The four men stood there awkwardly, until Tibur realized it was up to him to set things straight. He sighed at his own stupidity. 

"Please leave" he said, as he turned to Michael. 

Caleb was eyeing him dangerously, and he would have some serious explaining to do. 

"Are you kidding?" asked Michael, "You think I'm going to leave you here alone? One look at him and I can tell he's out for blood!" 

Tibur tried to push him back into the elevator, but Michael stood firm.

"If you hadn't made me talk nonsense then there'd be nothing for you to worry about!" Tibur reprimanded; "Who asked you to follow me up here anyway?!"

Tristan had been watching them with a puzzled expression. 

"Did something happen while I was in the bathroom?" he asked innocently. Caleb's angry eyes softened as he spoke. 

"I just need to talk to Tibur for a minute, why don't you go lie down for a little while? We won't be long." 

Tristan didn't have the courage to refuse him. He nodded and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind him and sitting stiffly on the bed while 'the adults' talked.

"Of course I didn't mean that just now" Tibur stated clearly, "Please understand, I was talking shit. I was just trying to get rid of this guy, I have no designs on you or your husband!"

Caleb's buring gaze was now directed at Michael. 

"Did you follow our guest up to this floor?" he asked him, "I don't remember extending the invitation to include a plus-one."

"If he stays, I stay!" Michael announced, putting his body between them, "There's no telling what you're likely to do to him if I leave."

Caleb's blue eyes contained the dark depths of a raging ocean. 

"I can assure you" he seethed, "My husband and I are not in the habit of injuring our guests."

"That's good to know" said Michael, striding past him and shamelessly taking a seat at the dining table, "Why don't you call your husband to join us then? Since I don't need to worry for our safety."

Tibur was left standing alone by the elevator doors. 

"Honestly Caleb, I didn't mean what I said. I've never thought that way, I was just... I was just being an idiot. Please don't hold it against me, or think there's anything untoward going on. Tristan is my friend, and what's more, he's injured, it's not like I'd... I only came here to talk to him about something, I certainly wasn't trying to do anything more than that!" 

The longer he spoke, the more awkward things seemed to get.

"You've explained well enough, I think" said Michael in support. "'Tristan' did you say your friend's name was? Tristan!" he called towards the bedroom, "Come out and join us..!" 

Caleb was ready to swing for him when the bedroom door popped open, and Tristan stuck his head out. 

"Did you call for me..?" he asked, his eyes averting the gaze of the awaiting men. 

"Don't you ever tell him what to do!" Caleb hissed to Michael under his breath, the anger dissolving as he turned to face the man by the bedroom door. "Are you hungry?" he asked Tristan gently, "We should probably eat before it gets too late..."

As Tristan nervously seated himself across from the strange man that Tibur had brought with him, his friend took a seat beside him. 

"This... is your neighbor" Tibur told him, "The one whose patio door I happened to break."

Tristan's curiosity got the better of him, he wanted to get a better look at the so-called 'ladies' man', and found himself staring at the man who only had eyes for Tibur. Had Tibur looked at Caleb, the cycle of each of them watching one another would have been complete. 

"Tibur and I have yet to work things out" Michael explained, "But there's no hard feelings."

Tibur had certainly felt something hard earlier that evening.

"What does he owe?" asked Caleb, "If I transfer you the money will you leave? My husband isn't fond of strangers."

Considering his choice of words, Tristan wasn't sure that Caleb should be making such bold declarations. 

"I don't want your money" said Michael, "Tibur gave me his word that he would repay the debt himself. Isn't that right..?"

The lewd smirk was uncalled for, but there was truth in his words. Tibur had no intention of letting anyone else carry his burden.

"I'll find the money myself... but thank you for offering to help, Caleb. The thought is appreciated."

Caleb had no other thought than trying to resolve things for Tristan's sake. Had Tibur been coming over to ask him for money, it would have been preferable to the alternative.

"How long have you lived here, Tristan?" asked Michael, "This is my first time seeing you. Can't have been married all that long... how did you break your arm?"

Michael sized up Caleb's reaction after questioning his husband; paying no heed to his neighbor's glare, he was curious as to who in the hell it was that agreed to marry him.

"We haven't been here long so I've been told" Tristan lowered his eyes as he began to lie, "I had an accident not too long ago... I struggle to remember things."

Tibur was about to speak for him when he thought better of it. Another word on Tristan's behalf, and Caleb might really think there was something going on between them.

"My husband is recovering" said Caleb, "I'd advise you not to agitate him with too many questions."

"Forgive me" said Michael, "I just wanted to get to know Tibur's friends a little."

Tibur was still unsure why he hadn't left. There was no immediate danger; did he really suspect that Caleb would do something? He'd mentioned before that he'd found him strange... it wasn't impossible to believe that he was staying for his protection. But his curiosity regarding Tristan could not be so readily explained.

"It's fine" said Tristan, "Tibur must have made quite an impression on you."

"Who knew that a broken door would open me up to a whole new world of possibilities..? Since meeting Tibur, I've even had the chance to get to know my neighbors. I'm sure this isn't the last new thing I'll experience after meeting him..."

Caleb could see the lustful longing in Michael's eyes. It was just as well.

"What do you do?" he asked the interloper, "Are you working here in Modesh?"

