Chapter Ninety-three: Easter Feaster

Chapter 93

Easter Feaster

Ashley was dressed in brown bellbottom trousers and an orange lantern sleeve blouse with sun faces on it, with a brown paisley bandana around their neck. They were at the dining room table, eating the considerable breakfast Lazaros had made for them. They had double chocolate pancakes, bacon, toast with honey, scrambled eggs, blueberry muffins, and sausages. Lazaros wore a black dress shirt with blue flames on the shoulders rolled up to his elbows, black trousers, and loafers. He grinned at Ashley.

Lazaros: “So, you and Blair are through like a drive-thru now?”

He asked archly and lit up a cigarillo.

Ashley: “Yeah… turns out he’s just as bad as Maxx…”

They sighed, munching on their chocolate pancakes. Lazaros gazed at Ashley and exhaled a long drag.

Ashley: “He’s totally jealous of you… ‘cause he wanted to be with me, but at the same time bashed on my weight like Maxx does! He didn’t accept me for who I am…”

They huffed, taking another bite. Lazaros was half-paying attention.

Lazaros: “Who isn’t jealous of me?”

He scoffed.

Ashley: “Yeah, he said I’m getting fatter with you.”

They flicked their gaze up at him.

Lazaros: “Yes, trust Blair to be the judge of that.”

He muttered.

Lazaros: “I am so shocked that the man who puts on a nice guy façade is not a nice guy.”

He said dryly. He waved his hand.

Lazaros: “So, I overheard you tell Blair and my brother you want to move Vanessa in because Blair and Ivy want her out?”

He smiled tightly, and his right eye twitched. Lazaros inhaled another drag. Ashley drew a breath.

Ashley: “How could he kick his pregnant cousin out onto the streets? I thought it was Ivy breathing down his neck to be cold, but… he’s just as selfish and cold. She doesn’t have anywhere to go, can she stay here, Lazaros?!”

They asked him. Lazaros banged his fist on the table, causing the table to shake. Ashley jolted with a fright.

Lazaros: “Over MY dead body will that TRAMP ever stay here! You listen to me, Ashley! Vanessa is pregnant with a MARRIED MAN’S baby! She is a SLUT! I don’t want her here! She is not your problem, and we’re not a charity case! So NO! She cannot stay here!”

He snapped. Ashley embraced themself and sighed.

Ashley: “I feel so bad for her being kicked onto the streets… Where is she going to go?”

Lazaros clasped his hand over his forehead.

Lazaros: “You’re a kind, generous person, Ash. But… know your limits. You can’t help everyone, and this baby is already causing so much chaos for all. Why isn’t Jaxon here celebrating his little brother or sister? Why isn’t his dad with her, helping with the shower? So many questions. Are you sure this isn’t another case where you took Maxx under your wing because you felt sorry for him?”

He challenged them. Ashley took in his words.

Ashley: “...Why aren’t they helping her?”

They asked.

Ashley: “She’s not like Maxx… Though I thought Blair wasn’t like Maxx, he turned out to be WORSE… I don’t know! I’m so confused! I don’t know what to do!”

They buried their head into their hands.

Lazaros crushed his cigarillo in the ashtray, rose, and put his arms around Ashley, kissing their head. Ashley shivered and melted into his affections and kisses.

Lazaros: “She will be fine, Ash… Blair doesn’t own the house, and neither does Ivy. It’s not your mess to clean up.”

He said gently. Ashley swallowed hard.

Ashley: “I hope so… She doesn’t deserve this.”

They sighed.

Ashley: “But Blair deserves Ivy.”

They twisted their mouth.

Lazaros: “Yes, they certainly do.”

He said bitterly.

~

Celeste came out of hers and Jaxon’s bedroom and saw Fabien in the living room watching Varg the Viking. Varg’s feet grew colossal, and he was stomping on villages.

Fabien: “This bullshit is fetish fuel. It’s someone’s barely disguised fetish.”

He laughed.

Celeste: “It’s five minutes of him destroying villages with his big feet.”

She sat on the couch with him. Fabien flipped an envelope between his fingers as he watched Varg.

Fabien: “Is that a feather sword?”

He pointed to Varg slashing the feather sword at the sorceress.

Celeste: “Yeah.”

