Depending how this one turns out, it may be the last chapter of All Grown Up. If not, the next will be!
I just feel it's run it's course mostly, and to continue it would kind of drag out too much. To everyone who's followed Adam!Vlad from thirteen to thirties, thank you so, so much! Special thanks to NightOwl95 for your reviews, inboxes and generally supporting this story!
That being said, Lazarus Rising doesn't have loads to go, so I need something new to start to fill the time between Chosen Two chapters. And if there's anything you think I've missed out in this, do let me know! I hate unresolved things.
-AGU-
"Uhhh. Your turn." Ingrid nudged at his side, all three of them waking when Aurelia's cries sounded through the baby monitor. "I'm going, I'm going." Wriggling into his boxers, they had invested in dressing gowns - far quicker than getting dressed properly to go out and feed or change Aurelia, and meant no complaints from the kids about the state Adam was often left in from his bedfellows. "Hey baby girl, what's wrong?" Aurelia was a little over a year old now, with her mothers soft hair and silver-blue eyes, but again another one with the double of his smile.
"Hungry." Her first words had been "mama" and "dada", but she had already picked up "No", "hungry" and more amusingly, "bats!". Rubbing sleep out of his eyes, Adam shifted his daughter to sit against his hip and took her to the kitchen to make up her bottle. It didn't take long for her to be suckling contentedly on the formula, and she went back down with a pacifier dipped in pureed strawberries. He didn't know why that worked, she just enjoyed it and always went back to sleep faster with it. Missing her forehead, he returned to his bed, dropped his dressing gown and curled back around Ingrid. "She's asleep, all good." "Mmm" was her only response, shifting to get comfortable in his hold.
Erika was already feeding Aurelia when Adam got back up, Adrian stood watching the two with a soft smile. "You want kids?" Adrian nodded at him, still looking at Erika. "She'll be a great mother. And I hope I'll be a good dad. We've both had good examples from you three." Hugging his son around the shoulders, Adam smiled. "You will be. You're both brilliant, just like Emil is. Though I'm not sure how forthcoming any of those three would be in grandkids. Just remember your mother will ash you if you make her a grandmother before she's forty." Adrian chuckled, nodding.
"Obviously. We have to finish sixth form first. And figure out what to do with our unlives. Plus... It may seem a little traditionalist, but I kind of want us to be... You know, married first. Bloodbound. Same thing. Is that possible?" Ignoring the spike of jealousy - he could never marry Ingrid, as the vampire world knew they were siblings - he nodded.
"You're registered as cousins, and both already Draculas. The Council have even sort of encouraged the idea, though they know I wouldn't force my daughter to do anything. Same as saying you should be on the council, it's encouraged but I've said in no uncertain terms I'm not forcing anything on my daughter, or my nephew." He winked as he said nephew, reminding his son of the VHC having no idea.
"Cool." He peered around Adam, checking Erika wasn't listening in. "You think she would say yes?" Unable to stop himself, Adam laughed. "In the words of your wise mother, do you really think she would be doing this if she didn't think it would last? Granted, I think she slapped me too, but the sentiment was there. You don't... You don't fall in love with a sibling lightly son, this is pretty much an all or nothing deal." He had a fairly unique perspective on the subject, and so had the best experience to give advice. As long as his kids were safe and happy, that's all he wanted for them.
"True. Still, I worry." He remembered those feelings. "I know how you feel, pretty much the only thing me and Ingrid ever argued about was me worrying she would change her mind about me. I learnt my lesson when I came back after fifteen years and we still loved each other. Don't make my mistakes Adrian, don't doubt this." He shared a deep look with his son, and then a smile split Adrian's face. "I won't. Thanks dad." Returning the hug his son offered, Adam went to retrieve his baby daughter from his teenage daughter.
