[EVENT] Home is Where The Heart Is [Percy/Leon]

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The Hoffman family—a bloodline of men and women born and bred to serve Bellum's wealthiest and most prominent figures. Generation after generation, the Hoffmans were raised to be bought by others, and to live their lives for someone else. Many became private soldiers, others became personal assistants, or maybe their lives were really so expendable that they were bought because they just looked like accessories. The Hoffman Estate was a symbol of subservience, and that kept their bloodline valuable and popular for generations. Even now, they flourished underneath this role they've played in society.

For the Hoffmans, this cause was a noble one, and their destiny for subservience was the only thing that mattered. You were a product on the shelf, made to fulfill some sort of purpose assigned to you. There was no escaping their destiny, except if you were lucky enough to be betrothed to some other man or woman for breeding purposes, or if you were selected to become the next head of the family. Though, most people probably wouldn't agree that these are acts of luck and good fortune. It was often the girls who ended up being wedded off, and then their only purpose was to have as many children as possible. They were hardly ever happy. The selected heads of the household were the only ones who seemed to benefit from that decision because a lot of the money made from selling Hoffmans went directly into their pocket, and then the rest went into providing for the estate. It was all just one big business, and the generations of children who grew up on that property just internalized that this was how things ought to be—even Leon.

For his entire life, Leon shared the belief that it was his purpose to serve. His destiny, even. There was nothing valuable about him or anyone else if they didn't accept their role in the world. But he was set up to fail.

He was born magically inept—that is to say, he had a mana pool but it was so significantly small that it was better to say that he didn't have the potential to wield magic at all. It wasn't defective, or a mutation, or a disorder, or a disease of some kind... it was actually quite common, around the world. But in Bellum, a country that glorified the very existence of magic, nothing couldn't be more shameful. Nothing was worse than being unable to harness the best thing to happen to mankind. It was vile. It was wrong. It was some sort of evil, and it was something that Leon was just born with, and it tormented him for years.

His family didn't make growing up easy for him. Everything was an uphill battle, and no matter how hard Leon worked, it never amounted to the acceptance and acknowledgment he so desperately yearned for—that he continues to yearn for. The only thing it ever amounted to was a banishment when he turned eighteen, and large, profound scars on his face for good measure. he was sent away to live in Fiore after the confrontation on his eighteenth birthday, and he hadn't heard from his family since.


It had been over a year since his exile, and Leon spent most of it trying to keep his head above water. He didn't have any good skills that made a worker valuable, and that was mostly because Hoffmans were never made to join the workforce. He was in a country he had only ever seen in the newspaper, and he was left to deal with the hurt and bitterness of what had happened to him. He was only able to keep himself from succumbing to poverty by taking on a bunch of low-paying jobs that could easily eat away at someone's soul, but he had no other choice. Every day, he went to bed telling himself they'd send for him to return home. He kept a distance from people to avoid creating friendships in order to avoid abandoning them for what he considered to be his inevitable return.

His days were a constant struggle of attitude, a tug-of-war between his emotions. Part of him wanted to believe and convince others that he was worth more than his mana, but that would mean overcoming the idea that he was worth less than dirt because of it and growing up in the Hoffman household only led him to internalize that fact. It was like a fire surrounded by glaciers, waiting for a spark to melt away the chains that bound him to the ideas he didn't want to accept, but nothing ever came to spark it. Days felt longer, night drew out, and it seemed like it was less and less likely that his family would reach out to him every time he woke up without word from them. He felt like he was going to suffocate...


Leon couldn't recall when he began to admire Percy so much, but whenever he thought about it, it was these words of his that came to mind. It was such a typical compliment, nothing short of what he'd hear from old men who wanted to scout him for boxing or professional brawling, but it really just... felt different, coming from Percy. Maybe it was because it felt like he meant it, like he actually saw something in Leon, even if it was for something as trivial as fighting. He was just so sincere...

It wasn't just Percy, either. For the last few months, Leon was beginning to meet all sorts of people. There was Gwen, Robin, and everyone in the Hunting and River Village. So much had happened that he began to think less and less about his family situation, and woke up eager to return to the life he was beginning to build for himself. He really liked his job, and although they started off on a bad note, his friendship with Percy was finding its stride rather quickly. He had new scars since coming to Fiore, and he didn't want to heal a single one. They all marked a time where he had helped someone he was passing by or something he did that he'd do again if it meant feeling the way he felt. He went to festivals, met some people at a Singles event, got a dog... his life now wasn't easy, and actually came with some unforeseen challenges, but it just... felt different.

Lately, Leon started wondering about something. If his family never reached out to him, and if this abandonment was really how it was going to be, would he really be so bitter? Could he really move on, and if he could, would he be okay with that? What if he felt okay with that? At first, the idea was absurd, and he pushed it out of his head the moment he conjured it up. But recently, he didn't feel so terrible about his situation. Whenever he fell into a bitter fit about his life in Bellum, he thought about his life now. If he was being honest, he really just thought about the life Percy had given him. The opportunities he's had since he met him. The guy was awkward, introverted, ridiculously messy, a terrible drunk, and was actually pretty easy to read. He bought an ugly Christmas tree for the sake of it, and he only felt comfortable singing one song for karaoke. He was more competitive than he looked, and was completely different inside of a fight than he is outside of one. The semi-redhead was literally one run-in away from being slugged by Leon, and yet he began to look forward to seeing him the most nowadays.

