Now for chapter 7... not sure on the rating...proceed with care...
Disclaimers:
I don't own anybody. Only my characters and the storyline for this fanfic. Obviously if I could own a real person, Ren would be totally and utterly MINE!!! Oh! and we would be making kittens just about now instead of me writing this! Nyaaaaa!!!!! Baicha!!
Chapter 7: Free Drinks and a Stolen Car
By the time they reached their destination, the bar was half-packed. It was a trendy destination for both celebrities and people from the music industry. Apparently Management was truly keen to establish a good rapport with the new company. They were certainly making every effort to impress their visitors.
‘Heck! They are even impressing me!’ Ren thought with irony. Their manager stood up to call them to join the group, drinks already distributed around the well-appointed table. ‘It seems Atsumano-san is well into his cups! Man, the strain must be killing him!’ he smirked.
They made a beeline in their direction intent on enjoying their stay as much as possible. The only empty spaces were just in front of the merger transition team. All of them were toasting to the well being of the new company, full of good wishes and joy. As fate may have it, Ren sat before realizing who was in front of him: the panda-eyed PR girl, Joyce. Too late did he notice her sitting there, smiling like the cat who ate the canary. He wanted to disappear, knowing he was well and truly trapped. He slid down as far as he could without falling, in the absurd hope she would forget about him.
“Gentlemen, May I suggest a toast?” Joyce raised her glass, a wicked smile playing on her lips.
“But of course! Go ahead Rivendale-san!” there was a chorus of agreement among those seated.
“Certainly! Be our guest!” Both Nao and Yuri agreed genially from their places beside a surprisingly silent Ren.
“Ren, your glass!” Nao slightly nudged the koneko on the side to get him to lift his glass. Ren straightened a little and awkwardly lifted his glass with the others. ‘I’m so dead!’ he thought with despair.
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. As representatives of Gilgamesh Records in Japan, and heads of the production team for this merger, we would like to offer a toast for the success of our partnership; small disagreements and mishaps aside” she glanced casually all over the table, deliberately making eye contact with the half-hidden red-head sitting before her.
“And for LiNCLOVER, our best label artists and those who will come later. We must all work together to reach our selling goals. May we flourish and bear ample fruit for as long as our partnership lasts.” She raised her glass, winking at Ren as she sipped her drink. He felt the blood rush madly to his face as he made eye contact.
'The nerve! She is laughing at me! If it wasn’t for that nose and my own guilty feelings, I’d be showing her a few disagreements myself!’ he grumbled.
Immediately Valerie joined, standing proudly for another toast “Cheers! May I suggest another one?” she looked around briefly for confirmation and proceeded with her toast, her eyes slyly going from Joyce to Ren and back.
“Although we’ve been here for only a week, we’ve already had the opportunity to meet interesting new people and places. The start hasn’t been extremely auspicious but it could have been worse, right Joyce? So my toast goes as a heartfelt wish for the safety and prosperity of those present. That what started with a bang may proceed at a more sedate but steady pace.” Sammie gasped softly, smiling nervously, her eyes darting uneasily from Ren to Joyce.
“Hear, hear!” Sammie stood up nervously before either Valerie or Joyce had a chance to react “and I want to offer a toast to the warm welcome our gracious hosts have prepared for us today. We’ve been treated cordially and with respect by the Japanese people since we arrived, little mishaps aside, and we are extremely thankful, right Joyce?” she nervously looked at her friend. Joyce nodded softly, prompting Sammie to continue with a smile. “So, I make a grateful toast for the continued well being of our hosts.” She beamed at those around her.
‘Interesting! Forced smile aside, she’s the diffuser. Perkins-san is the charger and Rivendale-san is the bomb. Wonder what would make her blow… Should I dare test her boundaries? Nya? Of course!’ He smiled craftily, fully intent on finding out. Standing up, he gestured with his glass, looking around at his band mates for approval before straightening to propose a toast.
“Hear, hear, minna! And while we are at it, let’s make a toast for a very productive association! That those things we hope for be granted and we are allowed to prosper. I toast especially our new transition team. May all their little mishaps be taken care of and may they soon get used to living the Japanese way! Cheers!” He locked eyes with Joyce as he said his little speech, a devilish smile curving his lips. He couldn’t help adding “nya!” with an impudent grin, all ideas of reparation completely forgotten.
Around them, cheers and congratulations were being exchanged while Joyce squinted fiercely over her lenses as if trying to read his intentions. Wanting to see him better, she impulsively took off her too dark shades to stare holes into him. She looked closely as his eyes grew wide and he turned a dull shade of red before biting off a curse. It was then she remembered the true reason behind the shades and the extra make up: she tried to mask the extent of her bruising. Refusing to feel sorry for him, she kept her shades off, squaring her jaw proudly.
‘It serves him right! Rude asshole that he is! Let him enjoy his own handiwork!’ She was not going to give him any leeway. A collective gasp rose around the table when they took a good look at her face. She could tell they were all dying to ask her about it but were too polite to mention it.
‘Jeez, haven’t they ever seen a raccoon before? Makes one wonder who will be the first to ask… hope it’s not the Neko, the nose breaker from hell… I’ll kill him if he dares to mention it!’ she thought with a frown. The answer to that question came from the still stunned Ren-san’s left as Nao-san inclined towards her in a conspiratorial manner. Somehow he reminded her of Valerie when she was up to something, making her brace for his comment.
“Rivendale-san, if I may?” Nao queried courteously. She nodded lightly, like a queen bestowing a favor on a subject. “This afternoon at the mini conference held at the office, you said we could ask you anything we wanted as a manner of establishing and securing teamwork, so I wonder, can I ask what happened to your nose?” Nao queried in a mischievously theatrical whisper that everybody struggled not to hear. Another gasp was heard but this time from the nose breaker’s general direction. Murmurs of disapproval could be heard around the table but she could tell they were dying to know.
‘It figures! Curiosity kills them all. Serves me right! Stupid cat that I am! Don’t take off your shades means just that! Don’t take them off!’ admitting defeat she prepared to answer as she felt Sammy’s hand on her thigh, reminding her to be nice. Marshaling her thoughts, she decided to give them the same version her superiors had heard: The clumsy-Joyce attacks-foreign-door story. She grimaced with distaste as she prepared for the expressions of disbelief sure to follow.
“Um, oh, don’t ask that, Nao-chan! Don’t pry!” A nervous Ren chided between clenched teeth before she could answer. Nao glanced innocently in her direction, apparent confusion written all over his goofy face. ‘Don’t think I am taken by your sudden show of innocence, Nao-san! If it weren’t for the fact that you remind me of my 3 yr old nephew, I would be seething right now.’
“But Ren-chan, she said I could ask anything I wanted! I need to get to know her better to be able to trust her judgment. They all seem so nice and approachable! Ne, Rivendale-san?” he looked at her expectantly, brown eyes half hidden by his long bangs. She wanted to strangle him, but apparently so did her nemesis. Things were not looking too good for Nao-san once the night was over… maybe another broken nose? She smiled, waiting expectantly but decided to bide her time to push Nao and Ren for all she was worth. That would certainly make her day!
“Oh, it was nothing, just a close encounter with an ill-mannered door.” She replied indifferently. Nao seemed truly confused as he looked from the neko to her. ‘Bet you weren’t expecting that, eh!’ she smirked.
“Nani ka? Truly?” he couldn’t help adding, glancing at a rigid Ren.
“Yeah, quite a nasty door, actually. Very clumsy for such a small, frail-looking thing!” she retorted wittily, laughter effectively filling her eyes and transforming her face.
“It would be wise to remember, even frail-looking things are dangerous when provoked, Rivendale-san! Also, are you sure you took every precaution to avoid being hit? Maybe you could have averted that clumsy door by, say, just looking where you were going, ne? Don’t you think? As a foreigner to our culture you could have easily forgotten something. Are you an accident prone person?” Ren tried to tamp down his urge to grin foolishly as he queried her, watching with glee as her face transmitted her disbelief.
‘If you think I will let you call me small and frail looking, you have another think coming! I will not cringe anymore!’ He watched her struggle with herself, as she licked her lips absently. It was fascinating the way she was able to bring herself under tight control when he was sure all she wanted to do was smack him in the face.
“Oh! That wouldn’t have been possible! You see, that door was extremely low. Even someone as you wouldn’t have been able to see it. I was surprised when I discovered there are doors like that in Japan, and at a bar no less! Back at home office they told us to expect standard to medium sizes more than the taller ones we were used to, but I never believed they could be so small! Positively dwarfish, if a door can be called so! Obviously, since I’m so tall myself, I didn’t see it coming!” She remonstrated self-deprecatingly, all while enjoying herself immensely. Seeing Ren squirm fretfully looking ready to choke her made her feel wonderfully warm and fuzzy inside.
“Rivendale-san, are you sure we’re still talking about a door here?” Nao queried unsure that was the case.
“Yes!” both looked at him, practically screaming. They glared at each other with poorly concealed fury.
“Yuri-san? How long have you been together as a band? A year? Two?” asked Sammie desperately.
“But Sammie that information was on the introductory merger package you compiled three months ago. Don’t you remember?” Valerie reminded her friend with a confused frown on her pretty face.
“Well… yes, but, ah, I wanted to, ah, confirm the information received from the source, to make sure our informants were correct, ne?” she snapped. “Yuri-san? Ren-san? Nao-san? Please tell us about you and LiNCLOVER!” she finished with a desperate flourish. Yuri and Nao looked at each other because Ren wasn’t paying any attention to them. He was busily glaring knives in the direction of Rivendale-san. Yuri decided to answer while signaling Nao to bring the koneko to heel. A clear yelp was heard as she started talking.
“Well, I’ve been LiNCLOVER’s vocalist since 2001. Before that, LiNCLOVER was experimental music only, no voice. Originally founded by Igao-san and Nao-san here, they were later joined by Ren-san. We’ve recorded three singles and a Mini Disk. But it’s been only recently that we started to play consistently at Live Houses. Before this, we had very sporadic presentations due to conflicting schedules and other engagements.” She looked at Valerie and Sammie with a smile.
Nao agreed and continued, “Yes, our road here has been quite hard but here we are, thanks to our Ren-chan here, who has always been persistent and optimistic especially when we thought everything was over.” He smiled at his friend patting his back. Ren slouched morosely on his chair as his eyes trumpeted a challenge across the table.
“But why recently? What happened to change the pace from an almost nonexistent presence in the market to a solid, rapidly growing band?” Valerie surprised everyone with her question. They looked at each other and laughed. Even Ren jumped from his semi-reclined position, looking at Valerie like she’d grown two heads.
“What? What did I say? Why are you laughing? Did I say something wrong?” she queried confused as all around the table people started to laugh harder.
“I’m sorry, Perkins-san! You caught us unaware, that’s all!” said Ren trying to control his chuckles. “And to answer your question, it was my leaving a prior project that took most of my time, the reason that allowed us to be more active in the musical world. After I left them, we’ve been growing like crazy and I’m very proud!” He added seriously.
“Perkins-san, during your earlier toast you mentioned that you’ve discovered new people and places. I’m curious, which places have you seen so far?” Nao queried
“Ne, Let’s see… we visited the Red Cross Hospital… There are quite a lot of nice people there. Also the Doghouse near Shibuya, I believe! Very cool from what I could see although we didn’t go there to dance. That was the night Joyce’s little mishap with a door happened, when- ” a pained expression crossed her face quickly “Ow! What did you hit me for, Sammie?” she glared at Sammie, then paled and quieted after looking into her friend’s stormy face. Joyce cleared her throat and smiled, commenting tightly on the weather.
“Do you have any pets? I like rabbits” Valerie queried after a pause. They all looked at her weirdly.
“Only Ren-chan does. We call him the Kuroneko-san; a cute black cat that’s quite full of himself. That cat is something else! Although Ren sometimes can be-” a mock punch hit Nao squarely on the shoulder, courtesy of Ren.
“I’m sure they don’t want to know, Nao” gritted Ren
“Oh, but that’s where you are wrong, Ren-san. Not only do we want to know, we need to get to know each other better, ne?” said Joyce with an amused drawl. Ren bristled, not bothering to answer and rudely looked in the other direction while Nao rubbed his arm.
“Kawaii! Nao-san, look at that! It’s Ren-chan’s impersonation of Kuroneko-chan! He always does that when he is offended.” Yuri chirped. Ren flinched and whirled, facial expression giving away his anger. Yuri gazed at him expectantly and he turned back again without a word.
“See? There he goes again! Easy there! Easy neko-chan! We didn’t want to upset you! You know Nao-san was just playing and so was Riverdale-san, ne?” She looked at them both, frowning when she noticed Joyce’s indifferent shrug. Ren stiffened in his chair.
“Don’t mind me, Yuri-san. I can see the truth for myself. You don’t have to explain, I understand.” She smiled sweetly when she saw Yuri’s confused look, before adding softly “It is always good to keep their medication at hand, one never knows, ne?” Valerie started to laugh heartily, making Joyce blush and Ren look up with offended curiosity.
“Pass it one more time by me, that last comment. What was that, Joyce-san?” He queried pointedly, while boring holes in her.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just… don’t you find it stifling here? I’m quite hot!” She fanned herself with a napkin while taking a sip of her long forgotten drink.
“Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, the company is tempting but I think we need to retire. There’s a full schedule ahead of us tomorrow and these old bones won’t stand for a long night of revelry. You may stay if you want to; Ant Hill is picking the tab. So feel free to enjoy as you wish!” With that, the upper management of both companies bid goodnight to every one and left. The lower echelons decided to leave early because they had to work the next day, leaving LiNCLOVER and the new production team alone on the table.
“Ant Hill is picking the tab! Ren, this merits some heavy drinking! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Let’s see how big a dent can we leave on that open ticket, shall we?” Nao stood and gestured for Ren to do the same. Before turning, he stopped and asked, “Would the ladies want something to drink too?”
“Long Island Ice Tea, with extra Triple Sec for starters.” She paused for a second; apparently wincing with pain, “Better make that two.” Sammie and Valerie stared at her eyes wide open in disbelief. Joyce shrugged as she muttered “Headache!”
“Well” Sammie drawled “Irish cream on the rocks for me, then. One of us has to be sober.” She garbled.
“Amaretto Sour here, please.” replied Valerie.
“Same as always, Nao.” chirped Yuri.
Their two improvised waiters left for the bar to order the drinks leaving the girls to themselves. Yuri took the opportunity to go to the bathroom. As soon as she left, Sammie whirled on Joyce.
“Two long islands? What wrong with you, Joy? Don’t let the situation get to you!” she pleaded with her friend
“I want to forget.” Joyce answered sullenly.
“Her only real problem right now has two legs and is one very clumsy red head. Maybe she’s yearning for more of his brand of tender, loving care, ne Joy?” Val joked while taking another sip of her drink.
“In his dreams! I would never be attracted to a midget! No way!” she protested huffily.
“You see, the lady doth protest too much, me thinks!” retorted Valerie with a giggle.
“Don’t go quoting The Taming of the Shrew to me Valerie. It applies more to you than to me! I wasn’t gushing all over a lanky, black haired man I only met yesterday after threatening to kill somebody one of his friends!”
“See, Sammie? She was offended that I threathened her midget!” she teased Joyce with a wink, “Face the truth, Joyce! You are just jealous that your man smacked you on the face with a door as a way of introducing himself while mine was all sexy manners and charm.” She replied
“Don’t provoke her, Val. You know how she gets when she’s pissed.” Sammie cautioned tiredly. Not wanting to spoil her fun, but knowing Sammie was right, Valerie rebelled and made a face at her instead.
“And you, Sammie! You are also jealous because a blond girl-look-alike grabbed your butt and then didn’t do much else.” She laughed naughtily.
“That most certainly is not true! I didn’t want him to do anything else, what he did was more than enough! That faggot!” Angrily, Sammie swept her hair off her face and lightened a cigarette impatiently.
“You see… you liked him! And you wanted a piece of his cute ass! His eyes may not be the best feature but that ass… and he seems to be very well endowed!” Val retorted tongue-in-cheek.
“I did not! Allow me to inform you that I couldn’t notice if he was well endowed or had a nice ass, Valerie. I was too busy taking care of Joyce, if you care to remember unlike someone else I can mention. Also, let me tell you that for me his eyes are his best feature! He makes me think of Droopy!” realizing what she just admitted to, she stopped talking as Joyce started laughing at her.
“Yes, laugh now, you traitor! You are a good one to laugh, getting all high and mighty, very defensive when all you really want to do is jump the poor red head’s bones! Val’s right! You do want him!” Sammie all but screamed, highly incensed.
Joyce sputtered, a coughing fit temporarily rendering her speechless. Yuri returned and seeing Joyce coughing went to look for water.
“You are… *cough* *cough* evil! You faggot *cough* lover *cough*! And you *cough* *cough* gigolo whore! *cough* *cough* I will not *cough* forget your *cough* words! *cough* I am not *cough* one bit interested on *cough* midgets! *cough* Understand?” she finished angrily.
“Gigolo whore? Masa’s not a whore! No, that’s right, he’s the gigolo I’m the whore! Hey! That’s not fair!” Val faltered, and then looking possessed she grinned evilly. “You shall see!” Valerie muttered. “Look at my nipple and fear me!” she whispered nastily before starting to laugh crazily when the guys arrived with the drinks. “I want to suck your blood,” she muttered in a thickly fake Transylvanian accent.
“Who wants to suck my what? That sounds interesting, nya!” Ren said, an interested expression crossing his face. He set the drinks he was holding on the table and sat down to wait expectantly for his answer.
“Yeah, Val. Whose blood *cough* are you sucking tonight?” Joy said as she swallowed some of the water Yuri brought her.
“Why, Joyce! You already know! Masa-kun’s blood!” Val replied sassily
“Masa-kun? Nani ka?” Ren said taken by surprise. “Are you sure you want to suck the Usako’s blood? Honto?” He looked at her trying to gauge the truth of her words.
“Yes…” she nodded sassily “I want to have Masa-kun’s warm blood on my tongue! After all I’m a vampire!” she added nastily, licking her lips softly before taking a drink. A stunned Ren stared at her with amazement. After a pause, he composed himself and shrugged carelessly.
“Well, I‘d be more than happy to call him if you want!” he said taking a sip.
“Would you?” Valerie asked disbelievingly.
“Why yes, he’s my friend. And I know he’s quite interested.” He added meaningfully.
“Yes, please Ren-san. Call up your friend! Have him come here. I want to see her tell him that to his face!” Joyce took a sip and arched a brow in his direction, while he looked at her intrigued.
‘She’s talking to me? What does she want?’ he thought with trepidation.
"Ok” he said simply, taking out his cell phone and starting to dial the number from memory.
“No! Stop! Yamete!” screamed a panic-stricken Valerie, her drink sloshing all over her hand. “Aw, guys! Look at what you just made me do! Now Ren go find me another one and leave your cell phone here!” she ordered imperiously.
“And Ren, since you are going again to the bar, take Nao with you and bring us all another round.” Instructed Yuri.
“Hey, I’m not the bartender, nor the waiter to be taking your order!” he protested
“Ok, ok. I understand, stop complaining! You are right, it’s too much for you to bear without some female company! You can take Sammie or Valerie with you instead of Nao-san if you want!” Joyce called magnanimously from her place, “After all, with you gone, I can get to know your band mates without further interruptions!” Insulted, Ren gaped like a fish as she shooed him away with Sammie.
“Hey! Stop ordering me around, Joyce!” Valerie snapped
“Why don’t you go with Ren, since it seems you are the one interested in having a drink, ne?” Sammie complained.
Ren stared incredulously from one woman to the other. He couldn’t believe the gall of the gaijin neko. Choosing to ignore the deliberate provocations, he replied. “Uh, don’t worry, Sammie-san, Valerie-san! I don’t need help! I can go by myself! Stay both of you!” He left quickly before they changed their minds. Yuri and Joyce laughed at his retreating back while Valerie rounded the table and raided his place to sit between LiNCLOVER. Trying to avoid another confrontation, Sammie hurried after him, deciding to befriend the harassed koneko.
**********************************************
After a few hours of heavy drinking, smoking and talking, they were ready to leave, at least that’s what Yuri told Nao to get him to move from where he was snoozing on top of the table.
“It’s time already! Ren-chan you too! We have Temptation’s recording session tomorrow afternoon, you know. Maybe it’s a good idea we left.” She pushed Nao over, making him slide spinelessly to the floor.
“Nao-chan! Wake up! Move! Nao-chan! This is the last time I let you drink yourself under the table! Paid drinks or not!” she chided when she saw him curl under his seat.
“I… lemme ‘lone! Motto… dakishimeru… mmm! Sugoi! That bikini… Iie! I’m hungry!” he muttered unintelligibly as Ren doubled up, hooting crazily.
“Nao!” she pinched his cheeks to get him to open his blood shot eyes. “Move! Now!” Nao stood with difficulty, barely keeping himself straight. “Stop laughing, Ren! Are you coming with us?”
Ren sobered immediately, stood up with care and walked around the table toward Yuri coming to a stop beside Joyce’s chair. Yuri was looking as confused as Joyce felt when she saw him move silently.
“Ne, Yuri-san! You really do know how to capture a man’s attention!” he purred lovingly coming really close to her.
“That’s it, hentai koneko! You’re staying!” she pushed him onto an empty chair and looked at the girls sitting on the same side of the table. “Can I rely on you to take care of him? His car’s at the studio although he shouldn’t be driving tonight.” She finished impatiently.
“Don’t get mad, Yuri-san! I’m joking, that’s all! I’m fine! You know I’m just fine! Want me to walk, nya?” He tried to stand quickly, almost sprawling over Sammie. “Oops! Sorry Sammie-chan. The floor’s moving!” he slurred self-consciously as he straightened.
“Sure, koneko-chan! You are more sober than Joyce but that’s not saying much as she is almost falling off her chair!” she laughed, and took a sip on her drink.
“I feel really bad, Yuri-san. I need to go soon!” eyes wide open, Nao slapped his mouth with his hand.
Immediately Yuri paled under Nao’s weight and left suddenly towards the bathrooms. “Please take care of him! I have to go! Bye!”
“Bai-cha, Minna! Tomorrow will be there, to record Tempting! Hey, nya! I want another drink!” Ren added as an afterthought holding onto the table for balance.
“Me too!” Joyce seconded
“No more for me! I’m too drunk.” rejoined Valerie from her side.
“No more for any of you! You are all too drunk!” Sammie declared
“But it’s free! I’m not paying, Sammie-chan!” he cajoled
“Yeah, he’s not paying and neither are we, Sammie! So let’s drink some more, ne? Pretty please?” Joyce said coaxingly batting her eyelashes.
“No, I said no!”
“Oh, come on! At least one teeny, tiny, tequila shot? That’s small, we can share!” Ren wheedled convincingly.
“Yeah, that’s small. But make that two, I’m not putting my lips anywhere his have been!” Joyce retorted impishly
“You have no problem kissing your bosses’ ass, so why mind now?” he slurred.
“Ok! Two more drinks to go! Do me a favor Ren, sit here and watch Valerie. OK? I’ll go pick up your drinks and some coffee for her.” Sammie went and ordered two new drinks extra heavy for her friends before settling the tab. “There you are!” and sat near Valerie, trying to wake her enough to give her some coffee.
“Argh! Fzzztt! What’s this?” Joyce demanded after tasting her drink “gasoline?” she looked around for Sammie.
“Ne, it sounds familiar. Let me taste yours!” Ren asked curiously.
“Really? Then let me taste yours!” suspicion clouding her eyes, she squinted leaning in his direction.
“That sounds like a game I used to play a lot when I was younger. I show you mine, you show me yours… Are you game?” he queried softly.
“It depends on what I stand to gain with it.” Joyce answered coyly while glancing at Sammie who was busily taking care of a sleeping Valerie.
“Pleasure, pure and simple, Joyce-san. When dealing with me, all you gain is pleasure. Sheer pleasure, nothing else.” Ren whispered hotly, looking at her intensely.
“Whoa! You seem very sure of yourself, Ren-san. Its very tempting…” she studied his handsome face with care, taking in his provocative smile and the promising glint in his eyes. Impulsively, she made her decision, “Yes, I’m game! Let me taste yours!”
He handed her the drink after taking a sip, waiting for her to taste his drink. Joyce took the drink in hand, and spurred by the devil himself, she turned the glass around to sip from the same place he drank. His eyes widened at the implications.
“Weren’t you complaining about my lips? Or was that just my imagination?”
“No, one has to make concessions, Ren-san. After all we both kiss our bosses’ asses, so we can both drink from the same glass, ne? There is no extra risk involved, ne?” she reasoned.
“But surely you know that drinking from my side of the glass is tantamount of kissing me on the lips. My lips were there.” His head got closer.
“If drinking from the same spot on your glass you did is the same as kissing you… then I am sorry to say, Ren-san, that your kisses dissapoint me. They seem quite tame.” She glanced from his glass to his eyes, her delicious pout challenging him.
“Oh, really? Then we must do something about it soon.” He replied smoothly.
“Truly? Like what? I’m curious.” She flirted madly.
“Cats are always curious.” He smiled softly, his warm breath fanning over her face, “Be patient, little cat. Now is my turn to taste your drink.” Ren reminded her softly
“Ok, then. Here. Taste it.” she gestured to her drink.
“Ah! Not before having you drink from it, Joyce-san. Tit for tat, remember?” He scolded lightly at her impatience.
She smiled and made a show of drinking from her glass to then offer it to him. He turned the glass between his hands and licked the glass lip wickedly while staring at her. She felt all tingly inside when she saw him taste the drink. He frowned thoughtfully.
“It’s quite good, but it still needs a little something” he added
“Like what?” she bit her lip hesitantly. He looked at her lips, unconsciously mirroring her actions.
“Dunno, something warm, something sweet, like your lips” he murmured. She could feel herself slowly falling into his web, could almost taste his lips, his breath skimming over her face as he neared. He made contact with her eyes, letting them fall to her mouth and groaned softly before swooping in for a kiss.
Valerie snored loudly.
