In this day and age, it was important to keep contacts more than ever, because those who dealt in the things they needed were going further and further underground to escape persecution. The internet made it easy for amateur sleuths to pat themselves on the back for chasing those of certain professions underground. So, connections were important.Ā
Selina Mug was a woman whose motherās motherās motherās mother had known the Blackwells when they were still the Lyons. A powerful witch with the shadow of a beast. The original Mug witch had passed that power on to her daughter and Zira had kept in touch, until that daughter grew into a powerful witch in her own right. And so on and so forth.
Now, their rented silver Porsche road down the narrow streets of Rome, Nuka in the driverās seat, Vitani in the passenger, and Zira in the back idly scrolling on her phone.Ā
āHow much longer? My fangs are starting to itch,ā Zira huffed, running her tongue over her teeth.Ā
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Interview with the Outsiders /./ [Simba + The Saudas]
@born-to-battle
@born-to-avenge
Simba had spent his first week at InterPride reviewing everyoneās personnel files. It was easy to skip over some of them--Zazu, for instance. That intern from New York, whoād simply transferred. But, it still left about twenty folders piled on his desk and left Simba feeling a bit cross-eyed by the end of the week.
The second week, heād started calling people in to re-interview them. He knew he was going to have to let half of them go, at least--probably most of them and he hated it. Simba didnāt want to fire anyone. He didnāt want to distrust people for things that were not their fault.Ā
Heād just gotten finished interviewing a man named Robert Parr, who Simba knew had three kids in town--knew that Kiara was friends with Dash, and Berlioz was giving JJ music lessons, and that they were good kids...and that was what made this so hard. He knew these people. He didnāt want to put Mr. Parr out of a job, because even with a severance package, where was that going to put his kids? One ofĀ āem was at PrideU, one of them about to start...
Rubbing his forehead, he leaned forwards in his chair and hit the intercom.
āHey, Janet, send the next in please,ā Simba told her and then leaned back, rubbing a hand over his face and then forcing a smile on his face as the door to his office opened and he stood up to shake the personās hand.
It did not take a genius to assume it was the noble king himself. That would be the obvious answer. And it wouldnāt surprise her if he had already gathered a cult following to do his bidding. It was not so different from Ziraās own little band of informants and servants. Their blind loyalty would lead to their undoing, she was sure, so she was unconcerned.
Especially because she had an advantage: Zira had been alive, here in Swynlake, when the spell to break the charter had been written. Which meant she knew what much of it would mean.Ā
It was Mohatu, whose bones were first interred in the mausoleum that now sat in the center of the sprawling Swynlake courtyard. Not her daughterās. She had died before the charter had formed. Before Swynlake had formed. Zira knew that it was Mohatu who died first, because she had killed him.Ā
So nice of him to leave his bones in such an obvious location. Right on top of a hill, in a beautiful white marble building.Ā
The whole thing was laughably easy. Compelling the deacon to make himself scarce in the middle of the night. The moon was high in the sky, painting everything in cool, blue light.
Zira stood with her hip cocked, a sledgehammer on her shoulder. She smirked as she looked up at the engravement in the mausoleumās pediment.
ZIRA:
Kovu had done as he had been tasked, as they all had been tasked, and Zira was both unsurprised and pleased. She stood now, just behind where Kovu sat on the couch in one of the rooms deep within the manor. Her hand was on his shoulder. In her other, she held the grimoire gently in her arms. Cradled like a child.
"As you know, your brother as succeeded in the mission that I had sent you all on." She let this comment hang in the air for a moment. "But, do not be worried. There are plenty chances at redeeming yourself. It seems that dear Merlin did not make breaking this spell easy." In fact, it was the most edited spell in the entire grimoire. Morgana trying over and over to break it.
"There are many objects that will need to be collected and people who will need to be discovered. I trust you are up to the task?" Her gaze flicked between Nuka and Vitani.
VITANI:
Vitani barely bit back her glare as her mother rubbed in that Kovu was clearly the Chosen One, yet again. God, it was exhausting. Of course the gimoire was in the Pride U library, of course Kovu found it because he was the one Mother had planted at the university.
That wasn't special. Vitani would have found it if she was the one at the uni, or Nuka.
