Chapter One-hundred Forty-Five: Deimos' Damage

Chapter 145

Deimos’ Damage

Tristan gazed out the passenger window as Jordi drove down the highway, lost in thought and feeling dead on the inside. Jordi knit his eyebrows and flicked his gaze at him.

Jordi: “Do you want to talk about it? Or talk about anything?”

He offered. Tristan shook his head.

Tristan: “Not really, but thank you.”

Jordi nodded and understood. He’ll talk when he’s ready, or if he is, he thought.

Jordi: “I’m here if you need me.”

He reassured him.

Tristan: “Thank you, Jordi.”

He smiled a bit.

Jordi dropped him off at his house. Tristan stepped out of the car.

Tristan: “Thanks, Jordi. See you soon and take care.”

He said wearily and went to his doorstep. Jordi watched him enter his house. When he did, he drew a long breath and looked behind him as he reversed out of the driveway. He shifted into first gear and drove down the road.

~

Tristan kicked off his shoes as he entered through the mudroom and saw his father seated at the island, having a cup of tea. Victor wore a red plaid robe over his red pajamas. He saw from the look on his son’s face that he was distraught.

Tristan: “Oh, Papa!”

He cried as Victor rose and wrapped his arms around his son.

Victor: “What’s wrong, Tristan?”

He knit his eyebrows.

Tristan: “I hate Ivy so much!”

He cried. Victor grimaced and darkened when he heard that name.

Victor: “As do I… What did she do now?”

Tristan: “She’s a miserable bitch and wants to bring everyone down with her!”

He sobbed. Victor stroked Tristan’s hair and heaved a deep sigh. So nothing has changed, he thought.

~

Victor and Tristan sat out on his patio with a cup of chamomile tea, gazing at the stars. He relayed what happened at Adventure World to Victor. Victor furrowed his eyebrows and drew a sharp.

Victor: “That goddamn Ivy!”

He hissed.

Tristan: “I should have told Deimos after it happened… or better yet: not do it at all.”

He sank into his seat.

Victor: “I was still in a coma when this happened.”

He sighed.

Victor: “And I do know how enticing and tantalizing Ivy can be. It’s in the past, Tristan. Deimos needs time to process this, and Ivy sprung it on him to disrupt your relationship, but your relationship is strong and no big bad wolf can blow your house down.”

He smiled a bit. Tristan chuckled slightly.

~

Deimos rolled into his driveway and shut off the headlights. He parked his car, shut the engine off, and stepped out, gazing up at the stars. He heaved a deep sigh and entered his house.

He went straight for the backyard patio. He opened the door and crashed down on the lounge chair, gazing up at the stars. He heard the door open and the clicking of boots on the concrete. He lifted his head to see Jaxon standing before him, his thumbs hooked into his jeans.

Deimos: “What do you want?”

He sneered. Jaxon put his hands up.

Jaxon: “What kind of way is that to greet your best friend?”

He asked as he sat down, crossing his legs.

Jaxon: “What is wrong with you?! You left Tristan at the park!”

He asked sharply. Deimos glared at him.

Deimos: “Are you here to lecture me? I don’t need this!”

He rasped. Jaxon furrowed his eyebrows.

Jaxon: “Yeah, you do, man! You don’t leave your boyfriend at the park just because of some stupid bitch or you’re angry with him! I didn’t leave Celeste at the playground when we were fighting or when she wanted to break up with me because of that fucking Ivy! You stick by him no matter what!”

He said firmly. Deimos turned over and grimaced.

Jaxon: “Deimos, come on, that was in the past! It was before you two dated, and Tristan stopped it because he loves you. I think he always did.”

He snapped.

Jaxon: “Also, you can blame this incident on you not leaving Ivy, but it’s on you for not leaving her, whether you knew of this or not. You said you were miserable, so why did you stay?”

He challenged him. Deimos rolled his eyes.

Deimos: “Why are you here?”

He asked sharply.

Jaxon: “Because you need to hear this, and you were being nasty to Tristan! Come on, man! Why do you do this? Why do you hang onto stuff that doesn’t serve you? You said you were miserable with Ivy, so why didn’t you leave her?”

He challenged. Deimos looked away.

Jaxon: “It sounds to me like you want to blame others for your mistakes.”

He huffed. Deimos glared at him.

