Chapter 27
Tristan’s T-shirt
Celeste sat in the waiting room of Tristan’s office holding a shirt. She wore an Overkill tank top, leopard print skirt, fishnet nylons, double strap biker heel boots, and a biker jacket. Rosemary was yakking away to Lucy, who had an obese boy or young man with her—probably in his early twenties but he dressed like a twelve-year-old. His brown pants were hitched up and a lot of his socks showed. He wore brown wingtip oxfords and a light brown button-up shirt.
Rosemary: “Ivy ruined a good thing she had with Tristan! She could have married a lawyer, started a family, and been a good wife and mother! She always asks for too much!”
She clicked her tongue.
Lucy: “I am so glad my Jeremy is not like her. He never asks for anything and never has wandering eyes like Ivy. Jeremy will only have eyes for his wife-to-be!”
She put her hand on the smiling manchild.
Celeste: “Really? How come I saw him at Danny Donger’s drooling over that big black cock?”
She drawled. Rosemary and Lucy’s jaws dropped. Jeremy’s smile faded and his bottom lip trembled. He turned over and cried on his mother’s shoulder.
Tristan came down. He wore a mint green three-piece suit, a dark gray pressed shirt, a cool gray tie, and black loafers. Celeste rose and held up a shirt. It was a white t-shirt that had Ivy’s giant head screaming at a small tired, overwhelmed Tristan painted in green fabric paint.
Celeste: “I made this for you.”
Tristan held up the shirt and laughed.
Tristan: “Thank you, Celeste! This is beautiful. It’s truly captivating! It’s a succinct representation of what Ivy and I share! I just love this shirt! I think I will wear this to work or even better: to a funeral!”
He said wryly.
Tristan: “You know my tastes so well. The composition on this shirt is a true masterpiece and a work of art! I see you took excellent care with each stroke, and displayed how Ivy treats me with such precision! Thank you for creating this compelling piece! I cannot put into words how much I love this!”
He added with a smile. Celeste beamed.
Lucy: “That young lady made my little Jeremy cry! Now how are we going to grocery?! And why would he be at a place like Danny Donger’s?!”
She cried.
Celeste: “She said Jeremy has eyes for his pretend fiancée and I said he was drooling over a big black cock at Danny Donger’s.”
She drawled. Jeremy turned around and cried.
Tristan: “Because he was doing that.”
He rolled his eyes and Jeremy bawled.
Lucy: “Oh, Jeremy, let’s go to grocery and get you a tub of Bakin Bradley ice cream you don’t have to share with anyone.”
She cupped his cheeks and talked to him in a baby voice. That will solve everything, Tristan thought.
Celeste: “Okay, he’s older so why do you dress him and talk to him like he’s a child? Is he retarded?”
She asked Lucy. Tristan heaved a deep sigh. Lucy and Rosemary gaped at her and Jeremy bawled into his hands. No, Celeste, just an emotionally stunted adult child, he thought.
Celeste: “You remind me of Blair. I don’t like you.”
She said evenly to Jeremy. Tristan gazed at Celeste and raised his eyebrows. Interesting, he thought.
~
Tristan and Deimos were at Tristan’s backyard patio, getting ready to eat. Deimos put the boxes with the giant chicken burgers with fries on the table and Celeste was in her hammock. Tristan wore the T-shirt Celeste made for him and blue shorts. Deimos snickered at the shirt design.
Deimos: “It’s accurate enough.”
Tristan: “Isn’t it?”
Victor came out with a box of colored chalk for sidewalks and handed it to Celeste.
Victor: “Hello, when I ordered something to be delivered from Art Kart, this came with it. They said I could keep it so you can have it. Who I bought the gift for wouldn’t want this.”
He smiled. Celeste’s eyes lit up when she snatched the box from Victor.
Tristan: “What do you say, Celeste?”
He asked her.
Celeste: “Thank you!”
Victor smiled at her.
Tristan sat down and looked at Deimos with his dewy green eyes.
