Chapter One-hundred Seventy-Nine: "Private" Investigations

Chapter 179

“Private” Investigations

Ichiro sat in the recreation room smoking a cigarillo and watching TV. He wore a black American-cut suit, a deep red pressed shirt, a black tie, a white lab coat, and black cap-toe Oxfords. He watched the news. On the news, he saw Sylvia, Vanessa, and Demetrio in a hospital room with a person completely bandaged and in a coma.

The next shot was of Demetrio with Sylvia by his side.

Demetrio: “We want to find out who did this to my grandson. He went to the festival and didn’t harm anyone. What happened was unacceptable, and we want answers!”

He spoke with tears in his eyes. The newscaster continued to explain that Blair Donati was found in the basement of the Haunted House at the Midnight Macabre festival, beaten, with every bone broken, and suffering a head injury. The doctors had to induce a coma to prevent his brain from swelling.

Ichiro gaped at the TV. So, he’s in a coma now, he thought, and inhaled a long drag. There goes my plan to break Fabien, he thought bitterly.

He crushed his cigarillo in the ashtray, rose from the couch, and dusted himself off. He straightened his lab coat and left the room.

~

Ichiro strolled through the corridor and entered the food court area. He saw Makayla and Brad seated at one of the tables. Brad had a headband on his head with pig ears, and Makayla was dressed as a hog farmer as she shoved slices of pizza into his mouth.

Makayla: “Good piggie!”

She cooed.

Ichiro glared at them with disgust and surveyed the food court area. All it has is greasy Chinese food, Voyage Burger, pizza, and donuts, he thought with disgust. He looked at his watch. He glanced at the “Busy Bean Barista” coffee stand. Maybe I’ll get a coffee, he thought.

Someone bumped into him.

Ichiro: “Oh, I’m sorry.”

He brushed himself off. He saw Pamela standing before him, gazing at him. Pamela’s cheeks flushed a bright pink as she saw him standing before her in the flesh. She fell forward again and fell on him, clutching onto him. Her heart thundered in her chest. She inhaled a waft of his cologne. It was a warm, spicy, and licorice-forward aromatic fragrance, with a burst of spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom —balanced by grapefruit and lavender.

Ichiro cleared his throat.

Ichiro: “Are you all right?”

He asked her. Pamela gaped at him and blinked.

Pamela: “Y-Yes, I’m fine, thank you for asking.”

She stood up and stood erect.

As Ichiro started to leave, Pamela reached out for him.

Pamela: “Excuse me, sir? Are you Dr. Ichiro Tachibana?”

She asked. Ichiro turned around.

Ichiro: “Yes, I am.”

Pamela bit her bottom lip.

Pamela: “I need to ask you a few questions. Do you want to have lunch or coffee with me?”

She asked, butterflies forming in her stomach. Ichiro cleared his throat.

Ichiro: “All right, we can have some coffee.”

He nodded. Pamela’s eyes glittered, and her heart fluttered.

Jordi stood behind a column watching the two. He wore his black suit work uniform and his black zip-up boots. What is going on? He wondered.

~

Ichiro and Pamela sat at a table with their coffees. Ichiro pulled a cigarillo from his case, lit it, and took a long drag. Pamela’s heart did flip-flops watching his graceful and quick movements.

Pamela: “By the way, I’m Pamela Parsons. I’m a private investigator for Parsons Investigation.”

She said cordially. Ichiro exhaled smoke.

Ichiro: “Am I being investigated?”

Pamela reddened.

Pamela: “Do you have a brother named Jiro?”

She blurted. Ichiro rolled his eyes.

Ichiro: “Yes, I do. If you want to talk to him, he should be sleeping at that loser’s house. The loser is Deimos Katsaros.”

He said sharply.

Pamela: “I don’t want to talk to Jiro. I asked because Nobuyuki Nakamura hired me to spy on him a while ago for his daughter, Noriko.”

She blurted. Ichiro raised his eyebrows.