She didn't hate Kovu and she didn't even hate Zira -- she could never, Zira was more than a mother, she was a god to Vitani even hundreds of years since being turned. What she did hate? That their mother had to rub in that Kovu was her favorite, shiny, new child.
She imagined she'd grow tired of that in a couple centuries. Vitani could tolerate that.
"Of course, Mother." Vitani said, in the spirit of powering through two hundred years of Kovu coddling.
NUKA:
There was irritation in Nuka's clenched jaw but other than that he was beyond relaxed. He didn't want to give Kovu anymore to brag about. Good for him. Just made him want to kill him even more and it was fun to imagine throwing Kovu through a couple walls and out a window.
As usual those thought just made it seem like Nuka wasn't mad on the outside.
"Of course Mother, surely we're at least capable of this small task."
KOVU:
Kovu sat comfortably on the couch in front of Mum, looking all too smug. Yes, he could see the irritation in Vitani's eyes and the tense way Nuka's jaw tightened. He'd learned to pick up on those habits over the decades. Which didn't take much, because it happened quite often.
He didn't blame them for clearly being jealous though. Maybe if they worked just as hard as him, they'd get the attention he got.
"Of course!" He leaned his head back on the couch to look up at Zira. "What all are we looking for and we'll get right on it." He looked back at Vitani and Nuka, smirking. "Right, guys?"
ZIRA:
"Of course, you are," Zira said, her voice confident. It was just enough to smooth Nuka and Vitani's ruffled feathers. She squeezed Kovu's shoulder gently before moving around to perch on the couch. Reverently, she opened the pages of the grimoire. The spine cracked deliciously and it fell open precisely to the page that she needed it to.
"It may not be so simple, little one," she told her youngest affectionately, appreciating his eagerness. "Some of these may, in fact, prove difficult. An Ambassador to the Underworld? The Fairy Queen. A dragon scale. The mythical knife sideris. There are simpler ones, too. Fairy dust is almost laughably easy to acquire these days. There is already an enchanted painting here in the house. A sorcerer's wand can be plucked with ease..."
VITANI:
Vitani cocked her head to the side and listened intently. Bloody hell, Merlin was a tosser.
āSo are you delegating, Mother?ā Vitani asked. āOr do you want all of us on everything?ā
NUKA:
The ones that sounded difficult just made Nuka want to get them so much more. To be the one to show up Kovu. The younger vampire needed to be put in place.
"Or it's a free for all, whoever can get something easier just go for it." Nuka didn't want to plan even though he probably should.
KOVU:
Kovu could have laughed at these. For example - Ā all he'd have to do is walk up to Tink and bat his eyes. Boom. He was sure to get some fairy dust that way. No compulsion even needed.
"I'm all up for a free for all," He said, smirking at Nuka and Vitani. "I've already got a few plans in mind since I'm so charming around town. Don't hurt yourselves keeping up."
ZIRA:
It pleased Zira to see them all so eager to carry out her plans. How patient she had been, raising these little soldiers. Now the fruits of her labors were finally beginning to play off. It was thrilling. It made her want to jump ahead, sink her teeth into the prize.
However, she had a thousand years of control, so she just breathed deeply, then smiled, ever so fondly at all of her children. "If you'd like to work it out amongst yourselves, I wouldn't be opposed, as long as everything is collected by the time we need it. Which appears to be...September 3rd, next year. So, plenty of time. I am sure you won't disappoint me." It was said affectionately, but there most certainly was the undertone of: or else laced through her words.
VITANI:
Vitani glared at Kovu but bit her tongue. She'd been alive centuries longer than him, knew her mother much better than he did, so she knew this was no time to put him in his place. Not in front of Mother at least. Give it a few centuries and he won't be such a shiny new toy anymore.
"We'll have it all before then." Vitani said with certainty she wasn't sure if she truly felt. "This is why you created us, it's the least we can do for what you've done for us, Mother."
NUKA:
Just under a year, for someone who had been with Zira the longest that felt so soon. Too soon. But that didn't mean he could get scared now.
What was the end of this, where would they be after. Their goal was so close and for a moment Nuka forgot all about Kovu until he zeroed in on his smirk and Nuka's own pride spiked. "I'm sure all your little connections will prove useful. Surely just as our more adult ones will be just as helpful as well."
