It's Complicated

Apparently the elite of New Eridu were on a whole different level when it came to entering Hollows.

Her skin shimmered slightly in the light due to the ether-resistant lotions Rina had asked Belle to apply to her arms and legs while Rina deftly blew her hair dry. Rina somehow managed to tame all of Belle's usual flyaway hairs, styling it in a silky side part held away from her face with a gold clip on each side. Corin came in to help Rina give her a manicure and pedicure before Rina called for a break so Belle could have a small meal delivered.

Then Rina started on her makeup. The cooler color palette Rina decided on transformed Belle's features so that her face still looked youthful but somehow more mature at the same time, toned and contoured in a way that felt intentionally mysterious and alluring without being excessive. Once Belle put on the underwear and sheer stockings provided - again, ether-resistant, Rina explained as she politely turned her back to allow Belle some privacy - Corin nervously applied more lotion to Belle's back and shoulders before securing a corset at her back.

Then Rina began opening the garment bags spread out on Belle's bed. Belle's remaining embarrassment at standing in front of two relative strangers in her underwear vanished as each dress came out of their bags. Dresses of all styles, colors, and lengths. Several of the dresses had so many layers and poofs and sparkly bits that Belle felt her vision start to swim a little. Her eyes bugged out as Rina grabbed the first two dresses, one a vivid red and the other a bright turquoise.

"I am sure we have something that suits you, Lady Belle," Rina remarked as she held them up, one in each hand, positioning each in front of Belle's rigid body. "Ellen did insist that these are most fashionable for a woman of your age and figure, after all."

Belle swallowed hard and shook her head emphatically. She was only beginning to comprehend the actual nature of the commission she'd accepted based on the wardrobe choices. All she could think of at the moment was that one dress had a skirt that looked so tight around the knees she wasn't sure how she would walk, and the other had hardly any skirt at all in the front! Rina hummed, seemingly in agreement and tossed to two aside into Corin's waiting arms.

Rina repeated the process over and over, and Belle recoiled a little more, especially when Rina suggested she at least put one on to see how it fit. Each option presented looked more ridiculous than the last. Sure, Belle recognized a few designs from magazines or televised fashion shows, but those dresses weren't actually meant for people to wear for real, were they? Unless this meeting was actually a costume party, there was no way these could be considered fashionable to rich people in New Eridu. And if they were…well, then rich people were weird.

"Um…Miss Rina?"

Belle jumped slightly at Corin's voice, and Corin immediately began apologizing. Belle watched Rina calm Corin down quickly before prompting her to continue with a gentle pat on the smaller girl's head. Corin glanced quickly between Bell and Rina. Then she motioned behind Rina. Towards the bed and one of the only garment bags left unopened. Unlike the rest in generic grayish bags, this bag looked newer somehow. It was pure black with gold trim.

"I-I just thought…m-maybe… that one? The one Master Lycaon requested?"

Belle nearly cricked her neck looking back over her shoulder at Corin. Lycaon had picked out one of the dresses? For her, specifically?

Rina hummed thoughtfully and seemed to scam Belle over from head to toe. "Ellen seemed to think it would be too old-fashioned, but perhaps you're right, Corin." With a decisive nod, Rina turned and opened the bag. For a moment, all Belle could really see was Rina's back.

Then Rina turned, and Belle gasped and reached out to touch as if on autopilot. The dress was definitely plain in comparison to the others she'd seen so far, but Belle had never seen anything so gorgeous in her short life. The dress was a silky solid black like the bag it came in, but it had a soft aquamarine undertone under the lights in her room. Belle ran her fingers over the fabric in awe. The sleeveless bodice looked to be solid but was accented with a thick lace pattern and cinched at one side, pleating the fabric at the waist diagonally towards the other hip. The skirt portion was smooth against her fingers. It hung loose and flowy and would likely set just above her toes.

Rina thankfully translated Belle's awestruck reaction as approval. "Wonderful! Let's try it on, shall we?" Rina suggested. "Corin, there should be gloves next to the shoebox for this ensemble." Corin meeped and scurried around them to fulfill Rina's command.