Ichiro: “Interesting. I didn’t know PIs told others about their clients’ cases. Isn’t that breaking client confidentiality?”

He chuckled. Pamela’s face turned as red as her hair.

Ichiro: “So, did Nobuyuki hire you to check up on me for Noriko because Jiro bailed again and again?”

He asked her.

Pamela: “No, sir, I haven’t heard from Mr. Nakamura.”

Ichiro nodded.

Ichiro: “So what do you want from me?”

He asked as he sipped on his coffee.

Pamela: “What is your line of work here?”

Ichiro raised his eyebrows.

Ichiro: “...I create vaccines.”

He smiled at her.

Pamela: “Oh, I thought you weren’t a medical doctor.”

Ichiro gazed at her.

Ichiro: “Who told you that?”

He asked her.

Pamela: “Oh, I assumed because you work here that you weren’t.”

She said quickly, then sipped her coffee. Ichiro gazed at her for a moment, scrutinizing her.

Pamela: “So the Donati boy is in a coma.”

She added. Ichiro blinked.

Ichiro: “Do you think I did that?”

Pamela frantically waved her hands.

Pamela: “Oh, no, no, it was on the news and I was making conversation.”

Ichiro eyed her incredulously. I was banking on Blair to be out and about so I could break Fabien, but Blair being in a coma and in isolation doesn’t do me any good, he thought.

Ichiro: “I don’t know. It was a Halloween festival, and I guess someone played a trick since he didn’t have a treat.”

He laughed at his quip. Pamela laughed with him, finding him humorous.

She examined his hands and noticed he wasn’t wearing a band, but she also loved the look of his wiry hands. She bit her bottom lip.

Ichiro smiled a bit and brushed his sleeve back to look at his watch.

Ichiro: “In any case, Pamela, I have to get back to work.”

Pamela: “I haven’t finished asking you questions.”

She said softly.

Ichiro: “No?”

He asked her. He leaned back in his seat.

Ichiro: “All right, how about we resume this over dinner tomorrow evening?”

Pamela’s heart could have leaped out of her chest when he asked her that question.

Pamela: “Y-Yes, I’d love that, Ichiro!”

Ichiro smiled tightly.

Ichiro: “Shall I pick you up at your place? How does five o’clock sound?”

Pamela gasped again. He wants to pick me up?! She wondered. She twirled her hair.

Pamela: “Y-Yes, here is my address.”

She withdrew one of her business cards and a pen to write her address on it. She handed it to him. He accepted it and smiled at her.

Ichiro: “Thank you…”

He whispered and placed the card into his pocket.

Ichiro: “It’s a restaurant called ‘Maison de Luxe’, so dress formally.”

He smiled tightly and left. Pamela clasped her hands over her chest and swooned as she watched him go.

He grinned evilly. Since Blair is out of the question, I can find other ways to break you, Fabien, he thought. And I will use that woman to do it, he thought with a grin.

Jordi gazed at Pamela and at Ichiro. What is she doing with him, and why is he humoring her? He wondered.

~

Deimos was in his living room watching TV. He wore a Skull Fucker tank top, torn jeans, and cowboy boots. The door opened, and Jaxon stepped in. He wore a red leopard print button-down shirt, leather pants, and Chelsea boots. He inhaled sharply and entered the living room, taking a seat next to Deimos.

Deimos: “You’re finally home.”

He said dryly.

Jaxon: “Sorry, I needed space to think.”

He looked away.

Deimos: “Yeah, that excuse works for Tristan, not you.”

He sneered at him. Jaxon drew away.

Jaxon shifted his eyes and cupped his mouth.

Jaxon: “So you still have feelings for Tristan?”

Deimos looked away.

Deimos: “Tristan has Wonder Boy; he doesn’t need me.”

He growled. Jaxon pursed his lips.

Jaxon: “Do you think… you should try to work things out with Tristan?”

Deimos turned to Jaxon.

Deimos: “Why are you asking me this now? Are you back with Celeste?!”

