Little Boy Belmont (Richter x Olrox)

Chapter Thirteen: Daylight

Olrox is abruptly woken up by Edouard nudging his shoulder. He sits up when he sees how alarmed the night creature looks.
Then he feels it before Edouard even opens his mouth. The odd emptiness in his chest.
"Where is Richter?" Olrox asks.
"He left this," Edouard hands Olrox the note. He takes it, scanning Richter's somewhat messy handwriting with troubled eyes.

'Dear Olrox and Edouard,
If you're reading this, it simply means I went out into the market to get some air and more food. I should be back in about an hour. I'm sorry for not telling either of you, you both were sound asleep.
I took my whip with me, don't worry. Forgive me for leaving during the day, when neither of you can exit the Hold.
I'll be back soon.
-Richter'

The Aztec hands the note back to Edouard and sighs, calming down. Even he realizes he needs to give Richter some space.
"At least he left a note," he admits.
"So now we wait?" Edouard asks, sitting on the floor and flipping through each book he's collected in a pile.
"Now we wait," Olrox echoes.
****
The outskirts of a Romanian village comes into view as Richter exits the forest. It took about twenty minutes on foot to reach the area. Part of him is glad to see an area fairly populated. The people look happy, calm, going about their day.

This only makes Richter feel slight guilt at essentially forcing Olrox and Edouard to stay behind in the Hold. He still wants to apologize to Olrox in person for how he acted the night before. Recalling the feeling of the vampire easily pinning him to the bookshelf makes his cheeks burn.

He quickly shakes this feeling off, wanting to simply buy some food and head back as fast as he can. He buys whatever small food he can carry: dried fruit, mixed nuts, a loaf of bread, and some salted fish. Happy with his purchases, he starts heading back when a clothing store catches his eye.

Richter is surprised to see another hunter outfit strikingly similar to his own at the display window. The overcoat is the same shade of blue he likes, the sleeves longer. Brown leather gloves and matching boots complete the look. The overcoat doesn't seem to have any buttons, just silver clasps to cover the white tunic underneath. A thick belt made of the same leather seems to hold the tunic in place.

If they are going to be staying in Romania, Richter will need something warmer. At least the boots look waterproof. Reacting more on impulse, he buys the outfit, boots and all. By the time he reaches the Hold and goes down the stairs to the portrait of Leon, he's winded. His feet ache from the walking, probably a sign his older boots are wearing down.

He rests for a moment, catching his breath. Despite him not wanting to admit it, being alone in the daylight felt...nice. He is a Vampire Hunter, he isn't meant to be in the dark constantly. Richter sighs, rubbing his neck. He hopes he'll see Leon again tonight. His ancestor is the only one he can really spill all of his secrets to.

Richter opens the door to the Hold and pauses when he hears Olrox and Edouard's voices echoing up. He listens more out of curiosity, leaning on the rail, watching Olrox pace down below.
"You worry for him too much," he hears Edouard explain gently.
"Me not worrying enough is what got my previous lover killed," Olrox answers back, voice tight like a bowstring.
"I don't want Richter to die, Edouard."

"I know that. I've seen Richter fight, he's perfectly fine," counters the opera singer, flaring his wings out for emphasis. Richter holds his breath more out of reflex, even though they can't hear him from so high above.
How long have they been talking about him?
"Constantly hovering over his shoulder isn't healthy, Olrox."

"I do it because we made a deal. I am not a vampire that takes deals lightly," the Aztec answers.
"Even at the cost of Richter's own privacy?"
Richter sucks in a sharp breath at this. Perhaps Olrox really has been hovering a bit too close. But deep down Belmont likes having constant company.
The image of his dead mother laying in the street flashes through his head and he winces.

Looks like that's another issue to bring up with his ancestor. Then again, how would he even phrase it? He can't just walk up to Leon, the Vampire Hunter who started it all and go: "Oh, by the way, I'm in a bit of a conundrum here because I am (probably) in love with the vampire who killed my mom when I was ten."

He groans and looks back down at Olrox and Edouard. Olrox looks annoyed, judging by how tense he looks. Edouard looks worried.
"What a lovely band we make," Richter mutters and continues going down the many sets of stairs to the main floor.
"I'm back with food," he calls out, landing on the floor with a solid thump that echoes.

To his surprise, they both look genuinely relieved to see he's okay.
"Does everything look all right up there?" asks Edouard.
"It all looks normal, no night creatures, at least during the day," Richter sighs, helping him organize the food he brought on a large table.

Olrox notices the outfit Belmont bought immediately.
"What's this?" he asks, running his hand over the fabric.
"Something warmer," Richter answers. "The sun is also setting. You both can go upstairs if you want."
"You're not coming with us?" Edouard asks.
Richter shakes his head.
"I need—" he cuts himself off, choosing his next words carefully. He was going to say he needs to stay down here, fall asleep, and get some answers from Leon, but feels like he should keep that info to himself for now.

"I need to look for more of Leon's letters," he says instead.
"All right," Olrox murmurs, looking a little suspicious, but doesn't push it.
As Edouard goes upstairs and Olrox follows, Richter stops him with a single sentence.
"I'm sorry."
Olrox pauses, hand on the rail and looking down at Richter. Belmont is still turned away, facing the table, fidgeting with the silver clasps on his new tailcoat.

"I'm sorry about how I acted last night. I know saying it in a letter wasn't the best option, I just didn't know what else to do," he murmurs, head lowered and shoulders hunched. With a curl of smokey shadow, Olrox is right next to him. Belmont flinches a little, more alarmed than anything.

"It's all right," the Aztecs' voice is softer now.
"I forgive you. I know sleeping during the day isn't normal for you," he says gently, caressing Richter's cheek.
"Sleep during the night, for your own sake. We're safe here. Eat, sleep, do whatever you need to make yourself feel a little better."
Richter nods.

"I'll tell you and Edouard my story after you've rested," he smiles sadly, then kisses Richter's cheek and goes upstairs as well.