It's a short chapter, I know, I'm sorry. I wasn't feeling very inspired (nor did I have ANY ideas for this chapter), I've been busy with school and tests, and I'm sick. So... I don't feel much like writing this week ^_^; It took a lot of work for me to get just this small amount done. Sorry! I'll try to do better next time.
I know what I'm going to do for the next couple chapters. This one is just filler/plot building. I'm sorry if there are any mistakes, I didn't have the energy to go over and scrutinize my chapter this time @_@ Oh, and to anyone who's wondering WHERE THE HECK IS TATSUHA, well, he'll be showing up soon! Just another chapter or two and you'll see him!
Thanks to Vakkun, Kai (I know, but I don't feel comfortable writing that kind of stuff @_@), chibiukyou (wah, you know I love your reviews. Boo if the people don't appreciate you! I do!), and judyjudyjudy for reviewing. As corny as it sounds, reviews are what keep me writing this. I was going to not even think about this fic this week but I forced myself to so that I didn't disappoint any readers.
Cast:
Yuki Eiri - Edward Young - 22 - Accomplished Novelist
Shuichi Shindo - Stuart Shubrook - 19 - Aspiring Poet, Song Composer, and Actor/Musician
Seguchi Tohma - Thomas Savage - 32 - Wealthy Publishing Company Owner
Sakano - Kenneth Saunders - 29 - Stuart's Agent
K - Claude K. Winchester - 36 - American Ex-Mafia gunman, works for Thomas as an Agent
Sakuma Ryuichi - Reece Swift - 31 - Accomplished Poet, Song Composer, and Actor/Musician (I found out those were common back then)
Nakano Hiroshi - Hugh Norris - 19 - Aspiring Violinist
Uesugi Tatsuha - Timothy Ulysses - 16 - Schoolboy
Suguru Fujisaki - Frederick Sullivan - 16 - Schoolboy and Aspiring Conductor/Composer
Noriko Ukai - Natalie Udell - 28 - Accomplished Pianist
Ayaka Usami - Anna Udolf - 17 – Schoolgirl
Seguchi Mika – Marianne Savage – Thomas's wife
Taki Aizawa - Terry Anderson - 22 - Popular new Actor/Musician
Ken-chan - Keith Bailey - 23 - Popular new Actor/Musician (usually in performs in plays written/starring Terry)
Ma-kun - Malcolm Clarke - 23 - Popular new Actor/Musician (usually in performs in plays written/starring Terry)
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this chapter! Got that? N-O-T-H-I-N-G NOTHING!
Roses
~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Chapter 8
~-~-~-~-~-~-~
When you see a cute, fluffy tailed bunny hopping across a pathway you usually feel comforted. And when a bird perches on a tree branch above you and sings a merry little tune, you usually feel at ease. But when a friend stands in front of you with the absolute scariest grin on his face you tend to feel a bit... creepy. And that's exactly how Hugh felt. Cute little rabbits and happy little birdies were not things that he was concentrating on right now.
Although, if he had been he probably would have been a lot more comfortable. "Hello, Hugh."
"Hello... Stuart." Hugh's lower eyelids twitched. "Nice day, isn't it?"
"Aren't you going to ask what I did last night?"
"What did you do last night... Stuart?"
"That's a secret!" The redhead's voice raised about as high as would seem humanly possible and his grin widened... somehow.
"Ah..."
"Come on, now you say 'Don't act like that, tell me what happened.'"
They were coming, he could tell. Hugh had suppressed them enough times to recognize the feeling. Full body convulsions. "Don't act like that, tell me what happened."
"That's a secret!"
The tiny little bird above Hugh chirped once, hopped around, and left droppings just a few inches away from the man's shoulder. His body twitched, "Something happened with Mr. Young."
Stuart's face hardened, the giddy high look leaving, "How did you know?"
"Because you only act like this when something really good happens. And since chances are that Mr. Savage didn't prance into your room in a dress and say you've got the lead in the biggest musical of all time that you're writing, I'm guessing that something happened with the writer."
The boy pouted and stepped over to the tree trunk, leaning against it, "I suppose... But, it's all so strange. Isn't this wrong?" He glanced up and turned his gaze to meet Hugh's, "Aren't I doing something wrong?"
"Stuart, I've known you all our lives. We went through everything together, and I don't think anything like this could be wrong for you. You can't choose who you love."
"But, it just feels... wrong." Hugh let out a tiny sigh and stepped over next to his friend.
"Don't listen to society. You should do what makes you happy, and in some strange, demented way, he makes you happy. I don't know how and I don't know why, but you should never deny your feelings." Inwardly, the man winced. Preaching things he should heed himself but never did.
"Hmm..." Stuart lifted his head and looked up through the leaves and to the strangely clear blue sky above, "I suppose you're right..."
"Of course I am. Now stop worrying about this. You should go out and relax, it's a nice day and you don't have practice."
Stuart nodded and looked over to his friend, "What about you?"
"I have to be there. I don't think it's too long, so..." The brunette took a step back and emerged from the shade with his friend, "I could meet you later."
"Oh! I have a really good poem I wrote! At least, I think it's good... Mr. Saunders likes it but – he likes everything I write." Stuart rose a finger and tapped his chin lightly, "It's not very good by itself, I thought perhaps you could write some music for it!"
Hugh smiled and looked off to the side, away from Stuart's face. "Sure." His friend let out a pleased shout and hugged him.