He asked sharply. Jaxon looked away.

Jaxon: “Deimos, I think we both made a mistake and hurt people! I was too focused on being depressed about Chelsea’s death, and you’re focused on Tristan not needing to be saved, but we hurt people with what we did!”

He cried. Deimos glared at him.

Deimos: “I made a mistake? YOU came onto ME, Jaxon! YOU seduced me! YOU wanted me, and now that you got your woman back, and I got jack fucking shit, you’re doing this to me?!”

He bellowed at him.

Jaxon: “I knew you would say that and blame it all on me.”

He sighed numbly.

Deimos: “I bought you a fucking bass guitar and we made love for DAYS and you do this shit to me?!”

He angrily rose and bellowed.

Jaxon rose and stepped back.

Jaxon: “I’m sorry…”

He sighed.

Jaxon: “That doesn’t make up for your abuse…”

Deimos saw red when he said that.

Deimos: “...That’s what Wonder Boy said to Tristan and got this rolling…”

He said darkly.

He grabbed Jaxon and slammed him against the wall, pinning his wrists.

Jaxon: “LET ME GO!”

He cried and thrashed around. Deimos squeezed his wrists.

Jaxon: “STOP IT! YOU’RE HURTING ME!”

He screamed. Deimos slapped him so hard he crashed onto the floor.

Jaxon’s lip trembled.

Jaxon: “My Green Queen is going to kick your ass!”

He blurted through sheer instinct like he would to those who forced their will and abuse onto him before. It was then that he realized Deimos had taken a dark turn, becoming another one of them. Deimos’ fury soared when he said that. He grabbed Jaxon’s hair and lifted him, and delivered a blow to his jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. Jaxon looked up at the best friend he thought loved him with tears in his eyes and didn’t recognize him anymore.

Jaxon: “I don’t know who you are anymore, and I want nothing to do with you!”

He snapped.

Deimos bared his teeth and kicked him when he was down. Jaxon cried out in pain and wailed when Deimos repeatedly kicked him, unleashing his rage on him.

Suddenly, a blast of ice crashed onto Deimos, slamming him into the wall and cracking it. Deimos crashed onto the floor. Jaxon sobbed, and a red glow surrounded him as he healed himself.

A purple glow surrounded Deimos as he winced in pain, and he lifted his head to see Tristan standing over him, glaring coldly down at him. He wore a three-piece dark violet suit, a white pressed shirt, a black tie, and black wingtip Oxfords.

Deimos: “T-Tristan?!”

Tristan: “Jaxon, you can go. I got this.”

He said coolly as he marched toward Deimos. Jaxon quietly backed away and then left the house.

Deimos grabbed Tristan’s waist and grabbed his asscheeks.

Deimos: “No, Tristan, I can’t bring myself ever to hit you! I love you so, so much! I am sorry things got to this point! He came onto me and I didn’t want to lose you!”

He cried. Tristan looked down and glared at him.

Tristan: “Deimos, you blind, ignorant fool. You did this. You caused all of this. You can’t blame this entirely on Jaxon. You took advantage of his vulnerability.”

He spat. Deimos inhaled Tristan’s sweet scent and caressed his legs.

Deimos: “Yes, I did, Tristan. I did all that and I own it! I am sorry! I love you so, so much, and this is why I keep telling you that you deserve better!”

He sobbed.

Tristan: “Yes, I do.”

He said coldly.

Deimos held Tristan close, rubbing the small of his back. He brushed his suit jacket past his shoulders and tossed it on the couch. He unsnapped the buttons on his vest and uncurled his pocket watch. He brushed it past his shoulders and tossed it on his couch.

Deimos: “Tristan?”

He whispered.

Tristan: “Yes?”

Deimos removed his top and unbuckled his belt. He lowered his jeans and boxer briefs, revealing his hardened member. Tristan’s soft hand reached out and curled his fingers around it. Deimos shivered at his soft touch, the touch he craved so much. Tristan then smiled and froze his cock in his hand. Deimos jumped back, wailed in agony, clutching his frozen member in pain.

