Blank Pages
By Carter Tachikawa
(Chapter 4-"A Bit of This and That")
Disclaimer: WK still isn't mine.
* * *
Some time ago…
Birman kept staring at the wall clock, then shifting her gaze towards the door. It was already nine o'clock and the two people she was waiting for still weren't here. This wasn't the first time they were late either. She watched as the room filled up with strangers, promising that she would kill her employees if they ruined tonight. Well, not kill, but discuss some rather serious issues with them. Right now, it seemed as if they weren't coming tonight. She took one last look at the door and turned away. Just then, the chimes rang and she turned back. Ken walked in casually and hung his coat on the rack by the door.
"Sorry, Birman. I didn't mean to be late." He smiled sheepishly. Birman did not return the smile. This wasn't the first time he came in late and she doubted it would be the last time, no matter how many times he promised. If he and Kase Koichiro, his best friend, weren't so good at what they did, she would have fired them. But she needed their talents. They bought in money. They made people happy. Right now though, she saw just one of them.
"Where's Kase?" She demanded.
Ken gave her another innocent lamb look. "Um, he said he wasn't feeling well and wanted me to do everything alone if I could."
Birman groaned. "Again? How many times year does Kase fall sick, may I ask?"
Ken shrugged. "It's not so bad, Birman. I can do everything on my own."
"But people pay to see you both."
"I know but I'll survive. I think I can do a good enough job to keep the audience happy."
"Well, you better." Birman muttered. "Or else I'm going to have to cut your pay in half."
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me." Birman pursed her lips and added. "Knock them out of their shoes, Ken. They're paying us for that reason and that reason alone."
Ken winked and gave her a thumbs- up sign. "Don't worry, Birman. They'll have no clue what hit them."
Birman smiled cause she knew he was right. They would have no clue what hit them. No clue at all.
* * *
Schuldich was having a hard time trying to fall asleep. He did it with Brad Crawford, his ex-boyfriend now sleeping in his bed, but he didn't enjoy it. It was the first time he didn't enjoy being with Brad. And he knew the reason. It was sitting in his closet or it had gone back home.
"Schu?" Brad spoke up from under the covers. Upon realizing that Schuldich wasn't in an intimate mood, he decided go to sleep right there. It was too late to go back to his own house. For a while, Brad tried to get Schuldich in the mood but it didn't work, which was a first. Schuldich was usually willing and ready to have sex.
"Hmm?"
"What's on your mind, babe?"
"Oh, nothing." Schuldich sighed. "Nothing at all."
It was all a lie of course. Too many things were going on in his mind. He had Brad in bed. He had Yohji in the closet. And here he was in between them both. If he picked Brad, Yohji would be hurt. If he picked Yohji, Brad would be hurt. All in all, he was in a tight spot. He loved them both very much. He wanted them both. Yet that was impossible. Schuldich had found Yohji two months after he broke up with Brad. They fell for each other immediately and figured that this would be it. But Brad wanted Schuldich back. And a part of Schuldich wanted Brad too.
"What's wrong, baby? Is it something I did?"
*/Well, other than coming back and screwing my love life over, no. No, Brad, you didn't do a damn thing./* Schuldich felt bitter. At the moment, he hated them both. It was hard being in love with both of them and not knowing who to stay with.
"Schuldich? Can we get on with this?"
Schuldich didn't reply. His mind was still focused on that dark closet in the living room. Was Yohji still in there? Or even in the house for that matter? He felt bad about shoving his current boyfriend in that closet. Yohji had come to him, ready to apologize, and Schuldich didn't bother to listen to what he said. Instead, he tried to drive Yohji away. Of course, the situation was different. He had Brad in the bedroom. Had he been alone he would have let Yohji stay for a while. And it might have been Yohji sleeping next to him instead of Brad. But that wasn't the case tonight. If they both knew what happened, they would leave Schuldich. Maybe do worse things.
So he made up his mind. Pushing Brad away, he got out of bed. Making sure that none of the burning candles on the nightstand were knocked, he then proceeded to put on his robe. All that time, Brad just stared in shock.
"Schuldich, what are you doing?" He asked, just watching as his ex rushed out of the door.
