A/N: It's long! :D:D:D

I hope you will all enjoy reading this and understand what the fuck is actually going on. It may not be clear. If so, I'd love to get your questions and answer them best I can! (Point is, in Bel's POV, that he kind of lies to himself half the time, in an attempt to suppress and repress all his negative feelings and memories, so that might be confusing when he switches between pretending to be fine to himself and being honest with himself. Just a heads up :P)

Good luck, is what I actually wanna say XD. Also, please bear with the first 9 or so pages. It needs to be worked through, but the pace kicks up afterwards. So there! (9 out of 58 while I'm writing this, so it's worth it!)

Not everything is going to be explained, so don't worry if you think you're missing something at some parts. It's possible that it's gonna stay that way XD.

Also, what Fran says is the only thing I actually want him to say (you'll probably know what I mean when you read it), but at the same time, if the atmosphere isn't conveyed right, it's fucking hilarious. So yeah. I'm really hoping I managed to convey the atmosphere XD. …but I don't think that I did. Any constr. crit. on that would also be greatly appreciated.

On the other hand I kind of like that it's hilarious in the middle of something so serious and grave. I hope you guys can appreciate it. Constr. crit. still rocks. :D

It can be called AU-ish, because the characters are acting so differently because the situation is so different from the manga. This is my take on what these characters would be like in these situations, with the pasts I have in mind for them in this story. Obviously, that is different from their carefree psycho killing spree(s). So it's AU-ish, not OOC-ish. ! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of it's associated thingies.

Enjoy! This is my big project, so let's go!


Miscommunication


Chapter 1

Sempai… don't do this. What-

'Just stop struggling, froggy.'

Fran gasped quietly when he was pressed against the wall of one of the rarely used rooms in the Varia headquarters. Bel was pinning him there, all blonde maniacal prince in an all black outfit. The older male was supposed to be going out on a night-time mission right now, but instead he'd come across Fran and cornered him. The illusionist was convinced he had been looking for him. It was never an accident when his sempai found him somewhere secluded and by himself.

'Sempai, stop, don't-'

Two slender fingers pressed down on his lips, shushing him. Sempai's long, lanky but disturbingly strong body imprisoned him, trapping him possessively and demandingly. Fran felt his heartrate increase, scared of the looming presence. The smirk on his face wasn't showing any teeth, predatory as it was it scared the shit out of Fran.

'You're mine, froggy. All mine.'

Fran gasped again when his sempai pressed his hips more strongly into his, frightening him but also making him feel a conflicting hope. Bel's hands were planted firmly on either side of his head, showing off clear signs of dominance, caging him in. It was what Bel wanted to portray, when this happened. When they were like this. Fran had to look up to watch his face, almost had to tip his head back with how closely he was leaning over him. He didn't like that. He didn't like how it made his throat feel bare.

'Mine.'

Was hissed lowly, dangerously, and Fran felt cold shivers run up and down his spine. He was afraid, because he could never know what his sempai was going to do in these moments. Didn't know whether he was going to be gentle or harsh, didn't know for sure what he wanted. It was so impossible.

Fran could never understand, figure out what he really meant when he said Fran was his, his possession. He couldn't understand, because Bel never explained and he didn't dare ask.

The room was shrouded in shadows, adding to the dark threat the prince exuded. Fran swallowed with difficulty, staring up at those impenetrable blonde bangs, never able to stare past them. Waiting.

Bel leant down, towards him, and for a split second Fran thought he was going to be kissed. It shocked an electrical light through his chest and cleared his mind, but then the moment passed and his sempai had his face buried in the crook of his neck. Teeth bit down sternly on a large patch of skin, not breaking through, but the warning more than clear.

Fran whimpered openly, leaning the back of his head against the wall behind him as he stared up. He didn't really see the ceiling. All he could feel was the presence of his sempai, that demanded all of his attention and gave a dark warning at what was to come it he didn't give it all.

'Sempai-'

He choked out, his eyes growing warm with oncoming tears. He didn't understand. He just didn't understand.

Bel pressed his body fully closer, pressing a heat into Fran that wasn't his own but that he desired so dearly. But he could never have it. It wasn't safe, it wasn't healthy. It wouldn't be good for him. He was afraid of it because of that.

The older, more experienced assassin kept pressing closer, as if printing his mark onto him, his claim. Tempting him to give in.

