Hey everyone.

So this chapter is finished although I want to go back and edit it. But my computer freaked out on my earlier and I feel like it might be on its last legs so I'm posting it now so I don't totally lose it. 

Anyways, here is Lay's chapter. 

Please enjoy.

Eleventh Thread – Lay

Kai did text Victoria after that night, if only to apologize but with a bit of clever reeling and manipulation on her part, he agreed to come over to her apartment for dinner on some night. And while she did not explicitly instruct Lay to make himself scarce during that time, it had been heavily implied.

Of course, Lay doesn't mind giving them a bit of privacy. He has every intention of leaving before Kai arrives but he can't find his phone which has the address of the bar he's supposed to meet Leo.

The doorbell buzzes a little earlier than expected – no. Lay glances at the clock and realizes that he should have left fifteen minutes ago. He hears the door open and by the pitch of Victoria’s voice, it's definitely Kai.

He begins rummaging more urgently.

Short of flipping the mattress over, Lay searches the entire room. He's convinced that the goblins must have stolen his phone (the same goblins who hide his keys and headphones on a regular basis) because if they hadn't, he would have found it by now. He can only think of one solution which he knows Victoria will not like.

After a few deep breaths, Lay musters the nerve to infiltrate the rest of the apartment. He sees Kai and Victoria in the kitchen, surrounded by a sea of paper grocery bags. They're leaning over the stove, trying to figure out the panel which controls the oven. Neither Victoria nor Lay have ever used the oven in their apartment since they don't ever cook except for heating things in the microwave.

Lay clears his throat and they both turn. “Hello.”

“Oh, hi,” Kai says, straightening and taken an unconscious step away from Victoria. “I didn't realize you were here.”

Victoria shoots Lay a pointed look. Yeah, you were supposed to be gone by now. Idiot.

“Not that it matters,” Kai continues hastily. “Obviously, this is your apartment and you can do whatever you please. And it's not as if we were going to do anything that would make you uncomfortable...” Kai, realizing that he's rambling, begins searching through the grocery bags. “Um, I brought some beer. Somewhere.”

“I'm actually about to head out and meet a friend for some drinks.”

“Oh.”

Lay can't tell if Kai is actually disappointed or pretending in order to be polite. Either way, he smiles apologetically. “Thanks for the offer. I'll take you up on it some other time.”

“Who are you meeting? Mr. Sour-mouth?” Victoria asks, wrinkling her nose.

“Leo's actually a very affectionate person once you get to know him,” Lay defends his friend.

“Why is he called Sour-mouth?” Kai inquires curiously.

“Because he looks like he's eaten something foul and the after-taste has permanently stained his tongue” Victoria answers. “Give him my love, would you?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Lay remembers why he came out of his room in the first place. “Hey, Vee, I can't find my phone. Could you call it for me?”

Victoria looks wary. “Are you sure you didn't leave it at the studio?” she asks but grabs her pink phone off the counter anyways. Before she can call, it begins to ring in her hand.

“Oh crap. If it's Leo, tell him I've left already,” says Lay.

She stares at her phone for a second and turns to Kai. “I'm sorry but could you excuse me a moment? I need to answer this.”

“Yeah, of course,” he replies with an emphatic nod.

“Thanks. It will only be a minute.” Victoria answers as she walks away, “Hello?” She disappears into her room and softly closes the door behind her.

Lay doesn't like the way that Victoria's eyes had looked when she saw the caller. He has a feeling that he won't be meeting Leo for drinks tonight.

“If you want,” says Kai and fumbles his own phone out of his pocket, “I can call you.”

Lay almost doesn't hear him, mind preoccupied with possible reasons for the mysterious phone call. “What's that?” he replies, distracted. “Oh...yeah. Sure. Thanks.” He recites his number for Kai and waits for him to dial.

Kai lifts the phone to his ear. “It's ringing,” he says quietly.

Lay bites his lip and concentrates on listening despite the overwhelming, total silence.

He hears a familiar jingle, faint but audible. Lay whips his head around, trying to locate the source of the noise although to him, it sounds like it could be anywhere.

“I think it's over here.” Kai drifts toward the coffee table. He surveys the area for a few moments and then plunges a hand between the seat cushions of the love-seat. When he pulls it back out, he is holding Lay's still-ringing phone. “Is this it?”

“You're amazing,” Lay praises.

