Belle

Belle sat soaking in the tub for a long time, the nearly scalding water scouring away the Hollow, the dream of numbers, Scott Outpost… but it wasn't doing anything for Belle's growing anxiety over her recent fight with her brother. After the fourth replay of it in her own mind, she arrived at an unpleasant and stark truth:

That- that fight had kinda been all her fault.

Yes, Wise came up the stairs angry. But he'd just spent a day worried to death about her, which Belle knew for a fact to be the case, despite all her private angst about Wise's attention towards Nicole. She knew her brother cared for her- even if he was interested in someone else at the moment.

And was it not only natural for Wise to be interested in someone that wasn't Belle herself? It would be really weird if he wasn't, in fact. But maybe all this time of caring for him, trying to be what Mother used to be, maybe Belle herself was the one being a bit weird about all this. Was she, Belle, jealous of Nicole for all the attention Wise showered upon that busty woman?

Maybe. Probably. Yeah.

Belle sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time, her breath stirring up tiny tidal waves on the surface of the bath water.

Anyway- Wise had been angry as he'd come up the stairs. Probably because he had, in the last few moments before their spat, spoken with Lycaon and learned that Belle had gotten herself into quite a bit of trouble. Which was true, if Belle was honest about it.

And from that trouble: the surprise news that a total stranger was going to live with them in their home.

Surprise!

Who wouldn't be mad about that? Belle really shouldn't have tried to put off talking to Wise by two minutes, much less two hours. She hadn't been thinking straight.

And Belle had been angry, too. Angry at herself. Angry at Qingyi. Angry that everything had gone to shit. And she'd thrown it right into Wise's face- and with the door closed between them, they didn't have to look at each other while they said really mean things. It was a lot easier to say terrible things when you didn't have to look the person in the eyes at the same time. And well, actually: mainly Belle said really mean things and Wise took it to the face, only striking back in a petty way at the end- but Belle had already been at the petty stage way before him.

And! On top of it all! Wise and Fairy had pointedly told her not to go to that Hollow. But she'd gone anyway. So there was still an unspoken element of 'I Told You So' that Belle deserved to receive. Right to the face. Like her slap.

Belle put both hands to her forehead and rubbed them in dismay. And she'd slapped Wise! She hadn't hit him since what… she was eight? She really was all out of sorts today. She'd made a damn mess of everything.

What a terrible day.

She sighed again, her fingers digging into her forehead as she tried to rub reality from her brain. But it was no use. She'd just have to work to fix it. And that meant she needed to apologize to Wise. Immediately.

She stood from the hot water. Toweled herself off. Dressed. Left the bathroom and knocked on Wise's door.

Wise didn't answer. Fair enough. Belle knocked again.

"Wise?" said Belle. "I'm sorry. I was stupid mean."

There was silence for a moment. Then she heard the tell-tale sigh of her brother getting to his feet. He always grunted around like the old men in the movies they watched together.

Wise opened the door. He looked really tired. Anger made him tired. That was the kind of person he was.

"I said stupid things. I did stupid things," said Belle, distilling her apology into the pure nectar of their childhood language with each other. "I'm sorry."

Wise blinked slowly. He sighed. "Yeah, well- I got angry, too, and stupid is infectious. Wanna come in?"

Belle nodded and Wise made way for her. He went back and sat down against the edge of his bed, crossing his arms with defensive body language. Belle closed the door behind her and sat on the carpet in front of her brother- this arrangement between them was as old as their existence on the planet.

They sat and looked at each other for a while.

"You were right," said Belle. "I shouldn't have gone to that Hollow alone."

Wise took a deep breath. "No, you shouldn't have. But I shouldn't have ignored your passion for it. I think you're right, too. I've gotten distracted. I'm so caught up in the daily goals that I've forgotten the reason we are doing any of this stuff. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry already," said Belle.

A brief silence.

"You hit me," said Wise.

Belle took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry."