Trisran: “I’m going to hurt you the way you hurt me, thinking with that head of yours.”

He chuckled.

He put his vest on, buttoned it back up, curled his pocket watch around the button, and shrugged into his suit jacket. Deimos wailed as his heart broke. Tristan left the house and slammed the door behind him. After he shut the door, Tristan slammed his hand on the mailbox, freezing it, and walked down the street in tears.

~

Fabien was in his living room watching TV. He had light stubble on his face, having not shaved that day, and was wearing his green plaid pajama pants, holding a bong. It was a long Pyrex glass piece with a neon green gradient down the neck. There was a chamber in the neck for ice cubes, making it a smoother hit. He lit up the green glass cone piece and placed his mouth over the mouthpiece. He slowly inhaled the smoke as he kept it lit. He then pulled up the glass stem piece and slowly exhaled his smoke. He saw the news about Blair being in a coma and about his injuries.

Fabien: “Wait… Didn’t Blair already have a head injury and a swollen brain?”

He laughed. Celeste stepped in. She wore a sleeveless black turtleneck, a jean skirt, and black ankle-strap boots. She kicked off her shoes and pulled off her socks. Fabien gazed at her.

Fabien: “Where did ya go last night?”

He asked as he took another hit.

Celeste: “I was with Jaxon.”

Fabien slowly exhaled smoke.

Fabien: “What, you didn’t invite me?”

Celeste paced around.

Celeste: “I think he just wanted us.”

Fabien: “So how do I factor into this?”

He drawled.

Celeste: “You and I are still together, Fab.”

Fabien: “Yeah?”

He smiled.

Fabien: “And Jaxon?”

Celeste: “We made up, and I think he’s going to go to Deimos’ to break things off. He said he wanted to do it alone.”

He chirped.

Fabien set his bong on the end table and rose. He sauntered over to Celeste. Celeste gazed into his mint green eyes. He chuckled and caressed her cheek.

He lay her on the bed and began rubbing his whiskery face up and down her legs and to her feet. Celeste burst out laughing as his facial stubble tickled her.

Celeste: “WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!”

She laughed hard and clutched onto the pillow. He smirked and crawled up to her. He licked her armpit, and she laughed loudly.

Celeste: “FAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAB! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! DAHAHAHAHAHAMN YOU! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Fabien snorted and used his hand to tickle her other armpit.

Celeste: “AIYEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! FUCK! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

She laughed loudly and kicked her legs.

Fabien kissed her exposed tummy, and she laughed as his whiskers brushed against it.

Celeste: “FAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAB! NOHOHOHOHOHO!”

She whined and laughed, pounding the bed. He dug his finger into her belly button and wiggled it as he kissed her neck. She screamed with laughter.

Celeste: “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA! NOHOHOHOHOHOHO!”

He stopped tickling her, and she lay back panting. He leaned up to her and gazed into her violet eyes. He leaned over, and the two kissed deeply.

~

Tristan met up with Jaxon at the Noble Monarch hotel and was in his bedroom. Jaxon hugged Tristan.

Jaxon: “I’m so sorry, Tristan! I’m sorry I hurt you!”

Tristan hugged him back.

Tristan: “You are forgiven, Jaxon. You were hurt, and Deimos preyed on that.”

Jaxon’s bottom lip trembled.

Jaxon: “He’s not the person who loved me… Deimos said he loved protecting me and… this person was hurting me.”

He shuddered and embraced himself. Tristan put his arms around him.

Tristan: “I’m sorry, Jaxon…”

He whispered and removed his glasses to wipe his eyes.

Tristan: “Look, if Deimos simply had fallen out of love with me… I’d be heartbroken, but I would accept it if he truly loved you and treated you with kindness. I even admit you and he have more in common than he and I do.”

He laughed as he teared up.

Jaxon: “I loved it when Deimos said he loved saving me and protecting me.”