He sees checks his history: zero new texts (Leo is not one for punctuality himself anyways) and one missed call from a number he doesn't recognize. He realizes it must be Kai's number so he doesn't bother to call back. “Thanks for your help.” He grins and puts his phone in his jacket pocket where it belongs.

“Sure of course...uh, Lay.” Kai sounds nervous. His rapid blinking only further betrays his anxiety. “I, um, already apologized to Victoria about that night but I want to apologize to you as well. It must have been really startling to come home and find some stranger on your couch so I'm really sorry.”

“Oh. I appreciate it,” says Lay, a bit surprised but not unpleased. “I'm sorry also, if I came across too harsh. What Victoria does in her personal life is none of my business. I guess I was just shocked because, well, she doesn't really do one night stands.”

“I don't either,” Kai says earnestly. He blushes and looks down, red from his neck to the tip of his ears.

Normally, Lay would be amused but he can't help but feel a bit sorry for him. Once a man falls in love with Victoria, it's impossible for him to climb out of it. Kai seems like a nice guy and probably deserves better than what's coming.

Victoria’s door opens and she's off the phone.

“Everything alright?” Lay asks.

“That was the studio,” she says, voice even and steady. “One of the Tango assistants can't make it to this evening's class. They want you to fill in.”

“Okay,” Lay says slowly. “I suppose if they can't find anyone else, I can help. Which class is it? Beginner?” He glances at Kai to make sure that their guest hasn't caught on that there is no actual Tango lesson to be taught. Victoria, when sober, is an excellent liar. Lay, on the other hand, could stand to improve although he's gotten better.

But Kai doesn't seem to suspect a thing. He looks genuinely concerned, for the absent tango instructor or for Lay's social engagement, nobody can tell.

“No, it's the adult advanced class,” she says, breezing past them, lightly touching Kai on the shoulder as she did so. “They want you to come by a little bit before the class so they can run through the lesson. You'll have to reschedule your date with Leo.”

Lay doesn't feel as bad about it as he should. Leo is probably still at home, hanging out with his cat and secretly hoping their plans fall through because he's unsociable and lazy. “Yeah, I'll let him know.” He takes his keys off the hook by the door. “You two have fun.”

*

His destination is only a few miles from his apartment but he takes the better part of an hour to arrive. He takes alleys and side streets, doubles back, and rides the bus a few stops in the opposite direction for good measure.

Lay finds all the precautions a bit excessive but he can't show up to Andy's place only fifteen minutes after the call to Victoria. The man is paranoid and won't reveal anything if he believes that Lay might have been followed.

He finally arrives at a shabby apartment complex. Glass beer bottles litter the landscape and an abandoned tricycle rusts in the corner. He presses the bell quickly, anxious to get away from the battered scene.

The intercom cackles to life. “What do you want?”

“Hi, my name is Lay. I'd like to share some information with you regarding our adult Tango lessons,” he replies.

The door buzzes and Lay lets himself in. He climbs the damp, moldy stairwell to the second floor and stops in front of apartment 2D. He knocks and waits.

The door opens a crack and a sunken eye stares at him above a chain pulled taut by the frame. “You got here awfully quick. Are you sure you weren't followed.”

“Sure as I can be.”

Andy seems to consider his answer for a moment before shutting the door. He reopens it a few seconds later, chain dangling from where it's bolted into the wood. “Come on,” he ushers.

Lay steps into the dark apartment and covers a gag with a cough. The place smells like dust and old fruit. in a deep breath, he asks, “What have you got for me?”

Andy pushes aside a pile of paper and old newspaper clippings. “Something from the Sino regions. An accident at a chemical plant which isn't getting nearly as much as attention as it should. Meaning it hasn't been reported about at all.” He frowns. “Where did I put it?”

“Why do you think the media is ignoring this?” Lay asks, looking around and making sure not to touch anything.

“Rumor is that the plant has been cutting corners when it comes to safety regulations and local inspectors have been taking deals to look the other way...here it is!” Andy holds up an electronic chip. The thin, gold wiring glints in the apartment's scant lighting. “Pictures and testimonies. Still working on getting proof but hopefully, we'll get it.”

“Let us know when you do.” Lay takes the chip and carefully inserts it into his wallet, nestling it behind his identification card. “Thanks Andy. I'll see you soon.” He turns to leave.

“Wait,” Andy calls.