Meanwhile Rina unzipped the back of the gown and carefully arranged it at Belle's feet so she could step into it. Belle did so in a daze, not sure if her skin was tingling from nerves or if it was just Rina's close proximity as the woman zipped her up. Rina continued to fiddle with the fit, lifting it here and adjusting the pleat angles there so that every inch of the bodice down to her waist held snug against her body. Corin reappeared with the matching long gloves and shoes as requested, and Rina quickly helped Belle into those as well.

The accessories followed immediately, as though Rina had her choices already prepared based on the finalized dress choice. Thin gold earrings with a single teardrop gem - blue topaz, according to Rina - dangled from each earlobe and landed just at her upper curve of her jawline. A delicate gold chain bracelet and necklace shared the same design as the earrings with slightly larger gemstones hanging from them. The only solid gold piece was the clasp for Belle's upper right ear that would hide the micro-communicator and tracking beacon she needed to stay in contact with Fairy while inside the Hollow. Rina had placed it beneath her hair so, when she wanted to activate it or if she needed to turn it off, she could do so and look like she was just brushing her hair back.

Belle had lost track of time (and reality if she was totally honest,) so she hardly realized Rina had stopped moving around her. Corin clapped excitedly and bounced on her toes while Rina guided Belle around and to the mirror.

Belle sucked in a breath and blinked rapidly several times, because she barely recognized the version of herself staring back at her. She reached to her own cheek, touched it lightly with a gloved finger. She confirmed the solid surface of the mirror with her other hand. Yep, that was really her and not a fairy tale princess body double. Holy crap.

"Oh my, you are a vision, Lady Belle," Rina breathed over Belle's shoulder, sounding nearly as awestruck as Belle felt in that moment. "Sir Lycaon was correct when he insisted your natural beauty would pair most perfectly with simple elegance."

I mean, she definitely loved the finished product if she was totally real about it. Shock and modesty aside, she was gorgeous right now! Sure, Belle had always considered herself attractive enough, and she'd received enough male attention over the years to substantiate that. So Belle knew she wasn't ugly by any means. And now to have Lycaon choose this dress, this perfect perfect outfit because he thought she was -

Wait wait wait wait wait!

Belle choked on her next breath as Rina's statement replayed over again in her head. No way. Not a chance. There's no way she heard that right.

Belle cleared her throat. Swallowed hard. Risked looking at Rina's reaction in the mirror. "Um, Lycaon didn't actually say that, did he?" Rina cocked her head slightly as though she didn't understand the question, so Belle continued. She needed to know if either she'd misunderstood Rina, or if Rina had misinterpreted her boss by mistake. "He didn't actually say the stuff about my beauty and elegance and all that, right? He just kind of…I don't know…politely suggested I'd look better in something more simple because I'm just a regular woman?"

Rina looked horror struck, her hand clasped at her collar. Even more surprising, it appeared Corin had kept the most wits about her compared to everyone else in the room. She surged forward, getting between Rina and Belle, determination etched into her baby face.

"Oh no, Madam Proxy!" Corin cried out, her face slightly flushed. "Master Lycaon was very clear! I-I don't think he really liked m-most of the dresses Miss Ellen picked, and she even kind of…made fun of him a little…when he asked us to bring this one too. Miss Ellen said the dress was way too plain for someone as pretty as you."

Okay, so there was a compliment in there from Ellen, she supposed…

Corin shuffled her feet but seemed committed to finishing. "But Master Lycaon said, 'It is precisely because of her natural beauty that I think simple elegance would suit her best. But perhaps that is just my preference'," Corin quoted almost mechanically. She quickly added, "Oh! But Miss Ellen is right too. You're pretty no matter what!"

Corin looked jittery but proud of herself, and Rina was nodding behind her, apparently corroborating the account. Both waited patiently and appeared curious - really anxious in Corin's case - if they'd fulfilled her request adequately. They had, obviously, and now Belle's stomach felt like a swarm of moths had been released inside her even as she tried to tell herself to stay calm, stay calm, stay freaking calm…

"I, um…yeah…thanks. Thank you," Belle fumbled in response. "It's perfect. It's just that I'm not used to, you know, all this," she tried to explain. "I just need a few minutes?"

