Little Boy Belmont (Richter x Olrox)

Chapter Five: Hunting

The sun is low in the horizon when Olrox watches Richter training outside in a field, away from the city. Belmont's aim has gotten better with his throwing knives, striking the trunk of a tree with decent accuracy. The Aztec stands a little bit away from Richter, strangely fascinated at the hunter's routine.

"You're getting better," Olrox notes with a small smile.
Richter grins back at him, looking a bit tired.
"Thank you, Olrox," he pants.
The vampire nods, hands behind his back as he watches.
Belmont's throwing knives whistle in the air and hit the tree in clean strikes.

Right as Richter goes to remove the knives from the bark, Olrox's attention snaps to the woods.
"Richter!" The Aztec shouts in warning.
Belmont whirls around as three night creatures rush out of the foliage.
A humanoid wolf and two harpies. Cursing, Richter lashes his whip in an arch so the creatures don't get too close.

Muscles tense and tired from training, his reaction time is slower. The whip feels heavier in his hand.
As he keeps the harpies a safe distance away, he sees Olrox making quick work of the werewolf, rushing around and striking it with quick movements of his obsidian knife.

Blindly reaching for his throwing knives, then realizing they're all still lodged in the tree, Richter cracks the whip hard at the flying monsters. His muscles scream in pain and he grunts. One of the harpies manages to dodge his slower attack and screeches at him, talons outstretched.

Bracing, he is tackled hard to the ground. With a sickening pop, he feels his shoulder dislocate at the impact. He screams in pain.
This is followed by the familiar screeching of Olrox's feathered serpent form. Richter looks up to see Olrox snarling and grabbing one of the harpies in his jaws and throwing it hard into a tree.

It crashes hard enough that Richter swears he hears its spine snapping. Despite Olrox protecting him, he looks up at the Aztecs' serpent form in pure fear. The image of his dead mother in the streets floods his mind. Putting all of the weight in his good arm, he backs away, feet slipping on the damp grass as he scoots back further.

Olrox makes quick work of all three night creatures, now laying in bloody heaps. The serpent's green eyes land on Richter as Belmont's back presses against a tree.
Sensing how frightened Richter is, Olrox quickly transforms back into his regular form and rushes over.

"Richter!" He looks relieved to see him safe, then looks concerned when Belmont flinches away. He cradles his injured arm, the pain ringing in his head.
He looks up at Olrox fearfully.
Olrox recalls Richter's trauma at seeing his Quetzalcoatl form and he winces.

"Look at me," Olrox tries his best to soothe the hunter.
"Get back..." Richter pleads, his body trembling.
"Richter, it's okay. It's all right," Olrox grabs Richter's trembling good arm. He cups Belmont's cheek with his other hand.
"Look at me. Focus on me, my dear, focus on me," the Aztecs' voice is calm but laced with worry.

Breathing quick, Richter panics, gripping Olrox's sleeve more out of instinct. The vampire's voice is distorted, Richter doesn't know what he is saying. The pain of his shoulder being shoved back in its socket makes him wail again.
Groaning, he feels his vision darkening. His brain barely registers Olrox picking him up and rushing him back to the inn.
****
Richter feels someone pressing a damp cloth to his forehead, humming a simple tune he doesn't recognize. He forces his eyes open and groans at the light blinding him.
The humming stops and Olrox comforts him.
"Shhh, it's all right," he hears the Aztec murmur.
He feels Olrox caressing his sweaty hair.

His shoulder still throbs in pain, but it isn't that blinding pain anymore. He opens his eyes again and looks up at Olrox. He's shocked to see the vampire actually crying. The Aztec forces a smile the moment Richter sees him.
"Thank Huitzopochtli you're awake," he whispers, taking the damp cloth away from his forehead.

"What.." Richter licks his dry lips, "happened? How long was I out?"
He glances out the window to see it's fairly dark.
"About the entire day. I thought you weren't going to wake up. If you hadn't, I..." Olrox closes his eyes tightly, more tears leaking out. "I'd rather not think about it."

Richter finds himself wanting to comfort Olrox in return, especially after how he protected him. Yes, Belmont still has PTSD from watching his mother die, and probably always will, but seeing Olrox's fear and sadness, how the vampire probably fretted over his sleeping form.

"Olrox," he whispers, making the Aztec look at him. Richter smiles weakly. "Thank you, for what you did back there."
The vampire looks surprised, his eyes widening, then he smiles back. "Of course, my dear Richter."