"Hey Alfaro, We're going downtown with Fifth Octave to a restaurant to sign contracts and discuss a couple of things. Are you coming?" Zeth asked, putting on his favourite fringe jacket, "Or at least I will go with the guys because... I don't eat."
"Why don't you sign the papers here?" Alex was on his back on a white couch, shirtless, with one hand behind his head and the other holding the controller, flipping channels,
"Maybe because the suite isn't designed to accommodate so many people?"
"Right... I'll be ready in a second. Is Frank still with Sue?"
"Yes, they are in a room downstairs, and I don't see you getting ready," Finn said from the small kitchen. He opened the minibar to take out a bottle of water and started gulping down half of it before continuing to speak. "It's not like you have to change your whole look either, just put a shirt on."
Alex sat down with a grunt, turned to see him, and smirked.
"Maybe I'll go shirtless." Alex moved his eyebrows.
"Shut up," Finn snorted.
"I'm ready," Everett said, wearing a huge, fluffy white furry jacket, and he entered the room with steps so silent that no one noticed until he spoke, "I'm hungry."
"We're going to eat soon, don't be impatient, Big Guy," Paul said from behind him, turning to look at Alex. "Hey, just like the good old days, when you and I went to have dinner with Erich downtown, huh?"
"Yes, it's a shame that the taco place where we liked to go closed last year, but it was more like breakfast," Alex said. He and Paul were the closest of friends back then, and Paul always made time for Alex to hang out whenever they'd meet after a show and talked a lot about their lives and what they wanted to do once they got out of this town.
They used to share their dreams, even though some of them were silly.
Alex always made Paul laugh whenever he imitated Draco's fast way of speaking.
Paul liked listening to Alex and Draco's stories together. It was like a fanfic and being part of it but only as an observer. Some other times Paul used to tell Alex to put aside his prejudices and just get along with Damon too, but Alex always growled and changed the subject.
"I'm ready," Draco said, walking slowly out of the hallway in his huge boots with a red faux leather vest on.
"Me too," said Kato, "Thanks for lending me this tank top, Draco. They really are comfortable!"
"Oh! No problem! Pink is your colour," Draco laughed. Wait. Draco laughing? Was he in a good mood again? Did spending time with Kato help him get over the broken heart Alex caused him?
"Thanks. You're so much fun, you know? You've always been my favourite member of Monster Mash!" Kato told Draco and bit his lip.
"Are you going too, Von Stroker?" Alex frowned and crossed his arms.
"Obviously," Draco said.
"But you don't need to eat," Alex still didn't look at him.
"But I like to eat!" Draco replied, and he lifted his vest to show his navel and patted his abdomen, "And my tummy is so strong that I don't even digest, everything that enters is burned directly because of the powerful acid in my stomach. It's like eating without the ugly part."
"Well, I'll stay here." Alex grunted, "I'll spend the night at the gym."
Draco made sad eyes.
"Can we leave now? These two make me uncomfortable," Everett grumbled.
"Me too," Boomer said, dressed in a dark blue tank top that Everett had lent him. It was huge on him.
"Alex, are you coming or not?" Zeth asked, crossing his arms. "My time is gold, you know?"
"I'm staying, I'll hit the gym," Alex growled with a quick glance at a visibly sad Draco. Alex hated himself for doing this to who he once considered his best friend, but it was necessary. He didn't want to be so rude, but keeping Draco away might solve the problem. Perhaps then, his Lycan pheromones would no longer affect the vampire making him believe it was love, "Go without me."
"Can I stay too?" Damon asked, using a finger as a lighter to burn away the threads left after he had cut the sleeves off his button-down shirt with scissors, "I don't like going outside."
"No. You must come with us to sign your new contract," Zeth said, checking his phone, "Egor is doing business right now with Faltom and everything is going great."
"I'm ready now," Deadgar said, removing his button-down shirt, leaving him in just the white tank top he was wearing underneath, "I hope everything goes well tonight."
"Everything will be fine," Zeth said, "I received a message from Miss Van Shee as well. Anton, one of my drivers will take you to Lyonfort to meet her."
"Thanks for the second chance, Zeth," Anton said, "I mean it."
"You will thank me by making sure I don't regret it, okay?" Zeth winked, then turned to look at Alex, "Are you coming, Alfaro? Or not?"
"Nah, I'm staying," Alex replied disinterestedly.
