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The otherworldly tingling sensation faded as she felt the firmness of cobblestones beneath her. The ghostly hands of the Messengers released her gently and the echoing hum of inter-dimensional travel fell to silence. Filling the air in its place were the sounds of crackling fires and distant groans and screams of unknown cause, all too familiar to her by now.
Adelaide opened her eyes to see the purplish glow of the lantern shining before her, indicating that she had once again been returned to the last anchor point she had visited between the Dreamlands and the Waking World. Unlike when she was just travelling between points for the sake of transportation, she had been returned here because she had been killed.
Usually she got to her feet and tried again but this time, she stayed on her knees. With trembling hands, she dropped her weapons and instead reached up to the collar of her jacket, fingers exploring beneath the fabric for the wound that had killed her. She found nothing irregular; her skin was unbroken. She knew she was healed good as new, like always, but it was still so bizarre to think that her very-real death only a moment ago now seemed like another bad dream.
The old minister, Father Gascoigne was out of his mind. She was just trying to get through to Cathedral Ward but he was guarding the door beyond reason, seeing her as nothing more than another slathering beast.
His axe had bit deeply, cleaving right through her collarbones into her chest cavity like her flesh and bones were nothing more than eggshells and tissue paper. Adelaide winced, still feeling the ghostly remnants of the incredible pain in her heart. The sound of the impact had been horrific, a solid wet crack and that hot burst of her own blood—
This wasn’t the first time she had died in Yharnam. She had died many times before even reaching Father Gascoigne, and he had since killed her multiple times on top of that. His bullets came in a violent wall, tearing effortlessly through her skin and her clothes and her armor alike. His axe kindled gleaming sparks as he sliced it along the ground before swinging it upward underneath her, hurling her up into the air. She soared with the force only to fall back down, broken and bleeding to the muddy earth. She could still hear his vicious snarling ringing in her ears.
“Ugh,” she groaned, removing her hat and sweeping her sweat-slick hair back, trying not to think about how the large man had stood over her, chuckling darkly as she bled out before him on the ground…
He was completely blood drunk. Eileen the Crow had warned her, telling her that there were no humans left in Yharnam and that they were all flesh-hungry beasts now, but Adelaide had not wanted to believe it. Surely a hunter wasn’t susceptible to the temptation of blood, with all their strength and integrity? But even an Old Hunter like Gascoigne had fallen to the murderous darkness. What hope did she have as a new hunter against his experience and his skill?
He was still waiting for her at the Tomb of Oedon. He wasn’t going anywhere…and neither was she.
As long as her consciousness was bound to the Dream, she couldn’t die and stay dead. There was no way out. The hunt would go on forever, with this pain and fear repeating endlessly, unless she could figure out how to stop it. She couldn’t advance with Gascoigne in the way, and she didn’t see herself besting him in combat any time soon.
Adelaide sighed, feeling incredibly overwhelmed and discouraged. Part of her brain was strategizing different ways to approach Gascoigne, perhaps a way to avoid him completely, any shred of hope she could grab onto. But the Great Bridge was closed and Odeon Chapel was the only way left into Cathedral Ward. The Church was the head of blood ministration – she had to talk to them about stopping the spread of the beastly scourge, she just had to. They had to have the answers she sought.
But the old hunter stood in her way and she didn’t know what to do…
Suddenly she heard a familiar sound, a sickly coughing coming from the nearby house.
Ah, Gilbert. Now there was a ray of sunshine. Talking to him always made her feel better.
Adelaide smiled and picked up her pistol and sawcleaver, getting to her feet once again. She swayed with exhaustion and paused to steady herself before rounding the lantern and walking across the cobbles to the side of the house, stopping at the barred window that was lit with a warm glow from within.
The protective cage over the window frame was still there, undented and unscratched, indicating that there had been no close-calls with any beasts trying to get in since the last time she had visited. The incense burner was still going strong, a faint purplish mist pouring out of it with the familiar scent that warded off beasts. All in all, the outward façade of the building was indicative that everything seemed safe, though she wanted to hear his voice to be certain.
“Gilbert? Are you there?” she asked, holstering her pistol and knocking gently on the bars over the window with her freehand.
A low, husky voice with a thick Gaelic accent replied, much to her immediate relief.
“Ah, good to hear yer voice again, Miss Hunter… I’m glad yer safe.”
Adelaide smiled widely, her heart fluttering to hear that he was still there, warm and secure inside his house. Also the concept of her being ‘safe’ in any regard as a Hunter in Yharnam was excessively funny in a rather hysterical way. She was smiling for all sorts of reasons.
“I’m glad to know you’re safe, as well. The city is much more dangerous than I bargained for…” she began, leaning her shoulder against the window bars to get comfortable for the upcoming chat. “I’ve been having a rough time of it trying to get into Cathedral Ward. Your directions were superb, but I just – can’t get in. There’s a…” her voice faltered, her throat closing around the words, “…a beast in the way.”
