HUNT THE NIGHT.

independent leon belmont from castlevania, penned by vladimir.

[huntsfirst]

people interested in following my other brainrot projects just know im bringing @darkestheir back bc of the trailer today

[cursevist-deactivated20251026]

the very moment leon steps foot into his ungodly abode, the castle knows, and it reacts. it seethes and drones, the creatures habitating the upper echelons screaming and stirring, a muted sound that carries through the walls. the minotaurs and shambling riders beneath them wail and roar, stalking the corridors of the coliseum and deeper, the wraiths of ice and frigid few that withstood the malformed frost and cave tunnels noisily thumping stalagtites. a belmont was a belmont was a belmont.

but under dracula's persuasion, they would leave him untouched. it was a matter now of divining his intent, seeing him for what and who he was. it was a task he had once thought of as overwhelmingly easy--mathias could have conjured up the image of leon in just a few well placed words. dracula speaks less, his poetry underfoot, alongside his love and adoration.

still, it twitches and aches, impossibly alive. though he bore no love for leon's kin, leon himself was..

he would always be different. always welcome, despite the fervent ache in dracula that demanded he turn him away, or make a final meal of him no matter how sour he would find it. and then leon lays a hand in his, and some dark, sugar sweet feeling whips through him: promise.

' no, ' dracula speaks softly, as if to a lover instead of an enemy long sworn, ' i suppose you didn't. ' once leon is entirely over the threshold, his hold lingers only for another savory moment, his thumb passing leon's roughened knuckles with the weight of affection alone. finally, he lets go.

' come... come with me. you're hungry, surely. ' dracula pauses. he was sure leon hated the thought. ' i've both food and--.. ' blood, his eyes say. ' --you needn't worry of its source. my stored cannisters come from thugs... mercenaries... criminals. i was.. decisive. '

[huntsfirst]

the castle roils in fury underfoot and it takes everything in his dead heart not to flee back into the sunrise. this place was a den of evil, it said, with the souls of those too damned for heaven or hell.

dracula's hand is cold under his, the insistent chill of something Other leeching into leon's own. soon, he thinks, he may be colder than dracula. even if he were a vampire, there is something different about his old friend.

his hands are worn with scars and the old signs of hard work. these were hands that slew monsters and built a home for his kin in the same movement. in time, would he grow claws to match the lord of this castle?

dracula gives pause when he mentions food, because leon's mind recoils and his stomach turns with a knot of hunger in it unlike anything he's ever felt. the only thing that pushes him to admit the truth is the way dracula looks at him with the keenness that he only sees in memories of mathias.

" i. . .yes, i am. i don't know how well i will keep it down, though. "

he lets himself hunch in on himself, hands clutching at his cloak to draw it close.

" i am very - tired. "

[cursevist-deactivated20251026]

if eve aint in your garden

[huntsfirst]

try to contend with the hunger in me.

just try to tell me i am not a heart made for aching.

[cursevist-deactivated20251026]

he comes to him haggard, fragmented as the surface of a mirror shattered, illusory and ancient and tired. he comes to him a vestige of his past self, a guttering candle light worked down to the waxy film. he comes to him exhausted, broken, and desperate.

dracula is a wolf, and leon is a rabbit. this was not always the case, the gravity of their dynamic a shifting paradigm. where he was once a proud warrior, he is now half a corpse.

the scent of vampirism on him is intense and perfumed. dracula feels a flicker of rage and desperate sadness worm in his chest, for the beasts that have done this to him, for the audacity of him to find his way to his doorstep after his scalding rejection and reformed oath, for the state of him.

his shoulders stiff, dracula considers turning him away, right there. but the rain is beating outside his library wall, melting leon's hair to his haunted face. they say nothing to each other. dracula gives him a once over, seeking the whip. it was not to be found.

finally, dracula takes a step back, and slowly extends out a hand for leon to take. it is an echo of the past, and an ultimatum. come in, or die.

