Nobody Likes Loud Pop Music [Tsuyoi]

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi was already out of the house by the time she called. He had debated walking to the club but found it was too much of a walk, including with her. And so he took his dad's car. Well, not his car per say. That man's car was bought just to show off his money. Tsuyoi took the less noticable one. Still expensive, and still very high class, but at least it wasn't a limo.

The young male sighed, getting in the car and answering his phone as it rang. "Finally done?" he asked, starting the engine and taking the car out of the driveway. Why was he doing this again? He had forgotten. Unless he had never figured out his reason. "Now, where do you live?"

[Aiko]

By “soothing background music,” what Ren was really listening to was 80’s pop music. She heard Tsuyoi pick up on the other end of the line just as she was hastily turning the volume of “Footloose” way down. [green]“Um, what?”[/green] she said as she threw concealer and eye shadow back into her drawer. The makeup landed with a clatter. [green]“Oh, yes, I am done.”[/green] The teenaged girl slammed her drawer shut, and somehow managed to knock her brush noisily to the floor as she did so. Giggling nervously, she spoke over Tsuyoi’s next words: [green]“Ignore the noise in the bathroom.”[/green]

Immediately, she realized she had pretty much interrupted Tsuyoi. [green]“I am sorry. You asked where I live?”[/green] Stooping to retrieve her brush, Renée gave Tsuyoi her address, and told him what part of town to find her apartment building in. [green] “If it would be easier for you, I will wait outside for you to come get me.”[/green] Ren paused, standing with one foot forward and one foot back, holding her laptop in her arms and holding her phone in place with her shoulder. [green]“You are coming to get me, true?”[/green] As soon as Tsuyoi replied, the girl hustled out of the bathroom and dumped her battered old laptop on her desk. She had already closed it, even with the music still playing.

Hastening her way into her room to attempt throwing some of her accessories and clothes into her closet or under her bed before Tsuyoi arrived, Ren added, [green]“Before you go, tell me what you are wearing. I am afraid to be more dressed than I have to.”[/green] Not sure the words she had chosen in Japanese had been quite right, she added in English, [green]“I’m afraid of being overdressed.”[/green] [green]I look pretty, though,[/green] she thought brightly, shoveling random articles of clothing onto her closet floor.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi was already on the main road, driving with one hand as he listened to her and the directions she gave to her home. He answered her questions as he drove and took a left. "It doesn't matter what I'm wearing." he said with a sigh. "I'll be there in a few minutes." he said, closing the phone and ending the conversation. He didn't plan answering.

Soon Tsuyoi came to the address given. He drove around the apartments until he saw her waiting for him. He came and parked at the curb.

((short short))

[Aiko]

Tsuyoi’s bland answer was frustrating, but his hanging up on Ren was even more so. The girl pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it incredulously for a moment after the line went dead. [green]That boy![/green] she thought furiously. [green]Ugh! He’s just so…[/green] Renée couldn’t think of a strong enough word, so she hurled her phone at her bed. It bounced on the green covers and landed behind a stuffed animal. After a moment and a sigh, the American went to pick up her phone. She glanced around at her messy room, and decided it wasn’t worth it. She just wouldn’t let Tsuyoi come in.

Over her shoulders she slipped a long black coat, and she buttoned the large buttons up the front. Into the pockets went her phone, an unnecessary amount of money, a wad of tissues, and other bits and pieces she thought might come in handy. She clomped back into the bathroom, smoothed some of the frizz out of her hair with a hand, and hustled out the door, not forgetting to lock it behind her. Sooner than later, Ren found herself standing outside of the apartment building, hands in her pockets and feeling the air swirl around her legs. Her coat was longer than her dress. She was fervently grateful for the nylons she was wearing, but she felt very conspicuous. She was standing on the sidewalk in what looked like nothing more than heels and a coat, wearing heavy eye makeup. No wonder she was eliciting stares from passers-by.

The girl waited with toes tapping until a sleek, expensive-looking car sailed up to the curb. Ren waited until she identified the white head of Tsuyoi behind the wheel before taking an uncertain step towards the vehicle, but she ended up stopping. [green]Mom would never let me do something like this, getting into a car with a guy who’s practically a stranger,[/green] she thought ruefully. Then she squared her shoulders as she continued walking towards the car. [green]But Mom’s not here.[/green] Shivering with anticipation, Ren got in the passenger’s side and sat down beside Tsuyoi.