"Good! We're leaving!" Zeth rolled his eyes and opened the door of the suite, "I must talk to Frank before his date with Evie though. Finn, don't forget to lock the door."
"Frank and Evie?" Paul asked and Zeth nodded, "Oh. I didn't know that. I thought Frank was going on a date with the girl who was here just now."
"No, that girl is just a friend, her name is Jade," Zeth said, "Evie is Frank's ex. But he asked to close the entire restaurant so he could have a romantic dinner with Evie alone and give their relationship another chance."
"That's very romantic," Paul said and bit his lip, "I didn't know Evie was taken."
"She is, we all love her and want a poly relationship with her," Draco said.
"We'll talk about that later. We're leaving," Zeth said, "Alex, don't do anything stupid while we're gone."
"Okay, see you later," Alex waved goodbye and looked at Draco again. "Be nice. I don't want accidents or finding out that you got stuck in a tube again, ok little guy?"
Draco nodded, giving him a shy smile.
Alex was so confusing sometimes. He seemed to hate him but he still cared about him?
It was so unfair and painful!
"Draco! Hurry up!" Zeth shouted from the hallway, already well ahead of the other boys, checking his phone as he took the stairs, texting Egor at lightning speed, "Well, I just hope everything goes well with the Opermans. And I also have to call Sue's father and tell him there won't be a lawsuit. And also..." As he exited the stairwell, Zeth looked up. There was his man, "Frank! We need to talk!"
Frank was fixing the green bowtie around his neck while walking down the hall towards the elevator.
"Did I do something wrong?" Frank asked.
"No, but it's not common to rent a room for yourself, is it?" Zeth replied. "Listen, I didn't want to say it in front of the guys but, this isn't something related to your 'dark times' right?"
"Not this time," Frank whispered.
"And I just hope you didn't rent that room to bring Evie there to, you know... The date isn't an excuse to take her to bed, right?"
"Zeth, you know me too well to think that of me," Frank frowned, "I would never do something like that. And if I did, I would be honest about it from the start. Who do you take me for?"
"I know you well enough to know that you just want to go watch movies and hold Evie in your arms until she falls asleep, but I thought I'd ask," Zeth replied, patting Rubinstein on the bionic shoulder, "This is a good start, you know? If you and Evie work things out, everything will be easier from now on. But I still wonder why you wanted to talk to Sue? She's dangerous with that magic she possesses."
"I needed a woman's opinion," Frank replied and blushed, "Anyway, going somewhere, Zeth?"
"All of us, except Alex, are going to a restaurant tonight. He wants to hit the gym I guess. That or he keeps acting ridiculous about Draco."
"I don't know what exactly happened between them, but do you think everything will be okay?"
"I hope so," Zeth sounded unconvinced.
"Why do you want to go out?" Frank cocked his head, "Why don't you order something from the hotel's restaurant?"
"Because you took over it, maybe? We don't want to ruin your date," Zeth said with a laugh as he pressed the elevator button for Frank. "Listen, I understand that you are in love with Evie, I think we all are. But there are things that she, you and I must talk about in private."
"About what?" Frank raised an eyebrow, and Zeth leaned with one arm on the wall, sighing and looking down. "Zeth, you know I hate secrets. If you have something to tell me, tell me now."
"I can't. It's not a decision I should make alone," Zeth said.
"Hey Zeth! The Fifth Octave guys will take the elevator of the East Tower" said Draco, who was already walking down the hallway followed by Finn and Everett.
"I thought I told you I'd see you downstairs?"
"You didn't tell us, Zeth," Finn said, "But we wanted to come and wish Frank good luck on his date."
"I thought I told you that," Zeth shook his head, "I guess I'm too distracted."
"Zeth, do you think we can talk after my date about what you wanted to talk about?" Frank scratched his eyebrow.
"I think I know what Zeth wants to talk about," Draco said.
Zeth broke into a cold sweat, and tensed up.
"Draco..."
"Zeth, I've known you literally since I was born," Draco said, looking at him seriously, "And we haven't been apart in over six thousand years. You can't hide anything from me."
Zeth gulped. Draco stared at him intently.
"W-What is going on here?" Frank gulped.
"Well..." Draco gave Zeth a warning look, then turned to Rubinstein, with a usual, unsuspicious smile, "Evie still loves you and I think you and her? You should be together. But I think Zeth is a little afraid of not being Evie's favourite."
"Zeth, are you in love with her too?" Frank cocked his head.
