His heart ached. Harlan let his hand fall and sighed, turning his eyes away from Jayde's too discerning eyes. The other man had to know, why else would he have so clearly drawn lines, put up walls, the moment Harlan had even made the smallest motion to draw even an inch closer? And yet it had to be enough ... He had to make it work, make it last, because he couldn't imagine not having even those brief interludes with Jayde.

So he forced a smile to his lips, and made himself laugh even though he didn't feel it. "As if I would!"

He glanced at the tv, looking for something to talk about instead of letting the conversation linger on their agreement. "So what's going on with that?" He nodded at the screen. "I was asleep and didn't catch most of what the newscaster was saying."

Jayde felt the disappointment even without looking at Harlan. He had turned his fullest attention to him for a second, because he sensed this, but still he refused to truly acknowledge it. Harlan couldn't want more, at least now. He needed to understand that because otherwise, they would be over. So for now, Jayde just swept the notion he suspected under the rug, where it belonged.

Indicating the tv with the remote, Jayde shrugged one shoulder. He turned up the volume finally so that Harlan could hear. "It's nothing much. A man was shot in a club not far from here. They say he was a drug dealer, real small time." Shrugging again, Jayde resisted the urge the turn the tv off immediately after his explanation. Such a thing though would surely look suspicious. "Do you want to watch it. It's all repeating now for me." Indeed, nothing new had come to light in the past hour. He could do something about that though.

Turning pale, Harlan shook his head. "No way! I don't want to hear about a murder that happened so close to where we are." Without much thought, he grabbed the remote from Jayde and turned the tv off. Some people might have wanted to know more, Harlan knew it would just make him paranoid about his own safety and Jayde.

He shuddered. "It's something for the cops to worry about. Watching the news and worrying about it isn't going to help much." He laughed a bit. "It would just make things worse for me, I mean ... Just hearing about it makes me want to just lock myself in my house and not go outside, because I don't want to get hurt, and heck it makes me worry about Axel too. If something like that can happen to a small time drug dealer, can you imagine the kinds of crazies who must be interested in Obsessed With Your Obsession?"

Jayde raised his eyebrow, actually surprised at Harlan's reaction. This part of life stopped bothering him so long ago that he forgot what it was like to meet people who were still so...almost innocent about it. How long ago had he lost that innocence? Ten? Thirteen years ago? He couldn't even pin down a time where he stopped fearing the world instead of fighting. "It's nothing to worry about that much," he sighed. With the tv turned off, he leaned over to look at Harlan properly, close but not quite touching. After a second of consideration though, he smiled in reassurance.

"Should I check in on Axel then? It's been a while, but I talked to him a minute before texting you. Those guys can handle themselves." After another second, he slid off the bed, starting to gather his clothes with care. "If you lock yourself inside, you'll never get stronger. Learn to deal...." Trailing off, he stared down at the quote on his collar bone for a second, then the words 'Home' across his fingers. He had to learn how to deal. No fear, even in the face of a gun.

Fear forgotten, Harlan held his breath as Jayde leaned so close ... He could have bridged the gap, but then he'd have missed one of Jayde's rare smiles. Rare with him at least. He found himself scoffing, turning away to gather his own clothes as Jayde asked about checking on Axel.

"That guy, he barely knows how to take care of himself. He scared me pretty bad the other day. We'd had a fight, and all, and he was having one of his crazy parties." Pulling on his jeans, he laughed. "I was about ready to break Axel's door down when he finally answered." Harlan's voice turned speculative. "I wonder if he ever contacted Fane?"

He turned to face Jayde as he explained. "Fane Dearborn is this manager whose worked with some high profile bands as part of a talent company; the guy decided to break out on his own and I tried to get him to take me on as a client but he was really stubborn about just working with bands so I told Axel about him, since OWYO's manager was just letting them all go downhill anyway."

And there it was, his meddling side put to the fore.