For a moment, Renée refused to look at the man with the white hair, instead staring diligently out the front window. [green]“I feel like a prostitute,”[/green] she muttered to herself, without even realizing she had spoken aloud. First there was the way she was dressed, and then how she had been waiting on the sidewalk, and then gotten into such a kind of car as this which was driven by a man. But then she turned to look at Tsuyoi, and smiled awkwardly.

[green]“Thank you for taking me out,”[/green] she said fervently, feeling that her face must be flushing underneath her makeup. [green]“Is what I am wearing okay?”[/green] Quickly, but with trembling fingers, she unbuttoned her coat and showed Tsuyoi her fun blue dress.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi seemed to be ignoring Renee for a moment as he drove away from the curve and onto the road. He gave a quick glance at her when she showed him her dress. He nodded and turned his attention back to the road, driving into the downtown area. "It's fine."

The building they came to was large but subtle, and on the left of the building was an alleyway where people could be seen entering. He turned off the car, exiting and following the others. He paused, waiting on Renee. Further into the alleyway a line of people could be seen, some wearing more formal clothes then others. There was a large door and a large, buff, bouncer to match with it. The man allowed certain people to enter and denied others entrance.

[Aiko]

It was excruciatingly awkward, riding shotgun with a guy who barely talked and who wasn’t very close, anyway. Ren found herself buttoning her coat back up, for lack of anything more productive to do. After that, she stared out the window, watching glassy windows flash past. The sky was darkening above the buildings, but the lights on the streets were already brightly illuminated. At least the car smelled nicer than a cab or anything else of that ilk. Ren typically preferred walking, since she didn’t have a car of her own, so sitting there felt doubly weird. Calculate in Tsuyoi’s silence, and it was the perfect equation for the American girl to feel very uncomfortable.

But she decided it beat the alternative of lying in bed, bored out of her crazy little mind.

It seemed to be a long time before Tsuyoi stopped the car. Renée had long before zoned out, and blinked in surprise and looked around to see that her escort had already gotten out of the car. Ren took an unreasonably long time stumbling out of the car, though she was being extremely careful not to flash anyone as she swung her legs out of the car. At least Tsuyoi had waited for her. The American click-clacked over to his side, and walked next to him with her hands still in her pockets. She glanced to the side, and saw with a surge of satisfaction that she was about an inch taller than Tsuyoi was when she was wearing heels. A smirk quirked on her lips as her eyes flicked forward again. That’s when she saw the bouncer.

The girl half-turned towards Tsuyoi, even as she continued walking. [green]“Will we be allowed inside?”[/green] she asked him, clearly concerned about this. Her blue-decorated eyes were widened a bit, and her glossy lips had parted slightly over her teeth. What if they weren’t allowed in? What then? What if they weren’t let in because of her? Crap, she felt conspicuous enough as it was! She wished she could melt into the alley wall, but she kept click-clacking forward, miraculously not tripping, though walking in the shoes that she was wearing might have taken a lot of concentration.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi didn't care to notice the tall difference. Sure, he'd like to have a girl at his side that was shorter, but it wasn't like that was important, including since they were just friends. When she was at his side he continued to walk with her to the line and passed right by it. "If I didn't believe we would get in, I wouldn't have invited you here." He lead her to the door and the bouncer looked at her questioningly but nodded, opening the door for them.

"How is Seishuku-san doing today?"

"He is doing well; on a business trip."

With subtle questions and a nod of greeting given; Tsuyoi went inside, making sure Renee was with him. Immediately the sound of the dance music entered their ears. The dance floor was the first thing seen. There was an upstairs area and in the right corner was the bar. Lighting up the dance floor were interest lights that seemed to move with the music. He lead her to a corner, where it looked seemingly like a cubby, a small table and rounded chairs were placed. Here the music wasn't so loud.

