Crimson

II- Chapter 44: Belíssimo

The following night you prepared for patrol again as the uncertainty of your tasks took their toll. Eleanor had both distanced himself and gotten closer to you simultaneously, Theodore began staying almost exclusively at Jack's (whom you still hadn't met), and Maurice told you something new every time you saw him. You never thought you'd have this much to catch up on being a year late to school, but you were a whole world away.

"We have to make sure the plums are ripe enough for this to work," he had said. "Please- anything you can find before then- and don't tell Eleanor."

Without much of a choice, you walked with the very same second year across the night dorm bridge, not noticing the member missing from your group.

Despite being here last night, the glowing halls and carpeted floors seemed far away. But you thought Roman was a bit closer since your last encounter. Still- you hadn't seen any of the other boys in over a week, and Cadere even longer.

The dorm was all the more daunting with your newfound purpose. Should you explore the many rooms you hadn't come across? Talk to one of the night students? Who?

As you entered the common room you heard your name in a sweet, songlike voice.

Bel was standing alone, his back towards you in the center of the room.

"Oh, hi Bel..." you greeted, prompting him to turn around with a wide grin on his young face.

"It's been so long! I missed you," he chirped. "Sorry, it's just that you took your sweet time getting here."

"What do you mean-" you asked as he pulled you into a quick hug.

"Well I knew you would be here," he said, taking his time letting go.

He must have seen the look on your face because he added, "on patrol of course."

"How is everyone?" You asked.

Belmont shrugged, amused.

"Same as usual," he replied. "Bit tense with Cadere but hey that'll never change. Wanna go outside? There won't be anyone there."

Before you could ask why it mattered if anyone was there he began walking ahead and, Theodore in mind, you followed. Besides, if there was anyone to be concerned about, vampire or not, it wasn't Bel.

And there was much to learn about him. Much indeed.

Together you exited through the kitchen area you'd spent the morning after you confronted the night class, seemingly ages ago. Like Dimitri said, you were a part of this now. You didn't have a choice. And now you were part of whatever Maurice needed you to be; what Theo needed you to be.

The late fall winds were more forgiving than usual at this time of night. You'd been so focused on your time at Jack's in Delwood you'd hardly noticed the changing leaves. Beautiful.

"So what's on your mind?" Bel asked playfully. Not only did he seem younger than his age, he seemed several decades younger than his age. You had a lot of questions for him besides know anything about kitsunes being kept for ransom around here?

"Not much really," you answered earnestly. "This past week has been really busy."

"I thought you were on break," he said.

You told him as you walked that you'd mostly been catching up on schoolwork, which was only partially a lie- the truth was you really needed to be catching up on schoolwork. The every day was quickly becoming something you missed.