Hello everyone, how are you?
Thanks for waiting patiently and the encouraging comments and reviews. I'm on a short break from work so managed to squeeze in a chapter!
Enjoy!
The last month had flown by in a dizzying blur of seemingly endless introductions and meetings. Lavi had gotten to the point where he could feel his brain grow numb from the mountainous workload he had to get through.
On that first bewildering day, when Lavi had been unexpectedly elevated from the ranks of the unemployed, he had been dragged around two of the three Noah's Ark stores on a personal tour by Tyki, the company's finance director. The man seemed altogether too happy about leading the little meet and greet that Lavi suspected Tyki was evading doing any actual work that day. Lavi could only shake his head at the laid back character of the senior management team of Noah's Ark.
Since then Lavi had been given his own workshop in a warehouse behind the main flagship store, and a design team. It was here that Lavi spent most of his time. When he was not in one of those never ending design meetings or doing his agreed one day's work on the shop floor, Lavi could be found in his workshop scribbling page after page of sketches that were just not good enough. Alongside all this Lavi had also been handed a deadline. With only four days left to create a dazzlingly new concept brief and buy in the autumn lines, Lavi was feeling the pressure.
It was no surprise then when Allen Walker found the exhausted red head knocked out behind a stack of precariously stacked boxes in the men's stockroom. There were dark bags under Lavi's eyes that gave away just how much the last month had taken out of him. He sighed at the sight and rearranged some of the boxes to better hide the sleeping man.
The manager on tonight was Link and if the paper pushing try hard saw this he would throw a fit. Lavi was too likeable to let him get called out by Link. Plus the poor guy looked like he really could do with the few extra minutes sleep, the store had already closed and Allen was more than capable of clearing up by himself. He would come back and wake Lavi when it was time to lock up.
"You alright back there Al?" Allen turned to shush Chaoji as the man lumbered in carrying an overflowing tote. Puzzled, Chaoji pulled a stark white earphone out of his ear and raised a questioning eyebrow. "What's up?"
"Nothing, here let me help you." Allen reached out to take the box, but Chaoji shook his head and made to drop the tote next to the boxes. "Okay just be careful Lavi is -"
Unfortunately Chaoji had his back turned to Allen and did not see the boy wildly windmilling his arms.
The box dropped to the floor with a heavy thud sending tremors through the floor. Allen watched horrified as the tower of boxes tilted, swayed and finally toppled over onto the unsuspecting red head.
"Chaoji!" Allen rushed forward, frantically throwing boxes aside. Chaoji pulled the other earphone out, now not quite understanding the low pained groans coming from under the wreckage. "What the -?" As if he had seen a ghoul, the man backed away from the wriggling boxes.
A ruffled red head emerged from the pile, laughing, completely unperturbed by the demolition. "Relax Allen, I'm not dead or worse concussed," Lavi joked, batting away the concerned store worker as he fretted over him.
"How is concussed worse than dead?" Allen asked incredulously.
"Concussions hurt." The red head smiled at Chaoji who was still in shock at the other end of the stockroom. "Is he going to be okay? Nothing broken Chaoji, see?"
"He'll survive." Allen reassured Chaoji and rolled his eyes as the man nearly jumped out of his skin when Lavi over dramatised a shoulder strain. Mercifully Allan waved Chaoji back out onto the shop floor as Lavi chuckled at the poor man's expense. However Allen caught a fleeting grimace pass over Lavi's face as he tested the joint where a rather sharp corner of a box had hit him. The shoulder must have taken some damage after all.
"Lavi," Immediately Allen regretted his tone. The mental wall that Lavi threw up was almost a visible change. "Is everything alright?"
"What?" Lavi said off handedly. He cringed at how obviously false he sounded but the last thing he needed right now was an agony aunt to share his woes. "Yeah, yeah, everything is fine. Shouldn't have taken a nap back here, just a bit tired. Sorry."
"Not calling you out on laziness, but sleeping in the stockroom is a bit much. Are you getting enough sleep at home?"
"More than my fair share mate." Lavi flashed a winning smile. If Allen had not just caught the man napping he would have almost believed the lie.
"Hmmm alright." It would be best to let the matter drop for now. Or at least approach from another angle. "The deadline is coming on quickly now? Kanda won't admit it but he's a little nervous that you haven't even started any tailoring yet."