Honestly, how stupid was that? They started off on bad terms, and now they were friends. It was a little funny, but Leon couldn't get upset. Percy gave him this chance to live comfortably and to do something he liked to do. He gave him security and something to look forward to, so how could he not hold him in high regard? Leon owed Percy more than he could ever repay, but it looked like he'd have a lot of time to do his best to repay that. It looked like that, until this morning.


Topless and bed-headed, Leon sat on the edge of his bed in his River Village cabin. It had been a while since he last cut it, so his hair had gradually been growing longer and longer until it was at this length, now. The day started off like any other, waking up early so he could drive to Rose Garden. But the call he received from this unknown number suddenly dimmed his spirits, his eyes wide and full of shock as the static murmur rambled from the other end of the iLac. His bag was next to his nightstand, two art gallery tickets resting on top, and Robin was curled up on the bed next to him, asleep.

The conversation on the phone was very one-sided, Leon just staring out of the window with a look of alarm and disbelief. He didn't know what to say.

"Yes, thank you. Understood... bye." Leon chimed back, frowning as he ended the call. He looked over at the art gallery tickets he had received as thanks for his deed back in Hargeon. It was an event taking place next week, but it didn't look like it mattered anymore. He never thought the day would come... the call he had been waiting for. So why did he feel so awful?


As usual, Leon drove to Rose Garden, where Percy's home and lab was. He'd normally slide some earbuds in from underneath his motorcycle helmet and listen to the Blues or country music as he rode into town, but today he drove in complete silence. He had a softer look on his face than usual, but not soft with kindness or affection. He looked a little depressed.

When he arrived, he parked his motorbike in the driveway, but he didn't take off his gear aside from his helmet like he usually would, and he had a little grocery bag with him as well. He walked around the back, knocked on the door, and went inside without waiting for Percy to invite him in. It was his workplace too, after all, and as usual, it was a complete mess. Papers everywhere, items littering tables and the floor, rags here and there... it was chaos.

"He...! Seriously!" Leon began to curse to himself as he stumbled into the mess yet again, his eyes looking like daggers as he irritably began to place his helmet down so he could organize everything. It almost seemed routine now, but he stopped himself the moment the helmet left his hands. He remembered why he came here today, and it wasn't to work. The ever-so-slight tinge of melancholy came over his features again.

Leon closed the door behind him and sighed, stepping into the room with his eyes grazing the place for the head of his boss. He looked like he was glaring. Did Percy sleep in the lab? More importantly, had he eaten yet? With the bag from before in hand, it contained just a few things to eat. Some parts of his routine seemed to be too important for him to abandon just yet.

"Percy, you there? I need to talk to you," Leon called out to him with his usual deep voice, maneuvering through the lab with the sound of crinkling plastic following him.

He didn't know the guy for very long, and yet every step he took made him feel worse about what was happening. He hated it. A lot.

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When Percy stepped out and stared at him, Leon felt his heart sink into his stomach. This was the moment he was bracing himself for this moment ever since he woke up today, so why was it so difficult to say anything when he locked eyes with him? Every word stopped before it left his mouth, choking him up as he sat on his thoughts and stood in the middle of the room, silent. Percy probably didn't have a clue what was going through his head, and that realization only made his heart sink even further. Leon knew that he'd have to say goodbye to a lot of friends and acquaintances he's made since coming to Fiore, but part of him didn't want to face Percy at all. He thought about just leaving without saying a word. That way, he wouldn't have to face him. And yet, here he was, standing right before him without so much as a word to offer.

Several moments passed since he finally met Percy face to face, and Leon couldn't help but choke on his words and stare at him with those steely, hard-to-read eyes of his. He didn't know why he was so afraid of this encounter, and it was seriously out of character for him, right? Just like every other thing that's happened to him in the past year, he just had to suck it up and deal with it—like always.

"I'm quitting," Leon finally blurted out, his hand tightening against the plastic in his grasp as he looked down just a bit. Looking at him was hard enough, but it didn't matter as long as he said what he had to say, right? His long, dark hair dangled in front of his face as he continued. "It's really starting to look like Bellum is gonna go to war with Pergrande pretty soon, so... my family gave me a call, and I'm supposed to be home by tomorrow night. I don't think I'll be comin' back anytime soon so... I... thought I'd say that."

After that, Leon had thought that the weight on his chest would've been lifted, but it stayed the same. He gritted his teeth together and took a deep breath before outstretching his hand, offering a firm handshake as a gesture to end things properly.

"These last few months have been really special for me. Without you, I..." Leon trailed off into silence as he choked on his words again, looking at Percy with this strained intensity in his eyes. His open hand slowly coiled back into a hesitant half-fist as memories of the past few months came to mind. It really felt like his new life, like everything was finally falling into place and even though his baggage with his family was fresh and recent, it felt like he could move on from that. He had a nice little cabin in River Village, the cutest puppy, and he was starting to make some good friends. His relationship with Percy was rocky at first, but now it was hard to imagine everyday life without listening to his rambling or yelling at him for not eating properly, or going on one of those insane expeditions to slay some monster. But returning home was what he wanted, right? He shouldn't be upset about this, right? It was his fault for getting comfortable, right? "Thanks for everything... is what I want to say."

Even though it felt like this was a good way to end things, there were still a few words at the back of his throat. It was suffocating, but he couldn't say them. If he had stopped restraining himself, what would he have said? What would he have done? Would any of it matter now that they were parting ways? Ever since the phone call this morning, it all felt painfully clear. Some people were just born to be unhappy, and he was one of them.

