Chapter Warning – drug abuse 

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His hands wrapped themselves around my waist, golden rings cold against the naked skin of my hips, and the divine smell of cedar wood . . . And baked cinnamon rolls?

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***

Date: 27/6

Time: ¹²:⁰⁰ am

        After stuffing my face with tissues in dread and letting the burning in my chest subside, all that was left of me was smudged eyeliner from what my blackened fingers exclaimed and a red nose. A disgrace. My fingers tapped in a steady rhythmic beat on the chipped edges of the old table. "Boss. . . " His voice faded as I ignored Kaeya's entrance and focused on . . . The sounds . . .

        Taps. Breathing. Silence. They almost felt nice, a consistency . . . Until my fingers froze, my hands remaining on the table. " Boss," he was right by my side now, lips parted and whispers that I could barely make out entering my head and a ticklish breath playing over my skin sticky with salt. " You should've prepared yourself more. . . "

         I did not listen much after that, until his hand found its way to mine, gently forcing me to lay my fingers flat on the wood of the table and the hairs on my neck standing since his hard stare was starting to drill into the top of my head.  " Why did you not make him leave? Why did you not vent ?"  cold words came out like ice yet his voice was as soft as snow.

         I did not know what to make of my emotions that had been continuously trampled upon. " He's a politician, I'm no one but a love scandal to the public political eye," I chuckled, hearing myself say that out loud sounded pathetic. " You wouldn't get it . . ."

          "Excuse me for sounding rude, but if that's the issue, then we're both on the same page, he's playing dirty isn't he ?" I arched a brow at him, but he proceeded nonetheless in his explanation. " Shouldn't we be at him in his own game? Entertainment? "

         " Sexual entertainment," I corrected, clearly remembering the services Boar Canyon provides. " Unless you plan on pole dancing I don't know what you're thinking."

          "Live music," he went on and on about how we could set up a small stand in the middle of the dining rooms with a mic stand at the ready and a karaoke-themed performance. " There are a lot of underground artists who would be interested in performing. . . Of course, unless you want me to learn pole dancing I would not mind."

        He winked, well more like blinked. Little did I know though thoughts of Ayato had faded slightly out of my mind, leaving behind a dry feeling as I listened to Kaeya blabbering on about costs and speculating how we might be able to gather enough profit to hire an underground singer to perform. "And if that all doesn't work out we can always install a karaoke? I have a killer voice just as you know beforehand, my charms are irresistible!"

        Part of me remained hazy and my fingers remained cold, but a pathetic smile tugged at my lips as I looked up at him. " Breaking news I can't afford that, " I cupped my face in my hands, letting most of my weight rest on the table, and the man's shoulders fell. . like a little sulky cat. " I guess if we have some money to spare after this month that idea might work?"

It felt nice to be cheered up after that trauma got dumped on me like a sack full of utter bullshit, but before I could even comment on the issue, the door burst open with a fumming Janet, who had replaced her red heels with a pair of black sandals, it was shocking she managed to call her driver to deliver them already. " Okay, no time to mop around and cry over a guy! He's replaceable! " clearly she was not in her right state of mind, since she ignored Kaeya's existence, and yanked me onto my feet. " You need to bet out there and act like you don't give a fuck!  That's our money out there getting eaten by the customers!"

            She looked around left and right, before grabbing a handful of tissues from the desk, dabbing my swollen red eyes from ugly tears, and opening her purse, makeup at the ready to cover up. " If they see weakness the media will go crazy if they interview any of the customers!" She went on and on, aggressively powering my face to the point I was sneezing and probably as white as a paper with lips and eye shadow a deep rose red."  It's just the first day, " Kaeya spoke up as my dear makeup artist finished off her masterpiece with eyeliner. " If anything, drama will attract people, and from what I could tell Boss here has a history with that peculiar man ."

           " Is Thoma and Ayato still here? " I cut off both of them, finally stepping away and glancing at either for an answer.

           At first, Janet did not react, and stared at her purse, before looking up at me hand hanging by her side in defeat. " He's there, but I don't suggest you kick him out, we can't provoke him publicly like this," she snapped, jumping at me and grabbing my shoulders while giving them a good desperate squeeze.

             "This is ridiculous, " I sighed, before glancing at Kaeya, but he kept his head down, hands clasped close to his stomach, that one eye, however, met my gaze. "I'm not engaging with him, the media will start sprouting gossip like crazy."

            " That's. . ." Her powdered face tightened but with a single gulp of her saliva, a heavy sigh left her red lips. " Fine."

***

Time:¹¹:⁰⁰am

            Thoma did not move. His mind was breathing a sigh of relief for the end of another lie, but his heart was snaked between his master's fingers. " You did well. . . Almost," Ayato smiled from ear to ear, and then took a bite of his sunny side eggs," Now that's exquisitely spiced."

          The blonde stiffened, feeling the sinful liquid threatening to spill out from his behind. Uneasiness dwelled in his gut. Like he had swallowed something filthy, and an urge to be skinned alive was itching the back of his neck. "Now now Thoma no need to shed your tears, " Ayato kissed the corners of his eyes however the warmth of his lips did not reach the foggy blue of his eyes. " I'll make sure you forget her soon enough. . ."

        His words were empty and filled with poison Thoma had long endured, but his attention remained locked on the shadowed door his lady had run out of. He kept staring at it, studying its glossed and new frame and recalling its state when he and the lady first started cleaning up this underground estate.

" Thoma~ Thoma ~" hushed whispers licked over the blonde's ears as pills slipped easily through his lips and dissolved against his tongue. " Good boy ~ Now let's see  . . . They only have one boba tea flavor, a shame. "

          The world seemed to double, reform, and then blur, the dark lights shined brighter, and the door. . . It blended into the shadows. His mind became hazy, foggy even. Memories became twisted, and words became clearer to his ears.

"You're the cleaner Janet hired?" That voice sounded comforting. Who did it belong to? Wet warmth played across his neck, making the last bit of sanity slip out of his mind, and leave the blonde's forest eyes dull and lifeless. " Master, My lady . . . Who is she?" he did not know what words were leaving his mouth as his eyes watched figures move around among the red lights.

" No one my little flower, no one important, " if his master had said so, then it was bound to be true, no?

           A pleasuring feeling sparked over his blemished skin, making a ticklish laugh to part bruised lips. A mind high in the skies and thoughts hidden among the clouds. Laughter echoing in the skies. Eat, drink, and forget. Everything is fine.