Tristan: “May I have your pickles?”
Deimos’ smile spread to show his white teeth. He put the pickles in Tristan’s box. Celeste opened her box and her eyes lit up at the cheese fries.
Tristan: “That’s yours. Don’t like cheese fries.”
He muttered.
Celeste: “I love Cajun mustard on my fries. You should try it!”
Tristan nodded.
Tristan: “Of course, Celeste.”
Deimos: “Fuck condiments. I like to taste my food.”
Tristan agreed with Deimos but he wanted to be polite to Celeste. He knew she was enduring emotional difficulties as well. Tristan put his hand on Deimos’ arm and looked at him beseechingly. Deimos shivered and sighed.
Tristan: “You ordered something from Art Kart, Papa?”
He said as he ate his pickles and sipped on his soda.
Victor: “Yes, I ordered an oil painting set.”
He sat on the lounge.
Tristan: “Oh, you’re going back to painting?”
He turned to Deimos.
Tristan: “Papa used to paint amazing oil paintings.”
Victor: “...I don’t know.”
He cupped his chin.
Tristan: “Going to think about it?”
Victor: “I didn’t get this for me.”
Tristan thrust a forkful of fries into his mouth.
Tristan: “Who did you get it for?”
Deimos dropped a fry on the floor for Oliver. Oliver picked it up in his mouth and ate it.
Victor: “Oh, Ivy.”
He smiled warmly. Tristan stopped eating.
Tristan: “Oh, Papa, she’s not going to be around me anymore. We’re done.”
He said with a trace of an edge. Victor frowned a bit.
Victor: “No, little one, this isn’t for you to give to her; I’m giving it to her.”
He said softly. Tristan inhaled sharply. Deimos stopped eating to gaze at him.
Tristan: “...Why?”
Victor: “Because I want to, Tristan!”
Tristan slammed his fist on the table and rubbed his eyes. Deimos gaped at Tristan and Victor. Victor knit his eyebrows. Tristan sat in his chair fuming. Is this one of his impulses or is she doing this to spite me? He wondered.
Victor: “I bought her a silk paint set. I asked her to make me a scarf. And I bought her espresso fudge—”
Tristan: “ENOUGH!”
He barked. Victor jolted.
Tristan: “Papa, she is doing this to spite me because I didn’t live up to her sky-high expectations! She whined to you about barging in the middle of my work to scream at me because I forgot to take her to lunch! You don’t see where this is going, do you?!”
He snapped. Deimos scowled and his expression darkened.
Deimos: “Mr. Trémaux, your son is right. I dated Ivy and it’s great at first but then she wants more and more. She does these subtle things to spite you and the pattern is the same.”
He said evenly.
Tristan: “Exactly, Papa!”
He huffed. Victor’s bottom lip trembled. Tristan rolled his eyes.
Victor: “Tristan, I think I know when someone is using me! What about how I feel?!”
He cried. Tristan inhaled sharply and felt his temper rising.
Tristan: “Not too long ago you brought CRAIG here to ‘help him’! How is this ‘charity case’ different?!”
He asked as his voice rose. Victor removed his glasses.
Victor: “I didn’t have feelings for Craig! I wanted to help him!”
He cried. Tristan raised his eyebrows.
Tristan: “...You have feelings for Ivy?”
He asked him. Deimos drew a rough breath.
Victor: “I have my life, too, Tristan! Your mother tried to control it when we were married! I want to do the things I want to do!”
He bawled. Tristan bared his teeth.
Tristan: “So now you’re confirming I am like that thing!? That thing is NOT my mother! It didn’t raise me!”
He screamed and slammed his fist on the table. Victor jumped.
Victor: “Don’t yell at me, Tristan…”
He said in a small voice.
Deimos: “He’s trying to help you, Mr. Trémaux. Not every conflict is like whatever your late wife did.”
He folded his hands and nodded.
Victor: “I never said that, Tristan! I just want to be happy just as you do!”
He cried and stormed off.