Deimos: “And you don’t? You blame your parents and Ichiro for why you drank so much and slept with everyone!”

He fired back. Jaxon looked away and embraced himself.

Jaxon: “I don’t do that anymore, and while I admit I did that to cope with being hurt, they banished me, I know what I did! Why are you throwing my past up in my face?!”

He asked with hurt.

Jaxon: “I don’t do that shit anymore, but you still hang onto things when they no longer serve you! It wasn’t that long ago you would have stayed and watched that stupid movie if I didn’t encourage you to leave and go drag racing with me!”

He flared hotly. Deimos inhaled sharply.

Jaxon: “I told you then to abandon this sunk cost fallacy mindset you have! This is on YOU for not leaving Ivy when you were miserable with her!”

Deimos: “Yes, it’s my fault she’s a cheating bitch.”

He grumbled. Jaxon heaved a defeated sigh and shook his head.

Jaxon: “I never said that; I said you have a sunk cost fallacy mindset, and you do. Sometimes it’s more beneficial to let go than to hang on.”

Deimos: “Are you just angry because I called Celeste out for not telling me?!”

He snapped. Jaxon glared at him.

Jaxon: “That’s one of them, but mainly that you left your man at the park! Celeste didn’t feel it was her place to tell you; that was on Tristan, and I agree.”

He said firmly, trying not to lose his temper.

Jaxon: “She didn’t deserve to be insulted by you! If you have to insult anyone, insult Ivy! She instigated it!”

His voice rose.

Deimos: “Okay, why do you think he didn’t tell me?!”

He barked. Jaxon heaved a deep sigh.

Jaxon: “My guess is shame. I mean, I’d be ashamed if I almost did it with that thing. I think he was acting in the moment, or maybe he did it because he was sinking, and when we’re sinking, we grab onto anything to try to save ourselves. Maybe he was frustrated with your inaction to do anything about Ivy, and she was making moves on him.”

He explained. Deimos glared at him.

Jaxon: “He didn’t have sex with her, and I feel this is because he never really loved her. Shouldn’t that be what matters?”

He sighed. Deimos looked away and scowled.

Jaxon: “Don’t let her win, Deimos. She’s a fucking loser! She almost did this to Celeste and me. She’s engaged to that blue bitch and she’s not happy with him. Who would be? Is Ivy worth the cost of what you and Tristan have?”

He asked firmly. Deimos heaved a deep sigh.

Before Jacon continued, he heard a woman clear her throat and turned to see Monica beckoning him to enter. Jaxon went inside.

Jaxon: “Yes?”

Monica: “Hello, Jaxon, I see what you’re doing and I agree, but I think Deimos needs time alone to process this.”

She said gently. Jaxon looked away and twisted his mouth.

Jaxon: “But it was terrible of him to leave Tristan there. No matter how angry you are with your lover, you don’t do that.”

Monica pursed her lips.

Monica: “You are correct, but Deimos needs time. You see, the abuse Ivy did to him affected him deeply, and he needs time to reflect. What you’re doing is noble, and I believe your words got to him, so give him space to think about it.”

She patted his shoulder. Jaxon heaved a deep sigh and glanced at Deimos through the door.

Jaxon: “All right.”

He smiled a bit.

Jaxon: “I’ll take my leave. Sayonara.”

He waved to her as he left.

~

Celeste was working on an art project in her garage. She ran a glue stick over the back of the picture of Tristan and Deimos in the love tunnel and stuck a heart, colored in with a magic marker, on a large piece of Bristol board. She wrote “Tristan x Deimos = Eternal Love” in big balloon letters in purple and blue. She drew various hearts around the piece and a cat resembling Oliver in sunglasses. Next to the Bristol board, she had stacks of photos of the couple to glue onto the piece.

Hanging on the wall was a collage of pictures of Ivy crying, surrounding a large photo of her and Blair at Adventure World, wearing matching swimsuits he had picked out. Blair had his hand hovering over her shoulder, grinning inanely while Ivy was crying.

Someone knocked on the door and opened it. Jaxon poked his head in.

Jaxon: “I got us some food at the food truck.”

He lifted the bag. Celeste’s violet eyes sparkled.

~

The two sat out in the kitchen eating.

Celeste: “Did you talk to Deimos?”