@huntsfirst

[huntsfirst]

if you ask a hunter what their worst nightmare was, what the thing they feared more than anything, you would get many things of the same nature.

to be bitten by a werewolf. to be woken by a necromancer. to be bitten by a vampire.

ultimately, the fear was to be changed irreversibly against one's will.

leon had always laughed around this question - said he was too foolish to be afraid. besides, any beast that caught him would kill him, because his head was worth more when it didn't shout. (that would get trefor to laughing no matter what. 'twas a bittersweet memory now.)

when he awoke in a shallow grave, with blood dried black into his clothing, he had thought to make for home. there is a thought there, of his wife and darling children, his son who now carries the killer in their home -- and then his mind reels to how it gutted him to kill sara, how it would gut them too if he were to return changed.

perhaps it is the nature of the night to seek the dark spires of dracula's castle. he follows it like a north star he once sought to tear from the sky, until the enormous doorway towers over him like an maw with clenched teeth.

seeing dracula would take his breath away, if he had any left to take. his face has sharpened in the ages, but not in the way of time passing for a mortal. he is not like leon, who stands with silver threaded through the golden curls that still frame his face and a story written in the way his eyes crease when he laughs.

he's not sure what he's expecting. his eyes linger on those pointed claws for a moment longer than they do on dracula's face, wondering when they'll cut the heart from his chest, and then there is the distinct tap of boots stepping back from the door before he's being offered a hand inside.

were he a prouder man, he would have brought the silvered chain of his beloved weapon, no matter how he burned him. as it is, he reaches for the hand of his most trusted friend.

"i didn't know. . .where else to go."

[huntsfirst]

today i think about vampire leon

[huntsfirst]

why do you hunt monsters?

TO FIND THE ANSWERS.

you are the only one who can get to the bottom of this. you are angry because you're tired of being lied to. you're willing to do whatever it takes -- long road trips, watching your friends die a million times, working for the bad guy, any of it. all of it. you're just sick of people pushing you around. the government is hiding shit, but it goes deeper than the government, doesn't it? there are companies. there are hierarchies. heaven is a capitalist hellscape. you've seen it -- cubicles, as far as the eye can see. you're starting to suspect hell is the same way. if heaven and hell are busted, what hope does anyone else have? what are those strange lines on your hands? surely they're just your veins, right? see, this is why you have to keep searching. gotta be you. see, this is a set-up, and you've been suspicious all along, you aren't like those other sheep, oh no, oh fuck no. you fight monsters to find the answers. the only way out is through. and you will never stop being angry about it. somebody has to. it's you. it always was.

[huntsfirst]

i think about how leon was known for his bright personality + humor + chivalry and how he is unrecognizable to his old friends after lament bc he's now an embodiment of righteous anger!!!!

[huntsfirst]

what tragic horror trope are you?

THE VAMPIRE.

it is the loneliest day of a vampire's life, the first time they look into a mirror and see their reflection missing. drinking blood sucks too, don't get me wrong, but as a vampire you had to learn to hide from the sunlight, from your family, all your friends, because you were unavoidably different now and you didn't know how to explain that to them in a way they would understand. you could get stranger's blood in bursts, but what is life when you can't know someone for longer than the night lasts? you left everything behind because it was easier than trying to tell them. i just hope you know you're not the only vampire out there, and that there exist people who will understand your situation without a word. they'll sit with you in the dark for as long as you'll need them to.

[huntsfirst]

once you're stripped clean, what's at your core?

ACERBIC WIT.

you're a mentor — an old scarred wolf, an injured soldier, a disgraced paladin. your teachings read as shamelessly pretentious, speaking in rhymes and biting down hard into anyone stupid enough to make the wrong move. this isn't your first life, nor your second, nor your sixth — you'll make the most of your time shackled to this world, no matter how many loops it takes to get it right. with every defeat, you reincarnate; a little smarter, a little quicker, crueler and nastier. will you choose to be brutal, equalizing, that final strike in the face of your enemies? will you go soft, become tender and domesticated? the choice is yours. it's not like i can stop you.

[huntsfirst]

what does your heart look like?

A COMPASS THAT DOESN'T WAVER.

You are someone who is certain of what you want. Maybe you always have been, or maybe you made a discovery that you haven’t been able to tear your eyes away from. Your heart is set and certain. You fight endlessly for your goals. Above all else, you know who you are and what you are trying to achieve. Just be careful not to tear yourself or others apart in pursuit of your ideals.