Tristan folded his arms.
Tristan: “Okay, Papa, go with that energy vampire and you’ll see what being like that thing is like!”
He rasped.
Deimos: “Your father is very impulsive and irrational. No offense, Tristan.”
He put his hand on Tristan’s. Tristan grasped his hand.
Tristan: “None taken at all. I agree.”
Celeste stared down at her box of colored chalk.
~
Fabien’s Shelby rolled into the driveway that night. He got off from his shift and just arrived home. He parked his car, shut off the engine, and pulled the keys out of the ignition. He climbed out of the car and walked to the house to unlock it. Craig came bolting at him like an excited dog, jumping all over him.
Craig: “FABIEN!”
He exclaimed, kissing him all over like a dog licking him all over. Fabien staggered back and laughed.
Fabien: “Hey! Someone is excited to see me!”
He winked and strolled inside. He put his server pouch on the dining room table to count the tips he received that day. He counted the bills.
Craig: “So, how was work? How much did you make?”
He bounced excitedly.
Fabien: “So far, three hundred dollars.”
Craig: “...Did any creeps bother ya?!”
He snarled. Fabien counted the bills and totaled it in his head.
Fabien: “Do you mean that fat guy or others?”
He asked under his breath.
Craig: “Any ol’ creep, but especially THAT one.”
He growled.
Fabien: “I made four hundred and ten dollars today in tips. As for creeps, it’s a male sex appeal bar. It’s going to be filled with creeps, I reckon. One client asked me to suck the cream filling from an éclair.”
He cupped his chin. Craig pouted.
Craig: “Hmph, better my dick than an éclair.”
He huffed. Fabien kissed his cheek.
Fabien: “I’m going to get dressed. Wanna take me grocery shopping?”
He purred. Craig’s ears perked up.
Craig: “Oh, yes, can I watch you undress?”
He drooled.
Fabien: “Sure can.”
He stroked his chest and sauntered into the bedroom where he kicked off his shoes, took off his socks, and pulled down his hot pants and underwear. He then went to the drawer to get a new pair of underwear, some jeans, and a Nuklear Intoxikation shirt. Craig eyed him hungrily as he undressed, licking his lips at the view of his naked body. Something about him donning his band shirt increased his arousal. Fabien smirked as he saw Craig enjoying the show.
~
Jaclyn stormed out of her house, furious with Hector. She had to get some fresh air. She went to her car and screamed at what she saw. It was a chalk drawing of her with big, stinky feet and flies. It said, “Mrs. Stinky” and an arrow pointed to her car. She growled and glared furiously at the neighbor.
~
Fabien stepped out in his Nuklear Intoxikation t-shirt, torn jeans, and slid his feet into flip-flops. He heard a smash outside. He went to the window and saw Jaclyn had an umbrella to Craig’s jeep, jabbing at it. One of the windows was already smashed. Craig rushed outside and his heart sank at the sight to behold.
Craig: “OI! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY CAR, YOU STINKY BITCH!”
He rasped, marching up to her in a fury. Jaclyn swung her umbrella.
Jaclyn: “YOU BOGAN OAF! YOU DREW THAT SLANDEROUS DRAWING ON MY DRIVEWAY!”
She bellowed back. Craig stepped back, glaring at her with a mix of fear and fury. Fabien stepped out.
Fabien: “What drawing?”
Jaclyn: “Don’t be stupid! THE DRAWING HE DID ON MY DRIVEWAY!”
She barked at Fabien.
Craig: “THE FUCK ARE YOU ON ABOUT, YOU CRAZY BITCH?! I aint no artist nerd!”
He snapped at her. Fabien went to the driveway to look and burst out laughing. Craig joined him to look. He laughed along with him. He laughed so hard, he cried and wheezed.
Jaclyn: “IT’S NOT FUNNY!”
She barked.
Jaclyn: “YOU AND THAT GREEN COW MADE TRISTAN THROW UP ON MY BEAUTY!”
