(no subject)
Who: Bel and Xanxus
What: PG-13 for language?
When: FOREVER AGO. Date log for the auction. *sob*
Other: CLOSED AND FINISHED~
Heavy footsteps fell against the floor of the hallway as Xanxus more or less stomped his way down toward Bel's room. He stopped just outside of the door and glowered through it, almost as if he were hoping his displeasure would radiate off of him enough that it could make it all the way to the boy inside the room, if Bel was even there at all. Xanxus hadn't exactly told him that he was coming. With a low snarl, he finally lifted his hand to bang his fist against the door. "Belphegor! Get your sorry ass out here; you've got a fucking date to go on."
The first thing Belphegor did when he heard the angry knocking on his door and Xanxus' more or less angry voice was to scramble off his bed and hid behind it, in case Xanxus broke the door down. Then again, he was sure Xanxus would do a better job of beating him into a pulp than Hibari did, and Xanxus did mention the date, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he opened the door and let the senior in. Maybe Xanxus knew a nice place to have dinner and he wouldn't have to eat cafeteria food tonight. So he went up to the door and opened it and pouted at Xanxus. "I'm not dressed for a date," he said.
Xanxus eyed the bandages that Belphegor had on briefly before he moved past the boy and into the room, arms crossed over his chest. He was dressed...nice. Or, well, nicer than a school uniform, at least. Xanxus lowered himself to have a seat on the couch in the small common area of the dorm room and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes flickering sideways toward Bel. "Well hurry the fuck up and get ready, then," he ground out, an eye twitching a little before he looked away again. "We're going out."
"Where are we going?" Bel asked, padding towards his closet. He wondered why Xanxus wasn't asking him about the date auction, or other similar questions. Maybe he could read minds? In any case, Belphegor took his time picking out his clothes. Xanxus was dressed fancy, so he should dress fancy too. Except he had... next to nothing when it came to dressing fancy.
"I told you. Out." Xanxus watched as Bel disappeared into his room again and he sank back against the couch further, arms still crossed over his chest. His lip curled up into a small snarl and he looked up toward the other boy's room. "The fuck did you go and bid for, anyway? I didn't even want to be in the fucking auction but some jackass went and signed me up anonymously. I don't even get to know who the fuck did it so I can beat their ass." And Xanxus was very, very angry about this.
"Because," Belphegor shrugged, not that Xanxus could see him shrug. He pulled on one of his best shirts and wore all his best clothes and straightened the tiara on his head. The one he'd stolen on Homecoming. Funny how no one's told him off for that. Xanxus noticed though. Remembering made Bel grin. "Because," he said again, coming out of his room. "I didn't think you'd want to go out anyway," was what he wanted to say, but Bel said differently. "No one was bidding on you and I didn't think you'd like it if your face was there and you had a zero next to it." It was partly truth, since when Belphegor placed his bid, no one else had, but the next day, someone had outbid him and he didn't like losing so Bel bid again.
"Tch. I'd have preferred it that way. Then I wouldn't have to do this stupid shit." Xanxus eyed Bel in silence for a moment, nearly rolling his eyes at the tiara, and he stood up to head toward the door. "If you're all set, then let's get this fucking bullshit over with." He moved to the door and yanked it open, not even bothering to let Bel go in front of him like a proper date would. The fact remained that Xanxus had noticed someone had bid on him. Twice, apparently, since the winning bid had been Bel's. He had to wonder who else would even dare to bid on him. In silence he made his way out of the dorm building and toward the parking lot, out to his car.
Belphegor followed Xanxus, trailing a few steps behind him. "I think it would have been more embarrassing if no one bet on you and you were on that auction," he said. Then again, it was just him. "At least you won't be forced to take a complete stranger out on a date!" He quickened his pace so that he was walking next to Xanxus in the parking lot. "You have a car?" Belphegor asked, and then when he realized that, yes, Xanxus does have a car or else we wouldn't be here, he asked again, "Is that your car?"
Xanxus glanced, briefly, toward the car Bel had indicated and he shook his head. "I wouldn't be caught driving a piece of shit like that. No, this is my car." He strode up to a silver Ferrari Scaglietti and hit a button on his keychain to turn the alarm off before he opened the driver's side door. "Mess up the interior and I'm going to have to fucking shoot you in the head. Just as a warning." With that, Xanxus slid into the driver's seat and shut the door after him before he put on his seatbelt. "And fucking buckle up. I won't be held responsible for someone going through the windshield."
Belphegor scrambled into the car. Or, well, as careful as he could. He wondered what it was with upperclassmen and their cars. They seemed to like them like mothers liked their husbands and took care of them like they were the most precious jewel in the world. It was... bizarre and yet intriguing. Bel pulled the seatbelt over him and made himself comfortable on the passenger's seat. "So, where were we going again?" He asked again.
"Dinner," was the only answer Xanxus gave before he started up the car and took off out of the parking lot like a rocket. "It's a little bit of a drive to get to the place. Probably about a half hour. You can try and find something on the radio if you want." Personally, Xanxus preferred silence and the sound of the wind rushing past his window, but considering the fact it was winter he couldn't very well roll his window down. He took a corner, sharp, and soon enough they were out of the view of the school and the town it was in.
Briefly, Belphegor wondered if everyone who had a car back at school drove like Xanxus. They probably did. He wondered how far the distance would be covered if they drove this fast. They were probably going over a hundred miles an hour, but Bel couldn't see the meter. Or, well, he could, but he didn't know which one to look at. They all pretty much looked the same for him. He was never interested in driving cars anyway. Someone else always did it for him. He just sat in the back and waited until he got to the destination, like a proper prince should. "Which one's the radio?" Bel asked and resisted the urge to poke and prod and fiddle with the buttons and knobs inside the car.
Xanxus looked to his side at Bel like he was an absolute moron before he lifted a hand and pressed a button on the dashboard. The strains of a violin filled the car immediately after he had and he put his hand back down on the gear shift. "Use the forward and back buttons just above that knob to surf through the stations." His attention turned back toward the road again; he seemed to almost have the path memorized, the way he could follow the winding street without even batting an eye.
Nodding, Bel reached out for the buttons Xanxus indicated and began flipping through radio stations one after the other. It was a little... fascinating. Before he went to Nightmare High, he'd have someone else turn the knobs and press buttons for him. And drive, and cook him dinner and do his laundry. In the end, Belphegor settled on the frequency with the violins, which by now, was a full orchestra. He made himself comfortable on his seat and just watched the lights move past them outside the window. There was no scenery, just blurry figures and streaks of light.
As promised, it was a half hour before they saw another city. This one was much larger than the one they had just left, and Xanxus slowed down to match the pace of the other cars on the streets. On the sidewalks, couples and families walked side by side, bundled up against the weather, but all of them had one thing in common: they all looked, well, wealthy. This wasn't a city for those without connections, that was for sure. Xanxus wove his way through the streets before he finally came to a stop outside of a restaurant where a valet hurried up to the car to open the door.
"Ah! Xanxus, sir! We weren't expect---" The guy was cut off as Xanxus shoved the car keys into his hands and he turned to move toward the restaurant. "Put a single scratch on the car and it'll be your head." He glanced toward Bel, whose door had been opened by a second valet, when he reached the sidewalk. "Let's get this shit over with."
Belphegor got out of the car, amused at how the valets practically bent over in half for Xanxus. He liked that. Bel followed Xanxus in the restaurant. The ridiculously expensive looking restaurant. Which apparently Xanxus visited often enough that the valets and the maitre d' knew who he was and did his bidding. Maybe Xanxus owned the restaurant? That could be possible. He would have to ask later. For now, Bel latched onto Xanxus' side, grinning all the while.
"I hope you're hungry," Xanxus muttered as he glanced down at Bel as the maitre d' skittered away to make sure his favorite table was cleared and ready for him. He wondered, briefly, if his arm would go numb from being clutched to like that. "They serve a full five course meal here." When the man (old, balding, Xanxus sneered at him in silence) came back, bowing and apologizing for the wait, Xanxus steered Bel through the restaurant after him before they came upon the table, set now for just two instead of the usual eight that it could seat. Xanxus liked to sit here, alone, and lord over the rest of the restaurant: the table had a view of the entire place. He sat in his seat, glowering as a waiter tried to pull it out for him, and reached for the menu even if he knew perfectly well what he was going to order. "Do you want fish, chicken, or veal?"
At the mention of a five course meal, Bel's grin grew wider. It had been a while since he had a proper meal like that. Cafeteria food really couldn't compare. He missed full course meals. "Fish sounds good," Belphegor said as he sat down across Xanxus' seat. Another waiter had pulled it out for him, who Bel pointedly ignored. He settled into the chair, pulling it closer to the table and looked around. It was a very fine restaurant, and Bel liked the interior. "I like the view from here," he said, swinging his legs under the table.
