"Tristan, can I have the oh my God. Are you ok?"

"Yes," Tristan groaned internally. Ann had come late today and just now spotted his face. She was the fourth person to ask him that question today, not counting the multiple confused glances from other employees. 

"He looks like he fought a badger," Mary's voice came from the other side of the level earning a few chuckles from around the office and a cackle from Alan.

"It's actually glass-related," Tristan explained, opting for a more vague answer.

"I thought you didn't drink," Alan told him.

"I don't."

"So you just ran through a glass pane while sober?" he joked.

"Unless he was fighting the glass," Mary added. They both burst out laughing.

"You guys drunk or something?" Ahmad joined the conversation. The three of them started bickering loudly.

"You're too loud," Tristan called. Ann was scowling at them, unamused.

"Sorry, dōshi!"

"Thanks," his fellow project coordinator looked at him gratefully, "I've had this killer headache since yesterday and it won't disappear."

"Have you been drinking enough water?" Tristan asked before he got up to get her a cup.

~~~~~~~~~

"They're still very noisy and messy... " Dahlia trailed off, "Ann, are you looking for something?" She rested a hand on Ann's shoulder comfortingly. The latter was frustratedly opening the drawers in the little break room area seemingly looking for something. 

"Do we not have Advil here? Tylenol?" she huffed.

"I'll get you some from my bag," the manager said.

"Still got that headache?" Tristan asked.

"Yes, and now I feel nauseous too."

"Did you eat something bad?" Alan took a sip from his tea.

"No, and no one at home's sick so how did I get sick?"

"Perhaps a cold?" Mary's mouth was full of chips.

"No, it's not something infectious, otherwise my husband would've caught it."

"That's how you decide whether something's infectious?"

"Yes. Will you stop chewing so loudly?!"

Mary raised her hands and stepped out of the break room, with an unsure expression. Tristan thought for a moment. Anger, nausea, headache. Right as he came to a far-fetched conclusion, Ann stopped moving around and her jaw fell open. 

"Oh my God!" she scrolled through her phone frantically before closing it, "Dahlia, can I go to the nearest pharmacy?"

"Here they are," Dahlia was back with a pill pack, "The break ends in 5 minutes. What for?"

"A pregnancy test."

"Ann, I don't mean to be inconsiderate but maybe you can get it after work?"

"I won't be able to focus, though. It's a personal emergency, the company allows an extended break."

Dahlia was going to answer before Alan cut her in, "I'll do it." I've been running a lot. I can probably get that test and come back in two minutes."

"Easy, cheetah, the nearest pharmacy isn't that close," Mary piped up.

"I'll be fast, heichou!" he was already sprinting to the elevator.

"I didn't give you permission," she called after him before sighing, "I swear sometimes I feel like this is a daycare," she mumbled. Tristan smiled a little at the thought. 

"Sorry, but I really won't be able to focus, Dahlia."

"It's alright," she looked at her subordinate with her usual calm smile, "You can take the pregnancy test in my bathroom, it's spacious."

A few minutes later, Alan was back, red and panting with a plastic bag in hand.

"The pharmacist gave me that look," he said between pants, "Made me feel like I was expecting!" He sounded excited and in awe of the idea. So he kids at some point, Tristan thought.

"Yes, great, Alan," Ann says before grabbing the bag and rushing towards Dahlia's office.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Gloria exclaimed when they all rushed by her desk, "What're you all doing here? Only Ann's allowed." Tristan didn't even know how he ended up here.

"Glores, this is a family emergency."

"Alan, it's not an emergency, it's a workplace."

"Come with us, Gloria!" Ahmad exclaimed.

Before anyone else could try to convince her, Ann's excited "It's positiiiiive!" shout came from inside the manager's office. They all rushed inside in a blur of hugs and cheers. Tristan couldn't tell who was shouting or whose arm was wrapped around it. Only Ahmad and Dahlia were spared from the crushing warmth. And although she hid it quickly, Tristan didn't miss the flash of pain crossing his manager's eyes.

"We're going out today! Drinks on me!"

Everyone was too excited to ask questions. They were too preoccupied with the joy of a new life being brought into the world to point out that Ann couldn't drink. Tristan went with the flow. They had unhealthy fast food for dinner. They had very sweet ice-cream for dessert. Then they went to a bar, ending the night with toasts. Tristan didn't drink, but with this group of people, he didn't need to, their excitement and bubbly nature was contagious.

"You have sooo many!" Mary's words were slurred as she leaned on Alan. Tristan pointed out how Ann was playing with her ring because she was nervous and it turned into a game.

"Oh yeah?"

"You talk a lot for one."

"Yes he does," Ann laughed in agreement.

"And his legs!" Gloria added, "You rock them so much that I think you'll take off!"

"As if you don't have any!"

"Name one!" Mary yelled at him.

Alan took a moment to think before whispering (very loudly), "Tristan! What's Mary's thing?"

"She bites her nails."

"Aha! You, Mary, bite your nails!"

"You got that from Tristan!"

"Tristan! Tristan, do me!" Gloria jumped around sloshing her drink on herself and Dahlia who just smiled at her.

"I don't spend enough time with you."

"She twirls her hair," their manager said, "Although that's been difficult to do with the pixie cut."

"What about Evelyn?"

"She bites on the inside of her cheeks, I think," Tristan wished Evelyn was here. It felt like he was hanging out with children in her absence and Dahlia was too quiet. 

"Oh yeah! She doesss!" Mary sounded as if she just answered a contest-winning question.

"And Ahmad cracks his knuckles," Ann said matter-of-factly, "It makes me shiver."

Ahmad had excused himself after they ate. He was the only one Ann allowed to leave since he doesn't enter pubs or clubs.

"Oh! Oh! What about heichou?" Alna said after some silence.

"Haven't figured that one yet," Tristan said rather disappointed in himself. That's two out of the seven people he talked to every day for almost 3 months. He was practiced in noticing the smallest details.

"What're you thinking about, handsome?" Gloria draped an arm around him. She was very very drunk. 

"Mostly nothing," Tristan chuckled.

"Gloria," Dahlia said as if reminding her of something.

"Oh, right. I'm already taken," she laughed and draped her arm around Dahlia instead, who shook her head and joined her in laughter.

"I'll be taking her home now. She'll wake up with the worst hangover tomorrow."

"That's a good idea, Dahlia. I should go too, pregnant and all."

"Congratulations again, Ann."

"Thanks, Dahlia."

"So you're leaving me with the two drunks?" Tristan joked.

"We're not-" Alan faceplants before he could finish the sentence, "Ugh, Mary your heels are trying to kill me." That's right. They'd switched shoes a while ago because Mary complained about hers hurting her feet.

"They're boots."

"With heels," he tried to get up but slumped back down again.

"Come on, I'll order you a cab," Tristan pulled him up.

It was a long, lonely drive home again. These always caused him to overthink. It didn't matter how happy the preceding night was. Ordering cabs for his drunk friends seemed familiar, except... they were never really his friends. After all, wasn't he tricking them? Getting what he wanted for his job and then leaving them all behind? Even if they were just collateral damage. Just like Elizabeth and Scott and Aria. How many more, Tristan wondered, how many more important people will I leave behind?

---------------------

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, my loves. Here's a fun little question. Can you guess what Dahlia was talking about before Ann came in?