Erika didn't appear to have overheard their conversation, and smiled at Adam when he lifted Aurelia up to blow raspberries on her stomach, dissolving the one year old into fits of giggles. "Dada no!" She tried to protest, wiggling to get free but she had no chance against an adult vampire. Ingrid and Bertrand shook their heads, both clearly fighting amusement at the childish behaviour. "Mama help!" Aurelia begged for rescue, and Adam pretended to be put out when Ingrid 'saved' their daughter from him. "All better now, daddy can't get you now." Aurelia buried her head in Ingrid's shoulder, then turned around to glare at Adam. "Bats alive, she's the spitting image of mum when she does that." Adrian was right, she did look just like Ingrid when she glared.
"You have sixth form, get to it." Erika huffed as she pulled her boyfriend away, Emil poking his head around to see what the source of the noise was. "Was dad being mean to you?" "Yeah!" Aurelia pouted, another close resemblance to Ingrid in that expression. Emil leant down to kiss his little sisters cheek, bringing up a sweet smile before flitting off to get ready himself. Bertrand took the time to greet Adam properly then, kissing him and wrapping an arm around his waist. "He seems to be doing alright with vampirism."
"Mmm. Doesn't mean he isn't waiting for the sunlight. Unlike Erika, who probably would have burrowed underground to avoid it on her birthday." His eldest child had not long turned eighteen, and was now all vampire, she too opting not to stand in the sunlight. "True, though I suppose its just good he's not upset about being a vampire for these two years." Adam hummed in agreement, shivering slightly as Bertrand teased fingers over his neck and collarbone. "Not in front of the baby, honestly." He pulled away from Bertrand regretfully under Ingrid's glare, leaving the two of them to go bathe Aurelia while he worked on Council stuff.
Pausing half way through a report on one clans war with a werewolf pack, Adrian's words came back to him. Even now they had places to put clothes and Bertrand had an enormous bookcase, some of their things still resided in backpacks. Hunting through, he found the small box in a side pocket, remembering when his mother had given this to him.
"Mum, I know you don't approve of me and Erin being parents so young, but we can't even legally get married." She pushed the box at him anyway, and Adam knew he would never explain honestly to her why he and Erin would never get married - he couldn't marry Ingrid, and he would constantly do his best not to treat his two girlfriends differently. "Take it anyway, you might change your mind." Adam sighed and put the ring box in his pocket, shoving it in another box Erin wouldn't look in and trying to forget the conversation ever happened.
The same things applied now, but someone in the family could get use out of this. When Adrian got back from sixth form, Adam pulled him aside from his siblings and held out the box. "This was my mums, she gave it to me back when Erin was pregnant with Erika. I'm not going to get married, so I don't need it, but I want it to be kept in the family. As it were." Keep it in the family was something of a running joke, since Adam was with Ingrid, Erika with Adrian and Emil with Wolfie. Adrian took the box, opening it to find the old engagement ring - he wouldn't have considered it suitable, but it had a ruby in so the red made it vampire-friendly.
"Thanks dad. This is great. I promise to put it to good use." "I'm sure you will." Patting Adrian on the shoulder, he went out in time for Aurelia to wake up for her afternoon meal. Putting her down for her nap, he was all but kidnapped by his lovers who wanted to know what he had called Adrian aside for. "He wants to marry Erika, I gave him the ring my mum tried to make me give Erin when Erika was born. You know, when I was fifteen and couldn't have gotten married anyway if I had wanted to."
"Good garlic I raised a sentimental son." Ingrid pretended to dramatically sigh, but Adam could pick out the affection in her eyes - she was happy for them. "Oddly traditional. All things considered with you clan. Half humans, genetic attraction and 'all that'." Bertrand visibly cringed at using the almost slang words, even when he added air quotes. "He said that too, when he was asking if that was even possible. Given the council thinks he's her cousin, and gently hinted that my chosen one offspring marrying the Dracula heir would be a good thing, it's pretty possible." He waited to ensure Bertrand had no arguing point - for all he knew, the binding would reveal the two were siblings in a way he wasn't aware of.
