Two Belmonts of different generations finally talk. What could possibly go wrong?


"Before anything else, I think I should apologize." Leon felt the need to bounce his leg to get rid of his odd, restless energy, especially as Trevor just blinked.

"For what?" Trevor finally said.

"For, well, assuming you weren't who you said you were." Leon gave into the need for movement, glad the table hid his nervousness. "It- It was difficult to accept. That I was in a different time, I mean. And for so long now, the Belmont name has been just, just me."

Leon was surprised to see Trevor nod in a grim fashion. "I understand."

"Ah." Leon bit at his lip, feeling the need to duck his head under the serious gaze. "Thank you. But I am sorry for calling you a false Belmont. Even through the stress..." Leon took a deep breath. It wasn't like him to be timid; But so much unexpected happening all at once had him wrong-footed. So he stowed some of his more complex emotions and questions on a metaphorical table, for looking at later, and put on a smile. "There are some things which mean a lot to me. I'll still defend those things, but more than just my own ideals, family is important to me. I know we started off, erm, antagonistic, but I hope we can try again. I would like to know more of you."

Trevor cleared his throat, his sturdy gaze replaced with something wavering. He scratched at his stubble as he muttered, "There's not much to tell."

Leon felt his smile begin to droop. Maybe Trevor didn't wish to speak with him? "I'm sorry if this is too odd for you."

"No, no. I mean, yes it's weird as fuck just-" Trevor sighed deeply. "It's fine. I did say there were some things you should know."

"Yes. Go ahead then," Leon said, softer than before. It only seemed to increase Trevor's fidgeting.

"When you said-" Trevor paused again, groaned, and suddenly started speaking with force, as though pushing through what he had to say. "You said you had been the only Belmont for a while. And I- Don't, don't expect to run into any more Belmonts while you're here. Other than me."

"...Oh." Trevor hunched over the table, forearms braced on the worn wood; Leon wished to reach over and touch one for comfort, but felt trepidation at the thought of Trevor pulling away. "It is a hard life, hunting the night. I wouldn't expect many would take to it."

Trevor coughed out a sour laugh. "No. No, there were a lot- A whole family. Siblings and aunts and... Not everyone hunted, and there was a lot of marriage outside the family, but that didn't mean everyone left."

"I don't understand," Leon admitted. "Where did they all go then?"

Trevor tensed, and simply the way he did it made Leon's mind spin into the worst possible scenarios. Wasn't Trevor-and his other two allies-looking to fight Dracula? He wouldn't. Surely he wouldn't. But... couldn't he? Depending on how many years went by, if he became tired of a family of hunters chasing him... Leon couldn't complete the thought.

"About, oh, I don't know, at least ten years ago," Trevor said, slow and deep, dredging the words up as if from a lakebed, "the great church of Wallachia decided black magic was to be eliminated. Their idea of black magic was... broad. And the Belmonts, who fought monsters, were within that category. The Belmont house was, I don't know, too powerful, or influential, or maybe provided too much safety where the church couldn't. I'm not sure. It doesn't matter much."

It mattered. To Leon it did. The church? An institution Leon had fought in the name of for so long? How could they deny the common people the protection which hunters would provide? A small thought wormed its way into his head, whispering that it was the church which had not granted Mathias leave to see his sick wife, which had tried to stop Leon from going to Sara's rescue. But the whispers sounded too much like the desperate ramblings of Mathias, so Leon placed that thought away too.

"What happened?" Leon whispered.

"They came in the night," Trevor whispered back. "A town full, deacons and priests and common people swayed by their words, and they burned the manor down."

Leon sucked in a breath, a lump finding his throat. He was ashamed his first thought was of all the work he was pouring into the construction of the building. But then Trevor spoke again.

"I wasn't the only one who escaped the fire, but I'm the only one here."

Emotion loaded the words; a thick grief Leon could hear, a self-loathing in the shoulders slumping down, and an anger in the shaking of his descendant's hands. Leon couldn't watch anymore.

So he reached out, abandoning his seat, and gathered Trevor into his arms.

Trevor felt frozen; He didn't even breathe. When Leon squeezed just a bit harder, Trevor took in some air and finally wrapped his arms back around Leon. After a few more moments, he lowered his head onto Leon's shoulder. They stayed that way, shaking, for an indeterminable amount of time. Leon couldn't tell whether the shaking was coming from him or his descendent.

His descendent, he'd gone through so much. "I'm so proud," Leon choked out.

Trevor squeezed harder, leaning firmly into Leon.

The entire family was gone? A fire? Something so horrible had happened, and it was not monsters, nor even the one he had sworn his family name to fight, but the very people who Leon had wished to protect. People like Sara, people who were in danger without those trained to help. Leon... had failed. He wondered if those who had helped him settle into the area would allow such a thing; He couldn't imagine it.

"So proud," he said again. Because here was Trevor, without a family, working towards good. "You found allies, and you're still trying to protect the people. I couldn't wish for a more honorable man to call himself a Belmont."

Trevor's breathing hitched; Leon felt some dampness on his shoulder, but didn't mention it-his own vision was getting misty too.

"I'm sorry," Trevor whispered.

"No, no need," Leon said. Some sort of instinct had him bringing his hand up to card through Trevor's messy brown hair.

"I am," Trevor insisted, though he leaned into the hand. "I... I used to blame you for, for so much." Leon stayed silent, then. Trevor rushed out the next words. "It- I know you didn't do it, it wasn't your fault, but sometimes, when I was wandering around, I thought... 'If only I wasn't a Belmont. If only we hadn't been hunters.' I thought... your decisions doomed us. It was... easier. To blame you. At first."