KOVU:
Kovu's eyes darted to Nuka at his comment, his smirk falling. But only for a moment before growing back across his face, flashing his fangs. "I'm sure." He looked to Zira. "Don't worry, Mum. We won't let you down. We did learn from the best, after all."
He stood finally, an excited energy making his shoulders bounce now that they could get the plan really under way. He couldn't imagine waiting as long as any of them for this. Hell, even under a year felt too long to him. It was plenty of time.
"It'd be best to start with the easy stuff, get it out of the way and what not. Especially if its stuff that'll hardly be missed like pixie dust or even a wand. Stuff like that goes missing all the time. I think Pixie's is the best hunting ground, though the library is also a surprisingly good spot to hit too I think if you want to find someone alone and unsuspecting like young students."
ZIRA:
Zira stood as Kovu did, though she made a lap around the room. She touched Vitani's chin, lifting it so she'd look at her. "I created you because I was lonely and because I love you," she told her, her hand moving to tuck some of her pretty hair behind her ear.
She turned to Nuka next, moving behind the chair he was sitting on. Her hand trailed from one broad shoulder, across his neck, to the other. "You will all be necessary to complete our mission," she assured.
Finally, she came to a stop next to Kovu. Her youngest. Her most eager. The best of her, truly. She leaned in and kissed his cheek fondly.
"I don't doubt you will all do me very, very proud."
Iām Completely Chill All the Time /./ [Simba & Vitani]
@vitanixsauda
The nightmareās presence chased him from the house around 10PM. Which, was becoming more routine for him--these evening runs. If you could call anywhere between ten and three am evening. He hadnāt even tried sleep first. Wanted to exhaust it away.Ā
His feet pounded the uneven ground, breath harsh in his ears. No music except the steady lap of water at the edge of the lake. He smelt it before he saw anyone, the sweet curl of weed on the breeze. It had been a while since heād come across anyone on these late night excursions. He supposed since it was warming up, that was going to be more common.Ā
He was even more surprised when, as he got closer, he recognized the silhouette of the person smoking. He saw her face in the light of the flame as she relit her joint. Slowing to a walk, he tucked his hands into his jacket pockets, kicked a stone sideways into the lake to announce his presence. When she looked towards him, he gave a little wave.Ā āHey, Vitani. Nice night, yeah?āĀ
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It had been a long day and Tiana had slowly been pushing herself thinner and thinner.
Her employers saw, it'd been a while since she'd even had time to think about her own life, never mind life it. Instead she spent all her time working.
And when Kronk asked her to train a new employee, she gave him a pointed look. It was a question, like did she actually. Tiana had barely enough time to get the work done she needed most often and frequently another employee implied competition for hours and time.Ā
Tiana had seniority, sure, but Kronk knew she was over booked. After the offer of time and a half, Tiana could do nothing but agree. She needed the cash and helping a girl who needed the job could probably be rewarding... Maybe.
So the day it was planned, Tiana went to work. Hair tied back, uniform on as she took the morning birds' orders and went back to quickly cooking before returning with steaming plates of eggs and bacon.Ā
When the clock stroke 15 minutes until 10, she took her fifteen minute break. The restaurant was slow and everyone was served, anyhow. Kronk said the other girl would be here around 10.
She moved to a booth, tucked away with a glass of water and a plate of toast, observing the restaurant quietly, watching in case people came in. There was a couple of elderly folks finishing up their meal, but they knew Tiana pretty well, they could of even been considered regulars at this point in her career.
Her head down as she worked on homework carefully, trying to get done what had been taken away from her since she had been called in to train instead of stay home and do her work.
Grumbling over how much sheād rather be cooking, or maybe even hanging out with Kiara itād been some time and she really just missed having a conversation with someone who seemingly cared about her. Other than her mother, Tianaās mother cared about her endlessly. However, Eudora was too busy for anything more often than not. Owning a business was hard work, and Tiana was nearly an adult, self-sufficient and enjoyed her relationship with her mother. Her mother pawned over her and wished sheād calm down but knew Tianaās bullheaded nature would never be capable of stopping her.
