The Rhythm of Life: Part 21
Feb. 5th, 2013 04:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
antivanrufflesHere, have an 'interlude' where nothing really happens except the guys being idiots. :D
(Previous part HERE)
“He’s grinning.”
“Do you think he hit his head?”
“Maybe Dmitri brainwashed him?”
Zander and Jaden sat side by side in Kam’s office, heads bent together and hands shielding their mouths, even as they spoke in stage whispers. Dmitri stood in a corner, sniggering at them, while Neven leaned back in Kam’s chair, uncaring.
Kam shook his head, rolling his eyes and moved over to thump his brothers on top of their heads. “Stop it, you’re such children.”
“I haven’t seen Neven actually grin, let alone a shit-eating grin, in years. I’m worried. Oh, I know! He’s doped up on pain meds, right?” Neven let out a sigh and cursed Jaden profusely in Ukrainian.
Jaden looked scandalized. “I haven’t heard half those words since we were on the circuit, it’s like the good old days!” He blotted his eye with the corner of his sleeve. “I may cry. No one look! I’m just a little emotional right now!” He turned toward Zander, laying his head on his brother’s shoulder, his own shaking violently as he pretended to sob.
“Idiot.” Kam turned toward Neven. “Maybe he’ll stop if you tell him why you seem so happy?”
“He go out every night with Maggie over the weekend.” Dmitri cut in happily. “He stay at her place last night.”
There was chaos for a moment as everyone started speaking at once; Jaden and Zander asking for details, Neven yelling at his brother for ratting him out, and Dmitri rather calmly explaining that was his job as the younger sibling.
All in all it gave Kam a sudden urge to fling them all through the windows of his office, hoping that would shut them up.
“I did call this meeting to check in on everyone professionally, not personally,” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Where’s Edmond?”
Zander leaned back, looking down on the main room of the studio. “He’s coming, looks surly. Obviously he didn’t have any dates this weekend.”
“Speaking of dates,” Jaden cut in. “I heard from Maurice at Wild Thyme that you were seen there recently with a pretty blonde. Obviously this wasn’t me or Zander, so I’m guessing you were there with Mina?” He stressed her name out into several syllables.
“She came in on her day off for practice and ended up helping with the tap classes. I thought the least I could do was buy her dinner for the trouble.” Kam spoke brusquely, hoping that would be the end of it.
Of course it wasn’t.
“Well, I also heard that you two stayed for a long time after dinner, talking and laughing. Sounds like more than just a meal to me.”
Kam narrowed his eyes. “How are things with Ramona?”
Jaden’s entire disposition suddenly soured. “Fine,” he ground out.
“On speaking terms?”
“Yeah, so long as it’s about Blackpool and nothing else.” Kam wanted to press further, if for no other reason than to goad Jaden, but the door opened and Edmond walked in. He held out a parcel.
“From your mother,” he said. Jaden shot up and took the package.
“Care package!” he crowed. As Jaden settled back in his seat, opening the box, Edmond walked past Kam to slap Zander on the back of the head.
“What was that for?” Zander cradled his head, glaring up at the Frenchman.
“Sylvia told me that you were out with Adelaide, but ended the night early and were extremely rude. Why would you do that? Adelaide is a sweet girl, and judging by the way Sylvia talks, she obviously likes you… for whatever reason.” He rolled his eyes.
“Wait!” Jaden’s head snapped up, and he looked between Edmond and Zander, finally settling on the latter. “Zan had a date!? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME!?”
“It wasn’t a date! We’ve talked about music before, and she wanted me to go a concert with her.”
“Sounds like a date to me.” Jaden wrinkled his nose. “Why were you rude?”
“I wasn’t rude! The fella she likes, he’s Sylvia’s cousin? He ended up being there, things were kinda weird.”
“Oh!” Jaden nodded, as if that explained everything. “You were jealous, I see.”
Zander sulked, arms crossed, and kicked Jaden. “Just shut up, would you? Go back to bothering Kam and Neven.”
Kam had had enough at that point. “How about we don’t talk about anyone’s personal life anymore?”
“Good luck with that,” Neven muttered. Kam turned around and glared at him.
“Bless our mother!” Jaden cried, finally having opened the package. He held a box above his head like a trophy. “She sent Tim Tams!”
“Jaden, don’t--” Kam started, but the words had pulled Zander from his little pity party and he sat up, curls bouncing.
“Would you like a Tim Tam, Kim Kam?”
“Zander I will beat you, shut up.”
“KIMMY KAM LOVES HIS TIMMY TAMS!” The younger Ryans cried in unison.
“I hate you both.” Kam frowned as Jaden ripped open the package, the scent of the cookies making him feel ill. “Get those away from me.”
“There is a story, I think I like to hear?” Neven grinned, accepting one of the cookies from Jaden. “These taste good.”