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The room went quiet after Leon said what he did—too quiet. Percy didn't say or do anything and continued to stand there without a word coming out of his mouth. Leon was standing just in front of him, but he could only imagine what sort of face Percy was making right now. With his marigold eyes gazing downward, he couldn't muster up the courage to look at Percy in the eyes. Was it an angry face? A sad one? Was it a look of betrayal? For all Leon knew, maybe his feelings were completely one-sided, and Percy took it all with a grain of salt. That would make sense, wouldn't it?

At the end of the day, Percy was still Percy Dagger. A guy like him had probably gone through his fair share of employees several times, so losing an assistant like him was probably no big deal. Why would it be? They were in completely different worlds, so it was inevitable that things would end up like this.

Yet, when Percy stepped around him without a word to spare, it really felt like his heart was about to fall apart. It was like watching the light of his life flicker away. Was this really it? His head was all over the place. Leon knew that he had to do this, and that going home to serve his family's wishes was what he wanted for his entire life. He knew that banishment into Fiore was only temporary and that his family would summon him once again. He knew that everything he did and everyone he met while staying here was all just temporary and a way to repay his debts. He knew this, so why did he feel so hurt to see Percy walk right past him like that? He didn't reach out to shake his hesitant hand, and he didn't even say anything about him quitting. Leon's half-fist clenched into a full one as it fell back down to his side, trembling as he stood there with his face tightening up. He knew that he couldn't hide his hurt anymore, feeling his face screw into a frown and one of those glares that came so easily to him. He thought about the two tickets he bought for the art gallery. Why was that coming up now? This was really... pathetic.

Leon didn't know what to do after that, so he ended up just standing there for a moment more as he tried to recollect himself, although it wasn't working very well. It wasn't until he noticed all of the noise in the background that he could bring himself to look up, and it was then that he saw Percy hastily packing up random things. Backpacks, medkits, a variety of weapons and gadgets, and he even began to pack sets of clothing as well. It looked like he was ready to travel.

"Hey, what're you..." Leon watched him with this look of surprise on his face. He wasn't entirely sure what he was watching Percy prepare for until after he had completely dressed himself to go out, and for the first time since Leon had said anything, he spoke. Not only that, he asserted that he was going with him to Bellum, and when he did, Leon's face flushed. It was brief, but all of his worries dissipated after that. "Seriously, you...!"

Honestly, he was a little ashamed for thinking that Percy would abandon him so easily. With everything that's happened, it wasn't surprising that they had become each others' ride-or-dies—wait, hold on! The reality of Percy's words suddenly struck Leon again in a different way, and the warmth in his eyes vanished into shock and outrage.

"Idiot! What are you? Crazy?" Leon barked at him, suddenly storming over and snatching the handle from him, "Didn't you hear what I said? I'm probably going to war, and I don't know if I'm coming back! This doesn't even have anything to do with you, so why won't you just let me do this properly?!"

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Out of all of the things Percy had said since Leon's parting words, his next ones struck him the hardest. For a moment, Leon stood there, taken aback by what he said. It felt a lot like the Singles event, where both of them got heated in the corner of the room and then quietly made up afterward as if their anger was only ever short-lived. He knew that what he was doing was wrong. Percy had nothing to do with whatever was happening in Bellum, so he shouldn't be coming along at all. But why couldn't Leon say anything to instantly turn him down just then? His heart held a sea of mixed emotions—part of him was fiercely concerned and rejected the idea of them going together, while another part wanted to hold his stuff for him on their way there. Maybe it was Leon who was the idiot here since he couldn't even get a hold of his own feelings right now.

Percy snatched the handle back and stepped around him, and the dark-haired assistant stormed right behind him. Even though Leon was vehemently rejecting this idea, Percy didn't pay any mind to his complaints. They waited in front of his house as a car would arrive, his belongings loaded into the trunk, and his phone out as he diligently began tapping away on it. It was like everything was background noise, and all that mattered to Percy was getting to this airport.

"Percy!" Leon stood outside of Percy's side of the passenger door, arm leaning against the roof of the car as he looked down at him, eyes narrowed and flickering with quiet pain. With the two-toned man sitting in the car he blocked from the outside, he had no choice but to listen, but what was he supposed to say? Leon went quiet for a moment as he looked at him, and after a moment, he released an exasperated but defeated sigh. He slammed the door shut and walked over to the other side to slide into the other passenger seat. Briskly, he placed the plastic bag from before into Percy's lap, looking at him with a frown. "...Here. I know you haven't eaten yet, so finish these before we get on the plane."

Leon didn't say anything else after that, strapping himself in and looking out of the window cross-armed as they began their way to the airport. Honestly, it wasn't because he was angry as was giving him the silent treatment. He just didn't wanna show Percy his face and the flush he was wearing. No matter what he could've said, Percy would've forced his way to Bellum with him one way or another, and something about that felt comforting and relieving. The life he had built for himself here in Fiore was slipping through his hands before his very eyes, so how could he be upset that out of everything, the one person he cared about most wasn't leaving him? With an arm leaning against the car door, Leon pressed his palm into his mouth. He was smiling.


The last time Leon was at a public airport, it was when he was being sent away from Bellum. He had always told himself that when he'd return to this place, it'd be when he was going home, but it all still felt unreal. With his duffel bag hanging on his side, Leon returned to Percy with two plane tickets in hand—one that had been funded by the Hoffmans, and another that had been purchased with Leon's jewels. At the very least, it was first-class.

