"Just shut up, okay? I don't want to hear it!" Toshiya was hurt and angry.
"But baby, she came on to me!" Kaoru tousled his hair and took a stressful drag on his cigarette. He didn't need this right now.
"What, so that meant it was okay to neck on the couch?"
"Well no� Listen, she was hot, and I'd had a lot to drink. Can you really blame me?"
"YES!"
"Well maybe you shouldn't!" As if anger were contagious, Kaoru too felt frustrated. "Maybe I was missing something here!"
Toshiya slapped Kaoru hard around the face. His eyes were teary and he was really pissed off now. It was a good thing he had had going with Kaoru. He thought that maybe it could have been something special.
"Get out!" He needed time to think things through. "Just get the hell out!" He pushed a protesting Kaoru hastily out the door and slammed it shut. Sinking to the floor, he sobbed a little. It hadn't been the first time he's caught Kaoru with another person. And yet he'd still stuck with him. Sucker love was the hardest to deal with. In a way, Toshiya knew it wasn't Kaoru's fault. Kaoru was a very sexual person. Toshiya was too, but Toshiya's manner was somehow more seductive. He had to think about pulling someone. People jumped at the chance to be anywhere near Kaoru, let alone in his pants.
Everyone found Kaoru attractive, whatever their sexual orientation. And much to Toshiya's dismay, Kaoru generally found everyone attractive back. In contrast, whilst many people found Toshiya beautiful, and he could play them for this as much as he wanted, he still tried to keep as much of his private life monogamous as possible. He had standards after all.
He got up and sighed, slowly cleaning up the mess that the argument had caused. He changed the bed covers, trying to remove the reminders of the relationship. He didn't want it invading his sleep. He didn't want to wake up smelling of Kaoru. Toshiya took a shower, washing himself clean before then going to bed. He had to get up for work in the early afternoon.
*
Toshiya pulled up outside the club. His clothes were in a bag, and as he locked his car he swung them over his shoulder entering the club round the back.
"Hey babe!" Shinya greeted him with a hug. He was half way through doing his make up and his hair was in rollers. His smile turned to a look of concern. "You don't look so good. What's up?"
"I broke up with Kaoru. I don't know� he was playing around again. With some chick."
"Aww sweetie. What a bitch! Although a rather hot bitch, I have to- sorry�" Shinya had caught Toshiya's eye. "It's just-"
"Yeah, I know, he's a sexybum� and generally a nice guy� That�s the issue." Toshiya's eyes welled up again. "Shit. It�s a good job I haven't done my eye make-up yet."
Shinya giggled at the attempt at humour.
"Yeah, you'll be fine."
"Yeah, I expect so." Toshiya was already scraping his hair back into a ponytail. He slipped out of his jeans and shirt and looked at what he had to wear. Shinya was togged up in some slinky black PVC and pink fluff number. At present he was pulling his feet into a long pair of boots. Toshiya also felt the need to look his sexiest. Being attractive for an audience was easy enough. He wanted to prove to himself as much as anyone that he wasn't some worn out tramp. He was an entertainer.
He picked out a blue kimono and pulled it on. Once he had the stripy tights on he felt better. So he added two inches to his height with some chunky boots and set to work on his make-up. Shinya was already finished, currently occupying his time fussing over Toshiya's hair. Another man and two girls had entered the dressing room, and were getting ready for the evening. When Toshiya was ready, he and Shinya sat and talked. It had been a while since they'd talked. Toshiya had been too busy with Kaoru. It was an on-off relationship. Every time it got good, Kaoru would get a little carried away.
However, Shinya said he'd found a new interest. Some guy, apparently. He was going to be here tonight. Girls hadn't worked out for Shinya, so he was now deciding to see what interest he could spark in the male world. Both his appearance and personality implied femininity, female tendencies getting overriding all masculinity on a regular basis. It wasn't that he was never attracted to girls. He just felt more at home being one than screwing one. Toshiya had two lives, his club life where he dressed girly - a little something to please all characters. Out of the club, he dressed casual. But Shinya was almost always in girls' tee shirts, girls' jeans, girls' dresses. His long hair was all his own.
They chattered amongst the other entertainers before opening time. When the call went out, Shinya and Toshiya linked arms and went out. It was time to entertain.
*
"So where exactly are we going?" Kyo was in the passenger seat, and Die was driving.
"To a club. I'm meeting someone there. Besides, you need to get out more." He grinned cheekily as Kyo gave him a shove in the arm.