She rolled her eyes. Jaxon emerged from the bedroom and glowered at Fabien.

Jaxon: “The fuck are YOU doing here?”

He pouted.

Fabien: “Watching your favorite show, Jiro-kun!”

He sang in a high-pitched voice. Jaxon glared at him.

Fabien: “And I overheard Blair arguing with his fatty crush. I got ya a card.”

He handed him a card. Inside was Varg the Viking saying, “Congratulations on becoming a big brother!”

Jaxon: “What the fuck IS THIS?!”

He snapped at him.

Fabien: “Oh, Blair was telling his fat ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, whatever he or she claims to be right now, to tell Vanessa to get an abortion because he doesn’t want you, Tristan, or Deimos around when the little bastard is born. Fatty won’t do that, and Blair got mad.”

He pretended to cry.

Jaxon: “WHAT?! I don’t want that crybaby little bitch around either and I don’t want that kid around either!”

He fired back.

Fabien: “Well, tell Fatty next time Lazaros invites you all to watch them shove food in their fat fuckin’ head.”

He laughed.

Fabien: “Oh, and I took your cigarettes. I ran out. Thank you.”

He grinned.

Jaxon: ”YOU WHAT?!”

He snapped. Fabien lifted his shirt to show his Marlboro Reds tucked in his underwear.

Fabien: “See?”

Jaxon glared at him and reached over, grabbing his cigarettes out of his underwear.

Jaxon: “Thank you.”

He huffed, taking one out and lighting it up.

Fabien: “Celeste, your boyfriend touched me down there.”

He said to her.

Celeste: “He grabbed his cigarettes back.”

Jaxon smirked smugly and blew him a raspberry.

Fabien: “Will you be a dear and get me some?”

He whispered to her. Jaxon took one of his cigarettes out and threw it at his head.

Jaxon: “There you go. Enjoy.”

He taunted.

Fabien: “Merci, mon chéri.”

He said wryly.

Celeste: “This show is so stupid, and I have all these fetishes.”

She groused.

Fabien: “I bet this show would be amazing to watch when stoned.”

He drawled. Jaxon groaned.

Jaxon: “Stoners and crazy bitches love this shit.”

He rolled his eyes, thinking of Brad and Nariko.

Fabien: “Didn’t think Nariko was a stoner so crazy bitch it is.”

He flipped the channel and stopped on Unresolved Engimas. He watched the segment, in which the host showed a picture of an obese white man with a green moustache, unkempt green hair, a dirty trucker hat, and a red plaid shirt. The host said that Finley Lloyd has been missing for a year, and the police are on the lookout for him. Fabien twisted his mouth and appeared very uncomfortable.

Celeste: “That guy looks familiar.”

She leaned closer. Fabien looked away and cupped his mouth.

Celeste: “Oh, right! I killed that guy and stuffed his body in a Barry Bear’s fursuit and dumped it into the ocean!”

She grinned like the Cheshire Cat. Fabien locked his gaze on her. Jaxon gaped at her and laughed.

Jaxon: “Aww, babe, you’re so savage!”

He kissed her with endearment. She kissed him back and grinned at him.

Fabien: “Well, that fat fuck deserved to die like that!”

He blurted. Celeste gaped at him owlishly. She noticed something was off about him.

Celeste: “What’s wrong, Fab?”

She knit her eyebrows.

Jaxon: “Yeah? What’s wrong with what Celeste did?! It’s AWESOME!”

He pouted.

Fabien: “I agree, it was awesome…”

He sighed.

Fabien: “The guy she did it to was an asshole.”

He confessed.

Celeste: “You knew him?”

Fabien looked away and nodded.

Fabien: “Before I worked at Danny Donger’s as a waiter, I delivered food for Pizzas, Gyros, & More.”

He began.

Fabien: “This guy… Finley Lloyd wanted two large pizzas delivered. I drove to this dark, dank house in the middle of nowhere. He led me in because I had to get paid. I didn’t care about being tipped…”

He bowed his head.

Fabien: “He, uh, sent his pitbull to attack me.”

He swallowed hard.

Fabien: “If I didn’t have these powers I have, I would have died or lost a limb. I’m terrified of dogs.”

He tightly pursed his lips.

