Chapter Sixty-Two: Make a Case

Chapter 62

Make a Case

On the TV, Maxx was lounging on his lip-shaped sofa in his leopard print g-string. 

Rock: “Maxxy, Vivienne dropped Axion Jaxon thanks to you! How do you wanna celebrate?!”

Maxx: “Doin’ a drag of coke!”

He took a Pixy Stix and snorted the powdered candy up his nose. 

Rock: “Livin’ it on the edge, buddy!”

Maxx: “I do coke all day and Fatley eats all da donuts and pizza!”

He cackled and snorted another Pixy Stix. 

Percy shut off the TV in Jaxon’s living room. 

Percy: “This is who exposed him, right?”

He said with a strained smile. 

Noah: “Yes, sir. You saw the segment.”

Percy planted his hands on his hips and clicked his tongue.

Percy: “Bullshit. That idiot can’t tell cocaine from powdered candy.”

He sneered and planted his hands on his hips. 

Percy: “And has the same idiotic fat jokes about his ex-girlfriend.”

He rolled his eyes. 

Percy: “There is no way Maxx did this. No, this is my grandfather’s doing.”

He cupped his chin and glanced at Noah. 

Percy: “Where is Jaxon?”

Noah: “He hasn’t been feeling well, sir.”

Percy eyed him incredulously. 

Percy: “Why? Being the opening act for Tortugazm wasn’t going to last forever.”

Noah just smiled. Percy surveyed him for a moment. He didn’t buy that excuse but wasn’t going to press. 

~

Hector and Trevor were walking in The Great Hall of Bad Art. 

Hector: “I don’t know what I will ever do about my Queen Bee’s mural, Trevor! She wants a mural done by someone who had their art in a museum! So here we are!”

He giggled. 

Trevor: “I would have painted a mural for her.”

He mumbled and thrust a handle of chips into his mouth, getting the crumbs on his shirt. 

Hector: “How is the bed coming along?”

Trevor: “I’m working on it!”

He said with irritation in his tone.

Hector froze in his tracks when he saw the art Celeste did of Ivy and Victor. 

Hector: “I found the PERFECT artist, Trevor!”

He pointed to Celeste’s piece. 

~

That afternoon, Fabien was watching Maxx snort Pixy Stix on TV. He was wearing a Nuklear Intoxikation T-shirt and jeans. He sat on the couch smoking. Someone hopped through his window. It was Celeste. She was wearing a Pantera tank top, jean skirt, black ankle-strap boots, and a black leather jacket. She flopped on the couch by Fabien and leaned on his chest. 

Fabien: “Yo.”

He drawled. 

Celeste: “I feel… sad.”

Fabien looked down at her.

Fabien: “Why is that?”

He pouted. 

Celeste: “I didn’t want to talk to Tristan about it because he’s extremely mad. Deimos hates him. Victor would get upset and I get it so I wanna talk to you since you were in the same boat.”

Fabien quirked an eyebrow.

Fabien: “What do you mean?”

Celeste: “You remember Jaxon?”

Fabien rolled his eyes.

Fabien: “I wish I didn’t but sure. I’m glad you’re talking to me while Craig is at work. I don’t need to deal with him pouting about that. I didn’t fuck him at the hotel.”

He said with irritation.

He paused and looked down at her.

Fabien: “Did you fuck him?”

Celeste: “No. It was mostly tickling and him cupping my boobs. I don’t know what he did when Robin hypnotized me but I was aroused…”

She paused.

Celeste: “My pussy was wet.”

She murmured. 

Fabien: “Ah.”

He inhaled another drag. 

Fabien: “Yeah, Jaxon is great to fuck for a few days but he’s an idiot and he’s dishonest.”

He clicked his tongue. 

Celeste: “We had a great night at the carnival…”

She began. 

Celeste: “But I saw the interviews with Vanessa. He swore up and down he didn’t say that and I believed him until Maxx showed those recordings. Why couldn’t he at least tell me the truth?”

She pouted and looked hurt. Fabien laughed bitterly. 

Fabien: “Because he’s dishonest, that’s why. Do you think you’re special? No one is special to him but his own selfish self. It seems his slimeball ways finally caught up to him. Sure, I have my issues with Craig but he loves me and I love him. Whatever I had with Jaxon was just to make Craig jealous and try to see things from my perspective.”

