Chapter One-Hundred Sixty-One: Drowning

Chapter 161

Drowning

Jaxon drove through Little Tokyo to escape the house. Celeste had hurt him, and Fabien sharing that post didn’t help. He wished Blair hadn’t posted about his father’s extramarital affairs, but after the video of Hiroto’s secretary performing oral sex on him went public, it’s no secret anymore. I didn’t need this right now, he thought gloomily as he inhaled a drag from his cigarette. I sometimes wish people looked out for me the way I look out for them, he added to his thoughts.

He needed someone to talk to and vent to. Tristan is going through a lot because of Deimos’ usual bullshit, he thought. He didn’t want to add more to his plate. He let out a deep sigh and made the turn toward Percy’s Magical Manor.

~

Jaxon stepped into his manor and drew a long breath. He planted his hands on his hips and looked around. Percy entered the living room, bare naked with just a red silk robe over his shoulders. Jaxon heaved a deep sigh.

Percy: “Oh, Jaxon! What a lovely surprise, darling! Smell that aroma?”

Jaxon raked his fingers through his hair and nodded slightly.

Percy: “Mario is preparing some vegetarian lasagna for my date tonight!”

He spread his arms out. Jaxon nodded.

Jaxon: “Okay, I can leave you to that.”

He muttered and started to leave.

Percy grabbed his hand. Jaxon paused and sighed. Percy kissed his hand.

Percy: “It’s not a romantic thing, darling. My heart belongs to you and Tristan; you two come first.”

He said softly. Jaxon groaned.

Jaxon: “Weren’t you going to get dressed for this date?”

He asked. Percy laughed.

Percy: “I am dressed, my pepper prince. If you need me to cancel, I will. Anything for you.”

He bowed and kissed Jaxon’s hand.

Jaxon: “Hooray.”

He said flatly.

He led Jaxon to his bar, placing a hand on the small of his back and pulling out a stool for him. Jaxon sat down. Percy went behind the bar, filled a cocktail shaker with ice, and added two ounces of white rum, one ounce of peach schnapps, three ounces of black cherry juice, and half an ounce of grenadine. He shook vigorously and poured the drink through a strainer into a martini glass, garnishing it with a cherry.

Jaxon took a sip.

Jaxon: “Nice.”

He smiled a bit. He took out a cigarette, and Percy used his lighter to light it for him. Jaxon leaned over as he lit it.

Percy: “I dub this ‘Paint the Town Red.’ ”

He chuckled.

Jaxon: “Of course.”

He smiled a bit. He sipped it and raised his eyebrows.

Jaxon: “Oh, nice.”

He took another sip.

Percy leaned over and ran a lock of Jaxon’s hair through his fingers.

Percy: “What’s troubling you?”

He asked softly. Jaxon took a deep breath.

Jaxon: “What isn’t?”

He replied bitterly.

Jaxon: “Deimos is a fucking asshole. He’s an asshole to me, and he’s one to Tristan, too. He brought up... Seashell Cove and said it was my fault, all because I wanted him to face what hurts him. I only did it because I cared about him and didn’t want to see him hurt anymore. Plus, he keeps hurting Tristan. He believed Ivy’s bullshit and left Tristan at the park. Jordi drove him home.”

He snarled and took another drag.

Jaxon: “He ruined my chance to have a proper meeting with Vivienne and brought up those stupid videos you make me do!”

He snapped.

Jaxon rested his elbows on the counter.

Jaxon: “He apologizes, but it’s too little, too late. Celeste doesn’t take my side. She lets that dickhead lay into me, and when I vent to her about it, she says shit like I shouldn’t have pushed Deimos to face his feelings, and he will get it out of his system, or he means well.”

He said with a hurt tone.

Jaxon: “I feel like she’s not being on my side… She’s taking HIS side and not even Tristan is taking his side.”

He sighed.