“I’m sorry for your troubles, lass,” Gilbert replied sympathetically from the other side of the window, “Sadly, there are beasts everywhere these days.”
It seemed like he was about to say something more but he broke into a terrible fit of coughing instead. It made Adelaide’s heart ache to hear him suffering. He seemed to be getting worse rather than better over time. Her gloved hands clenched into fists at her sides – She couldn’t stand the thought of waiting here outside of his window, doing nothing while he faded away…
“…Gilbert?” she asked softly, warmth rising to her cheeks as she mustered up the nerve, “I know I’ve no right to ask this of you on a night of the hunt, but… would you let me in? Just for a – a short while. I just – find myself in need of some friendly company when it’s so horribly lonely out here on my own…”
It was harder than she thought to say the words aloud. And the way in which she was met with silence at first made her chest tighten uncomfortably.
“…Ah, lass,” Gilbert said with kindness even as he hesitated, “I don’t know if—”
“I swear I’m not a beast. I mean you no harm…” Adelaide replied, probably too quickly for any sort of professionalism. But she was feeling so strained, she couldn’t refrain from pleading. Even if he turned her away, she had to know that she’d asked, for her own peace of mind.
There was another pause, longer than the first, long enough that Adelaide assumed Gilbert was just too kind to say ‘no’ to her flat-out. She was just about to turn away from the window when she heard him speak again, quietly and swift:
“…Aye. Hurry now, Lass. Around the back.”
She did as she was told, moving quickly and silently around the house to the door that was a short distance away from the window around the corner. With a muffled snap, she heard the heavy bolt turn and allow her access to his home. She took hold of the doorknob, doing another cautionary glance around the street to make sure no one was around to see her enter, and then she slipped inside.
She shut the door firmly behind her, sliding the lock home once again.
Adelaide turned, at last seeing the man she had grown so fond of from the other side of a barred window in the flesh for the first time.
He was slumped in a wheelchair, like many Yharnamites she had encountered, but his shoulders were still broad and his frame was tall. He wore pinstriped trousers, black suspenders, and a loose white shirt, its collar faintly stained with sweat. A tangled head of red hair was getting to be on the longer side with some unkempt facial hair to match along his jaw and upper lip. His eyes were covered in cloth bandages and his cheekbones seemed sunken and shadowed. He looked so very haggard and feverish.
The poor man, Adelaide thought to herself with a stab of sympathy. But there was also something else. Something about the sight of him that kindled an unexpected heat deep in the pit of her belly. Even in his sorry state, he was more attractive than she had first thought he would be. Something about that rough exterior accompanied with the kindness he had shown her upon her arrival before he even knew a thing about her…
“I do hope you’ll forgive the mess. Hard for me to reach the top of the cupboards like I used to…” Gilbert murmured sheepishly as he wheeled through the entryway into the interior of the house, giving Adelaide a tour like a good host, “An’ keeping all the windows ‘n doors shut tight makes the air awfully stale.”
“No, Gilbert, truly – it’s such a comfort to be off of the street… Thank you,” Adelaide replied cordially, setting her bloodstained sawcleaver on the ground by the door. She shrugged out of her charred hunter jacket and hung it on a hook along with her black top hat, stepping out of her muddied boots as quickly as possible to avoid tracking any sort of filth into his home. She ran a gloved hand through her hair, trying to improve upon her appearance in any way that she could.
She did not blame the man in the slightest for the status of his home. It was clear he had done the best he could, though his sickness made it difficult for him to keep up with domestic maintenance of any sort. The house was small and quaint, but infinitely better than the cold harshness of the Yharnam streets outside. They passed a small kitchen full of wooden furniture that looked handmade and a pantry with bread and dried herbs. Another doorway led to a washroom with a basin and an old claw-footed tub.
Gilbert led the way into a sitting area with a comfortable-looking loveseat and an old rocking chair. There was an ashy fireplace that was unlit and an oil lamp burning near the street-side window.
Adelaide could see the little space where Gilbert must’ve sat to talk with her. There was a book on the windowsill almost as if… he would pass the time there quite often? Maybe even waiting for her to stop by? She could only hope.
“I’ve little I can offer ye, Miss Hunter, as far as comforts… Perhaps some tea?” Gilbert asked politely, looking toward the kitchen behind him.
“Oh, that would be wonderful, thank you,” she replied, eager for a nice hot beverage on a cold night, “Why don’t I get a fire going?”
“Ah, yes. Ye can use the flamesprayer by the hearth,” he said approvingly as he wheeled himself into the kitchen to retrieve the tea kettle.
It only took a few minutes and a burst of controlled fire into the fireplace to fill the sitting room with warmth and a subtle orange radiance that flickered, chasing the shadows to the edges of the space. Adelaide sat on the loveseat, sipping her tea from her cup. It was probably just a little too hot still but she relished the way it warmed her from within, the taste of it rich and earthen. Gilbert drank from his own cup, sitting beside her in his chair. It was a relief to notice that he hadn’t had another coughing fit since the kettle had finished brewing. The tea seemed to be soothing his throat.
