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

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"I lied about my weight once... seriously don't do that. I swear, magazines and media outlets must keep a running track of my weight!" Akihiko teased, leaning against the wall now too and watching people go this way and that with things. "Yeah, I'll cook. Don't I always? Gods forbid we let Ruki do it." he joked before spotting his partner not too far off. "Speaking of which... RUKI!" the musician waved the other man over. "I sent Yammi-san to lay down for a while so if you want to run through Returner again, I'll be on the guitar while we sing. That alright?"
After all, it WAS Izzy's song tonight.

"I'd like to speak with him yes but... not here. Not now either. I... well to be honest, Soto-san, I've been thinking about hiring Oreo to work for me outside of the PIT." Why not broach the subject while he had the other man's undivided attention? "If he develops a relationship with Naoko, all the better because I might be able to glean information about my rivals through him. But more importantly, I need someone who can manage my books. I've been using temps from work mostly for that and for organizing my budget... but I'd rather have someone on my payroll doing that for me. Oreo told me he was an accountant before coming here. He's actually just what I need... and luckily I've still got an extra guest room at my house. I'm sure he and Kaito-kun would get along well too."

 

[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..

"Hah...Ok no weight lies. Got it. Oh yeah...umm...Ishi-san cooking anything but toast is a recipe for disaster. We'd starve. Or he'd burn down the house." Michi was finally back to normal again as Akihiko started yelling after Ruki.

"Oh....Yes, we should." answered Izzy as he walked over to the two men."I heard that from Nozuma too. The rest of the band is out there so I'm fine with working through the song again. So how are you going to play flute and play guitar? Are you going to try a yoga pose and do both at the same time?" he teased then started dragging Akihiko to the stage.

Soto sat there listening to Katsu's ideas. "Mm...well it is true he was an accountant. We sometimes get people like that here. Ones that others want to disappear." Soto knew a little of Oreo's history because the man was a hellion when he was brought in. Full of fight. He had to learn quickly about life in the Pit. But Oreo was smart and adapted to Pit life. Soto thought that revenge probably fueled Oreo's inner core to a degree.

"If you take him out of the Pit, we'd have some disappointed clients certainly. However, they all know that some pets do get bought off every now and then. Oreo probably would do ok on the outside world. He's smart and knows how to play the game but I'd make sure that you trust him. Test him first and make sure he follows through. If he gets in a relationship with this other man, emotions can change people. But I think he'd get along with Kaito. Kaito gets along with most people. He's a good follower and Oreo is more an alpha type male. Probably the reason that NAKO finds him attractive. He's definitely an uke." Soto closed the laptop and set it aside waiting to hear more from Katsu.

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

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"I didn't play the flute the first time, baaaka." Akihiko replied, poking Izzy's forehead with one finger. "You wanted me to sing, remember? You missed the boat on me playing the flute tonight. Sooooo I'll sing and play the guitar and maybe we can work out this timing thing, ne?" he asked with a smile before glancing at Michi again. "So, how are you going to occupy your time while we're all hard at work?"

"Test..." Katsu tapped his chin for a moment as he thought. "Kaito-kun didn't get a test... course at the time he was about to get murdered by Mister Psychopathic Surgeon so..." he scratched at the back of his neck slightly, really wanting to scratch his head but knowing that would hurt like a b***h right now. "I don't know what sort of test to give him... But I read him some... and he seemed like the type I could trust. There was something inside of him that reminded me of Kaito-kun, even though both men are very very different. There's the plus side that he idolizes Ishihara You too so I'm quite sure that could work to my advantage as well. After all, stepping out of line would make the shark rather angry... and... well... I know first hand... that wouldn't be a pleasant experience for Oreo in the least. But... if I can get him to develop a relationship with Naoko... that would prove that he can at least follow orders."
The bat laughed softly, "Is he more of an uke than me?" Katsu teased, biting the end of one nail. "Okay so it's not as sexy when you can't see my eyes..." he frowned playfully.

