So here it is. Every time I wanted to write this I remembered that I -had- to finish Heaven's not Enough and thus this little project got placed on the back burner. Now that I am down to one story this -should- update faster. Thank you for your positive comments.
Anyway I have a request from you all. I am having a hard time trying to figure out who to pair Tyson with. I have already devised a plot for him and his significant other but can't figure out who it should be. I'm tossing between either Miguel or Michael or anyone else one might have a suggestion for (but it can't be Max. Max just wouldn't hire a prostitute ) Please help!
Blah Blah Blah I've talked to long again.
Disclaimer: Beyblade does not belong to me.
Chapter Two
Tired eyes blinked with frustration at the sight of the glowing red numbers; 3:43. Rei groaned wearily and rolled over to relinquish the fowl numbers. Studying the room he was in, he let his eyes fall on a soft stream of light that gently flooded through the narrow opening between the door and frame. Tracing the glow to the room beyond he let his mind wander. He wondered what lay behind the door, more than just additional exquisitely decorated rooms but the occupant himself.
Who was this Tala guy really. No one was saint enough to offer three grand to a whore they hardly knew only to provide them a comfortable bed and security for an entire week. What was more, Rei thought to himself, Tala had taken to sleeping on the couch as Rei glorified in stretching out amongst the feathery down blankets and Egyptian cotton. Tala must have something up his sleeve he concluded finally falling victim to an unstable exhaustion. There was not one person in this world, Rei thought knowingly, that would offer so much with out expecting anything in return. Tala was bound to make a request sooner of later and for that Rei felt better prepared. He knew customers like this who would pretend their intentions were good so they could use such facts to their benefit in bed.
-----
Sun streamed through the open curtains the next morning as Rei awoke to the offending sounds of traffic far below clouding the streets. Curious as to what time it was he forced himself to stare down the clock until the sleep cleared from his eyes and he could focus on the burning crimson digits. Surprised he noted it was 11:00 and he wasn't out of bed. Springing up he threw off the robe he had slept in and searched for his clothes which resulted in failure. Instead a pair of worn jeans and simple white T-shirt could be found draped over the edge of the bed. After searching a second time in vain he shrugged and dressed in the set out clothes.
The now dressed neko jin carefully padded across the room and found himself in an even more glamorous great room then he had remembered from the night before. Stunned by its beauty he began scanning it with amazement, careful not to miss any detail from the large acrylic painting of wolves in a winter scene to the amazing statues that were as high as himself.
"Definitely the home of a moneybags." He told himself with a whistle using more common tongue to describe a rich customer they occasionally had to deal with. When no reply came from the hollow apartment he realized that he was alone. Such information both surprised and scared him. One could do a lot with so much at their fingertips and somehow Tala had trusted him enough to leave him alone. Panicked he realized his first instinct was to relieve the man of his expensive possessions and run. And yet something prevented from those thoughts carrying out. Why shouldn't he? Rei wondered with contempt for his morals. From the look of the place it didn't look as if said moneybags couldn't afford to part from a few bucks, but still the neko jin couldn't bring himself to carry out such a ploy. Shaking his head he wearily strode to the couch and feel against its comfort; confused.
Sighing he looked about the room again but was caught by an out-of-place paper on the table. Reaching for it he thought it might provide some insight into who Tala was, however instead the note was addressed to him.
Rei,
Sorry I had to leave early this morning, I left you with some clothes because I took yours to the laundry mat. There should be something to eat in the fridge… -should be- anyway. If you are going out today don't stay out to late I need to talk to you tonight about our deal.
Here it comes, Rei thought with almost disappointment, then shunned the feelings knowing he had been wrong to think that Tala was really too much of a fairy tale saint not to want more to his proposition then he had proposed the night before. Shaking his head sadly Rei continued with the note.
I know what you are thinking.. Rei smirked… yea right, the neko jin thought as he rolled his eyes. I bet you are wondering why I'd leave you all alone in my house when I hardly know you, but I think that the only way to begin a foundation of trust is for me to trust you so that maybe you can trust me. Anyway I have to be going now, my boss… he's the -slave driver- Tala wrote causing Rei to smirk again with amusement. I'll be home around six so try and make sure you are there, I'm not paying for you to go out and cheat on our contract.
Tala.