“AH! Wha- Where am I? Sammie, Joyce and Ren are falling, do something! They are drunk!” she screeched. Sammie told her to shush as the pair straightened guiltily, drinks in hand.
“What a shame, Valerie! You should have stayed asleep for a while longer! It was going to be a Pulitzer Prize worthy moment!” she laughed heartily as they both gulped their drinks simultaneously.
“Weren’t we leaving Sammie?” Joyce asked
“No, I was sitting here watching you, Val was snoring softly and you dear, were on the process of getting thoroughly kissed by koneko-chan there. And you were quite comfortable with the idea. He wasn’t screaming either. To the contrary, he was busy licking your glass before trying to do the same to you.” She guffawed loudly as they both cringed and shrunk.
“Let’s go, guys! I need my bed. I’m going to be sick!” pleaded Valerie.
“Yeah! Lets!” chorused the red-faced pair on the other side of the table.
“A..are we taking a taxi? Or walking?” queried Joyce bashfully.
“Taxi. Val can’t walk and neither can either of you.” Sammie replied. “Do you think you can at least stand on your own?”
“Of course, mew!” They both tried to stand separately but found the only way up was helping each other. “See?” they smiled triumphantly when they finally stood.
“Yes, I can see quite clearly. You are finally working as a team, propping each other up. Keep at it!” she said as she pulled Valerie to an almost standing position and guided her towards the exit.
She meditated upon the ingratitude of drunken friends as Valerie kept on complaining about rough people and pounding headaches. Remembering her other friends, she looked back awkwardly to see the hilarious sight of Ren and Joyce hanging off of each other.
‘Amusing. This afternoon they were going at each other’s throats like tigers now look at them! Pussies! Dear Joyce, the Chacha remark is going to cost you dearly after this!’ Sammie gloated with delight, anticipating her friend’s cries of distress and disbelief.
That vision was certainly worth having to carry Valerie outside the place and hail a Taxi at the same time. ‘Revenge like lemonade is best served cold, Joyce. Enjoy yourself while you still can without blushing, arf!’
She saw them swaying precariously against a wall, holding onto each other for balance. Ren stumbled and tightened his hold on a surprised Joyce, making her fall half-off, half-on top of him on the sidewalk. Joyce’s laughter pierced the night, holding an unsuspecting Ren hostage in its thrall until he too burst out laughing. They tried to stand up but failed miserably, eyes full of laughter and mischievous cattiness.
Sammie watched with amazement as they started to whisper and giggle, still sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. Shaking her head, she left them to their own tender care, wearily lugging Valerie’s dead weight around in the increasingly frigid night. A taxi driver took pity on her and stopped soon after. Clumsily, she sat a slumbering Valerie on the back seat and went to help them stand up and get inside the car. She found them huddled together, arms around each other, still mewing and giggling while trying to keep warm.
“If you two get any sweeter my teeth will rot, you know?” Sammie said through gritted teeth as she prodded them in. Both giggled and stumbled forward into the taxi’s back seat.
“What are you talking about, Sammie? We are not sweet, we are bitter enemies ‘cause he broke my nose, ne Ren-chan?” she maintained turning to Ren for confirmation. Ren gaped at her and then shrugged unconcernedly before resting his head on the back seat.
Sammie got in the front seat and told the taxi driver the address for the studio where Ren’s car was parked. Upon hearing the word “car”, he jolted awake from his stupor.
“Chotto matte, onegai! This is not my car! Mine is red and big, very yakuza like! Everybody says so! This is too small” He looked around dazedly, eyeing the back seat wonderingly.
“Small? Like you, ne? But not as cute!” Joyce giggled breathlessly
“You think I’m cute?” he asked eagerly, leaning toward her.
“Of course! Really cute or as you say kawaii!” she retorted quite seriously
“Not you too, nya! Please say something else…Anything but kawaii!” he groaned, leaning his head back against the back seat.
“Like what, mew? Otokorashii?” she turned in his direction as far as she could go.
“That would be nice, for starters!” he purred as he too turned to face her.
At that moment, chaos erupted. The taxi driver took a hard left and right honking all the while at another driver who invaded his lane. The car veered sharply to the left, faked a stop and accelerated to pass the other driver, shouting insults as his tires screeched shrilly while Sammie clawed him for his incompetence. Valerie, still asleep, fell on Ren’s back pushing him hard against Joyce, making them tumble against each another.
Caught completely unawares, they became a mess of entangled limbs as their bodies pressed against each other. Ren’s face ended squashed against Joyce’s breasts, his hands grabbing her waist and the seat to avoid hitting her as she, arms and legs wide open, braced against his shoulders, the backseat door and around his hips for purchase. Sammie screeched hysterically in both English and Japanese to both drivers. The man started to yell back at her, reconsidered and resumed driving at a more sedate pace. Miraculously, Joyce avoided being hit again by sheer luck more than by any skill on her part.
After the car stabilized and everyone calmed, they clumsily tried to push a sleeping Valerie away. She lay deeply asleep wedged between Ren’s back and Joyce’s knee. Comically, both attempted to move finding themselves too entangled to accomplish anything. Wordlessly, they agreed on their next course. Joyce, who was facing in Valerie’s direction, maximized the face-to face position they’d ended up in to come closer as Ren kneeled on the seat. Using one arm, her legs and Ren’s back as a lever, she attempted to straighten Valerie without waking her up within the cramped confines of the backseat. He tried to help by tightening his grip on her thigh and waist to keep her in place, bringing her up back onto his lap every time she slid off.
With a final strain, Joyce finally pushed Valerie far enough to settle her into her corner. Once there, she resumed her snoring. They looked at her over, then at each other and promptly burst out laughing, feeling comfortably relaxed. Sitting back on his heels, he stretched his cramped back with Joyce still in place over his thighs, he looked at her sparkling eyes as she laughed with abandon. Breathless with laughter, both felt the exact moment their mutual attraction made itself known. Joyce stopped laughing when she felt Ren’s hot gaze skim over her body.
Realizing her vulnerable position, she attempted to leave the comfort of his lap for the confines of the seat, but he stalled her by tightening his grip on her knees. His hands ran up her thighs under her coat, intent on reaching her waist to draw her closer.
On the way there, he discovered her silk clad buttocks, her skirt having ridden up during their struggle. They got closer, their bodies responding with enthusiasm to the tension building inside them. Surprise and desire registered in both their faces, both unsure how to react. Ren’s hand crept unbidden to cup her face between suddenly clammy fingers that lightly caressed her mouth. She kept her eye contact steady as she took one finger between her teeth and into her mouth, to suckle lightly. His sharp hiss and the pulsing heat that rose to meet her between her thighs made her stop with a shy smile. She let her lashes sweep down her cheeks as she felt his dry, warm lips grazing hers for the first time. Letting out a sigh, she fell onto the kiss wholeheartedly.
Wet sounds and hot sighs from the back seat attracted a harried Sammie’s attention to their actions. ‘Finally! It was obvious to all but them they’d end up like this! Do I intervene or not? Better not, so I can torture her in the morning!’ she smiled conspiratorially. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her taxi driver trying to see what was going on back there and she promptly nipped the notion at the bud with a well-placed hit on the chest.
“Look forward you pervert, if you know what’s good for you! You lost nothing back there!” she hissed darkly. The man cringed and kept on driving silently.
A few minutes passed, the sounds backseat changing intensity and tone. When a sensually charged whisper “Ren, come closer!” followed by an equally heated “Motto, kudasai Joyce!” was heard, she decided enough was enough!
“Hey! You two need a Love Hotel or something? At least wait until we drop Ren off so you can take him home, Joyce!” retorted Sammie incensed, turning to glare at them. Her eyes took in the scene before her mind fully registered the facts. She noticed Joyce’s flushed cheeks and Ren’s glazed eyes, both completely breathless and unfocused. Her eyes widened upon noticing Ren’s hand moving with sensuous rhythm inside Joyce’s coat, while the other clutched the neck he avidly tasted.
“Joyce Rivendale!” Sammie called with annoyance.
Joyce yelped and whimpered with regret, trying to get off his lap. He resisted stubbornly still unwilling to let go.
“Ren! Onegai yamete, Ren-chan! Sammie is…” She pleaded. With a groan, he released her and curled upon himself covering his groin, not before Sammie got a glimpse of what looked like a dark wet patch on his pants.
“Sammie…” Joyce started to explain as they quickly fumbled with their clothes to try and bring them to order.
“Joyce, don’t go there! Forget it Ren! Shut up! Joyce, take his hands away from your coat, right yourself and move off his lap right now! You will regret it in the morning if you don’t. I promise!” she said pointedly.
Guilty silence fell on the backseat, but she didn’t have long to endure since they were almost to their destination.
“Ren, we are at the studio now. Where was your car parked? There is nothing here.” She said upon closely examining both sides of the road and the parking lot near the facilities. She started to look back when suddenly Ren’s face came forward.
“Not there? How come it’s not there! I parked it myself in front of the gates! That was the only free spot this afternoon!” he claimed hotly.
“Well, it’s not there anymore, dear!” Sammie informed him testily
“Stop, stop! It has to be there somewhere, nyan!” he cried
“See for yourself, Ren-chan. Unless it is invisible or you recently shrank it, there is no way a car like yours would get overlooked. Remember, I drove it to take Joyce to the hospital, so I know your car.” She rationalized.
“But it can’t be, Sammie! It can’t be! It can’t have disappeared. She wouldn’t have left without telling me! Not my car! She’s my baby! Bought with my last paycheck from GacktJob! She’s special! Who could have been so cruel?” Twin fat tears rolled down his cheeks as he sobbed pathetically. Joyce and Sammie sat dumbfounded as they watched him cry. ‘I never thought to see a grown man crying for a car with such intensity!’ Sammie marveled.
“There, there Ren-chan! I’m sure all is not lost! It will appear, you’ll see! Maybe parked it in another street?” Joyce suggested as she patted his back consolingly
“No, Joyce. It’s my car! It was stolen! I’m positive I left it there! My beautiful red car! Where could it be? Who could have taken it away? I was so proud! Poor baby!” he started crying in earnest now, babbling about stolen cars and paychecks while holding onto Joyce and inadvertently smothering himself into her breasts.
“Yep, heartbroken or not he’s still a man through and through, no doubt at all!” drawled Sammie before adding, “He’s taking advantage of your good heart Joyce.”
“But Sammie, he’s so nice! And he is crying! He lost his car bought from his last paycheck from a gag job and he is sad. I would be too! He is a cat, mew! Just like me! We cats must unite!” she maintained while hugging him tighter to her chest.
“Yeah, Sammie! Don’t be so heartless! Nyan!” he added brokenly, tearstained face contrasting sharply with his position in Joyce’s chest.
“Just what I needed! Two very drunk and horny cats, a sleeping aide and a lost car! Ren! Joyce! Shut up now! Before I do bodily harm to someone! I’m getting a headache! Now Ren, where do you live, where are we taking you?” she tried reasoning slowly.
“My car, where is my car? My baby! She left me, Joyce! Nao used to say so many mean things about her!” indistinct mewing “But I loved her dearly, nya! What will Cha say? Or Ma-kun! Or him!” He kept on blubbering tragically.
“Ren, the meter’s running! Where is your house!” she queried impatiently.
"He’s going to start on my case again, nya! Ren always gets lost and always looses things! But that’s not true! You is worse than me and he never said anything! Even worse, he bought the blind bat from hell a new car for his birthday once. Oh, God, what shall I do!” he said dejectedly, his words muffled by her coat.
“Ok, I understand. You have no idea where he lives Joyce, do you?” Sammie said tiredly glancing at her friend who negated with her head, still consoling the traumatized neko. “It’s up to me, ne?”
She instructed the taxi driver to take them to the apartment, realizing Ren was too distraught and drunk to think for himself. And she was dead on her feet. She could feel the beginnings of a severe headache coming over. What with Valerie’s snores, Ren’s cries and Joyce’s comforting mews it was no wonder. The only thing that worried her on her way home was finding a place for Ren to sleep.
‘Maybe with…me? Or the sofa? Valerie’s out because she’s too drunk and she snores. He won’t be able to close an eye. On the other side, Joyce is definitely out. Today, of all days, she chooses to pay attention to her biological clock, with the aid of a man she professes to hate no less! There’s no way I’m letting her take up kitten-making in our apartment!’
Upon arrival, she shook Valerie awake and helped a seriously downcast Ren inside the apartment complex. Joyce pushed the elevator button all the while whispering sweet nothings at him.
He seemed withdrawn, lost and alone, fresh lonely tears starting to course down his cheek as they waited for the elevator to come. Sniffling loudly, he swiped impatiently at his eyes. "I'm too drunk, Sammie! I'm not a crybaby! I'm not like this! I'm sorry to be such a bother!" he muttered from behind his hands.
"There, there! Sammie is very understanding, koneko-chan! We're all drunk! It feels weird but cool!" Joyce retorted as she sat clumsily near him.
"Sammie, where is Ren sleeping?" queried Valerie half asleep against the wall.