 

[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..

"Well I know that!" Izzy forehead moved back as he got poked, "HEY!!" He rubbed the spot afterward and Michi laughed.

"Maybe Narcissus can be a one man band tonight and let the crew off. Play the flute with his toes and the guitar with his hand while bent up like a pretzel so he can get that flute to his lips. Oh yeah and he has to sing too...so you can sing the notes on the breaths your not playing the flute." added Michi, as he wrapped an arm around Akihiko's shoulder.

Izzy started giggling at that point. "Oh my....he'd be so cranky afterwards. And I'd surely need photos." Yes, that would be quite a Kodak moment! Izzy was bright and cheery after that comment. "So....Yes, I do want you to sing. I suppose I'll get to hear you play flute again another day."

"Ah...as for me, I'm going to go over the dance moves with Kayla on the off stage while you and Ishi-san do your thing. Since stage one has sand all over it, I think we're dancing on stage 2 tonight too." he chucked then said, "Kayla thinks we should all were beach shirt and swim trunks tonight."

"Totally up to you Katsu." said Soto as he stood up from his chair to stretch. He really had been sitting far to long. "Yeah if he idolizes Ishihara You, that will probably keep him in line. #1 is very capable of doling out punishment and I doubt that Oreo would want his disapproval. Might upset him more than punishment. Of course, Oreo really hasn't ever spoken with #1. Just lucky enough to watch him work I think." he chuckled a little, "Not sure what Oreo finds so interesting about Ishihara You. Oreo's not...well I don't see him as an assassin."

"Yeah, if he can get into a relationship with Naoko then that probably would ease up a few headaches. And as for ukes....um...yeah right now you're not more uke than him. It's definitely the eyes." He patted Katsu lightly on the back. "You'll have to earn the title back when you're feeling better."

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

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Azriel sighed, "Earning titles is hard work..." but then he smirked, obviously teasing. "Ne, Soto-san... I've been thinking... well... actually I've been meaning to ask... ano..." okay so Katsu seemed a little nervous about this. "Have you always known who I was or... or was it just recently? I mean because you said you've known Matsumoto-san for a long time and you both seem like good friends so..."
Curious bat... or perhaps really a curious kitten... sometimes it really was hard to tell.

"Ah... no." Akihiko deadpanned then raised one eyebrow at Michi. "You just want to watch Kayla-san in a bikini. Don't deny it. I personally would rather not be shirtless in public just yet because why in hell would I wear a shirt with swim trunks? Let me build up some muscle again, baaaaka." the musician smiled slightly before grabbing Izzy and pulling him in front of him.
Narcissus turned Lucky around so the man was facing Michi. "Besides... then the whole world would see this and I'd be jealous." he teased, indicating that everyone would see a shirtless Izzy on stage. "Might have to steal him away mid-song." he laughed softly. "I can see it now... me just running on stage from the side and tackling Ruki into the sand. Mmmm.... nope." he clapped his hands on Izzy's shoulders then let go. "Not gonna happen. Knowing me I'd accidentally take out Yammi-san too and he'd get pissed because his ribs hurt."

 

[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..

Izzy chuckled when Akihiko mentioned Kayla and Michi blushed. "Who wouldn't want to see her in a bikini!" exclaimed Michi with a broad grin. "And it would be close up too. You're ruining the fun, Akihiko!"

"Awh...well there is nothing wrong with wearing a floral beach shirt over swim trunks." Izzy pointed out as he poked at the lack of Akihiko's muscles before he got spun around. "Wait! the whole world would see me!? What? You're worried they'd see my chest? They aren't going to be seeing anything else!"

Michi burst into laughter then teased, "He's worried that you might be more muscular than he is right now. But I can just see you running on stage doing a flying tackle on your manager. And yeah...Yammi would kill you. I'd just sit in the back and make out with Kayla. Seems like the best defense for me."