Rina immediately smiled. "Of course, dear. Corin and I will pack up and prepare your room if that's alright?" Belle bobbed her head like an idiot before realizing she had a hairstyle to worry about maintaining for the next several hours. Rina bowed primly. "As you wish, Lady Belle."

Belle ignored the renewed activity behind her. Instead she refocused on herself in the mirror. Breathed as deeply as her fitted bodice would allow and released the air from her lungs slowly. Locked eyes with this temporary version of herself. Shoved down all the doubt, the insecurities, and all the nagging ugliness that came from having a strong, one-sided affection for a business partner and close friend. A trusted companion, in Lycaon's words.

Belle felt her determination grow and steady her. It wasn't just Lycaon that depended on her to perform well tonight. Her brother was even more invested. They'd been handed the golden ticket, really. The siblings had made so much progress when they acquired Fairy and then gained access to government-supported hollow information. But lately it was like they'd hit a brick wall again. Despite all their new connections and revamped relationships, the clues they desperately sought to piece together the decade old mystery of what upended their lives and drove their mentor's purpose - not to mention her disappearance - proved elusive. Until now, possibly.

Belle reminded herself that, despite this opportunity, she should manage her own expectations - about a lot of things. Realistically, she had no clue what to expect. Belle huffed and put her own silky gloved hands in front of her face. Okay, so maybe she could make a couple of assumptions, but what did that even mean?

"Lady Belle?" Rina's face appeared behind her in the mirror. "Your room has been prepared. Also, I believe Sir Lycaon has arrived. Are you ready?"

Was she ready? Not quite, actually. Belle rushed over to her nightstand and grabbed two pills from a plain silver case and a small water bottle. She slammed them quickly, careful to keep her back to Rina while minding her lipstick.

One last mirror check. Ok, now she might be ready. Guess she was about to find out.

Belle followed Rina out and considered the stairs as several voices floated up to the landing where she stood. Her shoes had a low platform heel - small mercies - and the length was just high enough that she might not catch the hem and fall on her face if she was careful while climbing down. Rina went ahead and floated down the stairs while Belle turned the corner and took a peek at the floor below.

Wise had closed the store early, but the lobby of Random Play had more people around than usual. She could see Wise relaxed against the sales counter with Eous at his shoulder, the bangboo bouncing up and down excitedly, his little arms flailing in time with his rapid speech. Next to Eous, Belle saw Victoria Housekeeping's companion Butlerboo, much more sedate in his manners than Eous. Bulterboo's eye animation displayed a smile, so he apparently enjoyed the familiar bangboo's company regardless. Directly opposite of them, propped against one of the video display racks with her arms crossed and eyes half open, Ellen was listening to Corin. Belle couldn't help but grin. Corin, despite being so shy and insecure around almost everyone else, bloomed like a flower in Ellen's subdued presence. At the moment, the youngest maid appeared almost as animated as Eous. Rina had immediately headed to the center of the room toward the imposing figure waiting there.

Lycaon's back was slightly turned away from her, so Belle couldn't see his outfit fully but…it didn't look much different than normal, actually, at least from this angle. His vest was now solid black rather than a mixture of black and dark grays. Otherwise though, same crisp white dress shirt (the sleeves were buttoned up for a change and a dress jacket hung from his opposite forearm), same black pants to the knees that tucked into the connection guards on his bionic lower legs, same usual straps and varying other accessories. Lycaon's fluffy tail flicked back and forth behind him while he fiddled with the gold ring plate along his knuckles.

Belle felt a strange weight lift from her mind as she fully took in the familiarity of the scene. Despite her own ridiculous getup, everything else seemed like this was just another job on an ordinary day. Just a routine gathering of people Belle had come to treasure amidst the chaos of her life. With renewed confidence Belle moved to join them, carefully watching the stairs and each foot as it landed.

In her periphery, Belle caught when Lycaon's ears twitched the moment she hit the first step down. His head jerked up for only a second before he spun and bowed as always, using the arm with the jacket slung over it to cross his waistline.

"Madam Proxy, thank you again for your willingness to join me in this endeavor." As Lycaon rose back to his full height, he continued in his typical professional baritone, "It will be my greatest honor to escort you…" And his voice trailed off.