She snapped and jabbed at Craig’s jeep with the umbrella.
Craig: “OI! FUCK OFF WITH YOUR UMBRELLA, CRAZY BITCH!”
He shoved her hard and whacked her with the umbrella. Jaclyn drew back.
Jaclyn: “HOW DARE YOU HIT A LADY?!”
She cried.
Craig: “You ain't no lady, you're a CUNT!”
He fired back at her.
Fabien: “Looks like you owe him for wrecking his car. I know Craig; if he did that drawing, he would have told me, and it’s not his style anyway. Maybe Tristan sent one of his lackeys to do it.”
He shrugged. Craig nodded in agreement.
Craig: “Fuckin’ oath! I ain't the only one who hates ya! Everyone does!”
He scoffed and cackled at her.
Jaclyn: “HE WOULD NEVER!”
She barked and slashed at his face with her nails, cutting him and drawing blood.
Craig: “OWWWW! WHAT THE FUCK, YOU STUPID BITCH?!”
He rasped and punched her in the face, sending her flying across the lawn. Jaclyn passed out from the blow. Fabien knelt to her.
Fabien: “She’s out like a light.”
He said to Craig.
Craig: “Good.”
He spat on her.
He rose to him, traced his fingertips over the scratches, and kissed his cheek. Craig's spirits lifted a bit and he kissed him back.
Fabien: “I guess I will be driving us to get some groceries.”
He drew a rough breath and kicked shards of glass out of the way. Craig pouted and folded his arms across his chest, kicking up shards of glass.
Craig: “The stinky bitch is gonna PAY!”
He shook with rage.
Fabien: “Unless you don’t mind the busted windows?”
He hooked his thumbs in his jeans.
Craig: “Nah… it’s kinda badass.”
He grinned. Fabien smiled and nodded.
Fabien: “Okay, you take us!”
He opened the passenger’s door and brushed the glass out of the seat. Craig climbed in the driver’s seat, brushing away the shards of broken glass. He floored the accelerator and drove across Jaclyn’s lawn, running over the garden and running over the mailbox.
Craig: “Oops, fuckin’ excuse me!”
He cackled wickedly, doing donuts on the lawn, kicking up mud and grass onto the house and leaving tire marks indented on the lawn. Fabien laughed and rubbed his back.
Fabien: “Good boy!”
He exclaimed. Craig shivered and grinned at him, feeling validated.
~
Victor called Ivy and asked her to have dinner with him at Laguna Tranquility, a semi-formal restaurant in Greammoom Hills. He had a taxi drop him off and waited in front of the restaurant for her to arrive. The restaurant was a large seafood restaurant with “Laguna Tranquility” in large, cursive gold letters above the door with murals of fish swimming in the sea on the building.
Victor wore a light blue three-piece leisure suit, a black dress shirt with a few buttons undone to expose his gold yin-yang necklace, and black loafers with a braid trim. A taxi rolled up and a black heel stepped out. Ivy emerged from the backseat dressed in a velvet black dress and emerald eyeshadow and matching nail polish. Victor’s eyes lit up when he saw her.
Victor: “Hello, Ivy, thanks for meeting me here! You look ravishing!”
He said breathlessly. Ivy blushed to his compliments.
Ivy: “Why thank you, you look dashing yourself!”
She smiled at him. He put his arm out to lock her arm in. Ivy swallowed hard and shivered. She locked her arm in his and they entered the establishment.
Victor approached the host and told him he had a table for Trémaux. The host led them to a table for two. Victor pulled out a chair for Ivy. She sat down and Victor sat across from her. There was a colorful array of fish in all shapes and sizes swimming peacefully in the crystal blue water. The peaceful sound of trickling water put them in a state of peace and tranquillity.
Host: “Can I get you two anything to drink while you wait?”
Victor: “Your finest bottle of champagne.”
He said gently. The host nodded and handed them their menus. Ivy's eyes were locked on the beautiful clownfish swimming past them. The reflection of the water cast an iridescent light over Victor, highlighting his beauty. Victor beamed at her and sighed.
