Christopher cast a smarmy smile Darius' way, shaking off. The look soured when Darius got to his less than flattering part.

People were starting to get up. A lot of them were small ... but some were spindly, gangly teenagers with angry looks in sunken eyes.

"The hell do you lot think you are?" a boy snapped, voice cracking as he scrabbled for what looked to be a walking stick.

A harried man with a visibly bent leg scooted back on his hands, not making eye contact.

The others - mostly girls and young women - were scrabbling for their own weapons, and one of them grabbed a dirty frying pan.

"Hurley, Esquire," Chris snarled, though he had not earned the title yet.

He shook off and pulled his pants back up, drawing a pistol. Two of the closer figures withdrew, though the girl with the frying pan was trying to sneak up on him.

God. Hurry up, guys. Zechariah needed to pee.

Darius frowned as there were a lot. Then Chris pulled a gun!? This was really going overboard over a damn piss. He saw the girl coming and called out. "Chris, behind you!" He wish he'd had a weapon but didn't think he'd be needing it. He should have known better. This guy was leading him straight into hell with these stupid antics. Couldn't they just do something normal for once? He'd like a boring evening with him. "Zach!" He called out the window hoping the other would realize they could use a hand.

If he peed outside, Chris would make fun of him...

"Hurry up!" Zechariah hissed back, arms crossed and now doing the universal have-to-pee foot-tap.

Then the shot went off, and so did Zechariah's bladder.

He didn't even know which was the right direction to run: he just ran.

[CW: Surprise! Violence.]

Inside: well, Chris had never encountered a fight he thought he could not win, and that was because he shat directly down onto those who had no hope of fighting back. Solid plan.

Chris frowned and looked where Darius directed - and he shot her, point blank. She dropped the pan, eyes stricken with fear and mouth gaping. It hit his shoulder on the way down, and she crumpled to her knees, clutching her bleeding hip.

They were all rushing toward them now. Chris shoved Darius out of his way and scrambled out the window, taking off in the direction his stupid, cowardly good-for-nothing friend was already running.

That bastard! Darius watched him flee. He dropped down to get the pan the girl had dropped and threw it hard at the closest person before scrambling out the window. Luckily he was smaller than Chris so he was out and running off as fast as he could. He wanted to punch him the next time he saw him. Of course, he wouldn't. He never did. But he wanted to so badly.

The next day, a letter for Darius in Christopher's hasty but trained hand arrived.

My dear friend,

I had a wonderful time last night! I could not have done it without you. The boys and I have a brunch planned tomorrow, and I would be delighted to see you there!

Worry not. Zack is having a wardrobe malfunction after spontaneously wetting himself, so he shan't be there to darken our doorstep.

Au revoir,
-Chris

Darius stared at it and frowned. He crushed the letter in his hand but got ready to leave to meet up with him. He hung his head and covered his face. He was pathetic. "I'm going to hang out with Christopher. " He said though no one was listening and took a cab to meet up with him. He hoped John wouldn't be there at least.

He liked Darius, but he was acting odd lately. It was desperate times, and so Roderick pretended to actually be listening to his tutor.

Christopher was there - as was John. John looked from Chris, to Darius, and to Chris again with a disbelieving look at the reserved table.

"Darius!" he greeted warmly, though cast a knowing look to John. "So glad you could make it. How are you?"