[+][L-N+][P-UL] ~ SHOUNEN POP - 少年ＰＯＰ ~

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

With Michi gone, Yuuji smiled at Akihiko. "Tanaka-san and I are going out shopping. You should join us. I'm sure there's a lot on Rodeo that would look fantastic on you and..."

"Urusai."

The word wasn't a request, it was a command. Yuuji knew what was going to happen... at least in part. But he couldn't really predict exactly what his cousin would do.
He never could... as hard as he might try...
The inner workings of Akihiko's mind had locked themselves away from everyone a long time ago...

One hand motioned for Yuuji to come closer... and he did, more on instinct than anything else. The danger and charm that was simply rolling off of Akihiko was staggering... a skill that Takagi knew he'd picked up from Aki himself somewhere along the way, no doubt.

When Yuuji was about a foot away, Akihiko picked up the contract packet in his lap and handed it to him. "Izzy signed it this morning." Narcissus spoke coldly, his voice betraying not even a hint of emotion. "I'd put it down if I were you, Yuuji-kun..." he added, even as the other man reached for the packet.

Carefully, Takagi set it on the table. "Look, Akihiko... I know a lot happened last night, Aki told me, but..."

"Urusai."

Standing from the chair, Narcissus took a step toward Yuuji, now looking directly into his cousin's eyes.
Face to face...
Of course Takagi noticed that, thankfully, that cane hadn't been picked up...

"Tell me what you know." Akihiko spoke coldly, offering no room for his cousin to back out of this one.

Yuuji held his hands up, "Look, I just do what your grandfather tells me too, Akihiko. Really. He tells me some things, makes me figure out others, and..."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!"

Even Takagi couldn't help but wince at the harshness in that voice. He absently scratched his head. "Well... I know Aki's medical history... and I know Asato went and blabbed it to you, which is why this whole damn mess started in the first place. I mean, you can't really blame me for following orders, can you? He didn't want you to know and..."

The movement was even too quick for Yuuji's eyes to follow. Normally, under these circumstances, he wouldn't have let his cousin get the better of him. After all, Akihiko was still injured no doubt, and he wasn't in the peak physical condition that he had been before his accident, so he shouldn't have been able to get the upper hand.

But...

Narcissus moved swiftly, one hand grabbing Yuuji's collar while his leg swept the man's feet out from under him. A knee went down and without even batting an eyelash, Takagi was pinned to the floor, looking up at his cousin's rather blood-thirsty eyes.

"How long have you known?" Akihiko asked with frightening calm in his voice. "How long was that b*****d keeping these things secret from me? How long have you been watching, Yuuji? You know, don't you? You know who started this entire ******** mess and you're keeping it under wraps as some ace in the hole for that ungrateful son of a b***h... aren't you?" his words weren't shouted... but the venom behind them was nearly palpable.

Yuuji opened his mouth to deny the words, but his cousin's grip on his collar tightened harshly.

"I'd think before lying to me, Yuuji... kun..."

Takagi licked his lips. "I've been following you since he disowned you." the man spoke plainly. "I've seen who hurt Lucky. I've seen who hurt you. But I'm not keeping silent for your grandfather. I have my reasons."

"Do you hate me that much?" Akihiko asked in a whisper of surprise.

Yuuji shook his head, "I hate what you became. I hate THIS side of you, yes." the man spoke honestly, his dark gaze never backing down. "I'm doing this to better you... but I have my own selfish reasons as well. Aki might not care about your feelings but I do! Do you ever think things through? Yuriko-chan would have hate what you've become and you..."

"Don't you dare say her name." Narcissus replied, barely restraining himself from punching the prone man on the floor. "You're keeping secret the identity of the person who nearly killed me! Nearly killed Ruki! That old b*****d tried to use that information to force him to sign that damn contract! You've known this entire time that he was dying, that this was all some ******** game of his! How the hell can I believe anything you say?!"