Belle made it down in one piece where she could finally stop paying attention to the floor. She took in the room and the sudden silence that filled it. "Um…"

Whelp, so much for normal.

Wise's mouth was hanging open, and his eyes looked like they might fall out of his head. Corin stood anxiously with her hands clasped at her chin like she was waiting for a grand prize announcement or maybe a prison sentence. Ellen had raised an eyebrow and smirked enough around her lollipop to show off the tips of a few razor sharp teeth. Rina hovered, smiling serenely as always. But her head tipped ever so slightly and her eyes were narrowed and focused on the side of Lycaon's face.

Lycaon's one visible eye was wide and unblinking, his lips were parted slightly, and his entire body stood rigid all the way to his tail that raised high behind him. Belle couldn't even tell if he'd taken another breath yet.

Ellen scanned the room and rolled her eyes, pushing off her lean-on with an exaggerated sigh. "Seriously? Way to make it weird, Boss."

Belle barely had time to appreciate Ellen's intervention (Ellen was getting so many bags of candy once this was over) as the room exploded into loud voices and rushed motion towards her. Belle tried to pay attention to everyone equally, and she got the jist of their sentiments, disbelief and genuine compliments alike. It didn't stop her from looking over everyone's heads a couple times to check on Lycaon's status.

The initial shock, if that's what it had been (forgive her for being hopeful,) appeared to be wearing off, maybe? He stared at the ceiling, and he'd closed his mouth at least. His tail was moving again, a quick flick this way and that as he stretched his neck. She pretended to pay attention to Wise as he said something rude and got quickly admonished by Rina, but she couldn't ignore the way Lycaon's chest rose with a deep breath behind everyone. It was hypnotic in a way, watching the enormous wolf thiren's body return to its usual graceful balance. He pulled the jacket from his arm and slipped it on, buttoning it properly at his waist. Belle realized his typical red modified ascot was gone, and his shirt was secured higher than usual, only allowing the top of his neck mane to show.

Lycaon used one clawed finger to pull at the gold collar button, grimacing ever so slightly. His shirt collar was slightly uneven, and apparently he could tell but was too unfamiliar with abnormal wardrobe combination to fix it himself without a mirror.

Belle made an executive decision to assist, because why not? It's not like she was gonna make the situation any more awkward. So she forced the crowd to part, invaded his personal space while everyone muttered amongst themselves, and moved his hands aside. She heard him inhale sharply. But Lycaon shifted his hands innocently out of the way to hover just above her elbows without actually touching her. Belle smiled despite herself and adjusted him accordingly.

Totally fine for the girl in the friendzone to help him out with an outfit challenge. Just a bro helping out another bro, as Anton would say. Right? Right.

"There," Belle proclaimed once she smoothed her hands over his lapels. Satisfied, she took a step back. "Is that better?"

Lycaon looked a little more relaxed, his gaze soft as he peered down at her. "It is, Madam Proxy, thank you."

Ok, so far so good. "So what's the plan?" Belle asked loud enough to shush the room. "I mean, besides me probably making a total fool of myself around a bunch of snobby corporate bigwigs."

Lycaon looked visibly taken aback by Belle's prediction, but before he could say anything, Wise chimed in.

"Victoria Housekeeping's bangboo already shared their Carrot with Eous, so your route is loading in now," Wise explained. "Also, Nicole's on her way over to monitor me while I'm plugged in. She knows what to do if something goes sideways mid-dive. And we have other precautionary measures ready if we need them."

Translation: Fairy was already analyzing data, infiltrating networks, and running up their power bill again. Thank god Victoria Housekeeping always paid their fee on time, unlike some of their regulars.

Rina floated forward to stand beside Lycaon. "Ellen, Corin and I will remain nearby throughout the evening. Discreetly, of course. Once you enter the venue, the security net will likely disrupt our communications with you. But rest assured, we too have made adequate preparation for this."

"So once we're inside this place," Belle prompted aloud (and on purpose,) "we'll basically be on our own outside of Wise's connection to Eous?"

Rina made some assurances that Belle pretended to pay attention to, because Rina wasn't giving Belle the information she really needed at the moment.

