It was mid-day but still too early when Elijah trudged from his loft room to the front door to the persistent knocker who waited outside. A cheerful and bright eyed Liv looked back at him as he, looking bleary eyed, stared at her in confusion.

“Hey!” She chirped, entering after he moved aside.

Elijah shuffled like an old man into the kitchen to flip on the coffee maker. Since he was quite smart, he always got the coffee ready the night before when he was actually awake so that all he had to do in the morning was lazily turn the blasted thing on.

As Liv sat at the kitchen table, he stood in the doorway to the kitchen from the living room silently urging the coffee maker to hurry up. “So,” she said, glancing around, “Where did you sleep?”

“In my bed,” he replied, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

“Liberty and Dom look cute together,” Liv continued, carefully avoiding his questioning glare. “Billy looks uncomfortable.”

“He sleeps in uncomfortable positions,” Elijah stated, shuffling back over to the coffeepot. “Not to be rude, but what are you doing here at the crack of dawn?”

Liv grinned and waited a moment before answering, “Elijah. It’s noon.”

“Exactly my point,” he yawned.

“I’m here for Liberty.”

Elijah poured himself a hefty cup of coffee and replaced the pot so that it continued to fill for the other coffee hounds in the house. “The justice type of liberty? Or the girl?”

“Obviously the girl,” Liv replied, laughing.

Elijah yawned again, “She’s knocked out cold. Has been since, like, ten-ish or so.”

“What did you do last night?” Liv asked him, watching as he sat at the table in front of her and gulped down the steaming black coffee.

He looked pensive for a moment before replying in list format, “Played video games late into the night, had an orgy, played more video games, watched some porn, had another orgy. What did you do?”

She could see the large grin even behind his coffee cup. His eyes were full of mischief. “Slept like normal people. How was the orgy? Is Dom as good as I’ve been told?”

“LIV!” Elijah cried outlandishly, sounding very British all of a sudden. He began chuckling like a madman, then sobered as he heard someone stir and groan in the other room. It was most likely Billy who was sprawled out beside the couch. Liberty was in a recumbent position, draped across one arm of the sofa and Dom was on the other end, in a position that would most likely give him a crick in his neck. Elijah took a sip of coffee thoughtfully, “Yeah. Dom’s a wild cat.”

Liv raised an eyebrow in intrigue, “Hmmm. I wonder if Liberty would mind if I borrowed him?”

“Why would she?” Elijah yawned once more, but looked more alert as the caffeine flowed through his veins.

“They’re dating, aren’t they?” Liv asked softly.

“I have no idea,” Elijah replied, shrugging good naturedly.

“Are YOU dating her?”

“Nope,” Elijah said cheerfully.

“But you want to.”

“That is not a question. You stated that. Rephrase in a question.” Elijah grinned and then looked mildly angry, “I don’t know what I want. And YOU know THAT.”

“True,” Liv agreed, “Anyway. I’m taking her out for a girls day. She’s been around the boys too much. You’ll scar her so that she doesn’t want to date ever again.”

“I think you’re getting us confused with some blokes who aren’t devilishly good looking,” Dom said, shuffling into the kitchen in the same fashion Elijah had. He went straight to the coffee pot, poured some, and downed half of it in one gulp.

Liv gaped, “I forget you drink coffee like it’s water. Your pour livers.”

“We’ll get new ones,” Dom said offhandedly. “I hear they’re cheap right now on the black market.” His eyes grew wide with glee, “Maybe we can get a celebrity’s liver!” He turned towards Elijah, “How much could I get for yours? If it’s enough, I bet I could wrangle John Lennon’s.”

“I doubt his is available still,” replied Elijah honestly, “My liver’s in pretty good shape, compared to Billy’s, so I bet you could get a pretty penny.”

“Sweet,” Dom replied, nodding. He looked at Liv, suddenly realizing she was sitting there. “What are your plans today?”

“I hope you’re not asking me out, as you’re already promised to Liberty.” Dom’s eyebrows knitted in confusion, Elijah looked at her wonderingly; Liv took no notice of either’s expression. “I’m here to whisk her away from you three. Before you completely corrupt her.”

“Ah, bloody hell,” Dom grinned, “We were halfway there.”

Liv stood up gracefully, “I’ll go and collect her.” She left the room with the intent to wake Liberty up and get her out of there as soon as possible. She had big plans that day, with Liberty and Raya, and she needed all the time she could get. But Liberty wasn’t where she had been. “Dom!” Liv called, “Where did you put Liberty?”

“I didn’t touch her, I swear!” Dom yelled back, then said to Elijah, “We should get some breakfast.”