Jaxon nodded as he ate some fries and sipped on some soda.

Jaxon: “I didn’t appreciate him insulting you but leaving his man at the park was really shitty.”

He huffed as he bit into his burger. Celeste paused and slowly nodded.

Celeste: “Look, don’t worry about the insult. I had worse done to me.”

She shrugged.

Jaxon: “Well, I care.”

He knit his eyebrows.

Celeste: “That’s sweet, Jaxon but Deimos has to see the light and that Ivy sucks!”

Jaxon nodded soberly.

Jaxon: “It was frustrating me to talk to him because he started to attack me and snipe at me for shit I did in the past.”

He muttered.

Celeste: “Yeah, Deimos really loses his temper. But I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to hear Ivy crying. I put up with that bitch for Deimos, Tristan, and Victor. I never liked her.”

She folded her arms across her chest and pouted.

Celeste: “Ivy would nag, nag, nag, and she always cried about something. One Christmas, she made us all watch those stupid Hallmark movies for hours and it was the most boring shit I was ever subjected to and I was subjected to a lot of boring bullshit. That took the cake. I could tell it was grating Tristan and especially Deimos. I wanted to tell Deimos to leave her, but he would have some excuse lined up, so why bother? I put up with her because he’s my friend.”

She said as she folded her arms across her chest.

He reached out and grasped her little hand.

Jaxon: “He had to see it for himself and make the call himself.”

He sighed. Celeste nodded.

Celeste: “Well, I’m glad he did. She’s Blair’s problem now, and he doesn’t even want her.”

She grinned. Jaxon laughed a bit.

Jaxon: “So, uh, what are those Hallmark movies like anyway?”

He asked awkwardly.

Celeste: “Boring, stupid, and predictable. Guy meets girl, and girl uses some stupid plot to win him over. It’s what Ivy herself does. Falling in love is great, but if you have to plot and pull schemes to get them, it isn’t love.”

She huffed.

Jaxon: “You didn’t have to pull schemes with me.”

He grinned. Celeste pouted. She reached under the table to squeeze his knee, and Jaxon burst out laughing.

Jaxon: “WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

He rubbed his thigh.

~

Deimos slumped in his lounge chair, listening to the crickets chirp. He heard the door open and thought it would be Jaxon to lecture him again, but he caught a waft of Versace Eros and raised his head to see Tristan standing before him. Deimos gazed at him and looked away, his face filled with hurt and guilt. Tristan bowed his head and sat on the chair across from Deimos.

Tristan: “I got home fine, thanks for asking.”

He said dryly. Deimos clasped his hand over his eyes. He then glared at Tristan.

Deimos: “Well, you didn’t tell me what you almost did with Ivy! Why the fuck not?!”

He barked. Tristan’s bottom lip trembled.

Tristan: “Because I was ashamed that it got to that point! Yes, I put a halt to it, but I was ashamed I fell into her meathooks! I wanted you for a while, Deimos! You never left Ivy, despite repeatedly telling me you were miserable, and I didn’t know what to do. I felt you desired me, but you didn’t want to let her go.”

He sobbed and cupped his mouth. Deimos furrowed his eyebrows.

Deimos: “So this is my fault?! If you told me then I would have dumped her ass!”

He snapped. Tristan removed his glasses to wipe his eyes.

Tristan: “Really?! Because her flirtation with me was clear, and you never made a move until I pressured you to end it because both of you were unhappy!”

He bawled.

Tristan: “YOU LEFT ME AT THAT PARK OVER IVY AND SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”

He snapped through burning tears of anger.

Deimos: “You didn’t tell me what you did!”

He fired back. Tristan glared at him.

Tristan: “Goddamn you, Deimos! You have this habit of ALWAYS needing to be right! You struggle to admit your faults and treat this like a debate rather than a conversation!”

He bellowed. Deimos drew back and recoiled.

Tristan: “It happened a year ago! It was a mistake! I didn’t let it get that far, but it was far enough! What about NOW, Deimos?! What about OUR relationship and OUR progress?! Why do you care what Ivy says?! Look at her! She’s a miserable bitch in a loveless relationship always chasing for that star!”

He cried. Deimos shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Deimos: “Why didn’t you ever tell me?!”

He snapped.

Tristan: “As I said: shame, and I knew how you’d react! I knew I would get this!”

