(takes place shortly after Bel joined the Varia)
Hearts Thief
Bel hurtled down the stairs with an eager smile. By the time he had reached the main hall, Squalo and Gioia were there, taking off their jackets. Bel swiftly threw a knife at the little girl, not even bothering to stop in his run. The knife flew through the room at incredible speed and only Squalo's best reflexes to push his sister out of the way saved her from a painful encounter with the weapon.
"VOIIIII, Belphegor!" roared Squalo, glaring at the child. "What the fuck are you doing?!"
"Ushishishi, welcome home party" Bel snickered, choosing to stand at a respectable distance from the angry captain.
"Listen to me, you ungrateful brat" Squalo said as he pointed his sword at Bel "if I learn that you dare touch one hair of my little sister…"
Squalo paused, looking down at the prince.
"You'll hope you never joined the Varia" he finished with a cruel smile.
"Peasant, you're just being rude" Bel pouted.
"Just remember that" Squalo growled before turning to his sister. "You do whatever you want to do. I can't keep an eye on you right now; I've got stuff to do. You remember the rules?"
"Stay in the officers' quarters or in the kitchen" Gioia recited. "The rest of the mansion off limits."
"Good girl."
Squalo quickly patted her head then left the two children by themselves.
"Where were you all week, peasant?" Bel asked as he followed Gioia who had left the hall as soon as her brother had disappeared around a corner.
" I come here only on weekends. During the week, I have school and stay at home."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Belphegor" she glanced at him, shaking her head. "You only arrived last weekend. And I didn't even see you after you were dragged away by Mammon. How was I supposed to tell you?"
"You should have found a way, peasant. Now where are you taking me?"
"I'm taking you nowhere. You decided to follow me and I'm going to the kitchen."
"The kitchen?!" Bel stopped, apparently offended. "The kitchen is no place for a prince!"
"You're welcome to stay out then" she rolled her eyes as she entered her favourite room in the Varia mansion.
There were several kitchens in the mansion but this one had been specially arranged for her. Squalo had flatly refused she used the main kitchen because he wanted to keep her away from the Varia staff as much as possible. He had finally agreed to allow her this little kitchen so she could have fun while she was staying there for the weekend.
As she set out to gather the ingredients she needed, Bel at last decided to enter the unworthy room. He looked around, barely hiding his disgust, then turned his attention to the girl.
"What are you doing?"
"Homework!" she said with a big smile.
"Your teacher gave you that kind of homework? Peasants sure are strange" he mused.
"Not homework for school" she spat the word as if it was bitter. "Homework Cas gave me! He's teaching me how to cook and bake. And today I must bake some shortbread biscuits. You'll see, they'll be yummy!"
Bel stared at her, unimpressed. However he had nothing better do and he certainly didn't want to run into Mammon and get an extra lecture on how Varia members should behave. So he just shrugged and took a seat to observe her at work. Not even five minutes had passed when his eyes started drooping.
"Don't fall asleep now, Bel!" Gioia chuckled. "Or you won't get to taste the dough and that's the best part of baking!"
"You're talking nonsense, peasant" he mumbled before dozing off on the table.
Bel lazily opened his eyes and frowned at his surroundings, momentarily confused. With a yawn, he stretched and looked around, slowly remembering what he was doing in the kitchen. Then he noticed a plate with a couple of biscuits and accompanied by a note.
"I didn't want to wake you up. I went to give out my biscuits to the officers. Here's your share."
Dubious, he picked a biscuit and sniffed it.
"Doesn't she know that a taster's services are required before giving any food to a prince?" he sighed, nonetheless taking a bite.
"Well, fortunately for her, it's good" he said, gulping down the rest of the biscuit before taking another one. "Why are they heart-shaped though? So childish and girly…"
"Mu, why the heart shape?"
"That's the only mold I had" sighed Gioia, waiting for Mammon to take one of the biscuits she was handing out.
"Why are you giving me biscuits? Do you want something from me?"
"Mammon!" she whined, getting impatient. "I just made biscuits and wanted to share with everyone. Why are you so mean?"
"Maybe you poisoned them" insisted the suspicious Arcobaleno. "The heart shape seems particularly suspect. Maybe you're trying to get revenge from that time I used illusions on you!"
"I'm not! I swear on Nii-chan that I didn't poison them! Now take one!"
Mammon reluctantly grabbed a biscuit and drew it near his mouth. However he stopped, the biscuit only inches away from his lips.
"Really?!" Gioia said before she pushed Mammon's hand, forcing the biscuit into his mouth.