"You could say," Zeth pursed his lips, avoiding Draco's 'this is bullshit' look. "Okay, I feel a little uncomfortable talking about this with you."
"Frank, I think Zeth is just afraid to accept the truth, right Zeth? That you love Evie even though you try to hide it, Zeth?!" Draco almost shouted.
Zeth was sure then. Draco knew everything about him and Evie.
"Zeth! Ha-Ha! Zeth! My friend! My brother! Don't be ashamed to admit that you love Evie because of me!" Frank said, hugging him tightly, shaking him a little, "The point of my date with her is just that! To tell her that I don't mind if she loves you guys too! I don't want anyone to feel bad for loving the girl I love, okay? I want her to feel liberated too and by God! It's obvious that she loves you too! Each and every one of you!"
"Are you sure you won't hate me for loving Evie?" Everett asked with a slightly forced smile. Frank blamed Zeth for telling the Big Guy to smile more often. It was unsettling.
"I won't. You love her, Everett! And she loves you!" Frank patted him.
"Wait, you know I love her too?" Finn was hyperventilating.
"It's as obvious as you're in love with Zeth, you're not very expressive but your eyes sparkle when you see her!" Frank replied, "And you and her? Please! You talk about everything! You're always there for each other. It was obvious there would be love at some point."
"And you know what Alex loves her too?"
"Obviously, Draco!" Frank told the vampire with a laugh, "Alex has asked her out right to my face and it's obvious that it's more than just empty flirtation. And do you think I haven't noticed the way she looks at you, Animaniac? She loves you! And you never get jealous when Alex flirts with her."
"So you know I love Alex too?"
"Only Alex doesn't know."
"Knew, past tense," Draco bit his lip, "That's why he and I are so awkward."
"What if that happens to you?" Everett asked, genuinely concerned, "What if Evie rejects you?"
"Everett, you're not helping," Finn face-palmed.
"Wait, Finn. That helps!" Frank said as the elevator doors opened, "What do you mean? Do you think this is a mistake?"
"Try this date with Evie, but don't expect wedding, that's what I mean." Everett said as he, Frank and the other boys entered the elevator. Here, pressed against each other as the doors closed, there was a dead silence that was only filled by the simple elevator music.
"Frank, I don't want to bother you, but we need to talk about the elephant in the elevator." said Zeth.
"About Evie maybe not loving me?" Frank looked down, "I mean, I was afraid that was the case but..."
"Evie still loves you," Zeth replied with complete certainty, looking Frank in the eyes, "She tries to hide it but she can't. She, let's say, has said your name more than once when she thinks of you out loud."
"Meaning?" Frank frowned.
"Yes, what do you mean, Zeth? Is there something we don't know? Something lurking in the shadows like a Boogeyman?! Huh?!" Draco raised his voice. Zeth looked him in the eyes.
And then Everett started singing a song from the band's first album. Specifically? The song called 'Boogeyman' and he did so quietly.
"Oh. Really did my best but no-oh-oh-oh-oh. N-No-oh-oh-oh-oh!"
"Frostakov, shut up," Zeth swallowed hard.
"You hide... Under my bed and come out just to haunt me," But Everett kept singing, his eyes lost on the ground, "Saying the name of someone who's not like me."
"Frostakov, shut the fuck up!" Zeth yelled.
There was a brief awkward silence.
"Zeth, what the Hell?" Finn asked. Everett just shrugged.
"I don't understand any of this or where it's coming from," Frank said, "It's just a date. I'm not getting married."
The elevator doors opened and Frank took a long breath.
"Yes, I think that's a good way to look at it." Draco said, looking weirdly at Zeth, who had a face full of guilt and secrecy. "Anyway... I think we'd better get going and leave you with your date. Remember to take pictures and everything," Draco tried to get back to his positive and loud attitude, though he still had doubts about Zeth, "Oh! And don't forget to tell us everything once we get back! I want details! Details!"
"Yeah, sure. I'll tell you what I can," Frank said, ruffling Draco's hair.
"Or we could stay," Draco said, looking at Zeth again, "Maybe to, I don't know... Talk about things that need to be addressed!"
"Okay, this is getting weird," Frank said, lowering his eyebrows, "Zeth, I think it's best if you guys stay."
"Fine! We'll stay!" Zeth threw his hands up in exasperation, "But first we do business and then I'll talk to you and Evie, okay Frank?"