He fired back.

Tristan: “You’re allowing the past to sour the present, and how is that better than what Ivy is doing?!”

He challenged. Deimos inhaled sharply.

Deimos: “You have NO idea what living with that bitch was like.”

Tristan gaped at Deimos.

Tristan: “I do, Deimos? I was visiting you every day and being forced to watch those terrible movies and listen to her whining about SOMETHING. No matter what you did, she would find something to nitpick and cry about, so yes, I do know.”

He countered, his tone as firm as his.

Deimos: “Jaxon said I have a sunk cost fallacy mindset.”

He muttered.

Tristan: “He’s right! You do! You spent too many years with Ivy when it was evident she was making you miserable, and you did nothing to leave her!”

He snapped.

Deimos shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Deimos: “So it’s my fault she did this?”

Tristan: “No, you can’t control her actions, but you can control yours, and you did nothing to break things up when you mentally checked out of that relationship.”

He huffed.

Deimos: “Maybe I didn’t want the time I wasted listening to her bitching and watching those shitty moves to go in vain! Maybe I wanted it to stand for something and mean something!”

He barked. Tristan gaped at him.

Tristan: “So you wanted the time we wasted on Dougal to mean something, too?”

He pressed him. Deimos shot up.

Deimos: “You CAN’T compare those two! Dougal is a fucking rapist!”

He said doggedly.

Tristan drew a long breath and raked his fingers through his hair.

Tristan: “Yes, sometimes terrible, traumatic things occur in our lives, but staying in a dire or bad situation because you don’t want to abandon something you heavily invested in is a poor excuse and sounds like a cop-out. Not everything has meaning; some things just are. If abandoning something you invested in would be more beneficial, it’s best to do that rather than staying just to prove a point.”

He stated and drew a short breath. Deimos sat up and sneered at him.

Deimos: “What about you?! While you tell me I have this mindset, you didn’t let Ivy go for a while and led her to believe you two had a chance!”

He spat. Tristan bowed his head.

Tristan: “You’re right. I own that. I did that to get you to desire me more, and another part of me felt sorry for her. The part of me that felt sorry for her was foolish.”

He said bitterly.

Tristan: “And I do regret that, too. I will own my faults, Deimos.”

He said with an edge in his tone.

Deimos angrily rose from the lounge.

Deimos: “All you and Jaxon did tonight was gang up on me when you withheld something from me!”

He snapped.

Tristan: “Because you’re wrong, Deimos! How dare you say that?! YOU LEFT ME AT THE PARK!”

He cried.

Tristan: “That was so cruel to do to me over IVY and over something I did a year ago that didn’t escalate!”

He wailed and embraced himself.

Deimos: “Well, you had Jordi or Jaxon to take you, or you could have hailed a cab or something!”

He snapped back. Tristan’s eyes widened, and he bared his teeth. His hand flew across Deimos’ cheek, delivering a hard slap. Deimos paused and cupped his reddened cheek. Tristan knit his eyebrows as his bottom lip trembled. He broke down crying and stormed out of the house. Deimos stared into space as he cupped his reddened cheek.

~

Deimos lay in his bed wearing his blue plaid pajamas and turned his head to where Tristan would sleep if he were spending the night. He inhaled sharply and rubbed his cheek.

Deimos: “I don’t deserve you… or any friends. I don’t deserve anything. Maybe I stayed with Ivy because this is what I deserve.”

He said with sadness and guilt.

~

Tristan lay in his bed wearing his white silk pajamas, sobbing. He grabbed his cat, Oliver, and pulled him in for a hug as he cried into the cat’s fur.

~

The next morning, Deimos was on the island after he showered and got dressed, sipping on his dark roast coffee. He wore a black Helloween tank top and jean shorts. Monica entered the island and noted his crestfallen demeanor. She heaved a deep sigh.

Monica: “Trouble in paradise?”

Deimos heaved a sigh.

Deimos: “That’s one way of putting it.”

He muttered. Monica smiled.

Monica: “Deimos, you tend to go into a blind rage when something concerns Tristan, especially with Ivy.”

She said gently. Deimos stared at his reflection in the mug.

Monica: “Let it go, Deimos. Ivy is no more. I know Tristan loves you dearly, and what you did to him is inexcusable, but apologizing and admitting your mistakes is the first step to make this relationship stronger.”