Swallowing hard, Yuuji reached up and grabbing Akihiko's wrist. "Because I wouldn't betray you and you know that. You and me and Yuriko-chan... we were always together. She loved you... and I loved her. I would never willingly hurt the person she cherished most." he licked dry lips and continued. "I couldn't act fast enough to save you. I didn't know about the drugs until the second dose. If I had, I'd have stopped him. As it was, I was giving you the chance to figure out who hurt Lucky. By the time the second round of drugs was used, I couldn't have gotten to you fast enough to have prevented the damage. I wanted to tell you but I couldn't, Akihiko... I still can't... Please... You've both come out of this stronger together. Just let it go..."

"I'll never let it go." Narcissus hissed. "And I can't believe you're heartless enough to think I could."

Releasing Yuuji, the musician stood up. Wearing a white suit meant he couldn't actually get blood on it... and thus...

Even as Takagi was picking himself up off the ground, even as he began to apologize for everything... he didn't see the first hit coming. The handle of the cane impacted with the side of his head and Yuuji staggered backward. His eyes focused, just in time to see the second hit and go down to one knee, blood trickling from a cut to his forehead.

"You're lucky you're family, Takagi." Akihiko spoke coldly, slamming the cane into the side of Yuuji's head again and knocking the man to the floor. "Otherwise, I'd kill you with my own hands... just like I should have killed my grandfather after he betrayed and disowned me."

A final hit of the cane knocked Yuuji out cold. The man might have a slight concussion, and a serious headache when he woke up, but he wouldn't be dead... and it wasn't like it was the first time that this had happened...

Akihiko recalled the tantrum he had thrown as a child after his sister died... Yuuji had been his punching bag then too.

Tossing the cane to the floor, since the blood on it would obviously look suspicious if he left the hotel with it, Akihiko straightened his hat and headed for the door.

He had just opened it... when apparently Michi returned...

 

[Kaikoloren]

Let the Memories of the Evening be...
the first think that you think of------------------------------------------------}:-

Tanaka Michi
Physical Therapist

Fingertips...walking up your spine...a tongue sliding right behind..

The door opened and Michi smiled turned into a dropped jaw and a coat falling to the floor as he saw the body of Yuuji on the ground and the cane not far away. His eyes flicked from the unconscious body to Akihiko. They had lost all that life and cheery disposition turning into a guarded stare.

"What have you done, Akihiko?" he asked with a voice that wouldn't just take any answer as acceptable. He pushed by the star and hurried to Yuuji and checked for a pulse and relieved when he found that Yuuji was not dead.

Michi started to check Yuuji over thoroughly and noted the blood on the cane. "I can't believe....you did this to him. I don't want to believe that you can be so ....dang...cruel...." He checked Yuuji's pupils and then carried him to the bed.

-:{------------------------------------------------when you open up your smile and see me.
...Dark Star.

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Akihiko simply stood there as if he didn't care in the least... which at the moment, he really didn't.
"You're just lucky I didn't kill him." the musician replied coldly, his blue gaze watching as Michi checked the man over. "It isn't the first time he's been my punching bag, and I doubt it will be the last. He deserved it."

He was just about leave when Michi's words about being cruel rang in his ears. "Cruel?" Narcissus laughed, looking back at Tanaka. "You're new to this game, Michi-kun, so I'll let you in on a little secret... I'm not the one who's cruel. The b*****d we both call our boss is." Akihiko did have enough wits about him to close the door after Michi rushed past him, but he put his hand on the knob. "Enjoy your vacation."

 

[Kaikoloren]

Let the Memories of the Evening be...
the first think that you think of------------------------------------------------}:-

Tanaka Michi
Physical Therapist

Fingertips...walking up your spine...a tongue sliding right behind..

"What!? I should be lucky? Oh my god Akihiko this is going too far. What is hurting Takagi-san accomplishing!? NOTHING! You've gained nothing but some sadistic satisfaction from beating the crap out of him!"

"I don't care if the boss is more cruel you're just as bad as he is if you do things like this! I know you've had a hellish time lately and even in the past but what the heck gives you the right to do this? You're just as bad as your enemies when you become violent. They use your anger to their advantage and you harm people trying to help you. I can't even imagine what Ishi-san would say if he saw this." Michi was pissed well beyond his normal limits. He was in shock and he knew he had to take Yuuji to the hospital. He was so mad he wanted to call the police and throw Akihiko in jail. But he had a feeling that Yuuji would deny the charges.