Izzy stood there looking up at both men, "You both are terrible...terrible and troublesome. We should go practice before Kayla puts any other ideas into Michi's head." His finger wrapped around Akihiko's and he started pulling the star to the stage. "I hope Yammi gets to feeling well enough for tonight. He's not the type to take naps like this so he's probably really feeling bad."

Upon on the stage. Jaz was testing the disco ball and running through light sequences as he strummed on Yammi's guitar. "Ok....so that rift is good. Set the system to replay so we can see what it recorded."

The lights started flickering and the disco ball slowly spinned sending light everywhere. There wasn't any music right now but Jaz was counting the beat and watching the changes.

"Mm...Well, I was brought in after you were already here and had..mm..suffered under the Doctor. I suspected you might be related to him and tried to keep you out of trouble but you were always into things. You remind me of him as a young man in some ways by actions. Your eyes at least are like his. And I remembered there had be a woman in his life." Soto sighed. "One day I did confront him about you. And it took him a bit to answer as if I had really touched a terrible wound. Then not long afterwards he pulled you out of the Pit. And put you on stage."

He ran a hand through his graying hair. "I guess that doesn't pitch me in a good light. But I'm not a good man. Can't be running a place like this, can I."

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

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"No... you're a good man." Katsumi replied softly, smiling slightly as he spoke. "Or else you wouldn't want to change the living conditions here at all. You tried to keep me out of trouble... try to keep other pets out of trouble too. In my book, that makes you a good man. Not a saint by any means... but then again, neither am I."
Azriel went silent for a little while, thinking over what the man had said. "I should be grateful to you then... for poking at that terrible wound." but then the young man laughed. "My eyes, ne? Are you insinuating Matsumoto-san has uke eyes?" the bat teased as he took another sip of tea. "Just because you're master over the darkness, doesn't mean you're the darkest thing in the shadows... and it doesn't mean that deep down you're a bad person. It's your job, ne? Whatever punishment you've dished out to me in the past, I deserved because honestly I can be a serious pain in the a**." he laughed. "I mean sure you can sit there and tell me that you're changing the kitchen because it's all for the betterment of the clients. But the change kills two birds with one stone. The clients are happier because the pets are happier. You help the pets and thus help the clients. Nothing wrong with having two motives."

"I can see the headlines now... 'Narcissus-san out sexied by his manager! Compare the shirtless photos for yourself!'." the musician teased as Izzy started pulling him back toward the stage.
The young tiger shook his head, "Yes well he took pain medication and that will make him nap. I'd rather he not be in agony all day if he doesn't actually need to be there. Still... who would mug him? That's still a bit... odd. Luckily Yuuji got the security camera footage last night so he's turned that in to the police."
Blue eyes lighted on Jaz who had his back to him. Feeling beyond mischievous... Akihiko snuck up behind his stage engineer and wrapped his arms around him from behind.
Only... he actually put his hands on the guitar, playing rifts slowly so the man caught between him and said instrument could take note of the changes in the lighting. "How's it going?" Narcissus asked, continually to methodically strum the guitar slowly... course he didn't exactly let Jaz go either.
Being taller than the other man certainly helped.

 

[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..

"Mm....that could be possible right now. Hey Michi, maybe we should do swimsuits. I'd get some great press that way!" teased Izzy as he dragged Akihiko to the stage. He really wanted Akihiko to get back into shape soon. Because there would be points that the shirt would have to come off...at least on Akihiko.

"Yeah I hope Yammi gets some good sleep. Maybe they will cat the criminal or at least find our stuff." Izzy said as he watched Akihiko slip up behind Jaz.

Jaz blinked and was very surprised when Narcissus wrapped his arms around him. He wasn't exactly sure what to do stuck between Narcissus and the guitar. "Umm...well. Narcissus this is all sort of sudden." Looking down at the arms around him strumming along. "It's going well. I was making sure this instrument was sending the proper signals to the lights. Do you like it?"

