Fran had been surprised to find his babysitter, Mukuro, waiting for them at the airport, only to hear that he was going to Japan to visit his cousin, Chrome. He had almost been relieved to find out that the man would be accompanying them – while Lussuria, Xanxus and Squalo were all seated together in the same row, Fran had been placed further down the back next to Bel, and he was still upset with the blond; at least now he got to sit next to Mukuro on the plane as well, who had – by luck – been placed with them.
The group was sitting in the departure area together, everyone doing their own thing as they waited for their plane. Xanxus was sleeping while Squalo sat beside him, flipping lazily through a magazine he had picked up. Lussuria was humming to himself as he eye-fucked most of the men around them, and Mukuro was listening to his iPod happily.
Bel, who had never been good with having nothing to do, was sprawled out on the floor as he kept poking Fran's leg, trying to get his attention – and no matter how many times the boy kicked him, the blond wouldn't get the message.
"Froggy…" Bel kept whining pathetically, sounding remarkably like an exhausted toddler who was being ignored by its parent while throwing a temper tantrum. "Froggy, don't be mean~"
Fran was trying his hardest to focus on the book Xanxus had just bought for him, tempted to throw the hardcover in the older male's face as hard as he could.
When the blond's pokes started travelling higher and higher on Fran's body until they were uncomfortably close to his groin, the boy growled as he stood up, moving so that he was sitting next to Xanxus; he knew that if Bel disturbed the man's sleep with his childish antics, the raven would kill him.
"No fair, Froggy…" Bel pouted miserably as he looked at his lap. He wanted to apologise to Fran for what he had done, hating the way the teal-haired boy was ignoring him, but the boy just wouldn't pay any attention to him at all.
"Kufufu…"
Bel glanced up at Mukuro's snigger, seeing the way the younger male smirked at him. "What?"
"And here Lussuria always praised the fact that you were a genius. Kufufu~ I bet you just can't work out for the life of you what you've done wrong."
"And, what, like you know anything about it, peasant?" If Bel were a cat, he would have bristled his fur in anger.
"Lussuria told me – and why am I not surprised you're oblivious to your own huge stuff-up?" Mukuro's heterochromatic eyes shone in amusement.
"Well, if Froggy would just listen to what the prince wants to tell him…" Bel trailed off as he looked back at his lap, his body tensing. "The prince… just wants to say sorry…"
"Of course he won't listen to you, Belphegor." Mukuro rolled his eyes as he looked over at the boy he had often cared for when Fran was younger. "All you're doing is giving him the impression you're trying to annoy him."
"But… the prince has never apologised before…" Bel sighed. "He doesn't… know how else to get Froggy's attention…"
Mukuro, who had taken pity on the blond, called softly for Fran. Teal eyes unglued from the book they were reading as they glanced over to Mukuro.
"What is it?" Fran asked, carefully sliding the bookmark that had come with the book between the pages he was up to. He closed the novel as he stood up to move back to Mukuro's side, not wanting to disturb Xanxus' sleep.
"Belphegor really is stupid, isn't he?" Mukuro sneered at the blond who was now snarling in anger at him. "He's trying to get your attention so he can apologise, but he's too conceited to know how to even say sorry. Please take pity on the poor soul so he may rest in peace."
Fran could see the way Bel gripped his pants tightly as he frowned down at his lap. Part of him felt sorry for the blond, knowing he was feeling guilty enough to try and apologise – something he would never do to anyone else – but the other half of him was still angry at the older male for what he had done.
But he looks so sad… Fran's face remained blank as he sifted through his emotions. He knows he crossed the line, and… it's not like he knew Takeshi was there… He really doesn't deserve being treated so badly – he's only trying his best to be happy, even if it makes others angry with him.
"Stupid-senpai should stop trying to apologise – he really isn't good at it."
Bel knew, in Fran's own strange way, the younger had forgiven him. His usual Cheshire grin returned to his face as he leapt up from where he had been sitting, wrapping his arms tightly around the boy.
"The prince loves his Froggy~" Bel cooed. "He's happy Froggy isn't mad at him anymore."
"Yeah, well, 'Froggy' just didn't want to be seen with a grown man moping like a five-year-old denied candy, senpai."
Mukuro sniggered at these words before he turned his attention back to his iPod, changing his playlist.