"We're boarding in ten, so just wait for them to call our number," Leon explained briefly, handing Percy his ticket, "You probably don't use public transport that often, right?"

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Leon was pretty blunt about the kinds of things that were on his mind, but he never directly asked Percy about his life as a member of a wealthy and esteemed family. Sure, he was curious, but it wasn't like Leon wasn't familiar with people like him. Growing up, he had visited a number of prominent estates and met a plethora of important people just by virtue of being groomed to serve them, so none of it was too outlandish. Still, Percy bashfully averted his gaze, to which Leon smiled briefly.

Soon enough, their numbers were called, and the two young men began boarding the plane and getting situated before the plane took off. Travelling was no big deal, but the air felt especially heavy right now. He felt light on his feet and that airplane smell seemed to reek a bit more than usual. Leon took the window while Percy took the aisle, and the silence felt thick. When they weren't talking, he was alone with his thoughts, and sifting through that jumble of a mess filled him with apprehension. Mindlessly fumbling with his phone and plugging in cheap earbuds he bought just before boarding, he quietly scrolled through his Spodify for one of his playlists. Honestly, anything was better than the white noise of the world right now. Meanwhile, Percy prompted a rather simple question, but Leon didn't look at him when he answered. He just stared out of the window.

"I don't know. A little," Leon responded dryly. He had been preparing for this trip home ever since he was sent away to Fiore one year ago, left to rot with all of the anger and heartbreak that he had brought with him. He went through so many ups and downs that he often lost track, but suddenly he could recall his new life in Fiore with vibrant detail as he slunk back into his seat. For most of his time here, Leon had chosen to live in Neutral Grounds despite its alarmingly high cost of living compared to other towns, and as a result, he had to work so many part-time jobs just to keep his head above water. He might've well been the working poor at that point. He accidentally helped villagers and townspeople by slaying some monsters, saw beautiful sights on wonderful trails, made a few friends, bought a little cabin in the River Village... he really liked it. One year was barely enough time to just begin healing, so a twelve-hour flight to Bellum wasn't nearly enough time to prepare himself to face his family again.

Wait, his family?!

"Shit!" Leon suddenly perked up, the disinterest in his expression suddenly vanishing in wide-eyed panicked as the color drained from his face. Why didn't he actually think about that until now?!

They were easily some of the most spiteful, elitist, and untrustworthy people he knew! He was going to the home he was born and raised in, so Leon obviously knew what to expect, but he completely forgot to factor in the two-toned idiot who had forced himself to come along! Suddenly, images of his parents and siblings flashed in his mind, and this troubled look of irritation and panic stumbled onto Leon's face.

"Hey—er—so..." Leon looked at him, eyebrows twitching and looking suspiciously serious, "We're gonna be staying at my family estate... you know... with my family. We should book you a hotel room instead, okay?"

Honestly, he'd rather book a hotel room with Percy so the two of them could just have that space instead of staying at the Hoffman estate. If it weren't for his obligations, Leon probably would've, but that wasn't the case. Even still, it filled him with unrivaled worry to just ditch him at a hotel in an unfamiliar country, especially when he wouldn't know how often he'd be able to see him until they had to go off to war. The official language was Bellia, and Percy didn't seem fluent. The idea felt too irresponsible, but the Hoffman family wasn't exactly... pleasant, either.

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Leon flinched again when Percy mentioned the possibility of Leon ditching him for the frontlines when he go the chance, and even though he hadn't thought about that until now, it still felt like Percy saw right through him. It was starting to feel like anything Leon tried to do in order to keep Percy safe was just going to get thwarted by the man himself, and that was an oddly frustrating feeling. Not only that, Percy continued to completely misunderstand his concerns. His heart was in the right place but...

"That's... never mind," Leon's fidgeted with a brief smile before his expression faded back into its usual intensity. It seemed like one way or another, Percy was going to end up at the Hoffman family estate, so it then begged the question of how he'd prepare him for his family. It wasn't something he had ever needed to think about, so the thought was starting to drown out everything else. It wasn't until Percy rambled on about his experience with Bellia that Leon fell for the distraction, looking at him with a mildly amused smirk. "Seriously, where do you get that energy? I'll teach you something before we get there, so relax for now. Here."

Leon handed Percy one of his earbuds, insisting that he take it. If anything, he wanted to listen to some of his music with Percy instead of teaching him some Bellia phrases. Maybe they could put on some of the videos Percy liked to watch. Maybe they could find a movie to put on, and then criticize the characters for being so cheesy. Leon desperately wanted to fill his head with Percy, he wanted his shoulder against his and his annoying quips to be everything that he was hearing. It didn't matter what he was thinking anymore, because, in twelve or so hours, he'd have no other choice but to face his fears head-on. They'd cross that bridge when they got to it, so why not enjoy the walk until they got there?


Even though they departed relatively early yesterday, the flight still ended up in Bellum the next evening, when the sun was about to set on the horizon. A Hoffman worker drove the pair back to the estate and left them at the gate. His duffel bag straps wrapped across his shoulders and tall, muscular figure planted in the ground, Leon stood just before the estate's entrance doors with this look of apprehension on his face. How long had it been since he had stood before his home like this? Ever since he was born, he knew he was never welcomed here, despite being a Hoffman himself. He knew that he was just taking up space in this sacred place. But for the first time, he had been summoned back because of his value, but he didn't feel a sense of belonging. Did this building always look so oppressive and daunting? Was he ever this nervous about coming home before? Leon almost couldn't move at all.