"Negative," Fairy's voice relayed into Belle's ear. "As I am fully integrated with your system, Master, I do not require a connection through an outside network. I will not be affected by standard communication shielding technology."

Belle glanced at Wise and caught the subtle nod. She didn't have the freedom at the moment to inquire about not-so-standard technology, so she'd have to trust the home team to handle any complications that might arise.

Belle returned her full attention back to Rina and smiled appreciatively. "You're right. I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Okay, so everyone's on the same page?" Wise asked the general audience. Everyone but Lycaon verbally agreed. Wise didn't seem to notice. "Great, you guys should head out then."

Belle noticed. She watched Lycaon check his pocket watch and saw the rise and fall of his broad shoulders as he sighed deeply. If Belle didn't know better - but she did, which was even worse - Lycaon looked less than enthused with the news. Still he composed himself quickly, replacing the momentary frown with cool professionalism.

The little bubble of hope Belle had gotten from his initial reaction to seeing her come down the stairs popped as if he'd stuck one of his claws into it.

"Madam Proxy, our transport is waiting in your parking lot," Lycaon said, moving towards their back exit, all business with none of his usual warmth. "Rina, once we have departed, please initiate the appropriate reconnaissance protocols."

"Of course, Sir Lycaon," Rina replied sweetly as she collected Eous and Butlerboo into her arms.

Lycaon, ever the perfect butler, held the door open as everyone filed out. Belle's feet felt like lead as she took the rear of the line and joined everyone in the parking lot. The sun had already set, and the street lights flickered, so she hardly noticed the sleek black car waiting there until Ellen pulled her roughly aside to keep her from walking straight into it.

Belle muttered a quick thanks. She kept telling herself that this was a job, and she had no excuse to feel disappointed. Lycaon was doing exactly what he was supposed to do. He was focused on the task he'd been assigned. No more, no less. Just because he'd been shocked like everyone else at her transformation didn't make it special. It obviously wasn't anything special. She wasn't anything special.

"Hey," Ellen interrupted, forcing Belle's gaze to meet the shark thiren's narrowed red eyes. "You look like someone just killed your cat. Not sexy."

Belle glanced over quickly, noticed Lycaon was distracted placing his Butlerboo in the driver's seat of the car. "Like that matters," Belle muttered petulantly under her breath.

Ellen snorted. "Trust me, it's not you. Boss hates going to these stupid things."

"Why?"

Ellen's eyes flashed and her gaze hardened to almost battle-ready intensity. "Because people that have the kind of power only money can buy, also tend to be real douchebags."

Well damn. Okay. That kind of made sense. Plus it made Belle feel a little better. Ellen did a quick spin, bumping Belle's shoulder lightly. Like a real friend who had just shared a little secret with her. Just in time; Lycaon finished securing Eous into the front passenger seat. He looked like he was about to approach them, but Ellen warded him off with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"I know the drill, Boss. Come on, Corin."

Lycaon didn't admonish the woman as Corin jumped to her side, followed closely by Rina. He simply scowled at Ellen's back before schooling his expression to neutral as he opened the back passenger door and gestured for Belle to get in.


The almost hour-long drive went by in relative silence, only broken once in a while when Lycaon would politely ask if Belle wanted any refreshments or check on her general comfort. Normally Belle would have been nervous, or depressed, or a thousand other things probably, but she distracted herself by replaying the quick pep talk from Ellen in her head instead. Lycaon seemed content to scan the scenery through the windows.

Belle recognized the access road to the Scott Outpost as soon as they turned onto it. She'd been there so many times by now that it was practically muscle memory. However instead of taking the left exit toward the windy little road that led to the outpost itself, their vehicle veered to the right and toward what looked like a massive complex dug into the ground, close enough to the edge of Hollow Zero that the entire landscape glowed in an otherworldly violet hue that sometimes still haunted her nightmares.

The moment they entered the juggernaut of a cavern, everything not under a spotlight (which wasn't much) went pitch black. Stale air blasted through the vents and the pressure rose so fast Belle's eardrums popped. Lycaon quickly instructed his bangboo to activate the internal air system. Belle hardly registered his words though. She could feel the way the elevation dropped as they sped past a new sign every minute that basically said the same thing as the last, the language more forceful and direct each time.