Leon swallowed. Maybe it had been his fault. He had brought his own responsibilities to his family, and his own curse. He had lost his betrothed to a vampire and a betrayal, and that fate had followed his descendants as well. Leon felt his hands shaking.

"I... understand," he said. He swallowed past the lump which had grown in his throat. "It must have been difficult for you. And for a child to carry so much despair... no, I can't blame you for that. Maybe..."

"I don't. Blame you either, I mean." Trevor raised his head, subtly wiping his face before turning towards Leon. "It was hundreds of years difference. And I..."

He looked away, up in the direction Sypha had gone, then the way the vampire had. A thoughtful look was on his face, brows pushed together.

"I was angry. Scared." Trevor shifted in place then, pulling further back as some pink ran to his ears. "I guess, maybe I thought I would never live up to the name, or something. Like I'd just die in a ditch, never having done anything. Or helped anyone."

Leon pulled Trevor back in, squeezing even harder.

"Even had you never been able to follow in my footsteps, or your grandfather's, or anyone else, I would have been glad to call you family. And the fact that you are trying now, to protect people and fight the fights needed to save them, despite all your hardships, I could not be any more proud. You are brave, with courage to face your fears, your past..." Leon had to wipe at his own eye then, bringing a hand up over Trevor's shoulder.

"Thanks." Trevor's voice was small.

Leon gave him a pat on the back before allowing him to pull away. Both their eyes looked red around the rim, and Leon had to chuckle. "You are a fairly good fighter, as well. I saw you were attempting to avoid harming me earlier, while using your chain whip to trip me up. That takes skill."

Trevor laughed too, rubbing at the back of his head. "No, not at all."

Leon smiled at Trevor's modesty. But something was bothering him. "Where did you learn to fight then?" A few more details from their conversation were popping out as well. "Who took you in?"

Trevor's smile fell. He shifted in his seat, slumping. "No one."

"Wha-?" No one helped a child? "Surely there must have been family friends...?"

"Ah, yeah. Our family is actually excommunicated."

Leon reeled back. "No. They, why?" Leon's voice got louder, unable to believe the cruelty. No God-fearing person would have wished to help excommunicates. Even had people escaped the burning of the Belmont home, they would have been turned out of every place. Trevor must have seen everything click into place in his eyes.

"I managed to find places to be, for a while," Trevor said. "So long as they didn't know I was a Belmont, I had a place to sleep and food to eat. I would do different jobs in return."

"But no one to turn to," Leon stated, horror digging into his spine, pushing it ramrod straight.

"No. No one who knew what I'd looked like."

And no way to be proud of his own name, to remember his family, without bringing great harm to himself. The church had gone and besmirched the Belmonts' good name, and for what? To claim something they wanted? To have more power? To hurt young boys who already had no family left?

Then the weight of what Trevor was doing finally hit Leon. Trevor, the last Belmont, was going to fight Dracula, a powerful vampire with the Crimson Stone and Death itself under his command.

"Trevor." Leon's suddenly serious and commanding voice startled Trevor. "You cannot fight Dracula."

Trevor's face twisted up. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I mean I shall do it."

"What?" Trevor leaned forward, hand clenched on his thighs.

"And taking so few... No we shall gather more people as well." Leon nodded to himself. He couldn't let Trevor go and get killed.

"Oh yeah?" Trevor scoffed. "Who? Who do you think is going to follow you that actually has skill in fighting vampires? In case you've forgotten, I'm excommunicated, and you're supposed to be dead!"

"Then at least don't put yourself in that situation," Leon tried.

"Why? Weren't you just saying how strong I was?" Trevor laughed, though it was not a happy one. He stood up and paced back and forth by the table. "Should have known it would just be l-"

"I meant it," Leon asserted, voice still growing. "But think of what will happen should you perish. Who else would be around to face him or his subordinates in the future? What of the other monsters?"

"So what, you want me to stay behind, think of who to fuck so I can get offspring?" Trevor snorted.

Leon felt his face grow hot at the obscenities and implications. "No, I-"

"Running away from this fight would be the most dishonorable thing I'd ever done, and I've done a lot of shit to survive. This..." Trevor turned away. "It would be unacceptable."

"There's nothing wrong with taking more time to plan, getting more help."

"That's what I did!" Trevor said, spreading his hands to encompass the hold and his allies somewhere in it.

"More than this, more than just three people-"

"What, are they not good enough for you?"

"-Because you will all perish!"

"Then at least I will have died fighting for something worthwhile!" Trevor shouted.

Leon stood up as well, chair clattering behind him. "Unacceptable!"

"This is our mission!" Trevor shouted back, obviously still talking about his other two companions. "You can't just throw yourself in front of anything that comes my way. You're not even supposed to be here!"

Leon took in a sharp breath. Trevor was right. Displaced in time, any interference on Leon's part might well lead to severe consequences. He was supposed to have children, and they have children, until Trevor was born. He couldn't help. He couldn't protect Trevor, or anyone. Clenching his teeth to avoid any outbursts, Leon turned and fled.

Some time outside the hold might do him good, he thought. Any words Trevor might have whispered to himself were lost, unheard over Leon's own heartbeat.


And everything is all worked out now, isn't that nice?
Haha, guess it's gonna take a while for Leon to acclimate to a completely new time where even more terrible things have happened to his family while leaving him in a position in which he can do almost nothing. Who knew that could be so upsetting? ^^;; It's gonna take some time for him. Ah well, at least they got in a couple of hugs.

Hopefully all the emotions make sense too. Please let me know what you think of it all! (o・・o)/ I wouldn't say the new year has been easy, exactly, but I'm doing my best.

Next time, we've got some Leon angsting (surprise surprise) so hold tight!