Eventually, he took a deep breath and looked at Percy, grabbing and pulling his arm close with a concerned tightness. Now that they were here and knowing that his family was just on the other side of that door, the protectiveness that had been simmering in the pit of his stomach just before suddenly came spiraling out, knowing well what sort of unpleasant things awaited them. He'd feel better if they weren't here at all.

"Alright. When we go inside, we're going straight to my room, okay? Don't say anything to anyone, and if they talk to you, try to keep it quick. Don't go anywhere without me, got it? If you need anything, you ask me. And don't—"

Suddenly, the door to the estate opened, filling the courtyard with the light of chandeliers illuminating the corridor within. Stepping out was a tall woman with a bob cut as black as Leon's hair, sharp and slanted grey eyes, and skin as white as snow. Her nails were polished and although she was plain-looking, she somehow stood out and gave an unfriendly air. It was none other than the eldest Hoffman child, Judith, and Leon's eldest sister. With an unlit cigarette in her hand, she froze when she saw the pair in front of them, and Leon froze when he saw her.

They looked at one another and said nothing. When Judith finally broke her cold and witchy gaze, she resumed what she was doing as if she had seen nothing at all and lit her cigarette while disappearing into the courtyard past them. Even though it had been a couple of years since they had last seen each other, neither of them seemed to want to say anything at all—not even hello. At least she left the door open.

"...I'll take your bags, come on," Leon mumbled, his eyes hidden underneath his tuft of unkempt hair. Carefully, he grabbed Percy's belongings and took them inside along with eagerly pulling Percy by his arm. He could hear chatter deep inside the building, and he could already recognize the voices. The moment he stepped inside this place, it all came back to him.

The dread was so familiar.

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"Yeah. I knew everyone would be here, but she was bought before any of us, so I kind of thought she'd still be working right now..." Leon looked at Percy as he slowly began to walk into the estate. Judith was his witchy older sister who told it how it was and had a lot of bad habits. She had a pretty undesirable personality, but at the very least, she never directly tormented Leon. Eating the last cookie knowing that her younger brother wanted it was the extent of her malice, otherwise, she pretended like Leon didn't exist, and he seemed okay with that judging by their encounter just now.

Leon closed the door behind them, completely missing Percy's question from earlier. Honestly, whatever he was about to say, it hardly mattered right now. All he could think about was confronting his other siblings and keeping Percy safe and comfortable. With a family like his, he knew that the instructions he gave his two-toned friend were hardly good enough to evade their malicious advances, so there wasn't much else to worry about other than the encounters themselves.

"My room is further inside. Once we're there, you can unpack and we can go and wash up together," asserted Leon, with little to no consideration about his demands. Maybe he'd start to relax a little when it was in his own space, but of course, it would never be that easy. Suddenly, further ahead in the corridor, he could he two pairs of feet tap against the hard floor, echoing throughout the hallway with the distinct click of brand new loafers. The rhythm, the swift elegance, the quickness in his steps and the heavy taps that lagged behind every step—Leon perked up, recognizing them immediately, like knowing who was at the door just by the weight of their knocking. The dark-haired man suddenly looked far more serious and displeased than he had all day.

"(Man, no way! I thought Father was fucking around when he told us that our little man was coming home! Everyone's here 'cept for him. Think he pussied out?)"

"(I'unno. Maybe. But then he'd have to deal with Grandfather, and even I think he knows better than to do that.)"

"(You overestimate him, Claude.)"

Coming around the corner were two chattering men who stood as tall as Leon—Alphonse and Claude, his two older brothers. Alphonse had pale chestnut, wavy hair, and eyes the color of blood. He always overdressed for every occasion and was known for doing whatever he felt whenever he felt like it, including his bad habit of smoking indoors. Claude, the more muscular of the two, had short, spiky black hair and stormy blue eyes. They were the duo who had been responsible for a large portion of Leon's shitty life, and when they saw their younger brother before them as they turned that corner, the look of surprise on their faces turned into joy.

"(Little man, is that you? You haven't changed one bit! That scar healed up nicely, right?)" Alphonse smiled, a lit cigarette hanging from his lips, hands pocketed as he approached him and his two-toned friend. Instantly, Leon's face contorted into a large frown, eyes sharpening into a glare. Out of everyone he had worried himself sick about meeting again, Alphonse was second only to his grandfather.

"(His face is as scary as ever, huh?)" Claude chimed in as he'd always do. He was the second oldest son, but he was easily the laziest and most irresponsible.

"(Where's Father?)" Leon replied, his native tongue deep and crisp as he spoke in it for the first time in over a year.

"(Talk about a bad attitude. Where's the respect, little man?)" Alphonse, who seemed entertained just by the sight of Leon alone, blew a cloud of smoke directly into the dark-haired man's face, filling his vision with the look of his arrogant smile. Meanwhile, Claude was eying Percy.

"(Who's this?)" Claude looked at him curiously, but when he took a good look at his appearance, a droopy smile fell onto his lips. Casually, he walked over to the two-toned and leaned down. "What's your name, little guy? You this guy's plus-one?"

For the first time since their encounter, the Bellian had finally broken the chatter with something spoken in Ishgar. They were all bilingual, after all. It was at that point that Leon flinched and immediately turned to face Claude, but he stopped himself before he grabbed his shoulder. Despite his calm and lackadaisical appearance, Claude hated it when people touched him, and Alphonse hated being ignored.