"I don't know, maybe in the living room or with-" Ren interrupted her, alarm visible in every line of his body "Neh! I don't want to sleep alone tonight! I'm cold! Sammie-san! I need human company, nya!" he begged brokenly
"Sammie, let him sleep with me! My bed is big enough for both of us! He's small! he can sleep with me! Come on! He lost his car! He is sad and crying, nya!" she begged right beside him.
"Yes, Sammie! I am all alone and sad! I am a poor helpless koneko, ne" he batted his lashes for good measure.
Sammie snorted "Right! If you are the embodiment of innocence and helplessness then my butt is non-existant! You will sleep alone, it's better for all concerned parties, Ren-san."
"Sammie! How can you be so cruel?" whined Joyce brokenheartedly. She started to bawl beside him going about lonely cats and heartless dogs.
Once inside the elevator, Ren reclined huddled in a corner. Ren slumped forward dejectedly, his bangs hiding his eyes from view. His shoulders stiffened and he straightened eyes full of resolve and mischief.
"I know Sammie-san! All this talk of charity is unnecessary... I can pay for my keep if that's what you want! If not with money, then with whatever your heart desires! Just name it! Nya-nyan! Anything you want, I'm easy tonight baby!" he boasted insistently, a wicked half smile playing in his lips. Joyce squeaked, tears forgotten as she again fell under his spell.
"Sure, koneko-chan. Sure..." she waved him away "make your offerings somewhere else." Sammie tiredly replied completely unaware of the storm brewing inside Ren.
Not one to be ignored, he pushed away from the wall where he was momentarily standing and cornered Sammie aggressively.
"I'm not one to offer things lightly. I can bring all your hidden desires to the light and make you scream with pleasure. Just give me a chance to chart your inner spaces," he teased lightly, caging her between his arms and leaning forward against her neck. His eyes shone heatedly, as they promised Oh so many delights. Sammie realized her mistake when she stared into his eyes. She could see the embers of unspent desire still raging inside. 'Man, Joyce really did a number on you. You are discomfited and contrary because you didn't get to go all the way with her and you really wanted to. Poor koneko, you really need a cold shower!'
"I'm too sober to take you up on that offer, tempting as it may sound" she replied conciliatorily. She knew better than to go against a drunken male ego. Those were extremely fragile, especially when they were vertically challenged and suffering from a nasty case of blue balls.
Suddenly shifting his attention, he charged Valerie, who was teetering on her feet.
"Hey Valerie-san! Want to sleep with a warm cat tonight? I make a wonderfully relaxing body pillow! I'm even good at massages and other stuff, very talented! What do you think? Can I tempt you into sharing your bed with me?" He leered as he stumbled unsteadily toward her. She just groaned tiredly and tried make herself comfortable. Joyce looked on with a weird mix of disbelief and anger in her face. Sammie could see her trying to control her deep anger at the flighty koneko and her friends.
'My, Joyce, I do believe you are Jealous! If looks could kill, both of us would be buried by now for attracting the koneko's attention away from you' she smirked 'Seems you decided he was yours after all, Joy! Good! There is still hope for you... But not tonight! I wont be held responsible tomorrow morning if you screw him tonight and tomorrow decide you don't want him!'
"Not today, Ren! I'm too drunk and tired to do more than snore like a goat! Maybe later on, ne? Unless you prefer your women unconscious?" she mumbled sleepily.
"Save it for Joyce, Ren!" Sammie added intriguingly. Joyce stopped fuming at that and blushed to the roots of her hair, but kept on staring longingly at Ren. Sammie almost felt a pang of regret for having to restrain her friend in her intent to bed Ren. Almost because she knew her friend was terribly shy and wouldn't stand the knowledge of bedding a man when drunk, attraction or not.
"I already tried playing with her and you scolded me, nya! She's out of bounds, isn't she? You said so yourself. That leaves me no other option than going after you! It's your fault I need company tonight! You stopped me from taking what is rightfully mine! Mine, you hear! She wanted to and so did I. Now you want me to sleep alone? No way! I won't! So, what's it to be? Will you share? Or can she play with the cat now, nyan?" he demanded imperiously pointing in Joyce's direction.
'So you do want her, Ren-chan! Wonderful! Still you can't be allowed to get what is rightfully yours... Let's hope I don't regret doing this!' Sammie smiled tightly while she thought furiously. Ren cursed low under his breath, turned like a caged beast and turned to face Joyce, his intentions clear to everybody present.
"No, Ren! Joyce can't play with the cat and you can't play with us! It is better if you go to bed alone. Remember you must go to your practice in a few hours. It wouldn't do to be there late... What would Yuri san say?" he flinched still unconvinced. She steeled her resolve and added in her best schoolmarm tone to the rebellious cat "You are going to sleep in the living room, alone! Do you understand?" Sammie informed him calmly. Ren bristled at her controlling tone.
From her corner, Joyce protested wordlessly. She looked flushed, full of anticipation and desire. Sammie winced 'Best to keep them separate. I refuse to be kept awake by the constant banging of her headboard against the paper-thin walls of our apartment! Valerie, please wake up! They are starting to go out of control!'
"Very well, then! Since all of you are boring old maids, you leave me no other option than to get naked and play with myself for fun tonight. I am too tense, One must relax anyway one can, right, Joyce?" He replied maliciously, playing with the buttons of his coat.
"Hey, Ren-chan! I'm not an old maid!" she objected as he unceremoniously started undressing, taking off his coat and letting it drop to the floor defiantly. He smiled provocatively at her, cocked his head to the side and took hold of his outer shirt.
"What are you waiting for then, nya? Come on, old lady! Between us, its Tit for tat, Jo-chan, remember? So, undress!" he ordered. To the astonished surprise of Sammie and Valerie, she just did. Her hands flew to her coat and divested from it with alacrity. Following his actions and instructions promptly she took off her jacket, giggling all the while
"What is she doing?" asked Valerie unsteadily, eyes half open.
"What does it look like? She's getting naked!" whispered a shell shocked Sammie.
Ren started singing playfully, his pleasant tenor drawing Joyce deeper into his fantasy world, inventing words and rhythm as he went. Mercifully, the elevator doors chose that moment to open, before he ripped his over shirt open and all his buttons popped every which way. Joyce giggled with delight at the rain of buttons.
"This way Ren-chan! I'll race you!" and both took off down the hallway, shedding clothes faster than previously expected given their drunkenness.
Sammie picked up the coats from the elevator floor, calling Valerie for help.
"Go ahead and get the door open before they make a bad situation worse by mooning the other residents! I'll see to their clothes," she hissed neurotically as she bent to pick up Ren's over shirt and T-shirt.
“There’s no one around at this time, Sammie! Chill out! Let them get as naked as jaybirds if that pleases them! I’m too tired to care anymore!” Valerie garbled incoherently before bending to pick Joyce’s blouse and skirt from the floor.
Farther up laid Ren’s green cargo pants, beside Joyce’s pantyhose and lacy camisole. They rounded the corner to find Joyce fingering her underwear provocatively while a dazzled Ren observed and nyanyed approvingly, right hand dreamily fondling his budding erection.
“Joyce Rivendale, if you dare to take those off in the hallway I’ll call your mother! Get it!!!” Sammie threatened her friend before she undressed completely in front of everybody. Joyce smiled over her shoulder at Ren, gave her the finger as she took off her bra faced her and threw it to her face. Ren was catcalling loudly while starting to take off his shorts, never once taking his eyes from the scrap of silk she used to cover her breasts.
“Nya!! That’s not fair!” Ren groaned seeing the scrap of tissue that dared to cover what he wanted to see. Joyce beckoned for him to come closer with one hand while lowering the scarf at the same time he took off his shorts, his rection prominently displayed.
“You are one dead neko if you dare- Oh, my God! I’m blinded for life! Argh! Cover yourself for Christ sake!” she was frenetic, trying to open her door before the neighbors woke up or her friend decided to bed Ren in the hallway.
“Get in you exhibitionists! Valerie, do something about their clothes. Move it, Damn you! Joyce, stop bouncing around naked! Ren, stop playing with yourself, you pervert! My God this has become Sodom and Gomorra! We are going to be burned alive by the wrath of God, damn it! Ren, Joyce, where are you going? Not the living room! Hey!” she struggled to close the door, straining under the bulk of the clothes she had on hand. “Valerie? Valerie! Get away from the door and move! I will slap you silly if you don’t do something soon!” She was screeching like a banshee by this time, but she didn’t care.
Valerie was snoring, asleep while standing on her feet. Ren and Joyce had passed by her as soon as she opened the door and were being suspiciously silent on the darkened living room. Throwing caution to the wind, she threw her bundle of clothing to the apartment’s floor, bodily pulled Valerie inside and closed the door. Hitting Valerie with soft, sharp slaps she told her to go wash her face and return promptly. That done and sighing with dread, she secured two lap blankets for her charges and proceeded with caution toward the living room, utterly afraid of what she was going to find there.
Bright lights flooded the spacious living room. There was only a sofa, a handful of chairs and most of their moving boxes visible because they hadn’t had the time to unpack their belongings. She heard giggles, coos and sighs from the farthest group of boxes. ‘No, God! This is not fair! Please! I don’t want my yet-to-be-conceived children traumatized by the sight of my best friend being screwed senseless by a Japanese neko! Please, God! I promise not to think badly of the blond faggot, ne?’
She added a heartfelt prayer of thanks to whatever Kami was around when she found them lying over a plush rug on the floor. Joyce’s head rested on top of Ren’s chest, as their hands played naughtily with their fingers, tickling each other. Incongruously they looked as innocent as any pair of 30-something-years olds, lying naked on the floor could look. She took note of the hand absently caressing Joyce’s butt cheeks and the long leg going slowly up and down, knee softly kneading his semi-erect member as the knee owner cuddled against her human body pillow.
She sighed tiredly, knowing that separating them now wouldn’t be easy. Still she recklessly threw a blanket over Ren’s waist to cover him as she grabbed Joyce by the arm and made her stand forcibly.
“Hey! What are you doing? We are not doing anything wrong!” she protested with dismay as Ren nyaned softly, blanket bunched up between his legs.
“You’ll thank me in the morning! Now, go to bed Joyce! ALONE.” She stressed the word for Ren’s benefit because he had stood up to follow them.
“And where will poor koneko-chan sleep? It will be quite cold for him there” she said worriedly
“Not to mention lonely, ne? Nya nyaa!” sulked Ren, failing to look properly chastised.
“He won’t be cold because he’ll have plenty of blankets and pillows to see him though the night! It doesn’t matter if he gets lonely. You’ll be lonely too!” she consoled her very drunk friend covering her with a blanket. Straightening to her full height she rounded up on Ren.
“Sit there, Ren and don’t move, or by Kami I swear I’ll make an eunuch out of you before the night is over!” Perusing her half-crazed expression, he froze and sat perfectly still on the sofa, deciding it better to wait where he was while she took Joyce to her room, instructed Valerie to hunt for spare blankets and pillows for his bed and quickly locked Joyce in.
“Sammie! Lemme out! The kitten is alone! Mew! Sammie! Please!!” Joyce hiccuped pounding defeatedly on the door.
“You’ll be really grateful once you regain your senses, Joyce. I swear!” she fought the urge to sit down and cry as she heard her friend scratch the door, calling for her koneko brokenly, as only the very young or the very drunk are prone to do.
Echoing little cat cries could be heard coming from the living room as apparently Ren heard Joyce’s cries and answered them without moving from his place in the sofa.
‘Wise move, koneko-san! Wise move.’ She couldn’t help but think with a wry smile. ‘Self preservation is always a good idea… especially when you are drunk and in somebody else’s territory!’ Sammie sighed with exhaustion as she continued trying to calm her friend.
Ten minutes later, Valerie dumped an armful of bedclothes on top of an already asleep neko before turning and stumbling into her room.
A weary Sammie came later to check on him after seeing to an incredibly upset Joyce. ‘It took a lot to calm her enough for her to fall asleep. And hearing you cry out for her from the living room didn’t help at all. Joyce alone, I can handle. You alone, I could handle. But the two of you together are enough to make a grown woman cry, even little old me!’
He was lying on his side, peacefully asleep on the sofa, an arm and a leg sticking out of the blanket. She couldn’t resist and tucked him in, caressing his bangs away from his face. Hearing him moan softly and lean into the caress, she smiled. ‘Joyce is right! He is just like a little cat.’ He snuggled deeper into his blankets, looking for the world like a good little angel.
‘And we all know how deceiving that impression can be! The only part that is true is the ‘little’ part. Although judging from what I saw tonight, he’s decidedly not small where it really matters, if I may say! Good for Joyce!’ she blushed to her roots when she realized the direction her thoughts had taken, suddenly grateful for the cover of darkness and left hurriedly towards her room, seeking the comfort sleep offered.
*************
so... that's about it! What do you think?? Too random? Well, must go work on chapter 12 before the inu kills the cat! Ah, before I forget... here are the other links for the story so far. Enjoy!
This is Chapter 6: Rehearsal Blues
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/10643.html
This is Chapter 5: Neutered Cats and Singing Birds
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/9593.html
This is Chapter 4: Strays and Broken Noses
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/8619.html
This is Chapter 3: A Sexy Witch Hunt
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/7776.html
This is chapter 2: A Study in Make Believe
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/5282.html
This is chapter 1: Music and Beer
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/3026.html
I don't own anybody. Only my characters and the storyline for this fanfic. Obviously if I could own a real person, Ren would be totally and utterly MINE!!! Oh! and we would be making kittens just about now instead of me writing this! Nyaaaaa!!!!! Baicha!!