"Let's get out of here, Link is probably trolling the cameras right now wondering where the heck the men's department staff are hiding." Despite the loud protests from Allen, Lavi took the boy by the shoulders and forcibly steered him out of the stockroom and away from that particular conversation point. "You can tell Kanda to keep waiting like a good little boy… Maybe choose some different words though. I'm not entirely sure if Kanda hates me or if he's secretly in love with me?"
A sharp jab to his midriff and Lavi doubled over clutching his stomach. "Bloody hell Allen, you're elbows are sharp!"
"Just bringing you back to reality." Allen chuckled. His expression softened as he took a glance around the quiet shop and looked back at Lavi. There was not much left to do anyway. It had been a rather slow Saturday. Customers had a sixth sense for bargains and were most likely anticipating the coming mid-season sales. "You may as well head off now Lavi. Chaoji and I can take care of the rest tonight. Just get some sleep alright."
"Thanks Allen, appreciate it." Lavi patted Allen on the shoulder. There was a reason this kid was employee of the month.
"Yeah, yeah whatever just get out of here before Link does the rounds." Allen mumbled humbly. He made a mental note to tell Kanda to get off the new designer's back as Lavi disappeared around the corner in the direction of his workshop.
Once outside, Lavi felt a lot better. The breeze blew through his hair massaging his aching head ,leaving him cool and refreshed. Grateful for the peace and quiet Lavi slowed his pace to take advantage of the lack of bustling customers. Still it was only a short walk to the warehouse, round the corner and through the alley between Noah's Ark and the sports store next door.
The warehouse was a large open space that had been previously used as a docking bay to unload stock deliveries to the shop. Now that the company had an in-house designer, the space had been split in two. While it was still used as a docking bay, there was now also a design room with a number or workstations and a huge white board stood behind the desk that Lavi had chosen as his personal space. Along one side of the room, standing to military precision, was an army of dress forms.
The only signs of use were the open folders and cluttered sheets of paper on his table. Lavi ran his hand over the top of a sewing machine and reflected on just how painfully bare the room was. Everything was all so clinical and impersonal.
And really something had to be done about that whiteboard. He picked up a black dry wipe pen and drew little chibi versions of his team. There was Kanda and Lulubell looking glamorous and in the background Doug was trying to stop Daisya from kicking a scrunched up ball of paper at an unsuspecting starry-eyed Jonny. Cute avatars of Reever and Miranda held each other near tears under a grandfather clock. With a grin Lavi added himself napping at the base of the clock.
"If only the board accepted whiteboard comic strips instead of design briefs eh?" The red marker in his hand jumped and in his haste to turn around he dragged a horrible scribble across his avatar. On the other side of the table stood Tyki offering an apologetic smile. "Didn't mean to sneak up on you."
"What are you? A ghost?" Lavi exclaimed.
"Sorry?" Tyki replied, not sounding very sorry at all.
"Don't worry a ruined doodle isn't the worst thing that's happened tonight." Lavi said lightly and rubbed the board clean. Tyki stood a little straighter, concern flashing across his features. Lavi looked away quickly, those bright eyes still made him a little uncomfortable. "Let's just say I've learnt to never close my eyes for too long in the stockroom. What brings you down here anyway? It's a a bit late for a meeting."
"I just wanted to catch up with you before your day off. How are you getting on with the brief? Deadlines only a few days away." Tyki perused the papers on the table top. Was he avoiding eye contact? "These look good Lavi, however am I right to assume these are all on the reject list?"
"Yeah…"
Tyki sat down on a stool, "Lavi, sit down." Lavi awkwardly followed the instruction. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, anxiously anticipating what could have bought on this late talk.
" Lavi we know this is your first major project. There's quite a lot of pressure on you," Tyki rested his chin on his palm. "It doesn't have to be that way. There's a lot of help available to you, you just need to ask for it."
"I know but," Lavi began, though he did not know how he wanted to finish the sentence. Unsure what to do with his hands, Lavi played the cuffs of his shirt. Fold, unfold, repeat. "But I just want to make it perfect. The brief was pretty vague: classic chic, original and in line with existing brands. I don't want it to be boring, you know."
"Fashions not so difficult, Lavi." Tyki cut off Lavi with a lazy wave of his hand. "The public, and the board, would have you believe that originality is what they want. It's not. The truth is they don't like change. What they do like is variation. Classic chic doesn't have to be boring. Everyone loves retro throwbacks every now and again don't they?"