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All eyes were on Percy when Claude put him on the spot, those prying Hoffman eyes watching him and his every move. Leon looked anxious and worried, but Claude and Alphonse looked at that two-toned man like they were looking at a gift—curious and interested.

"The pleasure is all mine. I'm Claude Hoffman, and that's Alphonse," Claude introduced himself with the same casualness in which he mocked his brother. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was worse between those two brothers—Alphonse, who provoked a lot of the torment, or Claude, who egged him on and gingerly introduced new ideas as it all unfolded. "No need to speak so formally, Percy. We all like jokes here, right?" Claude wrapped his arm around Leon, who only glared to the side without pulling away. Meanwhile, Alphonse was already making his way over to Percy himself.

"Don't get me started, man! I thought I wouldn't care if I never saw you again, but I was beginning to miss our joking-around, little man. Maybe Grandfather should make it a thing to call you back every now and then, because everyone knows how desperate you are." Alphonse cackled a little, carelessly wrapping his arm around Percy's shoulder and reeling him in close as he puffed his cigarette. It wasn't uncommon for him to do things like this. It was the world against Leon, so no one could blame him for assuming everyone wouldn't mind the mockery. With both of the brothers coiled around the visitors, they looked at their captors with mischievous smiles. "Anyway, we still have some time before dinner, so why don't I give you a tour of the place, hm?"

Leon flinched and gave Alphonse one of his nasty stares. "Cut it out, Al—?!" he tried to grab his brother's arm to pull him away from Percy, but before Leon could even take a step, the muscular arm that was casually wrapped around his shoulders suddenly tightened. Claude, like some vicious snake, held him in place without batting an eye, his droopy and unreadable smile forever unchanging.

"Mhm."

---

---

Hearing Percy agree to the tour made some part of Leon's spirit crumble to pieces. It wasn't his fault, and it was wrong to expect him to decline any sort of request in the situation that they were in, but the entire situation just didn't sit well with Leon. He knew that this was inevitable, but seeing Alphonse toss himself around Percy, who tensed up at the touch turned Leon's mood into something even fouler than before. It was a dangerous mixture of apprehension, suspense, and anger as he helplessly let his brothers thwart his plans.

"Great, then let's take a look," Alphonse smirked, beginning to lead his two-toned acquaintance down the hallway with their bodies still coiled into each other. Yet, for a moment, he paused to peer back at his two brothers. "I don't need to give a tour to you two, right?"

"Nope. We'll go unpack his stuff. Catch up... you know," Claude waved them away with his arm still wrapped around Leon, who was watching them with this wide-eyed stare. It was hard to do anything with Claude quite literally trapping him in his one-armed snare, and so he watched Percy get swept away just like that.

It wasn't long before the careless steps separated Alphonse and Percy from the other pair, and they had found themselves further into the depths of the Hoffman estate. They had passed a few rooms already, but Alphonse hadn't said anything about them despite his promise of a tour. It wasn't until they were far from the entrance that he stopped in the middle in front of a room, leading the two into it without introduction. It was a bar, a place many of the Hoffmans frequented whenever they needed to quench their thirst for liquor. Removing his arm from Percy's shoulder, Alphonse released the two-toned man with a puff of cigarette smoke, closing the door behind them just enough to crack.

"You don't have to worry about him overhearing you anymore," Alphonse started with an honest smirk, "Why are you keeping him around, really? God knows I couldn't pretend to be that guy's friend even if someone paid me. Oh—actually, never mind. I did do that once—for thirteen dinarius. Should've seen little man's face, pft."


Meanwhile, back at the estate entrance, Leon continued to stand there in Claude's tightly dangling arm until Alphonse and disappeared with Percy, leaving them alone. The moment they were left with each other, Leon quickly pulled himself away.

"Get off of me. I'm gonna go get Percy," Leon frowned and began stepping away before he felt something rough and large grab the collar of his jacket, holding him back with ease.

"What makes you think that he wants you to go get him? I said we'd unpack their stuff, so let's do that, okay?" Claude suggested, although it was anything but. If anything, it felt more like a threat with the tightness in which he held Leon back. Felt? It was. Leon knew his family better than anyone, and when Claude said that, he could only glare. It was one thing having to deal with their petty quips and malicious behavior on his own, but Percy was a completely different subject.

"And let you two do something weird to him? Fuck off, man," Leon pulled away again, but this time he turned to face Claude.

"Haa... seriously, man?" Claude smiled lazily, "Chill out. What's the worst that can happen?"

---

---

Needless to say, the look of surprise on Alphonse's face after hearing Percy's response made it clear that he wasn't expecting anything good to come out of his mouth in regards to his younger brother. He'd pause for a moment as he gathered everything that had just been said to him and responded in turn with one of his cattish smiles.

"Ohh, I get it now! You have a crush on him, don't you? I don't blame you. Our little man has nothing but looks going for him, so it can't be helped if people look his way every now and then..." Alphonse plucked the cigarette from his lips and mindlessly held it between his fingers and blew smoke up into the air, though the superficial friendliness in his eyes disappeared into something of a disgusted stare for a brief moment when he droned on. It was brief and subtle, but he had the eyes of someone who held a grudge, but the feigned warmth returned to him as he continued. "But my advice to you is to cut it off while you can. People with his disability aren't worth anything at all, and they're only ever try'n take things from you and bring you down to the bottom with them. You know, I actually read an article the other day that said that people with his disability are scientifically greedier and more jealous. What's that saying? Give a mouse a cookie and they'll... they'll ask for a glass of milk? Fuckin' crazy, man, but at least it explains his shitty attitude."