Fran just remained still in Bel's arms, too lazy to try and weasel his way out of a grip he knew Bel wouldn't let him out of. He felt uncomfortable beneath strangers' gazes, feeling as if he was being judged once again for his sexuality he had no control over – he didn't hold feelings for Bel; it was the other way around, and sometimes he wished he could be like the blond and just not care about what people thought.
"Senpai, can you get off me?" Fran asked, his voice uncharacteristically quiet for speaking to someone he knew well. "People are getting the wrong impression."
"No, they're not," Bel whispered back, embracing Fran tighter. "You're gay; I'm bi, and I love you, Froggy."
"I don't return your feelings, senpai. You know this."
"You could learn to, Froggy." Bel genuinely smiled at the boy, almost as if he believed Fran would consider his suggestion. However, his smile faltered and turned into a frown at the boy's next words.
"I love… someone else…" Fran said uncertainly.
"…Who…?" Bel sounded fearful as he questioned his love, the words striking a horror in his heart that he may never have the frog to himself. "Is it… It's Mukuro, isn't it?"
The addressed male glanced at them as he heard his name, but he quickly paid them no more attention, not caring for their conversation.
"What? No!" Fran said, louder than he had intended, drawing the attention of several after travellers. "No, senpai!"
"Then… who…?" Bel knew Fran didn't have any other friends apart from the one online, but he couldn't even fathom that it could possibly be a stranger Fran had fallen for. "The prince doesn't… understand…"
Fran knew he was upsetting the blond, but he had been feeling this way for a while now – and though he didn't quite understand his own feelings, he knew he had to be clear and open with Bel, no matter how much it would hurt him.
"I'm sorry, Bel-senpai, but… you don't seem to understand that I can't love you…" Fran rested his head against Bel's chest, wrapping his own arms around the blond. "I know you're lonely since… Since Mammon died, but… I'm sorry… I know you'll be happier if you let go and find someone else who can love you. You wouldn't be happy with me anyway, senpai. I can't give you what you need, and you deserve better."
Bel frowned deeply, feeling as if someone was ripping his heart out from his chest. It had hurt enough knowing that his Froggy loved someone else, and then… Mammon…
"…Froggy…" Bel reached up to rub at his itching eyes, not used to feeling as if he wanted to cry. "The prince doesn't want anyone else; he only wants you, Froggy… Please? Give him a chance…?"
"I can't, senpai."
Mukuro, who had paused his music in order to listen to their conversation, could feel the tension between the two males. Oddly enough, this reminded him of a break-up, where one partner wanted out and yet the other didn't want it.
"Voi, are the babies fighting again?" Squalo looked up from where he had been half asleep, his head resting on Xanxus' shoulder. "If you get us kicked off the flight because you can't get along…"
"They're not fighting, Squalo," Mukuro said softly. "Leave them be."
Squalo understood what the younger man was talking about as he noticed the tears that were slipping down Bel's cheeks. He kept quiet, knowing that Bel's heart had just been broken once more – and he worried that, this time, the other wouldn't be able to take it.
"Who do you love…?" Bel whispered, not wanting to hear the answer.
"…I love –" before Fran could tell the other about his feelings for Takeshi, an announcement over the loudspeakers telling them to board their flight interrupted them.
Taking advantage of the way Bel had frozen, Fran shrugged his way out of Bel's arms to collect his book and bag he had left by his side. He stood in line, wanting to be away from Bel – he didn't want to break the damaged male further by telling him he had been outdone by someone he had never even met before.
Poor Bel… Fran ducked his head as he scuffed at the carpet with his shoe. He's only trying to hold on to Mammon, but he takes it way too far…
Fran had been told the story of Mammon several times, how it had actually been a result of his death that had lead Lussuria and Bel to get into the car the day of the accident.
If Mammon had never died, Lussuria wouldn't have been trying to get Bel to a hospital before his slit wrists bled him dry, and they would never have collided with the car Fran's grandmother had been driving.
Fran wouldn't have lost his grandmother that day, nor would he have been taken to the hospital for the injuries he had received in the accident, and Bel would never have tried to kill himself out of the self-blame for Mammon's death.
But, at the same time, Fran's life may have turned out drastically different than to what it was today. As morbid as it sounded, perhaps that chain of events had been for the better? For him, anyway.
No one could say the same for Bel.