But it wasn't really a tempt. It was a demand and if Fran didn't give in, it would not be good for him. It was always like this, every time Bel caught him. His very intent was both of something he wanted to give and of the threat if Fran were to not accept it.

It was so hard.

'Just give in, froggy.'

One hand left its post and trailed down Fran's side, caressing.

His voice was gentle when he wasn't using it to claim Fran as his. That's what it was always like. Fran didn't know what to make of it, what to do with it. It was so unpredictable. How could he know when his sempai would bite and when he would kiss?

Fran's breathing was heavy but shallow and he was trying to close his eyes and wish himself away from this place, away from his sempai who was breaking through his emotional barriers. Fran thought he knew what he felt, what he wanted, but Bel, Bel always made him change his mind, made him doubt and fear and wonder.

He just wanted so badly to give in.

But he couldn't.

He wouldn't!

The man suddenly growled, right into his ear and Fran inhaled sharply, bracing himself for what was to come.

'You're mine you little frog!'

That hand shot up from his side, grabbing the collar of the illusionist's uniform and forcefully sliding him up against the wall, lifting him to eye-level. Fran's hands clung to Bel's forearm, trying to pull it away from his vulnerable throat but giving up and failing before truly trying.

'Accept it.'

Fran squeezed his eyes shut, trying to pretend he was anywhere else, just not there, but he knew it would do nothing. Bel never gave up until he got what he wanted, never stopped until the last drop was spilt. His pale fingers twitched around his sempai's wrist, trembling.

'P-Please,'

He whispered. He didn't think Bel would listen and it scared him half to death to even say anything, but he couldn't, he couldn't not try.

'Please what?'

The threat wasn't gone from his voice, but it was much less, lurking in the undertones. For some reason, he sounded genuinely interested, beneath the suspicion, and something else even,… but he could not understand what it was. Did he care about what Fran thought? It seemed very unlikely.

Fran swallowed thickly. His fingers tightened and loosened around his sempai's wrist, wanting to hold on, but scared of what would happen if he did.

The conflict was so tiring. It wore him out and broke him down. That's what it felt like anyway. But it wasn't the conflict between him and his sempai. It was the one within himself. It was as though he wanted this, wanted Bel to do these things to him, to be so near him. But why then, why was he so paralyzed by fear of him? Fran wanted- he wanted-

He let go, his hand shakily reached for the wide collar of Bel's black shirt. The tips of his fingers had almost brushed along the dyed fabric when he pulled back, not daring to after all.

All he wanted… He just wanted…

Bel caught his hand in its retreat and guided it back to his shoulder, to the collar he had tried to cling to. His fingers smoothed over the soft skin of Fran's hand, pressing it down emphatically for a moment.

Fran's green eyes widened, his breath stuttered.

What did this mean? Why was it okay to touch him?

'Please what, froggy?'

Fran tried to look away, to look at anything that wasn't Bel. It was impossible. His fingers twitched around the fabric of the black shirt. His sempai's skin was warm against his touch, almost burning his cold fingers. His mouth opened and closed, indecisive. The quivering of his entire body was uncomfortable and he wanted it to stop, but he couldn't make it stop.

'P-Please… Sempai… J-Just…'

His sempai leant closer, his grip on his collar not letting up in the slightest. His hot breath brushed along Fran's cheek and neck and made him shiver.

He was giving Fran time to form his answer.

Holding on to something solid was comforting, even though it was the older teenager's shoulder. Fran could feel the burning in his eyes, but the tears wouldn't come yet. He shifted his jade gaze down to the side. It was hard to look at his sempai when he was making him do something that showed how weak and powerless he really became in these moments. Not that his behaviour in these situations wasn't already the kind the Varia would have killed him for if they knew. Xanxus would shoot him instantly if he ever showed this side of himself where he could see it.

'J-Just be… Just b-be,'

His own choked exhale interrupted his words. He couldn't say it. Surely he couldn't say this.

But it was all he really wanted. It was the only thing that made him feel so scared of these encounters, the only thing that he really desired from the shadowy figure looming over him-

It was because the blonde assassin seemed to give off an air that said he could do whatever he wanted with him. That he could make him do things if he wanted to, could hurt him if he liked, and that Fran wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He didn't know why he felt this so strongly towards this person in particular. He was a powerful illusionist and could defend himself accordingly. So why was he so frightened of this one person?

With trembling lips and a shaky voice, Fran forced the words out of his mouth.

'P-Please… Just b-be, j-just be… b-be g-gentle.'