Thinking about Kiara, her mind drifted off, trying to make plans for her and her best friend. Trying to find a time that she could give away without being concerned to whether or not sheās managed to complete everything she had to.
Lifting her head, dazed still. Her eyes followed the door that just chimed to alert her someone had entered the restaurant. She looked up, following the brunette headed girl across the restaurant, not wanting to get up yet. Not wanting her break to end. She wanted to sit there, doing homework for longer however knew it wouldnāt last. Tiana just wanted to complete something so she wouldnāt need to stress about it later. Instead sheād probably be up half the night getting the assignment done.
āCan I help you?ā she asked, packing her papers together, looking up at the girl, wondering if she was a customer or the new employee.
OOC *** Below the cut is the rest of the Beltani argument that happened at Pixie on Saturday night of the Fall Carnival.Ā
Summary of what happened before we saved: Vitani and Belle argued about Belle ditching her for Adam at the party. Right before the cut off Belle had said something about Vitani also waking up in the woods alone and how she was being unfair to accuse her of being unsafe.
Jouir.
VITANI
ViĀ blinked at Belle's tone, at the way the words tried to stir something up in her mind. She wasn't used to anyone being angry with her, other than her mother and Nuka, and she didn't like the way the anger twisted in Belle's voice. It made her chest hurt. "I- I don't blame you for falling off of your horse, I don't blame you for anything!" Her hand floated over to the glass, now covered in droplets of condensation, but let it fall back to her side before she continued. "And the woods thing, that's the first time that's ever happened! Usually it's, you know, someone's bed or couch, not the woods." She didn't want Belle to be upset, she didn't want to be upset, she just wanted to take everything she had said back. This shouldn't have been the way this went.
BELLE
BelleĀ felt herself deflate--as if all the air had been sucked from her. In its place--embarrassment raced through her veins. She looked down at the counter top, picking up a coaster and fiddling with it. Of course, Vi didn't blame her--Belle had come to realize she'd freaked Vitani out almost as bad as Adam had frightened her. Her heart clenched slightly at the thought. She looked back up and over at her friend, just as she spoke her next words. The blush that had spread on her cheeks doubled its intensity as she put together the meaning. "You mean--you--with people--strangers--often?" she asked incredulously, her voice dropping to a whisper. As if discussing a particularly nasty scandal.
VITANI
ViĀ 's eyes flicked over to Belle, a smile growing on her face. She almost wanted to laugh, but figured that wouldn't go over well. Belle was shuffling through so many different emotions, and Vi picked up on every one. It was probably a lot to wrap her head around, finding out that her best friend- had Belle called her that earlier?- drank and did drugs and was, apparently, a scandal. "No," she chuckled softly, "Not, like often. But I mean... It happens. If they're hot enough, I usually go for it."
BELLE
BelleĀ couldn't exactly...fathom the casualness which Vi spoke with. She supposed she shouldn't really be that shocked. It wasn't uncommon for people to be...slightly promiscuous. Especially at their age. Sometimes Belle had to remind herself that just because she found it--odd, didn't mean it wasn't normal. She couldn't even imagine what it might be like--she glanced down to the crowd of pulsating bodies below and tried to imagine picking one out to take home with her. The wince that followed was involuntary. "Oh," she commented. "Even--after the--you know--drugs?" That just seemed unsafe to her--how did Vi know the men she was taking home wouldn't hurt her? Or steal from her? Or take advantage of her?
VITANI
ViĀ 's eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out why Belle kept acting like this was life-threatening. Isn't this normal, she kept asking herself. Everyone does this. She followed Belle's gaze to the dancers. She was one of them, and she knew that Belle wasn't. Maybe she shouldn't be one of them. "Um, I guess I've never thought about it." She looked over at Belle, her brow still furrowed. "No one's ever asked... About any of it, really."
BELLE
BelleĀ 's eyes widened slightly in surprise at Vitani's admission. She had known that Vi considered herself a bit of a loner--even though she had had friends before. Vi had told her as much the first time they had met. Yet, now, Belle was realizing there may've been more truth to those words than Belle had originally considered. But how could that be? She had a brother! And a mother! Didn't they watch out for her? Belle looked over at her friend, studying her intently. "Well, guess it's a good thing I'm here then," she said with a small, amused twist of her lips.
