Tango
Chapter 6:
*
"The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."
~~ Maya Angelou
*
To say that Shere Khan lived at his office was probably one of the few truths about the large corporate building that had the tiger's insignia stamped on it and the owner of said building. The top two floors were actually a pent house that could be accessed only by a private elevator that very few people knew about. Whenever Shere Khan wasn't out shaking hands with important people or going about his personal hobbies then he could be found in the pent house, sitting on the large, comfortable couch reading reports or a novel of some sort.
Currently, "The Communist Manifesto" was clasped easily in his large paw, the bottom of the book on his knee while his thumb was pressed to the center of the book, keeping the pages separated and the book balanced on its precarious position. He sighed after he read the same sentence for the twenty-third time in the hour, closing the book and removing the rectangular glasses perched on his broad nose, rubbing his eyes wearily.
Ever since that trip to New York with Bagheera he had become… anxious. He wouldn't say scared or fearful because he did have an image to keep up, but he did know when the panther's hostility would become pent up enough that he would become violent and literally throw the tiger out. Right now the panther was too much of a wreck to approach and Shere Khan didn't know why.
He closed his eyes, but the image of Bagheera's face caught in the throes of unadulterated pleasure seemed to be burned on the backs of his eyelids, the feeling and taste of supple flesh matching the image.
"Mmm…" The tiger shuddered, his paw sliding down his own thigh before he jumped and stiffened, shaking his head firmly. No, he had more control than some hormonal teenager.
He had never realized just how desperately, hopelessly, obsessed with Bagheera he was until he was left alone without even the prayer of Bagheera letting him close. He couldn't quite pinpoint what attracted him to the panther, either. Certainly his looks counted towards the attraction, but Shere Khan had never been one to let physical appearances mar his view of a person. His ex-wife had been a beautiful tigress, but her personality matched that of bullshit. Perhaps it was Bagheera's sharp intelligence, his ability to trade barbs with anyone and remain sophisticated and calm. His icy demeanor definitely had some appeal to it, mainly because Shere Khan wondered how the panther would react when he completely lost control.
He had seen Bagheera hanging by a thread the last time they had been together, he wondered just how long it would take for Bagheera to completely lose control and go over the edge…
*
"Damnit!" Bagheera hissed as he dropped his coffee mug, the ceramic cup shattering and spilling his tea everywhere. He sighed and crouched down to begin picking up the pieces. He needed to get to work in an hour and his dealer still wasn't here.
There was a knock at the door and Bagheera stumbled over, flinging the door open and leaning on the frame.
Akeela stood, wolfish grin on his smug face as he looked the panther over.
"Going somewhere?"
"As a matter of fact, yes, I need to get to work." Bagheera snapped and Akeela smirked even more, tutting the impatient feline. "Give it over, Akeela." The drug dealer chuckled and pulled a thin aluminum foil packet out of his jacket, Bagheera snatching it and peeling back the top corner. The thin gray slates of LSD sat inside and Bagheera nodded, stepping aside to let the drug dealer in.
"Let's get down to business, shall we?" Akeela slid his large paws over Bagheera's hips and sides, nuzzling his neck. "Three hundred plus interest?"
"I won't go over two-fifty."
"Listen here, I give it you for two-fifty, you give me a round and then you deliver some of the goods."
"No deal."
"You're in no position to spurn a good deal."
"I can always find another dealer willing to take what I can give."
"You think you could?" Akeela smirked. "Listen here, doll-face, I'm the only guy in this city who provides Acid, you don't like my price, you don't get any."
Bagheera glared at the wolf before thinking it over. He was good at being invisible, nobody ever really looked at a whore, unless they wanted something from them. He would be relatively safe…
"Fine. When do you want me to do the deed?"
"Tuesday night, meet me at the den." Akeela murmured as he nibbled Bagheera's ear, groping the taller male unashamedly.
"Did your wife stop putting out?" Bagheera hissed, arching when Akeela dug his claws into the base of his tail, kneading the flesh roughly before moving down to grope his arse.
"Woman is so cold I think I cut myself on her." Akeela moaned when Bagheera slid his paws down between them, unbuttoning his pants swiftly.
"You would think after ten pups you would be happy with her." Bagheera murmured, nibbling along the wolf's jaw.
"Ten pups and a strange little hairless cub she calls Mowgli." Akeela growled, pushing Bagheera to the floor. "Convinced me to let her keep it, the bitch."