Izzy shook his head as he stood there then crossed his arms. Narcissus was a terrible imp some days.

"Yeah...definitely not a saint. Can't see myself with a halo." smiled Soto slightly And maybe Azriel was right to be grateful but Soto wished he had questioned things early than he had. "There's a lot of things I'd like to do to make the Pit a better place but...it's best not to talk about all that here."

"And you're right, I'm not the darkest thing in thing in the Shadows. There are other things far more dangerous than me." agreed Soto while wondering if the Doctor's hit man was anywhere near by.

"But at least you're out of here making an honest living now. Save me a lot of trouble having to figure out how to punish you for your severe naughty streaks." he chuckled for a moment imagining all the times that Katsu got in his hair. No wonder he was almost completely grey now.

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

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"I do indeed like it. Can you do this with a keyboard too? I mean, is the system versatile enough to do it with any instrument or does it have to be a guitar?" Akihiko asked, strumming a few more notes and seeing the lights change before he let Jaz go and walked around him. Blue eyes took in Jaz and the guitar. "Too bad you can't fill in for Yammi-san." he teased. "But I'd hate to stick poor Yammi-san in your lighting booth... the results might be catastrophic."
Narcissus walked over to Izzy and put an arm around the man's shoulders, using him as something, or rather someone in this case, to lean against. "When you've got that set up, Jaz-san, let me know. We need to run over 'Returner' a few times and I'll need that guitar you've got."

"May-hap I complimented too much?" Katsumi asked with a soft smile. He knew Soto was just trying to shrug it off... that was just the type of man he was. "Oi, I didn't cause that many headaches... but it is kind of hard to punish someone who enjoys punishment for the most part, ne? And some of those times were totally not my fault, you know. Besides... we all learned from my mistakes. If you're going to go at it rough and hard... might want to keep the psycho tied down." the bat teased, laughing at it now.
Because he was alive he could laugh at it.
Well... he could laugh at some of it anyway...
Lithe fingers reached up and touched the bandage around his head gingerly. "I bet this looks awful..." Azriel pouted suddenly, thinking about his appearance. "I don't like extensions... they give me a headache... but now I'll have to wear them..." he sighed, thinking back to something Soto had said earlier. "Ano... you're probably right. PIT conversations are best had in the PIT without eavesdropping walls. I'll have to come to your office once I'm better."

 

[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..

"It was doing it last night with Ko and his keyboard. I didn't have it quite right for the guitar last night. But tonight it will be. I have to reset the board for this new keyboard but it should work just the same way. "Well, I can't play as well as Yammi but I can play a little. But no..you don't want Yammi dealing with the sound board or the lights. Been there...done that...never again."

"Oh yea, that was the night you got sick during the opening act and Yammi tried to help out. Several years ago...I remember that." Izzy patted his lip with a finger and nodded. "Yeah..Um...I almost forgot that...Yeah, lets not have him do any of that work...ever. It's like me trying to cook. Maybe worse."

Jaz laughed, "You can take the guitar now and practice if you want. Might be easier on me to fine tune things on my end." He pulled off the guitar and walked over to Narcissus to hand him the guitar. "No you can't use Izzy as a mic stand tonight, Narcissus-san." Jaz chuckled as he started to walk off noting how Narcissus was leaning against Izzy.

"You caused your fair share. Look at my grey head of hair and count the number of times you were trouble." There was a bit of humor on Soto's breat as he spoke. Oh he seriously believed that the boy was a glutton for punishment. "Maybe you weren't always the one making the trouble at first but you surely added to the amount of trouble at any given moment. You couldn't be easy to deal with like Kaito-kun."

You look find for a boy in bandages. So don't think much about it. You'll be out of here soon enough." reminded Soto while he took in a large yawn. "As soon as Izo is up, I'm going to go upstairs and get some sleep while I can. Tonight is looking to be a busy one now that the holidays are over."