"Did he say when?" Adam shrugged, as he hadn't. "No, but he's head over heels for her, I doubt it'll be long. Probably once they've finished sixth form. Neither of them are big on public stuff or center of attention... No idea where they get that from." Ingrid gave him her 'really?' look, and Bertrand openly chuckled. "So I figure they would just do it in the quickest, quietest way possible." He already figured he could offer whatever Adrian and Erika wanted to do as a birthday gift when they were eighteen - he had fifteen years of savings and very little to put them too, and that didn't include the fact he was now paid to do his job as Grand High Vampire.
"Looks like both boys have plans then. Emil has a conditional offer from Garside to be a teaching assistant - so long as he passes his exams and takes an extra course in the summer, he's going to be working here. It's not the usual way, but apparently he's the shining star of the buddy programme for struggling students. As a helper." Leaning against the headboard of the bed, Adam cocked his head. "How do you know all this? I buy Emil telling you about what he wants to do, but not the rest."
Bertrand smiled, surprisingly upbeat. "He's not the only one. Granted, my teaching qualification needs a little editing, but I'm the history teacher he's going to be working with." "You're a qualified teacher? I mean, I know you know everything, but I don't see you in college." Bertrand rifled through his own 'important documents folder' - though most of his were now fake to cover his four centuries on Earth - and produced a certificate that did indeed state he was a qualified teacher... some thirty years ago. "I had to pass the time somehow. And I learnt in North Russia, where it's dark a lot and nobody paid heavy layers any mind."
"So change the date and place? Or knock up a fake one and hypnotize anyone who questions... gently." Ingrid rolled her eyes, handing the certificate back. "Gentle hypnosis. You're such a breather lover." Pulling Ingrid into a kiss, Adam smirked. "Funny, I remember you liking me plenty when you thought I was just a breather." "Do shut up." She straddled his lap, kissing him again and he didn't have cause to argue with that.
"I'm nervous. What if this doesn't work?" It was the night of Emil and Adrian's eighteenth birthdays, and Emil was clearly wary. "It will. I can promise your mother was human when you were made. Your waning powers are another sign if you needed one that you're half human." Adam was followed by Bertrands addition. "And if you are still unsure, I can guarantee the Dimidius choice is well documented in certain circles. Trust me to have checked this would be safe for you?"
"Yeah, trust other dad to have read everything. He likes reading." Erika and Adrian sat either side of their brother, an unusual arrangement but he was proud they were being supportive. Wolfie was sat nearby, Aurelia bouncing on his knee with intermittent giggles. "This will work. And then when Wilson gets here you can stand in the courtyard and surprise him with your glowing pale face in the sunshine." What this choice meant for the strange three way relationship with Wolfie and Wilson, Adam didn't know, but the three were smart, he was sure they would work it out.
"I guess so. I'm just worried. Wonder where I get that from?" Adam pretended to look around in confusion, winning a laugh from his anxious son. They spent most of the night trying to soothe Emil's nerves, and all but Aurelia and the Count (who accepted but didn't really approve of Emil's choice) walked him down to the courtyard at just before sunrise - vampires could feel the impending sun rise or sun down, instincts protecting them from daylight.
Emil stood facing Adrian for a minute, possibly looking at the full vampire in comparison to himself. "Better go bro, three minutes is a tight deadline." Emil nodded, still silent as he stepped through the door. "Here goes nothing." The sun lit up the courtyard as Emil stepped out, and he didn't need to look to know - almost the second the light hit his son, a new heartbeat sounded. It was slow at first, but by the time the three minutes were up, it was strong and Emil was still there in the light, stretching out his arms tentatively, testing the new feeling on his skin
"Hey, human boy! Get in here so we can see!" Emil turned and ran back to them, burning hot in comparison to them now but he was positively lit up. "I'm alive! Really, properly alive! And bats, you guys are freezing!" He didn't stop hugging Adam, just complaining his father now felt cold. "You're on fire to us, I'm just glad you're ok." They had to get out of the hallway before anyone turned up at the school wondering what was going on, and luckily Emil didn't seem too shaken by being flitted around now he was human.
