Fleur-de-lis

The case of Luxu

Vanitas' p.o.v.

I wait by the school steps for John...or maybe Azazel...whichever came first. I remained absent minded to the world around me until I see John's familiar figure walk through the double doors.

"Hey." I greet.

He barely glances at me before grabbing my hand and dragging me away. I can't help but crack a smile at the thought of what he was planning.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

John says nothing but I notice that he's taking me towards the school parking lot. My brow furrows in puzzlement but didn't want to ask too many questions. A short time later both John and I are standing in front of a slightly older model luxury car. John pulls a key from his pocket and remotely unlocks the doors.

"Hold on. Where did you get this?" I ask, lacking better words.

John gets in on the drivers side and opens the passenger door for me. I get in, still a little in awe.

"This was my reward for patching up my ongoing feud with you." John explains.

"What? I barely got a pat on the back." My jaw clenches in jealousy.

John starts the car up which takes only a second. "I can drive us anywhere for some privacy now."

"So we'll be able to hangout more often?" I ask.

"If I feel like it." He responds

"You wouldn't happen to want to hang out right now, would you? I'd really enjoy your...company, right now.

John scoffs and glances in my direction. "You're an absolute fag."

I just stare at him for a few seconds, absorbing that response. I can't help but let a smile spread across my face. He was deflecting which I couldn't help but find adorable.

John's gaze momentarily darts back in my direction just long enough for him to see my smirk. He sighs and pulls out of the parking space

"We're going to stop by the mall first." John says. "I've got to get some crap for a social studies project."

"Cool" I nod.

John quickly takes us out to the open road and I really did feel happy to share this experience with him, regardless of how he might actually feel about me. It had been so long since John and I had gone off to do something on our own that I had forgotten how it used to be the highlights of my life. Even if this arrangement was a sham, I was glad to experience it.

John flips on the radio to fill the silence

I smile as the music plays. This was one of my favorite songs. I stare out the window as I watch the urban development pass by and I can't help but sing along with the radio.

"Oh, well imagine As I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor And I can't help but to hear...No, I can't help but to hear an exchanging of words."

"You know this song?" John questions.

"Yeah." I say. "It's pretty well-known."

"No. I mean, aren't your parents super critical about what music you're allowed to listen to?"

"Yeah. But always listening to gospel and choir music would drive me crazy."

John smirks. "My parents eventually trusted me to not be easily influenced by music."

I make a mildly annoyed grunt. "Buying you a car... Letting you use iTunes... I wish my parents were a little more like yours."

Pretty soon we're turning into the mall parking lot.