Fire crackled, destroying what had once been of the match, the embers and ashes crumbled weeping to the table's smooth finish. The dank and dreary smoke wailed into the air, curling forever outwards.

"It's all upon worth, my dear Drake." Ashes from the match flew from the table with a lovingly careless gesture of the hand to sink forgotten to the floor. Zeek Terlus removed the cigarette from his lips and leaned on two legs of his chair, those beautiful lips twisted in an all to familiar diverse leer. "You see, my love, this is so much in your eyes and so little in mine. I see this as no more than a waste of my time."

"This isn't a waste of your precious time! We need your voice, Zeek. No other will do." Drake pushed his ever annoying, glossy, black eye length hair out of his eyes as it lovingly caressed his face. Those sharp silver eyes were narrowed with alert and swirling in anger, watching with more than interest in Zeek's every move.

"Well, that's terribly dreadful for you now isn't it." He lifted a slender tanned hand, he lowered it slightly to inspect his shining nails for anything marring his perfection. His nails were three inches long, beautifully arched, and painted freshly hot pink. Zeek tsked at a chip he found on his index finger. "One wrong nail and I have to paint them all." He sighed deeply in vast disappointment and dismay.

"Damnit, Zeek, can you at least look at me when I am talking to you!" Drake slammed his open hand viciously against the oak table making the glasses jump. His voice trembled with withheld anger and frustration.

"Let's stroll into the world of pretend and say I accept your little proposal. Where would you get a guitarist?" Zeek spoke softly in a bored tone as if Drake had never spoken. He reached for his cigarette burning in the crystal ashtray. He placed it in his mouth and took a long drag, with his eyes closed, as if he would never taste it again. He leaned forward and blew smoke rings around Drake's face.

"A guitarist is easy to find, Zeek. We're not worried about that at all." Drake exchanged a meaning full glance with an innocent looking man next to him.

"What is your view on all this, Lyn?"

"I want you in the band, Zeeky. We need you." Lyn leaned forward, his baby blue eyes wide and imploring.

Zeek cast his head up with a deep sigh as he stared at the ceiling. He knew he was weakening. Lyn always had a soft spot around his heart. Lyn was his baby, the very person he loved as his own and protected at all cost, he knew he couldn't disappoint him. But...he would love to see Drake squirm for awhile before he gave in completely, after that there was no turning back.

"Let me in, damnit! I'm twenty one! I have I.D, I'm just a little short!" A high angry voice drifted into the room from the main door of the club.

"What is all that about?" Drake's thin eyebrows rose with an unconcealed interest. His mouth turned up in a smile of pure delight and curiosity.

Zeek rolled his eyes in disgust. He kicked Drake under the table with his steel toed combat boots. "You are the snoopiest person I have ever met."

"I can't help it!" Drake shrugged as he craned his neck to get a better view. He caught a glimpse of a very short young man. Though short hardly described this man. Or rather boy. He looked way to young to be caught in a place like this. He had bright orange hair that went down to his neck., covering his right eye. Right now his arms were crossed over his chest in an angry defiant gesture. It was too dimmed of lighting to make anymore of an image of his blurred features. There was something about this man that Drake was alert to. Something... something... Then a orange cat tail flashed into his view from the man then disappeared.

Drake's eyes widened with shock, he leaned forward and opened his mouth but no words came out. Of course Drake had seen stranger things than a man with a furry orange cat tail. Look at Zeek. With his multi-colored green, purple orange, and brown hair. Those glowing violet-shattered crystal like eyes. A red trench coat that clung to his curves. Along with a full clingy jumpsuit. Zeek was odd indeed, but under the surface it was so much more.

"Where are all the girls?" Zeek found no interest what so ever in Drake's strange behavior. His shatter crystal like eyes skimmed the room impatiently. Those eyes taking in every flaw and every perfection in the room with no interest. That's what life was to Zeek Terlus, a bore.

The strange young newcomer entered the room silently, anger still lurked in his honey brown eyes. He made his way through the room and took a seat at the table next to them. His honey eyes assessed Zeek with a sort of childish interest. "Weird people sure do come here." His eyes drifted over Drake and Lyn then spotted a waitress. "Um! Hey! I'd like a drink please!" The waitress in question continued passed him as if he had never spoken. "Hey!" He shouted in anger.