Jaxon: “And she wants Deimos and Tristan to make up, but I say Tristan is better off without him! I am sick of Deimos!”

He flared hotly.

Percy drew a long breath.

Percy: “Deimos… is an interesting character, non?”

He laughed. Jaxon rolled his eyes.

Percy: “Just like his kooky brother, but he explodes in anger rather than cries at the drop of a hat. At least my ice prince speaks up. Miss Piggy just goes along and says nothing. She barely spoke up to Grandfather Dearest’s bug boy and the Donati Nepo Baby, so she won’t say or do anything to rock Lazaros’ tugboat.”

He snorted.

Percy: “Darling, those Katsaros twins are basket cases. Their parents essentially dumped them off on the nanny hired to care for their infant sister, who died of SIDS.”

He added with a smirk.

Jaxon: “My parents never loved me and forced me to be engaged to that Viking weirdo. I was never a dick.”

He huffed. Percy smirked.

Percy: “You must have a convenient memory because I recall you were quite the dick as you so eloquently put it. I had to stab you for mouthing off about Tristan.”

He smiled darkly. Jaxon shifted in his seat and grimaced.

Percy: “But I digress, you did grow. I guess Deimos has yet to get that kick in the ass to make him grow… or maybe he won’t. Perhaps his fate will be that of the Donati Nepo Baby.”

He smiled evilly.

Jaxon: “Fabien loves laughing at Blair.”

He chuckled a bit.

Percy: “Of course. Blair is a joke. His life is a joke. Laugh at him! Miss Piggy cries, but I suppose if my life were run by a feeder fetishist Kermit, I would cry too.”

He laughed.

Jaxon: “I think she wears her heart on her sleeve, not like Lazaros, though. Lazaros is a crybaby.”

He rolled his eyes.

Jaxon: “Why do more people like Deimos than Lazaros?”

Percy shrugged.

Percy: “Deimos lives more on Reona than Lazaros does for the most part and doesn’t shove his fetishes on others. That’s a bit of a stretch to say more like Deimos. I never thought either of those boys was liked by anyone other than my ice prince and Miss Piggy.”

He laughed. Jaxon drew a long breath.

Jaxon: “So what do I do about Deimos?”

Percy shrugged.

Percy: “You can’t make him face his problems, darling. He has to do that on his own. Same with his brother. Whether you forgive him or not is up to you.”

He said evenly, folding his arms across his chest.

Jaxon: “And Celeste?”

He asked with hurt.

Percy: “I don’t think Celeste knows how to deal with conflict and refuses to. In some ways, she reminds me of Miss Piggy.”

He laughed.

Jaxon: “She’s not fat.”

He grimaced. Percy snickered.

Percy: “I never said it, love, but Miss Piggy doesn’t rock Kermit’s little tugboat ever. Celeste brushes off conflict or ignores it. I don’t think she wants to take sides, but sometimes you have to.”

He concluded. Jaxon looked away.

~

Fabien arrived back at Celeste’s house after he had driven her to Fred’s Burger Castle to pick up some dinner, namely Fred’s Flamin’ Fire Fries. Celeste took the food out of the bag, and Fabien used his digital camera to take a picture of the spicy fries.

Fabien: “Come, sit with me.”

He laughed and leaned toward her as he held the camera up to snap a picture of them holding the spicy fries. Fabien snickered as he connected the camera to the computer to upload the images of him and Celeste.

He snorted as he sat with Celeste to eat the food. Celeste thrust the spicy chicken fries in her mouth.

Celeste: “This is good stuff!”

She said as she munched on some chicken fries and onion rings.

Fabien: “Fuck yeah.”

He popped a spicy chicken fry in his mouth.

He heard a ding and they looked to see a message from Blair on Fabien’s Bungle Server.

