Chapter One-hundred Seventy-Six: Bassline Of Love

Chapter 176

Bassline of Love

The following night, Jordi was at Gina’s place. He wore a button-down shirt with a purple leopard print pattern, black jeans, and black zip-up boots. Gina wore a purple button-down shirt tied under her breasts, a jean skirt, and black strappy heels. The two were in her bedroom on her bed. Gina caressed Jordi’s chest. Jordi inhaled sharply and exhaled. Gina unsnapped a few buttons and slid her hands in to caress his bare chest. She ran her fingertips along his gold Cuban chain. Jordi drew a short breath and knit his eyebrows. I never had this talk before, he thought. She sucked on his neck. He squeezed his eyes shut. I just ghosted people instead, he mused.

He placed his hands on the small of her back.

Jordi: “Hoo, boy.”

He said breathlessly.

Gina: “Jordi?”

They gazed into each other’s eyes and kissed.

Gina: “We haven’t made love since… Los Campos.”

She fluttered her nails over his chest. Jordi laughed softly.

Jordi: “Hehehehehe, I know this.”

He bowed his head.

Gina: “Why is that?”

Jordi paused.

Jordi: “I just need time to process everything.”

He looked away. She rested her hands on the nape of his neck.

Gina: “I thought you had enough.”

Jordi: “I need more.”

He said with some irritation.

Gina grinned and started tickling his tummy and sides. Jordi erupted in laughter.

Jordi: “AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! STAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!”

He laughed hard. She reached down, unzipped his boots, and pulled them off, revealing his sheer black socks. She took them off and tickled his soft soles.

Jordi: “AIYEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHE!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! STAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!!”

He laughed hard and writhed around. Her nails danced all over his soles, and Jordi screamed with laughter.

Jordi: “WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEEEE!”

He whined, and tears filled his Byzantine eyes.

The door swung open, and Priscilla rushed in wearing a long-sleeved, long, floral pink nightgown.

Priscilla: “It’s the handsome prince!”

She chirped. Jordi clasped his hand over his chest and panted. Gina pouted and folded her arms across her bosom.

Jordi: “H-Hello!”

He waved to her.

Priscilla: “Read me a bedtime story!”

She jumped up and down. Jordi rose and dusted himself off.

Jordi: “Sure!”

He smiled and went with her. Priscilla held his hand as they walked down the hall to her bedroom.

When they entered her bedroom, Priscilla climbed into her bed, and Jordi sat on the floor by her bed. He reached into his pocket, got a pair of rectangular reading glasses, unfolded the temples, and slid them on as he opened the book for her. She leaned on his chest.

Priscilla: “Why do you have glasses on?”

She asked him. He turned to her and snickered.

Jordi: “They’re reading glasses I bought at the dollar store. They make the text appear larger because it’s a preference I have with reading. I can read fine, but I guess this is a tic of mine that I took up recently.”

He laughed.

Priscilla: “Jordi, will you come with me to the ‘Haunted House’ thing? A princess needs a prince to protect me!”

She beamed. Jordi looked down and smiled at her.

Jordi: “Of course, I can.”

He nodded and began reading to her.

~

When Priscilla drifted off to sleep, Jordi closed the book, took his glasses off, folded the temples, and put them back into his pocket. He rose to his feet and stepped out of her bedroom.

He entered Gina’s bedroom to see Gina pouting. Jordi sighed. He strolled to her bed, put his socks back on, and then slid his feet into his boots.

Gina: “Are you taking me to the ‘Haunted House’ tour?”

Jordi nodded.

Jordi: “Yeah.”

He smiled a bit.

Gina: “You’re not spending the night?”

Jordi: “No.”

He cleared his throat.

Gina wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. Jordi kissed her back.

Jordi: “Have a good night, Gina.”

He said softly.

~

Jaxon was out driving that night after he wrapped up another session at Sole Desire. He didn’t know how to break it to Deimos that he had another session and wasn’t sure if he should tell him. He was smoking as he drove. He wore a gray snakeskin pattern sports jacket, a white button-down shirt, jeans, and Chelsea boots. He saw the bright lights of the Starlight Club and decided to pull into the parking lot for a drink. He looked over his shoulder and in his rearview mirror before putting on his signal and turning into the parking lot.

~

Jaxon stepped into the club and took a seat at the bar. The bartender locked his gaze on him.