Fabien: “And… he tried to rape me.”

He admitted in a small voice. Jaxon paused, and his eyebrows rose.

Fabien: “I stabbed him with a pocket knife I had and ran out as that crazy fucking dog chased me. I was… so scared.”

He said as his voice trembled. Celeste knit her eyebrows.

Fabien: “And then when I got my job at Danny Donger’s, it was great until Dougal fucking Springer came and he tried to do the same as Finley Lloyd.”

He drew a long breath. Jaxon’s heart sank, and his blood ran cold.

Jaxon: “...Dougal fucking Springer.”

He hissed between clenched teeth. Fabien gazed at him.

Fabien: “He tried to rape you, too, didn’t he?”

Celeste gaped at Fabien like a deer in the headlights. Jaxon looked away.

Jaxon: “Yeah…”

His voice trailed off.

Celeste: “I should have heard him, but we were both so upset!”

She whimpered. Fabien gaped at her.

Fabien: “Celeste, we have sensitive ears. You would have heard that fat fuck no matter how upset you were. What happened if you don’t mind me asking?”

Celeste looked away.

Celeste: “Ivy got Jax and me upse,t and… he snuck up on us. He put a paralyzer or something in me and tased him. And Tristan and Deimos came in time.”

She told him with strain. Jaxon embraced himself. Celeste rose and wrapped her arms around him. Jaxon held her back.

Fabien: “He had something strong enough to take you two out? And neither of you heard him coming?”

She shook her head. Jaxon wordlessly shook his head in confirmation.

Fabien: “What if… he used something on his shoes so you two wouldn’t hear him?”

He suggested. Celeste froze.

Fabien: “It may sound absurd but that fat fuck comes prepared and you know that.”

Jaxon gaped at him.

Jaxon: “Um, what? Whale-silencers?!”

He laughed bitterly. Fabien wagged his head and shrugged.

Fabien: “Why not? You two didn’t hear him, and he’s not exactly a light person. He flops his big fat ass down and the whole place shakes, so yeah.”

Jaxon: “Hmph, tell me about it. That’s why I call him a whale. He flops and makes a big splash like a whale.”

He pouted bitterly. Fabien snorted. Celeste giggled.

Celeste: “Hahaha, it’s funny because it’s true.”

~

Tristan was driving through Little Tokyo with his father in the passenger seat.

Tristan: “This has gone on too long, Papa. I’ve tried everything, so I believe Andreas’ tarot reading will guide you.”

He said firmly and parked his car in front of Måneravn. He and Victor got out and entered the store. Tristan saw Andreas at the counter and smiled.

Tristan: “Good afternoon, Andreas. Would you do a tarot reading for my Papa?”

He asked him.

Andreas: “Hey, Tristan. Of course. Did you have any intentions set to mind?”

He asked, glancing up at Victo,r and pulling out his tarot deck and started shuffling.

Victor: “I want Celeste not to be with Jaxon and be with me!”

He sobbed. Andreas twisted his mouth. Great, another one of those, he thought.

Tristan: “Andreas, he needs guidance.”

He said with a twinge of annoyance at his father.

Andreas: “I can see that.”

He said to Tristan, shuffling his cards.

Andreas: “Celeste has made her choice. What she chooses is not for you to decide.”

He stated as the “Death” card fell out of his deck in reverse.

Andreas: “This relationship is over, and you need to let go. The more you try to hold on, the more it will hurt you and push her further away from you. When we hold onto something dead, we stop growing. It’s like you’re living on loop and not really living anymore.”

He explained, drawing the next card, The Magician.

Andreas: “So, you need to get out and live. The magician is about action and making things happen. Don’t sit there and wallow, waiting for things to happen. Go and make things happen for yourself. No, I don’t mean go after her. Move on. Let her go. If this relationship didn’t work out, it means it wasn’t meant to be, and she isn’t your person.”

He stated. Victor’s eyelids dipped, and he sobbed.

Tristan: “I said the same thing, Papa. Putting listening devices on Oliver and listening to their conversations is not helping, and it’s causing more damage.”

He said firmly. Even if I found interesting things in it, he thought. Andreas’ eyes widened, and he shook his head in disapproval.