Dismissing Percy's cold and condescending behavior, Alphonse persisted in trying to establish a friendly relationship between the two. It was as if he was in denial that Percy had overlooked Leon's "disability" in the pursuit of what he believed to be a crush, and that much was clear in how easily he could badmouth him.

---

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"Magical ineptitude—those kinds of people. Duds. Yet, with your attitude, you might as well buy him at this point. Doesn't have a speck of mana in his body but he makes a good ashtray—I'll give it five stars, personally," Alphonse droned on without thinking too deeply.

All of this poking and prodding left Percy with dwindling impatience and Alphonse with genuine curiosity, both of them watching the other from across the room, a thin, smokey haze filling the void between them. It was like every time he tried to reach his hand out and connect with the two-toned stranger, it was swatted away like some fly buzzing in his ear. Percy's interest in their conversation was about as superficial as his friendliness, and they both knew it. It seemed that no matter what Alphonse would say, the Dagger wasn't going to entertain any of the thoughts.

Normally, Alphonse would get pissed off by such a clear and cold rejection, but it wasn't the same this time. For the majority of their lives, Leon had been an object of scorn and belittlement. No one ever explicitly said that it was okay to torment him, but it wasn't like anyone ever intervened when it happened. One word of his "disability", and strangers were quick to accept Leon's place in the social hierarchy between him and his family, along with everyone else. It was like accepting that Claude's eyes were blue and Judith had an unfriendly face—it was what it was, and what happens as a result of those things were only to be expected. But Alphonse had seldom met foreigners in his years of life, and now one shows up, so eager to stand by Leon, of all people? It was more intriguing than infuriating, and Alphonse being the man he is, saw an opportunity in that.

"You know, Percy, I can tell that you have it bad for that guy, but trust me when I say that he's got nothing for you. A guy with his disability isn't gonna last a second out on the frontlines anyway, so..." Alphonse paused for a moment as he began walking towards Percy. He stopped in front of him with his cigarette loosely held between his fingers, reaching down to gingerly grab his chin, "...why not give me a try? Granted, I've never done any of that with a man, but I can guarantee that it'll be worth more than what he could ever do for you. What do you say?"

Alphonse gave him one of his catty smirks again, though it was hard to tell whether his words held an ounce of sincerity within them. Out of all of the Hoffman sons, Alphonse was the most frivolous in his sexual and romantic endeavors—a playboy, if you will. He was known by many to be quite the charmer, and while a little foul-mouthed, treated people well and was well-liked. But taking a sudden interest in Leon's male companion... did he have a sudden change of heart or was this some whimsical ploy just to hurt his brother?

---

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After Percy left with Alphonse, Leon begrudgingly found himself eventually unpacking his and Percy's luggage in his room, though Claude wasn't doing anything but watching. Almost all of the bedrooms in the estate felt like small studio apartments, spacious enough for one to live in by themselves. There was a full bed centered against a wall with large, curtained windows, a glass coffee table surrounded by black fabric chairs, and there was even a fireplace. Seeing as the Hoffmans had no intention of ever seeing their son again, the room he had grown up in looked more like a guest room with how bare and empty it was. His cabin in the River Village was empty but was starting to feel more homely. He missed Robin.

"I guess even people like you could snag a boyfriend. Grace would be heartbroken, you know," Claude commented all of a sudden, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, "Got busy when you got sent away, huh?"

"What?! No! That's...!" Leon's face turned red when he realized that Claude was talking about Percy, quickly unzipping his duffel bag in a panicked flinch. For some reason, he almost got angry for being called out like that. Whether that was because it was coming out of Claude's mouth or because what he said had some impact on him, he wasn't sure, Leon could only look at Claude with his brows knitted and his face flustered before hastily resuming his unpacking. "It's none of your business anyway."

"Ehh... no? Really? So, do you drag all of your friends to Bellum the second a war breaks out? Somethin' doesn't add up, little guy," Claude continued to humor the idea as if they were friends, though he loomed around the door like some sort of bodyguard. His presence was deceptively oppressive, as usual. "Hey, I'm not making fun of you. There's no shame in wanting to get laid before you croa—"


The ear-piercing sound of shattering glass boomed throughout the estate, heard even through Claude's provocative words and the shuffle of clothes being reeled out from a bag. Both of the Hoffman brothers perked up at the sound, but Leon was the first to spring to action without a word to his brother. Unlike Claude, Leon ran out of his room and began running towards the bar with this wide-eyed look of worry on his wolfish features.

After few moments of running, Leon was finally approaching the source of the commotion, but as he drew nearer, a familiar crowd was beginning to circle around the open door. All of his siblings had gathered outside of the bar, except for Claude who was lazily trailing behind, and Judith, who was probably still outside and ignorant to all of the ruckus. There was Lucas—the youngest son—who seemed too distracted by the scene inside to even glance at Leon, Marie—the youngest daughter, who also seemed too distracted by one particular man within the room, and Henri, the oldest son, who was glancing between the two in the room and Leon. He looked like he was about to say something, but Leon was quick to push past the three of them in order to slide into the room, where Alphonse was picking himself up from a wet floor, alcohol soiling his clothes and dripping from his wavy brown hair, hurling curses at Percy who stood over him.

