Chapter Text
Warning(s): G, none
It had been six months since then. Six months since the hot summer had brought the end of Dracula’s reign of tyranny and turned leaves had since shed into the white shroud of winter. Nights weren’t so dark, Sypha thought as a lone wolf howled through the long night. The moon was round and full, encompassed by snowy clouds and a world dyed completely blue in the low midnight. Interrupted by only the black silhouettes of trees and their white mantles, the sky was clear and spangled with stars. A fire flickered as both Trevor Belmont and the blonde huddled together for warmth, breaths misting the air.
“I can’t believe this trip took us a whole week. Do you think the Leu was worth it?” the sorceress thought aloud as she rested her cheek on Trevor’s shoulder, the brunet smiling fondly to himself.
“I’d like to think so. Muntenia has far less monsters than there used to be, but our work is yet over.” Trevor fished into his lapel pocket for a long strip of beef jerky he broke in half for the pair to share. Sypha gratefully took it and nibbled the morsel contemplatively.
“Alucard’s letter said reconstruction of the Belmont Estate is coming under way, at least. Well, more than last week.”
To be fair, the pair had been away for at least a month total, and then some. Returning to Brăila was strange, but utterly welcome after their arduous travels. Sypha, at least, gladly anticipated the idea of a proper bath and warm bed and laundered clothes after spending so much time camping out, short bouts of sleep interrupted by wolves, bandits, or monsters; sometimes an unpleasant medley of any of the three together. While Belmont Castle was still too skeletal to inhabit, substantial progress had been made. Monster hunting made them the coin necessary to pay the villagers working on the construction.
“Eh, I wonder about Alucard. You think he actually enjoys being cooped up in that old castle of his?” Trevor wondered idly as he chewed on his jerky like a horse did their cud. His blue gaze was distant, distracted.
Sypha gazed at him oddly. “Why wouldn’t he? He’s not entirely alone. Trevor. And restoring things is something he’s been enjoying doing…I think,” she considered uncertainly, voice trailing off doubtfully. “At least, I do not think he’s alone. …You care about him, don’t you?”
“And you don’t?” Trevor smirked with a knowing quirk of his brow, Sypha blushing indignantly.
“Why shouldn’t I?” Sypha sputtered defensively, jumping up from the confines of a shared blanket with her hands on her hips. “What, is it wrong to care for someone? I care for you, you enormous oaf!”
Trevor couldn’t help but burst into gregarious laughter before he sobered, eyes returning to the fire. Something sagely wistful settled upon his olive features, Sypha studying him with a growing concern. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You understand his sorrow—I’m sure you two would be a good match.”
“I— Trevor, what on earth are you insinuating?” the blonde demanded with a growing flush on her cheeks, of how damning she looked. Lips pursed anxiously, she ventured, “…He is handsome, yes, but—how on earth could you be so blind as to think I don’t fancy you—” She caught herself, suddenly turning around.
Her voice dropped to a near whisper. “But is it so wrong I want to save him, too?” Sypha hugged herself, frustrated tears welling within her eyes. What on earth was wrong with her? Why was it that she felt such similar yet different things for the two men? A guilty, palpable affection and a dire want to rescue them in spite of herself.
“I suppose you’re not entirely alone in that regard.” Disbelief displayed openly on her features, their eyes matching and he so compelled to continue by hers that bored into him intensely. “I’ll…simply say there might be a mutual problem in that.”
Sypha’s shoulders sagged. “Oh,” she murmured as she sank back to the ground, squatting on her knees near him again where he opened his arm to bring her against his side and into a shared warmth enough to melt the snow away. “Then…you understand. You feel drawn to him, as well?”
“I— Don’t think for one second I was willing. It’s not some tender entreaty or crap like that,” Trevor chuffed toughly before his tensity ebbed away. “…But, yes.”
Sypha become absorbed by the flickering flames, an owl hooting distantly. “To be fair, I hadn’t intended on falling for you, either. That…doesn’t make you uncomfortable, does it?” she ventured in a small voice, gathering her knees to her chest and resting her chin atop the caps, heart fluttering nervously.
“You must be really dense if you don’t think I haven’t been interested in you, Sypha,” Trevor chuckled throatily, the blonde gazing at him hopefully. “I thought our problem was shared. An attraction to each other, and to him.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and smiled wryly. “Oh please, Belmont. You’re so easily read that you’re a step away from being an illuminated text if some monks got their hands on you and started decorating!” she snorted with a horse-like laugh, earning a headlock and mussing of her tussled blonde locks in retaliation. Tapping on his arm in concession, the Belmont released her with amused but quieting chuckles.
“That leaves the biggest hurdle, doesn’t it?” Trevor asked suddenly, Sypha perking up. “We’ll have to sit Alucard down about this. You know him. Unless we decide to go monster hunting in, say, Transylvania, then he’ll catch on rather quickly. Nothing goes under his nose.”
“Are you absolutely certain?” Sypha asked worriedly, resting her chin atop her knees again. “How do you know it won’t…make things awkward if the feeling isn’t mutual?”
Trevor puffed air through his bangs. “Argh, you have a point. But even if he does reject us, there’s always friendship. And don’t we have each other, Miss Belnades?” he conceded with a sure, warm smile that drew a soft blush from the woman.
She playfully ribbed him. “A rather cheap conciliatory prize, but you’re right,” she replied smugly, primly, with a grin. “…At any rate, that is true. After everything we’ve been through together, I doubt unrequited feelings would be the wedge that drives us apart. I don’t think little things would be enough. We’re sort of joined now, regardless. ‘As above, so below.’”
“I think it’s safe to say we know what needs to be done. Come, let’s go to sleep, Sypha. We’ll return home in the morning.”