Growing up, Bel always felt like an afterthought. By the time he was born his family had already filled their home with memories he’d never be a part of. When his dad went away it became all about Bash. His mom couldn’t help him with a project because she had to help Bash. Bas couldn’t be around because he had to help Bash. Bash couldn’t deal with Bel’s shit, he was too busy being Bash. 

 

Bel started hanging with the wrong type of people, the ones who took advantage of his privilege and naiveté. Given his status in the Waste, they figured by adding Bel’s name to whatever operation it made them exempt from the rules by association. Bash made sure to squash that shit real quick. 

 

Eventually all Bel wanted to do was party. His grades got so bad he just ended up dropping out. At that point Bash was so sick of him he didn’t even care, so long as it wasn’t affecting their family or Los Lobos it wasn’t Bash’s problem. Bel slid deeper into his debauchery, partying and fucking anything within reach. Soon he wasn’t even partying, just locking himself in a room with booze and drugs with whoever was bored or strung out enough to shack up with him for a week or two. He just stopped coming home.

 

Some day though he had to stop mooching off his family and put in the work, or at least that’s what Bash kept telling him. They put him on the route making runs, it kept him out of trouble for the most part. He was easier to manage if you kept him busy. 

 

The years melted by, he had grown accustomed to the bohemian lifestyle. He’d spent his whole life living in Bash’s shadow. Out here on the road he was his own man. People wanted to win his favor, greased his palms with cash or drugs - not to mention the women. Bel liked their attention, he didn’t need much. Any would do. 

 

When Anita came back, Bel had been sure that she and Bash were going to end up together. They’d been gravitating around each other since they were kids. She’d blossomed in the years she was away. Anita had always been fierce but she’d somehow become something more. 

 

They had run into each other at the garage, Anita was bringing in her truck for a routine check up. Bel was just back from the road, the garage was always his first stop. He’d leave his car and the trailer there for others to take inventory and store it all away. He was ready to head over to the bar and drink until his head was too heavy to hold up anymore. She was standing with her arms crossed and her brow furrowed, listening to one of the mechanics try to convince her she needed an axle alignment as well. 

 

“I just checked that truck this morning, that’s the whole point of me bringing it here. The alignment is fine.” Her voice was static, void of any emotion. He remembered smiling to himself, he’d never heard someone speak to a mechanic so matter-of-factly. The guy pushed back a little more, eventually cowering beneath her withering stare.

 

Bel might have fallen in love with her then and there - though it took much more on his behalf to have even a fraction of that feeling reciprocated. She barely recognized him that day. They barely exchanged more than a wave, but Anita had already made her mark on him. 

 

He never stalked her after that, but it was a small town - it was easy to run into someone if you knew where they frequented. First it was just stolen moments, but eventually it grew to be part of their routines. They’d have lunch together the day after he’d return from the road. No matter the day of the week, they’d have lunch. Then lunch turned into dinner, and dinner into drink, drinks into….well, you get the gist. 

 

Bel was just happy with whatever Anita was willing to give him. She was too good for him, he’d always known that. When she asked if he wanted to be official, all he knew was that he’d be an idiot to say no. Anyone who passed on a chance to be with a woman like that was seriously brain damaged. All they had to do was tell Bash - though luckily they both wanted to put that off. 

 

Unbeknownst to Bash, Anita started tagging along on some of Bel’s rides. He wasn’t stupid, he’d only bring her along to ones he was certain would be safe. Their sex was explosive, to say the least. It was the main reason she kept him around, he was certain. He was surprised by her decision to join the Lobos, but it made sense. They had long outgrown the infrastructure left by their predecessors. Bash had taken the Lobos to new heights. They needed a businessman on the payroll, Bel was just surprised Bash let Anita be that person.