Late Night Radio Pt.2
6:01
Phew, second part at last! Possibly my last posting for a few weeks, I'm gonna be concentrating more on my writing. Er... There's not really that much to say, apart from again, fluffy stuff. No proper Taito as yet, because I'm taking the plot line slowly...because I want to! Yeah, that's it...
~
"And that's it from me, DJ Chi! See you tomorrow at midnight everyone. Now it's over to Mark, for the early morning news..."
Taichi yawned, and stretched as he took off his headphones and walked out of the room he had been sat in for the past six hours. God, was he glad that was over for another night, because he was tired. With a jolt, he remembered that Yamato was due to call him any second now, his relief at the prospect of sleep having temporarily made him forget. His eyes slid automatically over to the clock.
He felt a lump in his throat as he watched the seconds tick slowly by. Trying to relax, he found that he couldn't, and told himself to stop being so dumb ass stupid as there was no way of knowing that his friend would actually call. So why the hell was he so tense?
The phone rang the instant the time changed to 6:01, making him jump. Shit! Why was he acting like such an idiot? It was only a coincident, there was no chance that it would be-
"Taichi! Get in here this instant!" yelled the station manager excitedly. The brunette sighed, and shrugged his shoulders. What did that arse-hole want now? He was tired, he wanted to sleep... But still he had to go and find out what he was being yelled at for.
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Phone call for you!"
Tai frowned, but made no further movement.
"Well? Aren't you going to answer it?"
The station manager danced anxiously from one foot to the other.
"Why?" he asked cautiously as he lifted the receiver to his ear.
"Because it's me." said Yamato.
Tai's face broke into a wide smile as his heart skipped a beat.
"Oh, hi Matt."
"You sound surprised."
"We-ell, I wasn't exactly sure that you actually would call back."
"I said I would, didn't I?"
"You haven't always kept your word."
"No, that's true." he laughed.
With hand gestures the brunette indicated to his boss that he wanted to sit down. Permission was hastily given, and despite the glare he was being given, the manager remained hovering in the background. So Tai ignored him.
"It's good to hear from you again."
"Yeah, you too. You know, I never realised how much I missed hearing your voice until I called you last night."
"I know how you feel."
"And I can't have a half decent argument with any of the other band members."
Tai just laughed.
"Well? I can't! It's just no fun at times, because they all give in way too easily. And I'd feel really guilty if I were to hit any of them."
"Oh?" he arched an eyebrow, even though he knew that the blonde wouldn't be able to see. "So you don't feel guilty when you punch me?"
"Nope, cos you ask for it!"
"So do you sometimes."
"Yeah, I know. And get that eyebrow down!"
"Huh?!" His jaw dropped open.
"Hah! So I was right."
"How the hell did you know that?"
"I just know you too well I guess."
"Yeah."
"You feeling okay?"
"Just tired I guess. It's been a long night"
"You make a good radio DJ."
"Yeah? How much of the show did you listen to?"
"All of it."
"All of it?!"
"Uh-huh."
"Have you become a major insomniac or something?"
"No, I was just curious."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. But tell me," and here Yamato giggled. "Why DJ...Chi."
"No particular reason, other than DJ Tai never seemed to fit."
"I don't see why not."
"Hmm."
"Still tired?"
"Yeah. Well, I would be wouldn't I? Unless I've just woken up after having fallen asleep for a few hours, and I'm sure I would have noticed if that had happened."
"Okay! Just asking. Yeesh, no need to get so sarcy on me..." There was a pause as the blonde thought of something. "Is the station manager still in the room with you?"
"Yeah. How did you know that?"
"Partly because your speech sounds a little...stilted, as if you're keeping a check on everything you say. As if you're trying not to give too much away because someone else might overhear. Partly because he just seems like the type to try and listen in."
"How'd you come to that conclusion?"
"From the way he answered the phone. I said I wanted to talk to you, that you were expecting my call, but he refused to put me through. Well, until I uttered the magic words of course."