Then he was stung and stunned by Akihiko's words, "Enjoy...my vacation How? You just ruined it!" His eyes reddened with sadness, anger and rage that he tried to suppress quickly. He wanted to return such brutality with kind but he had to be the better man. Michi didn't want to be a hypocrite.

-:{------------------------------------------------when you open up your smile and see me.
...Dark Star.

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Turning, Akihiko smirked darkly at Michi. "Take a swing. It'll make you feel better." he spoke before walking back toward his friend. "I have every right to do what I just did, Michi. Hurting him gets my point across to HIS boss, because I can't even speak with the man anymore."

Purposefully, Narcissus maneuvered until he had Tanaka between himself and a wall. "Aside from the fact that Yuuji hid my grandfather's medical condition from me, which now doesn't matter in the least because the old man can choke on edamame and drop dead for all I care... my dear cousin knows the identity of my attacker... and Ruki's. Yet he won't tell me the details. So... I think beating him unconscious is a fair punishment for hiding the truth, don't you agree?"

Reaching one hand out, he put it on Michi's shoulder. "I've hardly ruined your vacation. He'll wake up in a few hours and the two of you can go shopping and be all buddy-buddy again... that is IF you can forget what I've said."

 

[Kaikoloren]

Let the Memories of the Evening be...
the first think that you think of------------------------------------------------}:-

Tanaka Michi
Physical Therapist

Fingertips...walking up your spine...a tongue sliding right behind..

Right now, Akihiko scared Michi. Was he really friends with a man like this? Did he really....spend such good times with a man like this? "It won't make me feel better. It hasn't made you feel any better...it hasn't...it doesn't solve anything."

His body trembled with mixed emotions as he listened but after seeing Yuuji and the way he had been so recently, Michi didn't see true evil in the man. He couldn't see that Yuuji would hide something so horrible unless something held him back.

"No, I don't agree...because...if I were in your shoes I'd be thinking. Takagi-san is a really smart man and if he's not telling you about the man that hurt you and Ishi-san then someone has forced him to be quiet. And maybe someone else is getting hurt right in front of me. Your cousin maybe be paid well but I don't think he's heartless. I don't think he's loveless. Maybe he's being played just like you've been...or maybe its something worse. And here you are being just as cruel as all those people you hate! How can you gain anyone's trust like that!" Michi eyes teared up as his head tilted to rest upon Akihiko's hand at his shoulder.

Yes, Michi was so new to the game that this had been way too much to add on top of what happened in Hawaii. His hands couldn't even clench for the tremors that passed through them. He had never been in the middle of something like this before and now all that which he thought was Akihiko was shaken. "How...do you think I'm going to forget this? I'm not a gold fish...I'm....not....nobody....I thought...."

He didn't finish his sentence because he wondered if there was any heart left in his...friend....Even if, Yuuji had hid something...was it still any reason to treat himself like this?

-:{------------------------------------------------when you open up your smile and see me.
...Dark Star.

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"Tell those same words to me when the person you love is brutalized, when you yourself are brutalized... when you become a drug addict because of what was done to you against your will... and then we'll see if you still agree that he doesn't deserve a beating for hiding the truth." Akihiko replied, his blue gaze cold.

In truth, he looked at Michi right now as another piece in the game... a piece that was moved by his grandfather in hopes to, no doubt, avoid this situation.
Because Narcissus wouldn't beat a man unconscious if Tanaka were there.
Would he?

"I don't care what's at stake for him, Michi. He's keeping this secret just so Aki can use it against myself and against Izzy. Last night he tried to do just that." Akihiko released the man. "And maybe you're right... in the end I still feel angry, I still feel betrayed... but at least I could let that feeling out on someone I don't love."

He laughed darkly, stepping back from Tanaka so that he was at least a bit less threatening. "Welcome to the world of music, Michi-kun. Where even your own family will stab you in the back if you can turn a profit."

 

[Kaikoloren]

Let the Memories of the Evening be...
the first think that you think of------------------------------------------------}:-

Tanaka Michi
Physical Therapist

Fingertips...walking up your spine...a tongue sliding right behind..