"Mu, what are you doing, idiot?!" coughed the baby, half choking.
"You deserved that!" she snapped before leaving the room, angry steps echoing behind her.
"Yes, come in!" Lussuria sang after he heard a knock.
The door opened and Gioia hesitated a bit before entering. She loved Lussuria but the atmosphere of his room made her slightly uncomfortable. The man had hanged strange pictures of what appeared to be corpses next to clippings from fashion magazines. Trying to ignore the pictures, Gioia entered and made her way to Lussuria who was beaming at her.
"Well hello, darling! I didn't know you had arrived yet!"
"I went straight to the kitchen" Gioia grinned. "And I made those. Here, have some!"
Lussuria clasped his hands around his face and seemed to melt on his chair.
"This is so adorable of you, my dear!" he said in a high pitched voice. "And those are hearts! How cute! Oh, sweetie, are you offering me your heart?"
Gioia giggled as he took a biscuit and tasted it.
"They're wonderful, honey! I'm so proud of you!"
"Thank you, Lussu-nee!" she said with a wide smile. "You can have another one if you want."
"Oh, you're so generous" Lussuria sighed, pretending to wipe a tear away. "I'll have a last one then."
After taking a biscuit, Lussuria gently pinched the little girl's cheek and watched her leave the room with an affectionate smile.
Xanxus heard a faint noise and looked up from the report he was reviewing. A tiny face had appeared at the edge of his desk and two grey eyes were now staring at him.
"What are you doing here, mini scum?" he growled.
A shy smile appeared on Gioia's face as she put a box of biscuits on the desk. Xanxus' lips twitched as he noticed the biscuits had a ridiculous heart shape.
"I hope you don't expect me to eat those stupid biscuits…"
Gioia's face fell, clearly disappointed.
"I made them" she mumbled.
"So what?"
"I want you to taste one."
"No fucking way" Xanxus scoffed. "They look so dumb. What's with the heart shape? That's so girly."
"I am a girl" Gioia remarked.
"Whatever, trash."
"Please, Boss" she looked up at him with puppy eyes.
Xanxus glared at her, launching a fierce staring contest. He put on his most terrifying face and waited for the girl to look down. But Gioia kept staring at him with imploring eyes. A vein popped on Xanxus' forehead as he admitted defeat less than a minute later.
"Fine" he grunted and took a biscuit.
Gioia watched him closely as he munched it and smiled when Xanxus nodded.
"Edible" he said.
"Thank you, Boss!"
"Now go away, brat. I have to finish reading this."
Gioia nodded and was near the door when Levi appeared. He looked down and tutted at her. But she ignored his rude behaviour and handed out the box.
"I don't like you but you can have one" she said.
"Why would I want something from you?" Levi retorted, failing to hide his interest in the freshly baked biscuits.
"Boss said they were good" added Gioia.
Levi's eyes darted to Xanxus who impatiently shrugged.
"If Boss said it…" he took a biscuit and ignored Gioia's triumphant expression.
Gioia didn't wait to see if he enjoyed it and left the room. Moments later, a hand fell on her shoulder.
"Wait a minute."
Gioia turned and peered curiously at Xanxus.
"I'll have the box, mini scum" he simply declared while taking the box out of her hands.
"But Nii-chan didn't…"
"Too bad for him" Xanxus scoffed and he returned to his office with a satisfied smile.
Gioia knocked and entered her brother's office.
"Ah it's you" Squalo looked up at her while she took a seat in front of him. "I was waiting for you. Did you make those biscuits you told me about?"
Gioia shuffled uneasily on her chair.
"I made them… But Boss took the entire box" she confessed.
"What?!" Squalo's pen fell from his hands as he gaped at his sister.
"Sorry, Nii-chan."
"You mean that bastard took all the biscuits? And I don't even get one?!"
"Well, you don't get to try those biscuits but here."
Gently smiling, she put on his desk a little plastic bag containing chocolate biscuits.
"I made lots of those other biscuits but these are only for you!"
Relieved, Squalo opened the bag and savoured the special biscuits. When he finally finished them, he stared fondly at his sister and ruffled her hair.
"Thanks, brat!"
"You're welcome" she grinned.
"But next time, don't let Xanxus steal my share…"
Note:
My beta didn't check this one so sorry if there's any weird wording or grammar mistakes ^^" Also, they call him "Belphegor" because he just arrived and Idk, I felt they wouldn't be calling him Bel yet x)
I hope you enjoyed this! Thanks for the reviews and follows!
Have a nice day and take care, guys! :)