"So do I, which is why I always make it a point to sit at this table." Xanxus folded the menu and placed it aside again as his eyes swept across the restaurant. A few people returned his gaze before quickly looking away again. "It's a seat of absolute power." There was something on his face as he said that, some sort of all-knowing smirk, and eventually he finally lifted a hand and, with a small wag of his finger, summoned a waiter. "We will start with the traditional antipasti, the linguine alle vongole for our pasta, his entrée will be the sogliola alla fiorentina, mine the cotoletta alla paesana, followed by insalata alla casalinga and the torta alla cioccolata for dessert. As for the wines to go with each dish, and I do expect a new wine with each dish," Xanxus took both menus and handed them up to the waiter, "surprise me." The look that Xanxus gave the waiter at that was clearly a challenge. "I do hope your sommelier is up to the task."
Bel nodded. Xanxus did seem the type to have something like a seat of power. He had the air of authority, even. Like a King. Even the way he talked to the waiter. Bel leaned against his hand on the table, a grin still plastered on his face. "Ushishishi~" He laughed when the waiter left in a hurry, looking relieved to just be away from Xanxus' presence. It amused him so. "Do they always do that?" Bel asked, cocking his head, trying to follow where the waiter as he scuttled to wherever he was headed.
"Without fail." There was an air of pride around Xanxus as he said that, and he leaned back in his seat, glass of water in hand. He took a small sip of it and glanced around again, once more feeling eyes flicker away as he did. "This entire place is filled with cowering yes men. It'd be more entertaining if they didn't start to annoy the fuck out of me like they always inevitably do." He paused for a second before he placed the glass of water back down onto the table. "If they fuck up the wines, I'm going to be pissed."
"Is that why you keep coming back here?" Bel asked, placing his attention back at Xanxus. He leaned back on the chair-- it was a nice chair. Probably custom made. It was like that in fancy restaurants. "In the hopes that someone gets a backbone and challenges you?" Bel noticed the way people glanced at their table only to quickly avert their eyes, not wanting Xanxus to see them staring. Bel saw them, though, and he was sure Xanxus knows, too. "Or do you come here because you own it?"
Xanxus rested his elbow on the armrest of the chair and propped his chin on his hand. "For a challenge? I'll never get a challenge here. And we don't own it, either. We could, but we don't. No, I actually come here so frequently because the food's actually decent and reminds me vaguely of the stuff I can get the chefs to cook for me back home. This is about the best place for that." He glanced up briefly when the waiter returned with the antipasti and the wine for that course, and Xanxus blithely ignored him as he blathered on about the wine selection. Xanxus finally waved the annoyance off before he sat up to start eating. "Bon appetite, Belphegor."
Well, at least it was beginning to sound a bit like a date. A first and awkward blind date, but a date nonetheless. Belphegor was at least getting a free meal in an expensive restaurant. It was a good deal though, he thought. The dinner was probably more than a hundred dollars worth. "Buon appetito," Belphegor replied in Italian before swiping some of the cold cuts and cheese.
An amuse smirk crossed Xanxus's face at that before he went into the dish himself. It wasn't bad, and the wine at least had a good body to it. Xanxus swirled it around in his glass briefly and smelled it before he took a drink. And the cheeses, at least, were good. "So I noticed that someone else had bid on me," he finally spoke up as he pushed a garlic clove around the plate the get the flavor spread out more, "which means it wouldn't have been necessary for you to up the ante to the hundred bucks if you only bid 'cause you felt sorry that there was a zero next to my name." Xanxus popped an olive into his mouth and gazed across the table toward Bel. "So what's the real reason you bid?"
Belphegor nibbled on a piece of cheese as Xanxus talked. He grinned and shrugged in reply. He took the glass of water, took a sip and set it back, still grinning. "I guess it's because no one likes to lose," Bel said a while later, stabbing another piece of the cured meats. Belphegor did not like losing. He didn't think anyone did, but he hated that one thing the most.
"Well you sure as fuck landed a hell of a prize this time." Xanxus sat back once his plate was clear of food and he pushed it to the side to wait expectantly for the next dish. As he finished off the glass of wine that came with the course, he silently eyed the bandages that Bel had. "So where the fuck did the bandages come from? You fall down a fucking stairwell or something?"
Playing around with the last piece of food on the plate, Bel grinned up at Xanxus. "A wild animal attacked me," he said, telling Xanxus the same lie he told Minato. Truth was, he and Hibari got into a little... fight. The results weren't great and they both ended up seriously injured in a very destroyed hallway. "Minato helped put the bandages on," he continued. Belphegor had come to Minato for help, as he didn't want to have to go through a series of questions he'd rather not answer if he went to the infirmary.
"Bullshit. There aren't any fucking wild animals around the school who'd do that, unless you count the idiot trash that lives there." Xanxus snorted at Bel's explanation and shook his head as he leaned back against his seat. A waiter came out and cleared their table before a second came with their next course, as well as their next glass of wine. Xanxus only paid a minor amount of attention to what the waiter explained and watched as the young man scurried away.
The waiter didn't get too far, however, before Xanxus had stood up, glass of wine in hand. He glowered daggers at the boy's back. "Oi, trash! Who the fuck do you think you're kidding?" The glass then promptly sailed across the room and didn't spill a single drop of the wine until it collided with the back of the waiter's head. "If you say this is from the '97 bottle, I expect it to be from the fucking '97 bottle, not fucking 2007. Now bring me the right fucking wine or it'll be your head on the next tray, you got that?" Without even turning around, the waiter scrambled away, wine dripping down the back of his shirt. Xanxus turned and sat back down in his seat with a huff and a glower to the other patrons of the restaurant. "The fuck do the rest of you want? Eat your fucking food."
Snickering, Bel picked up his fork and watched Xanxus yell at the waiter as he played with his pasta. He picked at the little shells on his plate, not even hiding his laugh when the glass hit the waiter's head and finding the whole scene funny. Did Xanxus always throw things when he was mad? It was fun to watch, nonetheless. It was like watching a lion defend his territory, or, well, it was more like watching a king ordering a hanging if his demands were not met. Either way, Belphegor's grin was wide. "It's a wonder they still let you in this place," he said after Xanxus sat back down and told everyone else to mind their own business.
"I may be a fucking jackass, but they know they'll have more problems if they ban me from the place than if I just come in and rough up a few fucking incompetent waiters." Xanxus glanced up at the end of that sentence as said incompetent waiter returned with new glasses of wine. "And their fucking worthless sommeliers, too. Do me a favor, dumb fuck, and throw Belphegor's glass of barely a year old wine at that pansy's ass for me since he's fucking hiding in the kitchen and I can't do it myself." He watched as the boy picked up the glass of wine and left again. A few seconds later he heard a crash of glass and, satisfied, he finally turned to his second part of the meal.
The grin was plastered on Belphegor's face. There was something about Xanxus that made him want to be around him more. Maybe it was because he liked watching Xanxus order people around. It was funny the way they always did what he said. "Uwah, he really did it," Bel laughed when he heard the sound of shattering glass. He twirled his fork around the flat pasta, shoving the small clamshells aside before shoving the food in his mouth.
"Of course he fucking did it. His ass would be fired if he didn't." Xanxus finished off the pasta fairly quickly (it was usually his second favorite part of the meal, anyway) and pushed the plate aside before he reached for his glass of wine. The first sip told him that this time they got it right. With a very 'I'm-pleased-with-myself' smirk, Xanxus finished off the glass in a couple of gulps and put it next to his empty plate.
"I thought as much," Bel said after swallowing his food. He watched Xanxus as he picked up another forkful of pasta. He was one man he wasn't ever going to anger, Belphegor decided. If anything, he wanted to be with Xanxus when he was angry. Almost done with his plate, Bel reached for his drink. Instead of picking up the glass of water, though, this time, he thought of trying out the wine. After all, Xanxus had gone through all that trouble to have it changed to the right one, might as well find out what was so special about the wine. Right? So Belphegor took a sip... Or maybe a gulp, then set the glass down. It wasn't so... bad. It just... tasted weird in his mouth? Or maybe it was the way it made his ears feel a little bit hot.
The plates were cleared as soon as the waiter noticed that they were empty, and out next was the main course. Xanxus gazed down at his veal, eyes hungry. It had been too long since he had had a good piece of veal, and there was no way he was ever even going to consider touching that rubber piece of meat at school they called a veal chop. Xanxus glanced across the table, mostly just to make sure that Bel's meal looked as delectable as it should, before he started to eat again. He wasn't exactly one for dinner time conversation, obviously.
The fish on Bel's plate looked good, smelled good, tasted better than what he expected. He wasn't very fond of spinach, but he thought it was nice with the sole. He enjoyed his meal. Really. Except halfway through dinner, Bel wrinkled his nose. He wasn't used to, well, being ignored. Over food, too. "How's your food?" Bel asked, lamely trying to get Xanxus' attention and staring straight at the upperclassman.
Xanxus glanced up and realized, then, that he wasn't exactly being the greatest date in the world. But it wasn't his fucking fault he hated talking. And people. And talking to people. He looked down at his plate briefly then back up again with a small shrug. "It's fine." The conversation should probably continue, right? "Yours?" Smooth.
"I don't like the spinach," Bel said, shoving the green aside. Oh sure it made the fish taste better but vegetables in general wasn't something he fancied. He looked at the wineglass tentatively before reaching out and taking it, swirling the liquid slowly. "And... do you always have to have wine in the meals? Not that... I'm complaining." Belphegor shrugged and took a sip. Again, he felt the heat go down to his stomach and rise to his ears, so he took another bite out of the fish.