“Mmmm, yes, I’m starved.” Elijah looked around the kitchen, “Where IS Liberty?”

“Maybe she left,” Dom suggested, looking a little worried. “We should talk about her.”

“Why?” Elijah asked, apparently unaware of the circumstances at hand.

“Obviously because there is frisson going on between the both of you,” Billy muttered, walking into the kitchen and pouring himself some coffee. He got the milk out of the fridge and the sugar from the counter and then plopped down beside Dom.

Dom poured some milk and sugar into his coffee and then stirred it with his finger, “What the bloody hell are you blathering about?”

“Now Dom,” Billy smiled condescendingly, “You are not dumb. I know this, you know this. Elijah probably knows this.”

Elijah nodded severely, “Yeah, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Billy sighed heavily and shook his head, “You kissed Liberty. Dom kissed Liberty. There is a lot of kissing Liberty going on. But I haven’t kissed her and I don’t believe anyone else has either.” He thought for a moment, “Pity that the two of you get all the action. But I should have known.” He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “pretty boys.” and then polished off his coffee.

Elijah glanced at Dom, “Did you kiss Liberty?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Well, she kissed me. Or maybe I kissed her. I really can’t remember.” Dom shrugged, “There were two kisses, in any case. She, like most women, cannot resist me with a lollipop in my mouth.“ Elijah laughed and shrugged. "Did you tell Liv about the orgy?"

"There was no orgy," Elijah pointed out.

"You seemed to think there was. Apparently I'm a, what is it, 'wild cat'?" Dom laughed and shook his head, "You've no idea."

Billy nodded, "Yes, he has no idea."

Elijah raised an eyebrow, "Do you?" He looked at Dom, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Nope," Dom said cheerfully, downing the rest of his coffee. "I'm just good in an orgy. It simply cannot be helped."

Liberty was just leaving the bathroom when she got a hand over her mouth and she was dragged around the corner, out of view from the kitchen. She didn’t try to get free because she figured it was Dom and she wanted to speak to him.

When she turned around, however, she saw Liv peering at her curiously and she felt her heart drop. “Coffee,” she whined, leaning against the wall.

“Later,” Liv replied simply, “I’m taking you out. Do we need to go get clothes at Sean’s?” She looked at Liberty’s wrinkled appearance, “Yeah. And maybe a shower?”

“Ooooooh,” Liberty said, “That’d be lovely.”

“Wonderful. We’ll meet Raya there.” Liv flipped a phone from her pocket and dialed a number. While she did so, she pushed Liberty towards the kitchen. “Say goodbye, Lib. I’ll meet you outside.” Liv put the phone to her ear and before she was out the door she was saying, “Hey, yeah. Okay.” and then she closed the front door behind her.

“I think I’m being kidnapped,” Liberty said, looking amused as she entered the kitchen.

“I’d say so,” Elijah chuckled. “Have fun. Watch your back.”

“Watch out for Raya, I think she has something up her sleeve. I don’t know what, though.” Dom scratched his stubbly chin. “Want to see a movie tonight?” Liberty noticed his eyes glance at Elijah very quickly but Elijah’s face was stoic as he drank another cup of coffee.

“Yeah. Yeah, that’d be fun,” Liberty said.

“Since we haven’t been able to do it yet,” Dom laughed.

“Do ‘it’?” Billy wondered, “What do you mean, ‘it‘?”

‘A date,” Dom said quickly. “I meant us going out.”

“Ooooh,” Billy nodded in understanding. “Alright. See you later, Libs.”

She smiled, waved and then went to find Liv outside.

*

Liberty walked into the coffee shop behind the very glamorously dressed Raya and the dressed-down Liv. Liberty herself wore an unassuming outfit because she didn’t like to dress up unless it was a special occasion. Next to Raya, Liv and Liberty looked like paupers, but it was okay, no one even cared.

Raya set her pocket book on the table and slid into a chair before signaling a waiter. Liv and Liberty scooted into a booth on the opposite side of the table. Liberty fumbled with her hair, which was straight as a line and freshly wet from the shower. Liv’s ebony hair was pulled into a pony tail and Raya’s was immaculately curled.

“So,” Liv said, pursing her lips, “We wanted to talk to you.”

Liberty leaned against the table comfortably, “Yeah. I figured. What about?” She glanced at Raya cautiously, “I’m not after Orlando or anything. You don’t need to give me the standard ‘step back, bitch’ routine.”

Raya laughed casually, “I wouldn’t say that anyway. I’m not accustom to the American slang.”

Liberty raised an eyebrow and glanced awkwardly at Liv. “I was kidding---” her voice fell away as the waiter walked up to them, brandishing a pad of paper.