With his eyes squeezed shut tightly, he turned his face further away, the corners of his mouth pulling down. Those painfully hot tears burned a path along his eyelids, brimming there for a moment before flowing over and dropping onto his pale cheeks. He wasn't sure if they were from the humiliation or from the fear of how his sempai would use those words against him.

Silent breathing gusted along his jaw. The older teen was quiet and didn't move. Fran tried to sooth the weak feeling in his knees, hoping he had a chance at escape if his sempai decided to drop him.

Bel leant back. From the angle of his head, Fran assumed he was being watched. The corners of the man's lips were curling upwards slowly, the aura he radiated suddenly seeming lighter to Fran.

Bel brought his face close to his kouhai's, brushing their cheeks together before leaning back just far enough to look him in the eye. Slowly, he tilted his head and captured the younger teen's lips with his own.

Fran couldn't breathe anymore. His sempai's lips were so very soft and slow against his. Caressing, rather than taking. His weight was put back onto his feet. There were hands on his shoulders; they were holding him in place, but their weight was light.

See why he couldn't trust this man? He'd go from forceful to gentle in a split second, he couldn't be relied on. Fran would be in danger every single moment, with how weak he was around him! If he trusted him…

… Why was he being gentle? Fran had asked him to be, pleaded, in fact, but- surely that wasn't any motivation for this prince?

Fran refused to believe that this man would respond to that. It was stupid, of course he wouldn't. He was just doing whatever he felt like, whenever he felt like it. He wouldn't respect Fran's wishes, like the ones for him to stop. No. He couldn't trust this…

A hand was stroking through his mossy green hair, the other was rubbing his shoulder with a thumb. The way Bel was kissing him, the soft brush of his lips, the barely-there pressure. The feeling behind it that Fran thought he was sensing. That he couldn't possibly be sensing.

He couldn't help it when he whimpered when Bel put just a little more strength into the kiss. Despite this, despite how his sempai had previously used any and all responses to his touches as a consent to progress to unwanted levels of intimacy, nothing seemed to happen. The kiss remained chaste as it was, dry and almost distant compared to what he was used to, even though the caresses were making him feel weaker than they ever had before. It was just that Fran wasn't sure if it was a bad kind of weakness this time.

Fran didn't know how long it took until his mind had completely surrendered. The kiss was lasting forever and still, Bel made no attempt to deepen it, to go any further with anything. Fran was feeling a tight, tingling feeling in his chest somewhere too close to his heart for comfort.

He needed this. Oh God, he needed this.

When at long last Fran's trembling lips parted of his own will, that was the first moment he felt the tender swipe of a warm tongue. His breath caught in his throat and he opened his mouth wider. He wanted to feel that tingling tenderness closer, deeper within himself. He wanted to know if he could. Would his sempai keep acting like this?

His sempai's tongue rubbed at his lip, licked across it slowly. Fran understood this even less than the frightening behaviour, but this was good, so it didn't matter as much. It wasn't forcing him into anything he didn't want, it wasn't making him wonder if he would be injured or abused. It was making him melt.

Tenderly, so impossibly tenderly, Bel slipped his tongue into his mouth, still slow and gentle like nothing Fran had dared to hope. Fran was unconsciously leaning his weight forward, into his sempai. The rarity of these warm touches was making him eager for more.

Too soon, Bel drew away. A small 'ah' escaped Fran and he tipped forward, after him, longing for more. A soft chuckle weaved through the air and strong hands caught his weight and held him upright.

It was that. That was what Fran wanted, the only thing that had kept him afraid of accepting and acting upon his own feelings. That gentleness that hadn't been there before.

Well… not at his request. And he had never dared to ask such a thing before…

The older teen lowered his head to the crook of his neck, nosing along the tense muscles there.

'Please be gentle…?'

His voice had a questioning lilt towards the end. Fran could practically hear the cogs in his head turning, could hear him figuring out what he was thinking. It was one thing that Bel was messing with his inner thoughts, but it was another, uncomfortable and embarrassing, that he would figure that mess out.

Bel's mouth curled up into a satisfied smirk. He pressed his lips against the skin in between Fran's jaw and ear, kissing softly along his jaw until he reached his mouth. His hot breath hit Fran's trembling lips; he pecked them swiftly and softly.

'You want me.' He breathed out only barely, his smooth voice gleeful but low, breathless.

Fran's glittering eyes snapped open.