"Not a vegetable person, then." Xanxus raised an eyebrow as he watched Belphegor sip, literally just sip at the wine, and he kind of wanted to laugh. Shouldn't a prince be used to that kind of thing? "Of course you have to drink wine with the meals. They bring out the full flavor of the food, and the food brings out the full flavor of the wine. When you're missing one or the other, you're out of a fucking good meal."
"Ah." When Xanxus put it that way, Belphegor figured it wouldn't be too bad if he drank more of the wine, then. He would just have to ignore the weird feeling he got every time he took a sip from it. Maybe it wouldn't happen if he actually drank the wine? He would have to see next time. For now, he wanted to... maybe eat a bit more fish before drinking wine.
"Mm." Xanxus turned back to his meal and chose not to comment on the red that was starting to worm its way down Bel's throat. No sense in embarrassing the kid. Not this time, anyway. This was a "date", after all, and Xanxus was nothing if not a completely and utterly upstanding citizen. Which really meant, of course, that he would give him hell for his weak tolerance later.
If Belphegor could read minds, he probably would not drink his wine anymore, throw it at Xanxus, and then throw his plate at him, then storm out of the restaurant, hitch a ride back to Hypnos and hope that he had a good enough hiding place from Xanxus. Which wasn't the case, so Bel continued on with his meal and finally drank more than just a sip of wine. Two whole gulps was something to be proud of for someone who was never allowed to drink anything alcoholic back at home (why, he would never find out). Belphegor just wished he could say something new just so they had something to talk about over dinner so it wasn't so boring.
As far as Xanxus was concerned, no conversation at dinner was ideal. He hated to prattle on about useless topics like the weather and politics and, worst of all, gossip. As the plates and glasses were cleared to make room for the next course (the salad), however, he noted that his partner for the evening seemed to grow antsy. It would figure he'd get a talker to bid on him. Xanxus searched his brain for something to discuss before he let out a breath. "So I can't help but notice you and your twin don't get along very well."
Bel wrinkled his nose for the... nth time that night. "What twin?" He asked, leaning on the table, resting his chin on his hand. Their next course was taking a while and he blew at his bangs, watching them flutter and part and fall back down over his eyes. He put on a wry grin and tilted his head just slightly to the side, looking at Xanxus.
A slow smirk spread across Xanxus's face as he reached forward to take a hold of his glass of water to take a sip. It shouldn't take this long to make a god damn salad. He leaned back in his chair, arms laid on the armrests of the chair, and he lifted his chin up a little bit. "The one who, if I'm to read things correctly, you tried to kill." Which, of course, was the moment the waiter decided to show back up with the food. Xanxus narrowed his eyes on the man when he froze, food in hand, and he quickly set himself into motion again to finish putting everything on the table before he scurried away.
His grin turned into a smirk that matched Xanxus'. Bel snickered, picking the salad fork up just as the waiter put the salad down in front of him. "I don't think I have the slightest idea of what you're talking about," he said, skewering one of the tomatoes in his salad. Tomatoes were good, unlike spinach, so he tolerated it.
Xanxus snorted at that and speared a tomato as well, chewing on it thoughtfully. "I call bullshit." He put his fork down and leaned forward, elbows propped on the table and chin rested on his hands. "I know how to recognize the eyes of a killer. There's a very special little gleam to them. The fact that I've so rarely been able to actually glimpse your eyes is even more of a clue." Xanxus shifted so his chin was in one hand only, the other idly pushing the salad around on the plate with a fork. "You're hiding behind your killer's eyes behind your hair."
"You've killed someone yourself, then, I'm assuming?" Bel poked at his salad before shoving a forkful in his mouth. Chew, swallow, water to help it go down. "I mean, you would have to experience it yourself, wouldn't you? To be able to recognize if someone has the, what was it, 'eyes of a killer'." He licked at his lips and smiled at Xanxus. "Just a thought."
Now, see, this was perfectly reasonable dinner conversation. None of that 'how's the family?' bullshit that Xanxus had to put up with when he had dinner back home. He took a few bites of his salad in silence and took a sip of his win before he smirked. Something feral flashed across his expression. Blink, and you would have missed it. "Tell me about your twin, and I'll tell you if I have."
Belphegor shrugged. "Hai un accordo," he said, and forked another tomato. "I had a twin, but he died when we were children." Details, details. Who needed them? Xanxus did not ask for them either. Bel chewed on the tomato before telling Xanxus, "Your turn."
Except it was pretty obvious to everyone at school, even the thickest of students, that Bel very much had a twin who was very much alive. Maybe he'd just have to get the dear prince a little drunk. He was on his way there, anyway, if the flush to his face was any indication. Xanxus shrugged after he shoved some lettuce in his mouth. "I have." Said as nonchalantly as someone saying they have a coat.
"Uwaah, how scary," Belphegor commented, a hint of excitement in his voice. His lips curved into a smile as he licked at the vinaigrette on his fork. "It's not everyday you get taken out on a dinner date by a murderer." Bel set his fork down on his plate of half-eaten salad. He then leaned back on his chair and folded his hands on his lap, his legs crossed. "I take it even swearing an oath of fealty won't let me escape a painful death by your hands?"
"When I want you dead," Xanxus finished off his glass of wine and sat back as well as the waiter came by and bussed their plates to prepare them for their last, decadent course. His lips twitched up into a smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You'll be dead." It was as simple as that.
Why wasn't Belphegor surprised? "That sort of thing suits your personality, I think," he said, moments later, still grinning. He simply sat in his chair, watching Xanxus and waiting for the dessert. If he recalled, it was cake only with a fancy name and maybe some fruit and ice cream.
"When this is over, there's one last place we'll be going back in town." Xanxus looked up as their last dish arrived; even if everything else in this restaurant should piss him off, he always enjoyed the dessert. "Do enjoy the last of your wining and dining experience." With that, Xanxus brought his spoon down into the dessert and ate.
The moment dessert came to the table, Bel attacked it. "Hm?" Belphegor looked up from his dessert, dessert fork still in his mouth. "Where?" Where else could they possibly go at this time of night? He hoped it wasn't some cheesy romantic shitty place Xanxus got off from some self-help book on dating (which it probably wasn't). Bel didn't wait for a reply before helping himself to more of his dessert and wondered if maybe he could have Xanxus' too (not likely, but he could dream).
It was like watching a kid eat a piece of cake for the first time. Xanxus was a little amused before he shook his head and, silently, shoved his half-eaten dessert across the table toward Bel as he sat back to finish his wine. It wasn't like he didn't eat this stuff all the time or anything. "Some place I enjoy going. I want to see something."
Licking the raspberry off his fork, Bel raised an eyebrow at Xanxus. Not that he could see it, but he did it anyway. "What kind of place?" He asked. He was pretty sure that Xanxus wasn't part of an underground operation that dealt with fattening little boys up before cutting them into pieces and selling their organs to god knows where. While he looked like the type that dealt with illegal businesses, Bel was pretty sure Xanxus wasn't perverted enough for something like that. Either way, the mental image didn't do anything for his appetite, as he took Xanxus' dessert and had his way with that one, too.
"A private place." Well, probably not, as it was easily accessible by car, but that didn't mean Xanxus didn't like to think of it as his own. It was silly, really, the reason why he even went up there, but each time he went, there was never any trace of anyone else having been there. Hopefully, it really was his own, private place. Xanxus raised a hand and motioned for the waiter to bring over the bill. He put down a credit card without even bothering to glance at it.
Bel was still a little suspicious about wherever this was, but he was under Xanxus' mercy tonight, so he decided not to question it further. Besides, how bad could it be, right? So he took a drink of wine and finished the dessert, sat back in the chair and wondered what kind of 'private place' it was that Xanxus wanted to take him to.
When the card and slip were returned, Xanxus signed it with quick, angular strokes, and replaced his card in his wallet before he stood up. "Let's go." Xanxus moved with quick strides through the restaurant and back out again, certain the wait staff was glad that he was done eating and gone. He turned his ticket over to the valet and waited for the car to be returned.
The moment they stood up, Belphegor latched himself again on Xanxus' arm. This time, for an entirely different reason than earlier. Bel felt he would fall down if some gust of wind happened to blow past them, or maybe even just a sneeze. Hopefully, Xanxus wouldn't notice, although he had a feeling that the upperclassman would. Still, he tried his best to act normal, so Xanxus wouldn't suspect anything.
Oh, he noticed. Even easier to pick out than a murderer was someone who was drunk. Xanxus would have found the clinging endearing if he were someone else. The car eventually pulled up, and Xanxus opened the passenger side door before he deposited Bel into the seat. The boy who had gone to fetch his car, a new valet, held out his hand toward Xanxus as if he expected a payment. Xanxus snarled, reached out, and snapped the boy's pinky for his insolence before he moved to the driver's side to climb in. The boy was left howling on the sidewalk as Xanxus peeled out of the parking lot.