"What are you saying?" Lavi tried to make sense of what Tyki was saying. He had been hired because he bought originality to the company. However, thats not what the company wants him to achieve with them in the long run… "Sacrifice originality for marketability?"
"Not exactly," Tyki said slowly fixing Lavi in his gaze. "We're not a runway project Lavi, we're trying to make waves. I don't mean to say throw originality to the winds, just find what works and do it… differently."
"I see." Lavi nodded along. It made sense. He had been going at from the angle that he had something to prove. The contradictory outline of original classic had thrown him far of course. At the heart of it Lavi just wanted to showcase his talent, but that was not the point of designing for a retail store. In the whirlwind of creativity he had forgotten the business.
"Above all else Lavi, just take a step back and let it come together on its own."
"I know, I guess I'm really over thinking it all." Lavi said weakly, looking down at his lap. The past month he felt like he had been chasing ideas around his head like butterflies that kept slipping through the net. I don't want to let you down, Lavi said to himself. The thought took Lavi by surprise. It was not that he was trying to prove himself, but he was trying to prove himself worthy of the trust Tyki had put in him when he hired him.
"Listen," Tyki reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a bundle of envelopes. He slid the pack across the table to Lavi, who picked it up tentatively. "I haven't had a chance to come down here much, you settling in alright?"
"Feels a bit too big in here sometimes…" Lavi pushed back on his stool to stand up, looking around at the bare walls.
"Then fill it up." Tyki said simply. "Here I thought I'd bring you your pay check. And there's also a list of companies we have worked really well in the past and contact details for some great minds we've co-ordinated with off the books. Just something to give you a bit of juice until the final deadline."
"You didn't have to. Thanks." Lavi felt a rush of feeling at the gesture. "But it's a bit short notice now isn't it? Doubt these people will appreciate a call on a Sunday."
"They will be available. I have no doubt about that." Tyki said firmly meeting Lavi's gaze. Lavi felt as if Tyki was looking right through him, he focused on gathering up his notebooks to dispel the discomfort. "How are you Lavi? You don't look like you're getting enough sleep."
"I'm fine." The statement was turning into a mantra this evening, Lavi thought to himself. "Just the end of a long week."
Not taking that for an answer, Tyki walked around the table and held a cool palm against Lavi's forehead, his other hand securely cupped around the back of his head. Lavi gasped at the sudden contact.
Lavi's brain seemed to have stopped working. Being so close to Tyki was like holding a magnet over a circuit board; Everything stopped. Inside his chest Lavi's heart beat out a drumroll so loud the blood roared in his ears. The notebooks he clutched tightly in his arms were the only barrier preventing the rapid thumps reaching Tyki's ear. With such close proximity was it any wonder that his body temperature was rapidly increasing.
"You're hot." The deep rumble of Tyki's voice washed over Lavi.
"Thanks, I do try to be modest." Somehow, somehow god had blessed Lavi with enough reserve brain cells to put the witty quip together.
Tyki did not seem to find it funny however. His eyebrows knit together closely. "When was the last time you slept properly?"
Lavi ducked out of the grip, simultaneously missing the coolness and feeling guilty as he caught the hurt look on Tyki's face. There was no way the man was hurt about that, he was probably more concerned about the possibility of compromising the deadline.
"What's proper? I've never really slept more than 4 or 5 hours a night. And maybe only averaged about that much this week. It's kind of normal for me." Lavi tried to shake it off nonchalantly.
"I'm taking you home right now." Tyki declared suddenly. "My car is out front. Let's go."
"What? No, I'll get the bus."
"I said, I'm taking you home. It's cold out, you're going to catch something in this state and then the deadline will have to be pushed back."
Of course, the deadline. Lavi deflated and gave in to Tyki's demand. "Alright fine, let me just bag these up."
The pair walked quietly out of the warehouse and back through the alley to the main road. Lavi kept his head down thankful that he had the excuse of illness to avoid the apprehensive glances that Tyki kept shooting towards him. He could still feel the cool weight of that hand on his skin.
"By the way I'm keeping this." Between his fingers was a thin sheet of paper that should still be on his desk and certainly not in Tyki Mikk's hands. Thank goodness for the darkness because Lavi felt his face reach a new level of burning shame. "You must eidetic memory Lavi, I swear you made me even better looking. The interview was barely twenty minutes long. How did you get so much detail?"
