Christian

"Listen, I'm so grateful for everything you guys have done for me here... but believe me when I say I rather die, than eat whatever the fuck that is." Derek said through his slurred words. He was struggling to pull up the shirt he was wearing when it slipped off his right shoulder again. If I thought Brad's shirt looked like a dress on Alex, Brad's clothing looked like a fucking gown on Derek.

The sweatpants I picked out for him, were rolled up about 5-6 times at the waist to keep from dragging across Brad's floor. I mean, it was either this or he remained naked. Derek didn't seem to mind the choice he had made.

He was finally reaching a sobering state, but the hangover that came with Gdański only intensified with time.

"Shut up, and eat it." My father was quick to reply. "You haven't felt the worst of this hangover yet."

I saw Derek flinch as he eyed the plate our father had set before him on the kitchen island.

"I choose death." He confirmed, before pushing the plate back to Slav. I saw Slav's eye twitch, and I knew it was about time I stepped in before my father ended Derek's life himself.

"It's called katerfrühstück." I explained. "It's marinated herring, and pickled gherkin which is sort of like cucumbers. It's then wrapped in onion. Yes, it looks and smells and definitely tastes like complete shit, but this dish will have you feeling better in no time."

Derek looked up at me, then back down at the plate.

"Nah, the thought of death is growing on me." He replied simply. That was when my father snapped.

"I just spent the last two hours making you this meal. If I don't see every last scrap on this plate gone, I will not hesitate to snuff out the last few breathes you do have left." He spoke with a harsh tone Slav had since been doing well on avoiding. I was surprised he hadn't already tried to force this food down Derek's throat, himself.

He'd done that to Brad and I plenty.

Derek shriveled up at my fathers words, as he hesitantly picked up the fork on the table. It was that first bite, that almost made Brad and I piss our pants. We toppled over with laughter when Derek face contorted into the most disgusted expression. He gagged a few times before he finally got the first bite down.

"I think I'm going to be sick all over again." He mumbled to himself. My father sat across from him with the largest grin on his face, as he watched Derek eat bite by bite.

Slav was definitely a sadist.

This brought on more memories from mine and Brad's past. Brad rarely ever drank these days, but back when we were in college, he used to kill his liver every night. His iconic phrase to say while we were a few shots away from death itself, was: if we die, we die. There was a particular night where our father had hosted a gentleman's gathering, and Brad and I were finally invited to join.

Long story short, Brad and I got fucking shitfaced. Brad ended up sleeping with one of my fathers friend's wife who attended the get together. That caused a whole new set of problems the following years. I, on the other hand, accidentally set my mother's beloved kitchen on fire when I tasked myself with making appetizers for the guests. Then Brad and I both found ourselves in the backyard the next morning, naked and covered in our own puke.

You want to know what drink had done that to us that night? Gdański, Gdański had done that.

Slav hosed us both down in the middle of our backyard that morning. At least he had given Derek the courtesy of a bathtub today.

"This tastes god awful." Derek whined. Slav reached across to set his hand firmly on Derek's shoulder.

"I expect you to lick this fucking plate clean."

That was the last thing he said to any of us, before excusing himself to make a phone call.

Once Slav had left the room, Derek let out the biggest sigh of relief. He looked up at me and Brad. "Please, for the love of god, please help me finish this."

Brad and I glanced at each other, then took a large step back.

"I'm sorry, but no can do." I shook my head.

"That dish made me quit heavy drinking all together." Brad muttered.

Derek looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"You'd leave a man to fend for himself, when he's in need? At such a desperate time like this?" He whined.

"Yes." Brad replied, not skipping a beat.

"When I tell you our father is crazy enough to come back here and smell our breath, I'm dead serious. I'm not letting you take us down like that." I added.

Derek tried to force another bite of food down. Every few chews, I couldn't help but grimace myself when I remembered how unbelievably disgusting that dish was. The best way I could explain it would be if someone dumped citric acid in sauerkraut and mixed it with pickle juice. Then wrapped that in onion.

It was a hack my father said he picked up from a few German friends back in his day.

"Please tell me there aren't any more stages after this." Derek groaned, holding back tears.

"If Brad or I still weren't feeling good, my dad would pump us with a shit ton of water. And I mean a shit ton. Then he'd create this detox smoothie. If you think this food is bad, let me just say you do not want to try that smoothie." I explained.

Derek looked even more horrified.

I pulled my phone out from the jacket pocket I had set it in, and glanced at my messages. I hadn't meant to be out of office for this long, but Slav derailed my plans by coming back to Brad's. It didn't look like Alex had texted me, so I decided it might be best to check up on him.

Hey. How'd the meeting with John go?

It was literal seconds before Alex replied.

It went really well. He came in much earlier than I thought he would, and that definitely threw me off. You didn't tell me you typed out a fucking novel for the guy to sign.

I took a sharp inhale when I remembered the paperwork I had prepared for him. We didn't have much time to discuss the agreement, because of how the Gala ended last night.

Sorry. Were you able to get it figured out?

I saw a text come in moments later.

Yeah, John just signed wherever I could find a signature page. The guys got a concerning amount of trust in you.

I smirked at his words. Little did Alex know, I had that same considerable amount of trust in John.

Another message came in.

Seeing your mum then John really threw my morning off. Since you didn't brief me for all this, I think you owe me Eddie Chang.

My fingers hovered over the keys, as I read that message again.

My mother had paid Alex a visit this morning?

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