Zeek rolled his eyes once more. He propped his chin up in his hand. "Oia, kids have no idea how these women work." His mouth quirked into a faint grin of amusement. "If you want something you'll have to give something back, sooner than later. Whether it is money or something else.

"By all means, show us what you mean." Drake waved his hand in an urging gesture. "Go, go" Drake mentally rolled his eyes. He loved Zeek true enough but he was way to free with his person. He had no morals or modesty. People were just his tools to use, abuse, and toss away.

"As you command, Buddha." Zeek stood up with a great flourish. He reached out and grasped the waitress's arm as she passed. The girl turned to snap at him but then she put on her best smile and seductive look she could muster when she saw it was Zeek. "Hey, Baby doll. Can I get a couple of drinks for my friends?" He ran a slender tanned finger down her throat.

"Why of course, Mr. Terlus!" She gushed out, blushing with pleasure under Zeek's attention. Zeek Terlus was a well know customer. Not only with drinks but also with many of the girls. Many girls -this one being no exception- often dreamt of having a night with Zeek Terlus. Sadly, he always seemed too busy. It had been weeks since he had paid for a girl for a night. Some girls even spoke of his turning, but that was just nonsense. Zeek Terlus was a gorgeous stud, with being able to have any girl he wouldn't turn to men.

"Two tequila roses, a vodka, and a..." His violet eyes turned to the young man. He tipped his head lazily to one side as he regarded the stranger. "A beer for the kiddo." He released the waitress, much to her regret, and sunk back down in his seat. His red trench coat fanning out around his body. Drake and Lyn raised their hands and applauded in admit to Zeek's show.

The stranger from the other table stared at Zeek mildly perplexed. This man was outrageous. Not only in his nature, not only in that husky sexy voice, but also in his physical appearance. The man's gaze was held longest by Zeek's hair, though it was mostly lime green. And it was so glowy...

"Zeek, you're getting away from the matter at hand." Drake's light but faintly annoyed voice jerked the stranger from his obsession with Zeek's hair. He carefully turned his body so he could get a better view of the three men and their conversation.

The flame sparked to life once more, harsh wood snubbed it out as the ashes scarred the table's smooth finish, as a lover scars a soul. Zeek placed a new cigarette back between his mocking lips. "If I do sing, where are you going to find a guitarist so late in the competition?"

The man's orange cat ears perked up then hid once more. He turned to looked at Drake, avoiding Zeek. For some reason he effected him on a deeper, personal level. It was not normal to be so moved by someone who he had no idea who they were. "I play guitar."

"You see! Problem solved!" Drake's silver eyes gleamed eagerly with victory and joy. He had been dreaming of having his own band. His last singer and guitarist just up and quit one day, leaving him hanging in the middle of a competition. His last hope was Zeek and this new stranger, and Zeek was giving him a hell of a time. Why did he always have to be so stubborn?

"You still need a singer." Zeek placed his cigarette delicately in the ashtray then turned and took the four drinks from the waitress's hands. She eyed Zeek hoping that this would be her night but looked disappointed when Zeek only tossed a hundred dollars on her tray without taking interest to her at all. He had seen that look too many times, tried girls too many times from here. They all looked the same, did the same things, talked the same. After awhile of the same thing they creased to interest Zeek.

"I can sing too." The stranger slid into the empty chair at their table directly across from Zeek. "Why don't you want to be in it anyways?" He looked slightly puzzled, he couldn't find for a logical reason for Zeek to deny them. If he could really sing well then what was his problem?

Zeek took a small sip of his water clear drink. The stranger followed what Zeek did and tipped it back and took a deep swig of the fiery liquid. Those violet eyes danced with vast amusement, a soft smile curved those lips. The stranger started to cough as the liquid burned down his throat, he clearly wasn't expecting that. The smile on those mocking lips became more pronounced.

"Sip it."

"I'm OK." The man wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He turned his honey brown eyes on the three. They were an odd group that was for sure. Zeek seemed to be the leader, with his strange outrageous look, Drake was the second in command or partner in crime, with his dark haired silver eyed devilish look, and Lyn was the third a rather angelic looking man that seemed to need the others to protect him and guide him.