Jayde hummed in response as he wound his belt around his waist, slipping the buckle into place with a sure motion. For all that he knew Axel since the younger man started junior high, he couldn't say to what degree he would call them friends now. Rather, he just had deep commitment, long ties of connection that could not be easily separated. "You're a better friend for him that I ever was," he murmured, more to himself than Harlan. The words just slipped out before he could censure them. Quickly sliding on his shirt and pushing back his hair, he tried to move pat his own words.

"Well, who knows with that guy. He's stubborn, but I met his band mates when they just started out. Don't underestimate them." Shaking his head, he tried not to sigh again. Since when did he sigh and so often? He really shouldn't have come here. It made him strange and instead of grounding him, he felt even more distracted from his job than before. "I should get going though. My phone will start blowing up with messages soon. Meet again in a week?" Hopefully. Maybe. He couldn't say for sure anymore.

"That's not true," murmured Harlan. But he shook his head and let the comment pass. Of course Axel would be alright despite his worry, the man was like a spring, he could bounce back from anything.

The mention of another meeting made Harlan brighten, something he wished weren't so obvious. If this thing they had wasn't supposed to have strings then a reaction like that was unwarranted. And yet it did make him smile to think of seeing Jayde again, and the wiry young man couldn't help but show it. "You bet your bright eyes I want to have some more fun again." Next week wasn't soon enough though it was better then the wait he'd been expecting.

Letting out a slight snort at Harlan's comment, Jayde couldn't help the smile that wanted to come out. Being around Harlan just felt so easy sometimes. Why else couldn't he help but come here even when he shouldn't? Someone would get hurt in the end, but he still couldn't help this gravitation that kept happening. "I'll try to make time then," he hummed. "I can't promise anything though." When could he ever? Feeling burdened by his own thought, he pushed his feet into his shoes before turning toward the door. "Take care. And...." He paused, hesitating near the door for a second. "Stay away from that club." A second later, he exited the room, not giving Harlan a chance to explain or even shoot a questioning look his way. Jayde just couldn't help but impart that bit of information.

Harlan puzzled over Jayde's last words as he finished dressing. Why in the world would Jayde warn him off from that club? Harlan had already said that what had happened there made him feel like locking himself away from the world. Could it be that Jayde actually cared about him, even a tiny bit? The hope of it brought a fluttery feeling into his heart, and he had to work hard to squash it. "Come on, don't be an idiot! The only thing he wants from me is this stuff, besides I don't know him well enough to have any idea why he would want to warn me about that place."

Motivations aside, the thought had been a nice one, though uneeded. There was no way he would ever go near that place until the cops had caught the murderer.

Once outside and in his car, Harlan pulled out his phone. He dialed instead of texting, hoping that Axel would answer despite the early hour.

Morning light barely squeezed through a line between Axel's curtains. Pulled tight, they kept the sunlight at bay and would have for another few hours if not for the sudden sequence of musical notes that signaled a phone call. Groaning, he rolled over to snatch up the offending device, none too happy about this interruption to his sleep. "God's gift to humanity speaking. What do you want?" he snapped. Read the caller ID? The thought didn't occur to him at all and no matter who called, they would get the same treatment. Axel did not do mornings well. Judging by the amount of new lyrics password locked on his computer, it had been a late night as well. Not for the reasons most people expected from him, but still long.

"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine in the morning," answered Harlan with a smile.

Harlan settled deeper into his seate and glanced at the driver's side mirror just to see if anyone was actually out and walking. Apparently not. But the sun was up, though there were clouds in the sky. And he felt good. Happy even. "So, two things Mr. Grump. I woke up to Jayde still there in the hotel room bed, and what's up with you and Fane? Did you decide to hire the guy, or convince the other members to?"

Should he even mention that odd comment about the club? He supposed the more important thing to wonder about was whether or not he wanted to leave the hotel parking lot yet. The car wasn't stiffling hot yet, there was a nice breeze coming in and the city view actually had some curb appeal. Harlan supposed he would stay for a while after all. At least until he got through his conversation with Axel anyway.