"I gotta take care of something first. Sorry, Brad. I'll come back later." He promised. And without allowing Brad to speak again, Schuldich headed straight to the living room. He knew Yohji had to still be in the closet. He was stupid enough to stay there because he loved Schuldich. He just had to be there. He flung the closet door open, ready to apologize to his lover.
"Hey, I'm sorry, I_" He stopped and stared into the closet.
It was empty
* * *
The next day…
Omi was tired. Yohji had come home late yet again. But this time he was rather upset. He spent all night talking to Ran about whatever had bothered him. Omi was willing to bet all his paychecks that something had happened between Yohji and his mysterious Schu. Because of Yohji being upset, he couldn't go to sleep till five in the morning. And since he also had the morning shift, which began at 7, it made things even more difficult. So who should happen to take over that shift? Needless to say, he was thankful that he had a younger half-brother.
However, Omi wasn't thrilled with working Yohji's shift and his own. He felt bad for Yohji all right but at the same time, he was mad. He had his own plans after all. He didn't have time to take care of his older brother. Especially since Omi had met someone new too. Someone he did like as a friend and hoped to know more about. This person was rather sweet and intelligent, someone who Omi felt he could relate to. He wanted to have some time off to enjoy time with his new friend. That's why he hoped Yohji would come in for the morning shift at least once during the week. But at this rate, things were going slow. Damn that Yohji.
He did understand Yohji's problem of course. First, they had problems with the family, growing up with the same mother but different fathers. They never got to spend time with each other as children. Then came the whole thing with Asuka. Her dead body had never been found and it made matters worse. Just when Omi thought Yohji got over her and found someone else to be with, new problems were popping up.
"I'd like to buy these for a special someone." A familiar voice said, breaking his thoughts and shoving a bouquet of yellow roses under Omi's nose. Omi smiled and looked up at his customer.
"Somehow I knew you'd come to see me today, Nagi."
TBC…
(I'll get more into the Nagi x Omi deal later. Forgive me for taking long. I had papers and whatnot to work on. Anyway, read, review, be respectful, be true.)
By Carter Tachikawa
(Chapter 4-"A Bit of This and That")
Disclaimer: WK still isn't mine.
* * *
Some time ago…
Birman kept staring at the wall clock, then shifting her gaze towards the door. It was already nine o'clock and the two people she was waiting for still weren't here. This wasn't the first time they were late either. She watched as the room filled up with strangers, promising that she would kill her employees if they ruined tonight. Well, not kill, but discuss some rather serious issues with them. Right now, it seemed as if they weren't coming tonight. She took one last look at the door and turned away. Just then, the chimes rang and she turned back. Ken walked in casually and hung his coat on the rack by the door.
"Sorry, Birman. I didn't mean to be late." He smiled sheepishly. Birman did not return the smile. This wasn't the first time he came in late and she doubted it would be the last time, no matter how many times he promised. If he and Kase Koichiro, his best friend, weren't so good at what they did, she would have fired them. But she needed their talents. They bought in money. They made people happy. Right now though, she saw just one of them.
"Where's Kase?" She demanded.
Ken gave her another innocent lamb look. "Um, he said he wasn't feeling well and wanted me to do everything alone if I could."
Birman groaned. "Again? How many times year does Kase fall sick, may I ask?"
Ken shrugged. "It's not so bad, Birman. I can do everything on my own."
"But people pay to see you both."
"I know but I'll survive. I think I can do a good enough job to keep the audience happy."
"Well, you better." Birman muttered. "Or else I'm going to have to cut your pay in half."
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me." Birman pursed her lips and added. "Knock them out of their shoes, Ken. They're paying us for that reason and that reason alone."
Ken winked and gave her a thumbs- up sign. "Don't worry, Birman. They'll have no clue what hit them."
Birman smiled cause she knew he was right. They would have no clue what hit them. No clue at all.
* * *
Schuldich was having a hard time trying to fall asleep. He did it with Brad Crawford, his ex-boyfriend now sleeping in his bed, but he didn't enjoy it. It was the first time he didn't enjoy being with Brad. And he knew the reason. It was sitting in his closet or it had gone back home.