"I've taken a leave of absence" Michael announced, "But usually I work a little higher up than most people. I'm a pilot." His eyes flashed in Tibur's direction, hoping to catch a glimpse of admiration. "I used to fly in here quite a bit and liked it. Decided to get to know the island a little more. And the people..."

Tibur rolled his eyes.

"I think you've probably seen more than enough of them by now" he countered.

Tristan hadn't meant to, but his friend's pointed comment made him snicker. He quickly covered his mouth, but not before Caleb got to witness the enchanting sight. He was torn, on one hand it was Tibur that had made him laugh, and on the other... well, what did he care who it was? Tristan was laughing, that was all that mattered.

"Let me ask you something, man to man" said Michael, gearing up for another obnoxiously offensive round of questioning, "Regardless of whether it's men or women you're into - every man should have a time in his life where he allows himself to have a little casual fun. Don't you think?"

Before Caleb could misconstrue his idiotic babble as a proposition for a four-way, Tibur stepped in to silence him.

"Isn't it nearly time for Tristan's medication?"

Caleb was not happy about having to leave him with the guests, but it was important that Tristan eat something. As he side-eyed his way to the kitchen to prepare the meal, Tibur leaned in towards Michael.

"Isn't it time you went home?" he asked him.

Michael ignored him.

"Tristan, does Tibur have a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend maybe?"

Tibur's mouth dropped open. What exactly was he trying achieve?! Tristan was no less confused by the question.

"I um... I don't know" he admitted, "Wouldn't it be better to ask Tibur directly?"

Tibur's eyes closed as he braced himself for a further wave of idiocy to wash over him.

"As far as I can tell he's single. Right, Tibur? And yet he doesn't seem interested in meeting anyone. But men have needs, don't they Tristan? You're a married man, surely you know well enough how important it is to meet them on a regular basis."

The plates were slammed down on the table. If Michael could take Tibur off his hands then so much the better, but Caleb was not prepared for him to drag Tristan into things.

"I think..." the hint of an opinion was enough for Caleb to hang on Tristan's every word, "I think that Tibur can decide for himself what's important." Tristan remembered the advice his dad had given to him, "There's no rule to being a man..."

Michael pouted, disappointed that not one of them seemed to be on his side. In the meantime, Caleb's ire had subsided completely. As he sat down smiling, Michael noticed the change in him. Maybe he wasn't such a gloomy bastard after all, at least not when it came to his wife.

With no wine to drink, Michael started to sober; and suddenly found himself in the company of three men, two of which were most definitely gay. He started to question what Paul and the others would have had to say about it. Michael had to remind himself that he was there out of obligation; that when they'd arrived, Caleb looked dangerous. It's not like he was there to enjoy their company.

"I should get going" he suddenly remarked as he rose to his feet; "Thanks for the meal. Tibur... I'll er... call you about the door."

His abrupt exit came as a surprise. Maybe he'd felt unwell? Tibur pondered.

Caleb began to clear the plates, refusing Tibur's offer of help so that he and Tristan might finally talk. He reminded himself twiceover; Tristan laughed... he spoke... I need to give him the space to breathe...

"Do you see what I'm dealing with?" Tibur asked him, "That's the man I owe a debt to!" He leaned in close to whisper, "And earlier tonight... he said..."

Tristan was curious, but Tibur found it difficult to say the words out loud.

"He said... he wanted me to fuck him. In exchange for the debt."

Tristan's shock was almost audible from the kitchen.

"Of course I'm not going to... but, what do you think he meant by that? Do I... I mean, do you think I seem like I would? Do something like that..? Fuck. I don't know what I'm saying. It just really messed with my head. I've never had someone say that to me before. The fact that it was a man makes it all the more confusing."

"So, Michael's interested in men too?" asked Tristan, "Or... is he just curious?"

Tibur wasn't sure. Could it be that? Michael had experienced it all, maybe he was getting bored. It would explain his need to take those little blue pills. Maybe he'd just gotten excited at the prospect of something different.

"If that's the case" said Tibur, "He should find someone else to experiment with. I'm not having my first time taken by..." Tibur stopped himself too late. The cat was already out of the bag.

"Don't tell Millie" he said, "No one else needs to know that I'm a virgin."

Before Tristan had the chance to reassure him that his secret was safe, Caleb was already back at the table.

"It's not our news to tell" said Caleb with a smile. 

As though he'd just discovered the dangerous dog beside him was neutered, Caleb's fear subsided. The timid Tibur was given a pass.

"We haven't finished talking" Tristan told him firmly.

"Take all the time you need" replied Caleb graciously, giving Tristan's shoulder a deliberate touch as he walked away. 

"I'm sorry Tibur, I didn't see him coming this way. But of course it won't go any further. You can trust Caleb not to mention it either." I think.

Tibur's hands were already covering his eyes.

"It shouldn't matter that I am. I know it shouldn't... But... sometimes I think that maybe I'm different because of it."

"There's nothing wrong with it" said Tristan, "There's no right time for anyone."

"There have been times" Tibur confessed, "But I just didn't want to. At least... not with a girl."

It was fortunate that Caleb didn't overhear the end of their conversation. The harmless friend admitted his truth; that he himself was starting to grow curious.