Inside the car, Belphegor settled in his seat and pulled the seat belt on. Xanxus' speeds were dangerously fun, but he didn't want to end up with his head through the windshield if he suddenly stepped on the brakes. It wasn't even too long inside the car when he started moving around, not being able to sit still. First, he figured he could lean against the door and look out the window, but three seconds in, he got bored and sat back in his seat. He tried swinging his legs but there wasn't enough room for that, so he tried fiddling with the radio again (because classical music was getting boring). Bel settled on a station that played some sort of sugar-rushed pop music and tapped his foot to the beat. "So where were we going again?" He asked Xanxus as he made angry mist-faces on the car window.
"Oh for fuck's sake, I told you, we're going fucking somewhere." Xanxus's eyes slid sideways to look at Bel for a moment before he shook his head. Brat didn't know how to sit still when he was drunk, did he? Eventually he turned his attention back to the road, just in time to make a bend and avoid going off the other side.
After a while, the familiar sights of the town appeared below them, but Xanxus turned the car off a side road and started a climb up a hill. He had to go slower, unfortunately, mostly because of the narrow lane and all of the damn trees that he could potentially hit otherwise. The car continued to move up and up until, finally, they reached the top of the hill. Xanxus killed the engine and stepped out of the car.
"I was just asking," Bel shrugged, snickering at the angry faces he had made. He was sure Xanxus looked like one of them right now. Still, he wiped the glass with his sleeve, even if mist-faces didn't last long they left marks. And then he tried to sit still, tapping his finger on his knee to the beat of whatever was playing on the radio-- that was when he noticed the road suddenly looked different with all those trees-- Well damn. It was one of those cheesy after-date places with nature and crap. Bel didn't think Xanxus was that type of person at all. So, when Xanxus stopped the car and got out, Belphegor followed him out and stretched. "Didn't think you were a nature-type of person," he said, shrugging as he leaned on the door of Xanxus' car.
"I come up here because staring down at the town and all its trash makes me feel like I run the whole fucking place." Xanxus paused for a second and drummed his finger on his thigh. "I do, to an extent, but that's not why we're up here tonight." He moved toward a fence and start to place cans all along the edge of it before he moved back to the back of his car. Xanxus popped open the trunk. "Pick your weapon." Inside was a sword, a gun, a set of knives, and a baseball bat.
Weapon? Curious, Belphegor walked toward the back of the car and looked in the trunk. His eyes widened and practically sparkled at what he saw, and his hands immediately went for the sharp, sharp knives. He was smiling, remembering a fond memory that involved knives. He held one of them up and examined the small blade. "Do you always keep stuff like this in your car?" Bel asked, grinning. He could see his reflection on the knife, and it was grand.
"Only when I think I'll need to." Xanxus slammed the trunk of the car shut again and moved around to stand in front of the cans, one of which was directly behind him. He crossed his arms over his chest and leveled a gaze on Bel. This would be a prime opportunity to test out the freshman's abilities, especially seeing as how he was drunk. If his reflexes were good now, Xanxus would only be able to imagine what they were like when he was sober. "Take out all of the cans behind me as fast as you can without cutting me. I won't move from this spot."
When Xanxus mentioned cans, Bel cocked his head to the side and wondered when they got there. Maybe Xanxus planned this whole thing beforehand and set that up? Which would explain why they were up here, where no one would usually go to. It sounded logical. "Just take them all out with the knives?" Bel asked, eyebrow raised (though really, no one could ever see him do that, unless they clipped his hair back, which he wouldn't ever allow). That was pretty...easy. Even with Xanxus standing right in front of one. Maybe two. And really, the warning to not cut Xanxus was just begging to be disobeyed. Belphegor grinned. "What do I get if I knock them all out?"
"You'll find out after." It wasn't as though Xanxus had any doubt that Bel could do this, especially after the way he had so eagerly, and expertly, picked up and handled the knives. He crossed his arms over his chest and tipped his chin up a little bit to catch the light from the city below. It gave him an almost demonic aura. "Just hurry up and get on with it. It's getting fucking cold out here and my patience is starting to wear thin."
"Well then--" With an expert flick of his wrists, Belphegor was suddenly holding six knives, three on each hand, held between his fingers. He had on a big grin-- really, just taking out those cans was child's play to Belphegor, especially if he used knives. It made him snicker. He loved knives, if it hadn't been already obvious. Ever since that one day when he was a kid, he'd kept one and started collecting different sorts of knives. Of course, he had to learn how to use them, and he was pretty good. Expertly good, if you asked him, and he could take you out using knives with his eyes closed (not that you could tell, unless you blindfold him). Without wasting even a split second, Bel launched the knives towards the cans. And really, that one knife that might have scraped against Xanxus' shoulder ever so slightly wasn't his fault.
And Xanxus stands there, an all-knowing smile on his face, as that last can behind him hits the ground on the other side of the fence. He knew it. He knew it. Xanxus strode forward after that and stood in front of Bel, a towering statue of raw, untapped power. He brought up his hands and placed them heavily on Bel's shoulder, and that smile has turned into a feral smirk. "I have a proposition for you if you have half a mind to listen to it."
Belphegor glanced at the hands on his shoulders then back up at Xanxus. He also took a glance at where the knife grazed over the cloth on Xanxus' shoulder-- he didn't miss after all. The fabric was cut, though it wasn't so deep or long that it was noticeable. Bel grinned. "I don't think you'd let me go if I don't listen to it anyway, so go ahead," he said, shrugging. He remembered what Xanxus had said earlier-- Xanxus knew a killer when he saw one, because he was one. And Xanxus could probably get away with Bel's murder if he didn't cooperate.
"Good boy. You're starting to catch on." Xanxus dropped his hands away and moved back around the car to climb into the driver's seat again. "Get back in the car, it's too fucking cold out here. I'll explain things on the way back to school." He slammed his door shut behind him and buckled his seatbelt for the last time that evening. Already he didn't want to be out driving anymore.
"But the knives--" Bel was going to protest, but he didn't think to continue. It was for the best. And his life. Xanxus was already in the car and he probably should be in it as well. As quick as he could, he made his way to the passenger's seat and secured the seatbelt over him. Belphegor didn't speak again until Xanxus started driving out of the hills and back to civilization. "So. What were you tell me?"
"I can get you more fucking knives." It wasn't like that would be difficult to do. Xanxus put the car into gear and took off back down the path. When he was to open road and able to not focus absolutely on where he was going, he glanced sideways toward Bel. "My father is the current head of the Vongola Corporation in Italy. But he's getting old, and it's about time that he was no longer around. I'm impatient, and don't want to wait for him to just drop dead." Xanxus looked back toward the road and waited on Bel to catch on.
Bel cocked his head to the side, watching Xanxus. So Xanxus wanted his dear ol' daddy dead, huh? Where did Bel fit in the equation? Perhaps... "You want me to kill him off?" He asked, a little confused. So maybe he could do it, but Xanxus was powerful enough to have that done by a professional. Not that Bel planned to be one (although that was an idea). "Or is there some other sort of elaborate scheme you're doing, and you want me to take part in it?" That... could be it. Yeah. Sounds more like Xanxus.
Xanxus eventually pulled into his usual spot in the parking lot at school and he killed the engine, undid his seatbelt, and sat back in his seat without getting out of the car just yet. "I want you to assist. It may just seem like a regular corporation on the outside, but there are underground dealings going on constantly. The old fucker has a lot of people on his side to guard him and, while I'm damn good, I wouldn't be able to take out all of them and the old fuck." He turned his head sideways, a small smirk on his face. "What do you say?"
"Sure, why not?" Bel answered, not exactly pausing to think about the pros and cons. He'd heard about the Vongola Corporation, of course. Who lived in Italy and didn't? It was big, and famous, and no wonder Xanxus was powerful. Besides, it wasn't as if Xanxus was giving him a choice here. Still, Bel was going to be part of something big. And when Xanxus becomes Vongola's leader, Bel would be proud to say he helped make it real.
That, and he didn't want Xanxus to kill him just yet.
"I thought you'd say yes." Xanxus grinned, that sharp feral edge there again, and eventually he climbed out of the car. He waited for Bel to get out as well before he locked the doors and turned the alarm on. Xanxus pocketed his keys and started to head back toward the dorm building. "It probably goes without saying, but if you breathe a fucking word of this to anyone, it'll be your head."
Following Xanxus back to the dorms, Bel said, "I won't. I can keep secrets." He kept them pretty well, too. He shoved his hands into his pockets. It kind of sucked to have his room on the first floor.
So that was a date, huh. It wasn't anything special, then. Bel wondered why people made them such a big deal. People went out to have lunch or dinner out together all the time, what made these things so special? How weird.
Xanxus finally stopped once they were inside the dorms and he glanced toward Bel. This was a date, right? By all rights, a date, which meant Bel hadn't simply paid for a night out. Or, he had, and didn't know what a date usually entailed. But Xanxus was Xanxus, and he was not one to let things go unfinished. He turned toward Bel and leaned toward him, stiff the entire time. "This is the last time this is fucking happening." He then hauled Bel toward him, planted their lips together, and promptly walked away.
Well, dates usually ended with a kiss, right?
Well. Belphegor surely hadn't anticipated that. He watched dumbly as Xanxus walked away, dazed and dumbstruck at what just happened. Xanxus just... kissed him. It was a kiss. And not just any kiss. It was Belphegor's first. He was saving that for a special occasion! And now that was wasted and--
--well.