[Aiko]

Ren vaguely realized that Tsuyoi said something to the imposing-looking bouncer, but she was staring intently at the door. She could hear the music from out here! And then, without preamble, the girl felt herself being ushered in, and then the music was all around her! Like a tsunami, it crashed over her where she had been standing, and swept her along, pulling her into the sea of people who were roaming the inside of the club. There were people dancing right ahead of her, with lights flashing and whirling all around her.

With all that, a grin was quick to replace the anxious look that had been dominating Renée’s face. This was exactly what she’d wanted! Dancing, energy, lights, music, people, noise, happiness! The girl felt herself starting to drift towards the dance floor, big black coat and all, until she realized that Tsuyoi was trying to take her someplace.

Puzzled, she followed him, though to her dismay they were heading away from the noise and dancing, into a more secluded corner with tables and chairs and all that. [green]Tables. Right,[/green] Ren thought to herself. She started undoing the large buttons on her coat, and as she did so, she turned towards Tsuyoi, still smiling broadly. [green]“Thank you very much!”[/green] she said enthusiastically. [green]“This is perfect! I have a secret.”[/green] – Ren didn’t know the phrase “I have a confession to make” in Japanese – [green]“I have never been to a place like this before. I do not know exactly what to do.”[/green] She shrugged, a little sheepishly, and tugged the coat off. She hung it over one arm. [green]“Such as, what do I do with my coat?”[/green] She hefted it, as if Tsuyoi wouldn’t understand. [green]“Do I leave it here?”[/green]

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi sat down at the table, and nodded toward her thanks. "Yes, you leave your coat here," he said. He didn't expect her to ever have gone to a place like this before. It took money, and people. You had to know the right people to get in. He wondered if she could even guess what to do. "As you might know, I'm not dancing, so you'll be out there alone." he glanced at the dance floor. "Of course, you won't be the only one."

((I tried :/ ))

[Aiko]

[ooc: Tha’s cool. At least you’re posting.]

[green]“Okay. Thank you.”[/green] Renée hung her coat over a chair, meticulously making sure that it hung evenly. When she was feeling a little nervous, like she was now, she tended to be uncannily precise about everything she did. She was adjusting her coat as Tsuyoi continued speaking to her. At first, she didn’t look at him; she just kept making small and unnecessary adjustments to the way her coat was positioned. Finally, collecting her thoughts, she looked up at her escort, placing her hands on the chair and over her coat.

[green]“No?”[/green] she asked, surprised. [green]“Do you not like dancing, Tsuyoi?”[/green] She shook her head, continuing,[green] “I do not understand. Dancing is fun! Dancing… makes one smile! You do not have to dance with me, but you should dance a little. Dancing is good for your health.”[/green] Ren nodded her head vigorously, impassioned. What brought on this sudden bought of passion, you might ask? Simple: Ren didn’t want to go up alone. Undoubtedly, once she got out on the dance floor she’d relax, but the thought of approaching a large group of people she didn’t know at all was just a tiny bit terrifying. The boy to whom she was speaking might even notice her nervousness, if he happened to glance at her hands and see how her fingers tightened on her coat’s dark fabric. She hoped to coax Tsuyoi into at least taking her up.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi placed his elbow on the table, and laid his chin in the palm of his hand as he stared up at him, one brow raised in question of her statements. "I do not dance," he said simply, as his gaze lowered to her hands. "Are you nervous?" Tsuyoi straightened his posture, glancing at the dance floor. "Do not tell me I brought you here and you're not going to dance."

[Aiko]

[green]“I am not nervous!” [/green]Renée retorted defensively. She straightened up, too, releasing the chair so she could place her hands on her hips. Her eyes, flashing in the reflected lights, narrowed slightly. [green]“And I will dance! I think you should dance, too, is what I am saying.”[/green] The tall girl lifted a hand to flip some hair off her shoulder and turned her back on Tsuyoi, a decisive motion. She tried to stride away in some impressive way, but ended up stumbling in her heels. Her cheeks flushed deep crimson, and she was glad she wasn’t facing the Japanese boy. Quickly, she trotted over to the dance floor to escape from his light tawny gaze.