Tristan: “Celeste and Papa didn’t get into a relationship. They both bonded over a mutual resentment for his former partner, Ivy. And then instead of focusing on Celeste or living, he was moping about Ivy.”

He explained to Andreas.

Tristan: “This never had a strong foundation to begin with, and once the thing they bonded over was gone, the bond started to decay fast.”

He added.

Andreas listened and took notes, he turned over the third card–The Hermit.

Andreas: “You need to stand back and reflect on yourself. Forget what’s going on out there with external forces!”

He pointed around them.

Andreas: “You should be focusing on what’s going on in here, internally with you!”

He gestured to his own head and chest.

Andreas: “Question yourself why you made the choices you made and how you can avoid them going forward. Think about your part in those choices and maybe why things didn’t work out. Then move on and make more informed choices.”

He said in a gentle but firm tone.

Andreas: “Work on healing your internal wounds first.”

He added.

Victor: “What should I do?”

He sobbed.

Tristan: “I think you need to get away from Celeste, Jaxon, and everyone for a bit, Papa. I think you need to do some self-reflection. Whatever you and Celeste had wasn’t going to last, and this is becoming so unhealthy and toxic now.”

He explained and knit his eyebrows. Andreas nodded in agreement and gestured to him.

Tristan: “And should you ever date again, please find someone your age. You’re not going to have common grounds with someone who is MY age!”

He said as his tone took on some sharpness. Andreas pulled a face.

Andreas: “Do you have a friend you can talk to?”

He asked.

Victor: “No, I don’t have any friends.”

He sighed.

Andreas: “Make them. Everyone needs some kind of connection in this world. Meet some like-minded people. Maybe a vacation somewhere could be good for you? Or time away at one of those hippie camps? You strike me as someone who would be into that type of stuff.”

He suggested, nodding to the billboard by the door. Victor looked at it and rose to look through the ads.

Tristan smiled a bit and put some wax tarts on the counter.

Tristan: “I’ll take these and pay for the tarot session.”

He got his wallet out.

Andreas: “Thank you. I hope it was helpful to you.”

He said earnestly.

Tristan: “I believe so.”

Victor approached them with an ad for “Whispering Willows”, which was a nudist camp.

Victor: “This looks interesting.”

Tristan cleared his throat and looked away.

Tristan: “If this is what you want, Papa.”

He smiled a bit.

Andreas: “Sure. If that’s your thing! The bus comes by here every weekend, and you can stay as long as you like.”

He nodded.

Victor: “Thank you, Andreas… And thank you, Tristan!”

He hugged his son tightly. Tristan sighed and hugged his father back. He was going to miss him being around, but he felt his father needed this, and he wasn’t going to hold him back.

~

The next evening, Tristan, Deimos, Celeste, and Jaxon stood outside of Lazaros’ house.

Tristan: “So I drove Papa to Andreas’ yesterday and we packed his bags to wait for the bus. He’ll be staying at a nude camp for a bit to reflect. I’m sorry about Oliver, Jaxon, and Celeste.”

Deimos bowed his head. He had a hunch Tristan was holding back on something else.

Celeste: “I hope Vic gets well soon!”

Tristan: “As do I, Celeste.”

Jaxon: “At least he’ll be away from you at Nudie Camp.”

He huffed. Celeste snickered.

Lazaros came out of his house with glitter and streams popping out of the doorway. He wore a purple sequin tuxedo with a top hat.

Lazaros: “Greetings, boys and girl! Have I a treat for you!”

He pointed his cane at the four. Deimos brushed the streamers off himself. Jaxon laughed at him.

Jaxon: “What is this? Weirdo Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?”

He laughed. Lazaros grinned.

Lazaros: “Don’t be a Negative Nancy, Jaxon! You want your prize at the end, right?”

He handed them each a gift bag.

Jaxon: “I already have my prize right here!”

He grinned at Celeste, draping his arm around her. Celeste giggled and wrapped her arm around him.

Lazaros: “You four will explore the property and find an Easter treat and put it in the bag. When you fill your bag, come to the backyard to claim your prize.”

He explained. Deimos glared at Lazaros. Tristan laughed awkwardly.

Celeste made a beeline for the garden, grabbed cream eggs, and put them in her bag.

Celeste: “Oh, fuck yeah!”

