[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋.

she looked at him, really looked at him. willing to see the same sort of familiarity that she used to see in him, or the carefree way they used to behave around each other; it seemed as though those times were long passed. the looming presence of her brother now stood vigil behind every interaction, like a phantom that was invisible to the naked eye. ariel tried not to be too disappointed, for one should not miss something one has never had. “i’m glad lola wasn’t seriously injured,” her eyes supplied that she was even more glad he wasn’t terribly injured, even if her words did not. she nearly reached out her hand to comfort him, but stopped herself just in time. “nor anyone, i suppose. the program would look more like a convalescent home than anything.” she shot him a wry smile. “although i’m glad we’re in a big city like tokyo, there’s a lot of … diversions here.”  

“ me too, belle was the real worry though. ” he wondered if biel had even mentioned her condition, how close they were to losing her, before reminding himself that while the portuguese prince could be callous at times, he wasn’t entirely heartless, and he did care about his cousin. “ everyone’s still pretty banged up though, there’s still so many casts and bandages walking around the building. some people got out easier than they deserved. ” selfishly he almost wished the french king had taken a knock to the head, forgotten all about his wish to take belgium for himself, and left them alone. it was a silly wish though, a fantasy he’d never share. “ yeah heaps to do. and yet you’re where i’d predict you to be, ” a small smile slipped onto his lips, the first glimpse of familiarity he’d granted her since the wedding. “ what book are you searching for ? ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀.

“And the most protective.” A moment didn’t go by without her having at least one pair of eyes on her after all. “How’s the cut on your, uhm- it’s on your back, right? And unfortunately, that’s true. This is one thing I wish I didn’t set the standard for.” At the mention of Biel’s name, she stayed silent for a while. “Not since I arrived and I doubt that will change. He probably with Margot by now.”

“ we’ve always been that way, though i have to say i’m shocked your brother hasn’t made an appearance, or your parents. ” he didn’t know how he’d react if his aunt and uncle showed their faces, the last time he’d seen either of them was at the funeral. “ on my back, ” he confirmed. “ it’s better, stitches will be out soon. lucky thing i’m a stomach sleeper. ” beau tried to hide how her statement utterly perplexed him, but his head had tilted and his brow quirked, if she was paying any attention at all she’d have seen how confused he was. “ margot’s in scotland or something. she didn’t... she’s not in tokyo belle. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀.

“ beau,  of course we’re close.  i trust you more than anyone in the world and you’re my best friend and you’re my brother.  but i don’t mean family in how close we are, but i mean the general picture…  seeing you guys as a complete family when we were younger and how you had that to go home to, — but for me, it was just my mom and i.  and belle knows what it feels like to be outsiders to the family. ”  she didn’t mean for her words to catch beau off guard,  she would never say anything with intent to hurt him.  “ and — i said belle is the closest person i have to a sister — you’re the closest person to me in general. ”  she smiles,  glancing as she playfully nudges him.  “ you don’t think she heard that,  right?  don’t want you two fighting over me. ”  she jokes,  resting her head on his shoulder.  “ oh relax,  nothing dramatic is going to happen to me. ”

he merely nodded at what she said, what could he say to it ? he didn’t understand what it was like to be in araya’s position, nor belle’s, on the outside looking in. he couldn’t help but mentally note that belle was an outsider in their family not by any fault of her own but because of her father’s pettiness, but he’d never say it out loud, not with her lying prone just centimeters away. “ rightfully so ! belle only got the fun araya growing up, i went through every phase with you, i’ve earnt my spot ! ” she earnt hers with him too, she was still the number one person he turned to when he had anything to spill. “ nah, she’s out cold. i think she’s just faking sleep, doesn’t want the louise lecture that’s coming because she got herself hurt. ” he rested his head on top of hers, wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “ if you drop dead i’m not crying at your funeral, and you better leave all the good stuff to me in your will. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐆𝐀𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋.