What? No! How had he reached that conclusion?

'You do. You're just afraid that I'll hurt you.'

Just? Just? As though it was nothing! As though he was harmless in reality, not an unstable assassin who took up killing as a hobby, beside his job! As though he wasn't snarling at Fran's throat all the time, didn't attack him whenever he felt like it!

The anxiety was surging back into his body. For some reason, the moment his sempai stopped paying such pointedly safe attention to him, it all returned. As if he was more scared of losing it then of getting it-

Fran did not want him! He did not!

His stuttering heart was telling him differently. Even his own mind couldn't delude him any more.

Bel's shadowy features hovered in front of his face, a mere inch away.

'Froggy…'

His sempai breathed along his face, that strange tone in his voice and he leant forward again and buried his face in his neck. Fran felt himself weaken again and swallowed. He couldn't stop the small sound low in his throat when Bel opened his mouth and washed his skin with hot kisses, pressing himself close, but only a little.

Still gentle.

Still seemingly mindful of Fran's wish.

Fran felt his indecisiveness tire him, corner him. The conflict between the conviction that this was something he didn't want and Bel's actions, that made him feel just how much he desired it, was hardly a conflict anymore. It was too obvious that he did in fact want it. Needed it. But it was just- How could he give in to such a thing? Wasn't that horribly dangerous? He would have to give himself to the other, would have to trust them with himself! He hardly trusted himself with himself… Would he be able to keep himself safe if he gave in? Did he dare to react openly, to lay himself open so vulnerably?

…Wouldn't Bel ridicule him for the way he responded? Needy and wanting… So, not above him in any way. That meant, he would have to show that he didn't think he was above the other, which would let them be above him and if Bel did that, if he used his power over Fran to hurt him and didn't care, no matter what the situation really, he wouldn't… Fran wouldn't be able to…

To what?

He wouldn't be able to care about him, because anybody that hurt him, he couldn't allow himself to care about. That would make him weak and useless, because he would allow them to damage him without defending himself. If he cared for another, who didn't make him stronger but tore him down instead, he would- he would keep walking around like that, without finding someone good to follow… But why did he want to follow someone? Shouldn't he want to be a strong, independent person who didn't care about other people at all? Wasn't that the only way to live life the right way?

But humans, humans were herd animals. They had the instinctive urge to group together, to be social. So didn't that mean that it was okay for Fran too, to like to be with other people? To want to be with other people? To need them, even? Surely that wasn't allowed. Surely that wasn't perceived as the right way of living. He had to be a strong person, otherwise he would be useless to the world and then nobody would want him, nobody would want to help him if he needed it. No, …

But he didn't like that. It definitely didn't make him happy. He constantly felt conflicted, because what he really wanted, if he wouldn't feel so embarrassed and scared of the responses he'd get all the time, was… was… people. Intimacy. He wanted to have someone he needed. But…

But he would die if he did. If he counted on others, no, if he let them be so important to him, then his life would be intertwined with theirs, and-

That couldn't be right. That couldn't be safe, it couldn't be the way he was supposed to do things. His family, the Varia, wouldn't- wouldn't respect him. Wouldn't want him to be around, but that wouldn't be the worst. They would, they would bully him, mock him and dislike him and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He couldn't do anything about people not liking him. They would become people he cared about that hurt him.

That sounded so childish, so stupid and immature. He shouldn't be thinking like that, right?

He wasn't allowed to follow his heart in this, right?

It was just that he had been too scared to follow his heart up until now. Regardless of what others would think of him, it was the fear of caring about another person again. He didn't want to care about someone and find out he couldn't make it right, couldn't make it last. Or couldn't get it to begin with. Friends, family, lovers… Either of those relationships had broken, had fallen out of his grasp or been rejected before they could be built. It was his fault, and his fault alone. He was incapable, he wasn't good enough, he didn't have what it takes to be so basically human.

But he was, he was human. He knew he was.

He probably didn't have to think that way, it was probably not his fault at all. They just weren't the right people for him or the other way around, it just didn't work out because they didn't get along, it wasn't because of some sort of fundamental lack that made him defective as a human being. He probably wasn't really weird. He probably wasn't really crazy, or different in a bad way, or a freak.

He probably wasn't unlovable.

It probably wasn't his fault. Probably wasn't his fault he was born, not a bad thing that he had been. Probably not something he ought to make up for, or had to make up for. He could probably let that all go and just live his life the way it made him happy to.