She held up fudge eggs and started to open them. Lazaros took them from her and put them in the bag.

Lazaros: “No eating. Find the treats.”

He hissed.

Celeste: “Aww, okay!”

Deimos glared at Lazaros. Tristan patted his back.

Tristan: “Let’s do this hunt, Deimos.”

Deimos: “Sure.”

Jaxon beamed at Celeste, smiling and happy again. He picked up some colourful green eggs from the pumpkin patch and playfully slid them down her boobs.

Jaxon: "Ooh, found some!"

He reached into her boobs and grabbed the eggs. Celeste laughed and bit her bottom lip.

Lazaros: “Put them in the bag, not her bosom!”

He commanded. Jaxon pouted at him.

Deimos: “Do you want us to find these treats or not?”

He asked firmly.

Lazaros: “Get moving, Deimos! You want your prize, right?”

He laughed. Deimos snarled at him.

Jaxon: “What is this prize anyway? Where’s your girlfriend?”

He looked around.

Lazaros: “They’re around. This is for you four!”

Celeste: “PEANUT BUTTER EGGS!”

She held up a box of a dozen peanut butter eggs.

Celeste: “Can I have these?”

She asked him.

Lazaros: “Put them in the bag!”

He snapped at her.

Celeste: “Aw, okay.”

She put them in the bag.

Jaxon: “Hey man, why won’t you let her have those?”

He huffed.

Lazaros: “Listen, Jaxon… If you want an Easter Egg hunt for her, you can have one. Now go find the treats!”

He tapped his cane on his shoulder.

Jaxon: “Fine, I will, and it will be funner and sexier than this!”

He purred, wrapping his arm around her waist. Celeste giggled and rubbed her nose on him. Jaxon shivered and rubbed her nose back.

Lazaros: “Ugh, whatever!”

Tristan: “Oh, I was looking all over for these Butterfingers!”

Lazaros: “Put them in the bag, Tristan!”

He commanded.

Tristan: “Got it.”

He put them in the bag. Deimos glared at Lazaros with a burning rage.

Tristan knelt and reached in to pull out a French chocolate cat.

Tristan: “Oh, a chocolate cat from Argentville?! I haven’t had this since I was a little boy!”

Lazaros: “Put it in the bag, Tristan!”

He snapped.

Deimos: “Don’t speak to him that way!”

He growled.

Lazaros: “Put your treats in the bag, Deimos.”

He sang. Deimos snarled at him.

~

The quartet was all in the backyard. The same white man with the glasses and wearing a shirt, shorts, sneakers, and a backwards cap held a camera. Ashley was at the end of the table wearing a tuxedo cat onesie with a crown on their head.

Lazaros: “Okay, boys and girl, the prize is… You all get to see Ashley eat the treats you found!”

He said gleefully. Ashley tilted their head.

Ashley: “Ooh, we get to eat treats together?!”

They beamed, delighted to hang out with their new friends over some tasty treats together.

Lazaros: “No, darling, just you! They will watch you, and Todd here will film you so we can cherish this moment forever!”

He nodded to them. Ashley laughed awkwardly.

Jaxon laughed at him.

Jaxon: “That’s not a prize.”

Tristan looked away.

Tristan: “...Wow, how shocking.”

He said dryly and laughed awkwardly.

Deimos: “I fucking knew it.”

He seethed.

Lazaros: “Deimos, you got nothing in your bag! How could you hurt Ashley like that?”

He sighed.

Ashley: “It’s okay, Laz, I’m not hurt!”

They assured him.

Deimos: “You KNEW Celeste and Tristan wanted some of those treats they found, and you’re doing what exactly?! Rubbing their noses in someone else eating them?!”

He barked. Celeste cleared her throat and looked away. Ashley knit their eyebrows, feeling bad.

Jaxon: “YEAH! My green Queen found those peanut eggs fair and square! She should eat them!”

He pouted.

Lazaros: “Well, Deimos? If you and Jaxon want to get Tristan and Celeste these treats, why don’t you two buy them?”

He said through a strained smile.

Deimos: “I DON’T WANT TO WATCH ASHLEY EAT THEM, LAZAROS!”

He bellowed and threw the gift bag down. Lazaros gaped at Deimos and glared at the cameraman who was filming this.