“When Kam was a teenager, he ate like a horse, yeah? He’s always been a big fella, and he was competing and helping out at Gran’s studio, always working and always eating.” Jaden started to explain. “And his favorite thing to eat was Tim Tams. I was, what? Eight or nine?”
“I was six,” Zander cut in around a bite of cookie.
“Anyway we pooled our allowance and bought as many boxes as we could. I think it was ten or something, just an obscene about of cookies! Then, because Kam loved them so much, we dared him to eat them all.”
“In one sitting.” Zander nodded.
“You did not take dare, did you?” Neven looked at Kam, and Kam felt a slight flush rushing to his cheeks.
“I did.”
“I have never seen a person chunder so much in all my life! He missed a competition because of it.” Jaden laughed, eating another cookie.
“After that we decided to call him ‘Kim Kam’.“ Zander grinned. “And he still can’t stomach the scent of them.”
“So we always ask mum send us some because they’re never the same unless they’re from home… and it pisses Kam off.”
“You both are jackasses, get out.” Kam pointed toward the door. “Everyone out, we’re done here. In fact, no more meetings until Blackpool. You are all on your own.”
“You know that is a bad idea, yes?” Dmitri raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t care anymore, do as you like, screw who you like; just make sure you show up at Blackpool with a partner. And stop fucking calling me ‘Kimmy Kam’.”
“Stop being a baby.” Jaden stood up and shoved something against Kam’s chest. “Mum sent you your precious Cherry Ripe, no need to be so upset.”
Kam stared for a moment. “I am not upset over whether mum sent biscuits or not! I’m upset because none of you care. So just go, do whatever you want.”
Jaden clapped his hands. “Goodie! Self-righteous Kameron, my favorite!” He looked up at Kam sardonically. “We don’t care? Right, you have Zander teaching nearly every class here and doing all the upkeep for the studio, running himself ragged without a word. You’ve brought Neven out of hiding; which is a great thing, don’t get me wrong, but he came here for you. Dmitri and Edmond are both working harder than ever without a bad word between them. And I am currently partnered with someone who you knew full well I didn’t along with, and I haven’t… well, no, okay, I’ve complained a lot, but I’m still at it!”
Kam ran his tongue over his teeth, contemplating a reply, but Jaden wasn’t finished.
“These little check-in meetings are more your benefit than ours, and you know it. Well, what do you want know? How are Dmitri and Maggie doing, Neven?” He turned toward the Ukrainian.
“Better and better. Things will go well at Blackpool.”
“Fantastic!” Jaden nodded. “How’re classes, Zander?”
“Great; all the little ones are happy and the older students are doing well.”
“See, Kam, good stuff! Edmond? Anything to report with Sylvia?”
“Sylvia is coming along well. Lord Teasdale is very pleased with the change in her, he wants to recommend us to friends for private lessons.”
“Well that’s bang up!” Jaden turned back to Kam, smile overly bright. “Ramona and I are kicking ass even if we can’t speak more than five words to each other right now. But you needn’t worry about Blackpool or any of the Latin championships after, we’ll do our professional duty. Happy now?”
“Jade--”
“No, it’s fine! Everything is hunky dory, now let’s go and leave the grumpy idiot to himself.” Jaden walked to the door and opened it, stepping into the hall. Before he shut it, Kam managed to find his voice again.
“I’m sorry.” Jaden didn’t respond but he cast Kam a smile over his shoulder before he left completely.
“Time for class, wouldn’t do to be late.” Zander stood slowly, brushed crumbs off his lap and moved toward the door. He stopped by Kam’s side and impulsively gave his brother a quick hug before darting out of the room.
“I should go as well, it’s a practice day.” Edmond patted Kam’s shoulder on his way out. Kam wasn’t in the mood for pity, but figured they all meant well enough. Dmitri slipped out after Edmond, muttering about playing third wheel.
“Good meeting.” Neven laughed, a little too gleefully for Kam’s liking.
“Ass.”
“Feel like old time, yes?” Neven grinned, teeth flashing. While he had taken to shaving, there was day old stubble covering his jaw, and Kam wondered what all he had gotten up to over the weekend.
No, actually, he didn’t want to know.
“I suppose.” Kam smiled at Neven. “Better get going, go see your girlfriend before Dmitri makes a move.”
“He would not dare.”
Kam had to laugh, he hadn’t refuted to the girlfriend part. “Keep smiling, mate, it looks good on ya.”
“I will try if you do.” Neven chuckled and walked out the door. Kam looked around his office, running a hand through his hair. He glanced at the clock, it was nearly time to get to the practice room. Against his will, he felt a smile tugging the corners of his mouth at the thought of seeing Mina.
(Previous part HERE)
“He’s grinning.”
