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Chapter 3: Tense
Psymon stretched as he rolled out of bed that morning. He hobbled over to his mirror to inspect for hickies, none were found. He felt odd, usually Kaori's recommended 'stress relief' left Psymon feeling pretty good, last night though he just wasn't into it. He felt almost disappointed with himself. Any time they had a night of fun, they always made sure to not go 'too far'. They had never allowed themselves to be completely undressed, but they took it further than they ever had before last night. Psymon shook his head as he stopped looking in the mirror. He went to the phone and called Kaori.
"Hello?" her voice was tired, he must have just woken her up.
"Hey."
"Hey." Her voice now was sweeter.
"Look, about last night. I took it too far, I'm sorry." Kaori sighed on the other end.
"If it was taken too far, then WE took it too far." Psymon nodded. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I don't want you thinking I'm going to just keep you around as a plaything, ya know?"
"I suggested it." Psymon smirked and shook his head.
"Damn it stop being right will ya?" Kaori laughed on the other end. "So, everything's cool?"
"Always is." Psymon smiled.
"I think we should make a goal for ourselves. For the next ten times we hang out, let's try to not make out." Kaori sounded playfully insulted.
"Was I that bad?"
"No, I just think we should make a goal to behave a little more, I don't want our friendship becoming based on fooling around." Kaori sighed in agreement.
"Five."
"Sorry?"
"You said ten, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Next five we'll be good." Psymon laughed again.
"Alright, deal."
"By the way." Kaori added. "You may want to look around your car, I couldn't find my bra last night when you dropped me off." Psymon shook his head and laughed again, assuring her that he would look for it and let her know if he found it.

Once he hung up he heard Zoe stirring in her room. He got dressed and walked to the kitchen. He made some Belgian waffles, Zoe's favorite breakfast. Zoe came into the kitchen just as Psymon lifted the last waffle from the iron.
"Morning." he greeted.
"Hey." Zoe answered, opening the fridge and pulling out a drinking box.
"Perfect timing, waffles are up."
"Oh man, I'd love to but I have to run." Psymon stood stunned for a moment.
"… well, okay. Remember our race this afternoon though." Zoe stopped.
"Race?"
"Yeah, you know, race? It's what professional snowboarders do? We have a team race this afternoon against Marisol and Viggo and Elise and Eddie." Zoe grimaced.
"Oh, geez, I'm not going to be able to make it." Psymon's face dropped. "Brody and I are going looking for a tuxedo for him this afternoon… Look, I have to go, I'll catch you later on, okay?" She quickly pushed her feet into her running shoes and was out the door. Psymon looked down at the waffle iron and nodded a few times in silence. Then his face grew angry and he threw it against the wall. He quickly calmed himself down and brought his hand up to his face. He placed his fingertips on the bridge of his nose and took deep breaths. The phone rang a few seconds later.
"Hello?"
"Psymon? It's Elise, everything alright over there?"
"Sorry?"
"I heard a loud crash from your lodge, are you alright?" Psymon nodded.
"Yeah, I'm okay, thanks."
"Okay… just checking up on you."
"I appreciate that, thank you." There were a few seconds of awkward silence. "Elise, what are you doing right now?" Elise giggled in surprise.
"Well, I just got out of the shower, so at the current moment I'm wearing nothing but a short towel." Psymon raised an eyebrow.
"As hot as that is, I asked you what you're up to."
"Nothing, why?" Psymon looked at the stack of waffles on the table.
"Well, I went and cooked too many waffles for breakfast, wanna come over… once you get un-naked?" Elise giggled again from the joke.
"I'll be right over." She hung up and Psymon also put the phone down on the base. He immediately questioned himself why he was asking her over. The only interest Elise had ever expressed in Psymon in the last few years had only been for booty calls, and he reminded himself that was the last thing he needed right now.

They finished breakfast and went into the living room. Elise sat on the sofa and then made a funny face.
"Yours?" she asked, pointing at a pink bra that lay on the floor by the fireplace. Psymon went bright red as Kaori's bra looked up at them.
"Oh, no. Must be Zoe's." He quickly picked it up and hid it under a cushion in the sofa. Elise giggled.
"I was kidding, obviously it's Zoe's." Psymon sat down and almost instantly Elise turned around, in a straddling position sitting on Psymon's lap.
"Umm, Elise?"
"Shh, just go with it." Psymon shook his head and stood up, sliding Elise off his lap.
"I'm… sorry Elise, I can't." Elise gave a pouting look to Psymon. "Look, I'll tell you what. Why the hottest woman in the entire league is still after me is a mystery to me, but maybe it's time I start letting stuff happen." Elise smiled. "Tell you what, tonight let me take you out to dinner."
"So, this is a date?"
"Yes, sure it's a date, but just a date, alright? If stuff happens it happens but let's take it slow okay?"

That evening Psymon was getting ready to take Elise out. A knock came from his door.
"Can I come in?" Zoe's voice asked, Psymon called to her that it was okay.
"What's up, kiddo?" Psymon asked, Zoe shrugged.
"Not much, where are you going?"
"Out with Elise." Zoe nodded.
"Weren't you out with Kaori last night?"
"Yup."
"… I see." Psymon looked at her in the mirror.
"You alright?" he asked her.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Just wanted to see how you're doing."
"I'm good." he repeated, looking at his watch. "But I have to run, I'll see you later." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and left her sitting on his bed. As he walked out the door he realized he had just done to her what she'd been doing to him. He felt like a jerk for it, but kept reminding himself that maybe she needed to know how he'd been feeling.

The next couple days were quiet in the lodge. Psymon went out every night, either with Else or Kaori. Nothing would happen on these dates, but he never made a point to assure Zoe of that. Zoe was also in and out often. Psymon was getting ready for another night out with Elise as he heard some sniffing coming from Zoe's room. He told himself to let it be, but the big brother in him still had a loud voice. He knocked on the door and walked in. Zoe sat on her bed, holding a pillow and letting her face be enveloped in it.
"You okay, babe?" Psymon said quietly. Zoe had been trying to muffle herself. She shook her head that she was fine, but Psymon wasn't buying it. He sat next to her. "What's wrong?"
"What do you care? Don't you have a date with one of your tramps tonight?" she blurted angrily. Psymon sighed and went to leave but he stopped himself. This had gone on long enough, it was one thing to fight fire with fire but now he was just hurting her. He went to the phone on her nightstand and lifted the receiver. He dialed a few numbers as Zoe looked up at him.
"Elise? It's me. No, Psymon. Yeah I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. Sorry? What if it is? What? Because she comes first, that's why." He hung up and set the phone down on the table. "Not anymore, now what's going on?"
"Forget it."
"Forget it? My little sister is sitting here crying and I'm just supposed to make like it's not happening?"
"You don't care, just leave me alone. If you cared you would be around more instead of going out every night." Psymon stood up angrily.
"Well, princess, maybe I got tired of you brushing me off endlessly."
"Oh that is not true."
"How is that not true? Damn it I feel like I need to beg to simply get a full sentence out of you these days, when you give me more than a one syllable answer to my questions it's a good day!" Zoe sneered at him.
"Don't even go there."
"Don't go there? Why? Because I'm right? Because for just this once I'm actually right about something?" Zoe shook her head and looked away from him. "Fine, whatever, ya know what? When you actually give a damn about me again and actually want to talk to me, let me know." Psymon stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him loudly.


Damn, crap hit the fan there. So what's going to happen next? Will Psymon be the bigger person and apologize, or will Zoe think about his words? Do they even WANT to talk to each other now? Read on to find out.