Deimos: “I am fucking SICK OF THIS SHIT! How would you like to watch me tickle Tristan’s feet?!”

He barked. Tristan reddened.

Lazaros: “Deimos, why would you want me to see that? Shouldn’t you keep that private?”

He asked and laughed awkwardly.

Deimos: “Yeah, it’s a fetish, like this is!”

Lazaros’ expression darkened. While they were occupied with fighting, Jaxon stole the peanut eggs, handing them to Celeste. Celeste brightened and took them.

Lazaros: “It’s NOT A FETISH, DEIMOS! It’s NOT! Whoever told you that is a LIAR and a NAYSAYER! I do this out of LOVE!”

He snapped and stomped his feet. Ashley shifted their eyes.

Deimos: “Right, and this is why you have HUNDREDS of videos of Ashley eating?!”

He rasped. Lazaros drew back and glared at Deimos. Ashley shifted awkwardly in their seat.

Lazaros: “How dare you look at videos of Ashley and my special moments?!”

Deimos: “YOU MAKE US FUCKING WATCH THEM LIVE! WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF I SEE THEM ON VIDEO?!”

He bellowed. Tristan sighed, and his eyelids dipped. Ashley embraced themself.

Lazaros: “I invited you and your friends to view this special moment of me bonding with Ashley, and you RUINED IT, DEIMOS! You ruined our special moment!”

He whined and stomped his feet. He turned to Todd and stomped his feet.

Lazaros: “STOP FILMING THIS!”

He commanded.

Deimos: “You know what? Fuck you!”

He took the treat bags, thrusting them into Tristan’s and Celeste’s hands.

Lazaros: “HEY! THOSE ARE ASHLEY’S!”

He whined, trying to take them from them. Deimos stood in front of them.

Deimos: “No! Tristan, Jax, and Celeste found them! They’re theirs! Go buy Ashley some treats!”

He snapped.

Lazaros: “NO! STOP DOING THAT! YOU COULD BREAK ASHLEY’S HEART! BLAIR JUST HURT THEM BADLY!”

He whined and threw the table up, knocking the easter decorations all over the lawn. Ashley recoiled and embraced themself as he knocked over the decorations.

Jaxon: “Blair? Oh, come on, you can fight that guy. He’s made of paper. He’ll blow over in the wind.”

He laughed. Celeste laughed and nodded in agreement.

Deimos: “Blair is a fucking loser, so this was inevitable. Sorry, Ashley, but I am right. This was bound to happen. Look at how awful he was to Celeste after she killed some monster belong to a goddamn RAPIST!”

He rasped. Celeste bowed her head, recalling how nasty Blair was to her. Ashley cupped their mouth, shocked and appalled.

Ashley: “I-I’m so sorry!”

They knit their eyebrows at Celeste.

Deimos: “And also, if you happen to run into Blair or Ivy, you can tell him or her that Tristan, Jax, and I don’t want anything to do with her or her kid, so Blair doesn’t need to get you to convince her to terminate. She wants to fuck her life up, that’s not our problem… or yours.”

He added firmly. Ashley drew a breath and slowly nodded.

Lazaros: “Blair hurt them, Deimos! We need to cheer them up!”

Deimos: “THEN FUCKING CHEER THEM UP! It’s not our job to be their clapping seals because some loser turned out to be an awful prick!”

He barked. Lazaros crashed on the ground, whining loudly and pounding the ground with his hands and feet. Deimos rolled his eyes and removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. Tristan tightly pursed his lips. Celeste stared at him. Jaxon stumbled over a laugh.

Ashley drew a breath and knelt to him, placing their arm around him.

Ashley: “Lazaros… I appreciate you wanting to do something nice for me, but they should have their eggs, and I’d rather it just be us… just you and me… one-on-one.”

They said softly, stroking his hands. Lazaros looked up at them with tears in his eyes.

Lazaros: “Ash…”

They heard a loud “HARRUMPH!” and turned to see Ivy with Blair.

Ivy: “Hello, Ashley. I wanted to tell you I did donate as promised, and that your dreadful pineapple squares gave me food poisoning. Also, thanks for not helping Blair. You’re going to ruin Vanessa’s reputation. If she doesn’t abort, she’s out.”

She smirked.