"And those were?" he asked, even though he could guess.
"Yamato Ishida. Once he knew who I was he became such an arse-kisser it was sickening. How can you bear working for him?"
"Mutual dislike. And a lot of the time I can't. You're very good at character analysation. Maybe you should give up on music and become a shrink!"
"Hah! You sure that wasn't meant to come out as 'maybe you should go and see a shrink'?"
"Perhaps." he giggled.
"Thanks!"
"You asked for it."
"True."
Taichi yawned, even though he tried to stop himself.
"You really that tired, huh?" his friend asked, sounding concerned.
"Uh-huh." he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes.
"Or maybe it's just that I'm boring you stupid?"
"Never."
"Good."
"I'm stupid enough, anyway."
"You shouldn't put yourself down like that." Yamato scolded, even though he sounded amused. "Perhaps I had better let you get some sleep then. We don't want you getting tired out."
"No, don't." Tai pleaded, as his heart inexplicably sank at the prospect. "Just don't. I like hearing your voice."
"So do I Tai-chan. So do I. But you really sound as though you could do with some rest. I'll give you my number, you'll be able to call when you wake."
"It won't happen like that."
"Why not?"
"Because there'd be no chance of me getting any rest until much much later."
"Why?"
"Question time."
"Huh?" Yamato sounded puzzled, but then realisation dawned, and he groaned. "Oh, your arse-hole of a boss, right? Shit. Sorry, I should have realised that he'd bug you with a million questions as soon as you finish the call. Damn it."
"Not your fault."
"Yes it is. Uh, hold on. I have an idea."
"What?" he asked cautiously.
"Nothing bad, and it'll work. I'm sure of it. Just do what I tell you to, okay?"
"Depends on what you ask me to do."
"I said it's nothing bad."
"That doesn't mean anything!"
"Tai, just co-operate would you? Now, hang up."
"What? Why?"
"Just do what I ask you to, would ya?"
"But..."
"No buts. Do it!"
"Bye Matt." his voice was disappointed as his heart plummeted.
"Don't sound like that! I'll see you in a minute, Tai."
And then he hung up before the brunette could question him any further.
Taichi slowly drew the receiver away from his ear, and stared at it for a few long moments before setting it back on it's cradle. His boss, as predicted, spewed a load of questions at him the instant the phone was properly settled, still jigging excitedly from one foot to the other.
"Oh wow... One of my presenters knows Yamato Ishida! What did he say? What did he want? How come you know him? When are you going to get him to do an interview with us? Well... Obviously you're not going to be the one conducting it... No, we'll want him on prime time to really boost our ratings..."
"Getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren't you?" asked Tai wearily getting to his feet.
"No, not with a personal friend of Yamato Ishida's on my staff!"
"Now, hold on a minute-"
"Why?"
"He's my friend. It's got nothing to do with the station-"
"Oh, but it does."
"No, it doesn't. Now, if you would excuse me, I'd like to go home and get some sleep now."
"No you don't Taichi, m'boy." said his boss, a mad glint coming to his eyes as he moved to stand between the brunette and the door, blocking the exit. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me everything you talked about, and get this station an interview with him."
"Why should I? You don't have any say in what I do in my personal life. Just go get yourself an interview the conventional way. Don't involve me if it doesn't involve my time slot."
"Have you any idea just how hard it is to get an interview with him through that bloody manager he employs?"
"No, because I've never tried to get one!"
"Well, you wouldn't, would you? Well I have you see, and it's near impossible because of his status, so anything that I can lay my hands on to lever that tiny crack of possibility wider open, I'm going to use. And that thing is you. You don't have a choice in the matter."
Something was happening in the station. Tai could tell that by the sudden sharp increase in the number of gasps and the sound of running feet. His boss didn't notice, to caught up with the idea of getting a huge ratings boost by getting an interview with one of the most exclusive stars around. The brunette ignored him for a moment, craning his neck to look past the others head and through the window in the door to see what was happening in the corridor beyond.