"What kind of club?" Kyo was suspicious, and with good reason. Die had taken him to some pretty weird places in the past.
"An entertainment club. There'll be dancers and stuff. You'll like it. Might even meet someone yourself" Die laughed and continued to drive a couple more blocks. It was getting dark. He hadn't told Kyo about the entertainers. Some were male, some were female, some gay, some straight. However, it was frequently hard to distinguish between any of the categories - but then, that was half the fun. Kyo was straight, but Die thought maybe he'd have some laughs and see how long it took him to work out that half the girls weren't girls. He grinned and pulled up outside the club.
Inside was not overly crowded, but not empty either. Die had made reservations for a table near enough to the stage. He sat down with Kyo and they waited for the entertainment to start.
Music started and a group of what appeared to be young girls came out onto the stage. They moved a little to the music, but it wasn't really important, and mainly they just blew kisses into the crowd and danced with each other.
"That one!" Whispered Die, pointing to a figure with long brown wavy hair in a black and pink dress. Kyo nodded. He was a little surprised that Die had come here to meet a girl. It had been at least seven years ago when Die had told him that he was gay. However, Kyo was not one to judge. All the entertainers were very beautiful. Soon the music faded to background sound, and they stopped whilst admirers threw money at them.
The art of picking up the money that you so desperately need from the floor without looking like you desperately need it is a difficult one. However, both Toshiya and Shinya were old at this game, and they managed it with skill. After stuffing their pockets, they stepped down from the stage and started to wander. Usually this would take no pattern, and they would visit more or less every table one by one.
Tonight, however, Shinya had an agenda.
"Over there!" he pointed out a young man with shocking red hair to Toshiya and giggled. "He's really nice. I met him at another club the other night. He asked me if he could see me again, and I told him I danced here. Hey, does my hair look okay?" Shinya brushed his hands through his long brown locks and plumped his pouty red lips. He laughed nervously. "You'll come with me, right?"
Toshiya laughed
"Of course! What are friends for?" he took Shinya's arm and together they both moved over to the table of Shinya's guest.
"Shinya! I was wondering where you had got to!" Die grinned widely. "You were great up there!"
Shinya too was smiling insanely now.
"Thanks. It's great that you came along. Oh, and this is my friend Toshiya." Toshiya gave a little curtsy
"Shinya's told me all about you!" He grinned momentarily; flashing his awkwardly placed teeth in an adorable smile. Shinya sure knew how to pick them. Then he noticed the small man, sitting uncomfortably beneath a shock of blond hair. "So you've met Shinya's friend, who's yours?"
"Me?" Kyo spoke hoarsely, as he had not expected to be addressed. "My name is, uh� Niimura Kyo." He smiled briefly at the visitors. Die's new friend was extremely pretty - wavy auburn locks framing a delicate face. And the other one was� beautiful� it was quite unnerving. Shinya sat down next to Die and the two flirted shamelessly.
Kyo sighed, but was surprised to find that Toshiya had taken a seat next to him. He didn't really want to be here. He didn't like crowded places, and his previous psychiatrist had told him that maybe he should spend more time at home. So he had.
"You think maybe they should get a room?" Toshiya whispered with a giggle.
Kyo didn't smile. His concentrated pout continued, though perhaps there had been a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
"Well who pissed in your sake? You don't look too cheery!" Toshiya suddenly felt the need to add some happiness to the situation. If he was going to have a sucky day, he could at least try and de-suckify someone else's.
"I'm sorry." Replied Kyo. He hadn't meant to seem so rude. "I err... I don�t get out much. I don't get on so well with people."
"Aww, I'm sure it's not that bad! I've not been having a great day either. I wasn't going to come tonight, but I decided maybe that would take my mind off it."
"How so?" Kyo was surprised to find that talking was not as hard as he had feared. He was interested now.
"I had a bust up with my boyfriend. The fucker was off with someone else."
"That really sucks! I'm sorry to hear it. I can't think why anyone would want to be unfaithful to someone as beautiful as you." And he didn't know why he said it. But this girl was very beautiful, and by the sound if it, she needed telling so.
Toshiya blushed a little. Hours out of a relationship, and he was already being hit upon. He felt better all of a sudden.
By the time the night was drawing to a close, it seemed they had talked for days.
"Well, looks like its time to get going. Are you two lovelies going to get changed?" Die stood up and helped Shinya to his feet.
"Yeah. Looks about time." Toshiya stood up. Kyo also standing suddenly felt very much alone in a world full of tall people. The pout returned.
