And thus the unforgiving cogs of your gradual descent into madness begin to turn. Slowly but surely Dante, I will make sure this is something you will never forget. Perhaps you may even tell it to your children and your children's children...
But of course, that is the only silver lining in this entire ordeal. Who would have thought a simple change in wardrobe would cause so much...friction. I am not used to these kinds of emotional responses.
Well...I suppose it's not exactly fair to call this a simple change in wardrobe. But apart from the aesthetics, this shirt is quite constricting and these pants are rubbing me in all of the wrong ways. How is Dante able to function properly in this dreadful attire? Much less simply sit down comfortably...
As Vergil began to approach the car, Ari and Trish had already gotten inside and seemed to be pulling things from the bags. As a gentle breeze blew across the parking lot, he caught a whiff of the food and realized in that moment how hungry he really was. Approaching the car he opened the door, noticing a quick glance from Trish but Ari's eyes remained fixed in front of her as she separated the contents of the bags.
His gaze lingered on her, wondering what was going through her mind. A strange feeling came over him as he noticed her nibbling on her bottom lip; Something he recognized she did when she was feeling anxious. He closed the car door and snapped on his seat belt before bringing an arm to rest behind them on the top of the seat cushion; She still had not looked up and his concern only continued to grow in intensity.
He suddenly felt guilty. She had no part in any of the deal that had been between him and his brother and yet she was an indirect victim of the consequences. That most certainly was not fair to her and he wished he had not let his pride get the better of him. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to desperately to make it better in any way that he could.
I'm so sorr-
"We eatin' in the car?" Dante's tone was jovial despite the harsh attitude he displayed in the restroom only mere moments ago.
Trish handed him a few napkins and a straw, "Yep. Unless you want to eat in an over-packed restaurant." She jerked her head in the direction of a large party bus that had just pulled into the lot, letting out what seemed like nothing less than 20 people.
"Nah I'm good, car's fine." He grabbed the sandwich she handed him, quickly abandoning it to his lap as he reached for the large cup of tater tots she gave him afterward. He wasted no time shoving a hefty handful of them into his mouth, "Is this mine too?" He pointed to a large cup that sat on the dashboard.
"Yeah." Trish replied before turning to look back at Ari, "Hey do you have the jelly in your bag?"
Ari answered with pulling out a handful of jelly packets and holding them up to her. Trish picked a few and handed them to Dante before grabbing some for herself, "Thanks girlie."
"No problem."
Vergil waited expectantly, anxiously even, for her to direct her attention to him. He needed to reassure her and there was only one way he could do that at the moment. Sure, it wasn't his preferred method, but leaving things as they were currently was not an option. He knew she and him had developed such a closeness over the course of time that they could speak with a mere look.
It was something that intrigued him, given the way he had always had a strict control over what he revealed to others about himself. He had let those walls down the moment he married her but just enough for her to step over into his world, only to raise them back up to continue to keep everyone else out. It had been new territory, but he found that once she was in, they had developed some intimate ways of knowing one another without needing to speak a mumbling word. He was startled out of his thoughts when she reached to give him what he had ordered. Taking it gently, his eyes didn't waver once; He only needed her to look at him for a few seconds...just a few.
"Here's some napkins, and the drink on the left is yours." She pointed to the cups in the holder that separated them before settling into her seat.
"Thanks." He replied lamely, deeply troubled as his thoughts began to accuse him again.
She won't even look at me...
...
The drive had been long but didn't take the amount of time they initially thought it would. What made it long for Vergil in particular was the silence and awkward moments that occurred between he and Ari. He had told Trish to pull over to the side of the road about 15 times just for him to drag Dante out of the car and beat him senseless, letting all of his frustration out with every punch and roundhouse kick he landed.
Well, in his mind anyway...not as satisfying, but it did help a little.
Trish and Ari had blasted various play lists for the entire trip, singing along seemingly without a care in the world. Dante had joined in every once in a while too, that is when he wasn't silently gazing out the window; Vergil was sure that during those moments he too was thinking of their current dilemma. How could he not? A constant reminder was, no doubt, cutting into places that a man just shouldn't be cut. Not that there is any place a man should be cut to begin with of course, but you get the point.