VITANI
ViĀ smiled a little. "To ask me about my sex life and drinking habits?" She voice was still light, teasing. She wasn't sure what to make of this night, and her head was starting to swim less. She still wanted to dance, still wanted to have a good night. Her finger traced the rim of the glass idly as she contemplated leaving the drink untouched. It wasn't bad, what she was doing, people did this all the time. She lifted the glass to her lips, taking another gulp and wincing. "It, uh, bites," she commented, licking the liquor from her lips. "I really am glad, ya know, that you care enough to ask." She nodded, taking another small sip.
BELLE
BelleĀ gave an undignified snort at Vi's brash words. The blush crawled back up onto her cheeks at the mention of Vi's sex life. Belle had never discussed that particular topic with anyone. The words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat on the way out. Instead, she simply watched Vi take another large sip of the drink. Her stomach curling uncomfortably. What was she supposed to do if Vi got drunk? Certainly, she couldn't convince her to just go home. She had won these tickets after all...though, Belle really didn't want to stick around just for Vi to leave with one of the many viable options below them. Twisting her fingers she smiled tightly at Vi. "I do. A-and I care enough--to tell you...to ask you--if maybe you could...stop? Drinking--that is." She motioned to Vi's glass, dropping her eyes. God, she really was just out to ruin their time. This is why Belle had never tried to make friends.
VITANI
ViĀ looked up from her drink to catch Belle's eyes. "I mean, I guess I can be done for the night if it makes you uncomfortable." She reluctantly pushed herself away from the bar, stumbling a little. It was nearly time for her to remove her shoes, which meant that it was almost time to dance. "Yeah, okay. Enough for the night," she said with a giggle. "I do want to dance though, will you dance with me?"
BELLE
BelleĀ smiled gratefully at Vitani when she relented her glass. She reached out, placing a steadying hand on her bicep--taking a step closer to make sure she didn't stumble right off the high-rise. Her question had Belle biting her lip and glancing down to the sea of bodies again. She could hardly see the floor the people were packed so close together. The thought of all those people brushing against her, touching her--she shivered and looked back over at Vi, shaking her head frantically. "I-I...no. I'll wait here." She smiled tensely.
VITANI
ViĀ watched as Belle tensed up for what seemed like the hundredth tonight and her face fell. Not because her friend didn't want to dance, but because she was doing that thing again, where she completely ignored what Belle was comfortable with. She was selfish, really. "Oh my god, I'm sorry." She shook her head, looking down at the party. "No, look, we can just stay here. Talk, until we're ready to go."
BELLE
BelleĀ sunk against the edge of the bar in relief, letting the emotion wash over her features. She gripped Vi's bicep before dropping her hand away to twiddle her fingers together. "A-are you sure? I want you to have a good time."
VITANI
ViĀ nodded, giggling at the way Belle had gotten herself worked up. "Tonight can make up for lost time at the carnival."
BELLE
BelleĀ blushed with guilt, looking away from Vi out across the crowd. "Okay," she said tightly, before turning to look at her friend. "I am sorry, though.Ā
VITANI
ViĀ nodded, pursing her lips. "I know. And I shouldn't have gotten so angry," she continued. "The whole... ordeal, it just kind of freaked me the hell out."
BELLE
BelleĀ let out a shaky laugh and then raised an eyebrow. "Freaked you the hell out?"
VITANI
ViĀ smiled widely, leaning over the railing to watch the people dance below. "Didn't seem too freaked out when you went on a cute date with him to the carnival," she teased, perking an eyebrow up at her friend.
BELLE
BelleĀ 's heart leapt up into her throat before dropping down into her stomach--beating furiously the whole time. "It was not a date!" she hissed. The burn of her cheeks was so hot, she could feel her eyes beginning to water.
VITANI
ViĀ was intrigued now. "Oh, was it not? What did you do, B? The Ferris wheel? Did you eat candied apples together?" She was still only teasing, but something foul began twisting inside around in her heart.
BELLE
BelleĀ twisted her fingers together, looking down guiltily. She did not want to tell Vi what they had done more than anything...but she couldn't lie. Swallowing, she looked up at her friend wincing and looking away as she began to speak. "I--um...no. We walked--through the corn maze," she finished in a rush, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear in agitation.