He murmured. Tristan nodded.

Tristan: “Yes, Deimos has… or had those endearing traits.”

He sighed wistfully.

Tristan: “I don’t know what happened. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I bring out the worst in others. Look at what happened with Ivy.”

He put his glasses back on and looked away.

Jaxon: “But it’s not your fault this happened!”

He said doggedly. Tristan smiled a bit.

Tristan: “And it’s not your fault Chelsea died either.”

Tristan and Jaxon gazed at each other, and Jaxon cracked a smile.

Tristan: “There’s a cigar lounge in this hotel. Why don’t we take advantage of the hotel amenities?”

He smiled.

~

Tristan and Jaxon sat in the cigar lounge. Tristan had a Godfather cocktail, and Jaxon had a Jack and Coke. Both men were smoking Cuban cigars. The two men heard a friendly man’s voice bellow out to them. They turned and saw Joe Bradford.

Joe: “Hey, boys! Nice meetin’ ya two out here!”

Tristan: “Good evening, Joe. Nice to see you out here and in Pink Top City. What brings you here?”

Joe smiled a bit.

Joe: “Wanted to catch up with old friends. Mind if I join you two?”

Tristan: “Not at all.”

He nodded to the seat by him.

Joe sat by Tristan.

Joe: “How have you two been holdin’ up after… what happened?”

He asked them as he sipped on his scotch.

Tristan: “We’ve been managing.”

Jaxon looked away and knit his eyebrows. Joe smiled sadly and nodded.

Joe: “It’s all you can do.”

Tristan inhaled sharply.

Joe: “What about you, Jaxon? I know you took what happened pretty hard.”

Jaxon bowed his head and nodded slowly. Joe nodded.

Joe: “You did all you could to save her from that monster, and I commend you for that!”

He said earnestly.

Joe: “Jaxon, you’re a good kid. You and Tristan were very kind to Chelsea, and I am not blaming either of you for what happened.”

He sighed and took a swig of his drink. Jaxon’s eyebrows rose, and he inhaled a drag from his cigar. He then smiled.

Jaxon: “Thank you, sir… I needed to hear that.”

He nodded. Tristan turned to Jaxon and smiled.

Joe then rose.

Joe: “Well, it’s gettin’ late. It was nice to catch up with ya, Tristan and Jaxon. Don’t be a stranger, all right?”

He patted Tristan’s shoulder and left. Tristan and Jaxon watched him go.

Tristan swung his gaze to Jaxon.

Jaxon: “I did need to hear that.”

Tristan: “No one ever blamed you, Jaxon. We all did what we could to save her.”

He reassured him. Jaxon smiled sincerely.

Jaxon: “Thank you, Tristan. You’re a great friend, and it’s more than what I deserve after what I did.”

He looked away. Tristan’s eyelids dipped.

Tristan: “Jaxon, I don’t hold it against you. I was hurt, but in a way, you helped expose who Deimos has become. He was like this for a while, and what happened helped crack his façade. It’s simply that Deimos can’t be around people who may best him at anything, and this is why I suggested he date Blair.”

He chuckled bitterly.

Jaxon took a sip of his drink.

Jaxon: “Speaking of which, he’s in a coma. Someone beat him pretty badly.”

Tristan bobbed his head.

Tristan: “Yes, and I vaguely recall he was left alone with Blair… but then again, Blair attacked Ashley and left a prominent bruise on them, so this could be Lazaros’ doing.”

He replied and sipped his drink.

Jaxon: “Maybe both? Both of those brothers are assholes, but can’t say Blair didn’t have it coming.”

He shrugged.

~

Deimos was in his living room, after healing his member, sitting alone in the darkness. Lazaros stepped into the house. He wore a purple sequin vest, a white pressed shirt, a gold tie, black pants, and black loafers. He saw his brother seated on the couch and sat with him.

Lazaros: “So… Tristan told Ash and me you cheated on him.”

Deimos bowed his head.