"See you in a sec!" Shinya grabbed Toshiya by the arm and they both began to saunter over to the dressing rooms. Walking past a table, Toshiya yelped. He looked round to find that some drunken businessman seemed not to want to take his hand off Toshiya's backside. This was not a good thing.
"Please sir, if you could possibly get away from me NOW that would be great." He spoke loudly through gritted teeth.
"Yeah back off buddy!" Shinya glanced round nervously, catching Die's eyes with a look of panic. He raised his voice. "I said back off!" Over Toshiya's shoulder he could see Die and Kyo were making their way over.
"Hey retard!" Kyo was suddenly angry "Get your hand off the lady! She deserves a little more respect!"
"Yeah what ever, I paid the entrance fee. What if the building�s not all I feel like entering tonight? What�s the tariff there, hmm? Anyway, who�s gonna make me back off, you and your leprechaun kin?"
"Fucking right!" Kyo let loose a very nasty right hook. He probably would have kept at it too, if Die hadn't pulled him away.
"See why I'm reluctant to bring him out?" Die turned the situation to humour immediately. "Kyo, he's not going to come around till some time tomorrow afternoon. Best leave it." Kyo calmed down, and Die's grip loosened.
"Thanks Die. He was just such an arsehole. Sorry that you had to see that Toshiya." Kyo was blushing a deep red. Toshiya smiled once more.
"That�s fine. Thanks for helping out. Security in this place is shit. The bastard had it coming." With that, he took Shinya's arm and the both walked quickly into the changing rooms.
*
"So. What do you think? Shinya is so hot." Die rambled on and on as they walked out to the back entrance to wait.
"Yeah. Very pretty. I'm glad you took me out� Toshiya is really great to talk to."
"You two seemed to be getting on quite well, eh?" he gave Kyo a playful elbow in the ribs.
Then Shinya and Toshiya came outside. Shinya's hair was back in a ponytail, and he was wearing a hello kitty tee shirt with jeans. Toshiya had taken out his extensions and wiped off all the makeup. In Levis and baggy jumper, he had returned to his male appearance.
"Hi Shinya, Toshiya!"
"Hey you two! Not been waiting too long, I hope?"
"Not at all!" Die replied. However, Kyo was staring something terrible. He was wondering where Toshiya was and then it had just clicked. That Toshiya was this Toshiya. This Toshiya was a guy. What the hell was that supposed to mean? How had he been behaving towards a guy all night?
He stayed silent.
"Okay y'all, I'm going home. Shinya, you wanna join me for coffee?" The question was said nervously, and for a second it was hard to tell where the red of Die's blush and the red of his hair separated. Shinya giggled girlishly. He squeezed Toshiya's hand and joined arms with Die.
"See you later babe!"
"Bye!" Toshiya called as they disappeared into the distance. "And Kyo� I really mean it. Thanks for stepping in back then. We have some really tricky customers sometimes. We can't react physically for legal reasons, and like I said, the bouncers are just plain shoddy."
"Uh� sure� Any time." Kyo scratched his nest of blond hair nervously.
"So� call me, yeah?" Toshiya slipped a piece of card into Kyo's hand, nipped him on the ear and was off down the alley before Kyo know what had hit him.
"Uh� right." He turned to find a taxi to take him home.
*
"So... how long have you been working at the club then?" Die sat down next to Shinya on the couch. Both of them had had a little too much to drink.
"Ah� few years now. It's how I met Toshiya. He's really great. Just so easy to get on with. We've been through pretty much everything together. So yeah. Round here, a job's a job. It pays well, so the both of us kept at it, you know?"
"Yeah. Well I'm sure you can rake in a fair bit looking as good as you do." Shinya blushed at the comment, fingers tapping on his knee absentmindedly, his mind obviously wandering off topic.
"You'd be surprised, I mean-" he was cut short by a kiss from Die. It was half-unexpected, half what Shinya had been waiting for the whole evening. He really liked Die, and right now, it felt like Die really liked him too. So he returned the kiss and enjoyed Die. Soon he was unbuttoning Die's shirt, and Hello Kitty's crumpled face was somewhere on the floor. His hand traced the arch of Die's back and there was a moment's pause as Die shuddered.
Shinya looked into the wide, black rimmed eyes of the man above him. Then desire took over in full glory and Shinya was reaching up, kissing again passionately. Then Die had picked him up in strong arms and carried him off to the bedroom, and soon enough all Shinya was concentrating on was Die and good feelings.