"You're crazy! You're both fucking CRAZY! You couldn't take a fucking joke, (bitch)?! (Get off of our property and take that piece of shit Leon with you! Fuck you!)" Alphonse screamed at him, his lip busted and blood running down his nose. It wasn't an alarming injury, but being thrown like that would obviously cause some injury. Before Henri could step in to fulfill his role, Leon was already barging in with a look of sharp-eyed panic on his face.

"Percy! Are you alright?!" Leon grabbed both of Percy's shoulders and gave him an eager once-over before turning to look at Alphonse with one of his nasty glares. "What the hell did you do to him?"

"Fuck you, (you piece of filth!) But that's alright! You both are gonna go FIRST on the frontlines and I'm totally here for it! I'm fucking here for it!" Alphonse cursed them again, his face red with anger and a wild grin stretching his lips. Finally, Henri stepped in.

"Enough! Enough!" Henri intervened with this sympathetic sternness on his face, the warm light of the chandelier gleaming off of his rimless glasses. Out of all of the Hoffmans, Henri had the softest features. "Honestly! Leon, why don't you... take your friend and get ready for dinner?"

"(Grandfather should have killed you! Maybe he'll do it tonight, and your piece of shit friend can watch! Birds of a feather, little man! Fucking duds!)" Alphonse was managing to get back on his feet now, but not before Leon had set his sights on him like a missile locking onto its target. His face looked malicious now, and he clenched his fists.

"What the fuck did you just call him?!" he demanded, pulling away from Percy as if he were going to jump his brother right there.

"Leon, quit it! What's gotten into you?!"

"Sorry I'm late guys, but... juuust so you know, you might wanna stop—" Claude peeked in from behind Marie and Lucas, pointing to the side, his face still relaxed and droopy as ever, beginning to say something. Marie and Lucas looked at him and then followed his finger before flinching and immediately stepping out of the way.

"(Shut up, Claude!)" all three of the Hoffman brothers shouted in sync, looking at their brother admist the chaos.

"Okay~ ♡" Claude immediately stepped into the room and then off to the side, as if making way for someone. It was then that someone in a black tux stepped inside.

He had long, thin black hair that went down to his neck, and a face so cold and mean-looking that it looked like he'd eat you alive. It looked almost exactly like Leon's, but he was two inches taller than him. He dressed formally and gave off an unfriendly and oppressive air, as if he'd strike you if you spoke without being spoken to. Trailing behind him was a petite woman who, despite her actual age, looked to be quite young. She wore a white wrap dress to compliment her creamy, porcelain skin and the expensive jewelry that minimalistically decorated her fingers, neck, and ears. Like Henri, she had a very soft and gentle look on her face, and neither she nor the man seemed particularly shocked about the scene. Such was common for Adam and Ella Hoffman, Leon's parents.

The room went quiet when they stepped in, Adam's presence alone enough to snuff out any chaotic bursts of rage that were spiraling between Alphonse and Leon. Alphonse, panicked, quietly struggling to stand to his feet. Contrarily, Leon stared at his father, who was looking at Percy, and also began to panic. He wanted to say something, but he choked on his words.

"...And who is this?"

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Ah... he felt powerless right now. When his father stepped into the room, Leon wanted nothing more than to step right in front of Percy, shielding him from Adam's cold and prying eyes and insist that he was the victim, despite not knowing a thing of what transpired. Yet, when his father approached Percy like that, Leon couldn't do anything but stare. Here stood a man who Leon had long sought the approval of for his entire life, gracefully sauntering into the room as if he were walking across a frozen lake, and the smallest glimpse of his pointy, small eyes sent you sinking into the deep below. Ever since the phone call yesterday morning, Leon had braced himself for this meeting, but nothing could prepare him for seeing him again, and nothing could stir him to say what he wanted to say.

"...I see," Adam spoke softly as his eyes glazed around the room, as if assessing the situation. His eyes eventually fell onto Leon, and he'd flinch when he noticed. Out of everyone in the room, Adam was the most difficult to read. His neutral, unemotive expression seemed to be the only face he ever made. Nothing made him happy, and nothing made him sad, or if they did, Leon didn't know it. But everyone knew that their father had no qualms about being honest about his rigidity and intolerance for those who went against the rules or expectations, so surely a rather heart-tearing reprimand was nigh, but to Leon's surprise, it never came. "Very well—you are forgiven. Since everyone is gathered, let us all have dinner together now that it has been prepared. We have something to discuss."

He turned away and left the room for the dining hall after that, and everyone followed behind only after he was further down the hallway. As if an immense tension had been lifted, everyone suddenly relaxed their postures the moment Adam and their mother left the room, though no one said anything except Alphonse. The wavy-haired man continued to curse under his breath, glaring at Percy as he stormed out of the room as gracefully as he could manage, Claude wrapping an arm around him and chuckling. Henri shot Leon and Percy a soft, sympathetic smile before leaving himself, pushing a blushing Marie and shocked Lucas along with him... wait, blushing? What was that all about? In any case, the only people left in the room were Percy and Leon, and although they needed to follow everyone else to the dining hall, he stopped for a moment.

"...You don't have to go if you don't want to, Percy," Leon almost mumbled, his hand quietly falling away from his two-toned friend's arm, his head hanging low and his fists clenched. He stared at the ground with his brows knitted and his lips tied in a frown, his mind heavy with the weight of the situation. He didn't know what a normal family looked like, but this bittersweet tug-of-war between hatred and fervor always kept him coming back to this place. Eagerly, he finally looked Percy in the eyes. "I'm sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner. Leaving you alone with Alphonse was just... dumb of me."

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