"Yeah," said Wise, averting his gaze. But the tone was one of assent.

Belle saw an opportunity to lighten the mood. "Did it hurt really bad?"

Wise looked at her again, slightly indignantly. "Heck no. You've always had wimpy slaps. I barely felt it."

Belle kept her face neutral. She had really hit him hard. It had hurt. She knew it did. But allowing him his bravery was an important part of this process.

The fall back into old patterns made them both feel better. The ice melted. They were siblings again.

"Can I ask a weird question and you won't get mad? Or more mad?" said Belle.

"Yeah, fine," said Wise, laying his head back on his bed.

"What was that pantie comment about?"

Wise winced, his hand going to his forehead. "I dunno. It just popped in my head. Lycaon said something about being attached to you, and he has a.. you know.. a snout… snout, smelling, and you implied multiple times I wanted to sleep with Nicole so it was kinda on my mind. I dunno. I was a bit surprised I said it, too. It was dumb."

Belle was quiet a bit. That didn't really make sense logically. But she'd been angry enough times herself to know that one did just pull in random things sometimes and throw them at the other person. Dumb things. Hurtful things.

"Another weird question I can ask safely?," said Belle again. "A sister question."

Wise raised his head and gave her a bored look but he had an amused smirk on too. "What, Belle?"

"Do you want to sleep with Nicole? Why would thinking of her bring panties to your mind?"

Wise gave her a somewhat incredulous look.

"Have you seen her? I'm a man, aren't I?" said Wise with a sheepish grin.

That was obviously a joke answer, but Belle stayed in character and frowned thoughtfully at her brother. "That's debatable."

"Hey! You don't always have to be so mean!" Wise tossed a pillow at Belle and she allowed it to hit her in the face.

"But seriously. Why, Wise? Is it just because she's hot?"

"No," sighed Wise. "Belle, do you know why she is always short on money? She buys things for orphans. She feeds the homeless. She drops dennies everywhere to the needy. And she's super clever about schemes and other activities to make up the difference."

"Really?" said Belle, surprised to hear that. Nicole always struck her as a total freeloader who was flashing her cleavage at Wise for discounts- and a lot of the hurtful things she'd just recently accused Wise of was because Belle thought he was being a huge sucker about it all.

"Yeah. I get it," said Wise, seeming to anticipate her thoughts. "Nicole looks like a busty dits that's scamming us, but I tell you now: most of it is an act. I've been hanging out with her and seeing how she operates. She only shows most people her masks, but there is a beautiful person underneath. She's good people. Why do you think someone like Anby is so loyal to her?"

Belle thought that was a pretty good point.

Wise continued: "And she's absurdly hot."

Belle glared at Wise in a half-serious way. "You're gross. Men are gross."

"So I'm a man again?"

"No!" said Belle, realizing she'd trapped herself. "You're gross just because."

"Oh, I see," said Wise.

Vrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Belle and Wise looked at each other with questioning expressions. What the hell was that noise? They both stood and left Wise's room and immediately realized the noise was coming from Belle's room. Belle opened the door. Outside her bedroom windows, four workmen were standing about using some sort of heavy equipment on the side of the Random Play building- and behind them was a very worried looking Enzo, their neighbor who owned said balcony.

"What's going on?" said Wise. "Are they drilling into the wall of the building?"

Belle had a pretty good idea.

"Lycaon!"

Lycaon

Of all the many lethal and non-lethal gadgets and items hidden away in Lycaon's clothing and boots, his favorite and most used item was inevitably a small package of high-quality polishing cloths. One would be surprised at how often a member of Victoria Housekeeping will find themselves temporarily idle for but a few moments and have time to kill in some useful way. Lycaon began to polish the metal bits of the door, the counter, and anything else in the lobby, quickly bringing them up to a nice shine.

When his ears caught the sound of the stone drill whirl up and then footsteps coming down the stairs, it was obvious that the Victoria Groundskeepers had arrived and were at their task; and that the siblings were moving in tandem again. Their reconciliation had been swift, which boded well for the harmony of the household. In more optimistic mood, he straightened to dignified posture as Lady Belle and Lord Wise came down the stairs towards him.