Victor: “Thanks for having dinner with me, Ivy. I needed to get out of the house.”
He sighed and inhaled sharply.
Ivy: “Of course… thanks for having me.”
She smiled at him.
Victor: “Tristan’s angry with me and Deimos is taking his side and so are their friend, Celeste. I feel ganged up on.”
He said and removed his glasses to wipe his eyes. Ivy knit her eyebrows and placed her hand on his.
Ivy: “Why is he angry with you? Why are they ganging up on you?!”
She pressed him.
Victor: “Because I wanted to take you out to dinner…”
He began. Ivy's heart fluttered.
Victor: “And I said I was interested in you and Tristan and Deimos snapped at me and Celeste made a shirt about you.”
He cried. Ivy's heart hammered in her chest.
Ivy: “...You're interested in me?”
She blushed. Victor reddened and shifted his eyes. Did I say that aloud? He wondered. Ivy paused to think about Tristan's feelings. Why would he be so upset? She wondered.
Ivy: “Shirt?”
She looked confused.
Victor: “Ah, Celeste made Tristan a t-shirt with fabric paints. She drew your giant head screaming at Tristan.”
He explained quickly.
Ivy: “Oh. I see. Why would she do that?”
She frowned.
Victor: “To make Tristan laugh? To spite you?’
He suggested. Ivy frowned. She didn't understand why Tristan was so upset upset he seemed more interested in Deimos than her.
Ivy: “Why does she want to spite me? What did I ever do to her?”
She grimaced.
Victor: “Because you hurt his friend would be my best guess. I don’t know. Tristan is upset with you and Deimos is, as well, of course. I shouldn’t have told him you came to me because that got him angrier. I always ruin everything!”
He cried.
Ivy: “It's not your fault, Victor, you didn't do anything wrong.”
She assured him and put her hand on his. Victor flushed and formed butterflies in her stomach when she did that.
Ivy: “Tristan is upset with me…”
She sighed. Victor quickly nodded.
Victor: “I know.”
Ivy sighed.
Ivy: “I don't know what to do…”
She said, feeling conflicted.
Victor: “What is confusing you?”
He asked and knit his eyebrows.
Ivy: “I like you, Victor…”
She smiled at him earnestly, placing her hand on his.
Ivy: “But I also don't want to come between you and Tristan and be the reason you fight…”
She said with concern in her tone, locking her gaze on him. Victor blinked and sighed.
Victor: “I’m an adult, Ivy. I’m his father and Tristan has to see I want to do the things I always wanted to do without… someone holding me back… as my late wife did.”
He said with strain. Then Victor recalled he compared Tristan to his mother again.
Ivy: “Do you want this?”
She asked him, stroking his hand under the light from the reflective water. Victor locked his gaze on her with his blue eyes.
Victor: “I do!”
He blurted.
Ivy: “I do, too.”
She smiled at him. Victor’s eyes widened and his eyes filled with tears. He removed his glasses to wipe his eyes as he smiled widely. Ivy smiled widely at him and she stroked her hand on his cheeks to wipe his tears away. Victor’s smile spread to show his white teeth.
Victor: “I’m so happy!”
Ivy smiled at him and gently kissed his cheek.
Ivy: “Me too.”
Victor smiled and kissed her hand. Ivy beamed and blushed to his touch and affection.
The server came with a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice. They opened the bottle and poured each of them a glass. Victor took the glass and raised it to Ivy, admiring her. He felt happy, safe, and warm. Ivy caught his glance and felt desired, understood, happy and safe with him. She didn’t need to chase his affections and validation as she did with Tristan and it flowed naturally and mutually.
Larry watched them from a distance. He was picking up an order to take to his father. He would use this knowledge to destroy Deimos, whom he thinks is still part of Nuklear Intoxikation. He paid for the order and left abruptly.