When Adelaide looked out of the corner of her eye, she saw that he was smiling peacefully, facing the warm glow of the burning hearth without actually seeing the light through the bandages.
Not…seeing it in the same way that she did, anyway. It was unclear to her as to how exactly Yharnamites with bandaged eyes continued to move about and navigate their world without issue. Father Gascoigne had his eyes covered as well, and he pursued her like she was the only source of light in a world of darkness, the easiest target in the world…
Adelaide’s teacup rattled against its saucer a little, making her place the set safely on the loveseat beside her until her hands stopped shaking.
Get your mind off of the hunt. Think of something else to occupy your thoughts, anything at all, she tried desperately to reason with herself and forget the Old Hunter that still awaited her in the Tomb of Oedon.
“So, Gilbert, is there anything I can help you with while I’m here?”
It could’ve just been the warm glow of the fire, but she swore she saw a blush color his cheeks from what she could see where the bandages didn’t cover.
“It uh… It’s been quite some time since I’ve had a good shave. My illness makes my hands shake too much to hold the razor,” Gilbert admitted rather shyly, “…if ye wouldn’t mind, o’course?”
“No, I’d love to,” Adelaide said with a smile, “after all, I’ve been told I’m pretty handy with a blade.”
Her joke made Gilbert laugh quietly. The sound was husky and melodious and oh so appealing.
Adelaide felt her cheeks grow warmer as she moved to the bathroom to retrieve the necessary materials. The old mug was on the shelf by the washbasin, the lather brush resting inside of it, and the silver straight razor was closed, off to the side. The shaving cake was in the cupboard. There was a bucket of cool water in the kitchen that must’ve come from the well pump in the back yard. She returned to the living room with all of the shaving supplies, getting a good look at Gilbert’s face from the front and the sides to map out how she was going to go about getting him all cleaned up.
The sickly man was sporting a scruffy beard and mustache combination, his ginger bangs long enough to hang over the bandages covering his eyes. Those bandages would have to come off so she could shave him properly…
“Uh, Gilbert, is it all right if I…?” She started, hesitating to ask something so personal of him.
“Please,” he said simply, giving her an encouraging nod.
Adelaide swallowed and licked her lips, taking off her gloves and setting them aside before she reached out and located the edge of the bandage where it was tucked into its own folds to hold it in place. Slowly and carefully, she unwrapped the strand of fabric, gathering the tattered bundle in her hands until at last his face was completely uncovered. When he opened his eyes, it was immediately clear that his pupils had collapsed.
She may have been relatively new to Yharnam but she knew well by now that such deformation was a surefire sign of the onset of the beastly scourge. She’d seen those ravaged eyes a million times in the crazed, bandaged faces of the Yharnamites that tried to cut her down in the middle of the street just for being an outsider – those poor wretches who were barely even people anymore. Gilbert was even sicklier than she thought, but she willed her heartache not to show on her face as she met his gaze.
Instead of thinking about how her kindly acquaintance was severely ill, she focused on the fact that what remained of his irises were a bright, emerald green in hue. There was still a liveliness to them, warm and curious. She thought about how much she enjoyed having his eyes on her, and she smiled.
“My, yer a pretty one,” Gilbert murmured, clearing his throat when his voice got particularly husky.
Adelaide blinked with surprise, a blush warming her cheeks as her smile widened in response.
“You’re not so hard on the eyes yourself, good sir,” she replied, trying to sound as casual as possible.
He chuckled, bashfully looking away as if he didn’t believe her.
“…Tilt your head back, please,” she said gently, getting on with what he had asked her to do this night.
Gilbert did as she asked, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes comfortably.
First she wetted a towel in the bucket of water and rubbed it gently along his jaw, getting his facial hair just wet enough to make the process easier all around. Then she scooped a little water into the mug and plopped the shaving cake inside, swirling it about to get it wet. Next, she got some suds going by swirling the lather brush about in tight little circles until the foam was thick and frothy. She tapped the brush on the edge of the mug to knock of the excess and then she lifted the brush to the side of his face.
Adelaide touched the lather brush to his skin carefully, swirling it about to apply the shaving foam as evenly as possible across his unruly facial hair. While she was getting a few spots she missed around his mouth, the man wrinkled his nose and snorted lightly with laughter. The brush must’ve been tickling him.
Goodness, he’s precious, she thought to herself, feeling her face grow even warmer as she set down the frothy mug and brush reached for the straight razor.
The blade unfolded easily, as if it had been mostly well-maintained but not in use as of recently. As she grazed the edge carefully with her thumb, it was clear that it was still sharp enough to do its job. She got a nice hold of the razor, tilting it in her hand, getting a feel for the weight of the object and how best to use it. Then she exhaled smoothly and slid the razor down along his cheek in a nice, clean stroke, using her other hand to pull upwards by his temple and make sure his skin was taut.
