Skylar had sent Tara to set up a place to build a place for her and the day creatures. Alucard and Skylar stayed connected at the hip for the first few days. Skylar could tell Alucard still needed her there to help him through another mental break. Dracule kept an eye on Skylar, still distrusting her in Alucard's presence. Elizabeth stuck close to her. Keeping an eye on her to keep the peace. But it wouldn't be so easy, especially since Dracule still distrusted Skylar.
Skylar and Alucard made a habit of going out and gathering items. Berries, fish, herbs, anything that could work as part of a meal. Alucard would use his inhuman strength and speed to catch fish without a fishing line and quickly end them. Skylar would spend time gathering wild berries and vegetation Tara planted with seeds she carried. Alucard didn't interact with Tara or the day creatures often. He has still talked to Dracule, sometimes Elizabeth, but not often enough to say either child of Dracula had fully healed from losing both parents.
As the two gathered items for a meal, Alucard would do little things to tease Skylar. By the river, he would splash her a little, making her laugh and splash him back. Then, in the grass area, Alucard would use a cattail weed to tickle her neck, and Skylar would shove his hand away with a smile. After filling the basket, Alucard and Skylar went back to the castle and chose a wine bottle that had not shattered. Alucard carried the bottle, and Skylar took the basket and followed Alucard to a small house tucked in between the trees.
Alucard constructed the house and invited Skylar to reside there with him upon its completion. Skylar agreed. Since then, for the past month, both the vampire half-blood and Maki woman had stayed in the same house, but in separate rooms. Dracule had built a home near Alucard and Skylar's, mostly to keep an eye on Skylar, but also to have space to be by herself and Elizabeth. Skylar followed Alucard inside, and the two got to work putting together a meal. But Skylar often glanced at a set of dolls that Alucard made to look like Sypha and Trevor. Skylar was still concerned about Alucard's mental health. Alucard messed with Skylar here and there while cooking, tapping a berry on her nose, both smiling, then spinning her away from the stove to make her laugh.
"I'm trying to cook!" Skylar laughed as she tried to get back to the stove to finish cooking the fish. But Alucard took her hand and pulled her away again with a smile, showing his fangs a little.
"Now, why would I when it's fun to tease you?" Alucard joked with her.
"Shut up, you ass," Skylar laughed and went back to cooking. Alucard helped with seasoning and preparing the other items gathered for the meal. After a while, everything was done. Alucard and Skylar gathered the fish and items onto their plates, and both poured white wine and set their cups with their plates. Skylar took a seat beside Alucard, and both enjoyed their meal and wine together.
"You seem to enjoy this," Alucard said, looking at Skylar with a grin.
"I haven't had a meal with someone like this for a long time," Skylar said, smiling, but there was something sad in her eyes.
"You won't be alone for meals now," Alucard said, squeezing her hand. "What do you think, Trevor?"
"..." Skylar looked between Alucard and the dolls on a shelf.
"I think I hate everything and everybody," Alucard impersonated Trevor while looking at the dolls. Skylar let out a sigh, propped her elbows on the table, and rubbed her temples. "So I'm going to get drunk on beer that an old sheep's carcass brewed-"
"Okay," Skylar interrupted Alucard. "Alucard, stop right there."
"What?" Alucard tried to laugh it off.
"I knew where you were going with that. Stop it."
"Fine, fine," Alucard said, going back to his food.
"This is one of the many reasons why I worry about your mental health," Skylar told him. "You don't interact with the others much, but then you go and start talking to the dolls and make me think you are hallucinating."