"Lycaon!" said Lady Belle. "There are men drilling into the walls outside my bedroom. I assume this has something to do with you?"

Lycaon nodded formally. "Indeed, Lady Belle. Those windows are an unacceptable risk to your safety. At the permission of Lord Wise, we of Victoria Housekeeping and Groundskeeping are mitigating that risk. Fear not, when the danger to your life is past, we shall return your walls and windows to their previous state."

Belle looked at Wise with raised eyebrows. "At the permission of Lord Wise?"

Wise looked sheepish again. "When I was in a rush to talk to you earlier… I might have hastily agreed to something, yeah."

Belle sighed but didn't seem angry. She looked back up at Lycaon. "And what dangers are you worried about, Lycaon?"

"Shooters, mainly. But infiltration through the window is also a possibility. The steel plates our team will install will prevent both contingencies."

"I see..," said Belle, seeming thoughtful.

"Lord Wise," said Lycaon. "Your windows are less a risk for infiltration due to their position on the second story without a balcony, but you should be cautious of shooters, as well. Keep your blinds down and the windows locked at all times, for your safety and that of Lady Belle. I will install traps on the outside tomorrow."

"Traps!" exclaimed Wise.

"Indeed. All effective security plans involve booby traps of both lethal and nonlethal varieties. As free-standing second floor windows are not reachable by innocents, we can be sure anyone attempting them to be a hostile actor, and thus, they will encounter our lethal devices."

"Is that legal?" asked Belle, who after a moment added. "Though I suppose I'm not one to be concerned about that sort of thing…"

"You have every right to be concerned about the devices being installed on your property, Lady Belle," said Lycaon smoothly. "And yes, Victoria Housekeeping has special permit and license to install such devices in specific places and situations. Our organization's close work with many high officials have made many in power appreciative and trusting of our particular brand of expertise."

"I bet.." said Wise, uneasily, his eyes roving over Lycaon again. Lycaon had a distinct sense of being re-evaluated by the young man. Well, there was no harm in that. Things tended to smooth over as one got to know the clients on a professionally personal level.

"What kind of lethal devices?" said Wise, his voice genuinely curious.

"If it would please you, Lord Wise, you may observe my installation of them and I will inform you of their function and operation."

"Yeah, okay," said Wise, giving Lycaon his first genuine smile, in Lycaon's estimation.

"I'd like that," said Wise.

"It will be as you wish, then, tomorrow," said Lycaon, pleased to have broken the ice with Belle's brother a little. "For now, if you are willing, I wish to speak of other actions that we would like to take."

"There's more?" said Belle, her face growing in concern.

"Yes, I fear so, Lady Belle," said Lycaon gravely. "This structure makes for a fine video store. One of the best in the city, I am sure. But it was not designed with security in mind. And there are critical flaws that we must address."

Belle and Wise both sighed in unison.

"What else?" said Belle.

"Miss Ellen Joe, one of our maids, is having a canopy installed over the entire parking lot. I trust you will find the shade and protection from rain useful, while it will also cut off dangerous sight lines for potential shooters. I will be installing unobtrusive sensors on your front door, so if anyone enters the store with weaponry or lethal devices, we will know immediately."

"Unobtrusive?" said Belle. "Our customers won't notice them?"

"They are very discrete sensors," said Lycaon confidently. "A customer would only spot them if they were specifically looking."

"All right, that's not so bad," said Belle.

Lycaon continued, lifting an arm to point at the front door. "We shall put up a curtain over the front window. Something stylish, I assure you. And I would like to install an escape route for your staff room. A hidden passage, if you will. Though that is not something we need to do right away."

"Install an escape route?" said Wise. "How would you do that?"