Damn.
What: PG-13 for language?
When: FOREVER AGO. Date log for the auction. *sob*
Other: CLOSED AND FINISHED~
Heavy footsteps fell against the floor of the hallway as Xanxus more or less stomped his way down toward Bel's room. He stopped just outside of the door and glowered through it, almost as if he were hoping his displeasure would radiate off of him enough that it could make it all the way to the boy inside the room, if Bel was even there at all. Xanxus hadn't exactly told him that he was coming. With a low snarl, he finally lifted his hand to bang his fist against the door. "Belphegor! Get your sorry ass out here; you've got a fucking date to go on."
The first thing Belphegor did when he heard the angry knocking on his door and Xanxus' more or less angry voice was to scramble off his bed and hid behind it, in case Xanxus broke the door down. Then again, he was sure Xanxus would do a better job of beating him into a pulp than Hibari did, and Xanxus did mention the date, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he opened the door and let the senior in. Maybe Xanxus knew a nice place to have dinner and he wouldn't have to eat cafeteria food tonight. So he went up to the door and opened it and pouted at Xanxus. "I'm not dressed for a date," he said.
Xanxus eyed the bandages that Belphegor had on briefly before he moved past the boy and into the room, arms crossed over his chest. He was dressed...nice. Or, well, nicer than a school uniform, at least. Xanxus lowered himself to have a seat on the couch in the small common area of the dorm room and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes flickering sideways toward Bel. "Well hurry the fuck up and get ready, then," he ground out, an eye twitching a little before he looked away again. "We're going out."
"Where are we going?" Bel asked, padding towards his closet. He wondered why Xanxus wasn't asking him about the date auction, or other similar questions. Maybe he could read minds? In any case, Belphegor took his time picking out his clothes. Xanxus was dressed fancy, so he should dress fancy too. Except he had... next to nothing when it came to dressing fancy.
"I told you. Out." Xanxus watched as Bel disappeared into his room again and he sank back against the couch further, arms still crossed over his chest. His lip curled up into a small snarl and he looked up toward the other boy's room. "The fuck did you go and bid for, anyway? I didn't even want to be in the fucking auction but some jackass went and signed me up anonymously. I don't even get to know who the fuck did it so I can beat their ass." And Xanxus was very, very angry about this.
"Because," Belphegor shrugged, not that Xanxus could see him shrug. He pulled on one of his best shirts and wore all his best clothes and straightened the tiara on his head. The one he'd stolen on Homecoming. Funny how no one's told him off for that. Xanxus noticed though. Remembering made Bel grin. "Because," he said again, coming out of his room. "I didn't think you'd want to go out anyway," was what he wanted to say, but Bel said differently. "No one was bidding on you and I didn't think you'd like it if your face was there and you had a zero next to it." It was partly truth, since when Belphegor placed his bid, no one else had, but the next day, someone had outbid him and he didn't like losing so Bel bid again.
"Tch. I'd have preferred it that way. Then I wouldn't have to do this stupid shit." Xanxus eyed Bel in silence for a moment, nearly rolling his eyes at the tiara, and he stood up to head toward the door. "If you're all set, then let's get this fucking bullshit over with." He moved to the door and yanked it open, not even bothering to let Bel go in front of him like a proper date would. The fact remained that Xanxus had noticed someone had bid on him. Twice, apparently, since the winning bid had been Bel's. He had to wonder who else would even dare to bid on him. In silence he made his way out of the dorm building and toward the parking lot, out to his car.
Belphegor followed Xanxus, trailing a few steps behind him. "I think it would have been more embarrassing if no one bet on you and you were on that auction," he said. Then again, it was just him. "At least you won't be forced to take a complete stranger out on a date!" He quickened his pace so that he was walking next to Xanxus in the parking lot. "You have a car?" Belphegor asked, and then when he realized that, yes, Xanxus does have a car or else we wouldn't be here, he asked again, "Is that your car?"
Xanxus glanced, briefly, toward the car Bel had indicated and he shook his head. "I wouldn't be caught driving a piece of shit like that. No, this is my car." He strode up to a silver Ferrari Scaglietti and hit a button on his keychain to turn the alarm off before he opened the driver's side door. "Mess up the interior and I'm going to have to fucking shoot you in the head. Just as a warning." With that, Xanxus slid into the driver's seat and shut the door after him before he put on his seatbelt. "And fucking buckle up. I won't be held responsible for someone going through the windshield."
Belphegor scrambled into the car. Or, well, as careful as he could. He wondered what it was with upperclassmen and their cars. They seemed to like them like mothers liked their husbands and took care of them like they were the most precious jewel in the world. It was... bizarre and yet intriguing. Bel pulled the seatbelt over him and made himself comfortable on the passenger's seat. "So, where were we going again?" He asked again.
"Dinner," was the only answer Xanxus gave before he started up the car and took off out of the parking lot like a rocket. "It's a little bit of a drive to get to the place. Probably about a half hour. You can try and find something on the radio if you want." Personally, Xanxus preferred silence and the sound of the wind rushing past his window, but considering the fact it was winter he couldn't very well roll his window down. He took a corner, sharp, and soon enough they were out of the view of the school and the town it was in.
Briefly, Belphegor wondered if everyone who had a car back at school drove like Xanxus. They probably did. He wondered how far the distance would be covered if they drove this fast. They were probably going over a hundred miles an hour, but Bel couldn't see the meter. Or, well, he could, but he didn't know which one to look at. They all pretty much looked the same for him. He was never interested in driving cars anyway. Someone else always did it for him. He just sat in the back and waited until he got to the destination, like a proper prince should. "Which one's the radio?" Bel asked and resisted the urge to poke and prod and fiddle with the buttons and knobs inside the car.
Xanxus looked to his side at Bel like he was an absolute moron before he lifted a hand and pressed a button on the dashboard. The strains of a violin filled the car immediately after he had and he put his hand back down on the gear shift. "Use the forward and back buttons just above that knob to surf through the stations." His attention turned back toward the road again; he seemed to almost have the path memorized, the way he could follow the winding street without even batting an eye.
Nodding, Bel reached out for the buttons Xanxus indicated and began flipping through radio stations one after the other. It was a little... fascinating. Before he went to Nightmare High, he'd have someone else turn the knobs and press buttons for him. And drive, and cook him dinner and do his laundry. In the end, Belphegor settled on the frequency with the violins, which by now, was a full orchestra. He made himself comfortable on his seat and just watched the lights move past them outside the window. There was no scenery, just blurry figures and streaks of light.
As promised, it was a half hour before they saw another city. This one was much larger than the one they had just left, and Xanxus slowed down to match the pace of the other cars on the streets. On the sidewalks, couples and families walked side by side, bundled up against the weather, but all of them had one thing in common: they all looked, well, wealthy. This wasn't a city for those without connections, that was for sure. Xanxus wove his way through the streets before he finally came to a stop outside of a restaurant where a valet hurried up to the car to open the door.
"Ah! Xanxus, sir! We weren't expect---" The guy was cut off as Xanxus shoved the car keys into his hands and he turned to move toward the restaurant. "Put a single scratch on the car and it'll be your head." He glanced toward Bel, whose door had been opened by a second valet, when he reached the sidewalk. "Let's get this shit over with."
Belphegor got out of the car, amused at how the valets practically bent over in half for Xanxus. He liked that. Bel followed Xanxus in the restaurant. The ridiculously expensive looking restaurant. Which apparently Xanxus visited often enough that the valets and the maitre d' knew who he was and did his bidding. Maybe Xanxus owned the restaurant? That could be possible. He would have to ask later. For now, Bel latched onto Xanxus' side, grinning all the while.
"I hope you're hungry," Xanxus muttered as he glanced down at Bel as the maitre d' skittered away to make sure his favorite table was cleared and ready for him. He wondered, briefly, if his arm would go numb from being clutched to like that. "They serve a full five course meal here." When the man (old, balding, Xanxus sneered at him in silence) came back, bowing and apologizing for the wait, Xanxus steered Bel through the restaurant after him before they came upon the table, set now for just two instead of the usual eight that it could seat. Xanxus liked to sit here, alone, and lord over the rest of the restaurant: the table had a view of the entire place. He sat in his seat, glowering as a waiter tried to pull it out for him, and reached for the menu even if he knew perfectly well what he was going to order. "Do you want fish, chicken, or veal?"
At the mention of a five course meal, Bel's grin grew wider. It had been a while since he had a proper meal like that. Cafeteria food really couldn't compare. He missed full course meals. "Fish sounds good," Belphegor said as he sat down across Xanxus' seat. Another waiter had pulled it out for him, who Bel pointedly ignored. He settled into the chair, pulling it closer to the table and looked around. It was a very fine restaurant, and Bel liked the interior. "I like the view from here," he said, swinging his legs under the table.