VITANI
ViĀ 's eyes widened. "You mean the haunted corn maze?" She was a little shocked. "You mean you were almost too afraid of the Tilt-O-Whirl and you went through the haunted corn maze!?" A smile played on her lips. "And without me!"
BELLE
BelleĀ 's brow furrowed in confusion at the lilted sound of Vitani's voice. She didn't dare look at her though. Her fear that she had done something unforgivable this time present in her chest like a weight. When she heard the last part, she flinched her shoulders some--trying to pass it off as a shrug. The guilt was enough to finally get her to look at Vi. She had to blink a few times to make sure the smile on her face was still there. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "You're...not...mad?" she questioned carefully.
VITANI
ViĀ shrugged. Sure, she was mad, but what was the point in taking it out on Belle? The guy, that's who she was mad at, really. "I already told you, I'm not mad at you. If anything I'm angry at him, but that's a different story.ā
BELLE
BelleĀ stared at Vi. Just...stared for a few seconds. Her eyebrows had risen in shock but they slowly lowered as she processed Vi's words. She had never fought with a friend before. She'd never really been in any situation like this before. It seemed like every time she thought it was going one way, Vi would surprise her again. She huffed a soft laugh and smiled lightly. "Okay. Not mad." She nodded her head. "Got it."
VITANI
ViĀ nodded. "Not mad." A smirk crept back onto her lips. "Does sound like a cute date, though." She didn't make direct eye contact, just let the smirk simmer and her stomach tie up into strange knots. Even if it made her edgy for some reason, she did like poking fun at Belle.
BELLE
BelleĀ 's shoulders relaxed and she slouched against the bar, letting her side rest against Vi's amicably. As soon as the second set of words were out of her mouth though, she tensed--the heat rising to her cheeks again. "Not a date," she muttered.
VITANI
ViĀ bumped Belle's shoulder like she had become so accustomed to doing. "Okay, B, okay. Not a date." She bit her lip for a second. Vi didn't like thinking about Belle with him, much less talking about it, but she wanted to try and act normal. "Was the maze fun at least?"
BELLE
BelleĀ perked up some then, smiling gratefully at her friend. "Despite the fact that people were acting absolutely abhorrent, as usual." She wrinkled her nose some. "But, it...wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."
VITANI
ViĀ almost laughed. "Abhorrent, huh?" She perked an eyebrow at her friend. "No one's ass I need to kick, huh?" This time she did laugh. "Sorry, I said I wouldn't protect you, didn't I?"
BELLE
BelleĀ rolled her eyes, shaking her head in exasperation. She wasn't annoyed though, this time--it was a more pleasant feeling. Belle didn't feel like Vi was saying it because she couldn't take care of herself, but because she truly couldn't seem to help herself. "It's all right," she said, looking over and giving her friend a true, genuine smile. "And no," she shook her head again, laughing. "No one's," she cleared her throat, "...ass needs kicking."
VITANI
ViĀ smiled for a second before laughing. "That's the second profane word I've heard you say tonight. I must be a bad influence."
BELLE
BelleĀ blushed but managed to recover herself enough to smirk at her friend. "Yeah--it was only after I met you I found myself waking up in a stranger's house."
VITANI
ViĀ 's jaw dropped, feigning shock. "If your waking up in a stranger's home is the same as mine, then I think you have some things to tell me.ā
BELLE
BelleĀ snorted. She was glad she wasn't drinking anything for it surely would've wound up coming out her nose, the way she was sucking in air helplessly. Though, she supposed, she had walked into that one. Still, she couldn't help the fluttering of her heart and the shaky laugh she let out before shaking her head. "No. No. Nothing at all to tell," she confirmed with finality.
VITANI
ViĀ laughed- bellowed, almost. She couldn't possibly imagine Belle 'waking up in a stranger's home' like she did. "Okay, alright. I just needed to make sure you weren't keeping anything from me."