with the lift of his main worrying fade in distance, he sighed in relieved and for a second there, gabriel almost left his friend leave, and closed the door on his back ─ but he took the second less dramatic road and ripped the band-aid off. “alright, c’mon - “ he says, leaving the door open as he limps back inside. “i will give you three options.” gabriel adds looking back for a second, but not checking to see if he was talking to himself or if his best friend has decided to join. instead, he just carried. “i have a bottle of a very expensive and exclusive wine ariel gave to me on my last birthday and i haven’t opened yet. i believe it made its way over here and i will give you two options. first one, you can take the bottle and smash on my head. two, i can open it and we can drink it while playing nando’s new video game. i truly hope you take the second one because ari spent a lot of money on that bottle, it’s very hard to find.” maybe guilt would help with his point, not that he is in any position to ask anything. “but more importantly, it can give me the chance to say i’m sorry.”

he’d half turned on his heel, ready to leave, when biel spoke. he’d be lying if he hadn’t hoped that his friend would tell him to stay, but the more stubborn, hard-headed part of him would have left if he hadn’t said a word. instead of leaving he allowed himself to tentatively step past the open threshold and into the apartment, and listen as he was offered the options. the vindictive, still angry part of him wanted to smash the bottle, probably not over biel’s head, because despite their fight coming to blows, he wasn’t actually a violent person. but the opportunity to reconcile their friendship proved to have a greater pull on him, and his heartstrings. “ what’s the game ? ” he pushed the door closed behind him, some part of him still ready to turn heel and run at a moments notice. “ i’m listening, for the apology. you might have said it before when i saved your ass, but it’d sure be nice to hear it again. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

@louisedebelgique​

“ so, tell me about the french in argentina. they didn’t leave you for dead, that’s good. you didn’t beat the king with a rock, or tree branch, also good. ” as far as things went, he’d tried to steer clear of all talk about the earthquake, he’d been trying to process his own thoughts on it, it didn’t seem right to prod his sister’s about theirs. “ don’t suppose you got a chance to ask him to wave a white flag, surrender, and give up ? ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

@loladebelgique​

“ so you, uh, seem to be spending some time with that canadian kid... ” he felt so odd prying about it, “ what’s going on there ? ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐒𝐀𝐍.

“ i guess now.  decided to give it a try,  but i don’t like it, ”  he laughs at the foreignness of calling beau by his legal name.  “ does it matter if she trusts you if i trust you? ”  he grins,  “ don’t worry,  no talks of politics. ”  he nods with a shrug.  “ so we draw the line at war criminals?  hard to imagine either of your sisters doing that,  so i think you can rest easy. ”  at the mention of his eldest sister,  he splutters out a laugh.  “ first of all,  i don’t know why you’d want to…  you’d be wasting your time.  they’re incredibly high maintenance — absolute nightmares—  ”  he shrugs again,  “ you know what,  why not.  she’s hooked up with some questionable princes in her day.  and it’d be funny to see you humiliate yourself. ” 

“ these days i only go by léopold when i’m working, ” working was such a strange term for holding babies, shaking hands and opening hospitals, but that was what prince léopold did. it was easier to split his life like that, where beau could cause mischief, the prince did what he was told, and was damn good at it. “ you trust me with political matters ? that’s a bold choice. a bad one... probably. ” he could surprise them both, but he knew there was a positively miniscule percentage that it would actually ever happen so he breathed a sigh of relief at san’s assurance that there would be no talk of politics. “ lola sees the best in people, so if either of them fall for one, it’d be her. ” his baby sister’s soft heart worried him most days, there wasn’t a single person he saw being good enough for her, ever. “ nah, i was just joking mate, i genuinely think any and all of your sisters would chew me up, and spit me right back out. ” 

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐒𝐀𝐍.

