Title: Fountains of Opportunity
Prompt: #18 - "business"
Pairing: Iwaki/Katou, but mainly an ensemble moment about Asano vs. Katou
Rating: PG
Summary: Connections can only do so much.
Notes: 200 words. Triggered by geri_chan's mention of mermaid flesh as an anti-aging food. Which, in turn, reminded me of chapter 47 ("Soul Position"), when Iwaki claims that stealing Katou's energy is why "I can work without sleep for so long and still keep my skin so smooth" (damn him)...


"You are even more exuberant than usual tonight," Yoshizumi said to Katou.

Katou grinned. "I just heard from Kaneko. The part of Lizst is officially mine."

Onozuka whistled. "That's another one in the eye for Asano-kun. He was insisting that you were too old for the role."

"Of course he was," Katou said. His grin turned sly as he added, "I happen to know that his agency asked Imamura-kantoku to consider him for the role."

Iwaki demurely intoned, "We strive to do our best for our actors, but it would be presumptuous to direct the directors. An actor is the ink on a director's brush, and the director ultimately chooses the ink that best suits the picture he wishes to create."

Onozuka snorted. "You are more pretentious than ever, Iwaki-san. Why not simply admit that Imamura-kantoku wrote the role for Katou? You are cruel to cater to Asano's delusions."

"His ambition makes him better in the roles he does get," Iwaki argued. "I can't help that they aren't the roles he wants."

"I do have an unfair advantage," Katou smirked. "He does not have Iwaki-san's energy to keep his skin smooth."

Yoshizumi looked ill and muttered something about mermaid stew.