Bartender: “What can I get you?”

Jaxon: “Jack and Coke.”

He smiled. He took out a cigarette from his case and lit it up. The bartender placed a glass of Jack and Coke in front of him with a lime on the rim. Jaxon thanked him and took a sip. He withdrew his wallet and opened it up to look at the photos of him and Celeste. He sighed and inhaled a long drag. He blew out smoke and took another drink.

Someone sat beside him. He was expecting it to be his brother, but was surprised to see Jordi seated beside him.

Jordi: “Hello, Jaxon.”

He said genially.

Bartender: “What can I get you?”

Jordi: “Vesper.”

He smiled. He withdrew a cigarette from his pack and lit it up. The bartender handed him the cocktail in a martini glass with a lemon twist inside. He took a sip.

Jaxon: “What do you want?”

Jordi: “Just to talk. How are you feeling? You seem like you need a friend to talk to.”

He smiled at him. Jaxon looked away.

Jaxon: “No, you’ll take it back to Tristan and he will rub Deimos’ and my noses in it.”

He huffed.

Jordi: “Rub it in what? I won’t take anything back to Tristan.”

He said gently.

Jaxon looked away and took another drink.

Jaxon: “What about Deimos?”

He asked.

Jordi: “What about him?”

Jaxon: “Will you take it back to him?”

Jordi raised an eyebrow.

Joridi: “I don’t like the guy and don’t want to talk to him, so no, I won’t.”

He said with irritation.

Jordi drew a breath.

Jordi: “Look, Jaxon, you seem like you need a friend to talk to. If you want that, I’m here. If not, that’s fine. I can keep you company, and we don’t have to say anything.”

He reassured him. Jaxon knit his eyebrows.

Jordi: “I noticed you were gazing at your photos of you with Celeste.”

Jaxon looked away.

Jaxon: “That meant nothing. They were there.”

He said with hurt. Jordi gazed at him.

Jaxon inhaled sharply.

Jaxon: “I did a shoot at Sole Desire just now.”

Jordi: “Yes, I know this is your job.”

He nodded.

Jaxon: “Deimos and I argued about it. He knew what I did before we got into this relationship, and now he wants me to quit because he doesn’t want to share me. What else am I supposed to do to bring money in? He says he wants to take care of me, but I need to do something, be around other people, and be active. I am not like Tristan, who wants to be alone.”

He embraced himself.

Jordi: “Well, this job is just that: it’s business. I saw the photos on that website, and you were never intimate with anyone else during those shoots, except for… Celeste.”

He stated. Jaxon looked away with hurt.

Jordi: “It’s your job, and it’s a way of bringing in extra money. It doesn’t mean you want to be with the people who subscribe to that website. You don’t know who subscribes or anything.”

Jaxon cupped his mouth.

Jaxon: “I feel like… he’s trying to police what I do. He gave me a new bass guitar, bought me lots of nice gifts, and makes me feel loved and protected. Am I doing the wrong thing by going behind his back and not telling him what I did?”

He asked, knitting his eyebrows.

Jaxon: “I just hate it when he’s angry with me because he won’t drop it, and I don’t know what else to do!”

He cried. Jordi knit his eyebrows and recalled Tristan voicing the same issues with Deimos.

Jordi put his hand on Jaxon’s shoulder.

Jordi: “Jaxon, you knew what he was like with Tristan. Why did you do what you did with him and betray Tristan like this? I’m not chiding you, but I genuinely want to know.”

He asked softly. Jaxon drew a long breath.

Jaxon: “Because I can’t get over what happened in Seashell Cove, and Celeste wanted to be with that idiot troll, Fabien, instead of me. I felt unloved… and Deimos was there.”

He replied.

Jordi: “Deimos made you feel loved concerning what happened at Seashell Cove?”

Jaxon: “He makes me feel loved always. I was hurt about how Celeste treated me, and he was hurt because Tristan kept stuff from him.”

He explained.

Jordi: “Isn’t that what you’re doing now? You just told me why you did, and do you think the same applies to Tristan?”

He challenged. Jaxon looked away.

Jordi: “Tristan kept stuff from him to avoid Deimos’ outbursts, and some of it… was too traumatizing to discuss. That had nothing to do with Deimos, and if he were a true partner, he would have understood this, but he lashed out instead.”

He said, drawing a long breath. Jaxon cupped his mouth.

