The Domineering Presence of a Rotten Banana

Oneshot

Enrique didn't know who was becoming more gay, him or Oliver?

The blonde had been depressed lately…no, scratch lately, he had been depressed for the longest time.

First it was about this muddle with his ex-boyfriend, Giacomo, whom he was trying to get back with. Next came this horrible BFF (Best Friends Forever) issues concerning Oliver and this new chef in Paris named Eandre.

This Eandre had a natural talent for cooking up amazing dishes that could rival the Polanski heir's, but good grief! He had a serious attitude problem.

Needless to say, no one wanted to work for Eandre, or even work with him. Everyone hated his guts. Mind you, this wasn't brought about by the people but by the man himself.

Whenever Eandre would accomplish something, he'd get his head filled with hot air and flamboyantly put up a raucous display of showing off. He'd prefer to think that the world revolved around him, and that everyone should give in to his desires. Eandre would dance where he wasn't wanted, poke and prod when it wasn't needed. He didn't give the slightest damn about what other people thought, which was initially a good thing utterly destroyed when brought to the extreme.

Oliver, in his kind and caring nature, befriended this poor arrogant and friendless soul. This fact caused numerous friends who knew him drop their jaws in shock and disgust.

Enrique had merely been plunged deeper into his depression when he found out. The Italian had his own share of rough history with Eandre. You see, the after the muddle (better known as the Love Quarrel) between him and Giacomo, the latter had been so suddenly snagged by the despicable chef before the blonde could say "Wait! That was all a misunderstanding!" He could not help but acquire some inherent hatred.

After the incident, the playboy fought tooth and nail to get Giacomo back. In effect, it was like waging this war against Eandre which he 'vowed to win' so to speak. Clever, clever Eandre let Giacomo go, but turned to other matters…

The point of everything was, since Oliver and the bastard in question were having a jolly time back in the City of Love, Enrique felt that their friendship was falling apart.

The greenette would rarely reply to any of his SMSings or emails. He'd frequently decline invites to cross countries to hang out. Whenever the poor blonde would see the French boy, he'd have this outburst of emotion and hug and kiss him like a boy finding his lost puppy.

More often than not, Enrique would catch Oliver hanging out with Eandre, and on several occasions, the Italian would let loose below-the-belt words with his sharp lingua biforcuta. Once or twice, the Frenchman retaliated with a language best left untranslated.

The tension growing tension between them soon became so thick, it came to a point where Enrique outright refused to attend team meetings.

Robert and Johnny would visit him in Rome often, offering comfort.

"I don't know what to do!" the blonde cried out, having seen Oliver and Eandre again, laughing like how THEY used to. "Oli KNOWS how much I hate Eandre! I don't want to get mad at Oli!"

The Scot was shaking his head even before the sentence was finished. "Do not, I repeat Rique, do NOT fight with Oliver. He's not…" The words that were hanging from his lips seemed contradictory. What he had meant to say was Oliver was not at fault.

"Look," said Robert. "You've gotten Giacomo back, you can't have everything. And never show signs of weakness in front of Eandre, he feeds on that."

Enrique didn't reply; wave after wave of tears was choking him.

Johnny sighed heavily and gave the younger Majestic a big hug. "You didn't lose, if that's what you're thinking," he said, using the Italian's phrase when the boy had expressed that he'd never be able to win against Eandre over Oliver. "Show Eandre your attitude and it's like admitting defeat. You've got Giacomo, you wouldn't be able to afford losing him like before. Who could be more important to you?"

Enrique lifted his head from his arms; his face was red and tear-stained. "We're talking about Oliver—"

"He made his own choice Enrique," said the purple-haired German. "Right now you might as well say, 'To hell with his guy! I have a life!' You may be best friends but it's honestly not your business to have a say in the decisions he makes. It's not worth getting mad at him for."

"But he knows," the Italian mounred. "He knows! How could he betray me like this?!"

