*OLD*Phantom Detectives*OLD*

Ch.20 Cooling Down

Grey A.

Eloise and I both stare in shock as the bottle is hurled across the room. Adam helplessly raises his arms in an effort to block his face from impact. Then out of nowhere, Adrien appears, grabbing the bottle just before impact. He slides on the floor once then jumps onto a chair, opening the wine, and pouring it down a pre set wine tower.

Eloise whistles slightly then teases, "Bet you couldn't afford a butler like that could ya?"

"You just had to ruin it didn't you?" I grumble.

"Yes I did." Eloise smirks.

Adrien steps down from the chair, still holding the wine bottle explaining, "This wine was just specially ordered from a vineyard village just outside Paris, France. I personally think it would be much better in a glass than spilled on the floor."

"Well that was smooth," Eloise admits.

"Are you serious? Ace just threw a wine glass." I glare at her.

Eloise just shrugs and says, "If he didn't do it I certainly would have."

Connor walks back over to us, his hair still damp. Ace averts his eyes for a moment then says, "I do apologize my lord, I went way out of line."

"Apology accepted. It was easy to understand your actions and intentions, plus there was no mess anyway. Just make sure that was the only bottle to get thrown this evening." Conner jests, a smile on his face.

"Ah, right. That was the first, and the last my lord, I promise." Ace nods.

"Ace might be able to promise it but I can't," Eloise laughs, eyeing me up and down.

"I'm just going to go get a glass before it ends up all over my head thank you very much," I hiss, bumping Eloise as I move past.

I had to admit our little quarrels were childish but it wasn't like I could help it. By the time I got over there, Tex had walked up to me laughing, "And here I thought you two couldn't share a kind word worth anything."

"Let's discontinue this conversation before another wine bottle gets thrown." I mumble, grabbing myself a glass.

"Well that was a disaster," Rodrich sighed.

"I admire you for trying to intervene. I know I certainly wouldn't have dared." Elizabeth smiles.

"Thank you Eliza but," Rodrich sighed, "it seems as though Adam can't handle his drink."

"I know, it's actually scary." Elizabeth whispers.

"What do you suppose we do about it?" Tex asks.

"Well Eloise I know will raise all hell if he even dares to look in Violet's direction again let alone pull that on her," I answer, "but I think for right now you should be cautious around him Elizabeth."

"Please Earl Ashwood, just call me Eliza." She beams.

"As you wish, Miss Eliza." I smile back.

"Oi Arthur, how come you didn't intervene back there?" Tex asks as Arthur walks up, James not far behind.

"Has it ever occured to you it might have gone straight through me?" Arthur asks.

"In other words he would have liked it to hit Adam." James rolls his eyes. "Arthur can will his body to be transparent or solid whenever he pleases."

"I hate you," Arthur growls.

"So I've noticed." James smirks, taking a wine glass for himself.

"James, I've noticed that you don't seem to be on good terms with your brother. Would you mind telling us why that is?" Rodrich asks.

A shadow drifts over James' eyes as he answers, "I'd rather just say that my brother and I have bad blood between one another and leave it at that."

"Alright, fine," Tex shrugs, "but would you mind tellin us why you reacted so quickly to Eloise? Maybe for certain, reasons."

James half spits out his wine, starting to choke on what was left in his mouth. Arthur on the other hand bursts out laughing. Once James can breathe again, he rambles, "I-It's not like that I-I swear!"

"Seems like it to me buddy," Tex winks.

"Y-yeah, okay. Think what you want Tex." James blushes, wiping his mouth.

James and Arthur end up switching the conversation then leaving soon after, leaving me, Rodrich, Eliza, and Tex to ourselves. Rodrich had struck up a conversation about music that I mostly stayed out of. That's when I heard a roar of laughter behind me.

I glance over my shoulder to find Connor standing with his brother, Ace, and Eloise. I glare at the group, keeping my eyes on Eloise. Things seemed to be calming down so I didn't want to be the one to ruin it. But... if the opportunity should come along...

I will put her in her place.