Rei placed the note back down and contemplated what he had just read. So he could trust Tala, Rei thought with puzzlement, now that was a laugh. There was only one person he could trust and that was the very same person he was going to see now.
Rei took a last glance at the note still puzzled by Tala's decision to trust him enough. Rei thought that the man should think otherwise and thus took a search of the house for something that would make the redhead think twice before assuming he knew Rei. It was not that Rei didn't appreciate being trusted, it was just that the neko jin hated when people thought they had him figured out and should therefore be taught a lesson. His search landed him in Tala's room where he found a small box sitting on the dresser. Taking no heed to his moral and the voice of reason he invaded the box. A few small trinkets lay gently within as if the possessor had taken great care in their placement. A gold chain caught the curios youth's eye as he reached for it fingering the soft metal with admiration. A small silver cross framed in gold hung from the sleek chain allowing it to appear even more significant. Rei had hardly taken a second thought about the necklace before he had clasped it around his neck and was admiring himself in the mirror.
It would be a tribute, he thought with satisfaction, towards their contract. Collateral, in case Tala was not true to his good intentions.
-----
"Rei Rei!" A voice called out to him cooing the neko jin's private pet name between the two of them.
"Heya Tyka." Amber eyes flashed a smile as Tyson ran up to meet his approaching companion.
"Where have you been!" Tyson asked abruptly worry plaguing his chocolate eyes. "I was worried something happened. And where are your clothes?"
Rei laughed at the boy's rush and pulled him into a loose embrace to calm his fears. "I'm alright Tyson, honest and I'm sorry for worrying you. Come on lets get breakfast and I'll tell you what happened."
"Yea! Food!" Tyson grinned having successfully been distracted. Rei rolled his eyes at his navy haired companion and followed after him to their usual diner.
"Toast and jam." The neko jin requested politely as he found the two of them some seats, "and a cup of tea please."
"The works!" Tyson exclaimed happily hungrily eyeing the grill behind the counter.
"Tyson!" Rei hissed hesitantly receiving a strange stare from the waitress. "We can't afford that," he continued lowering his voice so only the starving youth could here him.
"Wanna bet?" the 'starving youth' asked grinning as mischief sparked his gaze. He winked at his companion then pulled out a small stack of bills and smiled at the waitress. "And-" he added elaborately, "a strawberry milkshake with two straws." Then too Rei he winked again, "I like my date to have a good time."
The waitress just nodded keeping her thoughts to herself as Rei took his own turn to gape at his partner.
"Where did you get that!" Amber eyes bore in to Tyson's own as the neko jin demanded an answer.
"A customer." He replied with a sparkle in his eye.
"A tip?" Rei asked curiously.
"Mmmm…Yea guess you could call it that."
Rei just shook his head leaving the youth with his secrets.
"Anyways," The navy haired youth questioned Rei after their meals had arrived. "What happened to you last night?"
"Well… After you left I kinda had uh… a… fight…" The neko jin told his partner looking down somberly.
"Are you alright?" The other demanded his eggs benedict practically projecting itself from his mouth.
"Say it don't spray it," Rei teased humorlessly. "And yea I'm alright." He answered calmly, sipping his tea and telling Tyson about his evening, however left out the part where Tala had placed the jacket over his shoulders and then when he had stolen the necklace. Tyson gaped at the offered money but managed to wait until Rei had finished to begin asking questions.
"So what do you think he wants from you?" Tyson pondered still shoveling down his breakfast followed by sips of milkshake to help digest it.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I mean what kind of guy offers me that much money without wanting to reap any benefits."
"He must be trying to butter you up."
"That's what I'm afraid of." Rei agreed giving his partner a saddened downcast look. "He is either really good at pretending to be the perfect human being, or is."
"I don't mean to sound harsh Rei Rei," Tyson interrupted suddenly pausing from his meal to appear serious, "but don't have your fantasies cloud into our reality. I would love to see you treated nice for once but unfortunately the fact is…" Chocolate eyes misted over as Tyson gave a weary look out the window and sighed miserably. "The fact is we aren't going to live happily ever after." He finished with a dejected tone.