Chapter 7: Free Drinks and a Stolen Car
By the time they reached their destination, the bar was half-packed. It was a trendy destination for both celebrities and people from the music industry. Apparently Management was truly keen to establish a good rapport with the new company. They were certainly making every effort to impress their visitors.
‘Heck! They are even impressing me!’ Ren thought with irony. Their manager stood up to call them to join the group, drinks already distributed around the well-appointed table. ‘It seems Atsumano-san is well into his cups! Man, the strain must be killing him!’ he smirked.
They made a beeline in their direction intent on enjoying their stay as much as possible. The only empty spaces were just in front of the merger transition team. All of them were toasting to the well being of the new company, full of good wishes and joy. As fate may have it, Ren sat before realizing who was in front of him: the panda-eyed PR girl, Joyce. Too late did he notice her sitting there, smiling like the cat who ate the canary. He wanted to disappear, knowing he was well and truly trapped. He slid down as far as he could without falling, in the absurd hope she would forget about him.
“Gentlemen, May I suggest a toast?” Joyce raised her glass, a wicked smile playing on her lips.
“But of course! Go ahead Rivendale-san!” there was a chorus of agreement among those seated.
“Certainly! Be our guest!” Both Nao and Yuri agreed genially from their places beside a surprisingly silent Ren.
“Ren, your glass!” Nao slightly nudged the koneko on the side to get him to lift his glass. Ren straightened a little and awkwardly lifted his glass with the others. ‘I’m so dead!’ he thought with despair.
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. As representatives of Gilgamesh Records in Japan, and heads of the production team for this merger, we would like to offer a toast for the success of our partnership; small disagreements and mishaps aside” she glanced casually all over the table, deliberately making eye contact with the half-hidden red-head sitting before her.
“And for LiNCLOVER, our best label artists and those who will come later. We must all work together to reach our selling goals. May we flourish and bear ample fruit for as long as our partnership lasts.” She raised her glass, winking at Ren as she sipped her drink. He felt the blood rush madly to his face as he made eye contact.
'The nerve! She is laughing at me! If it wasn’t for that nose and my own guilty feelings, I’d be showing her a few disagreements myself!’ he grumbled.
Immediately Valerie joined, standing proudly for another toast “Cheers! May I suggest another one?” she looked around briefly for confirmation and proceeded with her toast, her eyes slyly going from Joyce to Ren and back.
“Although we’ve been here for only a week, we’ve already had the opportunity to meet interesting new people and places. The start hasn’t been extremely auspicious but it could have been worse, right Joyce? So my toast goes as a heartfelt wish for the safety and prosperity of those present. That what started with a bang may proceed at a more sedate but steady pace.” Sammie gasped softly, smiling nervously, her eyes darting uneasily from Ren to Joyce.
“Hear, hear!” Sammie stood up nervously before either Valerie or Joyce had a chance to react “and I want to offer a toast to the warm welcome our gracious hosts have prepared for us today. We’ve been treated cordially and with respect by the Japanese people since we arrived, little mishaps aside, and we are extremely thankful, right Joyce?” she nervously looked at her friend. Joyce nodded softly, prompting Sammie to continue with a smile. “So, I make a grateful toast for the continued well being of our hosts.” She beamed at those around her.
‘Interesting! Forced smile aside, she’s the diffuser. Perkins-san is the charger and Rivendale-san is the bomb. Wonder what would make her blow… Should I dare test her boundaries? Nya? Of course!’ He smiled craftily, fully intent on finding out. Standing up, he gestured with his glass, looking around at his band mates for approval before straightening to propose a toast.
“Hear, hear, minna! And while we are at it, let’s make a toast for a very productive association! That those things we hope for be granted and we are allowed to prosper. I toast especially our new transition team. May all their little mishaps be taken care of and may they soon get used to living the Japanese way! Cheers!” He locked eyes with Joyce as he said his little speech, a devilish smile curving his lips. He couldn’t help adding “nya!” with an impudent grin, all ideas of reparation completely forgotten.
Around them, cheers and congratulations were being exchanged while Joyce squinted fiercely over her lenses as if trying to read his intentions. Wanting to see him better, she impulsively took off her too dark shades to stare holes into him. She looked closely as his eyes grew wide and he turned a dull shade of red before biting off a curse. It was then she remembered the true reason behind the shades and the extra make up: she tried to mask the extent of her bruising. Refusing to feel sorry for him, she kept her shades off, squaring her jaw proudly.
‘It serves him right! Rude asshole that he is! Let him enjoy his own handiwork!’ She was not going to give him any leeway. A collective gasp rose around the table when they took a good look at her face. She could tell they were all dying to ask her about it but were too polite to mention it.
‘Jeez, haven’t they ever seen a raccoon before? Makes one wonder who will be the first to ask… hope it’s not the Neko, the nose breaker from hell… I’ll kill him if he dares to mention it!’ she thought with a frown. The answer to that question came from the still stunned Ren-san’s left as Nao-san inclined towards her in a conspiratorial manner. Somehow he reminded her of Valerie when she was up to something, making her brace for his comment.
“Rivendale-san, if I may?” Nao queried courteously. She nodded lightly, like a queen bestowing a favor on a subject. “This afternoon at the mini conference held at the office, you said we could ask you anything we wanted as a manner of establishing and securing teamwork, so I wonder, can I ask what happened to your nose?” Nao queried in a mischievously theatrical whisper that everybody struggled not to hear. Another gasp was heard but this time from the nose breaker’s general direction. Murmurs of disapproval could be heard around the table but she could tell they were dying to know.
‘It figures! Curiosity kills them all. Serves me right! Stupid cat that I am! Don’t take off your shades means just that! Don’t take them off!’ admitting defeat she prepared to answer as she felt Sammy’s hand on her thigh, reminding her to be nice. Marshaling her thoughts, she decided to give them the same version her superiors had heard: The clumsy-Joyce attacks-foreign-door story. She grimaced with distaste as she prepared for the expressions of disbelief sure to follow.
“Um, oh, don’t ask that, Nao-chan! Don’t pry!” A nervous Ren chided between clenched teeth before she could answer. Nao glanced innocently in her direction, apparent confusion written all over his goofy face. ‘Don’t think I am taken by your sudden show of innocence, Nao-san! If it weren’t for the fact that you remind me of my 3 yr old nephew, I would be seething right now.’
“But Ren-chan, she said I could ask anything I wanted! I need to get to know her better to be able to trust her judgment. They all seem so nice and approachable! Ne, Rivendale-san?” he looked at her expectantly, brown eyes half hidden by his long bangs. She wanted to strangle him, but apparently so did her nemesis. Things were not looking too good for Nao-san once the night was over… maybe another broken nose? She smiled, waiting expectantly but decided to bide her time to push Nao and Ren for all she was worth. That would certainly make her day!
“Oh, it was nothing, just a close encounter with an ill-mannered door.” She replied indifferently. Nao seemed truly confused as he looked from the neko to her. ‘Bet you weren’t expecting that, eh!’ she smirked.
“Nani ka? Truly?” he couldn’t help adding, glancing at a rigid Ren.
“Yeah, quite a nasty door, actually. Very clumsy for such a small, frail-looking thing!” she retorted wittily, laughter effectively filling her eyes and transforming her face.
“It would be wise to remember, even frail-looking things are dangerous when provoked, Rivendale-san! Also, are you sure you took every precaution to avoid being hit? Maybe you could have averted that clumsy door by, say, just looking where you were going, ne? Don’t you think? As a foreigner to our culture you could have easily forgotten something. Are you an accident prone person?” Ren tried to tamp down his urge to grin foolishly as he queried her, watching with glee as her face transmitted her disbelief.
‘If you think I will let you call me small and frail looking, you have another think coming! I will not cringe anymore!’ He watched her struggle with herself, as she licked her lips absently. It was fascinating the way she was able to bring herself under tight control when he was sure all she wanted to do was smack him in the face.
“Oh! That wouldn’t have been possible! You see, that door was extremely low. Even someone as you wouldn’t have been able to see it. I was surprised when I discovered there are doors like that in Japan, and at a bar no less! Back at home office they told us to expect standard to medium sizes more than the taller ones we were used to, but I never believed they could be so small! Positively dwarfish, if a door can be called so! Obviously, since I’m so tall myself, I didn’t see it coming!” She remonstrated self-deprecatingly, all while enjoying herself immensely. Seeing Ren squirm fretfully looking ready to choke her made her feel wonderfully warm and fuzzy inside.
“Rivendale-san, are you sure we’re still talking about a door here?” Nao queried unsure that was the case.
“Yes!” both looked at him, practically screaming. They glared at each other with poorly concealed fury.
“Yuri-san? How long have you been together as a band? A year? Two?” asked Sammie desperately.
“But Sammie that information was on the introductory merger package you compiled three months ago. Don’t you remember?” Valerie reminded her friend with a confused frown on her pretty face.
“Well… yes, but, ah, I wanted to, ah, confirm the information received from the source, to make sure our informants were correct, ne?” she snapped. “Yuri-san? Ren-san? Nao-san? Please tell us about you and LiNCLOVER!” she finished with a desperate flourish. Yuri and Nao looked at each other because Ren wasn’t paying any attention to them. He was busily glaring knives in the direction of Rivendale-san. Yuri decided to answer while signaling Nao to bring the koneko to heel. A clear yelp was heard as she started talking.
“Well, I’ve been LiNCLOVER’s vocalist since 2001. Before that, LiNCLOVER was experimental music only, no voice. Originally founded by Igao-san and Nao-san here, they were later joined by Ren-san. We’ve recorded three singles and a Mini Disk. But it’s been only recently that we started to play consistently at Live Houses. Before this, we had very sporadic presentations due to conflicting schedules and other engagements.” She looked at Valerie and Sammie with a smile.
Nao agreed and continued, “Yes, our road here has been quite hard but here we are, thanks to our Ren-chan here, who has always been persistent and optimistic especially when we thought everything was over.” He smiled at his friend patting his back. Ren slouched morosely on his chair as his eyes trumpeted a challenge across the table.
“But why recently? What happened to change the pace from an almost nonexistent presence in the market to a solid, rapidly growing band?” Valerie surprised everyone with her question. They looked at each other and laughed. Even Ren jumped from his semi-reclined position, looking at Valerie like she’d grown two heads.
“What? What did I say? Why are you laughing? Did I say something wrong?” she queried confused as all around the table people started to laugh harder.
“I’m sorry, Perkins-san! You caught us unaware, that’s all!” said Ren trying to control his chuckles. “And to answer your question, it was my leaving a prior project that took most of my time, the reason that allowed us to be more active in the musical world. After I left them, we’ve been growing like crazy and I’m very proud!” He added seriously.
“Perkins-san, during your earlier toast you mentioned that you’ve discovered new people and places. I’m curious, which places have you seen so far?” Nao queried
“Ne, Let’s see… we visited the Red Cross Hospital… There are quite a lot of nice people there. Also the Doghouse near Shibuya, I believe! Very cool from what I could see although we didn’t go there to dance. That was the night Joyce’s little mishap with a door happened, when- ” a pained expression crossed her face quickly “Ow! What did you hit me for, Sammie?” she glared at Sammie, then paled and quieted after looking into her friend’s stormy face. Joyce cleared her throat and smiled, commenting tightly on the weather.
“Do you have any pets? I like rabbits” Valerie queried after a pause. They all looked at her weirdly.
“Only Ren-chan does. We call him the Kuroneko-san; a cute black cat that’s quite full of himself. That cat is something else! Although Ren sometimes can be-” a mock punch hit Nao squarely on the shoulder, courtesy of Ren.
“I’m sure they don’t want to know, Nao” gritted Ren
“Oh, but that’s where you are wrong, Ren-san. Not only do we want to know, we need to get to know each other better, ne?” said Joyce with an amused drawl. Ren bristled, not bothering to answer and rudely looked in the other direction while Nao rubbed his arm.
“Kawaii! Nao-san, look at that! It’s Ren-chan’s impersonation of Kuroneko-chan! He always does that when he is offended.” Yuri chirped. Ren flinched and whirled, facial expression giving away his anger. Yuri gazed at him expectantly and he turned back again without a word.
“See? There he goes again! Easy there! Easy neko-chan! We didn’t want to upset you! You know Nao-san was just playing and so was Riverdale-san, ne?” She looked at them both, frowning when she noticed Joyce’s indifferent shrug. Ren stiffened in his chair.
“Don’t mind me, Yuri-san. I can see the truth for myself. You don’t have to explain, I understand.” She smiled sweetly when she saw Yuri’s confused look, before adding softly “It is always good to keep their medication at hand, one never knows, ne?” Valerie started to laugh heartily, making Joyce blush and Ren look up with offended curiosity.
“Pass it one more time by me, that last comment. What was that, Joyce-san?” He queried pointedly, while boring holes in her.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just… don’t you find it stifling here? I’m quite hot!” She fanned herself with a napkin while taking a sip of her long forgotten drink.
“Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, the company is tempting but I think we need to retire. There’s a full schedule ahead of us tomorrow and these old bones won’t stand for a long night of revelry. You may stay if you want to; Ant Hill is picking the tab. So feel free to enjoy as you wish!” With that, the upper management of both companies bid goodnight to every one and left. The lower echelons decided to leave early because they had to work the next day, leaving LiNCLOVER and the new production team alone on the table.
“Ant Hill is picking the tab! Ren, this merits some heavy drinking! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Let’s see how big a dent can we leave on that open ticket, shall we?” Nao stood and gestured for Ren to do the same. Before turning, he stopped and asked, “Would the ladies want something to drink too?”
“Long Island Ice Tea, with extra Triple Sec for starters.” She paused for a second; apparently wincing with pain, “Better make that two.” Sammie and Valerie stared at her eyes wide open in disbelief. Joyce shrugged as she muttered “Headache!”
“Well” Sammie drawled “Irish cream on the rocks for me, then. One of us has to be sober.” She garbled.
“Amaretto Sour here, please.” replied Valerie.
“Same as always, Nao.” chirped Yuri.
Their two improvised waiters left for the bar to order the drinks leaving the girls to themselves. Yuri took the opportunity to go to the bathroom. As soon as she left, Sammie whirled on Joyce.
“Two long islands? What wrong with you, Joy? Don’t let the situation get to you!” she pleaded with her friend
“I want to forget.” Joyce answered sullenly.
“Her only real problem right now has two legs and is one very clumsy red head. Maybe she’s yearning for more of his brand of tender, loving care, ne Joy?” Val joked while taking another sip of her drink.
“In his dreams! I would never be attracted to a midget! No way!” she protested huffily.
“You see, the lady doth protest too much, me thinks!” retorted Valerie with a giggle.
“Don’t go quoting The Taming of the Shrew to me Valerie. It applies more to you than to me! I wasn’t gushing all over a lanky, black haired man I only met yesterday after threatening to kill somebody one of his friends!”
“See, Sammie? She was offended that I threathened her midget!” she teased Joyce with a wink, “Face the truth, Joyce! You are just jealous that your man smacked you on the face with a door as a way of introducing himself while mine was all sexy manners and charm.” She replied
“Don’t provoke her, Val. You know how she gets when she’s pissed.” Sammie cautioned tiredly. Not wanting to spoil her fun, but knowing Sammie was right, Valerie rebelled and made a face at her instead.
“And you, Sammie! You are also jealous because a blond girl-look-alike grabbed your butt and then didn’t do much else.” She laughed naughtily.
“That most certainly is not true! I didn’t want him to do anything else, what he did was more than enough! That faggot!” Angrily, Sammie swept her hair off her face and lightened a cigarette impatiently.
“You see… you liked him! And you wanted a piece of his cute ass! His eyes may not be the best feature but that ass… and he seems to be very well endowed!” Val retorted tongue-in-cheek.
“I did not! Allow me to inform you that I couldn’t notice if he was well endowed or had a nice ass, Valerie. I was too busy taking care of Joyce, if you care to remember unlike someone else I can mention. Also, let me tell you that for me his eyes are his best feature! He makes me think of Droopy!” realizing what she just admitted to, she stopped talking as Joyce started laughing at her.
“Yes, laugh now, you traitor! You are a good one to laugh, getting all high and mighty, very defensive when all you really want to do is jump the poor red head’s bones! Val’s right! You do want him!” Sammie all but screamed, highly incensed.
Joyce sputtered, a coughing fit temporarily rendering her speechless. Yuri returned and seeing Joyce coughing went to look for water.
“You are… *cough* *cough* evil! You faggot *cough* lover *cough*! And you *cough* *cough* gigolo whore! *cough* *cough* I will not *cough* forget your *cough* words! *cough* I am not *cough* one bit interested on *cough* midgets! *cough* Understand?” she finished angrily.
“Gigolo whore? Masa’s not a whore! No, that’s right, he’s the gigolo I’m the whore! Hey! That’s not fair!” Val faltered, and then looking possessed she grinned evilly. “You shall see!” Valerie muttered. “Look at my nipple and fear me!” she whispered nastily before starting to laugh crazily when the guys arrived with the drinks. “I want to suck your blood,” she muttered in a thickly fake Transylvanian accent.
“Who wants to suck my what? That sounds interesting, nya!” Ren said, an interested expression crossing his face. He set the drinks he was holding on the table and sat down to wait expectantly for his answer.
“Yeah, Val. Whose blood *cough* are you sucking tonight?” Joy said as she swallowed some of the water Yuri brought her.
“Why, Joyce! You already know! Masa-kun’s blood!” Val replied sassily
“Masa-kun? Nani ka?” Ren said taken by surprise. “Are you sure you want to suck the Usako’s blood? Honto?” He looked at her trying to gauge the truth of her words.
“Yes…” she nodded sassily “I want to have Masa-kun’s warm blood on my tongue! After all I’m a vampire!” she added nastily, licking her lips softly before taking a drink. A stunned Ren stared at her with amazement. After a pause, he composed himself and shrugged carelessly.
“Well, I‘d be more than happy to call him if you want!” he said taking a sip.
“Would you?” Valerie asked disbelievingly.
“Why yes, he’s my friend. And I know he’s quite interested.” He added meaningfully.
“Yes, please Ren-san. Call up your friend! Have him come here. I want to see her tell him that to his face!” Joyce took a sip and arched a brow in his direction, while he looked at her intrigued.
‘She’s talking to me? What does she want?’ he thought with trepidation.
"Ok” he said simply, taking out his cell phone and starting to dial the number from memory.
“No! Stop! Yamete!” screamed a panic-stricken Valerie, her drink sloshing all over her hand. “Aw, guys! Look at what you just made me do! Now Ren go find me another one and leave your cell phone here!” she ordered imperiously.
“And Ren, since you are going again to the bar, take Nao with you and bring us all another round.” Instructed Yuri.
“Hey, I’m not the bartender, nor the waiter to be taking your order!” he protested
“Ok, ok. I understand, stop complaining! You are right, it’s too much for you to bear without some female company! You can take Sammie or Valerie with you instead of Nao-san if you want!” Joyce called magnanimously from her place, “After all, with you gone, I can get to know your band mates without further interruptions!” Insulted, Ren gaped like a fish as she shooed him away with Sammie.
“Hey! Stop ordering me around, Joyce!” Valerie snapped
“Why don’t you go with Ren, since it seems you are the one interested in having a drink, ne?” Sammie complained.
Ren stared incredulously from one woman to the other. He couldn’t believe the gall of the gaijin neko. Choosing to ignore the deliberate provocations, he replied. “Uh, don’t worry, Sammie-san, Valerie-san! I don’t need help! I can go by myself! Stay both of you!” He left quickly before they changed their minds. Yuri and Joyce laughed at his retreating back while Valerie rounded the table and raided his place to sit between LiNCLOVER. Trying to avoid another confrontation, Sammie hurried after him, deciding to befriend the harassed koneko.
**********************************************
After a few hours of heavy drinking, smoking and talking, they were ready to leave, at least that’s what Yuri told Nao to get him to move from where he was snoozing on top of the table.
“It’s time already! Ren-chan you too! We have Temptation’s recording session tomorrow afternoon, you know. Maybe it’s a good idea we left.” She pushed Nao over, making him slide spinelessly to the floor.
“Nao-chan! Wake up! Move! Nao-chan! This is the last time I let you drink yourself under the table! Paid drinks or not!” she chided when she saw him curl under his seat.
“I… lemme ‘lone! Motto… dakishimeru… mmm! Sugoi! That bikini… Iie! I’m hungry!” he muttered unintelligibly as Ren doubled up, hooting crazily.
“Nao!” she pinched his cheeks to get him to open his blood shot eyes. “Move! Now!” Nao stood with difficulty, barely keeping himself straight. “Stop laughing, Ren! Are you coming with us?”
Ren sobered immediately, stood up with care and walked around the table toward Yuri coming to a stop beside Joyce’s chair. Yuri was looking as confused as Joyce felt when she saw him move silently.
“Ne, Yuri-san! You really do know how to capture a man’s attention!” he purred lovingly coming really close to her.
“That’s it, hentai koneko! You’re staying!” she pushed him onto an empty chair and looked at the girls sitting on the same side of the table. “Can I rely on you to take care of him? His car’s at the studio although he shouldn’t be driving tonight.” She finished impatiently.
“Don’t get mad, Yuri-san! I’m joking, that’s all! I’m fine! You know I’m just fine! Want me to walk, nya?” He tried to stand quickly, almost sprawling over Sammie. “Oops! Sorry Sammie-chan. The floor’s moving!” he slurred self-consciously as he straightened.
“Sure, koneko-chan! You are more sober than Joyce but that’s not saying much as she is almost falling off her chair!” she laughed, and took a sip on her drink.
“I feel really bad, Yuri-san. I need to go soon!” eyes wide open, Nao slapped his mouth with his hand.
Immediately Yuri paled under Nao’s weight and left suddenly towards the bathrooms. “Please take care of him! I have to go! Bye!”
“Bai-cha, Minna! Tomorrow will be there, to record Tempting! Hey, nya! I want another drink!” Ren added as an afterthought holding onto the table for balance.
“Me too!” Joyce seconded
“No more for me! I’m too drunk.” rejoined Valerie from her side.
“No more for any of you! You are all too drunk!” Sammie declared
“But it’s free! I’m not paying, Sammie-chan!” he cajoled
“Yeah, he’s not paying and neither are we, Sammie! So let’s drink some more, ne? Pretty please?” Joyce said coaxingly batting her eyelashes.
“No, I said no!”
“Oh, come on! At least one teeny, tiny, tequila shot? That’s small, we can share!” Ren wheedled convincingly.
“Yeah, that’s small. But make that two, I’m not putting my lips anywhere his have been!” Joyce retorted impishly
“You have no problem kissing your bosses’ ass, so why mind now?” he slurred.
“Ok! Two more drinks to go! Do me a favor Ren, sit here and watch Valerie. OK? I’ll go pick up your drinks and some coffee for her.” Sammie went and ordered two new drinks extra heavy for her friends before settling the tab. “There you are!” and sat near Valerie, trying to wake her enough to give her some coffee.
“Argh! Fzzztt! What’s this?” Joyce demanded after tasting her drink “gasoline?” she looked around for Sammie.
“Ne, it sounds familiar. Let me taste yours!” Ren asked curiously.
“Really? Then let me taste yours!” suspicion clouding her eyes, she squinted leaning in his direction.
“That sounds like a game I used to play a lot when I was younger. I show you mine, you show me yours… Are you game?” he queried softly.
“It depends on what I stand to gain with it.” Joyce answered coyly while glancing at Sammie who was busily taking care of a sleeping Valerie.
“Pleasure, pure and simple, Joyce-san. When dealing with me, all you gain is pleasure. Sheer pleasure, nothing else.” Ren whispered hotly, looking at her intensely.
“Whoa! You seem very sure of yourself, Ren-san. Its very tempting…” she studied his handsome face with care, taking in his provocative smile and the promising glint in his eyes. Impulsively, she made her decision, “Yes, I’m game! Let me taste yours!”
He handed her the drink after taking a sip, waiting for her to taste his drink. Joyce took the drink in hand, and spurred by the devil himself, she turned the glass around to sip from the same place he drank. His eyes widened at the implications.
“Weren’t you complaining about my lips? Or was that just my imagination?”
“No, one has to make concessions, Ren-san. After all we both kiss our bosses’ asses, so we can both drink from the same glass, ne? There is no extra risk involved, ne?” she reasoned.
“But surely you know that drinking from my side of the glass is tantamount of kissing me on the lips. My lips were there.” His head got closer.
“If drinking from the same spot on your glass you did is the same as kissing you… then I am sorry to say, Ren-san, that your kisses dissapoint me. They seem quite tame.” She glanced from his glass to his eyes, her delicious pout challenging him.
“Oh, really? Then we must do something about it soon.” He replied smoothly.
“Truly? Like what? I’m curious.” She flirted madly.
“Cats are always curious.” He smiled softly, his warm breath fanning over her face, “Be patient, little cat. Now is my turn to taste your drink.” Ren reminded her softly
“Ok, then. Here. Taste it.” she gestured to her drink.
“Ah! Not before having you drink from it, Joyce-san. Tit for tat, remember?” He scolded lightly at her impatience.
She smiled and made a show of drinking from her glass to then offer it to him. He turned the glass between his hands and licked the glass lip wickedly while staring at her. She felt all tingly inside when she saw him taste the drink. He frowned thoughtfully.
“It’s quite good, but it still needs a little something” he added
“Like what?” she bit her lip hesitantly. He looked at her lips, unconsciously mirroring her actions.
“Dunno, something warm, something sweet, like your lips” he murmured. She could feel herself slowly falling into his web, could almost taste his lips, his breath skimming over her face as he neared. He made contact with her eyes, letting them fall to her mouth and groaned softly before swooping in for a kiss.
Valerie snored loudly.