Deimos: “It’s fucking Jaxon’s fault. He came onto me when I was vulnerable.”

He huffed.

Lazaros: “Yeah, he can do that. Look, Deimos, I don’t fault you for what happened. You didn’t have a trick up your sleeve, and this is why you did it.”

He nodded. Deimos turned to Lazaros and furrowed his eyebrows.

Deimos: “The fuck are you on about?”

Lazaros: “Well, I hate to bring this up, but Ashley once threw up my food and said it was because I overfed them, when that was NOT the case, but they did that, and it broke my heart.”

He said as he started to cry.

Lazaros: “So whenever Ashley brings up these things I am apparently doing wrong, I point this out to them, and it was out of the goodness of my heart that I forgave them.”

He nodded. Deimos gaped at him.

Lazaros: “You need to find that with Tristan, but… unlike Ashley, he won’t see the error in his ways. It may not even work because Ashley is a truly kind person. They hurt me that one time, but I forgave them.”

He smiled. Deimos rolled his eyes.

Deimos: “Totally not a red flag at all.”

He said dryly.

He folded his arms across his chest.

Deimos: “Even if I wanted to use that against Tristan, he never did anything like that. He just kept stuff from me, but Tristan has some trumped-up excuse to justify it.”

He said gruffly.

Deimos: “And also, Ashley isn’t nearly as powerful as you are…”

He looked away. Lazaros gazed at him.

Lazaros: “Yeah, I think if they were more powerful than me, there would be issues, but I get to protect them like the smitten kitten they are!”

He beamed.

Deimos turned to Lazaros.

Deimos: “...So, uh, Blair’s in a coma. Someone beat him up and broke every bone in his body at that Midnight Macabre festival.”

He began. Lazaros smiled.

Lazaros: “Do you think I did that?”

He leaned back.

Lazaros: “If Ashley wants me to be this hero, maybe they shouldn’t have thrown up my food… but I forgave them.”

He laughed.

Deimos: “Yeah, whatever, did you do it?”

He asked him. He knew he beat up Blair, but didn’t break anything else but his jaw, he thought.

Lazaros: “Don’t you worry, Deimos. I forgave Ashley, and you will forgive Tristan, too. He didn’t throw up something you made with love and care, but you will work through this.”

He reassured him. Deimos gaped at Lazaros. Why is he avoiding my question? He wondered.

Deimos: “What if he doesn’t want to work through this? What if it’s fucked because of Jaxon?”

He sank into his seat.

Lazaros: “It’s not worse than throwing up food, Deimos. If I can get past this, so can you.”

He smiled.

Deimos: “I’m not talking about whether I can or can’t; I am talking about Tristan.”

He huffed.

Lazaros: I don’t know, I never liked Tristan, but pretended to for Ashley to love me.”

He admitted. Deimos looked away, not wanting to admit he put up with a lot for Tristan, too.

Lazaros: “They don’t like negativity, but throwing up food is a negative thing.”

He stated and then smiled.

Lazaros: Well, it’s water under the bridge.”

~

When Tristan was in his bedroom that night, he lay in bed in his white silk pajamas, his hair loose, and his glasses removed, looking to the side where Deimos slept. He knit his eyebrows and heaved a deep sigh. Despite what he did to me, do I still love him? He wondered.

His phone rang. He raised an eyebrow and rolled over to pick it up.

Tristan: “Hello?”

Jordi: “Hey, Tristan, how are you feeling?”

Tristan sighed.

Tristan: “...I could be better.”

Jordi: “I’m sorry. We can talk over breakfast tomorrow if you like.”

Tristan smiled a bit.

Tristan: “I’d love that.”

Jordi: “Anyway, I’m calling about Ichiro.”

Tristan sat up.

Tristan: “Do tell.”

Jordi: “So some woman named ‘Pamela Parsons’ ran into him in the tower’s food court. She’s a private investigator.”

Tristan nodded.

Tristan: “I think I heard of her.”