~
Fabien and Craig were at Jumbo Jones’ Grocer shopping. Tristan entered by himself. Trevor was stocking a displace of sodas to resemble a turkey and it all collapsed when Trevor zoomed to Tristan.
Trevor: “M’Tristan! Hello! I will be personal shopper today!”
He flapped his arms. Tristan sighed and smiled at him.
Tristan: “Okay, I need some popcorn shrimp from the deli for a friend, some chicken tenders for Deimos and me, and some of these teabags and stuff Winston would like.”
Trevor: “Aye, aye, Tristan!”
He saluted him.
Trevor: “Getting ready for Thanksgiving?”
Tristan groaned.
Tristan: “I would prefer we didn’t celebrate it.”
Trevor: “Yeah, me neither!”
He got a chocolate cake from the freezer and ate it. Tristan wasn’t paying attention to what Trevor did.
As Trevor gabbed away, he ran into Larry, slamming the chocolate cake on his chest. Larry growled down at him.
Trevor: “Why didn’t you move, Larry?!”
He rolled his eyes and grinned at Tristan. Tristan rolled his eyes.
Larry: “So is your boyfriend still in Nuklear?”
He growled. Fabien overheard Larry mention Nuklear and stopped Craig.
Tristan: “No, Larry, Nuklear Intoxikation is dead on arrival and Deimos left long ago, which is what he should have done initially.”
He rolled his eyes.
Tristan: “I told him not to stay on the sinking ship but he had to see that it was a disaster waiting to happen.”
He added for good measure.
Suddenly, a rasping voice cut through them.
Craig: “OI! Fuck off, you hoity-toity cunt!”
He bellowed at him. Tristan gaped at him.
Tristan: “I apologize, Craig. I know the truth is a bit much.”
He said dryly. Larry smirked.
Larry: “BOGAN Intoxikation is dead, poseur! I’m TRVE KVLT, black metal! Anyway, I'm passing on a message to Deimos: ‘Ivy is moving on with your dad and will be your stepmom!’ ”
He laughed. Craig gaped at him and then burst out laughing. Tristan clenched on the handles of the cart.
Tristan: “What makes you jump to such an erroneous conclusion, Larry?”
Larry: “IT’S LORD KRADULA! But I picked up a dinner for Father and saw them dining. They looked cozy. I guess you will have a stepmom in Ivy.”
He teased. Craig burst out laughing.
Craig: “WAHAHA, that is fuckin’ gold! Oi, Fabien! Did ya just hear that?! That boring chick got bored of Tristan ‘n moved on to his father. She’s a fatherfucker!”
He called out to him. Tristan felt his fury soar.
Fabien: “Oh, I heard it.”
He smirked. Tristan forced a smile.
Tristan: “Isn’t it delightful, Craig? Do you know what else is just as amusing? Sex Bees is more of a band than Nuklear Intoxikation!”
He laughed. Fabien snickered. Craig’s laughter died on his lips.
Craig: “No it’s not.”
He huffed.
Tristan: “Hahahahaha, you sure about that? When is Nuklear performing? Where are the other bandmates?”
He smirked.
Fabien: “He got you there, Craig.”
Craig frowned and went quiet.
Craig: “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
He pouted.
Fabien: “I am! But I call it as I see it and Nuklear isn’t doing anything and that Anthony guy is getting Maxx headlining at festivals so people will laugh at him.”
Tristan: “What point are you trying to make, Craig? Before Fabien took you back, you were inching in on my father and playing stepfather to me.”
He fielded scathingly. Craig said nothing.
Craig: “Yeah, well, I upgraded while he downgraded. Good luck with ya new step-mommy!”
He laughed at him and put his arm around Fabien. Fabien smiled and looked up at him.
Tristan: “I disagree. Nevertheless, I am glad you’re not in my presence with your stinky feet.”
He spat. Craig bared his teeth at him.
Craig: “Fuck off, my feet aren’t stinky! You want big stinkers?! Look no further than my stinky bitch neighbor! Look at what that crazy bitch did to my car!”
