Transaction

Disclaimer: So sick...

Author’s Notes: I was going to do some dirty joke, but I can't. 69 sucks balls, to be honest. Well, my trip to New England was eventful at the very least. I miss that park already. They were so nice and they were so much like Magic Mountain that it was like being home again.

I had to miss work because I was running a fever, my throat hurt, everything was achey. Ew. The doc gave me stuff for my throat, a... premtive measure, if you will. Which means he didn't see anything wrong, but he gave me drugs so nothing can go wrong. It's fucked up. And the number I called for work never picked up or went to a machine. If I get a no call no show, I'm whipping out my phone and showing the call times. Fuck that.

My job requires energy. A lot of it. And since we're in pairs at work, if I don't have that energy to dance, or play or interact, then I make my partner look bad. And I don't want that either. But, that's for tomorrow. We're coming to the home stretch of the story, folks.

This is where things become fun for everyone.

Enjoy!
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Transaction
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Chapter Sixty-Nine
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Tohma had dragged Taki up and out of bed, showering with the other man to make sure he didn't fall over. Needless to say, they were speeding through traffic to get to work on time and not have anyone suspect anything that they already didn't.

Once that was over, they met with Opium and packed the grumbling, overtired group into a car for choreography. Again, Fuyumi was there and waiting, this time the band had come prepared... somewhat.

Keiko had sweats and sneakers with a t-shirt packed up with her in a backpack. She knew they were going back today. Haido brought the same thing. No way anyone would see him in shorts. He'd never seen any clothing like that at Kenji's and didn't have any that would fit him, so he couldn't've packed for him.

Fuyumi told them to change and ordered them to warm up while Tohma, Taki and her discussed the concert plans.

Taki had a hangover from hell, and he had to resist the urge to lean against Tohma and close his eyes. Maybe sleep. Last night had been tough on his body, but he felt more mentally relaxed then he had in years. Like something big had finally been settled.

All he could manage to do was make soft "mmm's" of agreement, leaning against a wall because he couldn't stand up on his own. Not because of his legs, but exhaustion.

He didn't know how Tohma could do this all day.

Glancing up out of tired eyes, he saw Kenji step out in shorts and a tank top, probably one that Haido had scolded him for. In comparison, though, the shorts were loose and shiny, like something a basketball player would wear.

"So, what are we doing today?" He sounded surprisingly optimistic. Taki grinned.

Tohma smiled at the young man, and just as Fuyumi was about to order him to go stretch out, the blond stopped her. This idea was too good not to roll with, and Tohma was not taking any hissy fits on this one.

"Well, Kenji, all the songs seem to be a story," the blond said, smiling pleasantly. "So, every dance Fuyumi will be creating will help tell that story. We have a very crucial part to all this. There will be a lead dancer. A girl of Fuyumi's choosing."

And at the very end, he went on to say, since the songs seem to be about unfound love, there will be a kiss between the dancer and Kenji.

And Tohma wouldn't hear another word against it.

Kenji tried to protest. He tried to tell Tohma that he didn't like girls, so he couldn't possibly kiss one! He'd shot Haido a desperate look, but had gotten nothing in return. Keiko had just shrugged at him.

He didn't want to kiss any lead dancer! He didn't care if it fit into the songs.

But, they had been written as a story, and even before he'd met Haido, he had had something like this in mind. It wasn't so much Tohma that Kenji was fighting against, but himself.

He knew it was a good idea.

"I..." Frowning, he gave his head a quick shake, red hair unsettled. "Do I at least get to meet her first?" It would be weird to never meet someone and then just... kiss them.

"Since you'll be dancing with her for most of the concert, yes," Tohma said, nodding. "You'll be doing a lot of one on one sessions with her."

Actually, since the CD was done, most of his time would be spent here practicing with her. Fuyumi nodded in agreement, going on about how dance was a good workout and they could all keep coming here together even though they really wouldn't need it.

"Fuyumi," the blond said, the woman stopped and looked at him. "This is the last day Keiko and Haido will be coming along. Kenji will be here four days a week, the rest will be working with Aizawa-san until he sees fit to stop, and then he'll be here almost all the time."

He gave Kenji a look that practically ordered him to agree without argument.


"Yes, sir." Kenji couldn't have been more quiet if he'd been whispering.

"Hey..." Taki's voice was soft, definitely meant for only Tohma to hear. Well, and maybe Fuyumi. "Don't push him too hard. I don't want to have to redo what I've already done to him."

Because he'd placed some serious mindfucks to get the reaction he wanted out of Kenji. Making him placid like this was a total unlearning process.

That sucked.

"I'll take him and the rest of the band tomorrow. I want to test something." A park, actually. A park with a lot of extension chords and some big speakers.

Tohma raised an eyebrow as he looked at Taki, face holding the professional smile that didn't reach his eyes. He wanted this part of the concert. He would not be argued on it. By all contractual rights, Taki could override him (unless Tohma threw his weight around and overrode that by saying it was the best option for the band), but Tohma wouldn't let that happen.