“Coffee?” He asked them, smiling and tucking a piece of chocolate brown hair behind his ear.

“I’ll have a decaf cappuccino with low-fat milk and a low-fat blueberry muffin,” Raya said stoutly, then turned to Liv.

She smiled at the waiter pleasantly, “I’ll have a mocha cappuccino, please. And a plain bagel with light cream cheese.”

The waiter jotted all of this down and attention turned to Liberty. She glanced around, “Um…a hazelnut cappuccino and a plain bagel with light cream cheese, please.”

He smiled and then left the table.

“So,” Raya said, smiling slightly. It was the first real smile Liberty had ever seen on her and it made her feel more at ease. Coming here, she hadn’t been sure if maybe Raya was going to push her into a dark alley and cut her throat. Now that she thought at it, that was ridiculous. Raya wasn’t the type to kill anything. It’s too messy. “You wanted to know what we wanted to talk to you about.”

“Yeah, and it’d be great if you could just come out with it before this whole ordeal gets more confusing.”

“Sorry,” Liv apologized, “It’s a little late, though.”

“I’ll say,” Liberty agreed, sighing heavily.

Liv drummed her manicured fingers on the tabletop and then looked at Liberty point-blank. “So are you dating Elijah? Or Dom? I can’t quite tell.” Raya watched Liberty in anticipation.

“Neither,” Liberty replied quickly, looking confused.

Raya looked pensive and put a finger to her chin in thought. Then she looked directly at Liberty, “There’s something about removing a man’s splinter. Creates a very strong bond. Especially with a character like Dom.”

Liberty nearly laughed, but caught herself. “It was only a splinter.”

“I’m going out on a limb here, but I agree with Raya,” Liv stated thoughtfully.

“Naturally,” Raya replied, “But what specifically are you referring to?”

“I think Liberty’s blind. You said that on the way over.” Liv shrugged.

“See?” Raya said, pointing at Liv, “Even Liv thinks you’re blind. Are you blind?”

Liberty shrugged and looked around nervously, “I guess I must be.” She paused, “By your standards anyway. If I can’t seem to see what’s ‘directly in front of me, like you accused me of on the way over here.’ I could just be lacking peripheral vision.”

“Oh, terribly sorry,” Raya replied, not really sounding sorry; more amused than sorry. She glanced out the window, a smile tugging at her lips.

“In any case,” Liv coughed, directing Raya’s attention back to the task at hand. “You need to choose. You can’t lead them both on.”

“I don’t mean to!” Liberty cried, “I honestly don’t.”

“I know that,” Liv assured her, “But someone’s going to get hurt if this continues. And I love them both like brothers. I can’t let you hurt them.”

“Well, I can’t let her either,” Raya said, “Though you’re closer to them than I am. I’ve never really gotten along with Elijah or Dom, to tell the truth. Well, I get along with them…they just don’t like me much.”

“They like you,” Liv said offhandedly, watching as the waiter put the food in front of them and then left. She picked her coffee up, “They’re just intimidated by you.”

“Hmmm,” Raya looked pleased, “Interesting.” She shook her head of those thoughts and took a nibble of her muffin. “So who is it, then?”

“Who’s what?” Liberty asked, setting her coffee down in confusion.

“Who are you going to choose?” Raya said, sounding like the question was an obvious one.

Liberty made a whining noise and looked out the window for sometime. “I don’t think it’s up to me to choose. As I don’t think either really like me.”

Raya snorted very un-lady like; Liv laughed softly.

“You are so obviously blind. I feel sorry for you.” Raya took another bite of her muffin and then set it down in finality. “Choose now. Right this second. Don’t second guess yourself.”

Liberty threw her hands in the air angrily, “Hell, I’ll just take Billy.”

“Please tell me you’re joking,” Raya muttered seriously.

“Oh god,” Liv put in, “Yes, tell us you’re joking, Liberty.”

“I’m half joking,” Liberty said defensively.

“Not Billy too. Leave poor, innocent Billy out of this.”

Liberty laughed, “I will leave him out of this. Though I don’t think he’s all that innocent.” She shook her head and sighed once more. “I think I should just choose neither. It’d be easier on everybody.”

Raya rolled her eyes, “That’s being stupid.”

“No, it’s being safe,” Liberty protested.

“But where’s the danger? The excitement?” Raya wondered. Liv looked at her, impressed, she was on a roll. At this rate, Liberty will have made a choice at least by the time she leaves.

“There isn’t any,” Liberty said honestly, her voice quiet.

“Well, that’s depressing,” Raya replied stoically.