"Those details are not my area of expertise, Lord Wise, but I suspect our Groundskeepers will need to burrow through one of the walls and replace it with some sort of passage. But they are very good at their jobs, you need not fear for the structural integrity of the building."

"Well," said Belle with minor exasperation. "That's a relief."

"Indeed," said Lycaon, tactfully pretending he didn't hear the client's mild distress. If there was any area where Victoria Housekeeping would not fully cater to the client's desires and whims, it was the client's own safety. There were elegant ways to ignore, evade, or force the matter to the client's best interest.

"May I see the upstairs?" said Lycaon. "I would like to review it. Also, I believe my things were delivered here earlier today?"

"Oh," said Wise. "Those boxes were all your stuff? I thought Belle had ordered a bunch of things off the net."

"Yes, after my reassignment to Lady Belle, my coworkers kindly brought many of my necessary items, both personal and professional- May I lead the way?" said Lycaon.

"By all means, Von Lycaon," said Belle with a sigh. "Oh, Wise- would you go out and tell Enzo what is going on. The workmen are on his balcony."

"Sure," said Wise and he headed for the door. He was not Lycaon's principal so Lycaon did not feel obligated to escort him, and besides, Rina was on watch out there.

Lycaon turned to Belle and bowed slightly, extending an arm. "Shall I lead, Lady Belle?"

Belle nodded.

"I'm afraid some sort of gate or doorway will need to be installed on these stairs, Lady Belle," said Lycaon as he moved up the steps with Belle in his wake. "The general public should not have free access to the residency areas upstairs."

Lycaon turned to look at Belle who had a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I don't hate that idea…," said Belle. "I've actually wanted to do that for some time."

"Excellent," said Lycaon. "Then we remain in agreement. Let us proceed."

Lycaon arrived at the second floor and immediately walked towards the ladder and hatch to the roof. This must be one of the skylights that Rina mentioned, but it was actually a passage. Lycaon put a hand to his ear communicator.

"Rina, the rear skylight appears to be a passage."

Rina's voice came back. "Yes, I noticed that. The groundskeepers intend to simply lay steel over the top without securing it to the structure. I presumed you would prefer that."

Lycaon did want the hatch usable as an escape, but that always created an obvious point of infiltration, too. He looked briefly at Belle's arms and evaluated her upper-body strength as somewhat inadequate for lifting a plate of steel off a roof hatch.

"Yes, but please request a light material. I want it to be something the client could lift if I am occupied or incapacitated."

"Yes, sir," said Rina.

Lycaon returned his full attention to the roof hatch. "We will cover this with something that you will be able to lift off at need, Lady Belle. I will secure this hatch from the inside with various devices that will only activate from inward movement but remain inert for exit."

"All right," said Belle, seemingly accepting at the moment.

Lycaon turned from the roof ladder and was relieved to find the top floor to be secure. It was three doorways, one was a closet of a bath, and two were the bedrooms. His stuff was piled in the corner. Five large crates and bags of various sizes.

He turned to Belle. "May I enter your bedroom, Lady Belle?"

Belle

Belle watched as Lycaon's looming and imposing frame turned towards her, his crimson eye looking down at her calmly.

"May I enter your bedroom, Lady Belle?" he said, his voice smooth and polite.

"M- my bedroom!" said Belle, her cheeks reddening immediately for some reason. Her heart had thumped a little at that request, though it was perfectly reasonable for her bodyguard to want to see her room. What was going on with her? Perhaps she was still on edge regarding everything that had happened today.

"Yes, Lady Belle," said Lycaon. "Not only for a security assessment, but also for a service assessment."

"Service assessment?"

"Yes, I am not just your bodyguard. I am your butler. It will be my pleasure to serve you in various ways-

((Belle's heart thumped again. Stop that!))

"-not least of which being the traditional elements of housekeeping: laundry, cleaning, and cooking. Though I note your residency lacks a kitchen unit, so rather than cooking, I will see to the delivery of the meals you desire."

