18. Lust Trash

Chapter eighteen

Lust Trash

They couldn't find Gem. In fact, they couldn't find anyone. It was as if Oliver's entire friend group had vanished. Or they'd left. But why wouldn't they have told him?

"Wait, isn't that your Mantodea friend?" Liel asked, pointing toward the club entrance.

Oliver saw a flash of insectoid wings and white hair. "I think so."

Securing his grip on Liel's hand, he weaved and ducked through the crowd until they stumbled out of the club entrance. He spotted Zef and Willow across the street, Tad standing between them as she shifted her weight like she was preparing to start a fight.

Rusty was in front of all of them, canines bared, pink tail tall and puffed with anger. He had a grip on one of Gem's wrists as another demon—the bird-like one Gem had been dancing with before—tugged hard on two other arms. Gem, for his part, just looked confused.

"What the…" Oliver drifted off as he dragged Liel across the street.

"Get your slimy talons off him," Rusty was snarling as they approached.

"Yeah, or I'll fuck you up!" Tad shrieked.

"Try it, bitch," the bird demon said, giving another hard tug on Gem's arm. "Just 'cause you're jealous he's choosing to spend the night with me, doesn't give you the right to stop us."

"I saw what you put in his drink, you sick fuck! If you don't let him go—"

"What? You gonna rage on me?"

Unbridled fury warped Rusty's face, making him look more demonic than Oliver had ever seen. He hissed loud and feral. "You want a rager, I'll show you one!"

"What the hell is going on?" Oliver demanded as he and Liel came to a stop beside Rusty.

"The Avia spiked his drink," Rusty seethed. "I saw it!"

"I didn't slip him anything. Didn't need to. You're hungry for it, right, baby?" the demon—the Avia—boomed back, sliding a sharp talon down Gem's side.

Gem flinched and shook his head, like he was trying to clear it. "I don't feel good."

"You'll feel better in my bed, I promise," the Avia crooned.

"Let him go." Oliver bared his blunt teeth as Liel's grip tightened on his hand, a strong burst of current stinging up his arm. "Now."

"Or what? Gonna offer the Pyclon bitch in his place?" The Avia grabbed at their crotch, leering at Rusty. "I got something real nice for you, and you look like you take it rough."

Rusty snarled viciously, ears flattening against his head as he opened his mouth to respond, but before he had the chance, Gem rounded on the demon, iredescent eyes blazing with sudden clarity. He shoved the Avia away, his words coming out thick with the accent he tried so hard to hide, but no less furious.

"Don't you dare talk to Rusty like that, or I'll pluck you like one of Oliver's chickens, stuff and broil you alive, then feed you to him and his whole family for dinner!"

As far as threats went, it was a good one, and everyone eyed Gem warily as he, for the first time, struggled against the grip the Avia had on his arm.

With a scoff, the Avia released him abruptly, nearly sending him to the ground. "Like you're even worth all this trouble. Cockslut."

Rusty, Oliver, and even Zef leapt forward to catch Gem, making sure he stayed on his feet. Oliver's arm brushed Zef's, and he resisted the urge to apologize. Hopefully, Zef wouldn't take it personal, though seeing as they were gripping two of Gem's arms in support, Oliver figured they, too, understood that some circumstances trumped social norms.

Stepping in front of them all, Liel cocked his head up at the Avia, a low vibrating rumble emanating from his chest. "Walk away now, or I'll make you," he said, voice hard and clipped.

"I'd like to see you try, you Gymnot cunt."

The Avia loomed over Liel, red eyes blazing with drunken anger, and Oliver reached forward with his free hand to squeeze Liel's wrist. Liel wasn't small, just a few inches shorter than Oliver, but the Avia towered over him all the same. And they were itching for a fight.

"Liel," Oliver warned.

"It's alright, darling. Leave this to me." Liel stood tall in the face of the larger demon. "It's time for you to go."

The Avia leaned down to sneer in his face. "What are you gonna do if I don't"—their red eyes dropped to Oliver's grasp on Liel's arm and disgust twisted their face—"slug fucker?"

Now, Oliver had been called a slug several times since he'd started working in Purgatory. He knew it was meant as a slur, but it had never quite felt like one to him. Not until now. An odd sort of shame wriggled through his chest, and he released Liel's arm as Zef inhaled sharply at the insult.