BlairDonai: I’ve had a rough week. Ashley is a fat phony baloney. Their ass is the size of their yard now. Grandpa hired Ashley's brother to do the yard work, and it looks like we hired a criminal to work for us. This is not looking good for the HOA. I bought a Colecovision at a yard sale for $25. It doesn't work. My self-esteem is at rock bottom. Now I see you with her and eating chicken fries that mock nice guys. I want to cry, but I can't even cry a tear. I don't have the energy to smile or cry now.

Fabien and Celeste burst into laughter.

Fabien: “All of this over fucking chicken fries!”

He giggled.

Celeste: “If he doesn’t want Blake to do the work, why doesn’t he do it himself?”

Fabien: “Yeah. Blair. Do yard work. That’d be hilarious to see.”

He snorted.

They both noticed a long chicken fry. Fabien grabbed it and started eating it with Celeste at the other end, biting into it. They ate until their lips accidentally met in a kiss. Fabien drew back and reddened, his heart beating in his chest. Celeste went and dug into the bag for more chicken fries. Fabien pressed his hand to his lips. He glanced at her and glanced down at his spicy chicken fries.

~

Ichiro stood outside, pale as a ghost after he witnessed that. He tightly furrowed his eyebrows.

Ichiro: “So that little fucking troll thinks he can move in on my Green Queen, does he?! Making fun of the Donati trust fund sheltered manchild isn’t cutting it?! We’ll see about that!”

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

~

Tristan sat out on his backyard patio reading a book. The door opened. He raised his head and saw Jordi. Jordi wore a pastel purple button-up shirt, jeans, and his black zip-up boots. Tristan glared at him.

Tristan: “What do you want?”

He asked coldly. Jordi went over to him and sat down.

Jordi: “I’m sorry.”

Tristan: “For?”

Jordi bowed his head.

Jordi: “Hurting you. I was genuinely interested, though.”

Tristan closed his book.

Tristan: “You’ve never been in a long-term relationship, and it shows.”

He said flatly. Jordi bowed his head.

Tristan: “I’m surprised you came back. I noticed you tend to ghost people when they show you their darker side, but here you are.”

He extended his hand out to Jordi. Jordi paused.

Tristan: “Jordi, you jump into relationships too quickly. You do this to fill in the void your grandmother left and your grandfather digs at. When you’re in a relationship, you can rely on them to help you, but you can’t depend on them to fix you. That is something you have to do. No one will fill the hole in your life.”

He heaved a deep sigh. Jordi looked away and pursed his lips.

Jordi: “No one has ever said that to me before.”

Tristan: “Well, now someone has. That is your problem, Jordi—you’re seeking someone to fill that hole for you, and no one can do that.”

He said coolly. Jordi bowed his head.

Tristan: “As for Deimos and me, I love him and stayed with him because I chose to. I know relationships are not always sunshine and rainbows. People have dark, ugly sides to them. Deimos’ side is his impulsive anger and his refusal to face his problems. He sees me as a higher being who must never be hurt, but I know I’ve hurt him, too. You will never enter a relationship where no one is hurt by the other and no one ever argues. Such a relationship doesn’t exist!”

He stated. He locked his gaze on Jordi.

Tristan: “Why did you come back to me?”

Jordi sighed.

Jordi: “Because you challenge me and understand me. We don’t have surface-level conversations about the mundane. You actually read me and understand me. You see my soul.”

He said gently. Tristan smiled a bit.

Jordi: “So why is Deimos like this?”

Tristan inhaled sharply.

Tristan: “He puts me on a pedestal as if I were a celestiel being; he refuses to face his issues. His parents are away a lot, so they don’t have to face their issues and left those two boys to be raised by their nanny, Monica. Monica is, to me, their mother. Their biological mother wallows in self-pity about her and Giorgos’ daughter, who died of SIDS back in 1970. They still have Diamantina’s nursery; it’s next to Deimos’ bedroom. It’s locked up and hasn’t been opened for seventeen years… like a shrine.”

He explained.