"So do I, which is why I always make it a point to sit at this table." Xanxus folded the menu and placed it aside again as his eyes swept across the restaurant. A few people returned his gaze before quickly looking away again. "It's a seat of absolute power." There was something on his face as he said that, some sort of all-knowing smirk, and eventually he finally lifted a hand and, with a small wag of his finger, summoned a waiter. "We will start with the traditional antipasti, the linguine alle vongole for our pasta, his entrée will be the sogliola alla fiorentina, mine the cotoletta alla paesana, followed by insalata alla casalinga and the torta alla cioccolata for dessert. As for the wines to go with each dish, and I do expect a new wine with each dish," Xanxus took both menus and handed them up to the waiter, "surprise me." The look that Xanxus gave the waiter at that was clearly a challenge. "I do hope your sommelier is up to the task."
Bel nodded. Xanxus did seem the type to have something like a seat of power. He had the air of authority, even. Like a King. Even the way he talked to the waiter. Bel leaned against his hand on the table, a grin still plastered on his face. "Ushishishi~" He laughed when the waiter left in a hurry, looking relieved to just be away from Xanxus' presence. It amused him so. "Do they always do that?" Bel asked, cocking his head, trying to follow where the waiter as he scuttled to wherever he was headed.
"Without fail." There was an air of pride around Xanxus as he said that, and he leaned back in his seat, glass of water in hand. He took a small sip of it and glanced around again, once more feeling eyes flicker away as he did. "This entire place is filled with cowering yes men. It'd be more entertaining if they didn't start to annoy the fuck out of me like they always inevitably do." He paused for a second before he placed the glass of water back down onto the table. "If they fuck up the wines, I'm going to be pissed."
"Is that why you keep coming back here?" Bel asked, placing his attention back at Xanxus. He leaned back on the chair-- it was a nice chair. Probably custom made. It was like that in fancy restaurants. "In the hopes that someone gets a backbone and challenges you?" Bel noticed the way people glanced at their table only to quickly avert their eyes, not wanting Xanxus to see them staring. Bel saw them, though, and he was sure Xanxus knows, too. "Or do you come here because you own it?"
Xanxus rested his elbow on the armrest of the chair and propped his chin on his hand. "For a challenge? I'll never get a challenge here. And we don't own it, either. We could, but we don't. No, I actually come here so frequently because the food's actually decent and reminds me vaguely of the stuff I can get the chefs to cook for me back home. This is about the best place for that." He glanced up briefly when the waiter returned with the antipasti and the wine for that course, and Xanxus blithely ignored him as he blathered on about the wine selection. Xanxus finally waved the annoyance off before he sat up to start eating. "Bon appetite, Belphegor."
Well, at least it was beginning to sound a bit like a date. A first and awkward blind date, but a date nonetheless. Belphegor was at least getting a free meal in an expensive restaurant. It was a good deal though, he thought. The dinner was probably more than a hundred dollars worth. "Buon appetito," Belphegor replied in Italian before swiping some of the cold cuts and cheese.
An amuse smirk crossed Xanxus's face at that before he went into the dish himself. It wasn't bad, and the wine at least had a good body to it. Xanxus swirled it around in his glass briefly and smelled it before he took a drink. And the cheeses, at least, were good. "So I noticed that someone else had bid on me," he finally spoke up as he pushed a garlic clove around the plate the get the flavor spread out more, "which means it wouldn't have been necessary for you to up the ante to the hundred bucks if you only bid 'cause you felt sorry that there was a zero next to my name." Xanxus popped an olive into his mouth and gazed across the table toward Bel. "So what's the real reason you bid?"
Belphegor nibbled on a piece of cheese as Xanxus talked. He grinned and shrugged in reply. He took the glass of water, took a sip and set it back, still grinning. "I guess it's because no one likes to lose," Bel said a while later, stabbing another piece of the cured meats. Belphegor did not like losing. He didn't think anyone did, but he hated that one thing the most.
"Well you sure as fuck landed a hell of a prize this time." Xanxus sat back once his plate was clear of food and he pushed it to the side to wait expectantly for the next dish. As he finished off the glass of wine that came with the course, he silently eyed the bandages that Bel had. "So where the fuck did the bandages come from? You fall down a fucking stairwell or something?"
Playing around with the last piece of food on the plate, Bel grinned up at Xanxus. "A wild animal attacked me," he said, telling Xanxus the same lie he told Minato. Truth was, he and Hibari got into a little... fight. The results weren't great and they both ended up seriously injured in a very destroyed hallway. "Minato helped put the bandages on," he continued. Belphegor had come to Minato for help, as he didn't want to have to go through a series of questions he'd rather not answer if he went to the infirmary.
"Bullshit. There aren't any fucking wild animals around the school who'd do that, unless you count the idiot trash that lives there." Xanxus snorted at Bel's explanation and shook his head as he leaned back against his seat. A waiter came out and cleared their table before a second came with their next course, as well as their next glass of wine. Xanxus only paid a minor amount of attention to what the waiter explained and watched as the young man scurried away.
The waiter didn't get too far, however, before Xanxus had stood up, glass of wine in hand. He glowered daggers at the boy's back. "Oi, trash! Who the fuck do you think you're kidding?" The glass then promptly sailed across the room and didn't spill a single drop of the wine until it collided with the back of the waiter's head. "If you say this is from the '97 bottle, I expect it to be from the fucking '97 bottle, not fucking 2007. Now bring me the right fucking wine or it'll be your head on the next tray, you got that?" Without even turning around, the waiter scrambled away, wine dripping down the back of his shirt. Xanxus turned and sat back down in his seat with a huff and a glower to the other patrons of the restaurant. "The fuck do the rest of you want? Eat your fucking food."
Snickering, Bel picked up his fork and watched Xanxus yell at the waiter as he played with his pasta. He picked at the little shells on his plate, not even hiding his laugh when the glass hit the waiter's head and finding the whole scene funny. Did Xanxus always throw things when he was mad? It was fun to watch, nonetheless. It was like watching a lion defend his territory, or, well, it was more like watching a king ordering a hanging if his demands were not met. Either way, Belphegor's grin was wide. "It's a wonder they still let you in this place," he said after Xanxus sat back down and told everyone else to mind their own business.
"I may be a fucking jackass, but they know they'll have more problems if they ban me from the place than if I just come in and rough up a few fucking incompetent waiters." Xanxus glanced up at the end of that sentence as said incompetent waiter returned with new glasses of wine. "And their fucking worthless sommeliers, too. Do me a favor, dumb fuck, and throw Belphegor's glass of barely a year old wine at that pansy's ass for me since he's fucking hiding in the kitchen and I can't do it myself." He watched as the boy picked up the glass of wine and left again. A few seconds later he heard a crash of glass and, satisfied, he finally turned to his second part of the meal.
The grin was plastered on Belphegor's face. There was something about Xanxus that made him want to be around him more. Maybe it was because he liked watching Xanxus order people around. It was funny the way they always did what he said. "Uwah, he really did it," Bel laughed when he heard the sound of shattering glass. He twirled his fork around the flat pasta, shoving the small clamshells aside before shoving the food in his mouth.
"Of course he fucking did it. His ass would be fired if he didn't." Xanxus finished off the pasta fairly quickly (it was usually his second favorite part of the meal, anyway) and pushed the plate aside before he reached for his glass of wine. The first sip told him that this time they got it right. With a very 'I'm-pleased-with-myself' smirk, Xanxus finished off the glass in a couple of gulps and put it next to his empty plate.
"I thought as much," Bel said after swallowing his food. He watched Xanxus as he picked up another forkful of pasta. He was one man he wasn't ever going to anger, Belphegor decided. If anything, he wanted to be with Xanxus when he was angry. Almost done with his plate, Bel reached for his drink. Instead of picking up the glass of water, though, this time, he thought of trying out the wine. After all, Xanxus had gone through all that trouble to have it changed to the right one, might as well find out what was so special about the wine. Right? So Belphegor took a sip... Or maybe a gulp, then set the glass down. It wasn't so... bad. It just... tasted weird in his mouth? Or maybe it was the way it made his ears feel a little bit hot.
The plates were cleared as soon as the waiter noticed that they were empty, and out next was the main course. Xanxus gazed down at his veal, eyes hungry. It had been too long since he had had a good piece of veal, and there was no way he was ever even going to consider touching that rubber piece of meat at school they called a veal chop. Xanxus glanced across the table, mostly just to make sure that Bel's meal looked as delectable as it should, before he started to eat again. He wasn't exactly one for dinner time conversation, obviously.
The fish on Bel's plate looked good, smelled good, tasted better than what he expected. He wasn't very fond of spinach, but he thought it was nice with the sole. He enjoyed his meal. Really. Except halfway through dinner, Bel wrinkled his nose. He wasn't used to, well, being ignored. Over food, too. "How's your food?" Bel asked, lamely trying to get Xanxus' attention and staring straight at the upperclassman.
Xanxus glanced up and realized, then, that he wasn't exactly being the greatest date in the world. But it wasn't his fucking fault he hated talking. And people. And talking to people. He looked down at his plate briefly then back up again with a small shrug. "It's fine." The conversation should probably continue, right? "Yours?" Smooth.
"I don't like the spinach," Bel said, shoving the green aside. Oh sure it made the fish taste better but vegetables in general wasn't something he fancied. He looked at the wineglass tentatively before reaching out and taking it, swirling the liquid slowly. "And... do you always have to have wine in the meals? Not that... I'm complaining." Belphegor shrugged and took a sip. Again, he felt the heat go down to his stomach and rise to his ears, so he took another bite out of the fish.