He himself had resolved to gaze at the passing sights as he leaned against the car door, holding a finger to his temple. He had even began to fall asleep after a while but when he suddenly felt them rock over a speed bump, Vergil raised a curious brow as the car turned into a lively looking round-about.
The place was lit up like one of those movie premieres he had seen on television. The neon pink lights on the massive sign contrasted with the dark colored stone of the building and the red carpet that led up to gold-colored doors looked as if it had just been freshly rolled out. The buildings weren't all that wide, but were quite tall; Not quite skyscraper status, but a generous height for hotels on city strip. All of the other buildings on the road seemed to match the overall theme: Flashing lights, valets, expensive looking stone and metal accents and massive, illuminated fountains and palm trees.
What kind of hotel is this...?
This place looks...interesting. And my suspicions of at least part of the purpose of this trip are staring to come into focus. Albeit still hazy, but perhaps that is a result of me just not wanting to believe it. Had this been under normal circumstances, I would be a bit more...no...a lot more...how can I say this...eager to dive in to the festivities. But alas, normal is completely on holiday for the next week...
Hm. It seems Dante is starting to realize something as well, just judging by the look on his face. Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or does it seem like his face just lost color?
This is a living nightmare. Of course, perhaps there is a way for me to survive this and still manage to enjoy myself. I have a shred of hope that I can find a way around this that won't compromise the deal and, most importantly, not further offend Ari. I just need a little more time to think...
But Dante, I do not feel sorry for you in the slightest. If my suspicions are correct, you will be missing out on what your wife is probably planning to be the highlight of the entire trip. When will you learn to simply respect your elders? You could have avoided this altogether. Must you really learn things the hard way?
Ari and Trish stepped out of the car taking in all that the scenery had to offer. Their faces beamed as they immediately headed to the trunk to grab their luggage.
"Dante," Trish threw a duffel over her shoulder, leaning over to catch a glimpse of him in the side mirror, "go grab one of those luggage carts please!"
Dante didn't budge; In fact, he hadn't even unbuckled his seat belt. He blinked a couple of times before looking up at the rear view mirror to stare silently at Vergil who remained motionless in the backseat. Feeling his gaze, Vergil tore his attention from pondering their surroundings to stare back at him.
"We need to move. If we linger any longer, they may get suspicious again." He really wasn't in the mood to talk right now, the time to think of what he needed to do next was of the essence.
Dante remained silent for a few more moments before his voice cut through the silence "Do you realize where we are?"
"This is the hotel Dante." Vergil's condescending tone did not go unnoticed as Dante's eyes hardened.
"I know that DJ." Now it was Vergil's turn to harden his glare. "But don't you know what hotel this is?"
"Enlighten me." Dante didn't have many more times to test his patience like that.
"This is Cabana Lane hotel; Trish mentioned this place to me a couple times before. Never got a chance to actually stay here. Until now apparently." Dante let out a deep breath, visibly deflating, grimacing and shifting in his seat a bit before returning his gaze to Vergil.
"And your point is...?" Vergil motioned for Dante to explain.
Dante looked annoyed, "There's bars, dance floors, and stripper poles in the rooms."
Vergil leaned his head back against the headrest as realization began to hit him. After a few moments of silence, he started to laugh; first slowly, then a little more hysterically.
Dante's hard look suddenly went flaccid and an odd one took its place. He started to feel uncomfortable at his twin's sudden shift in demeanor.
"What's so funny? You do realize what this means right?"
Vergil began to calm himself before staring down his nose at his naive younger sibling, "I want to maim you right now Dante, in the worst possible way. But the only thing stopping me is the presence of those two women back there." He began to laugh again.
Dante was offended. "You know what Vergil, the fact that you think you have cause to be angry at me is completely stupid! Last I checked, you aren't the one wearing this metal dick destroyer while staying in a hotel with a stripper pole in it!"
