and choose what you want on the computer, pay for it and then have it delivered to your doorstep in a portable freezer box." And this is where I heard something I never even considered.

"I think I would like to visit this time of yours."

Everything in the kitchen stopped save the sizzling from the foods on the stove. Everyone turned to look at the blonde who was busy regarding the crimson liquid in his crystal goblet that he twirled in his fingers. He seemed to be completely oblivious to the stares his absent-minded, half-assed comment garnered from the rest of us, but truly seemed to be mulling over everything while focusing on the wine he swirled around, watching the light filter through. Noting that no one had spoken since, he then looked up to see all eyes on him and quickly sat up straight in his chair.

"Its just that there are so many things that Y/N has said. Its intrigued me."

"Yes, I can understand that," Sypha reasoned, "but we don't exactly know that if you were-"

"We," Trevor interjected, earning him a sharp glare from Sypha at his side. The glare, however, suddenly softened and a small smile crept across her face.

"We were to go through, that we'd be able to get back here to our time. It is an interesting idea, though," she finished.

While my back was turned, I heard a chair scrape back across the floor. Before I felt him, my mind instantly snapped to the obvious answer. It wasn't long before I could feel the heat from Alucard's body behind me, and I was beginning to fear that I was becoming far too used to that feeling. I hadn't even been in this time for three days and I was behaving like a flirtatious twenty-something at a party with the hottest guy in my class sniffing round me like I was the...

My mind stopped that thought when I felt Alucard lean over my shoulder and heard him inhale deeply. Instantaneously my mouth went dry and my cheeks heated up while my pulse quickened. Because my hair was blocking my peripheral vision, I wasn't sure if he was smelling dinner or me...or both. I went through the motions of basting the steaks with butter one last time before taking them off the heat and prepared to plate everything up. The potatoes I had fried were finished ages ago and were kept in their pan to keep warm, so it didn't take long to get everyone's portions put together.