Michi head just hung there as his friend....said things that were filled with hate. Things that Michi knew about, but in his own nature would have chosen a different way to act upon them.

As soon as Akihiko released him, he almost slumped but caught himself and then went over to Yuuji. Here, was a man that needed treatment. He had to think...think about something else. But he couldn't think about anything else.

"I'm going to help Takagi-san now. And ....well...you've said your piece, you've taken your cut, you've become just like the people you despise. Maybe this is just what I needed. A reality check. And now I know how I fit in to this world of yours." his words lost fire and almost their sound as he looked down at Yuuji before walking into the bathroom to get a wet towel.

Upon returning, he just glanced at Akihiko, "I'll be taking Takagi-san to the hospital so you should leave and do whatever it is you planned on doing today. Once he's released, I'll make sure he gets on the plane for home. I'm sure that his family wants him back before Christmas." He didn't say how he'd be resigning or breaking his contract...whatever he had to do. He didn't say how this was going to be the last time he'd speak with Akihiko. He didn't say...how much Akihiko ruined his dreams and stabbed him in the back. No...the words would fall on deaf ears anyway. There was no point in talking when no one was listening.

Looking down at Yuuji he started wiping away the blood, then reached for a phone. He'd probably call an ambulance.

-:{------------------------------------------------when you open up your smile and see me.
...Dark Star.

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

A hand reached out and grabbed Michi's wrist... but it wasn't that of Narcissus.
"Don't... I'm fine..." Yuuji said, sitting up gingerly. "He just knocked me out is all... it could've been worse."

And before, it had been.

Takagi smiled slightly at Michi. "Arigatou, Tanaka-san, but this isn't the first time I've woken up with a concussion before." sighing, the man moved just enough to swing his legs over the side of the bed. "And as much as I'm guessing you want to cut ties and run right now, kid... you're already in too deep. Isn't he, Akihiko?"

From the doorway to the bedroom of the suite, the musician nodded. "I doubt you or ojisan would let him off the hook now. He knows too much... am I right?"

That smile remained on Yuuji's face. "You're not as stupid as you act sometimes." the man sighed, wincing as his fingers touched the cut. "But you hit harder now than you did when you were ten... let me guess, your suit's white and you didn't want to get blood on it."

Akihiko just smirked in response.

It was then that Takaji focused on Michi again. "Look, he had a right. I'm protecting the identity of his attacker, of Lucky-san's attacker. I'm doing it for Aki but for another reason that I can't disclose... and no I'm not on the payroll of someone else. Your grandfather," he pointed at Narcissus. "Is the only man who I accept money from. I spy, Tanaka-san. I'm a bodyguard yes but I know a few tricks and I collect a helluva lot of information for the old man. Within the next two months, Aki will no longer be wish us and Hiroki will be taking over Ohayou... but the secrets I keep for your grandfather," his dark eyes focused on the musician, "Will remain with me... and as much as I know you'd love to just torture the information out of me, cousin... you know I wouldn't break that easily if it were something important."

Akihiko's eyes narrowed and he studied Takagi for a long time. "Prior to all this happening.... you haven't been home, have you?" he asked casually, arms crossed over his chest, that dark smirk firmly in place. "This has to do with them... doesn't it? Someone's using them to get to you and keep you quiet."

Takagi only shrugged in response. "I can't tell you yes or no on the fact. I'm protecting what's most important to me... just as you are."

There was a span of silence between the two men. "You're lucky the cane snapped in half." Akihiko hissed, which it had. He'd meant to keep beating the man with it. "Make sure that Hiroki gets a lot of protection when he gets off that plane. Ojisan's bodyguards don't need to guard that b*****d anymore. Focus on Asato. I'll protect what's mine to protect."

Blue eyes flickered over to Michi and the musician's smirk faded. "You shouldn't be caught in the middle of this power struggle. When we get back, I want you to throw yourself into work, Michi-kun. The more valuable you can appear to be to the outside world, the more valuable an asset of Ohayou's that is, the safer you'll be in the long run."

"It'll start soon." Takagi warned, his gaze narrowing.