[invademyinbox]

Anonymously tell my muse something you'd never say to their face.

[minuet-blue]

lord knows it would be the first time.

[flowerytale]

Jenny Hval, from Girls Against God

[kirbyprompts]

𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐏𝐓 𝟐

from critical role's the mighty nein episodes 34-71. feel free to change prompts as you see fit!

❝do they know you?❞

❝do they check weapons at the door, or anything like that?❞

❝i want to see how strong you’ve gotten.❞

❝well, how do i look?❞

❝i like myself just the way i am.❞

❝call this your home so long as you’d like to stay.❞

❝do you still love them?❞

❝love is a funny thing.❞

❝can you recommend any bookstores here?❞

❝hey, crime boss, are you my dad?❞

❝i don’t want people to know i’m still alive.❞

❝you’re asking a lot of questions for a person i just met.❞

❝i think you could snap me like a twig.❞

❝i think, perhaps, it’s destiny. do you believe in destiny?❞

❝i don’t have any dreams at night. is that worrisome?❞

❝it is funny how you keep showing up like a bad penny.❞

❝please don’t kill me.❞

❝i didn’t expect you to come in here and slaughter my contacts.❞

❝who were you supposed to deliver this to?❞

❝you’re not afraid of dying, are you?❞

❝is life always this directionless?❞

❝sometimes the things that are the most beautiful are the things that can hurt you the worst.❞

❝out of idle curiosity why have you been trying to butter me up?❞

❝i thought i had you figured out.❞

❝we’re about to be boarded by fucking pirates.❞

❝i am trying to process this as quickly as i can.❞

❝is there food in this bitch?❞

❝do you want to control the sea?❞

❝how many dudes you think you killed?❞

❝how many fingers am i holding up?❞

❝get out of there!❞

❝these days i’ve spent with you are the most exciting of my entire life.❞

❝this was the worst day of my life.❞

❝i’m getting used to the idea that this wouldn’t be a test if it was easy.❞

❝i think the world is shaping you into something important and i want to make sure that you get to wherever you need to be.❞

❝okay, i feel like shit, so i’m going to bed.❞

❝what was your first kiss like?❞

❝don’t fire on them unless they fire on us, you understand?❞

❝sometimes you can be nice to people too.❞

❝you better be sure this is something you want to die for.❞

❝if you’re lying to me, i’ll slit your throat.❞

❝pleasure to meet you. i have the feeling you’re having a really bad day.❞

❝just keep your mouth shut for like 30 damn seconds.❞

❝this is very dangerous to give to you, but you’re the perfect person to have it.❞

❝i was born to be a cannoneer.❞

❝have you ever sacrificed anything in order to achieve a greater goal?❞

❝i was alone for a long time and ran from everything.❞

❝i feel like a fool much of the time.❞

❝i could fill a book with what i don’t know.❞

❝what if we can never go home?❞

❝this is the best plan we’ve ever had!❞

❝i’m going to summon a demon.❞

❝no, really! she was a really bad person before we killed her and everyone on the boat!❞

❝i’m not an asshole. i’m asshole adjacent.❞

❝of course it’s minimalizing. have you met me? everything i do is minimizing.❞

❝do you ever feel like your relationship with your cat is hindering building stronger relationships with human people?❞

❝i understand when i’m being condescended to! even when i’m drunk!❞

❝hey. sorry for being a dick. bye.❞

❝i go where the wind goes.❞

❝yeah, i’m not a happy guy.❞

❝that’s what we do, we seek out active doom.❞

❝to be perfectly honest, yes, there were quite a few people chasing me.❞

❝best not to call attention.❞

❝i will so gladly introduce you to my cat because i’m very fond of him and love for people to meet him.❞

❝we’re running! it’s bad!❞

❝it was nice to meet you and nearly die next to you.❞

❝i’ve always heard that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but i feel pretty fucking weak right now.❞

❝i think i oddly feel the most comfortable when things are a fraction away from going terribly wrong.❞

❝my mother was a big believer in the buddy system.❞

❝got to be careful with what risks you take, but without risks, you’re never going to get what you want.❞