Rei nodded equally melancholic. It just wasn't possible to have things actually work out for them. Some called them prostitutes, others; whore or slut. Rei preferred the term failure, whereas Tyson always joked about them being 'merely attracted to both sex and money so why not have the best of both worlds.' The two of them had survived this long together and would continue to survive this way until either sanctuary or death found them, their future was uncertain and critical.
Rei raised his dull golden gaze to Tyson's faded chocolate and together they shared a eloquent sigh as they reached for one another's hand.
-----
"Tala! Focus." Kai Hiwatari practically shouted to the tired redhead as again his thoughts led him away from their meeting. "Whatever you are being so distracted by; eliminate it! Bryan Balcov is coming tomorrow, do you have any idea what this means!" The fiery bluenette demanded rhetorically.
"Yes Kai, I know he will be choosing someone to be his representative-"
"And I don't need you to make me look bad." Kai interrupted glaring at the placid man who seemed uninterested in the current conversation.
"Kai, if I may," Tala asked cautiously, "you say this yet you forget that I also have the chance at this promotion."
"Like you stand a chance." The bluenette laughed bitterly rolling his eyes at the thought. "You are pathetic and irresponsible. I do most the work around here and what do you do?" yet another one of Kai's infamous questions that surely had no need for an answer. "You," he jutted his index finger towards Tala, "feel sorry for the little men and their little businesses that we buy and turn around and make profit on. Don't you get it they are the little men that big men like us get to step upon on our way to the top."
Tala sighed probably for the millionth time since getting to the office that morning at twenty past eight, only to be greeted by Kai and his flare for an angry temperament. So that, he pondered miserably was his business in nutshell. His business bought little businesses, that couldn't keep their head above water, for dirt cheap, then flipped it to a big corporation who would develop it into a franchise and pay them big money. Basically Tala was making his life by ripping off and stealing.
"Are you even focused here?" Kai asked the lethargic redhead who had lost himself once again amongst his thoughts.
"Kai its no big deal, Balcov has come before and we have survived so I think we can handle it again."
"Do you have someone to bring to dinner tomorrow night?" The bluenette asked cutting Tala off from his encouragement. "I told you to find a date."
"I'm working on it." Tala responded awkwardly suddenly interested in his tie.
"What do you mean 'working on it' I have been telling you for weeks that this dinner could make or break us and here you tell be you couldn't even do one simple thing."
"I told you I was working on it."
So why was Tala in this business? Mr. Niceguy, protector of the weak and one who would rather be a school teacher. A long time ago before this business had ever began, Kai and Tala had been friends. They had spent most of high school together and had later gone on to be accepted into the same university. Tala had been laid back and willing to explore all possibilities but Kai was ambitious and it wasn't long before he was dragging Tala down his road. Tala had followed willingly, trusting Kai and wanting to support him, little had he known that there business would bring him here.
Ignoring Kai again he leaned back on his chair and observed the skyline from the window. He let his thought roam as the temperamental bluenette paced the room tapping a short rod against piecharts, graphs and such. He wondered what Rei liked to eat and tried to figure out what he could bring home his stray for dinner. Should he cook something, take out or order in. He wanted to give the neko jin a good impression of him after all. What had he been thinking? he remarked suddenly not only had he brought home a stray prostitute off the streets but he had left him there home alone today. He silently groaned hoping that maybe if he showed this much trust in Rei it might be acknowledged.
"You are dismissed." Kai announced suddenly disrupting Tala from his thoughts, he had forgotten about Kai and his endless rants but was all to glad to leave, so with that he took his departure whispering things of poles and places they shouldn't be.
"And Tala," The bluenette told his retreating business partner. "I'm only doing this for our own good." he added softly.
Yea right, Tala sighed rolling his eyes closing the door behind him.
Kai sat in silent for a few moments contemplating the unconstructive conversation he had just dominated when he heard a soft rasp a the door.
"Come in."
"You called for me?" A melodic voice asked, the aqua eyes behind the sound pierced deliberately.
Kai watched as his guest entered the room and in a swift moment had settled himself atop Kai's desk in a strong determined manner.
"Yes, I need you to clean up for tomorrow. I'm taking you out." Kai instructed his companion avoiding direct eye contact.
"Kai," the voice smiled menacingly, "how many time have I told you that such just can not be done. I am who I am and it is you who pay for my company and service so therefore should accept me for that. If you would rather not pay me and prefer that I find someone else who can afford my independence then be my guest."