“AH! Wha- Where am I? Sammie, Joyce and Ren are falling, do something! They are drunk!” she screeched. Sammie told her to shush as the pair straightened guiltily, drinks in hand.
“What a shame, Valerie! You should have stayed asleep for a while longer! It was going to be a Pulitzer Prize worthy moment!” she laughed heartily as they both gulped their drinks simultaneously.
“Weren’t we leaving Sammie?” Joyce asked
“No, I was sitting here watching you, Val was snoring softly and you dear, were on the process of getting thoroughly kissed by koneko-chan there. And you were quite comfortable with the idea. He wasn’t screaming either. To the contrary, he was busy licking your glass before trying to do the same to you.” She guffawed loudly as they both cringed and shrunk.
“Let’s go, guys! I need my bed. I’m going to be sick!” pleaded Valerie.
“Yeah! Lets!” chorused the red-faced pair on the other side of the table.
“A..are we taking a taxi? Or walking?” queried Joyce bashfully.
“Taxi. Val can’t walk and neither can either of you.” Sammie replied. “Do you think you can at least stand on your own?”
“Of course, mew!” They both tried to stand separately but found the only way up was helping each other. “See?” they smiled triumphantly when they finally stood.
“Yes, I can see quite clearly. You are finally working as a team, propping each other up. Keep at it!” she said as she pulled Valerie to an almost standing position and guided her towards the exit.
She meditated upon the ingratitude of drunken friends as Valerie kept on complaining about rough people and pounding headaches. Remembering her other friends, she looked back awkwardly to see the hilarious sight of Ren and Joyce hanging off of each other.
‘Amusing. This afternoon they were going at each other’s throats like tigers now look at them! Pussies! Dear Joyce, the Chacha remark is going to cost you dearly after this!’ Sammie gloated with delight, anticipating her friend’s cries of distress and disbelief.
That vision was certainly worth having to carry Valerie outside the place and hail a Taxi at the same time. ‘Revenge like lemonade is best served cold, Joyce. Enjoy yourself while you still can without blushing, arf!’
She saw them swaying precariously against a wall, holding onto each other for balance. Ren stumbled and tightened his hold on a surprised Joyce, making her fall half-off, half-on top of him on the sidewalk. Joyce’s laughter pierced the night, holding an unsuspecting Ren hostage in its thrall until he too burst out laughing. They tried to stand up but failed miserably, eyes full of laughter and mischievous cattiness.
Sammie watched with amazement as they started to whisper and giggle, still sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. Shaking her head, she left them to their own tender care, wearily lugging Valerie’s dead weight around in the increasingly frigid night. A taxi driver took pity on her and stopped soon after. Clumsily, she sat a slumbering Valerie on the back seat and went to help them stand up and get inside the car. She found them huddled together, arms around each other, still mewing and giggling while trying to keep warm.
“If you two get any sweeter my teeth will rot, you know?” Sammie said through gritted teeth as she prodded them in. Both giggled and stumbled forward into the taxi’s back seat.
“What are you talking about, Sammie? We are not sweet, we are bitter enemies ‘cause he broke my nose, ne Ren-chan?” she maintained turning to Ren for confirmation. Ren gaped at her and then shrugged unconcernedly before resting his head on the back seat.
Sammie got in the front seat and told the taxi driver the address for the studio where Ren’s car was parked. Upon hearing the word “car”, he jolted awake from his stupor.
“Chotto matte, onegai! This is not my car! Mine is red and big, very yakuza like! Everybody says so! This is too small” He looked around dazedly, eyeing the back seat wonderingly.
“Small? Like you, ne? But not as cute!” Joyce giggled breathlessly
“You think I’m cute?” he asked eagerly, leaning toward her.
“Of course! Really cute or as you say kawaii!” she retorted quite seriously
“Not you too, nya! Please say something else…Anything but kawaii!” he groaned, leaning his head back against the back seat.
“Like what, mew? Otokorashii?” she turned in his direction as far as she could go.
“That would be nice, for starters!” he purred as he too turned to face her.
At that moment, chaos erupted. The taxi driver took a hard left and right honking all the while at another driver who invaded his lane. The car veered sharply to the left, faked a stop and accelerated to pass the other driver, shouting insults as his tires screeched shrilly while Sammie clawed him for his incompetence. Valerie, still asleep, fell on Ren’s back pushing him hard against Joyce, making them tumble against each another.
Caught completely unawares, they became a mess of entangled limbs as their bodies pressed against each other. Ren’s face ended squashed against Joyce’s breasts, his hands grabbing her waist and the seat to avoid hitting her as she, arms and legs wide open, braced against his shoulders, the backseat door and around his hips for purchase. Sammie screeched hysterically in both English and Japanese to both drivers. The man started to yell back at her, reconsidered and resumed driving at a more sedate pace. Miraculously, Joyce avoided being hit again by sheer luck more than by any skill on her part.
After the car stabilized and everyone calmed, they clumsily tried to push a sleeping Valerie away. She lay deeply asleep wedged between Ren’s back and Joyce’s knee. Comically, both attempted to move finding themselves too entangled to accomplish anything. Wordlessly, they agreed on their next course. Joyce, who was facing in Valerie’s direction, maximized the face-to face position they’d ended up in to come closer as Ren kneeled on the seat. Using one arm, her legs and Ren’s back as a lever, she attempted to straighten Valerie without waking her up within the cramped confines of the backseat. He tried to help by tightening his grip on her thigh and waist to keep her in place, bringing her up back onto his lap every time she slid off.
With a final strain, Joyce finally pushed Valerie far enough to settle her into her corner. Once there, she resumed her snoring. They looked at her over, then at each other and promptly burst out laughing, feeling comfortably relaxed. Sitting back on his heels, he stretched his cramped back with Joyce still in place over his thighs, he looked at her sparkling eyes as she laughed with abandon. Breathless with laughter, both felt the exact moment their mutual attraction made itself known. Joyce stopped laughing when she felt Ren’s hot gaze skim over her body.
Realizing her vulnerable position, she attempted to leave the comfort of his lap for the confines of the seat, but he stalled her by tightening his grip on her knees. His hands ran up her thighs under her coat, intent on reaching her waist to draw her closer.
On the way there, he discovered her silk clad buttocks, her skirt having ridden up during their struggle. They got closer, their bodies responding with enthusiasm to the tension building inside them. Surprise and desire registered in both their faces, both unsure how to react. Ren’s hand crept unbidden to cup her face between suddenly clammy fingers that lightly caressed her mouth. She kept her eye contact steady as she took one finger between her teeth and into her mouth, to suckle lightly. His sharp hiss and the pulsing heat that rose to meet her between her thighs made her stop with a shy smile. She let her lashes sweep down her cheeks as she felt his dry, warm lips grazing hers for the first time. Letting out a sigh, she fell onto the kiss wholeheartedly.
Wet sounds and hot sighs from the back seat attracted a harried Sammie’s attention to their actions. ‘Finally! It was obvious to all but them they’d end up like this! Do I intervene or not? Better not, so I can torture her in the morning!’ she smiled conspiratorially. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her taxi driver trying to see what was going on back there and she promptly nipped the notion at the bud with a well-placed hit on the chest.
“Look forward you pervert, if you know what’s good for you! You lost nothing back there!” she hissed darkly. The man cringed and kept on driving silently.
A few minutes passed, the sounds backseat changing intensity and tone. When a sensually charged whisper “Ren, come closer!” followed by an equally heated “Motto, kudasai Joyce!” was heard, she decided enough was enough!
“Hey! You two need a Love Hotel or something? At least wait until we drop Ren off so you can take him home, Joyce!” retorted Sammie incensed, turning to glare at them. Her eyes took in the scene before her mind fully registered the facts. She noticed Joyce’s flushed cheeks and Ren’s glazed eyes, both completely breathless and unfocused. Her eyes widened upon noticing Ren’s hand moving with sensuous rhythm inside Joyce’s coat, while the other clutched the neck he avidly tasted.
“Joyce Rivendale!” Sammie called with annoyance.
Joyce yelped and whimpered with regret, trying to get off his lap. He resisted stubbornly still unwilling to let go.
“Ren! Onegai yamete, Ren-chan! Sammie is…” She pleaded. With a groan, he released her and curled upon himself covering his groin, not before Sammie got a glimpse of what looked like a dark wet patch on his pants.
“Sammie…” Joyce started to explain as they quickly fumbled with their clothes to try and bring them to order.
“Joyce, don’t go there! Forget it Ren! Shut up! Joyce, take his hands away from your coat, right yourself and move off his lap right now! You will regret it in the morning if you don’t. I promise!” she said pointedly.
Guilty silence fell on the backseat, but she didn’t have long to endure since they were almost to their destination.
“Ren, we are at the studio now. Where was your car parked? There is nothing here.” She said upon closely examining both sides of the road and the parking lot near the facilities. She started to look back when suddenly Ren’s face came forward.
“Not there? How come it’s not there! I parked it myself in front of the gates! That was the only free spot this afternoon!” he claimed hotly.
“Well, it’s not there anymore, dear!” Sammie informed him testily
“Stop, stop! It has to be there somewhere, nyan!” he cried
“See for yourself, Ren-chan. Unless it is invisible or you recently shrank it, there is no way a car like yours would get overlooked. Remember, I drove it to take Joyce to the hospital, so I know your car.” She rationalized.
“But it can’t be, Sammie! It can’t be! It can’t have disappeared. She wouldn’t have left without telling me! Not my car! She’s my baby! Bought with my last paycheck from GacktJob! She’s special! Who could have been so cruel?” Twin fat tears rolled down his cheeks as he sobbed pathetically. Joyce and Sammie sat dumbfounded as they watched him cry. ‘I never thought to see a grown man crying for a car with such intensity!’ Sammie marveled.
“There, there Ren-chan! I’m sure all is not lost! It will appear, you’ll see! Maybe parked it in another street?” Joyce suggested as she patted his back consolingly
“No, Joyce. It’s my car! It was stolen! I’m positive I left it there! My beautiful red car! Where could it be? Who could have taken it away? I was so proud! Poor baby!” he started crying in earnest now, babbling about stolen cars and paychecks while holding onto Joyce and inadvertently smothering himself into her breasts.
“Yep, heartbroken or not he’s still a man through and through, no doubt at all!” drawled Sammie before adding, “He’s taking advantage of your good heart Joyce.”
“But Sammie, he’s so nice! And he is crying! He lost his car bought from his last paycheck from a gag job and he is sad. I would be too! He is a cat, mew! Just like me! We cats must unite!” she maintained while hugging him tighter to her chest.
“Yeah, Sammie! Don’t be so heartless! Nyan!” he added brokenly, tearstained face contrasting sharply with his position in Joyce’s chest.
“Just what I needed! Two very drunk and horny cats, a sleeping aide and a lost car! Ren! Joyce! Shut up now! Before I do bodily harm to someone! I’m getting a headache! Now Ren, where do you live, where are we taking you?” she tried reasoning slowly.
“My car, where is my car? My baby! She left me, Joyce! Nao used to say so many mean things about her!” indistinct mewing “But I loved her dearly, nya! What will Cha say? Or Ma-kun! Or him!” He kept on blubbering tragically.
“Ren, the meter’s running! Where is your house!” she queried impatiently.
"He’s going to start on my case again, nya! Ren always gets lost and always looses things! But that’s not true! You is worse than me and he never said anything! Even worse, he bought the blind bat from hell a new car for his birthday once. Oh, God, what shall I do!” he said dejectedly, his words muffled by her coat.
“Ok, I understand. You have no idea where he lives Joyce, do you?” Sammie said tiredly glancing at her friend who negated with her head, still consoling the traumatized neko. “It’s up to me, ne?”
She instructed the taxi driver to take them to the apartment, realizing Ren was too distraught and drunk to think for himself. And she was dead on her feet. She could feel the beginnings of a severe headache coming over. What with Valerie’s snores, Ren’s cries and Joyce’s comforting mews it was no wonder. The only thing that worried her on her way home was finding a place for Ren to sleep.
‘Maybe with…me? Or the sofa? Valerie’s out because she’s too drunk and she snores. He won’t be able to close an eye. On the other side, Joyce is definitely out. Today, of all days, she chooses to pay attention to her biological clock, with the aid of a man she professes to hate no less! There’s no way I’m letting her take up kitten-making in our apartment!’
Upon arrival, she shook Valerie awake and helped a seriously downcast Ren inside the apartment complex. Joyce pushed the elevator button all the while whispering sweet nothings at him.
He seemed withdrawn, lost and alone, fresh lonely tears starting to course down his cheek as they waited for the elevator to come. Sniffling loudly, he swiped impatiently at his eyes. "I'm too drunk, Sammie! I'm not a crybaby! I'm not like this! I'm sorry to be such a bother!" he muttered from behind his hands.
"There, there! Sammie is very understanding, koneko-chan! We're all drunk! It feels weird but cool!" Joyce retorted as she sat clumsily near him.
"Sammie, where is Ren sleeping?" queried Valerie half asleep against the wall.
"I don't know, maybe in the living room or with-" Ren interrupted her, alarm visible in every line of his body "Neh! I don't want to sleep alone tonight! I'm cold! Sammie-san! I need human company, nya!" he begged brokenly
"Sammie, let him sleep with me! My bed is big enough for both of us! He's small! he can sleep with me! Come on! He lost his car! He is sad and crying, nya!" she begged right beside him.