If you don't belong here, turn back now or lethal force will follow. If the guards don't kill you, then the ether contamination will.

"Madam Proxy," Lycaon said, turning the top half of his body in her direction, careful to make sure his long legs didn't bump hers. "I fear the remainder of our journey will not be enjoyable for you. Humans with low ether resistance often suffer some discomfort when entering such a strong hollow."

Belle shrugged. "Yeah, I know. Wise and I keep regular serum and our meds on standby, so I dosed up before we left. I should be fine for at least a few hours."

Lycaon's head jerked forward. "You require medication to enter a Hollow?" He looked genuinely concerned and peered intently into her eyes, which was both confusing and a little nerve wracking. Anyone with any sense who dealt with hollows knew to take precautions. Why would she be any different?

Oh…

"Oooh," she breathed as realization dawned on her. He wasn't staring into her eyes. He was gauging them. "You guessed my ether adaptability based on the color of my eyes."

Lycaon nodded. "I apologize that I made such an assumption, but -"

Now all that ether protection he'd ordered for her made sense. "It's fine," Belle interrupted. "Everyone knows eye color is the easiest way to tell without a genetic test, and that my eyes are even weirder than usual."

"I must disagree, Madam Proxy," Lycaon replied. He continued to study them intently, and Belle felt a little dizzy from the attention. "The color is indeed unique, perhaps even a singular rarity. Your eyes are… stunning."

Belle opened her mouth. Closed it. Felt disbelief and guilt collide behind her ribcage. Lycaon thought her eyes were pretty. He was right that they were rare. He was wrong about why.

It didn't matter, though, right? Just because she felt a certain type of way when he was close like this, his face open and expressive, while she was in a gorgeous fucking dress and with makeup and jewelry, dolled up into something that wasn't even really her. All she wanted to do was be herself with him for a few minutes.

Belle considered her next words. Lycaon had trusted her with one of his secrets recently. It was time to return that favor. Times two, sort of.

"Fairy, Lycaon and I need to go dark for like…five minutes."

"Understood. I will reestablish communications in five minutes. Terminating all transmissions in sixty seconds."

Lycaon looked truly confused for a split second. Then the implications of what Belle had just commanded her AI to do settled over the car like a shadow. Lycaon's expression cooled and hardened like water turning into the ice element he favored in battle. "Rina," he said after a tense moment, "please stand by." Belle couldn't hear the answer he received, but the way he clenched his jaw spoke volumes. "Understood. However I suspect our transmission will be restored without issue shortly."

Belle winced and nodded. He didn't look particularly impressed, not that she could blame him. Early on in their partnership, Lycaon had really only asked for one thing in order to continue their good working relationship: honesty. And now Belle had threatened that by basically just admitting that she'd had the means this whole time to compromise his own security network with a single command.

To his credit, Lycaon appeared to consider his next words carefully while staying mindful of their time limit. He pulled out his watch and balanced it open on his thigh. "You have four minutes and fifty-two seconds left to explain, Madam Proxy. Use them wisely."

"I'm sorry, but we'll have to save the whole Fairy topic for another day," Belle nearly exploded, letting out the breath she'd held without meaning to. She ignored the way he winced, probably because she'd yelled at him. Whoops. She brought down her volume. "Let's just call it…my Mockingbird story. I promise, I'll tell you everything after this is all over if that's what you want. Just not right now. Please, please trust me."

He glanced at his watch. Nodded stiffly. "Agreed. For now."

Understandable. "Right. So my eyes… My eyes are this weird color because I have ocular implants," Belle admitted. "It's not just me, obviously. Wise has them too."

"Ah, you perhaps illegally participated in Jonathan Medical's early crystalline implant clinical trials?" Lycaon reasoned coolly.

"No! No, listen, please, just let me finish," Belle pleaded, grabbing Lycaon's closest hand with both of hers, needing an anchor to combat the adrenaline. He frowned but didn't pull away.

"Wise and I got our implants over fifteen years ago. We were just kids when they made us have the surgery! We didn't even know what they were for until we started our training. They're called Sensory Resonance Lenses, and they're paired specifically to sync with our HDD system and with Eous." Belle felt breathless just talking about this part of her past, but she collected herself.