She really did have a knack for sharp edges of all sorts, that wasn’t a lie. And her skills had only been honed all the more since she had come to Yharnam and had the onus of the hunt thrust upon her…
Slowly and carefully, she shaved the left side of his face, uncovering the gentle slope of his cheek and the firm plane of his jawline. Like a charming little puzzle game, she saw more of him with each stroke of the razor and it became clear that he was quite attractive underneath all of that scruff and neglect. When she gently pressed her fingers to the corner of his jaw to wordlessly get him to tilt his head to the other side so she could continue, he made a happy little noise at her touch – she felt it hum against her fingertips where she touched his neck.
Adelaide’s grip on the razor tightened. She hadn’t realized that this evening would kindle such a hunger for affection and physical contact within her. The way they had only just met officially and seen each other eye to eye for the first time, and already he trusted her with a razor against his neck – she found this whole scenario unexpectedly erotic. The surge of emotions he awoke within her so easily left her feeling altogether unprepared.
In an attempt to distract herself from the warmth roiling about in the pit of her stomach, she tried to make conversation.
“I appreciate the opportunity to express my gratitude to you in-person, Gilbert. You were crucial to helping me navigate this accursed town. I certainly would’ve never thought to go through the aqueducts if not for your recommendation, once I found out that the Great Bridge was closed,” she said, rinsing the razor again in the bucket of water to get it nice and clean for its next stroke along his cheek.
The sickly man didn’t move his mouth, which was wise when one has a blade sliding across one’s skin, but he made an affable “Mm-hmm,” sound from behind his closed lips to acknowledge that he had heard her words.
She could almost hear the implied “Not a problem at all, lass” in his little murmurs.
She decided not to tell him about what had awaited her on the Great Bridge. As she had approached, naively expecting her greatest worry to be a firmly locked door, the Cleric Beast had leapt forth from beyond the wall. The weight of its impact had shaken the entire bridge. With an unearthly howl, it had grabbed her in its massive beastly paw and slammed her down into the cobblestones. She still recalled the feeling of its great clawed hand enclosing her all too clearly, the horrific strength it wielded with such ease.
Maybe Gilbert knew the Cleric Beast was out there. Maybe he didn’t. Either way, she didn’t fancy the idea of talking about it any further.
She was mostly finished with shaving his cheeks and along his jaw. She took care to focus when maneuvering the razor around his mouth, being sure not to cut the soft flesh. His lips were…quite pretty, if she did say so herself. There was an attractive shapeliness to them, she didn’t know how to explain it, but she had to consciously remind herself not to stare.
“Tilt your chin up, please,” she murmured, rinsing the razor again and trying to remain as professional as possible whilst completing this simple task. The fact that she was struggling made her internally roll her eyes at herself. She hadn’t realized a casual shave would be this problematic for her, but here she was…
Gilbert did as she asked again, eyes still peacefully closed.
Adelaide shaved the auburn stubble from his throat with precision, tracing the lines of muscle and sinew beneath his skin with her eyes as she slid the razor down his neck. Much to her surprise, there was a point where she could see his pulse thrumming just beneath his skin, under the corner of his jaw. It made her wonder if he too was having some unexpected emotions during this little nighttime rendezvous. But, aside from her inappropriate secret musings at the sight of his bare throat, she noticed something else that made her brow furrow.
Earlier some little cuts and scratches had caught her eye. They were peppered along his cheeks here and there, one along the edge of his jaw and one just beneath his nose. She’d attributed them to his time in Yharnam, seeing as he must’ve seen many hunts and had plenty of close calls, whether he was a hunter or not. But now she saw that those scars were more concentrated along his neck and his collar bones. When she glanced downward, it became obvious that the cause for his numerous scratches must’ve been the fact that his illness had lengthened his fingernails to points that were over an inch in length.
Every time he absent-mindedly went to scratch an itch or button the collar of his shirt, he must’ve sliced through his own skin with terrible ease. Adelaide’s chest tightened with sympathy as she wished yet again that she had come to visit him sooner.
“I-I’m going to go grab the clippers I saw in the washroom, okay? Your nails are a bit on the long side,” Adelaide said gently, trying to keep her tone light.
“Mm-hmm,” Gilbert said again, nodding approvingly at the idea.
She returned quickly with the necessary tool for the job, clipping his beastly nails so that they actually resembled those of a human being instead of a monster’s talons. It made her feel better almost immediately to know he wouldn’t accidentally cut himself again for quite a while. She picked up the dangerous clippings off of the floor and threw them into the rubbish bin.
The shaving process itself was mostly finished, now it was time for some cleanup.
Adelaide dumped the soiled frothy water down the drain of the washbasin and recovered a fresh bucket of water from the kitchen. Upon returning to the sitting area, she removed the teakettle from the fireplace and hung the bucket over the flames instead, so that the water would begin to warm. Next, she retrieved a comb from the washroom and dipped it into the bucket to wet it, returning to Gilbert to run it through his hair as gently as possible.
