Chapter 6 – Party
Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay. I lost my muse and now she seems to be back again. This is the 4th chapter I've posted in just a few days. I'm on fire! Also, the songs that I use in this next chapter are NOT my own. The list of titles and singers will be posted at the end of the chapter. Thank you!
The silence of Sage's departure was deafening. All the background street noise vanished from Casey's ears. For one horrifying fleeting moment he thought Ryo would run after Sage. And then that would be it.
He hadn't felt that sort of pain in his heart in years. It blocked out the bliss that he had felt moments before. He tried to choke out Ryo's name, but couldn't.
Then Ryo turned to Casey and saw the fear in his eyes. He smiled, reassuring and calm. "Casey, can you please let me back in?"
Suddenly there was sound again. The world took on its normal hues. Eight little words put the world right again. Ryo wasn't only just asking for Casey to let him back into the club, but also telling him that everything was ok.
Casey tried to speak, but realized he hadn't been breathing. He took two deep breaths before he trusted his voice again. "Ah, yeah." Boy, that sounded lame. He swiftly moved towards the doors and unlocked them, holding them open for Ryo to enter.
As they walked back upstairs, Casey expected Ryo to breakdown in tears at any second. But he remained silent. Once they were in the apartment, Casey couldn't take the silence anymore.
"Ryo, are you ok? You're not going to suddenly blow up on me, are you?"
"Surprisingly, I'm fine. And no, I'm not going to suddenly flip out on you."
"But—I mean. That is, well……."
"I'll deal with Sage later. We need space right now. It won't be pleasant." Ryo plopped down into a chair. "Not pleasant at all." He said almost to himself.
Sage did not remember coming back from seeing Ryo and Casey together. All he could see was THEM. It was etched into his mind. He suddenly found himself back in his room with three very worried faces looking at him.
He blinked. It shook him out of his thoughts.
"Sage?" Cye said uncertainly.
"Yes, Cye?" Sage tired to make his voice sound normal, but it came out strained anyways.
"Um…is there anything we can do?" He asked hesitantly. It seemed they were all waiting for him to lash out.
"Yes. Leave me the hell alone." It was so unlike Sage to swear.
"But...," Cye's face was etched in worry lines. Always playing the mother.
"Just, leave me be, please." That was hard to say, but Sage just wanted them gone. He wanted to be alone.
Casey left Ryo in the apartment as he returned to his duties downstairs. Tonight was the opening night. Even Gackt and Hilde were rumored to be showing up. Casey had been writing a song for Ryo since he had gotten a grasp of the language. He never thought he'd be able to sing the song to Ryo. Now he had the chance, he was nervous. It had to be perfect. He went over the line up for that night's party and went though inventory. Everything seemed to be perfect and in order. Casey added a few more songs and he hoped that Ryo would understand them. Mostly they were cover songs that he felt truly represented their relationship and his feelings towards Ryo.
He went upstairs to see how Ryo was doing. He found him sitting on the sofa and staring out the window. Casey sat down next to him. "Hey, beautiful. How are you holding up?"
Ryo shrugged. "Pretty well, I suppose. Sounds like a lot of stuff going on down there."
Casey accepted the quick change of subject. "Yeah, opening night. There are a still a few loose ends."
"Such as?"
"What are you going to wear."
Ryo almost clung to Casey's side as the guest started to arrive. He was never good a social gatherings. But he wanted to show his support for Casey. He gawked at all the celebrities that were mingling in the crowd. He couldn't believe he'd just shaken Gackt's hand.
Casey had bought him a crisp red button down shirt, dark brown trousers and striking brown boots to complete his ensemble. The clothes cost more then his entire wardrobe at home put together. Casey had also bought him a gold ear cuff that matched beautifully with the clothes and his skin tone. Casey had whispered to him in the jeweler's shop that it made him want to lick his ear more and would have to resist all night long. It made him blush just thinking about it.
Casey wasn't deterred from PDA as Sage had been. He really encouraged him. He held onto Ryo's hand or put his arm around his waist all night long. He even gave Ryo little kisses on the cheek when he noticed Ryo's anxious expression.
When everyone had mingled and eaten, Casey called for everyone's attention and gave a speech. "Thank you all for coming. And thank you all for your support, time, effort, and money. Some more then others, and you know who you are. I'd like to introduce a very special someone who's standing next to me. This is Sananda Ryo. Sorry, love, I have to put you on the spot."
Ryo gave a nervous wave, bowed and a formal hello.