Jordi: “You didn’t want to discuss Seashell Cove with me… I never lashed out at you or took it personally. I know it’s a sore topic.”

His eyelids dipped.

Jordi: “As for Celeste…, I think she doesn’t know how to deal with someone dealing with trauma, so she buries herself in mocking some manchild to cope with this. I do believe she loved you, but she didn’t love you in your language; she was loving you in hers.”

He stated.

Jordi: “She was adamant about saving you from my boss and Tristan’s uncle.”

He smiled a bit. Jaxon had pain in his eyes. He rose from the barstool and withdrew cash from his wallet to place on the counter.

Jaxon: “I have to go. Thanks for talking to me.”

He smiled sadly and left. Jordi watched him go and heaved a deep sigh.

~

Deimos was in bed. He wore a tank top with blue plaid pajama pants. Jaxon stepped out of the bathroom in his silk dragon robe. He untied the sash at his waist and dropped the robe, revealing his naked body. He climbed into bed with Deimos and lay on his chest.

Deimos: “Where were you?”

Jaxon paused and looked up.

Jaxon: “At the Starlight Club, having a drink.”

He said as he caressed his chest.

Deimos: “I saw your newest set on Sole Desire.”

Jaxon froze and looked up at him.

Jaxon: “Did you like them?”

Deimos: “I told you not to do those, and you disobeyed me.”

He hissed.

Jaxon: “You’re not my father.”

He pouted. Deimos turned over.

Deimos: “Whatever, listen to Tristan’s manipulation bullshit and do whatever he says. His word is God.”

He huffed.

Jaxon: “Tristan never put me up to anything! I did this before, and you knew it! I can see why he kept stuff from you!”

He cried. Deimos turned around to face him.

Deimos: “Then you can get your ass out of here, and where will you go?”

He rasped. Jaxon started to cry. He buried his face in his hands as he cried.

Deimos: “Maybe you shouldn’t have done this! You’re MY man and I don’t want to share you with others!”

He snapped.

Jaxon: “If I’m your man, why did you just tell me to get out of here?!”

He bawled.

Deimos: “Because you’re keeping shit from me as Tristan did!”

He barked. Jaxon drew back.

Jaxon: “I don’t want to deal with this from you, Deimos! I need to feel loved and protected! I want that feeling from you!”

He sobbed. Deimos looked away.

He rose from his bed.

Jaxon: “Where are you going?!”

He cried.

Deimos: “I need space to think…”

Jaxon looked away and heaved a deep sigh. He lay in a fetal position to weep.

~

Deimos stepped out onto his backyard patio. He paced around and flopped on the lounge, raking his fingers through his hair. He listened to the crickets chirping and heaved a deep sigh. He heard little paw pads on the concrete followed by footsteps. He raised his head to see Tristan over the fence. Tristan picked up Oliver and helped him walk through the wall. He wore a black turtleneck sweater, beige chinos, black wingtip Oxfords, and a black trench coat.

Deimos: “What do you want?”

He asked Tristan. Tristan sat down and crossed his legs. Deimos flicked his gaze at him and looked away.

Tristan: “Trouble in paradise?”

He smirked.

Deimos: “No, just you being manipulative and trying to fuck everything up for me.”

He huffed. Tristan gave him a brazen smirk.

Tristan: “Well, do tell me about these escapades I am committing. I’d love to know what stuff I am doing that I am blissfully unaware of.”

He scoffed. Deimos gazed at Tristan. Tristan shifted his eyes and looked away.

Deimos: “You’re telling Jaxon to keep stuff from me.”

He growled. Tristan gaped at him.

Tristan: “Am I? Or is he doing this to prevent your nastiness and wrath?”

He asked coolly. Deimos looked away.

Tristan: “What did he keep from you?”

He leaned over, folded his hands, and rested his chin on them. Deimos locked his gaze on Tristan.

Deimos: “How come you never modeled at Sole Desire?”

Tristan raised his eyebrows.

Tristan: “Well, uh, I’m reserved about doing that, I suppose. I don’t mind taking those pictures just for… a special someone, but I don’t want others to see that. That’s just me, though.”

He explained and waved his hand.

Tristan: “I won’t judge others should they venture this path.”

Deimos looked away and furrowed his eyebrows. Tristan smirked.

Tristan: “Right, you saw Jaxon’s new set, he kept it from you, and you’re angry.”