Axel groaned as he he flopped back over, burying his face in his pillow. Of course it was Harlan. Who else would call so early in the morning expecting congeniality? He almost hung up, but he knew Harlan would call back. If he wanted to sleep, then he needed to participate in the conversation he'd been dragged into. "You're a fucker, you know that?" he muttered, voice muffled by his pillow. After a second though, he turned his head to the side in order to listen more carefully, the phone resting against his one exposed ear.

"You met up with Jayde last night?" he asked, surprised and more alert than before. "Seriously, what's up with him. If that guy gets me arrested..." Ruffling a hand through his hair, he didn't finish his griping statement. As much because it wasn't something he should talk about as the threat didn't need to be finished. What would he do? Try to get one up on a guy like Jayde? He didn't stand a chance. Sighing, he rubbed his face, trying to erase his grogginess. "And yeah, we hired Fane. What's it to you?" Dropping his head back onto his pillow, he found himself thinking about Jayde and that package. What was it? Drugs? Money? Somehow, he couldn't imagine anything less shady, otherwise, why give it to him. It wasn't like Axel had any redeeming qualities.

"Arrested?" Harlan nearly dropped the phone.

Suddenly Jayde's warning almost seemed ... sinister. But no, Jayde was a good person. He had to believe that, or he didn't know what might become of this strange attraction and how wrapped up he was with the other man. The only way Harlan could bear it was to imagine that Jayde was a worthy person, just one who wanted to live a life without any strings or attachments.

"Anyway, you said you hired Fane? That's awesome! I mean... " He laughed. "Well you already know my opinion about your old manager. "

Axel shrugged, not really perturbed by the thought of getting arrested even though he complained himself. If he got concerned over things like that, he would live a different life style. "Well, it's fine anyway. Ignore me." Strange words coming from him, but he'd already waved Harlan off with them before he realized it. He really shouldn't be talking about this anyway since Jayde entrusted it to him.

"Anyway, it's your fault since you complained so much. All I keep wanting to do is sleep and you just pester me. But whatever. Like I give a fuck about changing managers. One is the same as another. Lionus got all smiley and everyone got right on board." Waving his hand, he didn't care if Harlan couldn't see the dismissal. "But is that really all you called for this early?"

"Well ..."
.
Harlan leaned back. His chair thumped as he adjusted it, a sound he was sure Axel would be able to hear over the phone. "Jayde told me to stay away from this club where a drug dealer got murdered, now I worry that he's ... I don't know, maybe he's up to something dangerous? There's no way for me to tell what might be going on in his life, he never tells me anything and then he goes and says that!" He shook his head and sighed.

"And I know you don't want to hear about this, so I'm just going to hang up now. Plus, I know I interrupted your beauty sleep." Harlan teased Axel at the last just before hanging up and heading home.

"Are you fucking serious?" Axel hissed. Sitting up, he crossed his legs, staring intently at his headboard as he listened. After a second, he groaned and ran a hand over his face. He shouldn't sound concerned. He shouldn't care, but alarm bells went off even in his crowded mind. Other people getting hurt should make him happy because then they couldn't threaten his own precarious position in the world. But just what the fuck was Jayde into? "Damn, it's not my business though. You said it, I don't want to hear about these things, so just..." He cut himself off with a shake of his head. He didn't want to hear about them because they made him uncomfortable. "Don't call me so early again!"

He got the words out just before Harlan hung up. Sitting in the resulting silence, he let everything stew. Sleepiness long since fled and for the first time in a while, he found himself really brooding over someone besides himself. If Jayde dragged Harlan into some kind of mess, he'd punch the guy in the face even if he'd lose the fight. He didn't care, but no one got to fuck with the people he liked fucking with. Sharing sucked and all. Before he could second guess himself, he sent a quick text to Jayde.

