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“Must you always do this in such inopportune times?”
“If yer gonna be an uppity bitch about it, then yeah. Whatcha gonna do about it?”
Jay can’t help the sigh bubbling in his throat, schooling his expression into one of amicable acceptance. Really he should already know what to expect now with these two but there’s only so much he could do when witnessing the start of their pitch flirtations right before one of his shows.
Funnily enough, out of all his relationships thus far, this one has lasted the longest. It felt easy to simply slip into the role of a middle leaf, to mediate between two people who have pitch inclinations to one another but have trouble expressing said emotions in a more controlled environment.
For someone like Jay, it was better to have control than freely give it.
“Please, you’re both pretty,” is how he announces his presence, catching both of his outer leaves off guard with a grin lighting up his face. The ceruleanblood opens his mouth to growl, maybe even offer a quip or two, but at the sudden change in Jay’s expression he closes his mouth with a sharp click. He then looks over at the other human in this room, her painted lips upturned in smug triumph before looking abashed at the notice of Jay’s raised up brow.
Unlike the other two quadrants he experienced almost a decade ago to the dot, Auspisticism felt safe. A little too safe for Jay’s tastes, but...safe. He didn’t have to worry about being the one to receive such intense attention. Didn’t have to worry about one of his partners suddenly disappearing for stepping out of place.
So yes, safe. That he could do.
It also helped that the other two were also part of the entertainment industry, since it made things easier. Tizzor Othovo was a ceruleanblood making his name as an actor alongside up and coming actress Elena Salazar. They both had chemistry, directors never hired one without the other, and they made whole theaters cry at their portrayal of the flushed quadrant.
No one knew just how much they truly hated each other then.
Jay ideally had been a mutual friend of both, someone to be seen with both that didn’t make being seen with one or the other awkward or suspicious. He had actually offered his services to act as the middle leaf, this not being his first time in doing so. For once he had experience in something that came natural to him.
Even if it left him unsatisfied.
“Please behave while I’m away,” is all he says, and the most he gives is a peck on each of their cheeks and a wink before heading off to his own stage and limelight. There were cheers, he grinned to the audience, and once more he delivered smiles and laughter to the unsuspecting fools of what truly went on backstage.
...
Of course, he wasn’t surprised either when the other two decided to call off the whole thing. Just like that. It happened just two months later, around April when the ceruleanblood called to meet up at their usual haunt. A hole in the wall cafe not many knew about but a select few.
Jay already knew what the meeting would be about. Again, this wasn’t his first romp in the ashen quadrant, and usually it ended up with either both parties finding his services unnecessary. That or one of the outer leaves has lost interest in keeping such a “convoluted” relationship with two other people.
(He’s been told this before, and his only reaction was a bark of laughter at how wrong the fool was.)
It had been different for Tizzor and Elena. Jay had figured it was because they had actually flipped flush for each other, but only blinked in confusion when the other two stayed adamant in not making eye contact with him.
Turns out they did flip, but pale.
With the stress getting to them both, being young actors in such a demanding industry, it made sense for them to finally turn to each other for the comfort that others couldn’t provide.
For something Jay could only wish to do but knew wasn’t safe to pursue.
He wasn’t mad. Never is. Ever the gentleman he congratulated them both, paid for their drinks, and promised to not tell a soul of this. The grateful looks from both made some of the heartache worth it, and just like that he went on his way.
Jay remembers little after that, having gone straight home to drown his woes away. Pretty typical after a breakup now, not one to handle feelings like a normal person would.
Hah. Normal.
…
Rinse and repeat. Do it all over. To have some semblance of being needed, he will take up the role that most don’t appreciate enough.