He huffed.

Fabien: “But let’s not mistake a couple of good nights to mask what he truly is and MAXX, of all people, exposed that. Now he has to start over. Good. Maybe it will humble him.” 

Celeste: “I think I went with him because Victor locked himself in his room to mope about Ivy so… I get it?”

She shifted her eyes. 

Celeste: “But I told him it’s done and I feel sad, even though it’s probably for the best?”

She said in a confused tone. 

Fabien: “Yeah, you can feel sad even if it’s the right thing to do. You have to remember: he’s Maxx with charisma and I was swept in by his bullshit, too. I get that, but it’s an illusion.” 

He shrugged. 

Fabien: “You’re going to be fine. I survived and you can, too.”

He petted her head. She smiled when he petted her. 

~

Tristan and Deimos were cuddling on the porch swing in the backyard patio.

Deimos: “How do you feel… about the Jaxon thing?”

Tristan: “...Trying my damnedest to not seethe about it. He had me fooled. I believed him!”

He said as his voice rose. 

Deimos: “...You know what? So did I but the audio doesn’t lie.”

He drew a long breath. 

Tristan: “I think it was only a matter of time and perhaps it’s for the best it happened when it did. This was going to bite him in the ass one day.”

He rolled his eyes. 

Tristan: “No one makes a fool out of me. If he did something, why didn’t he tell me? He came to me wanting my help and intentionally withheld this from me!”

He rasped. 

Deimos: “But Tristan, you said it yourself: he’s an idiot. What if he legitimately forgot?”

He offered. Tristan looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. 

Tristan: “Why are you standing up for him?”

He asked sharply. Deimos knit his eyebrows. 

Deimos: “I’m not… I’m offering a new perspective because I know your emotions are high right now. I don’t think he intentionally tried to make a fool out of you.”

He said calmly. Tristan furrowed his eyebrows and scowled. He seethed silently for a few moments and his expression relaxed. 

Tristan: “...Do you think I jumped the gun? The other allegations she claimed were not proven otherwise, such as the marriage and wanting to hit her.”

He looked up at Deimos beseechingly. Deimos smiled at him and ran his fingers through his hair. 

Deimos: “I think you made a wise move. I don’t think he had many legs to stand on.”

Tristan sighed and nodded slowly, still wondering if he reacted too hastily. 

~

A week and a half have passed since the reveal from Maxx about Jaxon. Tristan called Jaxon’s place to inform him that he will accept the case and work with what he has. He never spoke to Jaxon directly but his butler, Noah. 

Tristan sat out on his backyard patio. He wore a white pressed shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a black tie with white polka dots, a black waistcoat with gold swirls around the hips, black pants, and black wingtip Oxfords. He was deep in thought and smoking a cigarette. 

Celeste came out wearing a leopard print dress with a V-neckline and a huge black belt around her waist. She sat by Tristan and leaned on him. 

Tristan: “Hello, Celeste.”

He smiled. 

Celeste: “What’s wrong?”

Tristan: “I was talking to Jaxon’s butler, Noah. He’s not returning my calls about this case. Noah is thrilled I am taking the case and so is his manager, Rufus, but Jaxon isn’t talking to me.”

Celeste shifted her eyes. 

Celeste: “Maybe he’s mad at you?”

Tristan shook his head.

Tristan: “I doubt it. He would have told Noah or Rufus he didn’t want me to take his case.”

He leaned back and put his hands behind his head. 

Tristan: “No, I think he’s avoiding his feelings.”

Celeste looked away. 

Tristan: “I want to understand him. He refuses to open up to me.”

Celeste: “He didn’t tell me much either.”

Tristan: “Ah.”

He stared at the dusky sky.

Tristan: “Want to be my little helper today?”

Celeste blinked and smiled. 

Tristan: “I think the answers would be at the library.”

Celeste: “Okay, you drive me and since I am helping you, I want to tickle your feet after that and you drive me to the candy store!”

She rose and went ahead to the mudroom. Tristan laughed and followed her. 