“Very,” Liberty agreed simply. She closed her eyes, opened them, and stared at Raya, “If you tell me what to do,” she said seriously, “I’ll do it.”

“You sound like Elijah,” Liv laughed.

“I’m telling you,” Raya cut in, “I’m serious about those splinters.

“Yeah, because apparently splinters mean love?” Liberty raised a doubtful eyebrow.

“For me and Orlando, it was broken ribs. But whatever.”

“You broke his ribs?” Liberty chuckled.

“No,” Raya replied, looking stern, “I met him when his ribs were broken.”

“That’s a lovely story to tell the grandkids, Raya, but broken ribs are more severe than a splinter.”

“Oh, but you were making a much bigger ordeal out of it when I asked if he was alright.”

Liberty looked at Liv, who was finishing her bagel in silence, watching to two other girls duke it out. “I made a big deal out of it?” Liberty remembered Liv wasn’t there, but she also remembered how she had acted towards Raya and how protective she’d been of Dom. “Oh god, I did.” She put her head in her hands and leaned them against the table. Liv moved her bagel and coffee away from her.

Raya smiled and sat back contentedly in her chair, “I win.”

“Is there a prize for blindness?” Liberty asked, her voice muffled, “Would I win?”

“Yes, yes you would. Your prize is Dom,” Liv replied.

Liberty brought her head up to look at Raya, or glare, rather.

“Would you rather we torture you instead?” Raya asked evenly.

“No, no,” Liberty stated quickly, “I’ll take Dom.”

“There you said it yourself,” Raya said, pleased with herself. She looked like the cliché cat who got the cream the way her lips were curled.

“Dammit,” Liberty muttered, “You’re some sort of…something!”

“Yes,” Raya agreed reluctantly, “Some sort of--something.” She shook her head, “I did say that I won.”

Liberty narrowed her eyes and then looked away. Liv put a comforting hand on her back. “It’s okay, Liberty. You don’t have to be scared about this. If it’s right. And I think that it is.”

“Me too,” Liberty replied very quietly. The ringing of a cell phone cut through the break in conversation.

Raya took a tiny phone out of her bag and put it to her ear, “Hmmmm?”

“Are you still trying to convince Lib about Dom?” Orlando asked on the other end. He sounded very eager.

“No, I’ve actually just finished,” Raya responded, running her finger along the rim of her glass. Liv and Liberty weren’t speaking, nor were they listening. They were both lost in thought.

“Oh really?” Orlando chirped happily, “Who’d she pick?”

Raya laughed a bit, “Orlando, love, you’re talking to me remember?”

Orlando was hesitant in his response, “What? Oooh, yeah. So, Dom then? YES! He’ll be thrilled.”

“Do not tell him,” Raya muttered so quietly that she wasn’t sure Orlando heard her.

“I won’t,” Orlando replied haughtily, “I wouldn’t. Are you coming back to the hotel room? Now that your job’s done and all.”

“Heaven’s no, Orlando,” she chuckled, “Girls day out has just started. We're going shopping, silly boy.”

Liv broke from her trance and prodded Liberty in the arm, “You should get Dom some slippers. That way he won’t get splinters if he doesn’t walk around barefoot. He’ll love them.”

“Liv,” Liberty replied solemnly, “Slippers are for old men. Normally given to them by their very old wives who have been married to them for fifty years. It’s a practical gift. Like a Christmas one.”

Liv rolled her eyes, “You are hopeless.” She shook her head, “So you could get yourself an outfit for tonight that’ll knock his socks off. Or slippers, if you decide to be smart.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Liberty laughed and turned her attention to Raya.

“I think it’d be more fun for you to come back here than for you to go shopping.” Orlando was saying. “Just think if your day ended with se---”

Raya cut in, “I love you, Orlando. I’ll see you when I get back.”

Orlando sighed so heavily that Liberty and Liv both heard him. “I love you too. Where’d you put the KY Jelly?”

“Orlando,” Raya replied sternly, “That’s disgusting.”

“What?” he said innocently, “I’m serious.”

“Great, now everyone thinks we’re having phone sex.” She looked to Liv and Liberty who pretended to whistle and look away, “Which we’re not.”

Orlando laughed loudly, “Sorry. Fine, I’ll find it myself. Bye, love. Don’t get too carried away with shoes. By the way, what are you wearing?”

“Orlando,” Raya laughed, “I will see you tonight.” She hung up the phone and turned to the girls.

“What was that all about?” Liberty asked, with an accusing raised eyebrow.

“Oh nothing. Orlando’s just checking up on us.” She grinned excitedly, “Now we must find you the perfect outfit for Dom. And perhaps some slippers.”

---