"Great! I can come by your house later today? After practice?" Hugh nodded, "Alright! I'll see you then, Hugh!" The musician sighed as his friend practically skipped down the pathway, greeting the little fuzzy tailed rabbits and waving to the rosy cheeked children. Hugh imagined that Stuart was on some weird drug and saw the groups smiling and waving back. He chuckled, seeing the rabbits, skittish creatures as they were, scamper away from the exuberant boy, and laughed when the mothers of the children shielded their eyes and told them to ignore the crazy boy. To some extent, they were right. He was a bit crazy.
Hugh shook his head and turned, walking off the other way of the path. He should have told Stuart that the practice wouldn't be over until late in the afternoon, but the boy really hadn't given him enough chance to get a word in edgewise. It had been awhile since he'd been so happy, though, Hugh had to admit that. Hugh was never the one to make him skip down the road and act like he had just eaten strange mushrooms, but he was always the one who got the full impact of it.
Pulling a watch from his vest pocket, Hugh sighed. He would have to run if he was to get to practice on time. He hadn't expected to see Stuart on his way to the theatre, it was just one of his 'lucky chance encounters.' Yes, very lucky. The man scoffed and sped up, listening to the constant clicking of his heels on the cobblestone.
"Put that thing out, it hurts my eyes."
Edward let out another puff of smoke and ground the cigarette into his sister's wallpaper. The woman groaned and made a mental note to smack him when she got better. She rose a delicate, unmarked hand and gestured to her side. "Sit over here."
"I'd rather keep my health."
"Humph. I'm in no condition to argue with you, Edward. I must say I'm amazed that you even came over."
"I only came after my telephone rang for an hour and one of your servants banged on my door for another hour."
"Still, I'm glad you decided to 'grace' me with your presence. As you know, I'm a bit under the weather. And apparently father isn't feeling very well either. I got word from one of the priests the other day that he's bedridden."
"He's always bedridden."
Marianne turned her gaze to meet his and glared. The blonde stood there, unfazed and arms crossed. "Even so, I think you should visit him."
"You all know I'm not going to take over that damned church."
"Watch your tongue!" She straightened, smoothing wrinkles out of her satin house robe, "Father knows that. He's willing to hand it over to Timothy – even though God knows that's an awful idea – just because you're being so stubborn."
"Timothy will send the place to hell if he runs it."
Marianne rose a slim finger, "Precisely. Which is exactly why you need to do it."
"I'd neglect it. It'd be abandoned and in shambles within a year."
"And then father would haunt you until your dying days." The woman reached over to the bed stand next to her and picked up a pill and a glass of water. "At least go and see him." She popped the white item into her mouth and them swallowed water.
Edward let out a tiny sound of annoyance and pushed himself away from the wall, "Does Thomas know you're taking those?"
"Thomas doesn't need to know everything that I do." The writer shrugged and turned to leave the room, "Edward,"
"I know. I'll think about it." With that, he left, leaving Marianne propped up against the headboard in a dark, cold room.
~-~-~
"Ah! Mr. Savage, there you are."
"Thomas is here?" A petite brunette looked up, his blue eyes searching the room until they fell on his former partner, "Thomas!" He pushed himself up, knocking over the blocks on the floor, and bound over to the blonde. Reece's manager stepped in, blocking his path, and causing the man to barrel into him.
"So sorry, Mr. Savage, he just got up from his nap."
"I see." The taller man led him into the house, Reece following behind them. Reece's house wasn't very big for all the money he had; he never liked being in a big empty house. Said it made him feel lonely. Instead, there were expensive paintings, lavish decorations, and big lush furniture pieces. K stationed himself in front of one such piece, arms crossed.
"When am I supposed to do this?"
Thomas smiled and glanced down to Reece who was currently rubbing himself along the publisher's leg, purring. "Uhm..."
"Reece! Stop that!"
"Oh no, it's quite alright." He smiled and reached down, petting the childish man's head. Thomas coughed lightly as the brunette purred in response and curled up at his feet, "Soon. This week would be best. Not tomorrow, perhaps near the weekend. Or... no. The weekend is no good for me; I have to be out of town. How about next week?"
"Anytime! What about him?" The taller man gestured to purring Reece.
"He'll be fine. You'll continue living here, but you won't be handling his affairs any longer."
"Who, then?"
Thomas smiled and knelt down, patting the brunette's head. He straightened and started down the hall, pausing at a picture of a little boy holding a rabbit, "I was thinking... Natalie says she's bored. Myself... I can't say I don't feel the same way. Reece is always – " he glanced at the man-cat, "hyperactive. Times are changing, I think perhaps we'll come out of retirement."
"You don't mean you're going to – "
"Oh, nothing is certain yet. I still have a lot of loose ends to tie, some deals to finish. It'll be some time before anything happens." He turned to face K, "But, I think that something will happen. Eventually."
"I see. And that's why you wanted me to...?"
Thomas nodded, "Partly. I also think he has some promise. Reminds me a lot of Reece at that age."
"Just what the world needs, another Reece Swift."
"I think that's exactly what the world needs." The publisher nodded to his employee and walked past Reece. K extended his hand and stopped the man, holding onto his shoulder.
"Do you think he'll mind?"
"Oh, he'll be a little sad at first, but I think he'll get over it. It's not like he's losing a plaything, just a manager. And besides, I don't think he'll get lonely." K sighed and nodded to his employer. He watched the man leave, his secretive smile always present.
K turned to watch the sleeping form on the floor, "That's not exactly what I meant to say." He paused, then took a step over to him, "We were good together. I hope he knows what he's doing."
~-~
I'm not implying any KxRyuichi there (at least trying not to) because I'm not a very big fan of that coupling. I just think that maybe K regretted leaving his client more than he let on.
Cookie to anyone who can guess what Marianne's pill is! Here's a hint: It's from the east.