"I'm gonna cut this bitch!" Tad spat, fighting against Willow's hold on her arm as the Dryad covered her mouth with her other hand to muffle a cry of distress.

Gem mumbled out an offended, "Ex-fucking-cuse you?"

Rusty growled wordlessly, canines gleaming.

But Liel? He didn't look embarrassed or ashamed. He didn't even look offended. No, he smiled, and it was cold and terrifying and wonderful. Then he pressed the tip of one, yellow finger to the Avia's chest.

"Choke on a bag of dicks," Liel said as his entire body lit up with crackling electricity.

His hair rose, seeming to levitate as static charged between the locks. Every smidgeon of yellow on his body glowed neon as the lightning storm enveloped them both, and the Avia spasmed and choked for several long seconds before they dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. They twitched and whimpered before falling unconscious.

As the static lightning faded away as quickly as it had appeared, Liel brushed off the front of his shirt, even though it hadn't gotten dirty, and sighed happily. "That's better."

Oliver gaped.

Tad clapped giddily.

Rusty's eyes were wide and wary.

Zef hummed in interest.

Willow had taken two steps back, hands pressed to her stomach.

Gem slurred, "Wow, that was kinda hot."

Then he doubled over and threw up on the pavement.

Oliver, Willow, and Zef backed away on instinct. Tad waddled over to the unconscious demon and kicked them in the head with her webbed foot. Rusty was the only one to step toward Gem, tucking himself under the joint of Gem's middle arm to prop him up as he puked.

"I really don't feel good," Gem whimpered.

"I know," Rusty said flatly. "Just let it out. Wait, not on my feet. Gross."

Another round of puke splashed onto the sidewalk and Rusty's feet. Oliver grimaced as Willow gagged into her palm. Zef looked even more green than usual, and even Liel wrinkled his nose as Gem retched.

When the bout of sickness passed, he collapsed onto Rusty, and the Pyclon nearly buckled under his weight. He squeaked and chittered as he scrambled to keep Gem from falling on his ass, and Oliver and Zef leapt forward to help again. Together, they managed to keep the seven-foot-tall demon on his feet.

"I feel sick," Gem said wetly. "Where's Toni?"

"I will find him," Zef said in their steady tone, and Willow took their place propping Gem up.

"We need to get him home," Rusty said, looking to Oliver. "He needs to sleep this off."

"Yeah, of course, but shouldn't we call the police or something?"

Everyone, even Gem, sent him incredulous looks.

"Someone spiked his drink!" Oliver said defensively.

"This is Gluttony," Rusty said blandly, "everyone is spiking everyone's drinks here. You call the cops and they're more likely to arrest your Gymnot for the lightshow he just put on than the asshole who deserved it."

Following the direction of Rusty's nod, Oliver met Liel's yellow eyes which still sparked and crackled with lightning. He grimaced, then shrugged as if in resigned agreement.

"The Pyclon isn't wrong," he said.

Oliver scowled. "But—"

"Fuck, Rus, I threw up on you." Gem gazed forlornly down at Rusty. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It's fine, Gem," Rusty dismissed.

"It's in your fur," he whined, iridescent eyes welling with tears.

Rusty looked somewhat panicked as a tear leaked from one of Gem's smaller, red eyes. "Worse things have been stuck in my fur, I promise. It's okay."

Shoving away from them, Gem stumbled down the sidewalk, using the brick wall of the building to steady his balance as he started to sob uncontrollably. Oliver watched Rusty follow him, barking at him to stop. Willow hugged herself, gaze ping-ponging between the demons and Oliver.

The hair on Oliver's arm rippled with static as Liel stepped up beside him. Liel's fingers were hesitant as they trailed over Oliver's palm, but he answered the unspoken question immediately, taking Liel's hand in his.

"I need to make sure Gem gets home okay," he said with a hint of an apology, and Liel smiled in understanding.

"Of course." With his free hand, Liel cupped Oliver's cheek, thumb rubbing over the corner of his mouth. "I'll come with you."

"You don't have to," Oliver said quickly.

For the first time that night, Liel looked unsure. "If you don't want me to—"

"No, I do want you to, but I get that it's not what we… talked about."

"Silly human," Liel said as he lifted onto his toes to kiss him. This kiss was hot and full of electric promises, and Oliver wanted to whine in disappointment when it was interrupted by Rusty growling out, "Gem, careful!"