BELLE
BelleĀ flinched, just slightly at the volume of Vitani's laugh--but then she cracked a small smile. Which turned into a bigger smile...which turning to laughter of her own. She chuckled for a few moments. It felt good to laugh, to not feel like she needed a good reason to be laughing. She was laughing because Vi was...and because it was pretty funny--crazy--but funny. As she settled down, she looked over at Vi--letting a soft smile play on her features, her cheeks tinged pink with laughter. When she said her next words though--the smile almost slipped of Belle's face. She managed to cling to it just barely, feeling it slipping away with every moment. Her heart clenched painfully--she hated lying. She never did it. Not if she could help it. But--she had to. Not only for Adam's safety, but for Vi's...and her own. She did not want to drag Vi into any of the strangeness that had dropped itself in front of her. So, she had to lie. "Of course I'm not, Vitani."
VITANI
ViĀ felt the mood change again- well, almost change. When she looked over to Belle, her smile wasn't as bright as it had been. Vi thought that she had probably offended her by her back-handed accusation. She nodded, her smile falling a little. "I know, B. I was joking.āĀ
BELLE
BelleĀ smiled. It was painful--like her muscles just couldn't hold it on her face. She wished for something to distract her, so that she could move away from the topic at hand--but her mind was blanking in her panic. But--Vi didn't know anything was amiss. It was like Belle kept forgetting that--she wasn't used to carrying secrets. Yes, there were things she didn't tell people, but mostly because they didn't ask. Now--Adam's secret haunted a corner of her mind. Usually, that particular fact didnāt bother her. But this was her friend. Her best friend. And she was having to lie. "Oh," she managed to say, laughing a little--to expel the nerves but she was sure she could play it off as her feeling embarrassed. "Of course. I'm sorry, I guess I'm still a bit--wound up by...everything that's happened." She let her smile grow and tilted her head. "You know I take everything too seriously."
VITANI
ViĀ could spot a lie from a mile away. It was something you picked up when you learned how to be a good liar yourself. At least, it worked when you were sober. Vi's eyes didn't leave Belle, attempting to gauge her actions. But this was Belle, she had no reason to lie to Vitani. She would brush off the murky feeling she had, she decided, but she was not letting the comment slip by. "Don't say things like that about yourself." Her voice was soft, but she wove every word with meaning. "You don't take things too seriously, you're like..." She paused, looking her friend up and down. "You're like the ground. You're an anchor for people like me- little seeds!- that get carried away and try to reach the sky too quickly. You nourish them. It's just your nature, not a flaw.
BELLE
BelleĀ 's stomach twisted with every word of what Vitani was saying. She wanted to just be able to appreciate what her friend was saying about her. It was true--in a way. She supposed she always had been rather nurturing. It just never had a chance to really blossom without someone to care about. But she liked making people feel safe and loved. And if that's what she was doing for Vi, then a little lie couldn't hurt. After all, she was just lying to living up to what Vi was saying...concerning a different person. At least, for the moment, she could convince herself of that. "Thank you," Belle said sincerely, reaching over to grab Vi's hand. She gave it a squeeze. "You give me the courage to try new things...and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that."
VITANI
ViĀ 's heart fluttered a little when she felt Belle's hand on her's. It made her insides light up, twinkling like the lights on a Christmas tree, or the flicker of a candle behind icy glass. She let her fingers melt between her friend's, and inside she knew it. This wasn't the way those other girls had felt about their best friends- no, this was the way they had explained crushes. And Vi had a crush. She definitely had a crush. Suddenly words got caught in her throat. Had she let this revelation sink in half an hour ago, she probably would have blurted it out without thinking any of this through. She couldn't tell her, not now, not after all of this. Maybe she didn't even have a crush, she thought, but the twinkling light's inside of her fought that though away. Finally she smiled. She had to keep it together, at least for right now. "I just want you to enjoy life. We...kind of make a great team."
BELLE
BelleĀ 's heart tugged as she saw Vitani's face light up. On one hand, she was glad that she had made Vi so enchantingly happy. On the other, it almost made it worse--the fact she was keeping something from her. She managed to let out a bewildered laugh at Vi's words. "Yeah, we do." It was true, Belle thought for sure that if it had been anyone else they would've been much more upset about her. And even though they were from such different worlds, and seemed so different--they clicked. Somehow, some way. She tried not to think about it, just let herself enjoy the bolstered feeling that it gave her.