He would not be fought on it.

"What do you have planned, exactly?" the blond asked, crossing his arms as he faced Taki. There was nothing cleared by him, and he hated having that gnawing edge of a thought come to mind, suggesting that Taki was taking their work relationship too lightly because of their outside of work activities.

Then again... he did have mounds of paperwork to catch up on. And if Taki took the band out tomorrow, he could get started on it, maybe work late, or go in early, see if he could clear through enough...

Taki realized that yes, he'd probably just crossed one of Tohma's business boundaries. But, he didn't look at all effected by it, and did in fact, seem to ignore it. He would have done it this way even if he and Tohma weren't sleeping together.

He just might not have been as nice about it.

"Excuse us for a second," He didn't smile at Fuyumi, but instead led the way away, fully expecting Tohma to follow him.

He was proved right when he turned around at the door, and saw Tohma behind him. "I don't have anything planned," It was sort of a lie. "I want to take the entire band tomorrow, and I can't do that if Kenji's locked up here. I'm going to take them out to a park and see how they interact with each other."

Okay, this was the hard part.

"They might end up playing."

Alright, now Tohma was growing annoyed. So much so, it was edging into anger. Taki excused both of them from the dance instructor. Taki had no right to do such a thing. None whatsoever. Anyone below Tohma should've asked permission to speak with him. That's how business was done.

But he followed Taki anyways. Staying back and waiting expectantly for things to be done the proper way would only make him look childish.

The blond listened, no more smiling. He stared through Taki, and felt that he looked almost indignant, as though he were waiting for the other man to recognize the mistake. It didn't stop him.

And now he pulled his lips into a frown. Playing? Really? For some reason, he would love to take that away from Taki. Not even for the business reasons. Just because he could.

"Sounds like a pleasant outing," Tohma replied, flatly. "But it does nothing for business. During that time, Kenji could be learning what he needs for the concert, Haido and Keiko could be working together on their music and I'd be making the money this band should be bringing in."

He took a breath, shutting his eyes. He'd gotten a tad worked up over this.

"You might as well be taking them out for a damn picnic, Taki," he said, voice lowered. "No matter how 'friendly' we are, this is still a business, and a business needs to make profit. Free shows don't do me any good. It's wasted time for a band that barely has it's name out there."

What were they? A local garage band?

Tohma was frustrating him. Taki gave up counting to ten when he reached three and had to start over. "And keeping Kenji locked up here under your orders when he's supposed to be developing leadership skills is like putting an autistic kid on crack, Tohma."

Yes, he was angry. And, it was because he was angry that it didn't occur to him to change what he was saying into something business appropriate. He'd always had trouble controlling his volume when something irritated him, too.

He was liable to start shouting in a minute.

"I don't care if they play or not, or if it's free or not. For all I care, Kenji could hum and if that was an improvement over what they have now, then I'd take it."

And Tohma wasn't understanding that!

"I can't judge how far Kenji's coming if I only have one day a week to work with. We don't have that much time left, and he won't remember the choreography if you implanted it into his skull." Cruel as it was, it was probably true.

So much for his happy, tired buzz. What a great way to ruin a good day.

He was too stubborn, too proud, and right now, too angry to consider stepping back and apologizing. It didn't matter to him that Tohma was his boss, or his lover. Tohma was pissing him off.

"Do it on one of the days he's not here!" Tohma exclaimed before claming up. He'd made it clear, hadn't he? Kenji would spend four days here, the rest with Taki or the band. How much simpler could he make it?!

Taking a deep breath, he spoke. "I need him to make this work. Kenji will learn it, or they won't perform the concert, and if the CD sales are not according to the contract, this band, and you, will be dropped."

The blond turn sharply on a heel, and after waving goodbye to Fuyumi, walked right back out the door. He would send the car back when the usual lesson time was over. Taki could stay with the band.
~~~
Author's Notes: Nice, right? Oh how I love the torments we put our characters through. Kel's having a hard time with a few things in her life, which is the story every day of our lives, honestly. Love her to death, but I can't help but wish she'd come up with something more interesting. Killer hamsters invaded her town, pigs grew wings and started kamakizing the entire place... at the very least make it more interesting than 'life' 'creative dryspell' 'not for awhile'... Honestly, I don't care if it's a lie, as long as it's different!

Tell me a pretty lie.

The last few chapters will be good, amazing, fun, awesome, spec-fucking-tacular! I honestly can't remember I'm so fucked up from this fever. I'm coherent, though. For the most part. That's the important thing.

I'm sorry though, because as much as I would've liked the first chapter of the sequal to be posted almost right after this story, it doesn't seem like it'll be happening. We've been working on this one story for... I'm gonna say, roughly a year with Kel's on and off creative process going batty. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I'm thinking it might be safe to say that the sequel might not be out for a while. I'm very sorry.

Drop us a line.

~Subby