When she got to the mudroom, she slid her feet into black clogs with studs, shrugged into her leather jacket, and put her purse over her shoulder. Tristan put his black trench coat on, buttoned it up, and tied the sash. Celeste smiled and opened the car door for him. He chuckled and got in. She rolled over the hood and hopped into the passenger’s door. 

Tristan slid his keys into the ignition, started the car, and pressed the button near his rearview mirror to open the garage door. He looked behind his shoulder as he backed out of the driveway. He shifted his gear into the first gear and drove onto the road. 

~

He drove them through downtown Pink Top City until he made the turn onto the ramp to the exit to Dottat Yard. This was considered the “education district” of Pink Top City where the majority of the schools and museums were. 

They approached an enormous two-story craftsman-style wood and brick building with large windows for natural lighting and an outdoor seating area with a water fountain. Trees and shrubs adorned the path leading up to the circular stairs with two large glass doors. Above the glass doors was “Pink Top City Library” in large cyan letters. 

Tristan parked his car in the parking lot and he and Celeste got out and walked on the cobblestone pathway leading up to the stairs. Celeste opened the doors for Tristan. He smiled and thanked her. 

He ventured to the card catalogs and Celeste followed him. 

Tristan: “Let’s see what I can find here…”

He muttered under his breath as he pulled out the drawers and went through the cards.

~

Jaxon and Felipa arrived at Maestro Morgan’s Dazzling Carnival. She wore a neon pink silk wrap dress, a white blazer over it, pink bangles, pink leg warmers, and pink heels. Jaxon smiled tightly at her.

Jaxon: “Ready for some thrills, pretty lady?”

He purred, gesturing over to the Claw ride. Felipa looked at the ride and gasped.

Felipa: “Hehehehe, no way, that’s scary! I thought you meant the love tunnel!”

She let out a peal of giggles. Jaxon frowned with disappointment across his face.

Jaxon: “No…”

Felipa: “I don’t like those rides that go up or roller coasters. I get sick.”

She groused. Jaxon sighed and looked around the carnival.

Jaxon: “Okay… how about the bumper cars then?”

He asked.

Felipa: “No way! That’s something my little brothers would ride!”

She giggled. Jaxon sighed and looked around. He smirked at the hammer game that was now reconstructed since Celeste broke it.

Jaxon: “Say… You wanna hit the hammer, huh?”

He put his arm around her and beamed. 

Felipa: “I just had a manicure and I might break a nail!”

She gasped. Jaxon gaped at her and pouted.

Jaxon: “Okay. Let’s ride on the Haunted house ride then!”

He grinned, taking her hand.

Felipa: “Oh no, I hate horror movies and stuff like that!”

She whined. Jaxon rubbed his temples and let out a defeated sigh.

Jaxon: “Do you wanna just go home and fuck then?”

He huffed. 

Felipa: “Hehehehehehe, okay!”

She chirped and grabbed his arm. Jaxon’s spirits lifted a bit.

Jaxon: “Okay, let’s roll, baby!”

He took her arm and led her out. 

There was a Latina girl with long green hair in line at The Claw Machine. She wore a pink floral sundress with a matching hairband in her hair and wedge sandals. Jaxon’s eyes darted over to her, capturing his attention and he scurried over to her. 

Jaxon: “Hey there…”

He purred, tapping her shoulder from behind. The girl turned to face him. She had ice-blue eyes, long lashes and looked to be a young teenager. 

Girl: “What do you want?” 

She asked sharply. Jaxon froze. 

Jaxon: “...S-Sorry, I thought you were someone else. Bye!”

He stammered awkwardly and bolted out of there when he realized she was a teenager, and not who he thought she was. 

Felipa: “Uh, why were you talking to that girl?”

She giggled. 

Jaxon: “I made a mistake. I thought she was someone else.”

He said quickly, ushering her to his car. She giggled and followed him. 

~

Felipa and Jaxon arrived at his condo. Noah greeted them. 

Noah: “Sir, Tristan said he is working on the case with what he has.”

He said genially. 

Jaxon: “...Tristan?”

He gave him a quizzical look. 

Noah: “Yes, I’ve been speaking to him since you’ve been out. Rufus thinks it’s in your best interest to proceed with the defamation case.”