Tristan: “And I think this and the fact that Lazaros takes his parents’ side over Deimos’ affects Deimos significantly. Deimos refuses to face this. Lazaros does, too, but I don’t speak with him much, and he’s not my problem.”

He rolled his eyes.

Jordi: “Yeah, Lazaros is really strange. When I come to pick up an order from Ashley, he tells me about them eating and wants me to watch or offers to rub their tummy. It’s just… awkward. I try to be nice, though.”

He laughed and shifted in his seat.

Deimos leaned against the door, listening, and tightened his fist. He quickly left the house and went down the driveway.

~

Deimos stood in front of Lazaros’ house, his feet braced apart, and his fists clenched like balls. Lazaros stepped out, wearing a pink and purple ombre button-up sequin shirt, black pants, and black loafers.

Lazaros: “Are you here because of the dinner I am putting on for Mom and Dad this weekend?”

Deimos: “What dinner?! The dinner you will feed to Ashley?! Why make it just a dinner?! MAKE IT A BANQUET! Let’s all watch Ashley eat enough to feed an army!”

He bellowed. Lazaros smiled a bit.

Lazaros: “That would be lovely!”

Deimos bared his teeth.

Deimos: “You fucking idiot!”

He charged after him, leaped, and delivered a kick to his face. Lazaros screamed as he flew back into Ashley’s garden. He sobbed and wailed as blood dripped from his nose.

Deimos: “I am fighting with Jaxon and Tristan because of YOU, you fucking DICK! You refuse to see our so-called ‘parents’ don’t give a flying fuck about us!”

He bellowed as he kicked him while he was down.

Lazaros sobbed and shielded himself. Deimos panted as he stood over him.

Deimos: “I AM SICK OF YOU!”

He spat.

Deimos: “OUR PARENTS DON’T CARE! FUCK THAT FUCKING NURSERY AND FUCK DIAMANTINA! SHE DIED BUT WE DIDN’T! WE DIDN’T MATTER! WE STILL DON’T!”

He roared. Lazaros curled up in a fetal position, crying. Deimos glowered at him.

Deimos: “Go watch Ashley eat a pantry. I’m done with you.”

He said hatefully and stormed away.

Lazaros choked and sobbed as he watched Deimos enter the toolshed and come out with a crowbar.

Lazaros: “DEIMOS! DEIMOS! DON’T LEAVE ME!”

He wailed.

Tristan walked down the street and paused when he saw Lazaros beaten up in Ashley’s garden and Deimos entering his house with a crowbar.

Lazaros: “DEIMOS! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!”

He sobbed.

Lazaros: “Ashley’s veggies are bruised, and their sunflowers are bent! Tristan, help me hide this before Ashley comes home!”

He wailed. Tristan ignored Lazaros and followed Deimos into his house.

~

Deimos slid the key into the nursery’s lock and turned it. He kicked the door open and entered.

He slowly walked into an ornate nursery decorated with a princess theme. The primary colors were soft pink and cream. The nursery was covered in dust; cobwebs filled each corner of the room, and a spider hung from its web nearby Deimos.

A large mural on one wall depicted a fairytale castle on a hill, surrounded by butterflies and birds that had faded to a yellowish hue over time. In the center of the room, a white crib stood, decorated with frilly pink bedding and a matching ruffled skirt at its base, both of which were thick with dust.

On the wall, pillow letters spelled out “Diamantina.” Above the crib, a mobile with plastic clouds, moons, and bunnies hung. Cobwebs draped across the strings and covered the plastic figures. To the left of the crib, a smaller, ornate white and pink rocking chair with multiple pillows, all with ruffled skirting, sat in place.

A grand, multi-tiered crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, coated in cobwebs. Floor length drapes made of soft pink fabric covered the windows, blocking out the light.

White shelves held plush pink bunnies covered in dust and cobwebs. The pictures on the wall featured Deimos and Lazaros as children with Diamantina, some showing her sitting on Santa’s lap, along with images of the twins with Diamantina at Christmas.

