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"I love that about you, your love for him Do you kno unique that is? You don’t care what happens to you, as long as he’s okay His welfare is alwayselse to you, especially your own In a world full of ugliness, it’s theI have ever seen" Tristan’s words were solid truth Heor the blood puh his body They just were, and no one could deny them

Mateo walked over to him, turned Tristan’s chair so he faced Mateo Tristan looked up at him as Mateo said, "I love you the sa matters like the two of you"

In many ways, Tristan knew that wasn’t healthy On the one hand, he loved when he never thought he would, but the way they loved each other, the depth of it, putting another person over yourself, needing, wasn’t the way it should be He didn’t care, though He loved Josiah and Mateo that way, and knew they loved him with the same intensity

"Me, too I love you both" The words were coave him a flirty wink, the kind of wink Tristan had never seen from him before

"Go," Tristan told him, and Mateo did as he said When he was closed in his office alone, Tristan grabbed his disposable phone and called New York His heart beat faster the longer it rang When no one answered he called again, and again, only to get the saht this down on the to protect them, he hurt the , Tristan grabbed his personal phone and dialed It took four rings, but as always, Ben picked up

"Miss me?" Ben asked playfully, despite the hour it had to be there

"Josiah’s coffeehouse burned down"

"Is he okay?"

"Yes" Physically

"You’ll get him another one, Tristan You’ll take care of him"

But what if it was Tristan’s fault it happened in the first place?