He nodded. 

Jaxon: “So he’s gonna help me now?!”

He asked. 

Noah: “Yes, sir, he is working on your case now.”

He smiled tightly. 

Felipa: “Ugh, this court talk is soooo boring.”

She groused and tugged on Jaxon’s arm. Jaxon turned to her with a smile.

Jaxon: “Don’t worry about that stuff. The only court you need to worry about is the one in my bedroom.”

He teased. She giggled and ran to his bedroom. 

~

Tristan and Celeste arrived at Jaxon’s condo. Tristan had a manila envelope in his hand. When they got to his condo, he knocked on the door. Noah answered and smiled.

Noah: “Tristan! Celeste! Nice to see you both. Please come in.”

He led them inside. Celeste looked around. Tristan removed his coat and Noah took it for him. 

Noah: “I’ll let Jaxon know you’re here.”

Tristan and Celeste sat on his couch. Celeste gazed at Tristan. 

Noah knocked on Jaxon’s door. 

Noah: “Jaxon, Tristan is here to see you.”

They heard moaning noises coming from within his bedroom.

Jaxon: “Gimme a minute!”

He called out from inside. 

Noah: “Very well, sir.”

He sighed and went downstairs. 

Noah: “Can I get you two anything to drink while you wait?”

He smiled. 

Celeste: “Root beer float with lots of cherries!”

She chirped. 

Tristan: “Honey lemon green tea is fine.”

He nodded. 

Jaxon paused when he heard Celeste’s voice on the other side of the door and stopped thrusting. 

Jaxon: “Let’s pick this up later.”

He smiled at Felipa, then removed himself from her, wiped himself down, and put his clothes back on. Felipa gaped at him. 

Felipa: “WHAT?! I didn’t even cum!”

She whined. 

Jaxon: “I’ll make you cum later. I promise.”

He winked at her, pulling his pants back on. Felipa pouted and folded her arms across her chest. 

Noah handed Celeste the root beer float with lots of cherries and pralines in it. 

Celeste: “WOW!”

He handed Tristan a cup of tea. At that moment, Jaxon stepped out of his bedroom and came downstairs.

Jaxon: “Wow, indeed.”

He grinned at her. His fly was still undone with his underwear peeking through.

Tristan: “Thank you, sir.” 

He blew on the tea and sipped it. 

Tristan: “Hello, Jaxon, did we catch you at a bad time?”

He smiled tightly at him. Celeste popped the cherries into her mouth. 

Jaxon: “Not at all…”

He locked his gaze onto Celeste popping those cherries in her mouth, wishing it was his cock. Tristan gazed at him and then at Celeste and back to him. Celeste put the praline in her mouth and sucked on it. 

Tristan cleared his throat. 

Tristan: “I’m going to accept your case.”

He finally said. 

Tristan: “Since you didn’t want to tell me anything, I took the liberty of conducting my own research to understand you better. Let me tell you something… what I found explains a lot.”

He drew a long breath. 

Jaxon: “...What do you mean? What did you find about me?”

He swallowed hard. Tristan set his teacup down and tried hard not to laugh. 

He placed the picture down on the coffee table. It was Jaxon when he was younger dressed in a Viking gear ensemble of fur boots, a loin cloth, a horned helmet, a studded belt over his chest, and fake red beard. He was with a young, petite Japanese girl who wore her hair in twin braids with a horned helmet, an olive green, fur-trimmed cape over her long crimson woolen dress and fur-trim boots on her feet. She was smiling and thrilled to pose with someone wearing a suit of Varg the Viking, who was a goofy-looking Viking with a big nose, a long red beard, large eyes, ginormous bare feet that resembled paws. Jaxon looked like he wanted to die. They were in a store for Varg the Viking, which was an American cartoon aimed at toddlers.

Tristan burst out laughing at the picture. Celeste covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. Jaxon barred his teeth and glared at him.

Jaxon: “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!”

He rasped, swiping it from him. Tristan continued to laugh hard. 

Tristan: “The library!”

He laughed hard. 

Celeste: “We were on the right track until you started laughing.”

She laughed a bit and tried to hold it in. 

Celeste: “Then we got kicked out for laughing!”