Next to the crib, a small white dresser with open corner shelves sat on the wooden floor, which was covered by a large floral rug in shades of pink, cream, and lavender. The dresser held a package of unopened diapers, her small pink dresses, and a breast pump with dried breast milk residue.

Tristan slowly approached Deimos and peeked inside the nursery. He let out a small gasp at what he saw.

Deimos glared hatefully at the nursery, tears filling his eyes as his frustration intensified as he stared at it. This is where it all began, he thought. He clutched the crowbar tightly and let out a mighty roar as he swung at the dresser, knocking the contents onto the floor, where the breast pump cracked.

Deimos pulled out every drawer and rammed each one with his crowbar, cracking the wood. Then he swung the crowbar forcefully at the dresser, putting a hole through it and shattering the wood. He furiously hammered the drawer with his crowbar, smashing it into pieces.

Lazaros rushed upstairs and bawled when he saw the nursery and saw his brother destroying it.

Deimos swung his crowbar and struck each shelf, breaking them in half. He embedded the claw of the crowbar into the rabbit plush toys, clenched his teeth, and tore them apart, ripping their heads off. He threw them against the wall, causing stuffing to fly out and drift in the air.

Deimos knocked over the rocking chair and viciously hammered it with his crowbar, the blows cracking and breaking the wood. He used the claw to slash at the upholstery and stomped his foot on the chair, breaking it.

Deimos’ crowbar flew through the pictures, knocking them to the floor, where the glass shattered upon impact. Deimos stomped on them and struck them with his crowbar. He grabbed the pictures and tore them apart with his hands.

Lazaros bawled into his hands. Tristan watched Deimos with a look of pain.

He slashed at Diamantina’s pillow letters with the claw and ripped them off the wall, ripping them apart with his hands.

Deimos froze as he stared at the crib. He remembered that night seventeen years ago, the night his parents found Diamantina dead in her crib. This is where it all started, and now the nightmare is going to end, he thought. He roared as he violently swung his crowbar at the mobile, ripping the cord from the ceiling, where it hit the wall and shattered upon impact.

Deimos sobbed with fury as he brutally pounded the crib with his crowbar, smashing it more and more with each strike.

Deimos: “THIS IS WHERE IT ALL STARTED! NOW I AM FINISHING IT!”

He shouted through hot tears as each blow tore at the bedding and shattered the crib in half. Deimos angrily stomped on it and picked up the crib's bars with his crowbar, throwing them across the room where they hit the wall.

He slammed his crowbar into the headboard and pried it apart using the claw and his foot.

Deimos stopped when he heard the crunch of broken glass and turned to see Tristan. Tristan’s bottom lip trembled.

Deimos: “I’m drowning, Tristan.”

He sobbed. Tristan silently wrapped his arms around Deimos. He dropped the crowbar to the floor. Deimos hugged him back, crying on his shoulder as he held him tightly.

Lazaros hugged himself while sobbing. Monica entered the room and covered her mouth in shock at what she saw.

Tristan: “It’s okay, Deimos… I’m here for you…”

He whispered as he stroked his hair.

Monica was shoved aside. In the doorway of the room, Konstantina stood, her eyes blazing, her body quivering with rage. Lazaros wailed and crawled away into the corner to embrace himself while sobbing.

Konstantina: “What have you done?!”

Her voice hissed. She took a step toward Deimos, her hands resembling claws, reaching out toward him.

Konstantina: “YOU TWO BASTARDS KILLED MY LITTLE GIRL!”

She caterwauled.

Monica: “Konstantina, please get a hold of yourself!”

She pleaded, and Konstantina shoved her out of the room.

Deimos remembered the night Diamantina died. Giorgos and Konstantina left the boys alone to attend a party, and Monica was back in Anglia to visit family.

~

March 17th, 1970

Konstantina carried Diamantina in her nursery.