"Yes, Sammie! I am all alone and sad! I am a poor helpless koneko, ne" he batted his lashes for good measure.
Sammie snorted "Right! If you are the embodiment of innocence and helplessness then my butt is non-existant! You will sleep alone, it's better for all concerned parties, Ren-san."
"Sammie! How can you be so cruel?" whined Joyce brokenheartedly. She started to bawl beside him going about lonely cats and heartless dogs.
Once inside the elevator, Ren reclined huddled in a corner. Ren slumped forward dejectedly, his bangs hiding his eyes from view. His shoulders stiffened and he straightened eyes full of resolve and mischief.
"I know Sammie-san! All this talk of charity is unnecessary... I can pay for my keep if that's what you want! If not with money, then with whatever your heart desires! Just name it! Nya-nyan! Anything you want, I'm easy tonight baby!" he boasted insistently, a wicked half smile playing in his lips. Joyce squeaked, tears forgotten as she again fell under his spell.
"Sure, koneko-chan. Sure..." she waved him away "make your offerings somewhere else." Sammie tiredly replied completely unaware of the storm brewing inside Ren.
Not one to be ignored, he pushed away from the wall where he was momentarily standing and cornered Sammie aggressively.
"I'm not one to offer things lightly. I can bring all your hidden desires to the light and make you scream with pleasure. Just give me a chance to chart your inner spaces," he teased lightly, caging her between his arms and leaning forward against her neck. His eyes shone heatedly, as they promised Oh so many delights. Sammie realized her mistake when she stared into his eyes. She could see the embers of unspent desire still raging inside. 'Man, Joyce really did a number on you. You are discomfited and contrary because you didn't get to go all the way with her and you really wanted to. Poor koneko, you really need a cold shower!'
"I'm too sober to take you up on that offer, tempting as it may sound" she replied conciliatorily. She knew better than to go against a drunken male ego. Those were extremely fragile, especially when they were vertically challenged and suffering from a nasty case of blue balls.
Suddenly shifting his attention, he charged Valerie, who was teetering on her feet.
"Hey Valerie-san! Want to sleep with a warm cat tonight? I make a wonderfully relaxing body pillow! I'm even good at massages and other stuff, very talented! What do you think? Can I tempt you into sharing your bed with me?" He leered as he stumbled unsteadily toward her. She just groaned tiredly and tried make herself comfortable. Joyce looked on with a weird mix of disbelief and anger in her face. Sammie could see her trying to control her deep anger at the flighty koneko and her friends.
'My, Joyce, I do believe you are Jealous! If looks could kill, both of us would be buried by now for attracting the koneko's attention away from you' she smirked 'Seems you decided he was yours after all, Joy! Good! There is still hope for you... But not tonight! I wont be held responsible tomorrow morning if you screw him tonight and tomorrow decide you don't want him!'
"Not today, Ren! I'm too drunk and tired to do more than snore like a goat! Maybe later on, ne? Unless you prefer your women unconscious?" she mumbled sleepily.
"Save it for Joyce, Ren!" Sammie added intriguingly. Joyce stopped fuming at that and blushed to the roots of her hair, but kept on staring longingly at Ren. Sammie almost felt a pang of regret for having to restrain her friend in her intent to bed Ren. Almost because she knew her friend was terribly shy and wouldn't stand the knowledge of bedding a man when drunk, attraction or not.
"I already tried playing with her and you scolded me, nya! She's out of bounds, isn't she? You said so yourself. That leaves me no other option than going after you! It's your fault I need company tonight! You stopped me from taking what is rightfully mine! Mine, you hear! She wanted to and so did I. Now you want me to sleep alone? No way! I won't! So, what's it to be? Will you share? Or can she play with the cat now, nyan?" he demanded imperiously pointing in Joyce's direction.
'So you do want her, Ren-chan! Wonderful! Still you can't be allowed to get what is rightfully yours... Let's hope I don't regret doing this!' Sammie smiled tightly while she thought furiously. Ren cursed low under his breath, turned like a caged beast and turned to face Joyce, his intentions clear to everybody present.
"No, Ren! Joyce can't play with the cat and you can't play with us! It is better if you go to bed alone. Remember you must go to your practice in a few hours. It wouldn't do to be there late... What would Yuri san say?" he flinched still unconvinced. She steeled her resolve and added in her best schoolmarm tone to the rebellious cat "You are going to sleep in the living room, alone! Do you understand?" Sammie informed him calmly. Ren bristled at her controlling tone.
From her corner, Joyce protested wordlessly. She looked flushed, full of anticipation and desire. Sammie winced 'Best to keep them separate. I refuse to be kept awake by the constant banging of her headboard against the paper-thin walls of our apartment! Valerie, please wake up! They are starting to go out of control!'
"Very well, then! Since all of you are boring old maids, you leave me no other option than to get naked and play with myself for fun tonight. I am too tense, One must relax anyway one can, right, Joyce?" He replied maliciously, playing with the buttons of his coat.
"Hey, Ren-chan! I'm not an old maid!" she objected as he unceremoniously started undressing, taking off his coat and letting it drop to the floor defiantly. He smiled provocatively at her, cocked his head to the side and took hold of his outer shirt.
"What are you waiting for then, nya? Come on, old lady! Between us, its Tit for tat, Jo-chan, remember? So, undress!" he ordered. To the astonished surprise of Sammie and Valerie, she just did. Her hands flew to her coat and divested from it with alacrity. Following his actions and instructions promptly she took off her jacket, giggling all the while
"What is she doing?" asked Valerie unsteadily, eyes half open.
"What does it look like? She's getting naked!" whispered a shell shocked Sammie.
Ren started singing playfully, his pleasant tenor drawing Joyce deeper into his fantasy world, inventing words and rhythm as he went. Mercifully, the elevator doors chose that moment to open, before he ripped his over shirt open and all his buttons popped every which way. Joyce giggled with delight at the rain of buttons.
"This way Ren-chan! I'll race you!" and both took off down the hallway, shedding clothes faster than previously expected given their drunkenness.
Sammie picked up the coats from the elevator floor, calling Valerie for help.
"Go ahead and get the door open before they make a bad situation worse by mooning the other residents! I'll see to their clothes," she hissed neurotically as she bent to pick up Ren's over shirt and T-shirt.
“There’s no one around at this time, Sammie! Chill out! Let them get as naked as jaybirds if that pleases them! I’m too tired to care anymore!” Valerie garbled incoherently before bending to pick Joyce’s blouse and skirt from the floor.
Farther up laid Ren’s green cargo pants, beside Joyce’s pantyhose and lacy camisole. They rounded the corner to find Joyce fingering her underwear provocatively while a dazzled Ren observed and nyanyed approvingly, right hand dreamily fondling his budding erection.
“Joyce Rivendale, if you dare to take those off in the hallway I’ll call your mother! Get it!!!” Sammie threatened her friend before she undressed completely in front of everybody. Joyce smiled over her shoulder at Ren, gave her the finger as she took off her bra faced her and threw it to her face. Ren was catcalling loudly while starting to take off his shorts, never once taking his eyes from the scrap of silk she used to cover her breasts.
“Nya!! That’s not fair!” Ren groaned seeing the scrap of tissue that dared to cover what he wanted to see. Joyce beckoned for him to come closer with one hand while lowering the scarf at the same time he took off his shorts, his rection prominently displayed.
“You are one dead neko if you dare- Oh, my God! I’m blinded for life! Argh! Cover yourself for Christ sake!” she was frenetic, trying to open her door before the neighbors woke up or her friend decided to bed Ren in the hallway.
“Get in you exhibitionists! Valerie, do something about their clothes. Move it, Damn you! Joyce, stop bouncing around naked! Ren, stop playing with yourself, you pervert! My God this has become Sodom and Gomorra! We are going to be burned alive by the wrath of God, damn it! Ren, Joyce, where are you going? Not the living room! Hey!” she struggled to close the door, straining under the bulk of the clothes she had on hand. “Valerie? Valerie! Get away from the door and move! I will slap you silly if you don’t do something soon!” She was screeching like a banshee by this time, but she didn’t care.
Valerie was snoring, asleep while standing on her feet. Ren and Joyce had passed by her as soon as she opened the door and were being suspiciously silent on the darkened living room. Throwing caution to the wind, she threw her bundle of clothing to the apartment’s floor, bodily pulled Valerie inside and closed the door. Hitting Valerie with soft, sharp slaps she told her to go wash her face and return promptly. That done and sighing with dread, she secured two lap blankets for her charges and proceeded with caution toward the living room, utterly afraid of what she was going to find there.
Bright lights flooded the spacious living room. There was only a sofa, a handful of chairs and most of their moving boxes visible because they hadn’t had the time to unpack their belongings. She heard giggles, coos and sighs from the farthest group of boxes. ‘No, God! This is not fair! Please! I don’t want my yet-to-be-conceived children traumatized by the sight of my best friend being screwed senseless by a Japanese neko! Please, God! I promise not to think badly of the blond faggot, ne?’
She added a heartfelt prayer of thanks to whatever Kami was around when she found them lying over a plush rug on the floor. Joyce’s head rested on top of Ren’s chest, as their hands played naughtily with their fingers, tickling each other. Incongruously they looked as innocent as any pair of 30-something-years olds, lying naked on the floor could look. She took note of the hand absently caressing Joyce’s butt cheeks and the long leg going slowly up and down, knee softly kneading his semi-erect member as the knee owner cuddled against her human body pillow.
She sighed tiredly, knowing that separating them now wouldn’t be easy. Still she recklessly threw a blanket over Ren’s waist to cover him as she grabbed Joyce by the arm and made her stand forcibly.
“Hey! What are you doing? We are not doing anything wrong!” she protested with dismay as Ren nyaned softly, blanket bunched up between his legs.
“You’ll thank me in the morning! Now, go to bed Joyce! ALONE.” She stressed the word for Ren’s benefit because he had stood up to follow them.
“And where will poor koneko-chan sleep? It will be quite cold for him there” she said worriedly
“Not to mention lonely, ne? Nya nyaa!” sulked Ren, failing to look properly chastised.
“He won’t be cold because he’ll have plenty of blankets and pillows to see him though the night! It doesn’t matter if he gets lonely. You’ll be lonely too!” she consoled her very drunk friend covering her with a blanket. Straightening to her full height she rounded up on Ren.
“Sit there, Ren and don’t move, or by Kami I swear I’ll make an eunuch out of you before the night is over!” Perusing her half-crazed expression, he froze and sat perfectly still on the sofa, deciding it better to wait where he was while she took Joyce to her room, instructed Valerie to hunt for spare blankets and pillows for his bed and quickly locked Joyce in.
“Sammie! Lemme out! The kitten is alone! Mew! Sammie! Please!!” Joyce hiccuped pounding defeatedly on the door.
“You’ll be really grateful once you regain your senses, Joyce. I swear!” she fought the urge to sit down and cry as she heard her friend scratch the door, calling for her koneko brokenly, as only the very young or the very drunk are prone to do.
Echoing little cat cries could be heard coming from the living room as apparently Ren heard Joyce’s cries and answered them without moving from his place in the sofa.
‘Wise move, koneko-san! Wise move.’ She couldn’t help but think with a wry smile. ‘Self preservation is always a good idea… especially when you are drunk and in somebody else’s territory!’ Sammie sighed with exhaustion as she continued trying to calm her friend.
Ten minutes later, Valerie dumped an armful of bedclothes on top of an already asleep neko before turning and stumbling into her room.
A weary Sammie came later to check on him after seeing to an incredibly upset Joyce. ‘It took a lot to calm her enough for her to fall asleep. And hearing you cry out for her from the living room didn’t help at all. Joyce alone, I can handle. You alone, I could handle. But the two of you together are enough to make a grown woman cry, even little old me!’
He was lying on his side, peacefully asleep on the sofa, an arm and a leg sticking out of the blanket. She couldn’t resist and tucked him in, caressing his bangs away from his face. Hearing him moan softly and lean into the caress, she smiled. ‘Joyce is right! He is just like a little cat.’ He snuggled deeper into his blankets, looking for the world like a good little angel.
‘And we all know how deceiving that impression can be! The only part that is true is the ‘little’ part. Although judging from what I saw tonight, he’s decidedly not small where it really matters, if I may say! Good for Joyce!’ she blushed to her roots when she realized the direction her thoughts had taken, suddenly grateful for the cover of darkness and left hurriedly towards her room, seeking the comfort sleep offered.
*************
so... that's about it! What do you think?? Too random? Well, must go work on chapter 12 before the inu kills the cat! Ah, before I forget... here are the other links for the story so far. Enjoy!
This is Chapter 6: Rehearsal Blues
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/10643.html
This is Chapter 5: Neutered Cats and Singing Birds
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/9593.html
This is Chapter 4: Strays and Broken Noses
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/8619.html
This is Chapter 3: A Sexy Witch Hunt
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/7776.html
This is chapter 2: A Study in Make Believe
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/5282.html
This is chapter 1: Music and Beer
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nekochan_nya/3026.html