And he smiled at what he saw there.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing much."
"So you've decided to comply with my plans?"
"Nope."
"Then what the hell are you smiling about?!"
"You'll see." he said, as the door was quietly opened and another man entered the room. Shutting the door behind him, the newcomer coughed lightly, and tapped the station manager on the shoulder.
His boss whirled around, screaming obscenities at the tall, slim newcomer.
"And what the hell do you think you're doing? Have you never heard of knocking? How dare you enter my office without gaining my permission first? Well, answer me then! Do you have a voice, or is it that your vocal cords have been affected by your lack of a brain you complete and utter id-"
He stopped shouting abruptly as his eyes registered the face of the man he was yelling at, and his brain supplied the corresponding name. His jaw fell open, and he began to panic as he realised what he had just done, and what the consequences might be.
"Hi Matt." Taichi chirped, suddenly feeling very happy.
His friend smiled warmly.
"Hey Tai, sorry about the delay."
"Huh? You call that a delay?! How'd you get here so fast?"
"I'll tell you later. You coming then?"
"Er..." The brunette looked a little nervously at his boss.
The blonde winked.
"I'll sort that. Hey, you," he now addressed his friend's boss, who was doing a very credible impression of a goldfish.
"Hunnh? What? You t-talking to me?"
"Yeah, you." How about you quit bugging my friend here, and let him come with me."
"What?"
"And while you're about it, why don't you give him tonight off as well? You do this for me, and I'll...forget about that little incident that just happened. How about it?"
The station manager nodded dumbly, well aware of the amount of bad publicity Yamato could generate for the station, and how that would affect their ratings.
"Uh, s-sure. T-Taichi, you go with your...f-friend here, and I'll see you in a few days. Take as m-much time off as you like..."
"That's very good of you." the blonde said smoothly, answering for the speechless brunette. He held a finger to his lips, indicating that Tai should remain silent for a little while, at the same time ushering him out of the room, then the building, and finally into the waiting limousine. Only then did he allow his friend to speak.
"How the hell did you manage to pull that off?!" were the first words that passed his lips.
Yamato laughed.
"I've had to deal with an awful lot of people like him. You soon learn the best way to deal with them."
"Do you now."
"Yeah."
"Maybe you could teach me sometime."
"Sure Tai, whatever you like."
The brunette yawned sleepily.
"S'nice limo, Matt. V'ry quiet driving."
Yamato listened thoughtfully to the quiet purring of the limousine's engine as it made it's way through the Tokyo traffic. It had never occurred to him to do that before.
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
"Is it yours?"
"Nah. I've just rented it for a bit."
"Ah." Taichi found his eyelids drooping shut, and his head dropped to rest on his friend's shoulder. He jerked upright, blinking hard as he tried to stay awake.
"Tai, if you're tired, then sleep. Don't mind me. I'm pretty beat myself in any case."
"Mmm. Thanks."
Again, his head dropped to rest on Yamato's shoulder, and he felt his friend's arm slip around his shoulders to support him so he didn't fall when the limo rounded a corner. Taichi snuggled in closer, feeling comforted by the presence of his friend, and yawned again.
"Night, Tai. Sweet dreams." Yamato whispered to his friend as the brunette drifted off to sleep.
A smile on his lips.
To be continued...
~
That's it for now! What did you think?
Er, now I need to ask you for a bit of help... My damn writers' block has struck AGAIN, so I'm not sure how to continue this fic. We now have Tai, with an indeterminate length of time off work, with Matt! What do you want to happen?
Let me know, either in a review or send and e-mail to: jheya_ono@yahoo.co.uk (there's a little under-slash thingy between the 'jheya' and the 'ono', just saying cos it doesn't show up that much) and I'll try and incorporate some of your ideas into this. Thank you...because else I'd be stuck and this would have to be discontinued!
Jheya.