He huffed, pointing at his car out the window with the smashed windows and umbrella marks all over it. Tristan looked out and raised his eyebrows.
Craig: “Stupid bitch thought I drew some drawin’ on the floor so she went ape-shit on my car ‘n attacked me like a fuckin’ chimpanzee or some shit!”
He brushed his curl out of his face to show the nasty claw mark she gave him. Tristan examined it.
Craig: “So I knocked her out ‘n y’all will have some peace ‘n quiet for a couple of hours! You’re welcome!”
He stated.
Tristan: “Drawing on the floor?”
He looked at Fabien.
Fabien: “Someone scrawled a drawing of her on her driveway pointing to her car of her with big, stinky feet surrounded by flies and stink lines.”
He explained.
Tristan: “Ah, I think I know who did that. Well, if you’re worried she has a case against you, she doesn’t. Hector and Harry are my clients. I want nothing to do with her.”
He waved his hand.
Craig: “You did that?! Use your fancy lawyer powers to throw that crazy stink bitch in jail or somethin’!”
He huffed. Tristan showed them his shirt.
Tristan: “Celeste did this for me. She did this. Papa gave her a box of sidewalk chalk and she drew that.”
Fabien scrutinized the shirt and burst out laughing. Craig threw his head back and laughed.
Tristan: “As much as I’d love to, I can’t arrest her. I’m not a police officer and not a prosecutor.”
He stated.
Craig: “That’s fuckin’ bullshit.”
Tristan, Trevor, and Fabien heard the motor of a mobile scooter grow louder as they inched closer. They turned around to see an obese white woman in her thirties or forties driving a bright red mobile scooter. Red cat-eye glasses hung over her bulbous nose and her rubber band thin lips were painted black. She wore her bright red hair in a bowl undercut. She wore a bright red shirt that said, “Fat! So?”, black stretch pants and black slippers. She looked like a toad. Trevor waved to her.
Trevor: “Hey, Zoe!”
Zoe Bishop is one of Trevor’s friends who has a huge crush on Larry. Zoe smiled at Larry.
Zoe: “Hey, Larry, you free tonight?”
Larry grumbled. She rolled up to Tristan.
Zoe: “I was riding to your house to tell Ivy to back off Larry and go to you.”
Tristan rolled his eyes.
Tristan: “I believe she’s finished with us both.”
Zoe turned to Larry and smirked.
Zoe: “Hear that, Larry?”
Larry: “I haven’t dated Ivy in… years.”
Zoe: “Whatever. Anyway, I saw moving vans at your house.”
Tristan froze.
Tristan: “...Moving vans?”
Zoe nodded soberly.
Zoe: “I went up to your father to ask if Ivy was moving in so Larry and I can finally move on.”
Tristan’s heart thundered in his chest.
Larry: “We’re not together, you fat retard!”
He rasped. Zoe smiled.
Zoe: “He loves me.”
Tristan: “Sure, of course, he does, he told me he dreams of you.”
Larry: “I SAID NO SUCH THING!”
He rasped. Zoe smiled and sighed.
Tristan: “Get to the point.”
He said impatiently.
Zoe: “Your dad said he and Ivy are dating and he’s moving her in. Also, he’s making that spare room into a studio for her.”
She drawled. Tristan’s bottom lip trembled.
Tristan: “I was going to make that into a gaming and movie room.”
He said as his voice trailed off. Why didn’t Papa ask me before this? He wondered. He thrust the grocery list on Trevor.
Tristan: “Trevor, I apologize but would you get everything on this list for me and have it delivered? I will pay for everything by credit card when it arrives.”
Trevor brightened.
Trevor: “R-Really?! I get to get your groceries and hand-deliver them?!”
He asked breathlessly. Tristan quickly nodded and left the store leaving his cart behind.
Trevor danced around.
Trevor: “Hurray, hurray! I get to be M’Tristan’s shopper and delivery man!”
He shook his big ass and knocked over a display of cans. Larry pressed his hands against his temples and screamed.