❝in my loneliness i just turned to anger.❞

❝sometimes you’re running towards something so fast that you can’t remember why you’re running in the first place.❞

❝i get nervous to get close to people because i feel like i lose them.❞

❝i’m either very unlucky or cursed, and i don’t believe in luck.❞

❝don’t forget me. i won’t forget you.❞

❝if you hear the signal, run. you remember the signal? it’s ‘AHHHHHHH'❞

❝don’t turn evil, okay? but if you do, i’ll still be your friend. i mean, it’s okay. you know, some people are evil. it’s okay. just don’t turn evil to me.❞

❝sometimes it sounds like you don’t have much love for home.❞

❝we need to know the ones we love.❞

❝i guess it’s easier to pretend like you don’t care.❞

❝you would do anything for love.❞

❝i would protect you.❞

❝do we look like tourists?❞

❝that could have gone much worse.❞

❝why does it feel like everyone here is hitting on me, but also insulting me at the same time?❞

❝what? why are you looking at me like that?❞

❝i operate alone. that’s how i survived this long.❞

❝i’m a danger to you by proximity, as much as you are a danger to me.❞

❝how was i supposed to get better? you fucking left!❞

❝now, i see great possibility in you. you have potential. but you need to listen to me and think before you act.❞

❝your rash, intense behavior will be your downfall.❞

❝no one has to see what you’re doing is good, as long as it is good.❞

❝i do not do this for accolades. i do this because i serve the purpose to provide a better world for those who. cannot defend themselves.❞

❝i can’t tell your morning voice apart from your just-almost-died voice.❞

❝if you ask, the worst they can do is say no, and throw you in prison, and you’ll never see your family again.❞

❝we are exiles in every sense of the word.❞

❝you made the right call. i’m very proud of you.❞

❝what would you have done differently?❞

❝for the first time in a really long time, i feel hopeful.❞

❝now that i’m with you, i don’t know how i could be apart from you.❞

❝oh boy, i don’t understand anything that’s going on.❞

❝i trust your heart. it’s in a good place.❞

❝i think you might be wrong. i can’t say it with 100% certainty, but you might be.❞

❝i had a very bad dream.❞

❝i think i’ve done something very bad and i don’t remember.❞

❝have i done something terrible?❞

❝i am talking to you as one accomplished liar to another.❞

❝this is our family now and we are looking out for eachother.❞

❝we can remake ourselves into something better.❞

❝those things were fucking scary as fuck!❞

❝it’s a tomb with an exit. that’s the worst kind.❞

❝maybe we shouldn’t go in. let’s just go back.❞

❝i know you lost your family. we can be your new one.❞

❝i’m just doing my best.❞

❝i’ve never seen you get scared.❞

❝are you feeling scared? you should. this is terrifying.❞

❝try what you want. you won’t break me.❞

❝your life hangs by a thread. what have you to lose?❞

❝some of us get tired of macabre fairytales. so you enjoy your mouthful of lies when they choke it out of you.❞

❝we’re being sneaky! stop talking so loud!❞

❝i’m confused. do you want me to stay or not?❞

❝is this conversation appropriate to have in a hot tub?❞

❝it’s been really hard trying to figure out who’s just a traitor and who’s an actual demon.❞

❝all i can give you is my loyalty.❞

[huntsfirst]

small romantic hcs for leon:

has always been a romantic at heart. was very much courting sara with the whole nine yards of it.

can, will and wants to wear a favor of his beloved anytime. he had a favor from sara for years, and he always wore one his wife gave him whenever he went out hunting

will give flowers as gifts about 80-90% of the time. the gardens in the belmont hold were built for his wife. he loves it.

acts of service type of devotion. (in all ways 😘)

WILL be the knight to your lord if that is the ship. we're talking lifelong, endless devotions to you (and horrible pining)

you have to deal with his weird relationship with dracula. he wont talk about it but there are long nights of staring into the middle distance when he thinks about mathias

[huntsfirst]

thinking about how leon was a knight of the church who abandoned his old title when they told him to fight people + not monsters, eventually ran aground of the church when he continued to become a monster hunter of note, but was eventually buried by the church who so hated him in his later years to 'repent' him + then have that same church try to burn out the belmonts years later