These nights go by, they're falling fast
Here in a moment, gone in a flash
I'd stop the world to know everything is okay
'Cause we're running and running, it makes me nervous
We're almost for sure, but we've scratched the surface
So close to perfect, it hurts to throw it away
[ FULL STORY ] / [ FAMILY ] / [ PINTEREST ] / [ WANTED PLOTS ]
BASICS.
name: lysander “lye” octavius bello vassilis
age: 25 (taurus sun, gemini moon, pisces rising)
gender & pronouns: cis male + he/him
year & major: first year, masters of science in materials science and engineering
nationality: italian
languages: italian, korean, greek, french, spanish, mandarin,and english
orientation: pansexual
religion: catholic
APPEARANCE.
hair colour: black
eye colour: brown
height: 6”3’ / 190.5 cm
tattoos: watercolor lily on his right shoulder
piercings: right earlobe is pierced, he wears this on it
scars: one starting from his left heel up to his knee
do they have glasses?: yes, but he’ll deny he does
FAMILY.
parents: luciana bello (mother) & evander vassilis (father)
The product of old money (like 15th century old), he and his siblings grew up expected to amount to something. With all the resources and opportunities they had thrown at them, it’s a given.
He’s a middle child with two sisters on both sides, so he grew up as a big and little brother. Resulting in years of patience when it comes to conflict resolution, which also help him keep his own bias about things in check.
Of course, his parents hired private tutors. While he attended lessons, he also skipped a lot of them to go exploring (in the woods, sailing, etc.) He also learned self defense from the private chef fun fact.
A major momma’s boy (note: his preference to speak in Italian, the fact he goes by LB, etc.). He loves his entire family obviously, but there is stress when it comes to be the glue/centerstone for them. Would backstab you if it meant saving his sisters, deal with it.
He’s a major nerd. Will talk your ear off about ancient empires and cults. Probably teaching himself Latin so he can read the original text of documents. Also, a major engineering geek (no shame he and Tadashi from Big Hero 6 are kin). Very big on environmental conservation and clean energy, he has a few science fair awards and papers published under his name. Also a pilot license. We love a man who stays busy (and keeps his mouth <3 ).
Attended boarding school in Singapore, then he did his undergraduate in Switzerland. Major prep and dresses like one too, but he’s big on self-improvement. AKA if you’re friends with him and you don’t have a skincare routine, then you’re not really his friend. He just wants to build up and support you. Not a fan of being told no though.
Got sent to Harcourt by his eldest sister to get close to someone. Is this corporate espionage? A business alliance? You tell me.
Believes in magic so he’s just vibing with the group, but it’s also partially an act? While he respects the mission, he’s skeptical. Like are you actually here to help or are you a snake?
IT’S NOT THE response she’d been expecting, but no matter. She’s used to people stonewalling her from their life, and she didn’t expect anything less from Lye. “Hm,” she says in response. “Maybe a tad. You know she doesn’t live on campus, right?” Coy, she ventures a look at the man sitting next to her. “She can do what she wants, but I really wonder if it’s really that awful to live on campus with us.”
❀
"I didn’t, Odette doesn’t really discuss her personal life with me,” he responded. The conversations he could recall with his classmate typically revolved around dissing their professor or arguing over their differing interpretations of a theory. “I would say it’s a conversation you all should have with her. Maybe over dinner? Odette would be the best person to ask. I doubt it’s something you two did, it’s probably just a French thing,” he advised, adding a joke at the end to show he meant no harm.
His smile brought relief once her surprised was finally revealed. Nevaeh had been running herself rampant in hopes that he’d like what she’d put together. Given the heavy pressure that came with finals she had hoped to offer an afternoon to pull his mind away from it all. She wanted their gift exchange to be more like a momentary getaway rather than a business arrangement. Knowing how busy they both tended to be, she was always grateful for the time he could make to spend time with her. It’s no surprise she wanted each one to be special, especially considering the next time they’d be able to get together was sometimes uncertain.
“I’m glad you like it.” She beamed as she lowered herself beside him. “Really? Never?” The question was posed as she shifted through the cutting boards a little closer to them. “In that case, I’m really hoping I don’t disappoint. This is a momentous occasion.” Her tone mimicked the light in her eyes as she reached for the class of homemade boba to offer to him. “Not typically. My mother and I would also make this amazing hand squeezed pomegranate juice for our picnics. But given your love for this specific beverage it felt like the right choice. This one was made entirely by yours truly so if you hate it, don’t worry because…” she trailed off, using her free hand to lift up the bag she purchased just before she arrived. “I brought back up.”