"So, kid, what is your name?" Drake stirred around him melting ice in his pink thick drinking, as if trying to stir up the conversation as easily as he stirred his drink.

"Now who's off topic." Zeek muttered sarcastically into his drink. His violet eyes glared at Drake for a brief moment then settled on the stranger waiting for his answer, as each second passed it seemed like they darkened more with impatience.

"I'm Lee Nekoto. I go to Clayton High--University." The stranger, Lee, smiled up at them genuinely pleased he had caught his own mistake. Zeek and the others were well aware that the drink in his hands was taking effect slowly but surely.

Zeek threw back his head and laughed his insane laughter. "School?" He raised a mocking eyebrow in question at him.

"Don't tease him, love." Drake pushed Zeek in an attempt to shut him up, it was like hitting a rock wall. Zeek never really cared about school. He had tutors, of course his family would never put him in a normal school. But after the big tradgy Zeek ran away from home and stopped his schooling at the age of fifteen.

"Yes, school. I go so that if my music dream ends up in the gutter I'll still have something to fall back on." Lee turned his orange head to glare defiantly into Zeek's laughing eyes. He felt like he was being drawn towards him, the whole world seem to be suspended in time and just centered the planet's very core and heart on those two. Lee felt his soul reach out to Zeek's in that moment, making him vulernable to everything. His soul coaxed Zeek's only to be smashed away by a cold hard barrier slamming down over Zeek's eyes, hiding his soul from Lee. The connection was there. It had to be fate, no one had ever effected Lee like Zeek Terlus.

It finally accured to Lee that he had never been formally introduced to the group. Though he knew who each was by listening he still felt the urge to ask, just to be sure. "What are your names, anyways?" His eyes narrowed in concentration as he pulled himself with an effort out of Zeek's mesmerizing eyes.

"I am Drake Moniu, and my friends are Lyn Talin--"

"Just shorten it to Talin, Drake." Lyn hastened to cut in. His pale face suffused with hot color. He glanced nervously at Lee. "M-m-m-my l-las-t-n-name i-is r-rather long-g." Lee was startled at the certain fact he must have over looked. He didn't know that Lyn had stuttered, truth be told he must not have noticed. No, it was something else. Lyn didn't seem to stutter when speaking to Drake or Zeek.

Lee turned with vast interest on Zeek though he already knew without doubt what his name was. Zeek raised a slender eyebrow in acute humor as he stuck his half burnt down cigarette back in his mouth not bothering to answer.

"Back to the subject of the band." Drake reminded, rather annoyed that everyone but him seemed to be getting off his topic. He really wanted to get the band finally organized by tonight so he could put in the entrance card. He had to finish this up fast. He could tell by the sliding glances around the room that Zeek was becoming bored and would be leaving soon. "Alright, we have a show in two weeks. And you have to sing, Zeek."

A cloud of thick dark smoke hit Drake's face like a vicious slap. He waved his hand coughing as he tried to clear it away. Awful stuff. Drake had two ideas of what was in those awful smelling cigarettes, and to no surprise it wasn't tobacco.

"Fine."

"Really? So I'm in the band too?" Lee's honey brown eyes were huge and shining with unconfined glee, half from drink and half from tonight's turn of events. Most of which he most likely wasn't going to remember.

"Yahz, kid." Drake pulled out two copies of the band contract out of his black duffel bag. "I need you two to read these over and sign where I have marked." He handed a copy to Zeek and Lee. Zeek barely glanced at the thing before lazily signing his name on the X's and tossing it back to Drake.

"Hurry this along, Old man." Zeek muttered as he crushed out his cigarette cruelly against the ashtray glass.

A smile spread across Lee's face as he looked down at the paper. He slowly flipped through it then signed his name and handed it back to Drake.

"Tomorrow we meet at the studio. It's at 22384 Palarin Drive. These are directions and phone numbers in case you get lost. Zeek, do you know where to go?" Drake handed Lee a map along with a few additional forms. Zeek rolled his eyes in mock dismay. He made a girly face at Drake. "I'll take that as yes."

"Drake, this has been fun, but I have things to do." Zeek rose from the table gracefully. He cast a burning scornful glance at Lee who was finishing off his beer. "Try not to let the kid drink too much." He turned and vanished into the shadows of the room. Leaving them all to stare after him.