"Not a vegetable person, then." Xanxus raised an eyebrow as he watched Belphegor sip, literally just sip at the wine, and he kind of wanted to laugh. Shouldn't a prince be used to that kind of thing? "Of course you have to drink wine with the meals. They bring out the full flavor of the food, and the food brings out the full flavor of the wine. When you're missing one or the other, you're out of a fucking good meal."
"Ah." When Xanxus put it that way, Belphegor figured it wouldn't be too bad if he drank more of the wine, then. He would just have to ignore the weird feeling he got every time he took a sip from it. Maybe it wouldn't happen if he actually drank the wine? He would have to see next time. For now, he wanted to... maybe eat a bit more fish before drinking wine.
"Mm." Xanxus turned back to his meal and chose not to comment on the red that was starting to worm its way down Bel's throat. No sense in embarrassing the kid. Not this time, anyway. This was a "date", after all, and Xanxus was nothing if not a completely and utterly upstanding citizen. Which really meant, of course, that he would give him hell for his weak tolerance later.
If Belphegor could read minds, he probably would not drink his wine anymore, throw it at Xanxus, and then throw his plate at him, then storm out of the restaurant, hitch a ride back to Hypnos and hope that he had a good enough hiding place from Xanxus. Which wasn't the case, so Bel continued on with his meal and finally drank more than just a sip of wine. Two whole gulps was something to be proud of for someone who was never allowed to drink anything alcoholic back at home (why, he would never find out). Belphegor just wished he could say something new just so they had something to talk about over dinner so it wasn't so boring.
As far as Xanxus was concerned, no conversation at dinner was ideal. He hated to prattle on about useless topics like the weather and politics and, worst of all, gossip. As the plates and glasses were cleared to make room for the next course (the salad), however, he noted that his partner for the evening seemed to grow antsy. It would figure he'd get a talker to bid on him. Xanxus searched his brain for something to discuss before he let out a breath. "So I can't help but notice you and your twin don't get along very well."
Bel wrinkled his nose for the... nth time that night. "What twin?" He asked, leaning on the table, resting his chin on his hand. Their next course was taking a while and he blew at his bangs, watching them flutter and part and fall back down over his eyes. He put on a wry grin and tilted his head just slightly to the side, looking at Xanxus.
A slow smirk spread across Xanxus's face as he reached forward to take a hold of his glass of water to take a sip. It shouldn't take this long to make a god damn salad. He leaned back in his chair, arms laid on the armrests of the chair, and he lifted his chin up a little bit. "The one who, if I'm to read things correctly, you tried to kill." Which, of course, was the moment the waiter decided to show back up with the food. Xanxus narrowed his eyes on the man when he froze, food in hand, and he quickly set himself into motion again to finish putting everything on the table before he scurried away.
His grin turned into a smirk that matched Xanxus'. Bel snickered, picking the salad fork up just as the waiter put the salad down in front of him. "I don't think I have the slightest idea of what you're talking about," he said, skewering one of the tomatoes in his salad. Tomatoes were good, unlike spinach, so he tolerated it.
Xanxus snorted at that and speared a tomato as well, chewing on it thoughtfully. "I call bullshit." He put his fork down and leaned forward, elbows propped on the table and chin rested on his hands. "I know how to recognize the eyes of a killer. There's a very special little gleam to them. The fact that I've so rarely been able to actually glimpse your eyes is even more of a clue." Xanxus shifted so his chin was in one hand only, the other idly pushing the salad around on the plate with a fork. "You're hiding behind your killer's eyes behind your hair."
"You've killed someone yourself, then, I'm assuming?" Bel poked at his salad before shoving a forkful in his mouth. Chew, swallow, water to help it go down. "I mean, you would have to experience it yourself, wouldn't you? To be able to recognize if someone has the, what was it, 'eyes of a killer'." He licked at his lips and smiled at Xanxus. "Just a thought."
Now, see, this was perfectly reasonable dinner conversation. None of that 'how's the family?' bullshit that Xanxus had to put up with when he had dinner back home. He took a few bites of his salad in silence and took a sip of his win before he smirked. Something feral flashed across his expression. Blink, and you would have missed it. "Tell me about your twin, and I'll tell you if I have."
Belphegor shrugged. "Hai un accordo," he said, and forked another tomato. "I had a twin, but he died when we were children." Details, details. Who needed them? Xanxus did not ask for them either. Bel chewed on the tomato before telling Xanxus, "Your turn."
Except it was pretty obvious to everyone at school, even the thickest of students, that Bel very much had a twin who was very much alive. Maybe he'd just have to get the dear prince a little drunk. He was on his way there, anyway, if the flush to his face was any indication. Xanxus shrugged after he shoved some lettuce in his mouth. "I have." Said as nonchalantly as someone saying they have a coat.
"Uwaah, how scary," Belphegor commented, a hint of excitement in his voice. His lips curved into a smile as he licked at the vinaigrette on his fork. "It's not everyday you get taken out on a dinner date by a murderer." Bel set his fork down on his plate of half-eaten salad. He then leaned back on his chair and folded his hands on his lap, his legs crossed. "I take it even swearing an oath of fealty won't let me escape a painful death by your hands?"
"When I want you dead," Xanxus finished off his glass of wine and sat back as well as the waiter came by and bussed their plates to prepare them for their last, decadent course. His lips twitched up into a smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You'll be dead." It was as simple as that.
Why wasn't Belphegor surprised? "That sort of thing suits your personality, I think," he said, moments later, still grinning. He simply sat in his chair, watching Xanxus and waiting for the dessert. If he recalled, it was cake only with a fancy name and maybe some fruit and ice cream.
"When this is over, there's one last place we'll be going back in town." Xanxus looked up as their last dish arrived; even if everything else in this restaurant should piss him off, he always enjoyed the dessert. "Do enjoy the last of your wining and dining experience." With that, Xanxus brought his spoon down into the dessert and ate.
The moment dessert came to the table, Bel attacked it. "Hm?" Belphegor looked up from his dessert, dessert fork still in his mouth. "Where?" Where else could they possibly go at this time of night? He hoped it wasn't some cheesy romantic shitty place Xanxus got off from some self-help book on dating (which it probably wasn't). Bel didn't wait for a reply before helping himself to more of his dessert and wondered if maybe he could have Xanxus' too (not likely, but he could dream).
It was like watching a kid eat a piece of cake for the first time. Xanxus was a little amused before he shook his head and, silently, shoved his half-eaten dessert across the table toward Bel as he sat back to finish his wine. It wasn't like he didn't eat this stuff all the time or anything. "Some place I enjoy going. I want to see something."
Licking the raspberry off his fork, Bel raised an eyebrow at Xanxus. Not that he could see it, but he did it anyway. "What kind of place?" He asked. He was pretty sure that Xanxus wasn't part of an underground operation that dealt with fattening little boys up before cutting them into pieces and selling their organs to god knows where. While he looked like the type that dealt with illegal businesses, Bel was pretty sure Xanxus wasn't perverted enough for something like that. Either way, the mental image didn't do anything for his appetite, as he took Xanxus' dessert and had his way with that one, too.
"A private place." Well, probably not, as it was easily accessible by car, but that didn't mean Xanxus didn't like to think of it as his own. It was silly, really, the reason why he even went up there, but each time he went, there was never any trace of anyone else having been there. Hopefully, it really was his own, private place. Xanxus raised a hand and motioned for the waiter to bring over the bill. He put down a credit card without even bothering to glance at it.
Bel was still a little suspicious about wherever this was, but he was under Xanxus' mercy tonight, so he decided not to question it further. Besides, how bad could it be, right? So he took a drink of wine and finished the dessert, sat back in the chair and wondered what kind of 'private place' it was that Xanxus wanted to take him to.
When the card and slip were returned, Xanxus signed it with quick, angular strokes, and replaced his card in his wallet before he stood up. "Let's go." Xanxus moved with quick strides through the restaurant and back out again, certain the wait staff was glad that he was done eating and gone. He turned his ticket over to the valet and waited for the car to be returned.
The moment they stood up, Belphegor latched himself again on Xanxus' arm. This time, for an entirely different reason than earlier. Bel felt he would fall down if some gust of wind happened to blow past them, or maybe even just a sneeze. Hopefully, Xanxus wouldn't notice, although he had a feeling that the upperclassman would. Still, he tried his best to act normal, so Xanxus wouldn't suspect anything.
Oh, he noticed. Even easier to pick out than a murderer was someone who was drunk. Xanxus would have found the clinging endearing if he were someone else. The car eventually pulled up, and Xanxus opened the passenger side door before he deposited Bel into the seat. The boy who had gone to fetch his car, a new valet, held out his hand toward Xanxus as if he expected a payment. Xanxus snarled, reached out, and snapped the boy's pinky for his insolence before he moved to the driver's side to climb in. The boy was left howling on the sidewalk as Xanxus peeled out of the parking lot.