“ i never said your plans were bad…  you just have an acquired taste, ”  patting him on the back twice.  “ finally!  using that brain of yours,  i knew you had it in you,  léopold, ”  he jokes,  “ and if you’re going to be a representative,  it’s only fair you experience a business meeting the korean way — which essentially requires a lot of alcohol and very minimal talk of actual business. ”  he laughs,  nearly forgetting about his spat with biel,  “ i completely forgot about that.  i will never understand the relationships you guys have with your sisters…  i can’t believe your sister takes care of you,  and i can’t believe biel cares who his adult sister chooses to hook up with. ”  he puts his hands up defensively before beau interjects,  “ and i know you guys didn’t hook up,  but i’m just saying. ”

beau suspected ‘ acquired taste ’ was as much a compliment as it was an ever so slight insult, but it wasn’t as if he minded the comment. “ since when do you call me léopold, hm ? i don’t even call me léopold. ” it only made him feel as if he were being scolded, the only person alive who unironically called him by his first name in a personal setting was his oma, and it was only when she was irate. “ ah, brilliant then. the less i have to discuss anything about our alliance the better. i thank you for helping, but if you want to discuss political moves then talk to louise. she wouldn’t trust me with this stuff anyway. ” and with good reason. “ biel is special like that. i don’t care who my sister’s hook up with either, as long as they’re not, like, a war criminal. ” a thought struck him as the words left his mouth, and a smug grin crept onto his lips, “ more importantly, does this mean you wouldn’t care if i hooked up with one of your sisters ? dahye has always looked like she’d be fun. ” 

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀.

“ i’m not stupid, ”  looking at him from the side,  “ of course i know why. ”  she listens,  taking sips out of the coffee he brought her.  helplessly,  sighing knowing her opinion isn’t going to change how any of her cousins feel.  “ beau — i know.  i was there. ”  she doesn’t mean to sound dismissive,  aware he means well,  but there’s only so many times she can reiterate ‘ i know ’.  and as much as he promised no lectures,  it feels like one.  for a moment she blankly stares at her cup,  “ you…  louise and lola — you guys have each other,  you guys have always had each other.  i don’t have that. ”  the last thing she wants to do is appear as if she’s fishing for pity when she’s not,  it’s simply the truth.  “ and yeah,  i’m family,  but it’s not the same.  it was always the three of you and then there was me.  belle is the closest person i have to a sister. ”

“ that’s... ” he floundered for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. “ do we really make you feel like that ? do i ? sometimes i feel like you’re more of my sister than lola or louise. there are a million things i tell you and belle that i can’t tell either of them. ” he loved his sisters, but there were some days where he understood that they were closest to each other, and he was closer with araya. he tried not to be offended by the implication that she didn’t feel like that with him. “ just because you feel that way doesn’t mean you have to run yourself into the ground to make her better. you have to know she wouldn’t want that for you, just as much as the rest of us. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈.

“ naw, beau, ” she starts, hand cupping his chin. “ i’m so relieved to be reassured that your back suffered the blow and not your head. i need new boots and you—” two fingers are pressed against his shoulder, “—are in desperate need of a statement piece to distract from how pale bed-rest has turned you ! okay, now gabriel. tell me. ”

“ would’ve done anything to protect this face, it’s the money-maker, you know ? ” he didn’t know how he’d managed it, not getting any marks on his face, but had long since decided it must have been some divine intervention, making up for the previous bruising inflicted upon him. “ see this is why i come to you ani, i haven’t even been on bed-rest, but your honesty means i know i desperately need to find a beach to get a tan and update my wardrobe. as for biel, well i practically carried him through the wilderness on my back to get him help, i always knew i was the bigger man. i only almost threw him into a ravine once. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋.

the offence that she felt after their last conversation had dissipated over time, although the remnants still remained as her eyes met his - with only a tinge of disappointment. however, it would not be ariel bragança if not for swift forgiveness and sunshine smiles. “apparently it was a little concussion.” ( not quite so little, but she’s fully functioning now, wasn’t she? ) “all better now! but- i haven’t thanked you for saving biel…” her gaze fluttered downwards in suitable shame, a grimace pulling at corners of her lips. “i’m sorry.” 

he still struggled to look at ariel without remembering what might have been if gabriel hadn’t happened upon them in that deserted hallway. his options rattled around in his head: friendship with biel, or something, whatever it might be with ariel, but the question of which was his priority remained, because it had already been decided that he couldn’t have both. “ just a concussion ? that’s lucky. i suppose that means you’re the one stuck playing nurse for biel. ” if anyone had a high tolerance for the portuguese prince’s whining, it had to be his twin. “ no need to thank me, or apologise. it was the right thing to do. in some ways he saved me too. i thought i had lost lola, but i kept pushing because of him, and i found her in the end. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀.