"Alright, we can discuss things then in a more private setting." he agreed although didn't set a date because he wasn't sure when Katsu would be able to return.

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

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"Gomen, Soto-san... I would say you didn't have to stay but..."
But being unable to see, and having Izo asleep... even if there were guards... it worried the bat greatly.
After all, secret passages seemed to be everywhere in the depths of the PIT if one knew where to look.
"Kaito-kun is easy going. He helped me a lot yesterday actually... sometimes I think I trust him more than I trust my pet." Katsumi said, confiding that thought in Soto. "Granted I don't think I'll ever forget the fact that he almost threw up all over Ishihara-san. That was ******** priceless. When I couldn't walk, he carried me... and when I couldn't stop shaking he warmed me up again. Kaito-kun is... my first real friend. When I met him at my house, when he was with the Doctor, I read him, you see. I saw his heart... how he didn't have the ability to become what the Doctor wanted in an apprentice... how he would end up a discarded shell of a man once that madman was finished with him. So, because I could trust him... because he could trust me... I saved him." Azriel smiled softly, thinking about to his first days with Kaito in the house. "I like to think that that is my greatest achievement to date. More important than my songs... And... I like to imagine that my family would be happy that I saved his life... that I made a friend."
Sighing, Katsu leaned back against the pillows, getting comfortable again. "I can't wait to tour... to see just how much Kaito-kun has learned. He's working so hard learning to be a stage manager."

"That bad huh?" Narcissus asked, taking the guitar.
Then he dead panned and did a double take at Jaz. "But it's my daily fantasy, Jaz-san!!! Onegai?!" of course Akihiko was teasing.
Quickly he moved so that he was behind Izzy and the guitar was in front of the man, much like it had been with Jaz earlier.
"See? Wouldn't this be a much better way to sing a duet?" the musician teased, playing the main melody line for 'Returner' as he kept Izzy pinned in front of him. He sang a few lines, though he wasn't being too serious with the mock performance.
"Ruki, the hands-free mic..."Akihiko laughed softly.

 

[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..

"Yes...umm...we lost money on that show." Izzy sighed remembering what a mess it was. But then his eyes widened as Narcissus started begging Jaz.

"Wait NO that will NEVER Happen. Not in a million years! Your Daily Fantasy is going to be long unrequited fantasy!" Wait! Stop that!" Izzy squirmed as he tried to get out of Akihiko's arms but was pressed into place. "I'm not a hands free mic!" Izzy complained and balled up his has as he finally was able to squeeze out of Akihiko's grasp. But his face had a smile on it even if he seriously would NEVER be Narcissus mic!

Jaz chuckled, "Nope....not unless you get 10000 of your fans to send in a big request for umm...Izzy the Hands Free Mic. Then I'll help you get Izzy on the stage myself."

"No...No...JAZ! No way not even the fans are getting me on stage to do that!" squawked Izzy as he wagged a finger at both men. "We need to be practicing our song not talking about 'Ruki the hands-free mic that doesn't exist and never will'.

Michi at the side of the stage was leaning against the wall laughing his butt off. "Narcissus, you should Tweet that to your fans!"

Izzy glared over at Michi and the finger shot his way, "NO!"

"Yeah, I know. I'll stay here for now until Izo gets up." Soto started pacing around the room trying to wake himself up some. He had no doubt of the reason why Katsu didn't want to be alone. If the Serpent was sent in, it would only take an instant and then eternity. Soto still doubted that the Doctor was willing to go that far. There were way to many other dominoes that would make impacts if the man were to attempt to kill while Izo was here. "So you'll have to keep talking so I don't get too sleepy."

"Yeah...Kaito-kun doesn't like to cause trouble or be in trouble so he's a good person if you need someone you can trust. His mistakes will be through ignorance not malice." Soto sighed, "Kaito-kun made a mistake of taking the Doctor's offer but getting outside is a very tempting lure. Fortunately you were there to keep him from falling too far. I bet he's worrying about you and studying very hard. You've probably made a friend for life."