She brushed his hair out to rid it of tangles, getting it smooth and somewhat settled once again, though he seemed to have a natural wavy style. (What he really needed was a warm bath but she wasn’t sure if he would be willing to allow her to assist him with such a matter so soon after they had just met. The thought made her bite her lower lip to keep from snickering under her breath.)
Adelaide looked at him for a moment, taking in just how relaxed and happy he looked. His eyes were closed gently as if he had no desire to open them. His mouth was slightly curved up at the corners, as if he was smiling without even thinking about it. Free from the overgrown facial hair and the frothy soap, all brushed and cleaned up nice, it was literally distracting how lovely he looked. Her heart rate quickened in her chest as she tried to focus, setting the shaving things aside on the table and walking over to the fire to draw the bucket of water out of the flames.
She dipped the towel from earlier into it, pleased to feel that the water was pleasantly warm without being uncomfortably hot. She squeezed the excess moisture from the fabric and then set the bucket down on the stone edge of the hearth, returning to Gilbert who was still sitting contentedly in his chair.
“I’ve got a hot towel for you,” she said, not wanting to press it to his face without warning.
“Oh, thank ye so much, Miss Hunter,” he replied with such sweet sincerity, tilting his head back to grant her access with the towel.
When she pressed it to his face, massaging along his jawline and his cheekbones with the warm fabric, he groaned with such relief and delight. The sound made her stomach tighten with arousal, her face flushing with warmth all over again.
Confound it all, you silly girl, Adelaide chided herself as she left the towel draped across his face for a moment longer, escaping to the bathroom to grab a fresh roll of bandages. Her heart was all a flutter – she needed to get a hold of herself.
Goodness gracious.
When she returned and removed the towel, his skin had a pleasant flush to it. Whereas before he was troublingly pale, there was now a touch of warm color to his cheeks. Altogether he looked much better than he had when she had first entered his home. The obvious improvement to his appearance made her feel quite pleased.
Gilbert opened his eyes and ran his fingers along his jaw, marveling at the smoothness of his skin that he must’ve been unable to feel for a long while.
“Ah, it’s such a relief,” he sighed blissfully, giving her a charming smile, “I cannot thank ye enough.”
Adelaide smiled in return, trying not to let her eyes linger on his teeth, which she could see were far more pointed than they were supposed to be. She managed to keep her facial expression easy-going despite the heartache and concern she was feeling so very strongly when she looked at him and saw the state he was in.
Unable to find the words to say, she lifted the roll of bandages in a silent question to him.
Gilbert nodded and gently closed his eyes, letting her lean forward and put them on under his freshly combed hair. Sitting so closely beside him, she could feel the warmth of his body. The fresh, clean scent of the shaving cake filled her nose. Her fingers slid along his cheeks and brushed his tousled hair back as she replaced the soiled bandages from earlier with new ones. His skin was so smooth and his hair was almost silky after she’d brushed it. Her hands lingered by his right ear as she tucked the end of the bandage strap in so it would stay in place.
Her heart was quickening again, so much so that she could feel her pulse between her legs.
“I…would really like to thank you properly for all you’ve done, Gilbert. I’m not certain I would’ve found my way around Yharnam without you…” Adelaide murmured carefully, leaning slightly closer to him.
“Oh, Miss. It was nothing. We outsiders have to stick together after all.”
Trying to ignore the sultry stirrings his use of the phrase ‘sticking together’ brought to mind, Adelaide swallowed unevenly and slowly, reluctantly brought her hands away from the side of his face.
“Still… I’ve a token of my thanks, if you would do me the honor of accepting?” she asked, her cheeks burning with warmth.
“That’s very kind of ye, Miss Hunter. Ye didn’t have to,” Gilbert said politely, nodding to her and holding out his hand. He was obviously expecting an object.
Before either of them really knew what was happening, Adelaide leaned in and pressed her lips to his in a strong kiss, moving him back in his chair with her passion. Gilbert made a noise of startled surprise, a kiss obviously being the last thing he was expecting to receive. His mouth was hot and he smelled like incense and ashes and it was everything she had been hoping it would be.
It ended all too soon when Gilbert drew back suddenly to cough into his hand, unable to resist the demanding impulse any longer.
Adelaide suddenly realized exactly what she had done, giving into her baser urges like that, and a sickening wave of shame washed through her flustered body.
“Forgive me, I – I couldn’t seem to help myself. I should have asked before doing such a thing. I just –”
Her combination of explanation and apology was interrupted when Gilbert grabbed the collar of her shirt and yanked her down into another kiss.
With the second meeting of their mouths, when he was as fully invested as she was, it all became clear to her: He was no stranger to how lonely it was during a hunt. He knew damn well how much you yearned for a warm, soft touch or a kind word amidst the screams of your neighbors and the howls of beasts. He knew how it felt to have the cold night pressing in on you, making you feel so very isolated and vulnerable. He was in need of some sweetness just like she was. The kiss conveyed all of that likeminded desire without the need for clumsy words.