Lycaon looked deeply unnerved at the revelation. "Why would anyone force human children to undergo such a procedure involuntarily?"

"Because they're the reason we can proxy through Eous in real time instead of just analyzing standard Carrot data. Our teacher and her associates created it to assist in advanced hollow exploration. And as far as I know, Wise and I were the only other two people, besides our teacher, who ever successfully synced with the implants before the Academy was destroyed. But they have a side effect: they make both Wise and me particularly susceptible to a unique type of ether corruption without the proper precautions."

Belle took a deep breath and rocked forward to check the time. Thirty seconds. She ricocheted back again. "And Fairy's a stolen super-AI that we accidentally activated during a commission, and now she's made herself at home in our HDD. So there's that."

The final seconds passed before the telltale beep in her ear went off like an alarm. Lycaon still looked at her technically, but his eyes were unfocused, as if he looked through her without actually seeing her. Then he blinked slowly, as if coming out of hypnosis.

"Master, I have successfully restored communications per your instructions," Fairy declared. "Also, according to my keyword search, your brother was showing signs of distress during your absence."

"Of course I showed signs of distress," Wise's voice snapped in her ear. "Belle, are you ok? What happened? Why did you tell Fairy to cut your comm?"

Crap, she forgot about Wise. "Chill out, I'm fine," Belle replied. What would be a believable excuse? Was there one?

"Belle, seriously, you guys are nearly there, and you decide to just go dark in the last fifteen minutes of the trip? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

There was a perfectly believable excuse, but damn, she didn't want to use it. And the sentiment wouldn't even be a lie.

Screw it.

Belle huffed indignantly. Bye bye self respect. It was fun while it lasted. "Well, excuse me if I didn't want my brother listening in while I spilled my guts to the guy I like."

Nicole squealed in the background. Bingo! Not only was it a nice distraction from the horror of the moment, but it gave her some credibility with Wise. And Lycaon could only hear her end of the conversation, so maybe she could do some damage control later.

Sure enough, Nicole's voice got really close, really fast. "Oh my god! You finally told the hot wolf guy you like him? What'd he say? Was he really smooth about it, or is he one of those tough guys that's actually a big marshmallow on the inside?" She heard her brother mutter something in the background. "Shut up, Wise. No way he rejected her! Right after he complimented her like that? No way!"

Nicole had no idea how much she was helping right now, general humiliation aside. Now the fun part. Time to let Lycaon off the hook.

Damage control started now. "Of course he rejected me, Nicole. He's not an idiot," Belle said as calmly as possible. "And before you say anything else or ask any more questions, I knew what would happen before I opened my big mouth. So it's okay. I didn't tell him because I thought he'd feel the same way. I just -" she glanced nervously at Lycaon's tensed form, the ear that had his own communicator flattened considerably, "- I just wanted him to know that I trust him with something real."

Wise sighed heavily in her ear. "Belle…"

"Don't lecture me about it, Wise," Belle commanded. "I told you, it's okay. We'll be okay. I think."

Wise sounding sympathetic was actually worse than him teasing her. And then there was Lycaon, who didn't look angry, per se. He did look annoyed as hell. Which was totally fair.

Belle was still trying to figure out if there was anything she could say to Lycaon to make up for the inappropriate position she'd put him in - especially in the middle of a commission! The weight of what she'd done started to really sink in.

Did Lycaon even want her with him now? Should she suck it up and offer to stay in the car? Just let Wise take over with Eous so Lycaon could still complete his own requirements for the evening? It's not like she had a pen and paper to jot a quick note that said, "Oh by the way, ignore that last part. I wasn't supposed to tell you my secret, and I just wanted to get my brother off my back. My bad!"

Belle couldn't ignore her own earlier prediction related to her own downfall. She had said it herself, that she would make a fool of herself before the night was over. She'd meant in front of a group of rich corporate players. Nope. Plot twist, she'd alienate one of Phaethon's biggest clients - forget everything else - instead.

It really started to set in, just how completely Belle had managed to screw everything up.