Probably.

But was it really?

Wouldn't he be punished or really unlucky if he let himself believe that, like it wasn't his right to be happy, so he wasn't allowed to, try to, be? That fate would make him lose whatever he had that made him happy, so that he would once again be plunged into unhappiness, because that's what he deserved, and all he deserved? Wouldn't he be screwed over if he tried, and especially if he finally got it?

He didn't want to go through that. He really didn't.

He didn't want to go through that intense despair again.

Would he be able to make it work this time? Would he be allowed to?

It would make him so happy if he could be with his sempai. If he wasn't scared it would drop out of his hands just when he started to relax and enjoy the situation. Had a chance at loving his life and enjoying it, not having to worry about losing it and more importantly, that which made it living instead of suffering. Feeling so guilty. Guilty for wanting to be happy. Guilty, because it was his fault that he had even existed when he was younger and was now clinging to life. That he hadn't tried to be someone else that would fit in with the others. With everything.

One that would be normal.

He couldn't be normal. He just couldn't do it. But maybe he had the wrong idea of what normal was, and he didn't even have to be that way. Or try to be, despite the fact that he couldn't. Maybe he was just okay the way he was.

He hoped so. He was working on believing that. He would be okay. He would believe it some time. Yeah.

But did Bel think it was okay if Fran was just Fran? If he dropped all the masks and stopped trying to be tougher than he was, stopped trying to be better than he was, and untouchable?

He had to.

Please.

But he wouldn't find out from theorizing. He would have to get Bel to show him.

'Sempai. Sempai…'

Bel cocked his head curiously, making his shadowy blonde bangs shift. He hummed inquiringly.

Fran straightened his back, slipped his arms around his sempai's neck. He shoved all fears aside. They could catch up with him later, right now he was going to do what he wanted. Going to try to fix his life with something good and screw the consequences.

He felt the older teen stiffen in surprise. He gazed straight at where he hoped Bel's eyes were and let his fingers roam the back of his neck. The short hairs there were very soft and he petted them, liking the feeling of it against the pads of his fingers. Bel cautiously relaxed again. Hidden eyes were on Fran's face, watching him.

Fran shifted his weight onto his toes and leant up. Bel went stock-still, clearly shocked. With a laborious effort, the illusionist let his expression relax and his lips curl slightly, slowly, and then he initiated a kiss with his sempai for the first time.

Bel exhaled roughly through his nose. It made his breath brush against his kouhai's cheek. Fran was enveloped in warmth when toned arms wrapped around him tightly and hugged him close.

He let his jade eyes close and experimentally slumped against his sempai's body, trying to relieve the endless stress he felt. The arms around him tightened their grip immediately, holding him up effortlessly but, more importantly, like it was a natural thing to do. Like he wanted to do it.

Fran's lips curled a little more this time, just a little and he pressed closer, trying to accept the warmth Bel gave him.

Obviously, Bel had no qualms about giving him some more.


Hours later, when Fran and his sempai were lounging side by side on the comfortable, overly luxurious couch, things were looking up. (Fran decided absentmindedly that the cleaning people did a really good, but also very mysterious job on the very high ceiling.) The atmosphere had lightened a great deal.

One of Bel's hands was brushing through his hair, the repeated back and forth motions alternating with little scratches that almost made Fran purr out loud. They sat slumped on the cushions facing each other, legs comfortably intertwined. Fran's hand was cosily interlocked with Bel's other hand, resting in the blonde man's lap.

'You know…'

His sempai muttered, voice a little sleepy as they were both nodding off a little. Fran turned his eyes to look at his face, hmmf-ing softly to indicate he was listening.

'All you ever had to do was tell me what you wanted…'

He trailed off, shifting his blonde head on the backrest for a more comfortable position.

The illusionist was wide awake in an instant. The mention of their recent conversation brought back memories of anxiety, hope and some relief.

He was still uncomfortable with the subjects of his thoughts in that moment, pressed up against the wall, and he hadn't told Bel about it either. He knew the prince had wanted to know- he just hadn't felt comfortable or secure enough to tell him. Actually, not much had been said. Conversation was a big word for what they'd been doing. But things had changed, for the better.

Fran's decision to go with it and screw the consequences had allowed him to relax a great deal and it had, somehow, turned the entire situation around. Bel had picked up on it or something, because from that moment on he seemed to have changed somehow and barely anything about him had been as frightening anymore. It was weird. Fran didn't understand, but once again; it was a good thing so he didn't try to analyze it. He could think about it later if it turned out to be trouble.

