Payment

A CEO tries to bully an artist one too many times. Basically a vent piece.

          Jeff stormed backstage, the fox's black tipped ears tilted back in anger. Daniel walked after him, somehow still maintaining the smug look, despite the pages and gaffers running to and fro, trying to keep Magic Castle's streaming Gala going. After all, a CEO had to maintain appearances. Daniel had to get Jeff back out there, smiling with his check in front of the cameras. It would be best for the company, and his bonus, if their most creative talent heeled live to the international audience.
          Jeff turned on the rabbit, holding the $94 million check in a clenched fist. "I can't believe it! After all that talk of integrity!"
          This perplexed Daniel. His tall ears rotated back in surprise. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes, thumped it a couple of times, then withdrew a cigarette and lit it. They weren't supposed to be smoking, especially backstage at such an expensive venue, in the middle of such an important Gala. But as the CEO of Magic Castle, who was going to stop Daniel Lapin from smoking wherever he wanted?
          The fox waved the envelope in front of Daniel in a tight fist, his cheap suit looking even worse on him somehow than it did on camera. "All my characters? All my creations, all my life's work! You sold my soul you bastard!"
          Daniel's own ears tipped back in annoyance as he blew out twin streams of smoke from his nostrils. "First, they're not your characters. Your creative work is the IP of Magic Castle or did you forget?"
          "Your IP, my soul." The fox balled up his fists hard enough to draw blood from his palm pads. The envelope crumbled, staining a bit with the fox's blood. He stomped a circle, trying to not hit the smug rabbit.
          "You're being melodramatic."
          "You're being an ass."
          The rabbit shrugged nonchalantly and dropped some ash on the floor. "That was uncalled for. But I guess, from your point of view perhaps I am. Now, Magic Castle needs you to go back out there, with your check, smile for the cameras, and shake my damn hand."
          The fox rolled his eyes. "I take it back. You are an ass."
          "As fun as this is, you've been well compensated. That check you were given is for quite a bit of money. You created more than most. That's a cut for almost a hundred million dollars there. We need you back out there, in front of those cameras acting like an adult, not like a kit who got his dolly broken."
          Jeff growled, and turned, his tail flipping like mad. Daniel knew Jeff was caving. He had always done this right before giving in to good reason. The fox stomped a single time, then stared at the ground as if he wanted to throttle Daniel. Something Daniel knew he'd never do. After all, Jeff was smart enough to never attack Daniel Lapin or ever say a bad word about him.
          "Give me a cigarette," The fox growled, defeat in his voice, his ears, his tail.
          Daniel, slid one from his pack. His ears upright and as smug as his smile. "I hear they're bad for you."
          He leaned forward, lighting the cigarette for the fox. As he did so, Jeff's black furred hand grabbed Daniel's pocket square with two claws, and snatched it back. The rabbit pulled back in surprise, then grabbed for Jeff's hand.
          Jeff turned and half-wrestled the rabbit off as he began lighting the check and pocket square with his cigarette.
          "What the hell!" Daniel snarled reaching for the check from over the foxes back. The fox kept twisting this shoulder, than that, pushing the rabbit off. "Are you insane?"
          Daniel turned back into the rabbit as he reached, shoving against him. He shoved the burning check and pocket square back into Jeff's pocket. He screamed and stripped the five thousand dollar sport coat off, then stomped on it to put the fire out.
          "You crazy red assed bastard! You'll hear from my lawyer!"
          The fox was already walking away, his middle finger in the air. "Good, you're already going to hear from mine."