Deimos harrumphed.

Tristan: “Deimos, he did this with Celeste, and there were no arguments to be had. It’s a job he does. He’s not getting romantically or sexually involved with his clients. What are you afraid of, that he will do to you what you did to me?”

He asked sharply. Deimos winced.

Deimos and Tristan gazed at each other for a moment. There was nothing but the sound of crickets chirping.

Tristan: “Why are you looking at me like that?”

He cupped his mouth and glared at him.

Deimos: “Like what?”

Tristan: “You know what.”

He said, his tone growing sharper.

Deimos: “I-It’s your manipulative bullshit again!”

He huffed and reddened.

Tristan: “Yes, Deimos, blame it on me. It’s always me, isn’t it? You’re never wrong! You never were wrong!”

He snapped.

Tristan rose from his seat.

Tristan: “Since you can’t tell yourself you’re the reason you’re in this mess, I will gladly tell you myself: Jaxon never told you he did a set because he doesn’t want to deal with your nastiness, not unlike me. This is why I kept stuff from you. It’s YOU, Deimos!”

He sneered at him.

Deimos rose and grabbed Tristan’s wrists. He pinned him against the wall and kissed him deeply. Tristan’s heart hammered in his chest, shocked by his sudden move. He wrenched away and slapped Deimos hard across his cheek. Deimos’ head turned, and he rubbed his sore cheek.

Tristan: “Don’t you EVER do that to me again, you fucking bastard!”

He snapped as tears welled in his eyes.

Tristan: “If you hate what Jaxon is doing, SUCK IT UP! You made your choice, and you have to live with the consequences! He’s not me, Deimos! If I were so perfect, why did you betray me?!”

He sobbed. Deimos cupped his mouth.

Deimos: “I made two men I love very much cry tonight.”

Tristan shook his head.

Tristan: “Shut up, you asshole! You don’t love me! You don’t love Jaxon either! You love yourself!”

He bellowed and delivered another hard slap to his face. Deimos’ bottom lip trembled.

Deimos: “I don’t deserve you, Tristan…”

He muttered.

Tristan: “You deserve NOTHING, Deimos!”

He rasped through hot tears.

Deimos: “Why are you reacting this way, Tristan? Why do you keep coming around? You don’t do this to Ivy. I know when you’re truly done with someone.”

He said softly. Tristan glared at Deimos.

Tristan: “I gave a loser like you too many chances… I loved you so dearly… and you betrayed me, so I am going to humiliate you over and over as you did to me!”

He hissed.

Deimos: “Would you… give me another chance?”

He asked him. Tristan’s fist flew straight into Deimos’ nose. Deimos fell back on his ass, and blood streamed from his nose.

Tristan: “Va chier!”

He spat and picked up Oliver. Oliver hissed at Deimos. Tristan walked through the fence with Oliver in his arms. Deimos watched him go, and a purple glow surrounded him as he healed himself.

Deimos rose to his feet and wiped the blood from his nose. He slid the door open and stepped inside the house and into the kitchen. Jaxon sat at the island in his silk red dragon robe.

Jaxon: “Tristan is right; you deserve nothing!”

He snapped through tears. Deimos heaved a deep sigh.

Deimos: “Jaxon, please, I said that in the heat of the moment because you deliberately disobeyed me!”

He knit his eyebrows.

Something in Jaxon snapped when he thought of Noriko and his family scolding him for “disobeying” them and blaming him for everything.

Jaxon: “I’m NOT your slave or your fucking scapegoat to blame your own bullshit on!”

He rasped and slapped him across the face. Deimos winced and rubbed his sore cheek.

Jaxon: “This is YOUR fault!”

He hissed and stormed away.

Deimos grabbed Jaxon’s arm.

Jaxon: “LET GO OF ME!”

He cried.

Deimos: “Jaxon, please don’t go!”

He knit his eyebrows.

Jaxon: “Y-You’re hurting me!”

He cried.

Deimos: “Since you were eavesdropping on Tristan and my conversation, I said I loved you!”

His voice rose.

Jaxon: “Like that makes it okay to hurt me?! You said the same thing about him, but also hurt him, too!”

He cried.

Jaxon: “Noriko said she loved me, but she treated me like a SLAVE and punished me for DISOBEYING her!”

He snapped. Deimos sighed and bowed his head.