Adelaide moaned, thrilled that he was reciprocating her advances. This evening was going better than she had ever dreamed. She cupped his face tenderly with shaking hands, sliding her thumbs gently across the bandages just below his eyes. Gilbert shuddered in response, the two of them parting for just a second to catch their breath.
“By the gods, it’s been ages since I’ve felt a woman’s touch…” he groaned, his voice low and husky.
She nodded rapidly in agreement, her last time being intimate with someone seeming forever ago. It was unbelievably fortunate that they both wanted this and needed this, tonight of all nights when they were finally together. At that moment, it was like nothing mattered more than each other.
“Is there room in that chair for two?” Adelaide asked playfully, fingers already unbuttoning her blouse.
“Well, the old thing hasn’t let me down yet,” Gilbert replied with a breathless chuckle.
"Excellent,” she murmured, standing up and taking a step backward so that she could slide her pants and her underwear down her legs, yanking off her socks as well and hurling them aside. She could already feel how aroused she was when the cooler air of the room reached the wetness between her legs. Still, the room was not cold by any means. The firelight was nice and warm, flickering across the walls and across the two of them as Adelaide took a moment to appreciate the romantic atmosphere, for what it was worth.
Her core body temperature was rising more and more by the second. She was enjoying this whole development, very much.
She walked forward and climbed into the wheelchair with him, straddling him with her bare legs on either side of his waist. The way his body clenched beneath her as she settled in place was so endearing. She looped her arms around his neck, gripping the headrest of the chair for support as she started to grind on him. She couldn’t wait another moment more. Her hips slid back and forth along the fabric of his trousers, almost immediately feeling the stiffness of his erection forming between his legs.
Gilbert groaned, his head falling back against the chair. His hands gripped the armrests tightly, shaking a bit with nervous delight.
“W-were ye planning this when ye asked to come in?” he asked, his voice deliciously strained.
“No, not exactly… I was truly hoping for some pleasant company of the casual sort but – I can’t deny that I’m fond of you…” Adelaide replied, blushing as she admitted something of a secret to him, “I’ve always wondered what you looked like behind that curtained window pane… And I… I’ve always liked the sound of your voice.”
“My voice, eh?” Gilbert asked in a smug, teasing sort of way, “…Is that why yer so wet already?”
Adelaide shivered in his lap, her lips pressing together firmly. The concept of Gilbert talking in such a lewd manner to her was so appealing, it just wasn’t fair. Her stomach clenched hard with arousal and she couldn’t even think to form a sentence in response.
Gilbert grinned wickedly when she didn’t answer his question, his sharp teeth glinting in the firelight as he leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Ye naughty minx…”
She threw her arms around his neck and drew him forward into a ravenous kiss, her tongue seeking his as her thighs clenched tightly on either side of his waist.
The poor man gasped at her passion and had to draw back yet again for another bout of coughing.
She really had to quit surprising him like that.
“I’m so sorry,” Adelaide sighed with exasperation, “I shouldn’t—”
“Not to worry, Miss. Happens all the time,” he chuckled reassuringly, trying to make light of it.
“…How about this? You just relax and focus on your breathing… And I’ll take care of the rest…” she purred warmly, tilting her head so that she could press a kiss to the corner of his jaw. She shifted back in the chair just a bit, kissing along his neck, making sure to go slowly for a moment so he could breathe evenly again. Then she reached down between their bodies to undo the strings on his trousers and pull out his cock.
His flesh was hot and hard in her hand, already quivering with desire. Adelaide continued to grind on him, sliding her hand up and down his length while holding him against the warm wetness of her vulva. The feel of it was so slick and marvelous, it made her moan weakly as her blood rushed below her waist and throbbed in her clitoris.
Gilbert’s breath stuttered in his chest, a low groan slipping from between his lips as well. His voice was so erotic and gruff – it was fanning her lust to a dizzying degree. Already she was so hot and every noise he made only made her hotter.
Finally, she lifted herself up onto her knees in the wheelchair and lined his cock up to her entrance, lowering herself down onto his length and taking him in completely. A loud moan rolled out of her mouth at the feel of him filling her, so hot and hard. The two of them shuddered together as their bodies came together as one at last.
She paused for a moment to let her body adjust to the size of him after quite some time without a lover to accommodate. In that moment of stillness, she watched Gilbert’s face as his lips parted to let forth a weak, wheezing breath. Even with bandages covering his eyes, she could see the pleasure he was feeling written on his face and it delighted her to know she was the one pleasing him.
Curious as to the effect it would have, Adelaide clenched her vaginal muscles experimentally around his cock.
Gilbert immediately hissed a Gaelic curse word under his breath, his whole body shuddering beneath her.
