Fleur-de-lis

For this is my blood

Vanitas's p.o.v.

"We did it. We fuckin did it." Khalil says happily. "With the money from those investors we'll be able to attend and host events to get our name back out there."

"I'm glad that I could help." I say genuinely but flatly.

"Hey. I'm sorry we tricked you like that." Khalil apologizes.

"It's fine." I say. "Just...never again."

Khalil nods in understanding. "I promise."

"So what comes next?" I question.

Khalil smiles. "Well with that money we can get a float in the upcoming gay pride parade. We have to do costumes and float designs."

"Oh yeah." I say. "Gay pride starts around the end of the school year."

I only knew this because this was the time that I'd be protesting the parades with my family. It's weird to think about how I'd be in the parades I once protested.

"Van." Khalil calls.

"Huh?" I say, snapping from my thoughts.

"In the meantime, I want you to get familiar with all the boys. Learn their stories and relate to them. Gotta get close to your new team."

John comes back into the club, having left to buy me lunch. He felt he had room to spend money now that my job was a bit more secure.

"Hey." He calls. "You like culver's, right?"

I shrug. "It's whatever."

"Good enough." John comments.

He strolls over to the bar and I go to join him.

"I'm glad that so much pressure is off of me now."

John passes me a burger. "Yeah. Now I can focus on getting my own job."

"What?" I question.

"Now that you're secure enough here, I have to look for a second income."

"You don't have to do that." I say. "It's fine if it's just me. As long as you're here with me it won't bother me if I'm the financial support."

John smiles in a sweet way. "Of course it wouldn't. But just you working here isn't gonna cut it. I need to bring something to the table too in order to make this work."

I furrow my brow in concern. "But-"

"Hey." John interrupts. "Eat something." "You can trust me to be responsible and still be here for you...like a big brother is supposed to be."

John gives me the most sincere smile and I can't help but let out a small laugh. "Listen to you, being an upstanding guy."

"Yeah, if you tell anyone I'll pound you." John threatens.

"In what way?" I inquire.

"It'll be a surprise." John smirks.

The bartender leans against the bar and laughs. "Young gay couples just keep getting stranger." He comments.

My gaze snaps over to him. He's tall with long dirty blonde hair and dressed up very nice. He looked as young as John and I but something told me he was maybe a decade older than he looked.