"I- I see," said Belle, who had not even thought of Lycaon as anything other than a bodyguard at this point. Her butler? Her laundry? Her cleaning? Really?

Somewhat in a cognitive daze, Belle opened the door to her bedroom and ushered Lycaon inside with a gesture of her arm. He nodded primly and entered past her. Belle followed, and an iron ball immediately hit the bottom of her gut. Her room was a damn mess!

Old fast food boxes littered the desk spaces. Her bed was unmade. And most embarrassing of all: two day's worth of dirty laundry was scattered on the floor- including the panties- inside out.

Wise's nonsensical jibe about Lycaon sniffing her panties had just become an alarmingly unexpected reality due to her own oversight. Belle scurried into the room, darted around Lycaon who halted his forward motion with a jerking motion, and she scooped up her laundry before him. Not that it mattered. He'd surely already seen it all. And Wise's words haunted her again: Lycaon had probably literally already smelled it all with that snout of his. Damn!

Whether through literal disinterest or tactful disinterest, Lycaon pointedly avoided watching Belle's frantic efforts and looked about the room. There were only the two windows, one of which was already blocked off with a steel plate. The other was filled with the legs of workmen, and beyond them, Wise stood next to a bald bearded man with a robot arm who was smoking a pipe. They seemed to be watching the Victoria Groundskeepers install the plates with idle curiosity.

"You need not be embarrassed, Lady Belle," said Lycaon gently. "I assure you, I have spent a great deal of time with the laundry of all sorts of clients of both genders. There is nothing that is not routine in my eyes."

Belle, her cheeks on fire with embarrassment, did not find much personal comfort in those words. She couldn't stop worrying about what Lycaon might or might not be able to smell in here. Damn, Wise! Making her self conscious about this!

Lycaon sniffed audibly. Belle's heart leapt into her throat, hearing the audible confirmation of all her current paranoia.

But Lycaon said: "Lady Belle, what is that floral scent? I noticed it this morning in the Hollow. It follows you, but I don't know the bloom."

"F- floral scent?" said Belle, her mind racing. Did he mean her lotion? Or her shampoo. Belle thought they'd come in a sort of gift set together.

Belle finished stuffing her dirty laundry into the hamper in her closet and then moved to her dresser and plucked off the lotion bottle to read it. She was unsure of it herself. She had not paid it close attention before now.

"Plumeria," said Belle.

"Ah!" said Lycaon, appreciatively. "Plumeria. I don't think I have ever seen the plant itself. I should find a botanical garden that features them. And if I may say, it is an excellent selection for yourself."

Belle found that to be a curious statement. "What do you mean? What about it?"

Lycaon turned to look at her with his single eye. "Well. If you will allow me an analogy: you are aware that there is a proper way to pair wines with certain foods- a service I will be happy to now provide you, I might add."

"Yes, I am aware of that."

"Floral scents are the same way, though- it seems not everyone has the olfactory capacity to sense it… but certain flowers go with certain other scents, much like wines to flavors. And you, Lady Belle, match perfectly with that plumeria. It is delightful, I assure you. It is well chosen."

Belle felt her heart again leap into her throat. Lycaon thought she smelled delightful. She didn't quite know how to process that information.

"T- thanks, Lycaon…"

"But of course," said Lycaon, seemingly oblivious to her mild confusion. "Now, I need to retrieve some electronics from my effects. If you would be so kind as to remain upstairs with me until I finish? We must be in the habit of proximity with one another, Lady Belle, in unsecured locations. For now, this residence is unsecured. But in a few short hours, it will be safe for you to move around independently when the storefront is closed."

"O- okay," said Belle, a bit overwhelmed. An unexpected compliment of the way her scent combined with a certain flower transitioning into a matter-of-fact statement about fresh limitations on her independence and personal freedom. It was a lot to process all at once.

Lycaon left her bedroom and began rummaging in his pile of things. Belle stared at his back, her mind a bit overloaded with all the changes of the day. If this was her new life? How long before everything went back to normal?