Deimos: “I’m sorry, Jaxon! I just want to protect you!”

He released his arm. Jaxon rubbed his sore arm.

Jaxon: “It seems like I need protection from the man who claims to protect me.”

He glanced down at his sore arm and emitted a red glow to heal the bruising. Deimos’ eyelids dipped.

Deimos: “A serial killer kidnapped you for working a Sole Desire. I don’t want that happening again. I reacted that way because I am scared that it will happen again.”

He knit his eyebrows. Jaxon’s heart sank when he recalled that terrifying moment when he thought he was going to die, but then Celeste came to save him, pushing through the flames and the crazed madman to save his life.

Deimos: “Tristan is mighty and can save himself should he get in those situations, but you’re not powerful like him, and I want to be there to protect you.”

He said softly. Jaxon pursed his lips.

Jaxon: “I get kidnapped ALL the time, Deimos. It doesn’t matter what I'm doing. I could just be walking down the street to 7-Eleven or at the arcade or whatever! Should I just not walk the streets alone anymore because someone will kidnap me?”

He knit his eyebrows. Deimos locked his gaze on him.

Deimos: “I don’t want you walking alone at night. I just… want to make you feel safe and secure, so you don’t get kidnapped again, but if you do, I’m going to save you.”

He said gently and took his soft hands into his. Jaxon’s harsh features softened when he echoed the words he longed to hear and gently took his hands.

Deimos kissed his hands and leaned over to softly kiss him. Jaxon closed his eyes and opened his mouth to his, welcoming the kiss. Deimos caressed Jaxon’s soft hair and held him close.

Deimos: “I love you.”

He whispered.

Jaxon: “...I love you too.”

He whispered back and kissed him.

Deimos scooped Jaxon up in his arms and the two kissed passionately as Deimos carried him upstairs back to their bedroom. When he stepped into the bedroom, he gently laid Jaxon on the bed, untying the sash on his robe and brushing it past his shoulders. He ran his rougher hand over Jaxon’s soft skin from head to toe.

Deimos lifted his top off and slid his boxer briefs and pajama pants down, standing over Jaxon, baring it all. Jaxon caressed his muscular arms and traced his fingertips over his abs. Deimos leaned in and kissed him, and then reached into his drawer for a bottle of lube. He squirted a generous amount and slathered it on his member. He held Jaxon’s legs up and lowered himself until his cock prodded and teased Jaxon’s anus. Jaxon bit his bottom lip, grabbing onto the sheets with his fists.

Deimos: “That’s my boy… Take this all. I know you can.”

He slid it inside of him, and Jaxon let out a loud moan as his anus tightened around Deimos’ girth.

Jaxon wrapped his arms and legs around Deimos as he thrust into him. Jaxon moaned in his ear, enjoying Deimos’ thrusts. His eyes rolled back into his head as he threw his head back. His hardened member pressed against Deimos’ stomach as he felt on edge. He moved his hips in rhythm with Deimos’. A sheen of sweat formed over Deimos’ skin as he picked up the pace.

Deimos: “Oh God, Jaxon! I love you!”

He panted. Jaxon threw his head back and screamed as an orgasm ripped through him, and Deimos followed, releasing his hot cum inside of Jaxon. Jaxon felt it flow through him and loved it.

Deimos pulled out and lay by him, panting. Jaxon cuddled him.

Jaxon: “I love you, too.”

He whispered and kissed him. Deimos smiled at him.

Deimos: “Join me in the shower?”

He asked softly. Jaxon smiled tightly.

Jaxon: “Sure.”

Deimos rose from the bed and took Jaxon’s hand as they walked to the bathroom.

~

Narcisse was in the tree by the window panting.

Narcisse: “Amanda, my dear, that was sexy, but you know what would have made that better?”

He turned to Amanda.

Narcisse: “If he were fucking my naughty little nephew. I would feel a mixture of rage and lust as I did when I witnessed his father with my darling Charlotte.”

He sighed.

Narcisse: “Oh, I do hope Tristan loves what I have planned for him, but we need that moronic musclehead to make it work.”

~

Celeste was on the computer that night. She wore a black tank top and panties. She was on Fabien’s Bungle Server scrolling through his channels. She saw a post from Deimos with a picture of Jaxon’s new bass guitar. She saw Deimos’ post with the image of Jaxon and his latest bass.