❀
"I never really had the opportunity, but I’m glad my first picnic was with you,” Lye returned the warmth, still in awe by her surprise. Growing up, he had been left to his own devices. None of his sisters had patience to join him on his adventures in the woods surrounding the estate. “I always thought picnics only happened in movies,” he admitted. At times, his own life sounded like something out of a movie. Everyone had a role to play, a lesson he learned before he read his page in the book. Yet, sometimes he did wonder if he missed out on moments like now. Touching gestures like this couldn’t be bought with money. “Hand squeezed pomegranate juice? Please remember to invite me to your picnic with her,” he said before accepting the glass from Nevaeh. “I strongly doubt that. You never cease to amuse me,” he assured her before he took a sip of the drink.
His eyes widened as Lye had his first taste of the homemade boba tea. Of course, he had attempted to recreate his favorite drink at home before, but he never could nail down the ratios correctly. Yet, maybe it was the fact Nevaeh had taken time to create the drink from scratch, but it tasted better than anything he could had hoped for. “This is good. Did you try it?” he offered the glass to her.
“There’s more than one kind? I feel like I’m going to try different combos for the rest of my life.” Sylvia sighs, feigning exasperation at the idea of so many choices. She was sure she’d be coming back though as she saw very little not to like about the shop. “Oh, red bean’s that sweet paste! Okay, how about you send me a list of your favorites? Then I’ll always have something new to try and I won’t be so ill prepared.” She orders what Lye first recommended to her and thanks the cashier when the drinks is handed to her. “It looks so nice I almost don’t want to drink it.” But she’s quick to stick the straw in and take her first sip. “I don’t know what I expected. It’s amazing.”
❀
"there’s also different types of jellies. trying out different combos is my favorite part of the experience,” he explained. sure, he had his consistent favorites, but the man was adventurous in his pursuit for boba. if his life didn’t exist in a constant of change, he wouldn’t know what to do. “will do. i’m actually working on a mobile app for my final project in this class, so that will probably be more updated. it’s going to give drink recommendations based on people’s preferences,” he said. mobile app development wasn’t his specialty, but the professor had a requested the class take a creative spin on applying their knowledge. “see? i told you that you were missing out,” he told her before thanking the cashier for his order.
SHE HADN’T EXPECTED him to stick around, but she’s relatively pleased when he does. “Well, I guess chivalry isn’t dead, is it?” She wipes away at the remaining blood on her nose as delicately as she could, already feeling the sharp pain in her nose soften to a dull ache. “You know, I am curious about one thing. What do you think about Odette?”
❀
"i try my best,” he explained, ignoring the anxious looks from the soccer field. if they were fine before he showed up on the field, then they could handle themselves now. “odette?” he repeated, a confused look appeared on his face. the french woman was the last person he assumed people would ask him about. “we had a class together this semester. she’s quite outspoken i suppose. trouble in paradise?” he asked, recalling phoebe lived with odette and sylvia.
farrows laugh is loud and hearty, head thrown back at lye’s reaction. he’s only ever had his grandfather so he has no idea what it’s like to have a big family, let alone one like lye’s but despite what his friend says, he imagines it to be entertaining if nothing else. “which one is nerissa again?” he asks, considering pulling up lye’s instagram to check for himself but thinking better of it. perhaps if he was trying to protect farrow from his family then maybe it was for his own good.
“and that they all mean something and that each planet signifies a part of your life or whatever,” farrow continues, sighing as he looks at his screen. “i was never good at math, that’s why i’m studying music. do they just expect me to understand all these charts and graphs? this is freshman year all over again.” when lye speaks again, farrow considers his words. “turned off by loud and obnoxious people yes. unrealistic expectations no. hating conflict is a maybe.” he scrolls down the page on his phone, looking for buzzwords he can throw out at lye. “your moon sign is telling me you’re an active individual with a versatile mind. that’s a direct quote, by the way.”
❀
how does one explain nerissa? honestly, how did he explain any of his demonic sisters? “she handles the accounts in the uk,” he explained, leaving out delphina’s disdain for the country. “once when we were kids, she learned how to throw knives, because she was bored.” before boarding school, he had assumed all families were like his. though he did wonder how he would function in a family that didn’t trade secrets in exchange for the last slice of cake or covered up each other’s indiscretions.
“i have to respect people who has this information memorized,” lye said. based on the first three paragraphs he read, he realized how much information there was to review in addition to the minor planets and conjuctions as the site pointed out. “except i think there’s room for error. it’s all based on individual interpretation right? this woman seems to hate cancers,” he added, showing a pop up ad of an astrologist’s youtube channel. “five reasons water signs are the worst as told by a cancer sun. i thought each sign was supposed to like each other?” he read off the title of the video, wondering if he knew any other tauruses. “really? how gimmicky of them. i can see it, but at the same time that sounds so generic.”