Jordi: “She ran into Ichiroand… she has a crush on him.”

Tristan blinked.

Tristan: “What is the significance of Ichiro’s so-called love life?”

He asked him.

Jordi: “She ran into him, asking him questions, and he entertained the idea of asking her out on a date so she could ask him more questions.”

Tristan cupped his mouth.

Tristan: “Where will this ‘date’ take place?”

Jordi: “Maison de Luxe, and he’s picking her up at her house at five o’clock.”

Tristan took mental notes.

Jordi: “What weirded me out was that she told him right away she was a PI… and that Nobuyuki Nakamura hired her to spy on Jaxon for his daughter.”

Tristan blinked.

Tristan: “She told him that information and breached client confidentiality, huh?”

He asked as his voice trailed off. He then laughed bitterly.

Tristan: “She’s not a good private detective, is she?”

Jordi laughed on the other end.

Jordi: “If she’s supposed to be pursuing him, she shouldn’t develop feelings for him, but… I don’t see why anyone would. The guy is as charming as a fruit bat on crack.”

Tristan shrugged.

Tristan: “Everyone has a type, I reckon.”

He cleared his throat.

Tristan: “All right, you and I will have dinner at Maison de Luxe at five o’clock. We’ll find out what her deal is.”

Jordi: “Sounds good! Shall I pick you up, or shall we meet there?”

Tristan paused.

Tristan: “We’ll meet there.”

He smiled.

Jordi: “Okay, Tristan, see you then. And, Tristan?”

Tristan: Yes?”

He paused.

Jordi: “You’re an amazing man… You deserve better than what you got from Deimos.”

He confessed. Tristan smiled, and he reddened a bit.

Tristan: “Thank you, Jordi. I return the compliment. Have a good night.”

He whispered.

Jordi: “You too.”

He said softly.

Tristan hung up the phone and cupped his mouth.

Tristan: “What are you up to now, Ichiro?”

~

That night, when Celeste was sleeping on Fabien’s chest. Fabien gazed up at the ceiling. Ichiro teleported into his bedroom. He saw red at the sight of Celeste cuddling Fabien.

Ichiro: “Oh, good evening, Mr. Troll!”

Fabien gaped at him.

Fabien: “Are you here to gloat about your ‘evil plans’ to break me and not make good on them, or are you going actually to execute the plan and hurt me?”

He snorted. Ichiro’s right eye twitched.

Ichiro: “Oh, when I am done with you, you will just be a shell of a man like Jiro!”

He hissed. Fabien laughed.

Fabien: “Whatever, man. Did you put Blair in a coma?”

He asked him, followed by a snort.

Fabien: “If so, do I look broken? My server is quiet, and people are engaging with each other more without the worry of some loser diverting the conversation to his whining.”

He said noncommittally.

Fabien: “Just between you and me, it’s nice. I am enjoying the peace. Can you keep that our little secret?”

He snorted. Ichiro glared at him.

Ichiro: “We’ll see about that.”

Fabien: “I think you broke the Donati family. Does that help?”

He asked playfully. Ichiro sneered at him.

Ichiro: “I will find your Achilles’ heel, Fabien. The Blair plan is on hold. Someone else put him in that coma.”

He rasped.

Fabien shrugged.

Fabien: “Okay, well, uh, get some balloon or bear from the hospital gift shop and write ‘I wish you a BEARY speedy recovery’ and tell the family it’s from Ashley. When he wakes up, you can watch the fireworks.”

He laughed.

Ichiro: “You sad, sad little man, Fabien. This is all you do with your life. When I am done with you, you will be nothing!”

He grinned.

Fabien: “Okay, dude.”

He said flatly. Ichiro felt the heat rise to his face.

Fabien: “If you’re not going to do that gift shop thing, I will. That is an awesome trick to play.”

He laughed.

Ichiro: “You’ll pay for this!”

He snapped and pressed the button in his ear to teleport away.

Fabien: “Great, looking forward to it.”

He smirked.