"I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for him. And although he's just come back into my life, he'll be apart of it now forever." Casey gave Ryo a smile that made his knees week and his heart beat out of pride and love. Casey squeezed his hands and brought them up to his lips and kissed them. "I love him. This night is for him." And in front of everyone, Casey gave him a full blown, deep, kiss.
The house cheered.
The kiss left them breathless. "So, without further ado, let me give you what you have been waiting for, live music! Please, enjoy the show." He turned back to Ryo. "Try and mingle a bit. Don't worry. No one will bite. Except maybe, Gackt. I love you." He kissed him again.
Ryo nodded and tried to face the crowd of people moving towards him with a sincere smile. He nabbed another glass of champagne for courage.
Casey bounded through the crowd to the stage where the band was warming up. He picked up the mike and gave a nod to single he was ready.
Hikari
"donna
tokidatte
tada hitoride
unmei wasurete
ikitekitanoni
totsuzen
no hikari no naka megasameru
mayonakani
shizukani
deguchini
tatte
kurayami ni hikari wo ute
imadoki yakusoku nante
fuan
ni saseru dakekana
negai wo kuchi ni shitaidake sagasou
kunimo
shoukai suruyo kitto umaku ikuyo
donna tokidatte
zutto
futaride
donna tokidatte
soba ni irukara
kimi to iu hikari
ga watashi wo mitsukeru
mayonakani
urusai
toori
ni haitte
unmei no kamen wo tore
saki wo mitooshi suginante
imi no nai koto ha
yamete
kyou ha hoshii monomo tabeyouyo
mirai wo zutto
sakidayo
bokunimo wakaranai
kansei sasenaide
motto
yokushite
one scene zutsu totte
ikeba iikara
kimi to
iu hikari ga watashi no scenario
utsushidasu
motto
hanasouyo
mokuzen no ashita no koto mo
terebi keshite watashi
no koto dake wo
miteiteyo
donnani yokutatte
shinji
kirenaine
sonna toki datte
soba ni irukara
kimi to iu hikari
ga watashi wo mitsukeru
mayonakani
motto hanasouyo
mokuzen
no ashita no koto mo
terebi keshite watashi no koto dake wo
miteiteyo
motto
hanasouyo
mokuzen no ashita no koto mo
terebi keshite watashi
no koto dake wo"
Casey sang out into the crowd, but his eyes were only for Ryo. Ryo could not takes his eyes of his lover. It was deeply touching that Casey had written a song for him. The song was slow and moving and Casey's voice was filled with emotion. After the song ended, Casey switched numbers and broke out into a upbeat dance song. People made it out onto the dance floor and started moving their bodies to the beat.
Ryo felt someone come up behind him. He turned to see Casey's double, Cassandra. She was dressed in a men's black suit. Her hair was hidden under a black fedora cap. "Go easy on the booze, ok? You love your liver, remember?" She gave him a wink. "How you holding up, kid?" She said it as an term of endearment, not an insult.
"Fine, yeah. I'm good."
"Really? Because I can see the whites of your eyes from across the room. Relax. He said it's your party so go out and enjoy it. Would you care to give this lady a dance?" She stooped down in a low bow.
Ryo couldn't help but giggle. Maybe the champagne was getting to him, but he felt much more at ease. "But of course, my lady." He returned her bow and they moved their way onto the dance floor. They caught Casey's grinning at them as they started to move.
They managed to drag Sage down to dinner, but he only picked at his food and ordered a few too many drinks. Most of the time he stared off into nothing, ignoring all attempts at conversation. They gave up and Cye managed to get a waiters attention to let the wait staff know NOT to give Sage anymore drinks. They said goodnight to Sage, who stayed downstairs, a little too drunk to know that his drinks were watered down. At about ten he realized he'd been down there for a few hours and was feeling bored and restless. He stood up and was thankful not to feel any ill effects of all the booze he'd imbibed. He headed for the lobby, intent on getting some fresh air to clear his head. On his way out he saw a poster that advertised the opening night party of The Phoenix. He stopped and stared at it. His blood began to boil. What was once self pity and depression was quickly replaced by hate and rage. He wasn't going to sit back and LET Ryo be taken away from him. What had he been thinking? Ryo was HIS. He wasn't going to let some punk steal him away. It was so easy now. It was so clear now what he had to do.
Casey had to die. All it would take was one good swipe of his sword and it would be done with. Whatever spell Casey had Ryo under would be gone and Ryo would come crawling back to him. Simple and Clean.
Hikari or Simple and Clean is sung by Utada Hikaru. All right belong to her and her record label. The song is NOT mine.