There were so many people who gave Arabella a warm welcome upon her arrival in Tokyo but there were just a few who she actually wanted to see, and one of those few is the cousin whose arms she was currently wrapped in. “I really wish that I didn’t.”, she mumbled as she placed her arms around Beau. “Are you okay?”

“ well you’re in the best hands, ” what with araya hoving about, and the best doctors that tokyo had to offer just a phone call away. “ yeah, as good as i can be. better than you, you set the bar so high. ” what was a cut on his back when belle had brain surgery ? “ has biel been by ? he seemed worried. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐈𝐒𝐄 & 𝐋𝐎𝐋𝐀.

As soon as they reached the resort, Louise parted ways with Arnauld and Henri. She needed to find her siblings. The only comforting thought she had clung to during her way back was that they must be together. They were in the same group. Beau would have looked after Lola. The Portuguese twins had been on the same group too. As wall as Iéna and the Ukrainian king. Louise hoped that they had all stuck together and hiked back to the resort.

The lobby was chaotic. She frantically looked around trying to spot a member of her family. Some people were receiving first aids, while others were hysteric and some were just staring at the void.  Louise tried to not become one of those panicked people but it was hard. Especially when she thought about Lola and her heart condition. ❝ Lola ? Beau ? ❞ She desperately shouted, as she waked around. She kept calling for her siblings until she eventually spotted them embracing. She rushed to their side and wrapped their arms around both of them, wincing in pain as she did do.

She took a step back inspecting every inch of Lola, scanning for injuries. ❝ How’s your heart ? Do you feel any pain in your chest ? Is it beating abnormally ?  ❞ Her sister had an obvious gash on her forehead but it was not what was really alarming Louise. ❝ And you ? ❞ She turned to Beau, repeating her examination. ( @loladebelgique )

     she doesn’t know how much time passes.   

     one second she was adamantly yelling at the helper,   who was just as frantically looking at the papers in her clipboard, and the next she could feel herself being pulled away.   crushed in an embrace,   familiarity consuming her at the sound of her name falling from her brother’s lips.   the sight of him,   his heartbeat beneath her fingertips,   brings an onslaught of tears to her eyes,   breaking the dam on the ones already skirting her eyelashes as she chokes back a sob,   fingers digging into his ragged clothes.   her head shakes just as furiously as she digs further,   trying to secure him to her.   her heart,   as wildly as it beat,   finally calming itself to a less than rampant flutter.    “   no   –   i’m sorry.   i didn’t mean to leave.   when i woke up,   i was already with others and i couldn’t see you anywhere.   and they wouldn’t let me go back.   ”    éloïse cries,   she could feel her chest heaving as her words stumble past her blubbering.

     she pulls away for a moment,     “   have you heard from loui   –   ”    she hardly finishes her question when she feels another pair of arms form around her.   a gasp shocks her out of her words as she turns and sees louise.   this time she pulls her sister into their embrace,   crushing them both to her.   the last nine hours had been hell with not knowing how they were.   the tears don’t stop,   they continue in rivets down her face,   tainting dirt-smudged cheeks that looked like they were about to burst as a smile envelopes her face.   solace finally escaping her as they came completed.   she shakes her head at louise’s questions,   far too relieved to even think about the injuries she had sustained.

     “   i really thought the worst.   i’m so glad you’re okay.   ”   she mumbles through her tears,   finally pulling away to look at them both.     “   i   don’t know what i would do if i lost you guys too.   ”     the thought had plagued her for hours on end when she was going in and out of consciousness.   what would she do if they were lost to her as well ?   who would she have left ?