Vergil immediately ceased his laughter, leaning forward to come face to face with his brother and glaring bloody murder, "You insolent pest, let me remind you for the last time, had you left me alone when I wanted to be left alone these circumstances would not even exist. Are you forgetting that I am being forced to be a complete poser? Not to mention the fact that these accursed pants i'm wearing are squeezing the life out of my testicles!"
Dante's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed dangerously, "Well I guess that'll make two sets that won't get any play then, huh?"
It was in that moment that Vergil began to wonder if perhaps Dante had actually put more thought into his punishment when he voiced it that day. Vergil's fury began to boil over at the thought of Dante intentionally choosing a condition that would directly affect he and his wife's intimacy. In fact, now that he thought about it, why didn't he just tell him to simply dress in a certain style and take on a certain personality? Why did he specifically tell him he would have to act like him?
Vergil began to question everything now and with every question came an even greater urge to simply beat him down with no remorse. His leg twitched.
"Was that your plan all along?" Vergil asked in a slow, dangerous tone as he discreetly flexed his fingers.
"So what if it was? It's obvious that was your intention towards me. Besides, you'd better be glad you get to be a mini-me of one of the smoothest guys alive. I'm sure you'll still get play while i'm suffering. Maybe even more."
That was no compliment, it was direct provocation and Vergil confirmed his suspicions of Dante's intentions as he watched a smug grin appear on his brother's face.
Vergil's upper lip hitched slightly, "She won't even look at me while I'm dressed like this. You see, my Ari knows her husband. I'm sure you saw that disgusted look she gave me when I walked down stairs this morning. I suggest you watch your mouth, or you'll be playing 32 pick-up..."
"I'd love to see you try that. " Dante's grin shifted into a snarl.
"Test me again, and you will. Witnesses or not."
"We'll see."
"Yeah, you will."
"Dante! What are you guys doing? We need to get a cart so we can check in." Trish had opened the driver's side door and poked her head in, giving them both a strange look.
"We'll be right there, we were just...talking about the surprise we planned. Don't wanna spoil it y'know." Dante smirked.
"Okay, well you guys can finish that once we're settled in. We're holding up the line and I still gotta go park."
"Alright, we're right behind you."
Trish closed the door and disappeared to the back of the car again. Once she was gone Dante sighed, shaking his head slightly. He returned his attention to Vergil, who only glared. The tension that lingered was ridiculously thick and as they silently challenged each other, it was obvious that the war was far from over. Vergil had a sneaking suspicion that Dante had something else up his sleeve, but he didn't care; He had some things up his sleeve as well. The first step had already been set into motion and part two was not far behind...
"Well, we better get going." Dante began to unbuckle himself and stopped to look at Vergil when he didn't see him doing the same. He had a look of confusion marring his features for a few moments before it turned into a more understanding expression, "Look Verge as much as we both are suffering, we gotta at least try to get through this without incident. Fighting won't get us anywhere except exposed and if that happens they'll probably have both our heads."
Without incident? Sure. I doubt that's truly your goal. "It's not that."
Dante raised a brow and looked at Vergil strangely, "What is it then?"
Vergil looked slightly uncomfortable for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "These pants ripped when I sat down after that last restroom break..."
There were a few beats of silence before Dante burst into laughter, tears appearing in the corners of his eyes. Vergil could feel his face getting warm as Dante continued, whether from anger or embarrassment was up for debate. He felt a bit more at ease when Dante began to calm down though.
"Can't help ya. I'd offer my jacket to tie around, but it's in my duffel. Just grab some luggage and hold it behind you or somethin'." Dante wiped the tears from his eyes, "At least you don't have a contraption bulging through your pants. I caught someone looking weirdly at my crotch when we stopped at that last gas station, it was just awkward."
Vergil scoffed, half-holding back a smile and shaking his head. He began to unbuckle his seat belt; it was time to get on with whatever was going to unfold. Delaying it any further, would not make it go away in the slightest. One goal he was sure they they had in common though, was to survive the weekend without facing the wrath of a certain couple of women. That was truly their biggest threat and in the grand scheme of things their rivalry paled in comparison.