Ashley: “Glad you’re not a total monster then. You didn’t even eat my pineapple squares. Lazaros gave me like a dozen, and I’m fine!”

Blair: “She was in her studio all day!”

He snapped.

Ashley: “Yeah, drawing Tristan!”

They gestured to Tristan.

Tristan: “Sick people lock themselves in a studio, not their bedroom. I saw it in a Hallmark movie.”

He said dryly.

Ivy: “That was never in a Hallmark movie, Tristan!”

She gasped.

Tristan: “I was being facetious, Ivy.”

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

Deimos: “She’s out whether she aborts or not, because she’s cramping your style and found out something you don’t want Blair knowing.”

He said flatly. Ivy smirked at Deimos.

Ivy: “Hello, Deimos. Are you happy with Tristan? He did use me to get you.”

She wagged her head.

Deimos: “And no one cares about that but you.”

Ivy: “And Miss Snack Thief and Mr. Bossy Pants fought. I knew you had a thing for me, Jiro, but I have my eye on someone else.”

She purred. Jaxon glared at Ivy with burning hatred.

Celeste: “Yeah, Tristan.”

Jaxon: “Fuck off you Green Queen wannabe! You’re just jealous how amazing and sexy she is while you have to be a bitch to get attention because you're boring!”

He fired back at her, holding Celeste in his arms. Celeste smiled at him and held him close.

Ivy: “Is that any way to speak to your fellow Asian, Jiro?”

She teased. Jaxon laughed at her.

Jaxon: “Are you really that boring that you make your Asian heritage into your personality?”

He scoffed.

Ivy: “If I were so boring, why did I make you and Celeste fight?”

She challenged him. Celeste raised her eyebrows and looked up at Jaxon.

Jaxon: “ ‘cause you’re jealous of her and us.”

He put his arm around Celeste. Celeste leaned on him.

Ivy: “Sure, because you and Celeste have something I will never have.”

She said dryly.

Tristan: “Ivy, what we had is gone now. Move on.”

She froze.

Blair: “Yeah, you said you’re done with him!”

He huffed.

Ivy: “I AM DONE WITH HIM, BLAIR!”

She snapped at him. Blair drew back. Tristan cocked an eyebrow.

Deimos: “Sure, you are. Vanessa told Ashley that you plan to throw her out, and then Demetrio and Blair will follow, so you and Tristan can live in that house. How exactly will that work? Will you tickle him into submission like you did at his office?”

Tristan groaned and reddened. Blair gaped at Ivy.

Blair: “What?”

Ivy: “Deimos is a liar, Blair! I never visited that office in ages!”

She stammered.

Tristan: “You did, though. You came to get me to get Vanessa out of the house and tickled me with your peacock feather.”

He said firmly. Ivy shifted her eyes. Why did Tristan tell him that? Or did Oliver tell Victor, who told someone, she wondered.

Blair: “What IS going on, Ivy?! Do you have feelings for Tristan?!”

He asked her with hurt in his tone.

Ivy: “I am SOOOO done with him!”

She growled. Tristan rolled his eyes.

Blair: “Anyway, I am going to help her get Vanessa out…”

Ivy read Lazaros’ thoughts and smirked.

Ivy: “Oh, Ashley, Lazaros doesn’t want Vanessa in his house. Are you going to pick Vanessa over Lazaros?”

She smirked.

Lazaros: “Vanessa will NEVER live with us!”

He snapped.

Ashley: “I know, Ivy. We discussed this together!”

They sighed.

Ashley: “Lazaros is my partner, so I’ll stick by him.”

They took his hands and gazed up at him. Lazaros reddened, especially at being called their “partner.”

Ivy: “Good, that is just what I wanted.”

She tilted her head. Blair looked away with hurt. I didn’t, he thought. Ivy read his thoughts. I don’t care, Blair, she thought.

Ashley: “What you wanted? I didn’t decide that for you. I decided it for him.”

They countered, taking Lazaros’ hand.

Ivy: “I don’t remember talking to you.”

She waved her hand at Ashley and gazed up at Tristan. Soon, Tristan, soon, she thought. Blair looked away with hurt. It’s always the nice guys who finish last, he thought glumly. Ivy read his thoughts. If you say so, Blair, she thought.