Absolutely nothing could prepare Belle for the sudden "Ellen, that is enough!" that boomed out of Lycaon's throat like a cannon shot, shattering her depressed spiral as well as the silence in the car.

She flattened her back against her door and hugged herself. The only sound she could hear over her own racing heart was Lycaon's breathing in a steady, deep pattern while curling his fist so tightly she felt sure his claws would have cut through his own palms if they weren't covered with his usual tactical gear. Just one more thing she failed to consider while she selfishly word-vomited all over the place. Lycaon wasn't the only one that heard her so-called excuse. His entire staff had heard her through his communicator!

"Oh God," Belle whispered, suddenly feeling nauseous while her eyes began to burn. "I…I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. This is all my fault."

Lycaon's head snapped toward her, and his uncovered eye widened. "No, Madam Proxy," he insisted, reaching out to her tentatively. Lycaon's features relaxed. "I am the one who must apologize. Please forgive my sudden outburst. It was not directed at you, nor was it your fault."

Belle tracked the path of his outstretched hand. She didn't deserve his consolation, but she still couldn't help grabbing onto the comfort he offered. "I'm sorry, Lycaon. I shouldn't have… I-I didn't mean to -"

Lycaon shushed her as he enclosed her gloved hand into the depths of his own. He looked like he was choosing his next words carefully, probably because they still had an audio audience. "I admit your…confession…was surprising," he said diplomatically. Lycaon also didn't specify which specific confession he referred to, but one was as good as the other, she figured. "It has also put me in a somewhat complicated position for this evening."

Okay, so he was being specific. And of course it complicated things for him. Lycaon asked her to assist in this commission for Victoria Housekeeping as a professional proxy. Nowhere in the job description did he request an overly emotional doe-eyed groupie.

"I know, and that's not what I was trying to do," Belle promised, pitching forward as much as her dress would allow without tearing it. "Look, we can pretend I never said anything. Or… or if you're not comfortable with me doing this thing with you tonight, I understand. Wise can still go in Eous, and I can just stay here and -"

"Leaving you in this place unattended is out of the question," Lycaon pronounced. Another long pause. "In fact, I now understand that some version of this conversation was inevitable. Although I admit the current circumstances are less than ideal."

Belle snatched her hand back like he'd burned her. Oh no… Did Lycaon mean that he already knew she'd been crushing on him? Was she that obvious this whole time? Belle let that sink in down to her feet, right along with her pride.

Lycaon stared at her clasped hands in her lap for a moment, looking slightly alarmed with her sudden recoil. Then he cleared his throat. "I also seem to have underestimated how invested my staff would be in this scenario," he growled impatiently, both ears twitching. "But… I cannot begrudge their shared interest in your well-being. So, with your permission, Madam Proxy, I would like to clarify something before we proceed."

Belle took a deep breath. Making his feelings clear to everyone, not just her, felt equal parts unusually cruel and objectively appropriate. But Belle nodded to him to go ahead, because honestly, did she even have the right to tell him not to? She commanded herself to accept her rightful penance. Play stupid games; win stupid prizes. She deserved this. All of it.

Lycaon's communicator ear twitched again, and he visibly grimaced. "It is true that, during the communication blackout, Belle and I agreed to discuss certain topics more fully in the near future." Lycaon shot Belle a furtive glance before gazing somewhat intently at the front seat. "However, it seems that Madam Proxy has mistaken my desire to postpone our conversation as a dismissal. I can assure all of you that it was nothing of the sort. I most certainly have not, to use her words, rejected her."

Belle barely registered the soft, drawn out, "Woah," from Wise and a more distant and triumphant, "I knew it! See? I told you!" from Nicole in her own ear. She was too busy trying to grasp Lycaon's words that were currently bouncing like rubber balls inside her skull.

"But…" Belle struggled through the tightness in her throat, "I… I don't understand."

"I know, and I regret it deeply, Madam Proxy. I assure you, we will talk privately later," Lycaon stressed, his tone final but also strangely warm around the edges, like a real promise. "Unfortunately, we arrived some time ago, so we cannot afford to delay our entrance any longer."

Lycaon was right. The car had stopped.


A/N: I'll probably post the next one or two chapters in a couple days, so you won't have to wait long. Thank you for reading!