Deimos clasped his hands over his eyes.

Deimos: “I have a lot of apologizing to do, but I don’t think they’d forgive me, and I wouldn’t blame them!”

He sighed dejectedly. Monica smiled.

Monica: “They will, Deimos. They all care about you.”

She nodded and left.

Lazaros entered the kitchen carrying a basket. He wore a purple sequin button-up shirt, black pants, and black loafers.

Lazaros: “Hey, Deimos! I got a treat for you! When I’m sad, I watch Ashley eat to feel better, so I made them a huge breakfast! Invite Tristan and your friends to watch them eat it!”

He grinned. Deimos shot him a hot glare.

Deimos: “NO! I don’t fucking want to watch Ashley eat! That isn’t what I need or want! No one fucking wants that shit but you!”

He barked. Lazaros’ bottom lip trembled.

Lazaros: “That is NOT true! Many people want to see them eat! They make food look delicious!”

He snapped and stomped his feet.

Deimos: “Except I am not attracted to Ashley and feederism isn’t my thing!”

He fired back. Lazaros gasped.

Lazaros: “IT’S NOT FEEDERISM! THAT’S THE DISGUSTING STUFF MAKAYLA DOES TO THAT GUY!”

He stomped and screamed.

Deimos: “Whatever, I don’t want to see that shit! No one does!”

He barked. Lazaros wailed and sank to the floor, dropping his basket, sobbing and pounding the floor.

Lazaros: “How could you be like that?! If Ashley heard you, they would be in tears! I was trying to cheer you up, and you did this to me!”

He cried into his hands.

Deimos: “ ‘cause you’re cheering yourself up, not me!”

He huffed.

Jaxon entered the house. He wore a long-sleeved, button-up shirt with a complex, abstract pattern in shades of white, grey, and black, featuring overlapping comic panels. He paired it with tight black jeans and Chelsea boots. He saw Lazaros crying and Deimos glowering at Lazaros, looking irritated.

Jaxon: “Hey, how are you feeling, Deimos?”

He asked. Jaxon knelt to the basket, lifted the cloth to see freshly baked banana bread.

Jaxon: “Nice!”

He took a slice and ate it. Lazaros screamed.

Lazaros: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! THAT WAS NOT FOR YOU TO EAT! THAT WAS A PART OF ASHLEY’S BREAKFAST! YOU STOLE THEIR FOOD!”

He bawled and leaned on the wall, sobbing. Jaxon gaped at him as he slowly chewed on the banana bread.

Lazaros: “If Ashley saw this now, they would be devastated!”

He sobbed. Jaxon slowly chewed on it.

Lazaros: “No one thinks of Ashley the way I do!”

He cried. Deimos rolled his eyes and thrust the basket into Jaxon’s hands.

Deimos: “Have it all, Jaxon! It’s that or he will force us to watch Ashley eat because everyone is dying to see that!”

He rolled his eyes.

Lazaros: “Everyone LOVES to watch them eat! You’re mad at the world and taking it out on Ashley! It’s a FORM OF ART! It’s nothing like what Makayla does!”

He bawled.

Jaxon swallowed and took another slice.

Lazaros: “NOOOOOOOO!! STOP EATING IT! STOP STEALING THEIR FOOD!”

He flapped his arms.

Jaxon: “Is this a bad time?”

Deimos: “Your timing couldn’t be more impeccable.”

He said dryly.

~

A dark figure sat on a throne in a bush maze and gazed at Dougal. He wore a full-body, somewhat bulky, robotic gold suit. The chest piece was prominent and angular, with various buttons. There was a distinct, large, oval-shaped gold buckle on his waist with a turquoise gem in its center. Oversized, rounded gauntlets covered his arms, and he wore black gloves on his hands. His legs were also covered by form-fitting gold leggings, leading down to large, sturdy, bulbous boots.

Over his head, he wore a gold, close-fitting helmet that covered the top and sides of his head, leaving his face exposed.

Dougal: “Oh, this is smashing!”

He said as he admired his new suit.

Dougal: “Well, with this outfit, there will be no more farting around! The farting around stops HERE!”

He stomped his foot.

Dougal: “Say hello to ‘GOLD TODGER’!”

He cackled.