📖 for what my muse would write about yours in their diary.
"did you hear? odette started a podcast,” his sister announced. a seemingly harmless statement if he wasn’t already tending his wounded ego from seeing her last week at a conference in berlin.
“her argument was weak. she didn’t refute the point of historical criticism or address any dissenting views of the theory. some things are incontestable in interpretation, but only an amateur wouldn’t study a plurality of interpretations of fox spirits lore before discussing it to an audience,” he started, finding an outlet for his frustration.
“i thought it was cute,” she shrugged.
“i mean she only focused on components of the research, rather than the method itself.”
“maybe you should email her about it, i’m not your diary. now, what color should i paint my nails?”
📷 for what my muse would say to the paparazzi about yours.
like his older sisters, lye found himself in paris when he was eighteen. asked to be a cavalier to a champagne heiress, he was faced with his first assignment on the behalf of the bello vassilis family.
“since my sisters debuted, i have wanted to attend because i remember their stories of the fun they had and the lifelong friendships they forged,” he told the reporter. dressed by a french couturier, he lived up to the expectations of a modern prince. odette aquino may had debuted tonight, but the sole bello vassilis son experienced a newfound wave of interest in him that night.
“this weekend is one i won’t forget,” he told the reporter, echoing an earlier threat he promised the french woman.
💋 for what my muse would say to the person trying to woo your muse.
"do you think she would like roses or lilies?” the man asked his friend. not that lye cared about their dilemma, considering he had to present in the next hour. seeing the demon two years since they first met in paris was enough to make the normally lax man tense.
“poppies. get her poppies, roses are cliche,” he called out before exiting the room. somehow even when she wasn’t around, the fiend managed to distract him.
“I can’t speak for her, though I argue it’s clear where I stand with her. I have no doubt Odette is going accomplish great things in her field, however at the end of the day she’s a thorn in my side. I anticipate that’s never going to change. She knows how to hold a grudge. ”
📷 for what my muse would say to the paparazzi about yours.
"so, is he single?” his sister interrupted his conversation with the eldest bello vassilis to show the video call his latest instagram post.
“it’s complicated,” lye started, raising an eyebrow at the change of subject. what was she planning? “reminder, my friends are off limits.” tabloids were obnoxious to deal with, but his sisters were in a league of their own.
“scared to lose your only friend?” another chimed in, a devious look in her eyes.
“is it time to make another bet?” the final sister smirked.
who : @bellovassilis
where : at the park, set up in front of a lake
when : sunday afternoon
The biggest surprise to come from the gift exchange was the fact that Nevaeh was able to keep what she planned from Lye. The baby blue woven blanket adorned with Daisies was meticulously placed in front of the lake. A basket, and a fairly sized Christmas gift bag had rested on its edges.Carefully placed along miniature cutting boards were freshly cut fruit and finger sandwiches as well as two seperate sets of his memorized boba order. She had tried to make it herself from home, and just in case she had failed she went out and purchased it as well so he’d have one he did enjoy if he didn’t like hers. The contents of the gift bag were wonderfully concealed, only the bouquet of daisies and baby breaths peaked over the top.
From the moment she started planning all the way to the point of execution, she was on the cusp of spilling everything to him. Her excitement, and wanting to know how he’d react nearly leading her to reveal a secret he didn’t know she was keeping. Somehow she managed not to say a thing, and she’s proud as she waddled behind him; her hands reach up and doing their best to keep his eyes covered as she led him to the blanket. “Okay, okay — keep them closed.” She instructed as she removed her hands to stand next to the set up; her arms outstretched towards it as if she was presenting it to him. “Ta-da!” She exclaimed, which was given as a cue for him to open his eyes. “Are you surprised? Please say yes, I tried to hard to keep it a secret.”
❀
The approaching break came with its own fair share of dread for Lye, but he supposed this was the result of his bias against the coldness. Fortunately, winter seemed to be delayed up north in America based on the warm front that had blessed campus this weekend. Dressed in casual attire - light blue oxford shirt, tailored chinos, and leather loafers, he followed Nevaeh’s lead as she directed them to the surprise. Being a good sport, he kept his eyes closed and trusted her. Admittedly, he had been busy with assignments from class and work to plan anything grand for the woman currently guiding him. Though he wondered his gift would had been enough to compensate for how distracted he had been.