'Meet with me tonight.'

Five minutes later, he received a curt response. '11pm'

Fane slid to his feet and stretched, going through his usual morning routine. The blonde dressed in a comfortable, yet business worthy outfit and moved to check himself in the mirror before sending a text to the OWYO members.

I would like to spend some time getting to know each of you individually, please send me times when you're available and willing to do so. I'll co-ordinate everything.

That done, he settled in front of his laptop and started really pulling up all the information he could on his new band. Suffice to say, there wasn't enough recent coverage, but oh they had been glorious when they'd topped the charts! Seeing them on stage like that sent his heart beating with excitement. What he wouldn't give to be able to bring OWYO to their prime again. The harm mismanagement had done to the band could be repaired, he was sure.

Axel just stepped out of his shower later that morning when he saw a new message on his phone. Half expecting Jayde or Harlan again, he looked at with mild interest. However, he found the name 'manager prick' flashing on his phone instead. Frowning to see that nickname, he flicked the message open, reading it as he wandered through his house in just the towel, his mind more on breakfast than anything else. It really did seem that no one wanted him to lock himself inside anymore. It was a pity really, but since when did he get so popular as a social icon?

Oh, right. When he became a famous rock star. 'Any time after five pm and not boring,' he sent back, a grin crossing over his face at the thought. If Fane wanted to do something, then he would make sure it fit his own life style. Call him a butterfly of the night or whatever, but it was the only environment where he could wear his mask perfectly. And besides, he knew his bandmates would agree. For all that they were very different people, when it came to parties, they all excelled. Fane would just have to deal. Pulling a container of left over Chinese rice out of his fridge, Axel slid it into the microwave, watching the neon orange letters tick their way down to zero.

He answered Axel absentmindedly, more worried about getting the band back into the swing of things then anything else ... He wondered about their new songs, about how best to re-create their image for their grand return. So much ... there was just so much to do, and not enough time or resources to do it with. If he'd still been with the company they would have been able to pull their weigth around, but as it was he had to do it all himself.

Yeah, just tell me where.

Axel really wondered if Fane just trusted him this much or didn't care. Either way, he didn't seem the least bit skeptical of Axel. Surely he knew what he would get, right? If Axel planned a day out, everyone involved better be ready. Grinning at just the thought of it, Axel texted Fane an address, not bothering to give more details than that. In the newly revitalized part of mid-town, the club was exclusive at its finest and one of Axel's favorite places to pick up both boys and girls. No matter his tastes for the night, there was always someone beautiful to fit the bill. Sending another quick message to his band mates, he let them know to meet for drinks there. And hey, Fane was coming, so they better all be ready for a real party. Heading to his closet in order to pick out his best party clothes, Axel started planning his night.

Fane dressed like a man from the era of the silver screen; a pin stripped vest complemented his dark pants and pale blue dress shirt. His hair he styled with a bit of gelm and around his neck was a bow tie. He even wore those shiny shoes that always reminded him of Frank Sinatra. He had a fondness for the days of old, greatly in part because his grandmother had regaled him with stories of her younger days and how much she loved going to concerts, seeing the greats on stage.

She'd inspired him to try and make others great, her love of music had led him to his entire career.

And as he stepped out of his camaro and got a first glimpse of the crowd waiting to get into the place Axel and told him to go ... Fane tried not to curse his choice of work. How in the world was he supposed to get in, and why had he dressed so ... conservatively? He should have known Axel would choose a place that encouraged wildness and passion.

The line would take at least an hour to get through. Sighing, Fane walked right to the back, almost wishing he'd brought ear plugs. Fans screamed every time they saw a celebrity cut to the front of the line and step knto the club. Of course Fane was sure others were more discreet, and walked in through some kind of back entrance.