Sharing breath, their foreheads met, and Oliver sighed. "We should go help."

Liel nodded. "Indeed."

Willow and Tad stood a few yards away at the mouth of an alley. Rusty's tail was visible low to the ground, like he was crouching. Gem was nowhere to be seen.

Hand in hand, Oliver and Liel made their way toward them.

"Everything's spinning. Rusty, I hate this," Gem was saying as they came to a stop beside Willow.

Gem sat in the alley, back against the wall, legs hugged to his chest with four arms as his other two hands cupped the sides of his head. Tears tracked down his face from all eight eyes, and he was trembling. Oliver had never seen Gem sad before. It was disconcerting to witness him look so small and scared.

Kneeling in front of him, Rusty sat back on his paws and said, "Take a deep breath, Gem. Come on. You can do this."

"Do we know what that asshole gave him?" Oliver whispered to Willow.

She shook her head.

"Probably the demon equivalent to your human roofies," Liel murmured.

"Shut the fuck up," Rusty hissed at them, and Oliver pressed his lips together.

Willow shuffled closer to him, and he slid a reassuring arm around her waist. Popping onto his toes, he spoke quietly in her ear. "Gem's gonna be fine."

"I can't breathe. My heart's racing," Gem gasped out, fingers tangling in his red-streaked hair. "Rus, I can't breathe."

"Gem!" Rusty barked, startling Gem out of his spiral. His big, iridescent eyes flew open, locking on Rusty's. "Just look at me. Breathe with me."

Rusty inhaled deeply through his nose, then exhaled through his mouth. One of his mauve hands rested on Gem's knee, the other took Gem's lower left hand and flattened it against his chest. He breathed in again, Gem's hand flexing with his inhale as he struggled to inhale.

"You can do better than that. Breathe with me."

Gem breathed.

"There you go," Rusty encouraged him, voice softer and gentler than Oliver had ever heard. "Keep going. You're doing good."

Rusty and Gem breathed together for several minutes, never breaking eye contact. It went on so long, Oliver felt like he was intruding on something he shouldn't be witnessing, like he was playing voyeur to something… intimate.

Then the moment ended, and the tension in Gem's body slowly leaked away. Rusty's shoulders loosened, tail lowering to curl around his knees.

"There you go." He patted Gem's knee, then pulled his hand back. "You're okay."

"Don't leave," Gem whispered, hand fisting in Rusty's chest fur as if to keep the Pyclon from escaping.

"I won't," Rusty said quickly, peeling Gem's hand from his fur only to huff in annoyance when Gem captured his hand in a bone-crushing grip. "You're not alone, Gem. See? Ollie and Liel are here. And Willow. Tad too."

Finally breaking away from Rusty's gaze, Gem looked up at Oliver and Willow, eyes blinking discordantly. Tad waddled forward, and Gem offered her a halting smile. She squatted down and pulled a wallet from her pocket.

"I stole the fucker's wallet," she said, offering Gem the cash inside.

"Tad," Oliver, Rusty, and Willow said simultaneously as Liel disguised his bark of laughter with a cough.

Gem choked on a laugh. "Thanks, Tad." He took the money and tucked it into his tube top.

"I got his keys too," Tad announced, holding up a keyring. "Wanna take his car?"

"Tad!" everyone, except Gem, cried.

"We're not committing grand theft auto," Oliver said sternly.

Tad pouted. "Well, we definitely have to now. It sounds even cooler when you call it that !"

"We're not stealing his car tonight," Rusty said, and Oliver slumped in relief at the words of support. "Not when we have to get Gem home. We can steal his car tomorrow."

Tad's face lit up. "Fuck yeah!"

Oliver felt the blood drain from his face. "Okay, that wasn't—"

"What the fuck happened?" Toni cut him off as he jogged up to the group, black eyes wide and a little glazed. His indigo hair was mussed, and he had lipstick smeared across his mouth. But his expression was murderous. "Where's Gem?"

"Toni." Gem reached for Toni with two hands, and Toni immediately helped him to his feet. Rusty stood as well, his hand still grasped firmly in Gem's. He tried to pull away, seeing as Gem was curled around Toni now, but Gem held firm. Giving up the fight, Rusty stood aimlessly beside Gem as Toni spoke urgently in his ear.