Maybe it was just because Fran's own perception had been coloured by less fears from then on.

Bel's random remark however, had sounded an awful lot like the possible beginning of an explanation and Fran was more than eager for some of that.

A soft, amused chuckle flitted through the air, probably because of the face he was making.

'I always knew you wanted it… I just didn't know why you were being so stubborn. The frustration…' It seemed like Bel didn't want to say something, was hesitating, '…pissed me off.' He said it almost lightly. There was a tense undertone in his voice, but the illusionist couldn't decipher what that was.

'All you had to do was ask…'

Fran openly stared at him. He tried to fit those words into the reality he thought he knew.

Really? I mean… really? Could something be that simple? If I stop denying him, and I know I can because I know I really do want him…then I can… decide what happens to me? What he does to me?

'Ushishishi.'

I can be safe after all?

Slowly, Fran relaxed into the cushions again, focussing on the gentle fingers on his scalp.

All he had to do was ask… Hmm. So Bel wouldn't force anything onto him anymore, simply because he'd accepted his own desire for the man? Well, he could try to see if that was true. But if that was so, then that had to mean that the only reason the older teen had even treated him as such, was… because Fran wasn't accepting him. That was the reason? That was the only reason?

...That would mean that Bel wanted Fran to accept him…

…What exactly did that mean…

If so, sempai really sucked at persuasion. He needed new methods. Fran should probably discuss such better methods with him, some time.

Well, if it was true, then that made his remaining difficulties a lot easier. Made thing far less risky. And easier to understand as well, since Fran especially knew his sempai's temper very well.

'You're really dumb, sempai.'

'O-Oi!'

Fran grinned playfully at him (a near Herculean effort), scrunching his face a little when Bel tugged on a strand of his hair. The prince, no longer so dark and threatening to Fran (though he was still unsure about the exact causes of that change), seemed to be caught between indignance and amusement but leaning more towards the latter. Thankfully.

Bel huffed and tugged on the mossy strand once more before returning to his petting/scalp massage.

Fran openly made a purring noise this time, pushing the limits of his courage to see what his sempai would do.

The blonde paused for about half a second and Fran knew he was quickly figuring out his motives again. It was a bit annoying that he did that, especially that he did it so easily. But, since it had only made things better before, Fran decided he didn't mind so much and waited for his reaction.

A wide smirking grin split Bel's face and he continued what he was doing. He was clearly putting in more effort than before. The jade-eyed man let out a smile as well, feeling his chest constrict with anxiety at the unguarded emotion but not letting it stop him. So far, Bel had been responding well to all his little purposeful slip-ups. So hopefully that would stay that way.

The older teen shifted closer, his thumb stroking the hand that was resting on his thigh. Fran felt the soft press of his nose against his cheek and then even softer lips and swallowed, feeling a different kind of pressure on his chest now. He could feel his face grow warm and decided not to do anything about it; no illusion or turning away his head. The nerves in his stomach weren't very uncomfortable, just a little. Not enough to make him want to stop trying to open up.

'Ushishishi, You're smile is very pretty, froggy.'

The heat in his cheeks multiplied at least tenfold and he turned his face away after all, reflexively.

'S-Sempai, shut it.'

The blond giggled, clearly satisfied with this response. He crawled even closer, making their bodies press together so Fran couldn't worm his way out of their comfortable bubble. He wasn't deterred when the smaller male turned away as far as he could and persisted since he detected the playfulness in the gesture.

Bel knew Fran wasn't entirely pleased with how easily he could read his kouhai, but it was the easiest way to work with whatever was going on in his head, since he wasn't particularly inclined to tell the prince what he thought. For some weird reason that he had yet to figure out.

Fran let himself be cuddled, pretending not to care while his sempai wrapped himself around his smaller frame. He probably gave himself away when he relaxed into those toned arms though, but he didn't care.

Something suddenly came to Fran then. He blinked slowly and smiled faintly.

'Hey sempai.'

Bel hummed into his hair, stroking the palm of his hand up and down Fran's arm contently.

'Aren't you supposed to be in the province of Macerata right now?'

Bel went still around him. Fran's lips pulled further and further up into a smile while his sempai breathed a couple of Italian expletives behind his head before slowly untangling himself from the illusionist. Fran turned around to face him, enjoying the 'oh, shit' look on the other's face.