Inside the car, Belphegor settled in his seat and pulled the seat belt on. Xanxus' speeds were dangerously fun, but he didn't want to end up with his head through the windshield if he suddenly stepped on the brakes. It wasn't even too long inside the car when he started moving around, not being able to sit still. First, he figured he could lean against the door and look out the window, but three seconds in, he got bored and sat back in his seat. He tried swinging his legs but there wasn't enough room for that, so he tried fiddling with the radio again (because classical music was getting boring). Bel settled on a station that played some sort of sugar-rushed pop music and tapped his foot to the beat. "So where were we going again?" He asked Xanxus as he made angry mist-faces on the car window.
"Oh for fuck's sake, I told you, we're going fucking somewhere." Xanxus's eyes slid sideways to look at Bel for a moment before he shook his head. Brat didn't know how to sit still when he was drunk, did he? Eventually he turned his attention back to the road, just in time to make a bend and avoid going off the other side.
After a while, the familiar sights of the town appeared below them, but Xanxus turned the car off a side road and started a climb up a hill. He had to go slower, unfortunately, mostly because of the narrow lane and all of the damn trees that he could potentially hit otherwise. The car continued to move up and up until, finally, they reached the top of the hill. Xanxus killed the engine and stepped out of the car.
"I was just asking," Bel shrugged, snickering at the angry faces he had made. He was sure Xanxus looked like one of them right now. Still, he wiped the glass with his sleeve, even if mist-faces didn't last long they left marks. And then he tried to sit still, tapping his finger on his knee to the beat of whatever was playing on the radio-- that was when he noticed the road suddenly looked different with all those trees-- Well damn. It was one of those cheesy after-date places with nature and crap. Bel didn't think Xanxus was that type of person at all. So, when Xanxus stopped the car and got out, Belphegor followed him out and stretched. "Didn't think you were a nature-type of person," he said, shrugging as he leaned on the door of Xanxus' car.
"I come up here because staring down at the town and all its trash makes me feel like I run the whole fucking place." Xanxus paused for a second and drummed his finger on his thigh. "I do, to an extent, but that's not why we're up here tonight." He moved toward a fence and start to place cans all along the edge of it before he moved back to the back of his car. Xanxus popped open the trunk. "Pick your weapon." Inside was a sword, a gun, a set of knives, and a baseball bat.
Weapon? Curious, Belphegor walked toward the back of the car and looked in the trunk. His eyes widened and practically sparkled at what he saw, and his hands immediately went for the sharp, sharp knives. He was smiling, remembering a fond memory that involved knives. He held one of them up and examined the small blade. "Do you always keep stuff like this in your car?" Bel asked, grinning. He could see his reflection on the knife, and it was grand.
"Only when I think I'll need to." Xanxus slammed the trunk of the car shut again and moved around to stand in front of the cans, one of which was directly behind him. He crossed his arms over his chest and leveled a gaze on Bel. This would be a prime opportunity to test out the freshman's abilities, especially seeing as how he was drunk. If his reflexes were good now, Xanxus would only be able to imagine what they were like when he was sober. "Take out all of the cans behind me as fast as you can without cutting me. I won't move from this spot."
When Xanxus mentioned cans, Bel cocked his head to the side and wondered when they got there. Maybe Xanxus planned this whole thing beforehand and set that up? Which would explain why they were up here, where no one would usually go to. It sounded logical. "Just take them all out with the knives?" Bel asked, eyebrow raised (though really, no one could ever see him do that, unless they clipped his hair back, which he wouldn't ever allow). That was pretty...easy. Even with Xanxus standing right in front of one. Maybe two. And really, the warning to not cut Xanxus was just begging to be disobeyed. Belphegor grinned. "What do I get if I knock them all out?"
"You'll find out after." It wasn't as though Xanxus had any doubt that Bel could do this, especially after the way he had so eagerly, and expertly, picked up and handled the knives. He crossed his arms over his chest and tipped his chin up a little bit to catch the light from the city below. It gave him an almost demonic aura. "Just hurry up and get on with it. It's getting fucking cold out here and my patience is starting to wear thin."
"Well then--" With an expert flick of his wrists, Belphegor was suddenly holding six knives, three on each hand, held between his fingers. He had on a big grin-- really, just taking out those cans was child's play to Belphegor, especially if he used knives. It made him snicker. He loved knives, if it hadn't been already obvious. Ever since that one day when he was a kid, he'd kept one and started collecting different sorts of knives. Of course, he had to learn how to use them, and he was pretty good. Expertly good, if you asked him, and he could take you out using knives with his eyes closed (not that you could tell, unless you blindfold him). Without wasting even a split second, Bel launched the knives towards the cans. And really, that one knife that might have scraped against Xanxus' shoulder ever so slightly wasn't his fault.
And Xanxus stands there, an all-knowing smile on his face, as that last can behind him hits the ground on the other side of the fence. He knew it. He knew it. Xanxus strode forward after that and stood in front of Bel, a towering statue of raw, untapped power. He brought up his hands and placed them heavily on Bel's shoulder, and that smile has turned into a feral smirk. "I have a proposition for you if you have half a mind to listen to it."
Belphegor glanced at the hands on his shoulders then back up at Xanxus. He also took a glance at where the knife grazed over the cloth on Xanxus' shoulder-- he didn't miss after all. The fabric was cut, though it wasn't so deep or long that it was noticeable. Bel grinned. "I don't think you'd let me go if I don't listen to it anyway, so go ahead," he said, shrugging. He remembered what Xanxus had said earlier-- Xanxus knew a killer when he saw one, because he was one. And Xanxus could probably get away with Bel's murder if he didn't cooperate.
"Good boy. You're starting to catch on." Xanxus dropped his hands away and moved back around the car to climb into the driver's seat again. "Get back in the car, it's too fucking cold out here. I'll explain things on the way back to school." He slammed his door shut behind him and buckled his seatbelt for the last time that evening. Already he didn't want to be out driving anymore.
"But the knives--" Bel was going to protest, but he didn't think to continue. It was for the best. And his life. Xanxus was already in the car and he probably should be in it as well. As quick as he could, he made his way to the passenger's seat and secured the seatbelt over him. Belphegor didn't speak again until Xanxus started driving out of the hills and back to civilization. "So. What were you tell me?"
"I can get you more fucking knives." It wasn't like that would be difficult to do. Xanxus put the car into gear and took off back down the path. When he was to open road and able to not focus absolutely on where he was going, he glanced sideways toward Bel. "My father is the current head of the Vongola Corporation in Italy. But he's getting old, and it's about time that he was no longer around. I'm impatient, and don't want to wait for him to just drop dead." Xanxus looked back toward the road and waited on Bel to catch on.
Bel cocked his head to the side, watching Xanxus. So Xanxus wanted his dear ol' daddy dead, huh? Where did Bel fit in the equation? Perhaps... "You want me to kill him off?" He asked, a little confused. So maybe he could do it, but Xanxus was powerful enough to have that done by a professional. Not that Bel planned to be one (although that was an idea). "Or is there some other sort of elaborate scheme you're doing, and you want me to take part in it?" That... could be it. Yeah. Sounds more like Xanxus.
Xanxus eventually pulled into his usual spot in the parking lot at school and he killed the engine, undid his seatbelt, and sat back in his seat without getting out of the car just yet. "I want you to assist. It may just seem like a regular corporation on the outside, but there are underground dealings going on constantly. The old fucker has a lot of people on his side to guard him and, while I'm damn good, I wouldn't be able to take out all of them and the old fuck." He turned his head sideways, a small smirk on his face. "What do you say?"
"Sure, why not?" Bel answered, not exactly pausing to think about the pros and cons. He'd heard about the Vongola Corporation, of course. Who lived in Italy and didn't? It was big, and famous, and no wonder Xanxus was powerful. Besides, it wasn't as if Xanxus was giving him a choice here. Still, Bel was going to be part of something big. And when Xanxus becomes Vongola's leader, Bel would be proud to say he helped make it real.
That, and he didn't want Xanxus to kill him just yet.
"I thought you'd say yes." Xanxus grinned, that sharp feral edge there again, and eventually he climbed out of the car. He waited for Bel to get out as well before he locked the doors and turned the alarm on. Xanxus pocketed his keys and started to head back toward the dorm building. "It probably goes without saying, but if you breathe a fucking word of this to anyone, it'll be your head."
Following Xanxus back to the dorms, Bel said, "I won't. I can keep secrets." He kept them pretty well, too. He shoved his hands into his pockets. It kind of sucked to have his room on the first floor.
So that was a date, huh. It wasn't anything special, then. Bel wondered why people made them such a big deal. People went out to have lunch or dinner out together all the time, what made these things so special? How weird.
Xanxus finally stopped once they were inside the dorms and he glanced toward Bel. This was a date, right? By all rights, a date, which meant Bel hadn't simply paid for a night out. Or, he had, and didn't know what a date usually entailed. But Xanxus was Xanxus, and he was not one to let things go unfinished. He turned toward Bel and leaned toward him, stiff the entire time. "This is the last time this is fucking happening." He then hauled Bel toward him, planted their lips together, and promptly walked away.
Well, dates usually ended with a kiss, right?
Well. Belphegor surely hadn't anticipated that. He watched dumbly as Xanxus walked away, dazed and dumbstruck at what just happened. Xanxus just... kissed him. It was a kiss. And not just any kiss. It was Belphegor's first. He was saving that for a special occasion! And now that was wasted and--
--well.
Damn.