Konstantina: “There’s my beautiful baby girl!”

She crooned as she placed the baby in her crib.

Konstantina: “You boys behave. We’ll be back tonight.”

She said to Deimos and Lazaros, who were both six years old and in their pajamas. Deimos wore pajamas with cats on them, and Lazaros wore pajamas with paisley patterns.

There was a thunderstorm that night. Lazaros was scared, and they heard Diamantina crying in her crib. Deimos and Lazaros entered the nursery where they saw their little sister crying. As the thunder roared and the lightning struck, Diamantina’s crying grew louder. Creaks and cracks filled the house. Deimos and Lazaros slept together on the floor, huddled close.

Deimos’ eyes fluttered, and he snapped them open. Everything was silent. Lazaros fluttered his eyes open and yawned. Deimos looked in Diamantina’s crib, and his heart thundered in his chest. She wasn’t moving or breathing.

Konstantina swung the door open and entered the nursery. A ghastly scream escaped her mouth.

Konstantina: “MY BABY! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABY?! YOU TWO LITTLE BASTARDS KILLED MY LITTLE GIRL!”

She caterwauled and broke down. Deimos backed away.

Deimos: “NO, I DIDN’T!”

He snapped. Lazaros broke down crying.

Lazaros: “NOOOO!! I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!”

He sobbed, and they ran out of the nursery.

Giorgos stormed into the nursery, and his jaw dropped at the horror of seeing his baby daughter’s lifeless body in the crib.

Konstantina cornered the two boys. Lazaros wailed, and Deimos stood angrily. She shook him as Deimos angrily shouted.

Deimos: “WE DIDN’T DO IT! WE DIDN’T DO IT!”

He roared.

Giorgos stood over the boys and began lashing them with his belt.

~

Present day

Deimos: “WE DIDN’T DO IT!”

He roared at his mother.

Konstantina: “YES, YOU DID!”

She lurched forward, and Deimos angrily shoved her back.

Deimos: “YOU LEFT US ALONE, MOTHER! YOU LEFT US ALONE! YOU LEFT US ALONE TO ATTEND A FUCKING PARTY!”

He roared. Lazaros trembled all over like a leaf.

Deimos: “She was crying and crying! How are two six-year-old boys supposed to care for a baby?!”

He rasped. Monica turned to Konstanina, and her bottom lip trembled.

Monica: “You told me you wouldn’t attend the party…”

She said in a small voice.

Monica: “You lied to me.”

She said with betrayal and anger in her tone.

Suddenly, Konstanina’s eyes widened and she stepped back as if a blow struck her. Her face, already red, turned a deep scarlet, and her hands clamped over her chest. She gasped—a horrible rattling sound that seemed to jerk her entire body—then her legs crumbled beneath her and she dropped to the floor.

Monica stared mutely at the fallen woman and knelt to her. Konstantina’s eyes glowed malevolently, despite the pain that wracked her body, and she snatched her hand away.

Konstantina: “DON’T TOUCH ME!”

She hissed.

They all stared down at Konstantina’s face. Her complexion had gone dead white, and her fingers twitched spasmically. She screamed aloud as a searing pain exploded in her chest into every extremity of her body. As the scream died on her lips, her hands lay limp, her mouth dropped open, and her head rolled back. The anger drained from her eyes, and she stared slightly upward until Monica gently closed her lids.

Monica folded her hands and leaned over Konstantina as she cried. Lazaros embraced himself as he rocked back and forth, crying. Tristan sighed and held Deimos close. Deimos emotionlessly stared down at his mother’s corpse.

Deimos: “As such is the life of Konstantina Katsarou; she would rather die than face any of her issues or take any accountability. Some people say whether we like it or not, we end up becoming our parents, but I knew I was better than that. I wanted to become better for him; I did it for him.”

Deimos looked up at Tristan. Tristan looked down at him and gave a small smile.