'Errr, I really am. Ehh…'

He seemed reluctant to leave and Fran's stomach filled with hopeful butterflies. Was it because of him? He tried to suppress the feeling; what if it wasn't?

But Bel leant forward, kissed him softly on the lips and brushed their noses together before pulling back.

'The prince will be back by tomorrow evening. Ushishishi, be waiting for me in the royal bedchambers~'

It took Fran a few seconds to grasp the meaning of the second sentence, after he was done deducing that Bel had indeed never bothered to inform him of his movements before. So it wasn't until the blonde had already squeezed his hand and sped off (taking a detour out the window so he wouldn't come near the boss's office) that a furious blush painted his face bright red. Fran was halfway through yelling at his sempai, but stopped since he was probably already half a mile away and that would only attract unwanted attention from other Varia members.

A little dazed, Fran sank back into the cushions. He blinked slowly, adjusting to the sudden absence of the blonde prince. The room was still dark, only much darker, since it was now somewhere near midnight and they hadn't cared about turning a light on. The furniture was shrouded in shadows. As was the whole room. Fran hadn't noticed when Bel was sitting next to him, but now it seemed a bit empty.

A lot empty.

And kinda cold. Fran sighed. He considered going to his own room, but the thought that he would have to get up first made him decide to stay. The plush fabric of the couch's cushions was good for snuggling, so he did just that.

Wouldn't it be nice if he could stay here for a few days? The other officers didn't seem to come here often, so it would be nicely peaceful. If boss (or more likely, the stupid long-haired commander) didn't decide to throw a fit over his absence for a mission Fran wasn't informed of, anyway.

Wait.

Huh?

Did he just have the equivalent of a "quiet night in" with his sempai? With Bel-sempai?

I guess I did. Huh.

Fran curled up on the couch, grabbing one of the pillows to cover his face with. It was perfect for hiding his guilty, wide glowing smile.

He gave me permission to enter his "royal bedchambers", huh?

Maybe it would be nice to go there.

…Nah. He would have to get up first.

'…'

On the other hand…

3 minutes later, in Bel's bedroom

The richly decorated interior that was filled with deep reds, almost-but-thankfully-not-posh gold and white marble and darkly varnished wooden furniture, was completely wasted on Fran. He was laying face-down on his sempai's king-sized bed, spread-eagled, fully clothed and fast asleep. Bel's scent was everywhere in this room and the familiarity, coupled with the knowledge that there was not a single soul besides himself now and Bel-sempai that would ever enter here, had lulled his tired mind into a deep sleep instantly.

5 hours later, in Bel's bedroom

Fran was still sleeping soundly on top of the sheets. While sleeping, he had pulled one of Bel's many pillows closer and curled around it. There was a suspiciously large amount of pillows on Bel's bed. Some might even be called cushions.

3 hours after that, still in Bel's bedroom

…Fran was still sleeping. It was the first time in many, many months that he'd felt this relaxed. Or relaxed at all, really. So his body immediately seized the opportunity to stock up on hours of sleep now that his mind was finally letting him.

The pillow he was holding in a death grip was suspiciously damp in some places. Especially the ones near his mouth.

5 hours after that, in the Varia officer's dining room

'VRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AIIII! Where is that rookie?! He already missed breakfast and lunch! Did Bel kill him or something?'

On the other side of the mansion, Fran sneezed in his sleep and turned onto his other side peacefully.

The Varia officers minus Bel and Fran were seated at the dining table, having just finished lunch. Obviously, Fran's unaccounted-for absence had been noticed.

'Oooh, if that's so, we're not gonna go back to France again, riiiight~ ~?'

Lussuria exclaimed hopefully, clapping his hands to his cheek and trying to look cute. Everyone twitched and looked the other way not-so-discreetly. Squalo cleared his throat noisily to distract himself from the sight.

'…uhh, let's just find the brat.'

Lussuria pouted and sat back in his chair, resting his chin on his hands.

'Who cares about that disrespectful brat! We should have let Bel kill him from the start!'

A wineglass shattered on Levi's temple, drenching the man in the dark red liquid. He yelped and turned to his boss, mouth open wide in pained shock and eyes pleading for forgiveness.

'Shut up, trash.'

…and he was ignored. Squalo stifled his snickers and covered it by roaring at their Sun guardian, not caring about the sharp glare that was coming his way from the opposite end of the table.