Akihiko nodded, "And to think I'm dragging Ruki into the line of fire again..."

But his cousin just smiled, "He signed the contract. He knows what he's doing."

"Does he?"

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

Ryu woke up to a particularly loud crash of thunder, finding himself totally disorientated by his surroundings.
What was he doing, sleeping here in this chair? Everything around him seemed pale, almost surreal.
Everything that had happened seemed dreamlike...transient. Thin, ghostlike memories came to him from all directions
as he blinked and rubbed his eyes.

Naoko was here. He remembered that. Hell, even if he hadn't remembered, he could just feel that the pianist
was somewhere in the house.
Probably asleep, judging by how late it seemed.

Getting up, the violinist made his way to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator door and taking out the carton of milk,
chugging a good amount of it down before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and placing the carton back from where it came,
closing the door and leaning on the appliance tiredly.

Back to sleep, Ryu thought sluggishly, intending to slumber in his actual bed this time.
Making his way back down the hall, the vocalist pushed his door open, only to find Naoko in the midst of an obvious
nightmare.

A frown made its way to the akuma's lips, twisting his visage into a near-sneer. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he obviously felt
that the blond brought these nightmares on himself, and after all he'd been putting him through, he damn well deserved
them.
Of course, Ryu being Ryu, he almost immediately felt guilty about his reaction. It wasn't Naoko's fault. He shouldn't be so selfish.

Without a sound, the violinist slipped silently into the bed and took his lover's thin frame in his arms, wiping away
sweat and tears carefully.

"No need to cry, innocent angel..." he half-sang, half-whispered, "Have a sweet dream, my angel..."

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

kawaita tsumori ame ga tsuzunaku katari kakeru
namida wa seijaku ni...samayou yoru ga akeru

"Middle-Eastern fairy tales? Well...I don't really know much of those. I know more of English fairy tales than I do
Japanese, even. That's what I'm basing this on, you know. And even with a servant following along all the time, what are
the odds that they would always have an umbrella or covering on hand at all times!" Chiyou grinned, giggling a little.

"So, even in the event that there were a carriage, let's say, like you said, it'd most likely only have room for one, and who
ever heard of Prince Charming showing up to a rescue in a carriage? I mean...that makes almost as much sense as him showing up
in a Lincoln Continental to fight a dragon. I promise you that car won't do him much good in that situation..." the kid's eyes
wrinkled around the edges as he beamed, thoroughly enjoying this nonsensical conversation, his heart finally feeling light.
Reaching over, he pulled the straw from his water into his mouth and sipped,kicking his feet back and forth happily
under the table.





karada o tsutau ame ni furueru awai omoi
guren no yuuwaku ni...samayou yoru ga akeru  

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Naoko didn't wake from the nightmare, but the dream did merge itself, turning into a sort of blank space within his mind.
No images or sounds flashed before him... just his beloved's soft voice...

"Ryu..." the blond whispered, snuggling down to get perfectly comfortable in the man's warm embrace. "Aishiteru...."

Of course NAKO was asleep,but he seemed to be thinking those words within his image-less dream and thus couldn't help but say them when the voice brought forth a feeling of safety and comfort.

In truth, with Ryuukaze at his side... Ourmori didn't have another nightmare or even hint of a bad thought all the rest of that night...

"But that would make perfect sense!" Nakai countered. "I mean, a dragon's going to know what a horse is... but a Lincoln Continental? While the beast is distracted with the car, you could slay him far easier since he'll be taking the larger thing in front of him to pose the bigger threat."

The blond crossed his arms over his chest and nodded at that train of logic. "If I had a servant and they didn't have an umbrella or covering on hand when needed... they'd be demoted to footstool or something degrading for a week." he teased with a smirk, sipping at the complimentary water as he waited for his drink.

Their conversation was amusing... completely ridiculous... and a wonderful distraction.

(((OOC: -cuddle hugs you-)))  

[Kaikoloren]

Let the Memories of the Evening be...
the first think that you think of------------------------------------------------}:-

Tanaka Michi
Physical Therapist

Fingertips...walking up your spine...a tongue sliding right behind..