Deimosk: Here is the beauty I bought for my beauty. The red and black stripe down the body made me think of him... and the name, of course, and being manufactured in Japan, like him, too. The way his fingers run down the ebony fret board and pearl inlays, and the way he strums and slaps against it, sends shivers down my spine.

RedPepper69: I’ll let you slap and strum my bass sometime! ;)

BlairDonati: I can’t wait for my Aunt Maria to leave. She always says crap to make me feel like crap. She said I appreciate nothing and that she will give me a garbage bag for Christmas. And my grandfather will not make a blimp of Ashley. I don’t know why I exist anymore. I can’t cry or shed a tear.

Celeste scrolled down and saw another post from Deimos. There was a picture of Jaxon with a plate of yakisoba and sticking his tongue out.

DeimosK: My beauty made Yakisoba. It was delicious. I love a man who can cook.

Celeste furrowed her eyebrows and scrolled down. Then she saw a picture of Blair in a Raggedy Andy costume, bawling his eyes out.

BlairDonati: I don’t ask for much. All I wanted for the Haunted House Tour and Halloween Festival was to go in a matching couple’s costume with Ashley, where they are Raggedy Ann. Of course, Ashley is going as a BIG, FAT CAT! I am so tired of Ashley going as a cat! They should go as a whale! Oh, wait, they are a whale!!

BlairDonati: I want to make puppet mouths of people when Ashley starts being a cow! I want to smack them so hard!

Celeste scrolled down several posts of Blair wishing harm on Ashley, pasting their head over beached whales, and Blair calling Ashley a “fat, ungrateful bitch.” He made over two hundred messages like this.

Suddenly, Fabien embraced Celeste from behind, draping his arms over her shoulders. He kissed her neck, and she giggled as the light stubble on his face tickled her. He wore a light green robe opened to expose his bare chest and torso, and light green pajama pants.

Fabien: “Everything okay?”

He rubbed his face on hers.

Celeste: “Yeah, Blair made a lot of posts after Ashley didn’t want to go as Raggedy Ann to the haunted house thing.”

She drawled. Fabien snorted.

Fabien: “I know. I think people muted my server for a few hours.”

He glanced down at her.

Fabien: “I saw the posts Deimos made about Jaxon, and I wondered if you were okay.”

He said to her. Celeste huffed.

Celeste: “Yeah, I guess, but I was busy laughing at Blair.”

Fabien smiled.

Fabien: “Yeah, Blair is a good distraction when life sucks, but… You can talk to me.”

He offered. Celeste turned around and hugged him close.

~

Celeste lay with Fabien in bed.

Celeste: “Fab?”

Fabien: “Yeah?”

He glanced down at her.

Celeste: “Why did Jaxon mope about Chelsea when it wasn’t his fault she got turned into a monster creature?”

Fabien paused and shrugged.

Fabien: “Search me. I guess that he wanted to be the big hero, or he had feelings for her. I mean, he has a promiscuous past, and he isn’t going to let go of that anytime soon.”

He explained. Celeste’s eyelids dipped.

Fabien: “Ichiro keeps threatening to break me via Blair. Is he going to turn Blair into a monster?”

He laughed. Celeste gaped at him.

Celeste: “Why would that break you?”

Fabien snorted.

Fabien: “He’s socially retarded. It won’t break me. If he’s going to do that, he’d better do it when he’s in that Raggedy Andy costume.”

He brushed his fingertips over her shoulder.

She took his hand and intertwined her fingers with his.

Celeste: “How come you don’t mope about stuff?”

Fabien paused.

Fabien: “Yeah, bad stuff happened to me, but it happens to a lot of people. I guess life is too short, or life has too much to offer, to sit around and mope about stuff you can’t change. Live and laugh, so I do that. I laugh at Blair, who makes over two hundred posts because some fat gender-confused girl doesn’t want to dress in a matching costume, despite telling him she hates him.”

He shrugged and laughed.

He gazed down at Celeste.

Fabien: “I don’t know why Jaxon focused on being sad about Chelsea. I never knew her, but… she’s dead now. You’re alive. He had you, and you’re so much better.”

He said gently and reddened at what he said. Did that sound cheesy? He wondered. Celeste beamed and kissed him deeply.

~

Priscilla was in her bedroom sleeping. She hugged her Oyster plush close, and her eyes snapped open to a prominent figure. She screamed, and her screams filled the house.