"Schu?" Brad spoke up from under the covers. Upon realizing that Schuldich wasn't in an intimate mood, he decided go to sleep right there. It was too late to go back to his own house. For a while, Brad tried to get Schuldich in the mood but it didn't work, which was a first. Schuldich was usually willing and ready to have sex.
"Hmm?"
"What's on your mind, babe?"
"Oh, nothing." Schuldich sighed. "Nothing at all."
It was all a lie of course. Too many things were going on in his mind. He had Brad in bed. He had Yohji in the closet. And here he was in between them both. If he picked Brad, Yohji would be hurt. If he picked Yohji, Brad would be hurt. All in all, he was in a tight spot. He loved them both very much. He wanted them both. Yet that was impossible. Schuldich had found Yohji two months after he broke up with Brad. They fell for each other immediately and figured that this would be it. But Brad wanted Schuldich back. And a part of Schuldich wanted Brad too.
"What's wrong, baby? Is it something I did?"
*/Well, other than coming back and screwing my love life over, no. No, Brad, you didn't do a damn thing./* Schuldich felt bitter. At the moment, he hated them both. It was hard being in love with both of them and not knowing who to stay with.
"Schuldich? Can we get on with this?"
Schuldich didn't reply. His mind was still focused on that dark closet in the living room. Was Yohji still in there? Or even in the house for that matter? He felt bad about shoving his current boyfriend in that closet. Yohji had come to him, ready to apologize, and Schuldich didn't bother to listen to what he said. Instead, he tried to drive Yohji away. Of course, the situation was different. He had Brad in the bedroom. Had he been alone he would have let Yohji stay for a while. And it might have been Yohji sleeping next to him instead of Brad. But that wasn't the case tonight. If they both knew what happened, they would leave Schuldich. Maybe do worse things.
So he made up his mind. Pushing Brad away, he got out of bed. Making sure that none of the burning candles on the nightstand were knocked, he then proceeded to put on his robe. All that time, Brad just stared in shock.
"Schuldich, what are you doing?" He asked, just watching as his ex rushed out of the door.
"I gotta take care of something first. Sorry, Brad. I'll come back later." He promised. And without allowing Brad to speak again, Schuldich headed straight to the living room. He knew Yohji had to still be in the closet. He was stupid enough to stay there because he loved Schuldich. He just had to be there. He flung the closet door open, ready to apologize to his lover.
"Hey, I'm sorry, I_" He stopped and stared into the closet.
It was empty
* * *
The next day…
Omi was tired. Yohji had come home late yet again. But this time he was rather upset. He spent all night talking to Ran about whatever had bothered him. Omi was willing to bet all his paychecks that something had happened between Yohji and his mysterious Schu. Because of Yohji being upset, he couldn't go to sleep till five in the morning. And since he also had the morning shift, which began at 7, it made things even more difficult. So who should happen to take over that shift? Needless to say, he was thankful that he had a younger half-brother.
However, Omi wasn't thrilled with working Yohji's shift and his own. He felt bad for Yohji all right but at the same time, he was mad. He had his own plans after all. He didn't have time to take care of his older brother. Especially since Omi had met someone new too. Someone he did like as a friend and hoped to know more about. This person was rather sweet and intelligent, someone who Omi felt he could relate to. He wanted to have some time off to enjoy time with his new friend. That's why he hoped Yohji would come in for the morning shift at least once during the week. But at this rate, things were going slow. Damn that Yohji.
He did understand Yohji's problem of course. First, they had problems with the family, growing up with the same mother but different fathers. They never got to spend time with each other as children. Then came the whole thing with Asuka. Her dead body had never been found and it made matters worse. Just when Omi thought Yohji got over her and found someone else to be with, new problems were popping up.
"I'd like to buy these for a special someone." A familiar voice said, breaking his thoughts and shoving a bouquet of yellow roses under Omi's nose. Omi smiled and looked up at his customer.
"Somehow I knew you'd come to see me today, Nagi."
TBC…
(I'll get more into the Nagi x Omi deal later. Forgive me for taking long. I had papers and whatnot to work on. Anyway, read, review, be respectful, be true.)