Michi stopped as Yuuji took his hand. "Oh...Takagi-san don't sit up. Man." His thoughts about himself as soon as his patient started to stir. A total distraction. "Concussions aren't something you can just walk off. You're going to stay in bed, Takagi-san." His lips fought of the trembling that coursed through him as he spoke. He wanted to take the man to the hospital but now he knew that wasn't going to happen.

He froze when Yuuji spoke almost reading his mind and then his eyes flashed up to Akihiko when the man responded before returning to Yuuji. They wouldn't let him go? Michi should have realized he knew...too much. But his mind hadn't caught up to that fact until they flat out told him.

As they spoke, Michi remained quiet and he was pale still in shock. It was...kowakute...scary. He actually had some trouble taking it all in and his eyes blinked. He felt almost faint for once in his life and his hand took to the nearby table to try and steady himself. They were taking this so well between each other that it almost was surreal.

So the reason Yuuji hadn't been home was....was....family? The thought flashed through Michi's head and the more they spoke the more Michi was displaced in his own head. "Work? valuable...I...I" He shook his head trying to avoid this overwhelming feeling when the world started spinning around and he started falling backwards.

-:{------------------------------------------------when you open up your smile and see me.
...Dark Star.

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Akihiko was fast... that much Yuuji knew.
But he hadn't actually expected the musician to dash to Michi the very moment that he even looked wobbly.
Thankfully, Narcissus caught Tanaka well before he hit the ground. Standing there, the man held, actually tenderly, in Akihiko's arms... it just looked surreal to Yuuji for a long moment.

"Guess you do care about him too." Takagi spoke, getting up out of bed so that his cousin could lay the man down. "Protecting two at once... it won't be..."

"Wakatta yo!" Narcissus snapped at him as soon as he laid Michi on the bed. "But everything you've got needs to be on Hiroki, Yuuji. If he falls... everything breaks to pieces, because you know damn well that I don't have what it takes to run Ohayou."

Takagi laughed softly, "Well that's true... you'd probably murder half your employees within a month with your temper." he sighed, rubbing the gash on his head.

A gash that Akihiko hadn't apologized for.

A gash that, they both knew, he never would apologize for.

"You know, I was going to buy him some new clothes on Rodeo today." Yuuji said, watching the unconscious Michi as Akihiko headed into the kitchen part of the suite and brought back a glass of water.

"You can still do that." the musician replied, dipping his fingers in the water and then flicking droplets on Tanaka's face in an effort to wake him up. "You've walked around with a concussion before. Just make sure HE doesn't get one."

Yuuji smirked, "Is that why you don't hit him when he talks back to you?"

Rolling his eyes, Akihiko flicked more water on Michi's face. "I don't hurt the people I love. Brain trauma not withstanding."

"You're always going to hate me, aren't you?" Takagi asked, arms crossed over his chest.

Akihiko nodded, "Long as you do ojisan's bidding, I wouldn't mind ripping your throat out with my own teeth."

"Ouch..." Yuuji rubbed his neck at the mere thought.

 

[Kaikoloren]

Let the Memories of the Evening be...
the first think that you think of------------------------------------------------}:-

Tanaka Michi
Physical Therapist

Fingertips...walking up your spine...a tongue sliding right behind..

Michi woke slowly as his mind realigned itself. Maybe had thought he had recovered from the horrors of Hawaii but compounded with previous moments it was obviously something he still needed a little bit more time to heal.

As the water dripped on his face, his eyes flicked open and he curled towards Akihiko's lap. One of his arms slide around Akihiko's waist as his face just hid itself on Akihiko's thigh to get away from the water. A slow sigh escaped him and he just clung to that which he thought he knew.

"Akihiko...you don't hate me...right?" he said half in and out of it as he spoke. "I...don't want..to lose my...friend..." He couldn't be anymore than honest. Michi just wasn't complicated like most people but right now everything struck him harder. He had thought of himself as strong man but with things as they were right now...he could only feel weak inside.

But slowly he was settling as the feeling of warm flesh close by him at least let him know that he wasn't alone.

-:{------------------------------------------------when you open up your smile and see me.
...Dark Star.