Lay stops, biting back an irritated sigh. He's been breathing through his mouth to avoid the apartment's unpleasant odor.

“I heard that Victoria made contact with Kai.” He sounds displeased.

“Yeah, she did,” Lay says carefully. He knows that Andy has been against the plan from the beginning: use Victoria to lure Kai to their side, turn him into an asset.

To call the precarious scheme a 'plan' is being generous. The idea had been mentioned once or twice before but Andy ferociously argued against turning Kai. But when Junjin saw the young man at his bar, he made the executive decision to go ahead with the plan.

Lay isn't exactly sure the nature of Andy and Kai's relationship but knows that Andy feels guilty about not getting to him and his brother before the government did.

“How is he?”

“He's...fine.” Lay nods. “He's a good guy, actually.”

“His parents were some of the best people I knew.” Andy sighs and lowers himself into a chair. “I should have been there for him and Suho.” He looks up at Lay. “Don't let Vee string him along if he's not going to be useful. I don't want to entangle him unnecessarily.”

Lay can't make any promises. “I'll talk to her about it.”

Andy waves him off. “Go on, you snake. I'll be in touch.”

*

He does end up drinking with Leo although in his friend's apartment rather than a bar. Leo has half a bottle of good scotch and between the two of them, they finish it. He's quite drunk and a bit sleepy when Victoria sends him a text, letting him know it's okay to come home.

Putting one foot in front of the other, he stumbles back to his apartment. He expects to see everything in disarray but to his surprise, the kitchen looks the cleanest since they've moved in. The dishes have been slotted into the drying rack and counters wiped clean.

Victoria is sitting on the couch, alone, nursing a glass of wine.

“Hey,” he says, tossing his keys on the counter. “How'd it go?”

“Sit,” she instructs, unsmiling.

He flops into the armchair and pushes his bangs away from his forehead. “What's wrong?” he asks, trying to mask his intoxication by putting on his serious face.

“It's this whole thing with Kai.” Despite the drink in her hand, she seems completely sober. “I don't think it's going to work. He's not interested in me.”

“What you mean?” He pushes himself out of the armchair and slides into the space next to Victoria. “That's crazy. How could he not be into you?”

“I'm not taking it personally. I just don't think I'm his type. A bit too...female.” Victoria gives Lay a pointed look.

One which takes a minute for him to understand the significance. “Oh.” He blinks. “Are you sure?”

“He wouldn't stop asking about you all night,” she replies, frustrated. “He wanted to know if it would be creepy to save your number after he called your phone to help you find it.”

“Maybe he's just worried because you have a devastatingly handsome roommate.” Lay leans forward and kisses her on the cheek. “You know how insecure and jealous us men can be.”

She scoffs. “Yeah and more trouble than you're worth if you ask me,” she says but plants against his in a lazy kiss, undercutting the effect of her words.

Lay puts his arms around her waist and helps her straddle his lap. He presses their foreheads together. “So.” He runs the pad of his thumb across her cheek. “What's the plan then? Find some evidence of his preference and blackmail?”

“Actually, I was thinking you could be the one to seduce him and bring him around to our side.” Victoria smirks and kisses him again, more insistently this time.

“Oh really? Are you sure you wouldn't get jealous?” he teases when they pull back for air.

“Nah. I think it'd be kind of hot.” She threads her fingers through his hair. “Would you like me to show you a few tips?”

Lay doesn't know if its the way he can hear the vibrations in her voice with every word she speaks or the way she's running her nails down the back of his neck but he wants nothing more than for her to show him exactly how she planned on seducing Kai. “I suppose...if you think it will help.”

She grins and leans forward but a loud beep startles them both before anything happens.

Lay looks past her and from the coffee table, Victoria's phone is blinking at them. Gripping Lay's shoulder with one hand, she reaches back and grabs the phone with the other.

“It's a message from Kai,” she says. She reads it in silence before bursting into laughter.

“What is it?” Lay asks.

She holds up her phone for him to see. Lay doesn't find the message nearly as hilarious as Victoria. does

[Kai 10:48 PM]

Thanks for having me over. Next time you and Lay should come here and I'll host. See you guy soon?

“Told you.”

A/N: So I was going to have Chen be the next chapter but I'm still tring to figure stuff out for him.

So next chapter will be D.O again but undercover...in a karaoke bar...as a rent boy...

Comments, votes, subs are always appreciated and brighten my day! Have a good weekend~