...
Dante rolled the cart behind the group as they stepped through the doors of the lavish hotel. The black tile floors shined like Onyx. The soft lighting set a certain mood that was wild and cozy all at the same time. The heavy drapes were a deep purple, pleasantly matching the various, centerpieces that sat atop strategically placed end tables. The lobby area was bustling with some people socializing near a large television screen that hung on the wall and others who hooped and hollered at a bar directly across from it. A few people even lounged on the various couches placed throughout the area, scrolling away on their smart phones.
Vergil noticed a man who looked like a bouncer standing near a curtained doorway as a patron was given permission to enter. He could briefly see lights strobing in the mysterious room before the curtain dropped to obscure his vision once again. A very unorthodox sight for a hotel, but if this place was indeed the way that Dante described it, he was sure that would not be the only strange thing he'd see this weekend.
Walking towards the counter, Dante parked the cart as they waited behind the person being checked in at that moment. Vergil had taken Dante's advice to carry a piece of luggage behind him to hide the rip that would undoubtedly display his briefs to the general public, so he maintained his position without shifting around too much as Trish and Ari chatted away about the sights.
He predicted that the true challenge would begin once they got to their rooms. It would be the first time Ari and Vergil would be alone together since the start of this trip and he wondered what she would say to him first. Not only that, but what of his charade? He had to honor it, but the potential risks involved were what concerned him most. This was the first time in quite a while they had all gotten out of their city for a vacation and what he and Dante had going on, threatened to completely ruin it. Not just for them, but for their unsuspecting wives who had nothing to do with any of it as well. On the outside Vergil seemed composed, but on the inside he was falling apart.
How will this play out?
He could only hope that he could come up with something that would alleviate at least his dilemma, even if for only a fraction of a bit. The idea of spoiling this outing for Ari made him feel ill. He glanced over at where she stood; She had been so stand-offish it was driving him mad, but could he blame her? No, absolutely not.
"Yo DJ!"
Vergil wanted to cringe. He hated that name, he really did, "What?"
"I was thinkin', before we head up to our rooms maybe we can check out that one thing we were talking about earlier." Dante gave him a look.
He had no idea what Dante was referring to, but perhaps this was his way of stalling. Or maybe he had come up with some kind of explanation that would deter any further suspicion as to what was really going on. Of course, there was always the prospect that it was something completely off the wall and would be of no help except to add fuel to the fire. He couldn't know for sure which it was, but at this point almost anything was worth considering.
"Sure bro, no prob." It was beginning to frighten Vergil how well he was playing this part.
"Okay, here's your key Mr. Ban. Your room number is 91. Just head right down there and take the elevator to the fifth floor." The clerk handed the man a key and pointed to her left. The man thanked her before walking past Dante and Vergil, smiling and giving them a slight nod while pushing a cart piled with luggage.
"Looks like he's gonna have a good time." Dante said lowly.
Vergil scoffed.
Ari and Trish walked up to the counter to get checked in as Dante and Vergil waited anxiously. More patrons began to walk in to wait their turn in line while others began to sit down in the lobby; It seemed people from all walks of life visited this place. He even saw a police officer come in and join the groups of people who had been watching a football game on the television. Vergil noticed Dante's foot tapping, something he did when he was feeling an adrenaline rush. He couldn't blame him though as he watched the clerk hand the women each a key.
"Alright, let's get this party started!" Trish exclaimed waving her key card in the air as she did a little dance.
Ari slid her key card into her bra as she did a little dance of her own, glancing up at Vergil with a small smile. He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he watched her before giving her a smile of his own. He was glad to finally get some kind of attention from her that was in his favor, even if it was brief.
"Okay, we can stop by and drop off you guy's luggage first and then we'll take the cart with our stuff to our room afterward." Trish planned as she walked toward the elevators.
"Sounds good. "Ari followed suit.
Dante and Vergil exchanged looks before following after them. As they walked away, the police officer who had been watching the TV, had stopped to watched them until they disappeared behind the elevator doors.