"How is he?" Zef asked as they came to a stop beside Liel, cocking their head as their milky eyes studied Gem and Toni.

"He's not throwing up anymore," Liel answered before Oliver could. "I'd say that's an improvement."

"Tad took that demon's keys, by the way," Oliver added. "I think she's gonna steal their car."

Zef's wings twitched as they faced Oliver, then looked down at Tad. "Tad, did you rob the Avia with the intent to steal his vehicle?"

With a betrayed glare at Oliver, Tad kicked at the ground and grumbled, "Yes."

"Good girl." They patted Tad's bald head with a minuscule smile.

"Really?" Oliver crossed his arms over his chest and leveled Zef with his best disappointed-grandmother glare. "You're supposed to be the reasonable one."

"That asshole has it coming!" Tad spat before Zef could defend themself.

Zef wobbled their head in a demon version of a shrug. "She is not wrong. Perhaps the ingrate will think twice before drugging someone." Speaking to Tad, they said, "Be sure you are not caught, though. Glyma would be upset if you were incarcerated again."

"Again?" Oliver said, though no one paid him any mind.

Tad puffed out her chest, shooting Oliver an unnerving smile as she said, "Psh, I'd make prison my bitch. Just like last time."

"I can get him home," Rusty was saying as Toni half-dragged, half-carried Gem out of the alley.

"No," Toni said stiffly as Gem stumbled. "I have a place close by. Just a few tram stops from here. There's no need to take him all the way to Lust when he can crash there."

Willow touched Oliver's arm. "I don't think I can come," she admitted quietly, casting a worried glance at Toni, Gem, and Rusty. "Everyone's emotions are really overwhelming, and I feel…"

Tears gathered in her eyes, and she scrubbed at them with a frustrated sound.

"It's okay. We'll get Gem home. He'll sleep it off, and everything will be fine. You head home and get some rest."

"I don't want Gem to think—"

"Hey," Oliver cut her off, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Gem knows you love him, and you're not leaving him alone. He's got us."

"He is in good hands, Willow," Zef said, gesturing down a side street. "I also must catch a train. Shall we walk to the station together?"

After one last look at Gem, Willow nodded. "Just… let me know how he is?"

"Of course. I'll keep you both updated."

"Thank you, Oliver. That would be greatly appreciated." Zef nodded at him, then Liel. "Thank you for your assistance with the Avia."

"Anytime," Liel dipped his chin.

Zef held one of their hands at Willow's lower back without actually making contact and encouraged her toward the road crossing. Speaking to Tad, they asked, "Are you coming, my dear?"

Still standing in the mouth of the alley, Tad twirled the keyring around the tip of one finger. How she managed it with the webbing on her hands, Oliver didn't know.

"No, I think I'll stick around here a little longer." With a devious grin, she turned and waddled down the street.

Since he didn't want to be anywhere in the vicinity of Tad possibly committing a felony, Oliver tightened his grip on Liel's hand and led him down the street toward Toni, Gem, and Rusty. They caught up to them as Toni and Rusty were lowering Gem onto the bench at the tram stop. At this point, Gem was barely conscious, his red eyes closed, his two large ones drooping. He wrapped two arms around Toni's biceps and rested his head on his friend's shoulder.

Rusty sat on his other side, pale eyes locked on where his clawed paw was still clenched in Gem's lowest left hand. His middle left hand drifted through the fur between Rusty's ears.

The Pyclon looked on the verge of panic, like he was trapped on a rollercoaster that he had no desire to ride. Yet, he didn't push Gem away or fight for his hand back. He just sat there, willing to endure the inevitable, heart-stopping drop for the sake of the man beside him.

"So how exactly did this happen? Zef didn't know how it started," Toni asked, eyeing Oliver and Liel's clasped hands.

"We didn't see it," Oliver said, fighting the flush that wanted to color his face and neck as Toni arched a suggestive eyebrow.

"They were sucking face," Rusty said unhelpfully.

Oliver lost the fight as his cheeks erupted with heat. "Dude!"

Toni pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. "Okay, so while Oliver was off tugging tentacle"—

"Oh my god, Toni!"

—"where were you?" Toni continued as if Oliver hadn't spoken, leveling Rusty with an almost accusatory frown.

Rusty bristled. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Where were you ?"

"Forgive me, but does that matter?" Liel interjected, and Toni glared at him.

"I'm sorry, who the fuck are you again?"