Larry: “TREVOR! I TOOK HOURS TO MAKE THAT!”
Trevor: “Well, uh, make it again? That’s your job. My job is to deliver Tristan’s groceries to him!”
He huffed. Fabien watched Tristan go and snickered at Larry.
~
Tristan sped down the road and turned up the driveway to see moving vans were indeed at his house. He slammed his feet on the brakes and shut the car off. He got out and stormed up to his father.
Tristan: “Papa! What is this?! You’re moving Ivy in without checking if I was okay with it and now you’re dating her?!”
He screamed. Victor drew back, shocked to see Tristan like this.
Victor: “I want her to move in, Tristan!”
He cried.
Tristan: “Are you making the spare room into an art studio for her?!”
He shrieked. Victor drew back and embraced himself.
Victor: “Yes! No one was using that room, Tristan!”
He wept.
Tristan: “I told you I wanted to make it into a gaming and movie room for Deimos and me!”
He snapped.
Victor: “You play video games and watch movies in your room with him! She needs this studio!”
He bawled. Tristan heaved a deep sigh and gritted his teeth.
Tristan: “Papa, why are you getting involved with her?! She was dating Deimos and had her eyes on me the entire time. This isn’t waving red flags? Did she whine to you about me? Not yet?”
He asked sharply. Victor drew back.
Victor: “Why are you so much like your mother?!”
Tristan’s face flamed red. He felt his father was doing everything he could to push his buttons and use this to throw up in his face.
Tristan: “I AM NOTHING LIKE THAT THING!”
He screamed in his face.
Tristan: “You ALWAYS use that whenever I challenge you on your stupid ideas, Papa! I don’t like that one bit and it’s unfair to me!”
He bellowed. Victor embraced himself and ran away crying.
Tristan: “Goddamn you, Papa, just run away and cry! Who cares how this affects me?!”
He screamed at him.
Tristan growled and shook his head. He exhaled sharply.
~
Tristan had his bedroom door shut and locked. He was in his bed holding Oliver close.
Tristan: “I don’t feel like getting out of bed, going to work, or doing anything. I’m sick of this house.”
He sighed and held Oliver close.
Someone knocked on Tristan’s door. Tristan ignored it.
Celeste: “Tristan, Trevor teleported your groceries here. What do you wanna do? Wanna help me put it away?”
She asked.
Tristan: “Eat them all. I don’t care.”
Celeste: “Can I come in?”
She pawed at the door. Tristan reluctantly rose to open the door for her. She entered his pitch-black bedroom. He flopped on the bed. Celeste scratched her head.
Celeste: “Family sucks. Mine gave me away when I was little and I was raised in this weird place.”
Tristan sighed.
Celeste: “Ivy will drive your dad away. She drove you and Deimos away.”
She shrugged.
Tristan: “Deimos and I are different people from Papa, Celeste.”
He muttered. Celeste folded her arms over her chest.
Celeste: “Well, Blair drove ME away. I don’t fucking care what Sylvia pays. He doesn’t want a bodyguard and I don’t want to guard him. He can use Ashley’s sunshine powers or whatever to guard him.”
She wiggled her fingers and rolled her eyes.
Tristan: “Heh…”
He laughed bitterly.
Tristan: “What irks me is he… compares me to… my mother…”
He said with strain.
Tristan: “When I challenge his stupid ideas.”
Celeste: “I don’t think you’re like your mother. I think you’re like you!”
Tristan smiled a bit.
Celeste: “Andreas said to do something that makes you happy or do something to fix the problem! Maybe you could indulge in something you love and not think of Ivy whining, so I bought you these!”
She held up noise-canceling headphones with cat ears. Tristan gaped at her and started laughing.
Tristan: “Yes, Celeste, this is just what I need!”
He rose from bed and took them from her.
Tristan: “I needed the laugh—thank you.”
He smiled genuinely at her and thought of the t-shirt she gave to him. It all starts with a t-shirt, he thought.
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