Leon woke up.

The place was unfamiliar to him; the walls were covered with pure-white wallpaper, intricate patterns that somehow depicted the skies adorned it. Heavy, draped curtains framed the tall windows in the room, hiding whatever scenery lay outside.

He shifted from his position, realizing how wide the bed was. A thick bedding covered him with layers of satin, silk, and lace in a deep shade of burgundy.

Leon searched his mind for answers, trying to remember what he had done the previous night. It was a blur of anguish and torment that made his stomach churn. A sensation of disgust rose up his throat, assaulting his senses, making him retch.

The last thing he remembered was a young girl talking to him, and then there was nothingness.

"W-What..." was the first thing that came out of his lips. His voice sounded dry and weak, as if he hadn't spoken for a long time.

Then he heard something, the faint sound of footsteps on the hard marble floor. Unhurried and elegant, coming closer with each passing second. He felt something inside of him churn; his chest thumped with an unknown feeling.

Everything felt loud. As if all the sounds around him were amplified, causing an agonizing thrum inside his skull. His ears felt like they were shattering. He heard the howling of the wind from outside, the crackling of the fire that wasn't even inside this room—the sounds painfully grated on his ears.

He let out a pained breath as he struggled to move his body from the silk sheets of the unfamiliar bed. His senses felt so different, as if they weren't his. He heaved another painful inhale, the footsteps felt so close now.

And when he heard the door clicking, he pushed his body to a defensive position. He pushed himself to the farthest corner of the room, ignoring the dizziness that ignited in his body.

"Good morning!" A cheery voice shattered the tense silence as Leon met the young girl once again. She tilted her head when she noticed Leon standing on the other side of the room, his back pressed against the wall like a cornered animal.

"Is the bed not comfortable enough?" She asked with a pout as she twirled a strand of her white hair. This time she was dressed in a much simpler dress, but it was still the same black hue.

"Who are you?" His eyes narrowed, his voice barely audible as he searched for any signs of familiarity in the room, but nothing seemed to make sense.

Something sparkled in the girl's eyes, but she had that same air of innocence around her. For a second, Leon saw a flash of sadness and frustration on her face.

"I'll ask that first, after all, you're the guest here, mister," she smiled, unsettling ease visible on her face. "Who are you?"

The question seemed to hold such a heavyweight when she asked it.

"Leon... Kreutz." Saying his surname felt wrong, since both of the original holders of this name had died. It's not like he had any blood relations with them... Leon doesn't deserve it.

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Not after what he had done.

The girl skipped closer to him, her low-heeled shoes clicking on the wooden flooring of the room. "Leon." She spoke his name with such a fond tone, that Leon couldn't comprehend why.

"You really don't know me?" she asked once again.

Leon's eyebrows furrowed. "We've met... that one night. I broke your doll."

The young girl's expression faltered, and Leon was sure she saw hurt painting her features. "...Is that it?"

"Huh?"

"That's all?" Her disappointment was evident, and Leon felt something in his heart drop. A sense of overwhelming guilt washed over him, but why?

He had no idea who she was.

There was a long moment of silence, Leon trying to search his mind for answers, but he had no memory of any deeper connection with her.

"I'm sorry," Leon apologized, even though he didn't know why.

That seemed to be the final nail in the coffin; the girl processed his words. Her milky-white eyes drooped pitifully as her lips began to quiver. Glistening tears started to pool at the corner of her eyes, then a soft hiccup escaped her throat.

Leon could not prepare for what happened next.

"NOOOOOO!"

A loud wail echoed in the room as a river of blood-stained tears streamed down her small cheeks, sobbing uncontrollably as she stomped her foot on the ground.

She was crying.

She pointed a finger at him. "How could you? How could you? W-Wahhh...." she sobbed.

Leon stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do, but there was something tugging at his heart. He felt utterly helpless as he watched the girl continue to sob.

Well, it was more of a tantrum, actually.

Someone of her caliber, wailing and blabbering words. Leon knew it was too futile to search for 'old memories' because he simply had none before he became a hunter.

A blank slate.

The girl glomped him, wrapping her arms around Leon's waist as she sobbed. The sudden action surprised Leon, but he couldn't pull back.

"I-It's not fair- why? why?" A muffled sob escaped her lips as she continued to hug Leon, her face pressed into his clothes, and Leon could feel her tight grip on the fabric.

She looked up to meet Leon's eyes, the tears of blood still streaming down her cheeks. "How dare they?!" she shrieked, her body shaking uncontrollably.

Leon's breath hitched, and his next action was almost instinctual as he placed a hand on the top of her head, a small gesture of him trying to comfort her.

She clung closer to him. "I-It's not fair! Not fair!" she continued to sob. Leon wanted to say something, but it felt like it would only hurt her more, so he kept his mouth shut.

"Pesky humans! Pests! Pests!" she repeated those words like a mantra. "They sealed you and then they dare use you? Pests. Pests, all of them." Her voice grew louder, and Leon could feel something dangerous emanating from her.

"A-And... and... they left you to die!" she wailed.

It was like something cracked inside of Leon's mind, just a very thin strand on the fragile layers of his mind, but it was enough.

He wrapped his arms around the young girl, an action that felt oddly familiar, like he had done it a million times before.

"Noelle." The name left his lips so smoothly, like it was already a part of him. Somewhere deep in the crevices of his mind, her name was there.

The girl froze, a hiccup escaping her lips as her wide eyes met Leon's.

"N-Noelle?" he repeated, afraid that it was wrong.

"So it is there." She sobbed, still trembling as she clung closer to him. "...My name," she breathed out in a shaking voice.

"It's the only thing I can recall," Leon admitted, but still, Leon couldn't deny the strange feeling of satisfaction running through his veins.

Noelle, the name was so comforting to say. It was as if an older part of him—his own instinct—had found comfort in her. It wasn't similar to how humans feel familiar bonds—this was different.

It was like there was a connection between their souls. It transcends all human bonds and relationships.

"Leon," Noelle echoed, this time it was softer as her breathing steadied. "Brother, brother, brother," she repeated.

Leon paused, a second of confusion washing over him.

...Brother?

Oh, of course.

Leon and Noelle.

Noelle and Leon.