She giggled delightedly in response, enjoying the power she seemed to have over him tonight after how much he had flustered her without even trying during the shaving process.
Alright, enough teasing, she thought to herself with a smile. She then started to lift her hips up and down, swiveling them a little for an extra sensation.
Gilbert grabbed onto her hips with his hands as she moved, his nails grazing her skin even after she’d so recently clipped them shorter. The feel of the passion in his grip made her moan and pump her hips even harder. The poor chair started to creak and groan with her thrusting.
“Haah – you’re so strong. M-makes sense for a hunter,” Gilbert muttered weakly through his panting for breath, “Ah, fuck, you might break me, love—”
“I’m sorry—You feel so good! Haah!” she replied, tilting her head back and closing her eyes as the pleasure continued to build, tightening the coil of heated tension in her gut.
Gilbert yanked her unbuttoned shirt to the side and pulled down the fabric that wrapped her chest to serve as a bra, taking her left breast into his hot, wet mouth. He sucked hard, teasing her nipple carefully with the sharpness of his teeth.
“Aah! Gods, I—I’m cumming already!” Adelaide burst, shuddering as pleasure washed through her hot and hard. It had been so long since she’d felt anything like this and everything about him felt so good. She came with a ragged gasp, quaking in his lap as her legs shook violently.
The way she clenched around him so tightly was enough to push Gilbert over the edge of bliss as well. He groaned loudly and came with her, burying his face against her chest and wrapping his arms franticly around her back, desperate to hold her as his body shuddered in the grip of such ecstasy. She felt the bloom of warm, wet heat within her as he poured himself inside.
“Ah, Gods…” Adelaide moaned weakly, her whole body tingling with heat and sensitivity, her heart pounding in her chest. Her legs twitched with orgasmic aftershocks. Every bit of her felt so damn good, she was content to just sit there and revel in it for a moment as the two of them tried to catch their breath.
Gilbert’s arms slackened a little around her back, his head lifting from her bosom at last. When he looked up at her, his face all flushed and sweaty, she saw that a fresh stream of blood was dripping down his chin. He must’ve bitten his lip too hard when he came – his teeth were much sharper than they were supposed to be with his worsening beasthood, after all…
At the sight of the blood, a new wave of lust crashed into her like never before. She knew it was wrong to feel this way toward the fact that he had injured himself but… she couldn’t help it. She was so turned on at the thought of indulging in the blood that was right there in front of her. Since becoming a hunter, blood ministration was more commonplace for her than drinking alcohol. There were countless warnings to not let oneself succumb to the intoxication of blood but… the temptation was too strong.
She couldn’t resist, leaning down so that she could lick the blood from his chin with a slow stroke of her tongue. When she reached his mouth, she kissed him hungrily, fisting a hand into his hair to pull him closer. The hot, coppery taste swirling across their tongues made them moan together, so sinful and yet so arousing. She even went so far as to suck on his bottom lip to get that last little taste.
Her hips started rocking up and down again before she even knew what was happening.
“Ahh, fuck—” Gilbert whimpered loudly, his nails digging into her naked skin again as pleasure overtook him. His legs were already shaking beneath her, his body quite sensitive after having an orgasm so recently. The sound of her hips pumping vigorously against his was so lewdly wet with how he came inside only a moment ago. The new thrusts pushed out the excess cum from before. She could feel it dribbling warmly down her thighs.
“G-Gilbert,” she moaned, her body positively quivering with the sweetest tension.
The man seemed to get rougher after she said his name, spurred on to escalate the passion that they shared. His hands went to her chest, his thumbs circling her nipples as he dipped his head and grazed the arch of her throat with his teeth. She gasped at the sharpness, moaning again as he soothed the marks he’d made with a slow stroke of his tongue.
Gilbert continued to surprise her, one hand wrapping around to grip the back of her neck and keep her recklessly close while the other hand delved between her legs to roll his thumb against her clitoris.
“Aah! Haah, fuck–!” Adelaide moaned loudly, whimpering with delight as she bounced harder on his cock, his hips thrusting up to meet her. Her hands gripped the back of his chair tightly, holding on for dear life.
“Ah, Miss – ye feel divine! I won’t last much longer—” Gilbert groaned against her neck, his thumb circling her clitoris even faster than before.
“Haah! Me either – feels so good! Come with me, Gilbert! Please—!” Adelaide panted as that prickling numbness of release spread through her, her pleasure swelling to a glorious peak that took her breath away.
As they came together, Gilbert sank his teeth into her shoulder to smother the sound of his broken groan, making her cry out in both pleasure and pain. The sensation was so great, it made her eyes roll back in her head, her vision going blurry and blank. He filled her again with his liquid heat as every coherent thought left her mind, leaving only the purest of feeling.
It wasn’t clear how long that amazing state lasted, perhaps a tiny little forever.
