Cheater

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to konami not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Setting: Pre-animated series.

Authoress note: Dracula cheats.

"You're supposed to be setting a good example," Lisa said after taking a deep breath. Her husband raised an eyebrow at her and Lisa fought not to smile. Vlad raising an eyebrow was a demonstration of almost impossible physics, no eyebrow should be able to raise quite so high. It was something she found ludicrously amusing and he used it to his full advantage to win arguments.

"Woman," he said starting to smirk. "You cannot honestly believe that. Since when has anyone ever said I was a good example."

"You're his father," Lisa said.

"I did not magically transform into a different person the moment our son emerged."

"Emerged?" Lisa said. "That sounds fair to gentle for what happened." Vlad shrugged but did not disagree with her. Adrian's birth had not been an easy affair, the entire pregnancy was horrendous if she was being honest. A supernaturally strong infant and a human mother does not an easy pregnancy make. Lisa shuddered remembering the broken bones, organ damage and almost constant tearing. She would never have survived it had her husband not utilised the tiny fey that dealt in the castle, their healing magic was beyond compare and Lisa was bitterly jealous that she could not replicate it.

"My point stands," Vlad said snapping her from her thoughts. "I have not changed and I have never been a 'good' example." He paused for a moment. "Though I suppose it would depend on to what you were referring, I am a good example of charm, sophistication, wit..."

"Modesty," Lisa interrupted, not stepping back when he approached and wrapped arms around her. "Stop it," she said though she did not push him away. "you cannot smooze your way out of this one."

"I think I might be able to," he said, she could feel him smirk as he kissed her head.

"you'll have to smooze very hard," She said as he started to move down, peppering kisses against her ear, neck and shoulder.

"I always..." Lisa never found out what Vlad thought he always did. As Adrian chose that moment to wake from his nap behind them. He had been napping on the 'throne' after Vlad had brought him back inside from the utter disaster of an afternoon. His clothing soaked half the lakes flora in his hair and frogs in his pockets.

"Cheater," Adrian mumbled sleepily, sitting up and glaring at his father. "Mother father cheated!"

"I am well aware," Lisa pushed back from her husband who released her.

"I broke no rules," Vlad said following her as she went to Adrian. Adrian glared for a moment before turning to face his mother, pointedly putting his back to his father in a sulk.

"Dirty cheat," the child muttered, Lisa brushed some pond weed out of her son's hair and lifted him from the oversized chair.

"Come on let's get you in the bath," she said, marching off, her husband following behind muttering about how he did not cheat.

"He went on the water," Adrian said, hiding his face in his mother's hair.

"I am aware your father went into the pond first," Lisa said entering the bathroom and setting her son down to start running a hot bath.

"Nah huh," Adrian said already trying to take off the cold wet clothes. "We were on top of the water, I thought it was special water but it wasn't."

"Is that so," Lisa eyeballed her husband who was standing in the doorway. Vlad had the decency to look slightly mortified. "Your grown father escaped your pursuit by walking on the water, something he well knew his infant child could not do, he then allowed his infant son to wade into the pond to continue the chase."

"I..." Vlad started, Lisa held up her hand and he fell silent.

"Did I mention that he did this rotten trick to his infant son," she said. "this very unfunny prank?"

"He cheated," Adrian came up behind her and glared at his father. "He should go away." For the first time since he had carried his son inside Vlad stopped looking amused and frowned. It wasn't often that Adrian was truly angry at his father and it had the intended effect of making Vlad consider that his actions were, in fact, unkind and had upset his boy. Lisa shied, she wanted her husband to understand that their son was a child and that meant he was not as capable as either of them, but she couldn't help the swell of pity at her husband's dejected face. Adrian had, in the seconds after his birth, become her husbands best friend.

"Perhaps not," she said.

"No, he should go," Adrian turned his naked back to his father now, indignant despite his current state of undress.

"Perhaps he can atone," Lisa suggested. "show you he's sorry for his mean trick." Adrian was quite for a long moment while Lisa fussed with the bath, now full of hot water and bubbles.

"Only if he teaches me," Adrian said. "how to do the pond trick."

"Oh, you want to know that one?" Lisa could hear the grin in her husband's tone. "I might be able to teach you." She watched her son turn to face his father.

"No, you have to promise, otherwise your not sorry." Lisa fought not to laugh at the diminutive naked prince making demands of his overly tall and regal father, laughter would ruin the moment.

"Alright," Vlad knelt before his son, dipping his head. "I promise."

Lisa watched as Adrian now placated rushed forward and wrapped small arms around her husband's neck. She continued to watch as he very deliberately rubbed his weed-covered hair against his father and smeared pond muck on his face.

"Revenge?" Vlad said Adrian nodded.

"Now we can both have a bath."

End

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