"BEN! You are so full of shit!"
"Shove it Darren...We are not having this conversation. What I do is my business, my time."
"The hell we're not! You are going to sit on that couch, and you are going to listen to this whether you like it or not..."
"I am not up for your Diva bitching right now, and am sure as hell not going to sit here and listen to you go off on me and what I do!"
If looks could kill, the entire bus would have been engulfed in a large fireball, about the size of New York. Picking on Dub was one thing that Ben enjoyed doing, taking the consequences of Darren's tantrum was not.
Darren lightly growled, pushing Ben off of his balance and back onto the couch. Both sets of eyes flared, hatred clearly visible in the taught muscles.
"You *will* listen, and you *will* pay attention. That stunt you pulled in there was over-stepping even your boundaries."
"Yeah, well, he screwed up, not me...."
"Is it your place to remind him about the hell he's gone through?! You don't even know the whole story...You weren't even there for Christ's sake!"
"Well, Danny's stunt in there wasn't much better if you ask me..."
"I wasn't asking you, and don't you dare change the subject! I will take care of Daniel, but it's also my place to look out for everyone else in my crew, and that includes Dub."
Ben pressed his lips together, trying to hold back the redness of anger that was about to wash over his features.
"Well then, Master of All Creation, what do you want me to do?"
"Mind your own damn business, and leave Dub alone. If you really care about him, you'll help me try to find him something to do. I don't plan on leaving him hanging like another loose end because of this band."
Daniel chose the moment to quietly try to slip through the door unnoticed, hunching over and walking very slowly behind Darren, hoping that he wouldn't notice that his 'lover' was trying to find a hiding spot. He froze suddenly when Ben's eyes faltered, dashing to him and back to Darren again as he tried to find a way out of the lecture he'd been pulled into. Daniel was about to take another step when Darren's voice thundered through the small space, blocking the humming of the engine.
"MR. JONES! IT WOULD PROVE USEFUL TO ME IF YOU WOULD KINDLY STAY IN THE ROOM!"
He turned on his heels, grabbing Dan by the neck of his shirt before the guitarist even had a chance to bolt. Wide emeralds flashed against iced sapphires as he tried to visibly shrink his size. Darren was not usually up to raising his voice like that, but it seemed best not to try him.
"Mr. Carey, you are free to go, as long as you take my advice...Daniel, take a seat...We need to have a talk..."
Ben gave Dan a knowing smirk before gleefully skipping back into the bunks with the rest of the guys. Darren pulled Dan over to the couch, making Dan sit before he stretched out, his feet in Dan's lap.
"Okay you, spill it...What's up with you and Mike?"
"He made a pass at me...What more is there to say?"
"It certainly wasn't my feet you were playing with under that table."
He stuck out his lip, pouting like no ones business.
"Hey, better put that thing away...Might trip on it...or worse..."
"Huh uh...Not until you tell me what is going on. You were all pissed this morning before we got on the bus, now your being all buddy-buddy with them..."
"It really does kill you to be jealous, doesn't it?"
Dan ran a quick finger across Darren's socked foot, making him squirm around and swat at the offending hand.
"Keep that up, and I won't be putting out tonight, or...or ever again!"
Dan let loose a deep throated laugh, grabbing Darren's waist and pulling him up on his lap.
"Look you, Mr. Hayes...You may think that you are all that and more...And maybe in some ways you are, but as for trying to threaten me, you're not doing a very good job..."
Before Darren could voice his opinion, Dan pulled him in for a kiss, his tongue seeking entrance that Darren was not willing to give. He pulled back, frowning.
"Dazza? Come on...What's the big deal?"
"I already told you...Come clean about Mike, or I'm not giving you anything for as long as I live."
Dan wrinkled his nose in frustration.
"You know, you really are a hard case...Mike suggested it, trying to put Chester in his place or something...I don't know...I didn't even know they were a couple until he pulled me into a conversation. It wasn't anything against you, but he wanted to make it so Chaz would see it loud and clear."
"Danny, do we need to open up to experimenting again?"
"What?!"
Darren smiled sexily.
"Well, if Mike is going to use you as his little toy, why not give him a run?"
"And what about you?"
"Well, it's totally up to you, and possibly Mike, but I could put Chester in his place...I didn't name this band Savage Garden because of the music, and you know it."
"Just experimenting?"
"Just experimenting..."
Darren nodded, cupping his hands around Daniel's face and finally giving in to the kiss he had earlier denied. Smiling as they parted, Darren slid off Dan's lap and back to his seat on the couch.
"Well, time to talk to Mike huh?"