“Do you think he hit his head?”
“Maybe Dmitri brainwashed him?”
Zander and Jaden sat side by side in Kam’s office, heads bent together and hands shielding their mouths, even as they spoke in stage whispers. Dmitri stood in a corner, sniggering at them, while Neven leaned back in Kam’s chair, uncaring.
Kam shook his head, rolling his eyes and moved over to thump his brothers on top of their heads. “Stop it, you’re such children.”
“I haven’t seen Neven actually grin, let alone a shit-eating grin, in years. I’m worried. Oh, I know! He’s doped up on pain meds, right?” Neven let out a sigh and cursed Jaden profusely in Ukrainian.
Jaden looked scandalized. “I haven’t heard half those words since we were on the circuit, it’s like the good old days!” He blotted his eye with the corner of his sleeve. “I may cry. No one look! I’m just a little emotional right now!” He turned toward Zander, laying his head on his brother’s shoulder, his own shaking violently as he pretended to sob.
“Idiot.” Kam turned toward Neven. “Maybe he’ll stop if you tell him why you seem so happy?”
“He go out every night with Maggie over the weekend.” Dmitri cut in happily. “He stay at her place last night.”
There was chaos for a moment as everyone started speaking at once; Jaden and Zander asking for details, Neven yelling at his brother for ratting him out, and Dmitri rather calmly explaining that was his job as the younger sibling.
All in all it gave Kam a sudden urge to fling them all through the windows of his office, hoping that would shut them up.
“I did call this meeting to check in on everyone professionally, not personally,” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Where’s Edmond?”
Zander leaned back, looking down on the main room of the studio. “He’s coming, looks surly. Obviously he didn’t have any dates this weekend.”
“Speaking of dates,” Jaden cut in. “I heard from Maurice at Wild Thyme that you were seen there recently with a pretty blonde. Obviously this wasn’t me or Zander, so I’m guessing you were there with Mina?” He stressed her name out into several syllables.
“She came in on her day off for practice and ended up helping with the tap classes. I thought the least I could do was buy her dinner for the trouble.” Kam spoke brusquely, hoping that would be the end of it.
Of course it wasn’t.
“Well, I also heard that you two stayed for a long time after dinner, talking and laughing. Sounds like more than just a meal to me.”
Kam narrowed his eyes. “How are things with Ramona?”
Jaden’s entire disposition suddenly soured. “Fine,” he ground out.
“On speaking terms?”
“Yeah, so long as it’s about Blackpool and nothing else.” Kam wanted to press further, if for no other reason than to goad Jaden, but the door opened and Edmond walked in. He held out a parcel.
“From your mother,” he said. Jaden shot up and took the package.
“Care package!” he crowed. As Jaden settled back in his seat, opening the box, Edmond walked past Kam to slap Zander on the back of the head.
“What was that for?” Zander cradled his head, glaring up at the Frenchman.
“Sylvia told me that you were out with Adelaide, but ended the night early and were extremely rude. Why would you do that? Adelaide is a sweet girl, and judging by the way Sylvia talks, she obviously likes you… for whatever reason.” He rolled his eyes.
“Wait!” Jaden’s head snapped up, and he looked between Edmond and Zander, finally settling on the latter. “Zan had a date!? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME!?”
“It wasn’t a date! We’ve talked about music before, and she wanted me to go a concert with her.”
“Sounds like a date to me.” Jaden wrinkled his nose. “Why were you rude?”
“I wasn’t rude! The fella she likes, he’s Sylvia’s cousin? He ended up being there, things were kinda weird.”
“Oh!” Jaden nodded, as if that explained everything. “You were jealous, I see.”
Zander sulked, arms crossed, and kicked Jaden. “Just shut up, would you? Go back to bothering Kam and Neven.”
Kam had had enough at that point. “How about we don’t talk about anyone’s personal life anymore?”
“Good luck with that,” Neven muttered. Kam turned around and glared at him.
“Bless our mother!” Jaden cried, finally having opened the package. He held a box above his head like a trophy. “She sent Tim Tams!”
“Jaden, don’t--” Kam started, but the words had pulled Zander from his little pity party and he sat up, curls bouncing.
“Would you like a Tim Tam, Kim Kam?”
“Zander I will beat you, shut up.”
“KIMMY KAM LOVES HIS TIMMY TAMS!” The younger Ryans cried in unison.
“I hate you both.” Kam frowned as Jaden ripped open the package, the scent of the cookies making him feel ill. “Get those away from me.”
“There is a story, I think I like to hear?” Neven grinned, accepting one of the cookies from Jaden. “These taste good.”
“When Kam was a teenager, he ate like a horse, yeah? He’s always been a big fella, and he was competing and helping out at Gran’s studio, always working and always eating.” Jaden started to explain. “And his favorite thing to eat was Tim Tams. I was, what? Eight or nine?”