"I don't know… good memory?" The picture in Tyki's hand was a sketch of the finance director studying the art portfolios at the interview. Lavi was veritably mortified. When had Tyki even swiped the picture from the table? "I do random drawings to stress relieve. Don't get any weird ideas or anything."
"Hey I didn't have any, but now that you're so defensive…" Tyki wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. and threw an arm over Lavi's shoulder. "If its stress relief you're in need of, just give me a call."
"You are so weird!" Tyki must have a gift. He was the only person Lavi knew who could go from intensely cool to complete douchebag with such speed. He left the man laughing behind him.
"Come back, I'm only joking. Lavi!"
Lavi spotted the black coupe and reluctantly waited for Tyki to catch up. He was not about to turn down the free ride home, even if he had to endure the perverted idiot.
"Lavi!" A different voice called out to him. From the entrance of the store Allen waved energetically, beside him stood Kanda as thunder faced as ever.. At least one of them looked happy to see him. Allen dragged Kanda over and Lavi had to admit he was a little bit frightened by the expression the model was wearing. "How come you haven't gone home yet? Do you need a lift?"
"Oi Moyashi! We are not driving him home!" Kanda growled. Allen rolled his eyes and continued brightly despite the objection. "The next bus is going to be awhile. Come with us."
"That won't be necessary Allen, I'll be the chauffeur tonight." Tyki walked up behind the small group. "Happy to see you too Kanda. Does your boyfriend ever smile Allen?"
"Sometimes, just not in public." Allen shrugged happily. "If you guys are going together, we'll be heading off too. Goodnight."
Kanda had other plans, however. He stood rooted to the spot. "He's coming with us."
"Excuse me?" Tyki raised a confused eyebrow at Kanda's sudden change of heart. Lavi and Allen exchanged puzzled glances. Both of the men beside them were staring intently at each other.
"I said I'm going to drive this idiot home." Kanda said.
"Is that so?" Amused by the challenge Tyki proceeded to unlock the car. "I thought I just heard you say you weren't going to let Lavi into your car."
"Hey!" Lavi interjected, "First of all, I'm offended Kanda. And second don't fight over me, I'm flattered but…"
"And what about Lulubell? She's sitting up there in your office waiting for the lift you're about to give to him." Kanda smirked smugly.
"Damn it!" Tyki muttered under his breath as he looked up at the office conflicted. Lavi's stomach did a backflip, leaving him feeling queasy. "I can drop you home first…"
"We can get you home faster Lavi. Come on, let's go." Kanda ordered and started to walk off.
There really was not much of an option, Lavi was not going to let himself become a third wheel. He shrugged half-heartedly at Tyki and followed Kanda and Allen.
"Kanda, a word." Tyki called out sternly after the trio, causing the model to let out an annoying huff.
"I won't be long." Keys rattled quietly as Kanda handed them over to Allen and walked back to the tall finance director. It was difficult to make out what was being said. Tyki stood with his back to Lavi and Allen. His broad shoulders towered over Kanda and completely hid him from view.
"What do you think that was about?" Allen asked quietly. The pair peered out of the windows of Kanda's car trying to spy on the two men.
"No clue." Lavi scratched his head. the little exchange had left him baffled. "Stop staring he's coming back." They quickly shuffled back into more natural positions in their seats; Allen in the front passenger seat and Lavi at the back.
"Everything ok?" Allen followed Kanda with his eyes. Whatever happened it seemed like Kanda was happy with the outcome.
"Perfect. Let's go. Put your belt on!" Lavi jumped at the snapping tone and the dark glare he was receiving through the rear view mirror. Grudgingly he fastened his seat belt. The raven put his foot down and they sped off leaving Tyki behind.
Lavi could not explain to himself how he felt about what had just happened. Sure Tyki was annoying and made inappropriate comments, but he had shown tonight that he was also a considerate manager. Tyki was also fun to be around. Hearing he had a date tonight with Lulubell Noah, the stunning face of Noah's Ark, was more than a news bite — it was a punch in the gut. He pushed the feeling to the back of his mind. There were bigger things to worry about, namely the board meeting which was now only 4 days away.
Nevertheless, Lavi found it difficult to pinpoint when he had started to view Tyki Mikk as more than just the finance director.
As ever, please let me know what you think. Good or bad. Every little helps!
Until next time! :)