"Maybe Oliver just didn't see things like how the rest of the world does," said a voice.

It was Enrique's boyfriend, who's expression softened when he saw him and immediately went over to engulf him in a loving embrace. "Oh Enrique…"

"Well…whatever you do," repeated Johnny, as the elder Majestics left their team mate in Giacomo's care. "Please don't fight with Oliver."

--

From afar, Enrique watched the greenette and Eandre hang out. The latter was as arrogant as ever.

People walking past them were giving them stares of disbelief.

The playboy was no longer able to contain the hurt, betrayal and jealousy. Eandre caught his spying eye and gave him a look that clearly said, 'Haha. I've got him and you don't!'

Oh how the blonde wished his boyfriend was here!

As the couple came near, Enrique said, "Oh look, it's the bastard and his newly acquired whore." in a most sarcastic tone, within Oliver's hearing range.

The French boy was irked at the insult aimed at his friend and took the Italian aside.

"What is your problem Giancarlo?" he asked sternly.

The other boy saw Eandre watching past his shoulder. "Why are you with him?" he hissed.

"If you haven't noticed, he's actually my friend and we're actually hanging out. He's also culinary inclined. If only you didn't judge him by what he did to Giacomo—"

"Excuse me?! Culinary inclined? Only judged by what he did to MY boyfriend? Oliver, are you blind? Consider what this asshole did to every other person he came in remote contact with!"

"I wish you didn't see things the way the rest of the world does. Eandre's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" Enrique looked over Oliver's shoulder again. The airhead looked fit to pound! "Do you know who you're dealing with? Eandre's a USER! He'll leech you of everything you've got and leave you to die once he's done with you!"

"I'm dealing with someone in need of a friend, Enrique. After knowing what everyone else has got to say about him it's impossible for him to make a friend!"

"People like that don't NEED friends! They're so full of themselves, they don't even feel pain!"

"What is it to you and me making new friends?" the greenette asked with a sigh.

"Only the people you choose to make friends with…and besides, you didn't have to forgo what WE shared just for him." the Italian added bitterly.

The Polanski heir flew into a sudden rage. "Is that your reason Giancarlo?! That you're jealous so you insult Eandre? Oh GROW UP!"

There was a ringing slap.

Lavender lilac eyes welled up with tears and widened with shock.

"Enrique?" their owner whispered, hurt and surprised, holding a reddening cheek.

The blonde was panting. The hand that had injured his best friend remained frozen in mid-air.

Eandre walked over to them and pointed a threatening finger in the playboy's face. "Don't you DARE do that, BITCH!"

"SOME NERVE YOU GOT?!" Enrique exploded. "FIRST MY BOYFRIEND! NOW MY BEST FRIEND! What MORE PAIN do you need to cause?! Just ask! BECAUSE THIS TIME YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HELL OF A TIME GETTING IT!"

Eandre took a heavy blow to the gut. Oliver bent down to help him, but when they were up again, Enrique was gone.

--

"I blew it."

Robert could not say anything. He looked at his pitiful team mate wasting himself on his bed.

"I really did screw up, didn't I?"

If it would help, the German told him that Giacomo and Eandre were acting like they didn't know each other if the two happened to meet on the street.

Enrique found out that he momentarily lost the ability to smile.

--

"Why Johnny?! Why is he acting like this?!"

Johnny could not say anything. He looked at his pitiful team mate wasting himself on his bed.

"What happened? It was like one minute I wasn't looking and then the next minute, everything's changed!"

The Scot rubbed the greenette's back gently. "You were looking away for a long time," he said quietly.

Oliver did not reply.

"I don't understand Enrique anymore," he remarked sourly after a while.

--

"I don't want to fight with Oliver…" Enrique sadly told Robert. "But what will I do?"

No one knew a solution…and the poor blonde was left confused.

END

DBF: This fic is based on an on-going true story. I'll construct a sequel when I feel like it. For now, even our side doesn't have solutions either…ah well…huggles and kissles!x3