"I'm sure he won't disappoint you. But he'll need time to have the experience of a tour because book smart only goes so far." yawned Soto and then he stretched yet again. "One day I want this place to smell like roses rather than bleach."

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

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Akihiko pouted, "You're no fun, Ruki." he teased before winking and making his way over to the microphone.
"If you want to practice so bad get over there." Narcissus said, pointing to the other mic. "Or else I'll seriously consider tweeting that." the musician added with a wink.
Would he actually tweet that?
Probably not.
But it really was a tempting thought...

"Roses? I'd much rather it smelled of Lavender."Azriel pipped up with a half smirk on his face. "Or maybe... I wonder if you could make it smell like a fresh baked cake..." he thought out loud, thinking over the different sorts of smells. "But then I suppose that would just make me hungry. Anything would be better than bleach."

 

[Kaikoloren]

What a shock, it was so surprising,

You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:-

Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB


"No fun? Oh? I am?" He teases right back and started to laugh while Jaz looked back at the two.

"Ut oh...You could get into a whole lot of trouble for that, Narcissus." chuckled Jaz as he left the stage.

Then Izzy walked over to the other mic. "He's always in trouble, Jaz." His fingers slowly caressed the mic running up the long stem and to the mouth piece. "I'm ready when you are. And....you better NOT tweet anything. Or I really won't be any fun."

His lips just barely touched the edge of that mic in a light brush. Yes, he was purposely teasing his partner knowing that Narcissus could do nothing about this right now.

-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do


I grabbed the tiger by the tail!

Soto walked back over and sat down on his chair again. "Yes...if it smelled like cake all the time everyone would be always hungry. No one would get any work done at all if they wanted to eat all the time. For a moment, Soto closed his eyes, "Ah...Katsu....Man I'm just a little...."

Then Soto was silent and slumped in the chair.

They had never known he had entered the room. His progression inside was slow and so carefully achieved as he lay in weigh like a snake in the grass. There had been enough shadows due to the dimmed lights. Enough obstacles that hid the means of entry.

Shizuka reached up and slowly touched the edges of Katsu's cheek before carefully running his fingers over Katsu's lips as if to say 'Shhh.'

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

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"But cake smells so good and..." Azriel's voice went silent as he noticed that Soto wasn't saying anything else.
Panic crept up into Katsu's mind and he opened his mouth to ask what was wrong... only to feel a light touch upon his cheek... gloved fingers running over his lips.
He swallowed hard, barely resisting the urge to scramble away backward as far as the bed would allow. Eyes bound, the poor bat was blind...
And the man in the room was as silent as death itself.
"O...onegai..." Katsumi whispered so softly that it seemed like nothing more than an exhaled breath.
Under normal circumstances he would've welcomed this dark distraction.
But here... now... vulnerable...
'Otousan... Izo... gods please wake up... onegai...'
Again Azriel's lips moved, though this time no sound came from them. 'Please, don't kill me, Shizuka-san... onegai...'
Of course if the snake had looked down at the kitten's claws... well... he would've noticed that they were tense and ready to strike if he had to try and defend himself.
He and Shizuka had played this game before... this game of blind faith... but at the time, Katsu had some form of control.
Here... in the depths of the Doctor's hell...
Well...
There was a reason that guards were outside and that the spider himself slept on a cot not far away.
Izo...
'Please, don't hurt Matsumoto-san, Shizuka-san... don't hurt Soto-san...' came another silent mouthing with his lips.

"What if you let ME be your mic stand then?" Akihiko asked with a raised eyebrow, stretching his fingers along the frets, blue eyes fixed on his partner.
On those hands so lovingly caressing that microphone.
"I wonder what sort of notes you'd get out of my lips... don't you?" the young tiger teased. "I've a headset on too... so it would be so easily for you to sing... into my mic..." he added with a seductive wink.