Jaxon: “WHAT?!”

He fumed.

Jaxon: “It’s NOT funny.”

He pouted. 

Tristan: “IT IS funny!”

He laughed hard and removed his glasses to wipe his eyes. 

Tristan took a long breath to contain himself. He then took a sip of his tea and withdrew another article. It was a picture of him in a formal hakama, haori, and kimono ensemble with the same girl, who was wearing a shiromiku and a tsunokakushi on her head. 

The English translation was in the article. There was an engagement announcement between Jiro Tachibana and Nariko Nakamura. The second was their names and the wedding picture they took before the ceremony happened. Tristan clicked his tongue. 

Tristan: “A picture is worth one thousand words.”

Jaxon: “I thought you were supposed to be helping me, not digging up my past and mocking me.”

He pouted. 

Tristan: “I laughed at the Viking picture, sure, but not the rest. I am helping you, Jaxon. This explains… a lot.”

He drew a breath. 

Tristan: “I take it this Nariko girl was very childlike and wore her heart on her sleeve. I can tell she’s into Varg the Viking, a show aimed at toddlers. This explains why Vanessa’s crying and mannerisms irked you. I have this hunch she was someone who whined at the drop of a hat.”

He began. Jaxon pouted, thinking of Nariko and Vanessa’s whining.

Tristan: “I can see you were unhappy here with her. Your parents forced you to do this to make her happy. You didn’t want this marriage, and perhaps all marriage and any form of commitment brings you back to this time when you were miserable with this girl. I also believe your parents criticized you often, which is why you react so harshly when met with criticism. Believe me, it takes one to know one.”

He continued. Jaxon pursed his lips.

Tristan: “So you move here and live your life in the most unconventional way possible because this is your first taste of freedom. Anyway, this should prove you didn’t promise Vanessa marriage or a future. If you wanted that, you’d be in Shin-Yamato with her and not here in this condo speaking to me.”

He smiled tightly. Jaxon gaped at him.

Jaxon: “Huh… right you are. Sounds like you got me all figured out then.”

He smiled, and his shoulders relaxed. Tristan smirked.

Tristan: “Should Vanessa counter that you promised Nariko marriage and a future, I will counter that your parents forced this on you, and it was never your choice. Also, I believe Maxx would have played that recording if he had it. He had nothing else.”

He folded his hands on his knee. 

Jaxon: “...Does this mean I’m free?!”

His face lit up. 

Tristan: “Not yet. She will be served the papers and she will either mediate with us or it will go to court.”

He replied. 

Tristan: “I am confident we will win regardless.”

He smiled a bit. 

Jaxon: “What about her claiming I hit her?”

Tristan held his forefinger up. 

Tristan: “Great question. There were no bruises or marks when you dropped her off at Lazaros’ house. Lazaros filmed Ashley eating.”

He shifted his eyes and cleared his throat. 

Tristan: “She makes cameos in there, and she had no bruises, broken bones, or anything. So I will use Lazaros’ movie as proof of that.”

He nodded. 

Celeste: “I can sneak in and get it. He has a cabin full of those videos.”

Tristan blinked. Jaxon laughed. 

Jaxon: “Why so many videos of just someone eating?!”

Celeste: “He loves watching Ashley eat.” 

Tristan: “So we’ll have to use Lazaros’ feeder fetish videos for proof of that.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. 

Jaxon: “Whatever. Let’s do this.”

Tristan: “Of course, Rosemary typed up the letter. She should be getting it tomorrow.”

Jaxon: “Good. That whiny bitch is going down.”

He said doggedly. 

They heard heels clicking and Felipa marched past them. 

Felipa: “See you never, Jaxon! Tonight sucked!”

Jaxon turned to her, feeling humiliated.

Jaxon: “Hey! Don’t embarrass me! I don’t suck!”

He pouted. She slammed the door as she left. Tristan blinked. Celeste shifted in her seat and crossed her legs, dangling her shoe. 

Jaxon: “What?! It’s not true!”

He huffed at them.

Tristan: “I… didn’t say anything, Jaxon.”

He put his hands up. 

Tristan: “I came to discuss your case. That’s why you left her, right? Not because of hearing Celeste’s voice?”