“Oh. wow,” he grinned, his eyes widened at the spread in front of him. “This is amazing, and better than anything I could had come up with,” he said, full of warmth as he studied everything. “I’ve never been on a picnic before,” he confessed before he sat down on the blanket. How Nevaeh continued to surprise him was one of his favorite things about her. “Do picnics normally come with boba?” he asked, his eyes lighting up at the two drinks.
TAKE A BREATH. You’re okay. Phoebe repeats the phrase over and over in her mind as she moves towards the bench, holding her nose. She’d… overreacted, she realizes, especially in yelling at Lye. Not concerned with his feelings as much as she is about the way she comes off, she finally smiles, the best she can without hurting her nose even more. “You know, it’s fine, it’s fine — accidents happen, right?” Exhaling, the other player returns, and Phoebe replaces her hand with the napkins. “Am I still interrupting your little game?”
❀
"They do, but it’s still not fair to you,” he assured, not leaving her side. While the damage could had been worse, he didn’t like the thought of leaving Phoebe until the blood stopped. “The guys can wait,” he added, not too worried about the game. His team was winning, and the likelihood of the opposing team making a comeback was slim to none.
𝐰𝐡𝐨 : open @harcourtstart
𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 : inside the secret library :o
𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 : a day or two after the party idk time isnt real <3
“if i look shaken, it’s because i am.” it’s rare for her to admit her feelings, even rarer for her to admit them out loud but she’s just finished stuffing trash bags full of torn pages and every ripped piece of paper just reminds her there is a threat waiting outside for them. especially concerning her own reservations about the society, hera feels like life has just dealt a card telling her i told you so. “do you have a minute? i’ve only got two hands.”
❀
frankly, lye had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. the society had sounded too good to be true if history was any indicator. nothing ever remained a secret, and he had no doubt the group made enemies over the years. yet, he couldn’t help but wonder who was responsible for the destruction of the library. things had been too quiet for his liking. “keep your head up,” he assured her, carrying his own bags of ruined books. “maybe, we’ll finally start getting answers now,” he added.
“i’m not,” he says, holding up his hands as if that proves his innocence. “it’s not my fault your mother is the most attractive middle aged woman i’ve seen. we’ve all got our demons, lysander,” farrow jokes, a wicked grin spreading over his face. “i can’t tell if that’s an insult or if your family is one of the ones that take part in human sacrifices to stay young and beautiful.”
farrow laughs at that, imagining lye getting periodic texts to warn him of incoming retrograde and whatever else astrology consists of. “a girl i dated in my freshman year would talk about it non stop. at some point i started dreaming about the planets choking me in my sleep.” he puts lyes information on the website and presses enter. “i think it means I’m rigid and disciplined or whatever. and you’re a taurus which means you’re stubborn and materialistic according to this website.”
❀
“Ew,” Lye rolled his eyes. He wasn’t overprotective of his family so much as he was protecting his friends from his siblings. And even his parents had their moments. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?” he joked before pulling out the takeout menus stashed in the kitchen drawer. He wasn’t proud of the amount of takeout he ordered since arriving at Harcourt, but Lye was only human. “Trust me, I’m doing you a favor by keeping you away from Nerissa.”
Lye would continue to question the accuracy of astrology, however he did wonder if there was some truth in the stars. Civilizations didn’t consult them for centuries for no reason after all. “I’m still wrapping my head around the fact we have multiple signs,” he admitted, scrolling down to the analysis section of Farrow’s chart. “And there are houses involved as well? The amount of geometry involved in creating these charts is impressive.” Nonetheless, the site gave him an idea for the planners he made each year for his sisters. “Are you turned off by loud and obnoxious people? What I’m getting about your moon sign is you hate conflict and are prone to unrealistic expectations. Wow, this person is rude.” Stubborn? He was the least stubborn person he knew.
Sylvia purses her lips pensively at the question. “You know what? I’ll give you that.” She turns her attention back to the menu and taps her chin. Normally she would be satisfied with a regular hot tea but she knew this wasn’t that kind of place. “Doesn’t one of them explode in your mouth? I think I heard that somewhere.” Her head tilts to the side as Lye shares his extensive knowledge, something she would be lost without in that moment. “Oh! I’ve had matcha before. I am feeling adventurous today though.” As anyone could see, she was a real risk taker. “Rainbow jelly? Say less. I’ll get that one. Besides, I trust you.”
❀
“Yeah, you’re talking about popping boba,” he explained before he waved at the person working behind the counter. Due to how frequent he visited, the employees were more than familiar with his face. “Matcha with red bean is another good option,” he nodded as she studied the menu. As particular as Lye was about things in his life, boba was a domain he held back from pushing. Frankly, there was no bad option in his opinion. “I promise you won’t be disappointed,” he smiled before he asked for his usual from the cashier.