The crowd quickly swallowed her, like a living and breathing animal, as she pushed past the people dancing along the edges of the floor. She wanted to get out of her escort’s line of sight, forget about his unnervingly collected and cold attitude, and fill herself with the energy that the dancers radiated. Ren stood still for a moment, as other people danced all around her, and since nobody was looking at her, she began to bob to the rhythm of the music. Tentatively, a smile crept onto her glossed lips, and she felt herself relax. Her brain stopped willing her body to dance, but her limbs were moving of their own accord, copying the motions of the dancers all around. The American grinned, letting go of her self-consciousness and nervousness as she became part of the animal that was the crowd of dancers. She had been swallowed and thoroughly digested, and she loved it.

The song quickly ended. Ren had joined the group just as it was finishing. The next song that started playing had a quick, pulsing beat, and an unmistakable tune. Pausing, Ren looked around, surprised. She knew this song! Had someone requested it or something? It wasn’t an American tune; rather, it was an upbeat Indian song [ooc: And I say this because I have a song in mind.], and one the tall girl knew well. She beamed broadly, and she started dancing again. This time, she was fearless. She didn’t copy the moves of the other people already on the dance floor. She danced in the way one of her Indian friends from back in the States had shown her. The girl moved gracefully, yet with the energy of cheerful familiarity. The people immediately surrounding her stopped dancing to turn and watch her. Ren began to falter, realizing that eyes were on her, but then she heard someone calling for her to continue. Beaming at the onlookers, Renée resumed the bouncy Indian dance.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi smirked as she left, watching her clumsily make her way to the dance floor before he lost her in the crowd. He stretched out his arms, leaning back in his seat as he yawned. Not much sleep has came to him since the incident. He was glad to get out of the house though. He began to close his eyes before he noticed the people no the dance floor moving around. He had seen this a few times. When one person was watched for their dancing skills. That's what happens when he's forced to come with his father to have 'fun'.

Through a gap in the people he thought he had seen a flash of a blue dress and Renee's face. He blinked, surprised that she was the one given the attention. A rare smile appeared on his face before a girl came up to him and the smile was quickly gone. She handed him a complimentary drink from the manager. She blushed as he took the drink before she ran off. He followed her with his eyes, seeing her being appreciated by the manager himself, probably admiring her bravery. He took a sip and turned his attention back to the dance floor, but by that time, the people had formed a secure wall where he could not see through it. He didn't care to try too hard though.

[Aiko]

After a little while of Ren dancing alone, one adventurous soul in the form of a girl in a black dress started trying a little of what Ren was doing, waving her hands and bouncing her hips in the Indian way. As she turned, the American saw this adventurous soul and grinned at her. [green]“Good!”[/green] she cried. [green]“Come on, come on!”[/green] Without losing the rhythm of the song, the taller girl pulled the other into the circle created by the onlookers. The girl in black tried to back away, but Ren swung her around and started dancing again. [green]“You can dance!”[/green] she cried amiably, shouting over the music. [green]“Dance with me!”[/green] The girl, heartened, smiled and started to clumsily imitate Ren’s motions. The gathered crowd whooped with delight and started clapping to the time of the music as Renée and the other girl danced. Soon other people began to join in the dance, some more gracefully than others, until an estimated half of the dance floor was dancing like the American girl in their center.

When the song finished, there was cheering and clapping as the people stopped dancing. There was some special attention paid to Renée, and the aftereffects of the song left the girl in a playful mood. Panting softly, she bowed to the onlookers, who only cheered louder. Moments later another song was starting, slower than the last one, and people started dancing again. With her face flushed, Ren joined them once again, though she definitely wasn’t the center of attention anymore. She skillfully picked her way through the crowd until she was dancing along the outskirts of the group.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Tsuyoi watched the dance floor, finding himself proud of her company. How entertaining. He smiled turning away to take a sip of his drink. Too concentrated on watching Renee' dance he didn't care to notice when someone walked up and stood behind him. A slow whistle caught his attention. He looked then, noticing a man watching Renee, truly transfixed. "Ya see her, Tsu? Those are the rare people that have fun just to dance."

Tsuyoi narrowed his eyes at the man, a few years older with a silly grin on his face. He had the same light brown eyes and complexion, but his facial features were softer then those of Tsuyoi. "Do not call me that."

The man laughed, snaking an arm around the other one's neck, practically in a choke hold. "Better then Tsu-chan, neh? You didn't seem to be bothered of it when you were little!"