Protectiveness swelled in Oliver's chest, and he shifted to block Liel from Toni's glower. "This is Liel, which you know. Stop being a dick."

"Whatever," Toni eventually muttered. "Let's just get back to mine. This is giving me a headache, and I have the worst case of blue balls right now."

"Wow, classy," Rusty deadpanned.

They remained quiet until the tram arrived, the silence oppressive and awkward. Oliver mouthed, "Sorry," and Liel smiled in reassurance, giving his hand a squeeze.

As the tram came to a stop, Toni roused Gem enough to get him on his feet, and he and Rusty helped the Araknis onto the tram. Oliver and Liel sat across the aisle from the other three. Toni was glaring down at his lap, hand clasped on Gem's knee. Gem blinked lazily, eyes unseeing. Rusty was still staring at Gem's hand holding his.

Briefly, his eyes met Oliver's, and even though the demon was covered in fur, Oliver swore he was blushing. He turned away, ears swiveling, whiskers twitching. Even his tail flicked uncomfortably, like an upset cat.

As Toni had claimed, his apartment was only three tram stops away from the club, and they hauled Gem down the sidewalk to his building. It was fancier than Oliver had expected; there was even a doorman.

They greeted the group with a, "Evening, Mr. Toni, sir. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, Clyve, we're good. Gem just… had too much to drink."

With an awkward laugh, Toni hurried them toward the elevators. Gem was slightly more stable on his feet, but even though his eyes were open, they were vacant.

"The lights are on, but nobody's home," Oliver's mother would have said.

It made anger curl deep in Oliver's gut. He hoped Tad really did steal that Avia's car. He hoped she took it on the wildest joyride before crashing it into a brick wall.

"We should have called the police," Oliver said as they staggered into the elevator.

"It wouldn't have done anything." Rusty tugged his tail out of the way of the closing doors with one hand, his other still stuck in Gem's.

Ignoring the warning pinch of Liel's fingers, Oliver pushed. "Why not? People shouldn't get away with roofying someone!"

Toni punched the top floor button with his fist, then rounded on Oliver. "Shut up, Ollie. This ain't your world, okay? The cops don't give a shit about people like us."

"What does that even mean?" Oliver stumbled back, nearly tripping over Liel. "I don't understand—"

"They're Lust trash!" Toni pointed a cruel finger at Gem and Rusty, then himself. "And I ain't much better. Not to the cops. If we'd called on them to help, they'd have booked us faster than you could blink."

Oliver cowered away from Toni's rage, and static crackled in the enclosed space of the elevator as Liel made a threatening noise in the back of his throat. Toni didn't notice, or he didn't care because he continued to loom over them both.

"But we didn't do anything," Oliver said.

"You think those Wrath motherfuckers care? Who do you think funds the military district? Pride and Greed. That's who the cops work for. They get paid to keep us ‘lower' demons in check." Toni smiled, but it was a terrible thing. "And you think things would've worked out for you? You're nothing but a fucking slug slumming it in Gluttony with the likes of us."

"That's enough," Liel said in a low, flinty tone. "I understand your frustration, but it's not Oliver's fault that he doesn't know the intricacies of our world. Continue to insult him, and I will lose my patience."

Baring his teeth at Liel, Toni opened his mouth to respond, but Rusty spoke first, sounding inexplicably tired. "Toni, lay off them. You're drunk, and you're gonna say shit you'll regret in the morning."

With a wordless snarl, Toni started pacing again, like a shark trapped in a tank. Rusty slumped against the wall, tracking the glowing numbers on the elevator buttons. Gem was barely standing, leaning heavily on the wall and Rusty. Liel slipped an arm around Oliver's waist and rubbed his cheek on his shoulder.

When Gem's knees gave up, nearly sending him to the floor, Toni rushed to his side to help catch him. "Gem?" He cupped Gem's face in his hands, the fins on his arms trembling. "Gemmy? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you like that. I'm sorry, okay? But you're gonna be fine. I'm gonna fix you right up."

Gem blinked lazily. "Toni?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"My mouth tastes like ass," Gem slurred, and Toni choked on a laugh.

"Yeah, I bet it does."

"I'm tired."

Toni's expression crumpled. "I know. We're almost there, and you can sleep."