“I was six,” Zander cut in around a bite of cookie.
“Anyway we pooled our allowance and bought as many boxes as we could. I think it was ten or something, just an obscene about of cookies! Then, because Kam loved them so much, we dared him to eat them all.”
“In one sitting.” Zander nodded.
“You did not take dare, did you?” Neven looked at Kam, and Kam felt a slight flush rushing to his cheeks.
“I did.”
“I have never seen a person chunder so much in all my life! He missed a competition because of it.” Jaden laughed, eating another cookie.
“After that we decided to call him ‘Kim Kam’.“ Zander grinned. “And he still can’t stomach the scent of them.”
“So we always ask mum send us some because they’re never the same unless they’re from home… and it pisses Kam off.”
“You both are jackasses, get out.” Kam pointed toward the door. “Everyone out, we’re done here. In fact, no more meetings until Blackpool. You are all on your own.”
“You know that is a bad idea, yes?” Dmitri raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t care anymore, do as you like, screw who you like; just make sure you show up at Blackpool with a partner. And stop fucking calling me ‘Kimmy Kam’.”
“Stop being a baby.” Jaden stood up and shoved something against Kam’s chest. “Mum sent you your precious Cherry Ripe, no need to be so upset.”
Kam stared for a moment. “I am not upset over whether mum sent biscuits or not! I’m upset because none of you care. So just go, do whatever you want.”
Jaden clapped his hands. “Goodie! Self-righteous Kameron, my favorite!” He looked up at Kam sardonically. “We don’t care? Right, you have Zander teaching nearly every class here and doing all the upkeep for the studio, running himself ragged without a word. You’ve brought Neven out of hiding; which is a great thing, don’t get me wrong, but he came here for you. Dmitri and Edmond are both working harder than ever without a bad word between them. And I am currently partnered with someone who you knew full well I didn’t along with, and I haven’t… well, no, okay, I’ve complained a lot, but I’m still at it!”
Kam ran his tongue over his teeth, contemplating a reply, but Jaden wasn’t finished.
“These little check-in meetings are more your benefit than ours, and you know it. Well, what do you want know? How are Dmitri and Maggie doing, Neven?” He turned toward the Ukrainian.
“Better and better. Things will go well at Blackpool.”
“Fantastic!” Jaden nodded. “How’re classes, Zander?”
“Great; all the little ones are happy and the older students are doing well.”
“See, Kam, good stuff! Edmond? Anything to report with Sylvia?”
“Sylvia is coming along well. Lord Teasdale is very pleased with the change in her, he wants to recommend us to friends for private lessons.”
“Well that’s bang up!” Jaden turned back to Kam, smile overly bright. “Ramona and I are kicking ass even if we can’t speak more than five words to each other right now. But you needn’t worry about Blackpool or any of the Latin championships after, we’ll do our professional duty. Happy now?”
“Jade--”
“No, it’s fine! Everything is hunky dory, now let’s go and leave the grumpy idiot to himself.” Jaden walked to the door and opened it, stepping into the hall. Before he shut it, Kam managed to find his voice again.
“I’m sorry.” Jaden didn’t respond but he cast Kam a smile over his shoulder before he left completely.
“Time for class, wouldn’t do to be late.” Zander stood slowly, brushed crumbs off his lap and moved toward the door. He stopped by Kam’s side and impulsively gave his brother a quick hug before darting out of the room.
“I should go as well, it’s a practice day.” Edmond patted Kam’s shoulder on his way out. Kam wasn’t in the mood for pity, but figured they all meant well enough. Dmitri slipped out after Edmond, muttering about playing third wheel.
“Good meeting.” Neven laughed, a little too gleefully for Kam’s liking.
“Ass.”
“Feel like old time, yes?” Neven grinned, teeth flashing. While he had taken to shaving, there was day old stubble covering his jaw, and Kam wondered what all he had gotten up to over the weekend.
No, actually, he didn’t want to know.
“I suppose.” Kam smiled at Neven. “Better get going, go see your girlfriend before Dmitri makes a move.”
“He would not dare.”
Kam had to laugh, he hadn’t refuted to the girlfriend part. “Keep smiling, mate, it looks good on ya.”
“I will try if you do.” Neven chuckled and walked out the door. Kam looked around his office, running a hand through his hair. He glanced at the clock, it was nearly time to get to the practice room. Against his will, he felt a smile tugging the corners of his mouth at the thought of seeing Mina.
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no subject
Date: 2013-02-07 08:04 pm (UTC)Also "chunder" is by far the grossest word for puking out there. Silly Australians.
Neven is grinning! Yay happy Neven!
no subject
Date: 2013-02-07 09:41 pm (UTC)'course he's grinning... he got laid! ;D