“ i was, i didn’t even know where i was, and there was no one around but then i found biel and he was hurt and... ” beau trailed off, that was a story for another time, a time when he’d allowed himself half a chance to process everything that was said when he was stuck with his friend. beau sees the blur that is his older sister before he hears lola ask about her, and hears louise speaking a mile a minute. the weight on his chest doesn’t feel quite as heavy with them both there clutching him like their lives depend on it, he knew he was gripping onto them just as hard. 

“ ‘m okay. cut on my back, but it’s stitched up. are you hurt ? where were you ? ” his eyes move over her as if they’d detect a severe injury they hadn’t picked up before. when he found nothing he pressed kisses to each of their forehead, an ingrained habit when worry struck, something their father did with all of them too. “ you didn’t lose us, we’re right here. we’re always going to be right here. ” he was silly to make a promise he mightn’t be able to keep, he knew, but it still slipped out of his mouth. “ i want to change my clothes, and eat, i need to eat. ” it had been hours since his last snack, let alone meal. “ you’ll both stay with me ? i don’t want to let you out of my sight. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐒𝐀𝐍.

“ don’t remind me. — oh? ”  tilting his head curiously.  “ finally a plan of yours i can agree with.  louise won’t yell at you,  not when you can say it was a request from the crown prince of korea, ”  he jokes.  “ plus,  she owes me.  i told her to make sure yihwa doesn’t get drunk at the last royal wedding and she failed miserably.  it’s only fair i return the favour by getting you wasted. ”

“ my plans are never bad. ” reckless, stupid, occasionally illegal maybe, but never bad. “ ah well, if it's coming from you maybe she'll listen. i'm helping her really. i’m representing belgium for her with an ally. ” it wouldn't make a difference, she’d still glare at him sternly come breakfast time, lecture him on being more responsible, and he wouldn’t begrudge her that. “ in her defence, she left early with me. she could hardly keep an eye on your fiancée when she was taking care of her dumb little brother. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐆𝐀𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋.

with not much of a greeting, he couldn’t stop himself from the small interrogation that pours down from his lips when classic blue hues focus on the sight of the belgium prince. first, not only beau was the last person gabriel expected to be on the other side of his door, but also, after their last encounters, there were a lot of other things on his mind. “what’s wrong? is belle okay? your sisters? did something happen?” 

“ they're all fine. ” as fine as they could be, he supposed, seeing that they all survived what argentina had saw fit to dole out to all of them. not for the first time the irony of biel and belle's relationship struck beau. he'd been so reasonable in the face of how biel had treated his cousin in comparison to how things had unfolded with them about him and ari. “ i just came to see how you are. but you seem good. alive. so i'm going to go. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀.

she doesn’t turn to look,  assuming its lola or louise,  but hearing beau’s voice gives her some sort of relief to know she won’t be reprimanded,  “ thanks, ”  craning her head just a touch to flash him a quick smile,  “ are you here to lecture me?  if so,  lola and louise already beat you to it. ”  pulling out a chair for him to sit. 

“ no lecture, ” he spoke, voice quiet as he settled into the chair to pulled out for him after pressing her coffee into her hands. they sat in silence for a handful of minutes before piping up, “ you know why they're doing it right ? lecturing you ? ” he paused to let her answering before powering forward with his explanation, as if it would fix anything. “ this is what louise did after our mother died. she sat by papa’s bedside hoping that would fix him. lola is the one who finally got her to take care of herself again. they love you, and they see themselves two years ago in you, right now. ” at least what they did was productive for them, beau hardly remembered that month of his life thanks to an unhealthy mix of alcohol and some other, harder substances. “ i'm not saying the way they approached it is right, but i am saying that however they did, it's because they're worried for you too, not just belle. ”

[beaudebelgique-a]

@aribraganca​

“ hey ari. ” their last conversation hadn’t gone well, if he had to sum it up, but the manners his parents instilled in him refused to let him just pass by ariel as she stood idly by in the same bookstore he’d entered. “ i heard you got hurt in argentina ? you’re feeling better ? ”