Nodding, Gem rested his forehead on Toni's shoulder, and Toni visibly shuddered. Without looking at Oliver, he reached out and dragged a knuckle down Oliver's arm, then gave his wrist a short but hard clench. Oliver took it as an apology, patting Toni's arm in return.

Toni was worried about Gem, and clearly feeling guilty, even if it hadn't been his fault. And apparently, his defense mechanism was to deflect onto others. First Rusty, then Oliver. It wasn't fair, but Oliver could understand it a little bit at least.

With a ding , the elevator doors opened on the top floor, and Oliver gawked as Toni led them into a fancy apartment—authentic wood flooring, genuine marble in the kitchen, and a wall made entirely of glass windows. The view of Gluttony was breathtaking, even with the smog and light pollution.

Oliver didn't have time to enjoy it, though, because Gem finally lost his ability to walk. Each grabbing a leg, Oliver and Liel helped carry Gem into the main bedroom.

"How is someone this skinny so heavy?" Oliver asked no one in particular.

"It's all in the ass," Toni said, and Rusty coughed roughly as Liel snorted.

As they heaved Gem onto the bed, the bedspread silky soft, the sheets looking like they had a one-thousand thread count, Oliver puffed, "Holy shit, Toni, are you rich?"

Toni grimaced as he settled Gem's head on a pillow. "No," he said shortly. "My family's rich. There's a difference."

"I don't think there is," Oliver said as he loosened Gem's boot and tugged it off. "Aw, he does have spider paws!"

"Don't look at his feet, you creep," Toni snapped. "And I don't stay here a lot, okay? My pa pays for it, and I… I don't like owing him favors."

Dropping Gem's other boot to the carpet, Oliver stood and brushed off his jeans.

"What does your family do exactly?"

With a long-suffering sigh, Toni sank onto the end of the bed and leaned back on his hands, black eyes unreadable. "Business," he said.

Oliver's eyes widened. "Oh my god, are you actually in the demon mafia?"

"If I told you that, I'd have to kill you." He raised his hands and made finger guns. " Pop, pop, motherfucker."

Both Liel and Rusty snorted, but it was Rusty who spoke from beside Gem's unconscious form as he tried to free his hand from the Araknis's grasp. "You're so full of shit, Elas."

"Suck my cocks, Pyclon," Toni shot back.

"Who's Elas? Is that your mafia name? Like Tommy-Two-Toes?" Then Oliver's brain glitched. "Wait, cock s ? Like, plural?"

"I'm too drunk for this," Toni grumbled.

"An Elas isn't a who, sweetheart," Liel said. "It's a what."

"Yeah, what he said. Gem's an Araknis. Rusty's a Pyclon." Toni pointed to himself. "I'm an Elas."

"Oh, that makes more sense. But seriously? Dicks, plural?"

Gem had mentioned something like that in passing once, but Oliver hadn't believed him. Well, he'd assumed that he had misheard the demon, because two dicks? Really?

That sexy grin was back, and Toni slicked a black tongue along his jagged teeth. "Double the dicks, double the fun, baby."

Liel made a disgruntled noise.

Oliver said, "Ew."

"Ugh, you're such a douche," Rusty said as he braced a foot against the bedframe and pulled on his hand. Somehow, even snoring, Gem still held fast. "Gem, come on! Let me go."

Oliver, Liel, and Toni cocked their heads and watched the Pyclon struggle to escape Gem's clutches. His back claws frayed the carpet as he kicked and fought, chittering and snarling as he tugged and yanked.

Out of breath, Rusty whined like a wounded animal and slumped to the floor in defeat. "He won't let go."

Toni laughed but crawled up the mattress to settle behind Gem. "He's ticklish. Right here." He trailed three fingertips across Gem's lower stomach, and Gem jolted, arms flailing. One hand smacked Toni right in the face, and he keeled over with a yelp. "Gem, you bitch!"

Flexing his freed hand, Rusty backed away until he was out of Gem's long reach, just in case he tried to recapture him. "Okay, I'll head out."

"Ya'll can crash here. There's a spare bedroom, and the couch pulls out." Toni waved vaguely with one hand as the other cupped his smacked face. "The bedding's clean."

Either too tired or too drunk to play host, Toni removed his vest before sprawling on the mattress facedown, the fin on his spine rising sharply into the air. He said something else, but his voice was too muffled by the pillow for Oliver to understand him. Then he was snoring almost instantly.