June 18th 2029
"She'll be here. She's just running late...Again."
Danny frowned to himself before a soft sigh left his lips. She was supposed to be here over an hour ago but it seemed that she had ended up wrapped up in something once again. It was a regular occurrence for his girlfriend to end up being late. It usually had something to do with her father and his insane timetables for the young girl but it didn't make it any less frustrating. He couldn't blame her; not really. But it had been getting harder for the two of them to see each other for years now, every chance they got it seemed to either had to be cut short or scrapped completely. He knew that William hated him, more so after he had been cut off from his family fortune and left to fend for himself but it was almost becoming unbearable. He wanted to tell her the truth. But he couldn't put this on her because deep down he knew it hurt her just as much as it hurt him.
And that was why they had to run away.
It was a plan he had been dreaming in his mind since the two had started college. But seeing how Belle and Jack were being treated during this holiday to Vegas, the way their own father just ignored the twins and favoured the elder brother. It broke his heart, not only because that was his best friend and girlfriend being pushed aside and feelings ignored, but it hit too close to home for the Irish teenager.
Slowly, Danny turned and walked over to the edge of the roof fenced off with a railing. A rather unusual place for teenagers to hang, but this spot had quickly become everything to them. No one who was visiting the casino ever came onto the roof which made it a quiet spot for the couple to just be themselves away from the prying eyes of the world. High up in the sky where they could see the stars over the light pollution and where no one could hear the words which they spoke so sweetly to each other. It really was their sanctuary, the one place where they could love and be loved in return. It wasn't hard for Danny to get up here, he was staying in a hotel room on the top floor of the casino anyway, all it took was a little lock picking and a lot of persuasion to get his usually lawfully good girlfriend up here.
But Danny's favourite part had to be the view, it really reminded him just how beautiful this built-up city could be. You could see all of Vegas from up here. Its pure, raw beauty. The aged buildings which still stood strong after so many years living in harmony with the newer modern buildings, and the lights from the Vegas strip, the way they shot into the sky and transformed into holograms before his very eyes were like magic. Fairies, dancers and lovers all dancing in the night sky like it was a stage, the stars its audience and the moon its spotlight. His eyes watched as the lights transformed into birds, flying over the city and over his own head, twisting to see them fly past when he noticed the door to the roof opening. And there she was, the most beautiful view of them all. His girlfriend.
"Belle." Danny's Irish accent was like music to the young blonde's ears. But she almost instantly picked up the sad tone in his voice. She knew why. She was late, later than she had ever been before and he always had that sombre tone whenever she turned up late because they both knew what it meant; her father was trying to keep them apart.
"I'm sorry," Belle replied, her voice soft like a silver bell. She took another step closer to him. He wasn't much taller than Belle, but still enough for her to have to tilt her head up slightly so her green eyes could meet his gaze. To her, Danny was the most handsome man in the world. His dark brown locks complemented his sun-kissed skin. But it was his eyes that always left her breathless. The brown contrasting with the sections of blue made his eyes almost like they were galaxies; her very own night sky. Filling her with the same hopeful feeling she felt whenever she looked up at the stars.
Danny frowned, before sighing once again and letting his hand rest against her cheek, his thumb stroking her soft skin for a few moments before his hand fell to his side once more.
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"I've been waiting for two hours, B." His voice had that sombre tone to it. His words lingered in the air for a few silent moments.
"I know, I'm sorry." Belle started, reaching out and taking his hand with her own, bringing it up to her cheek once again and resting her face against his warm palm. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers. "Dad-"
"Planned something, I know." He finished the sentence for her. "Mierda, Belle he always has something planned for you these days."
"I know." Her voice sounded almost smaller this time. Danny paused, looking up to the sky for a few moments why he tried to find the right words to say. "B, when are you going to stand up to him?" He asked, softening his own voice now. He knew this was a difficult conversation for her. Her peach glossed lips fell almost instantly when those words left his mouth. She let go of his hand subconsciously, causing it to fall back by his side once more.
"It's not as easy as that, Danny we both know that." She replied.
"It is. I have my own apartment, Belle you could just say no and move out. Live with me, get away from it all." Danny now reached out and took Belle's hand with his own, pulling her closer. His eyes were full of hope.
"What about Jack?" She started, shaking her head. "I can't leave him in that house alone! Dad would blame me leaving on him and would tear him apart." Her voice started to sound desperate. "And Kasey, Dad would demand she starts training to do what I do, I couldn't put her through that. Not to mention Mum she-
"What about you, Belle?" Danny interrupted her. "What about your happiness, what about us?" He paused for a moment. "What about me?"
"Danny you know I love you, and I would do anything to live a normal life with you but I can't. Not yet." Belle's eyes welled with tears as she spoke. "I have to do this, I have to be there for my family, my brother."
Danny sighed once more, running his fingers through his hair. "And if one day William decides to not play his games anymore and makes you choose between the family or me? Then what?"
Belle fell silent, she couldn't stop the tears from escaping her eyes anymore. They rolled down her cheeks causing waves of guilt to crash over Danny, replacing the feelings of frustration and desperation he had been feeling only moments before. He pulled his girlfriend closer, taking in her floral lavender scent and letting his hands get tangled in her golden curls. He had never wanted to upset her, that wasn't his intention at all. He just wanted to know where he stood in all this. But seeing her tears; the fact she cried over all this was enough to prove that she loved him. And that was enough for him to keep fighting.
"Belle, I'm sorry." He whispered, letting his soft voice soothe her, feeling her frame relax into his arms. His thumb stroked over her shoulder and he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm just worried. You're a candle burning at both ends right now and you can only go on for so long like that until you end up a victim to the fuego." He frowned, still letting his one hand stroke her shoulder while the other played with her hair. "But we'll figure this out. We always do." He smiled softly to her, pulling away slightly so he could look into her eyes.
"Promise?" She sniffed, her voice meek. His smile became a little brighter as he moved his hand from her shoulder and rubbed his thumb across her cheek to catch her tears.
"I promise, now why don't we head to my hotel room instead and have some hot chocolate, it's pretty nippy out here anyway, I think there's a storm rolling in." He looked to the sky, watching the dark clouds replace the beauty of the stars and moon with their cold, gloomy presence. Belle nodded and the two started their way back inside, Danny wrapping his hoodie around her figure why they walked. The door slammed shut behind them and for a few moments, the roof was silent until a loud crack of thunder echoed through Vegas.
Roxas stepped out from the other side of the roof where he had been waiting, the flash of lightning illuminating his face. A small smirk curling onto his dark lips.
"Sounds like some trouble in paradise." Another male voice spoke up. A smaller man with light brown hair and hazel eyes stepped out from the same place Roxas had been. He seemed somewhat bored, uninterested.
"Sounds like the perfect reason for an upset boyfriend to leave," Roxas replied, his voice much lower, darker than his adopted brother.
"Didn't seem like he wanted to leave to me." The teenager admitted with a slight shrug, hands in his pockets. He didn't want to be here, he knew this was going to end up being trouble.
"What he wants doesn't matter to me," Roxas demanded, snapping at the man.
"I want him to leave and that's all that matters."