As the stronger heavenly sensations faded gently, leaving a warm afterglow behind, Adelaide and Gilbert shuddered together in the wheelchair, gasping softly as they tried to catch their breath. Sweaty and flushed and blissful beyond measure, the two of them held each other close for a moment longer, sharing a few more lazy kisses here and there.
Breaking the hushed silence filled only with their breathing and the crackling of the fireplace, Gilbert suddenly coughed again, unable to hold it back any longer.
The comedic timing made them both laugh together, their bodies shaking slightly in the chair.
“I’m sorry, this was a bit much, wasn’t it?” Adelaide murmured ruefully, honestly concerned that she might’ve overdone it tonight with her sickly partner.
“To hell with my cough,” Gilbert replied defiantly, “I feel much better… Better than I have in months.”
His spirited response made her sigh with relief. The last thing she wanted to do was make his condition worse in any capacity.
“I’m feeling better, too…” she said, her cheeks warming at the truth of her words.
“Good,” Gilbert chuckled, pressing a sweet kiss to the tip of her nose.
She smiled at him, so sincerely happy that they got to have this moment together… even if it was only temporary. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t just stay here. She had a job to do.
Her smile shrank a little with her sobering thoughts, but she didn’t let it get her down completely. She still had some aftercare to perform here before she left.
Gently, Adelaide lifted herself off of Gilbert and got out of the chair, standing up straight as best she could on her quivering legs. She felt the warm wetness as some cum began to drip down her thighs, making her shiver with sinful delight as she moved to retrieve the towel from earlier and the warm bucket of water by the hearth.
She cleaned up any traces of the mess she and Gilbert had created and got both of their pants back on properly without much fuss. (Though the feel of the warm, wet towel on their sensitive skin was pleasant enough to almost make her jump back into his lap, her sense of a hunter’s duty be damned. Almost…)
Adelaide took a moment to place the shaving materials back where they belonged in the bathroom and return the bucket of water and the tea kettle to the kitchen before she sat back down on the loveseat beside Gilbert, the two of them soaking up the warmth from the cheery glow of the fire.
“I think it’s time you got some rest,” she said gently, seeing the exhaustion on his face as he leaned back sleepily in his chair.
“Aye, that sounds nice,” he sighed, not protesting in the slightest. There was a lazy smile on his face that warmed Adelaide’s heart all the way through as she stood and took a hold of the handles on the back of his chair. Next, she wheeled him into his bedroom and drew back his covers, helping him into bed and tucking him in securely.
She touched her hand to his forehead, brushing his hair back to feel that he was quite warm. It might’ve been the warmth of the fire or the…warmth of her body clinging to him, but she thought it wise to retrieve a cool washcloth from the bathroom. She laid it across his brow to help soothe his fever, whatever its cause.
She also brought him a glass of water to set at his bedside, should he have need of it in the night.
“Yer more than welcome to stop by my window any time…” Gilbert murmured sleepily from his bed as he turned to face her, “I thank ye for yer company tonight.”
Adelaide smiled delightedly to hear that they had both enjoyed themselves.
“Thank you, Gilbert. You’re one of the only kind souls I’ve met in this mess of a city… I don’t want to go back outside, but… a hunter must hunt,” she said, quoting the words of Eileen the Crow that rang with truth when she found her self-confidence lacking.
“Take care of yourself, Miss,” he said kindly, the concern in his voice making her chest feel a little tighter. She really did not want to go back outside with such a sweet man here to take care of…
“You too, Gilbert… Goodnight,” Adelaide replied in farewell, giving him one last kiss before she turned to leave the room, stopping at the doorway to wish him ‘sweet dreams’ over her shoulder.
He was already half-asleep at that point, but the way he smiled told her that he had definitely heard what she’d said to him.
She smiled with some effort, forcing her legs to carry her away from him back into the living room so she could retrieve her gloves and poke the fire with the iron stick provided, dispersing the logs so that there was no risk of them burning out of control or getting out over the edge of the hearth. She doused the oil lamp, not wanting to waste its fuel, and paused in the entryway to get her boots and jacket and hat back on, lifting her weapons off of the floor. They felt heavier in her hands for some reason.
‘Sweet dreams’ she had said, even though it felt like this night was never going to end. ‘Sweet dreams’ even though she was trapped in a Hunter’s Dream that wouldn’t let her die…
It took quite a bit of self-control to leave Gilbert’s home, full of warmth and affection, and lock the door behind her as she went.
She was so worried about his health. He… he probably wasn’t going to be human that much longer. But she was happy that she could comfort him a bit, for what it was worth. They both needed some warmth and kindness in this trying time.
Adelaide straightened the brim of her hat and took a deep breath as she hefted her sawcleaver and cocked her pistol.
She would do what she could to hurry and get to the bottom of this whole mess with the blood ministration and the Plague of Beasts, for him, and for the other kind souls she’d met in Yharnam, few as they might’ve been.
She made her way back to the Tomb of Oedon to face Father Gascoigne again.
And again, should it be needed, and again, whatever it would take to move forward…
—