He snickered. Jaxon shifted his eyes.

Jaxon: “Sure.”

He said quickly. Tristan just smiled.

Tristan: “Your reputation is at stake. Why would I think otherwise?”

He said wryly. 

Celeste: “And your fly is undone.”

She said noncommittally. Jaxon shifted his eyes down to his crotch and laughed.

Jaxon: “Good thing you were looking down there.”

He teased, zipping his pants back up.

Celeste: “Hard to miss.”

Tristan: “Tell me about it.”

He muttered dryly.

Percy peered over the corner and observed Jaxon’s body language around Celeste. He licked his lips at Tristan. Oh, I need to invite my ice prince out to my house someday… for a laugh, he chuckled. 

~

Lazaros was in the dining, his hands planted on his hips as he gazed at the roast duck he just prepared. 

Lazaros: “And Ashley will eat all of it… All of it!”

He marveled as his dark violet eyes glittered. He started taking pictures.

Celeste’s back was to the ceiling, clinging to a narrow space as she waited for Lazaros to leave the dining room and go upstairs. Lazaros carried the duck into the kitchen to place back into the oven and went upstairs with a smile. 

Celese lept down and lunged at the video cabinet opening it up. Shelves and shelves of videos of Ashley eating greeted her. Her forefinger flew over the spine of the VHS cases until she landed at “Happy Birthday, Ashley!” She stuck her little tongue out and pulled it out, shutting the cabinet. She shoved the video into her jacket and with cat-like finesse, leaped out of the open window. 

~

Celeste, Deimos, and Tristan were in Deimos’ living room watching the video with a blank stare. 

Deimos: “I am NOT spending hours watching Ashley eat!”

He grumbled and pressed fast-forward on the VCR. He pressed play and the scene they saw shocked them. Lazaros was in his bathtub taking a bath, his feet resting on the edge of the tub. Tristan cleared his throat to stifle a laugh. Deimos blinked. 

Lazaros took a rubber ducky in the tub and squeaked it. 

Lazaros: “Even this rubber ducky Ashley gave me is marveling over me.”

Deimos: “The fuck?”

He rolled his eyes. Tristan laughed awkwardly and shifted in his seat. 

Deimos: “Sometimes I can’t believe he’s my twin brother.” 

He said noncommittally under his breath. Celeste pressed fast-forward and pressed play. 

It was Lazaros on his couch with his feet up on the armchair. 

Lazaros: “Oh, hello! Did you come in here to admire me?”

He put his hands behind his head and flexed his toes. 

Lazaros: “Do you hear the birds chirping? They sing because they get to see a breathtaking sight as me.” 

He said breathlessly. 

Deimos: “Yes, this is very helpful for your case. All of this is pure stupidity. All of it. This video, Vanessa telling her sob story on a fucking trashy talk show, him suing her because he can’t deal with the fact that his slimeball ways caught up to him, and this fucking picture!”

He ranted and held up the photograph of Jaxon and Nariko in Varg the Viking costumes. Tristan drew a long breath. Celeste pressed fast-forward until they got to the part where Ashley was eating and Vanessa was there. 

Tristan: “Splendid!”

He said in a breathy tone. 

Deimos: “He better pay you well. We had to sit through hours of his shit while he skates by life because Mommy and Daddy set rules for him. Yeah, well so did mine and I don’t do this bullshit.”

He huffed. Tristan leaned on Deimos and Deimos put his arm over him, kissing his head. 

Celeste’s pager buzzed in her purse. She picked it up and raised her eyebrows. Tristan raised an eyebrow. She went to the kitchen to use the phone. 

Deimos: “Who was it?”

Tristan shrugged and rested his head on Deimos’ chest, listening to his heartbeat. 

Celeste came with a smile. 

Celeste: “Hey, guys, I gotta go out. Hector wants me to paint Jaclyn’s mural for him!”

She smiled her razor-sharp smile. Tristan and Deimos blinked at her. 

Celeste: “See you soon!”

She grabbed her purse and waved at them. 

Tristan and Deimos exchanged looks at each other. 

Deimos: “That’s not going to end well.”

Tristan: “Tell me about it.”

He muttered.