He thrust into the panther without prelude and Bagheera hissed and snarled, claws digging into the floor. The wolf whined and bucked roughly against him and Bagheera snarled and hissed, trying to keep his mind blank as he was used and abused. Finally, the wolf finished and Bagheera shoved him away, pulling his pants back up and zipping them up, Akeela smugly watching him.
"Get out." Bagheera snapped, turning to the wolf and baring his fangs.
"See you Tuesday night." Akeela chuckled before standing, righting himself, and walking out the door.
Bagheera sighed and slumped against the kitchen counter, pressing his forehead to the cool chipped tile, eyes closed as he willed the burning pain to leave. The wolf had been particularly greedy that night and he ached worse than usual. But he needed to go to work. Bagheera sighed and grabbed his bag, hauling onto his shoulder and walking through the apartment complex, stopping by the mail boxes. He pulled out his small ring of keys and found the one to the box, sliding it in and turning it, sighing when the key stuck and he had to wriggle it a little bit before the small door opened.
He reached inside and frowned, only finding a thin letter that certainly wasn't a bill. It was from his landlord.
He opened the envelope and squinted at the small letters. He couldn't make them out. He sighed and shoved the letter into his bag, deciding he would ask someone at the club to read it for him.
*
"Hey, Baghee, how's it been goin' for ya, babes?" Bagheera sighed as Louis, better known as "King Louis" at the club, smiled down at him, his one golden tooth glinting in the dim blue lights of the club. Louis was big, as far as orangutans went, but he was still a head shorter than Bagheera, though he was twice as wide as the panther. His long, hairy arms were covered by a bright orange business suit and his short legs had pants on them
"Fine, a bit sore, but fine." Bagheera had been dancing for the past six hours and had finally gone on break, he had the letter from his landlord in his paw and a cup of water in another. "But I need help, I can't read this, the print is too small." He held the letter out to the monkey and Louis smiled, taking it and sitting down next to his dancer.
"Ya need to have those eyes checked out."
"I can see just fine, I just have a hard time reading."
"Ya still need 'em looked at." Louis chuckled and Bagheera glared at him. Louis frowned as he read the letter, looking at Bagheera. "Ya have no idea what this is?"
"No, I wouldn't have you reading it if I knew what it was!" Bagheera snapped and Louis chuckled before turning serious for once.
"Ya've been evicted from yer apartment." Louis stated and Bagheera blinked.
"What?"
"Ya got two days to split from that joint before the landlord calls the cops." Bagheera stared at the monkey before slamming his forehead on the table, a long groan coming from him as he closed his eyes.
"Great, just what I need."
"I'd offer ya a place to stay, Baghee, but mah family just came in town and I'm packed full." Bagheera sighed and nodded.
"No thanks, Louis, I'll just call in a favor with Baloo. He owes me a few."
"Baloo owes everyone a few." Bagheera chuckled at the absolute truth that Louis had stated and nodded.
"Yes… he certainly does… But for everything he owes, people owe him the same." He tilted his head and smiled at the table, absently remembering his first meeting with Baloo.
Bagheera was bumped into and he shouted as he slammed against the building wall.
"Watch where you're going, you buffoon!" He snarled, stopping short in shock at the enormous bear standing in front of him.
"Sorry, buddy." The bear reached down with enormous arms and paws and righted Bagheera, the panther blinking at him in surprise. "Sorry, you spilled your drink." Bagheera looked down and groaned. He wasn't concerned about his drink so much as his clothing. He would have to go home and change before going for his job interview.
"Thank you for stating the obvious." Bagheera snapped, pulling away from the bear.
"Lemme make it up to you." The bear insisted, reaching out to touch Bagheera's shoulder. "I know this place-"
"Thank you, but I have to be somewhere." Bagheera snapped icily.
"Oh…" The bear looked put out before he smiled. "I'm Baloo." Bagheera paused before looking at the bear and sniffing slightly.
"Bagheera."
"Nice to meet you, Baghee." Bagheera rolled his eyes before turning to head back to his apartment. "I'll see you around?" Bagheera looked at the bear with a sneer.
"I hope not, it's a big city." And with that he flounced off, head held high and tail swaying behind him as he walked with as much dignity as he could muster.
"Bagheera, move your tail, your song is up next!" Bagheera jumped and looked around. King Louis was gone, but he had left the eviction notice. The panther cursed and grabbed the letter before racing back to his dressing room, pulling on the white costume he wore for his number, pulling his dreadlocks back into their ponytail before glancing at the clock.
Once he was off duty he could go to Baloo's place and see if he could stay there.