His car just as flashy as his appearance, Axel pulled up in front of the club amid a clamor of fan-girl screams. Because their notoriety mostly came from their group appearance, he expected the other members to arrive together, especially Lionus and Yvonne. He wasn't one to pry or anything, but Axel always suspected that those two had a fling in their debut years when bars instead of stadiums served as their stage. But, he wasn't one to pry.

Unlike those small name members, he felt no qualms walking in by himself and expecting every person to recognize his face. With his midnight blue hair styled in sleek, punk layers across his forehead, piercings clearly visible in the outside lights, he cut a striking figure. Like always. It took only a second of seclusion in his car to put on the face of a performer. He wore it so well too, as he cut to the front of the line. Inside, the music rocked the floor, throngs of human bodies moving to that obvious beat. Axel glanced at his phone, seeing Yvonne's message about arriving in five minutes. As for Fane, he didn't know where to start. Was he here or not?

Smirk crossing his face, Axel walked to the bar, finding a seat as he continued to focus on his phone. 'I'm at the bar. Meet here asap, first round of whisky on the way,' he sent out to everyone, then settled back. It would be a fun night and he couldn't wait to see Fane's face when he walked in here. But really, he picked this place because of that. Pure fun.

By the time he slipped into the club, Fane welcomed the heat of the place. It was so many bodies, all dancing and moving to the beat. After the cool of the night, it really didn't seem so bad.

Once inside the manager eyed the crowd and tried to think of the most likely place to find Axel. Would he be dancing right now? Or maybe the better choice was to follow the sound of people clamoring for attention, all gathered around the bar. That had to be where Axel and the others were; the whole band had probably arrived by the time he made his way through the line, and now there was another crowd to get through.

With some apologies, Fane managed to squeeze through the crowd and found himself pressed up against Axel because of the sheer amount of people in the club. He'd never been any place so crowded and bright.

"This wasn't what I had in mind, you know." Fane managed to put a hand against the bar. He almost sighed with relief. At least he had some kind of support to steady himself after the long wait. "But it does give me some idea about the kind of things you like to do ... I suppose."

Anyone unused to it would find the club dizzying and claustrophobic with the sheer amount of people. Axel sat with complete ease though, as did most of the people there. Considering the class of the club, no one with a half-assed interest in clubbing would even bother. Despite Axel's own strangeness in dealing with people, he looked as if he owned the club from the sleek, dark-wood bar, the modern style sleekly curved stool, to the needy people pressed around him. In this crowd, Fane stuck out like a sore thumb.

The second the manager came into view, Axel turned to stare, a look of interest painting his face before he switched it to a look of distaste. He did have to give the man props for wearing such a uniquely styled outfit without shame, but the awkwardness on Fane's face turned him into a fool instead. Grinning, Axel slipped a hand around Fane's shoulders with a casual slyness that put them in their own bubble inside the crowd. "Then you shouldn't have agreed so easily. This is my game and I'll win no matter how many times we play."

Chuckling under his breath, Axel pulled his arm away again in order to lean his back against the bar. "And yeah, I like to drink. You too, get drunk already."

Fane fought the urge to roll his eyes and walk away. He'd know from the beginning that Axel would be hard to handle, and the way he turned something so simple as an outing into a competition proved that beyond a doubt.

It was hard to admit that he hadn't minded the attractive singer's arm around him ... but that really had nothing to do with why he was there. This meeting had been planned so he could get some kind of glimpse into the other man's lifestyle, and it certainly did that. Just a glance at the crowd, the atmoshphere, was enough to let Fane draw the conclusion that the rockstar wanted to be surrounded by people.

"Drinking isn't what I was talking about." He lifted a hand and asked the bartender for a beer that he would haul around all night, as was his habit when he was out in public. Truth be told, he wouldn't finish the thing since he would be driving. Doing otherwise would be so irresponsible.

"I hope you have plan for getting home after all this." Fane nodded to the crowd and snatched a suddenly empty stool beside Axel the moment it was free.