'Vraaai, go find the little brat, Lussuria!'

The martial artist pouted some more and complained, but quickly left the dining room; Xanxus' hand, complete with a new, full wineglass, had been poised ready for attack.

Half an hour later, at a health spa

'Ohohoho!'

Because no way was Luss going to spend his precious time searching for lost rookie-officers that insulted his fashion sense.

10 minutes after that (around 13.30), Bel's bedroom

Fran stared at his reflection without blinking. His eyes were a little poofy from the long, revitalising sleep he'd had, but the dried trails of drool were already wiped off with a small towel. Its colour had been disturbingly similar to that of blood.

There was a lot of white foam around his mouth, but that was just because he was a messy tooth brusher. His sempai's toothpaste tasted pretty okay. Minty. Standard. Fran had been expecting something more pointedly royal (strawberry), but was sadly disappointed.

He wondered what time it was and his stomach, starved for about 19 hours straight, gave its opinion by rumbling loudly.

Eating-time, then.

At a leisurely pace, the bite-sized illusionist finished his morning routine (even though it wasn't exactly morning) and wandered out of the "royal bedchambers". Not forgetting to close the door behind him, of course. His sempai apparently didn't bother with locking his door, but on the other hand; no-one was really stupid enough to try and enter there.

Well, not without his permission.

Or a death wish, that usually worked just fine too. Bel might even like you a little for that.

The nearest location where food could be got, was only a few hallways away and that was where Fran was headed. A long time ago, Bel had complained about having to cross half the mansion when he wanted a midnight-snack and consequently demanded a private kitchen, complete with a staff who were to be employed 24/7. He'd been ignored.

After getting all the staff that was related to food-issues to go on strike until he got what he wanted, which had resulted in Xanxus personally getting meat-deprived, Squalo had assigned one of the empty rooms near Bel's to be his personal mini-warehouse (that was still the size of some people's homes, but okay). It had been the self-preserving thing to do, the fastest way out of that mess.

That wasn't to say that Squalo hadn't gotten his thorough revenge on the princeling, but Bel healed pretty quickly and he still got his snacks nearby.

He didn't heal as quickly when he smirked an "I win" at the long-haired commander some time after his recovery though, so the usual hierarchy remained in place.

Fran didn't care about this, but thought it was pretty hilarious how Bel got himself beat up all the time and was too much of a pussy to take Squalo or the boss on head-on. Why else would he indirectly piss the boss off (who was the only one Squalo would need to change tactics for), with several unfortunate innocent victims between him and the boss's rage (the staff members that Bel had, of course, effortlessly harassed into going on strike). Yeah, boss hadn't found out until afterwards that Bel had been the one to render him meat-deprived (simply because he couldn't care enough to look into the matter himself, and Squalo hadn't been stupid enough to tell him), which was the only reason he wasn't fried-fake-prince-stew now: since the matter had already been solved by then and Squalo was already beating Bel back into his place, Xanxus couldn't be bothered anymore.

Anyway…

The door was locked. Fran frowned.

Tch… Stupid sempai, you don't lock the room you sleep in, but you'll lock your food-supply room?

Still a little drowsy (as stated before, it had been the first good sleep he'd had in a long time), Fran yawned quietly and shook the frog-hat off his head (Bel was out, hat was off). Lazily, but with a lot of flair and coolness of course, he punched his arms over his head (also half-assed, he was sleepy) then spread them out to the sides. He punched his knuckles together, and then he realized he'd forgotten to put his ring on his finger or to get a box weapon out.

Sighing, he turned and went back to his sempai's room, where his coat was.

just one minute later…

A dribble of drool slipped down from Fran's open mouth. A soft snore disturbed the silence in the room.

Rumbling tummy vs. sleep-deprived body: 0-1.


To Be Continued...


Next chapter you'll find out Bel's side of the story! Well, no… part of it. :)

Please tell me what you think of this, it's mah baby and mah big-ass project. 62 pages and counting! It isn't finished yet. Anyway, I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! It's really different from my usual B26 stories, in my opinion, so I would love to hear what you guys think about this!

. I'm really happy about finally posting this! I've been keeping it in secret for months, not sure when I started with this, kind of wanting to finish it and polish it before posting. But I have it the way I want it, at least for now. SO. :D I hope you guys enjoyed this and want more! :D

-CHEERS! Dirkje (vet happy A/N after drama angst story XD)