"Damn you Brooklyn." Kai swore staring down the stubborn redhead. "Who do you think you are?"
"Mmm, interesting question Master Hiwatari," Brooklyn laughed enjoying his psychological game that he often played. He enjoyed playing with his customer for he knew no matter how offensive he was to him they would still pay. "I am but yours," he grinned seductively lifting a finger to Kai's lips before allowing it to slip south. "I am exactly what you take me for: a prostitute, a whore, your sexual slave but not an escort. So if you want me at dinner tomorrow I will be dressed the way I am now."
Kai cursed Brooklyn's headstrong attitude, knowing that if he had half a mind he would just forget wasting his profit on this man and find someone who actually cared a little beyond sex. Still something about Brooklyn… He sighed but accepted his companion.
"Fine meet me at six tomorrow we will take a limo from my apartment."
"It will cost you." Brooklyn responded and having not relinquished his mischievous finger decided to become a little more passionate.
"It always does." The bluentte replied sullenly.
----
"Rei?" Tala asked the seemingly empty house as he opened the front door laden down with several bags of take out. He hadn't known what his stray would like and thus brought home several different foods. "Rei, please tell me you haven't left." He added slightly disappointed. Who had he been to think he could cage the youth he had just met. He had been ridiculous to even expect Rei to still be there when he returned.
Loneliness danced around the empty apartment as Tala set down the packages on the living room table before falling back on the couch.
"Damn." He cursed worried that maybe the neko jin had taken what he could and left but-
"Tala?" A sleepy voiced cooed softly from the door way to the master bedroom. "Sorry I came home and fell asleep, haven't had a nice bed to sleep on in a while."
Suddenly filled with relief he smiled at Rei. "Sorry did I wake you?"
"Nah I was just resting." Rei lied, but came to sit down next to Tala anyway curiously sniffing the warm air surrounding the bags that sat upon the table. "What's that?"
"Dinner." Tala smiled happily handing the onlooker a paper plate, plastic utensils and chop sticks. "Take your pick. I ordered Chinese, Italian, Mexican and Greek. We are eating fancy tonight." He laughed sarcastically referring to the disposable dining wear.
"I see that." Rei responded with a withdrawn tone. "This is all nice and all but I'm more interest in this business proposition you have for me." The neko jin spoke bluntly.
"Oh that." Tala awkwardly sighed. "Mmmm… alright then." He muttered as if reluctant to approach the topic. "Well I guess the best way to say it is to be blunt and here it goes. I had a reason for asking you to stay a week and seeing you last night just kinda seemed to answer my prayers."
"Oh?" Rei asked curiously ignoring, with some effort, the steamy food upon the table. "How so?"
"Well you see the president of our division is coming to evaluate my coworkers and myself for the next week and well… It would make me look responsible and committed if I had a significant other."
"You want me to be your boyfriend for a week?" Rei blurted out quite startled by the request.
"If it won't be too much trouble." Tala added for assurance.
"You will pay me three grand just to pretend I'm in love with you?"
"Something like that."
"Um… alright. I guess we both gain from this so yea I'll do it."
"Just one week and all I ask is that you be my boyfriend, I'll ask for nothing more, however also nothing less. This is business so try and stay true to that." Tala informed Rei who responded dejectedly.
"As long as you get to know me before you insult my loyalties." Rei replied with a scowl, with contempt for the prejudices that followed his career.
They ate dinner in silence speaking lightly only after the meal was cleared. As Rei was preparing to go to bed Tala stopped him.
"Would you mind if I took you shopping tomorrow?" He asked.
Rei paused and watched Tala carefully seeing now that this man couldn't accept him for what he was and thus wanted to change his appearance. Every once and a while Rei had this from a customer.
"Because I bet after you were groomed a little you could be a cute little cat." Tala smiled. "I just figured you might enjoy a little T.L.C."
Rei smiled back brushing his bangs from his face. "Alright," then for an after thought he added as Tala turned for the living room; "do you want me to sleep on the couch?"
"Nah kitten I got it. Have a good sleep." He winked then gestured Rei to sleep.
Hope you liked just a lot of plot set up so soon we'll move on to the real deal. Please help with my Tyson problem. lol. I will update soon!