"Wolfie doesn't feel that cold." "He's only half biter." Emil shrugged, nuzzling into his boyfriends arms and smiling. "So, did you give her the ring yet?" Adrian's eyes widened - clearly, he hadn't brought it up to Erika yet. "Damnit Emil!" His brother merely grinned - he was trying to force Adrian's hand. "Ring?" "Yeah, Adrian's been waiting to ask you to bind with him for like a year and a half. He said today was the day." Erika turned expectantly to Adrian, who ducked his head shyly. "Way to put me on the spot guys. So, how about it?" Erika slapped the back of Adrian's head, then practically dragged him in to a kiss.
"If you had to ask, you don't know me at all. Idiot. You're lucky I love you. Yes, you moron." He shouldn't be surprised it was a moment without fanfare, but full of their sibling banter-like interactions. Adrian smiled brightly, finally remembering the ring Adam had handed him and slid it on to Erika's finger. "Fits. Awesome." Erika looked down at it, recognition appearing. "I remember this. This was yours." "Actually, it was my mothers, but yeah, call it an heirloom." Erika smiled softly, then resumed hugging Adrian tightly.
Having already planned it for when Adrian actually asked her, he tossed an envelope at his now betrothed children. "Romanian names, Romanian tradition. Wedding gift in an envelope." The two opened the envelope, looking confused. "You need to fill in the blanks, when and where and all that. Then give it back, and I'll make it happen. Just in case you were still worried I wasn't on board." "Thanks dad." He got hugs off both now-young-adults, who had to now go and get ready for sixth form - They still had a couple of months left.
"Oh. Suppose you want a birthday gift too." Emil pretended to be offended, opening his own enveloped gift. "Booked your teacher training course. Best there is, according to brain box here. I'm proud of you. And you'll always be my son, human or biter. Best to keep this to hand though." He tossed a bottle of stasis at Emil, then found himself on the receiving end of another steel tight hug - Emil was still strong. "Thanks dad." "Thank me by not eating garlic bread near me. And be happy with your life. That's all I want. Now go get ready, you need to study to be a teacher."
Emil nodded, wiping away tears (of happiness, he hoped) from his eyes and then heading off to his room - Emil and Wolfie now shared as openly as Adrian and Erika did, though in the interests of secrecy they hadn't changed the name tags on the doors. Ingrid's door still had her name on it, in spite of her having been in the same bed as Bertrand and Adam every day since before Aurelia was born.
He jumped in surprise when there was a knock at the door that seperated attic from school, walking down and pulling it open hesitantly. "Oh, hi Miss McCauley. Come on up." She had a box in her hands, which Adam could smell was cake of some variety. "I just thought I would come wish the boys a happy birthday. Especially when one is soon to become a colleague." He smiled, taking the box and indicating her to follow him up the stairs. Dropping the box on the throne room main dining table, he found Wolfie and Aurelia fast asleep on the sofa together.
"She's gotten so big, but you haven't aged a day really." The only time Adam had seen his face were in the photos they took of him and Aurelia, but he knew she was right. "Baby face runs in the family." It had been over three years since they came to Garside, which still surprised him at times, especially when he looked at Aurelia.
"Hey, so to celebrate Emil being human again" voices echoed from the hallway, and oh no, he needed to stop them talking "we should go out and get pizza tonight. He can have garlic bread again, first time in two years!" Miss McCauley looked at him in confusion, then all around the throne room, then back to him. "You're vampires, aren't you?" Ah.
-AGU-
if there are inaccuracies like idk North Russia is in fact full of igloos or something, forgive me. My knowledge of history and Geography is atrocious, I'm better at science and mythology.
Yeah there will be one more chapter, unless you guys think I need to address anything else?