Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination. JE has the rights to all of the characters, but I have more fun with them.
Rating is for future situations and possibly language.
A/N: I have played with several MM and have decided to give Mr. Rodriguez his day in the sun. Right now there's not enough to declare every Friday to belong to Freddy – but some of them will.
If anyone wants to know what the inspiration for Frederick Rodriguez is, look up John Abraham – Bollywood Actor. He's very pretty and incredibly inspiring.
Harmne, Happy Pre-Birthday, babe. T and M, here's hoping this will kick start the muse on all levels … cause it's time for things to get fierce up in here.
Let's And Say We Didn't 01
Friday Belongs to Frederick Rodriguez
by Alfonsina
Sunday night, 7:45 pm, Studio Apartment
Near Downtown Trenton, NJ
"Sit still. I'm not done yet," 'Bardo' Frederick Rodriguez said, keeping a blush brush between his teeth and repositioning the eyeliner pencil behind his left ear. "If you keep squirming, this is going to take even longer than usual. Remember, tonight the goal is supposed to be classy, retro, and sophisticated not slutty and easy."
"Bardo, You're taking forever and I'm freezing in this robe. It isn't like I've got five o'clock shadow you're trying to cover," Caesar said as he pulled the flimsy, pink satin robe tighter around himself and wiggled on the stool in the bathroom.
Frederick didn't have anything warmer for Caesar to wear and the space heater was on the fritz, but he didn't think it was that big a deal in March. The oversized studio apartment Frederick lived in was well lighted but always drafty. It was somehow never the right. Moving fans and the constant opening and closing of windows was a small price to pay for his privacy, besides he was only ten minutes from Rangeman. He also liked the ability to have company whenever he wanted and no one looking over his shoulder asking questions or needing to make introductions.
"You're right, you did a great job of shaving tonight, especially your chest. Now lift your face so I can finish tweezing your eyebrows."
"No one is going to see them if you use enough foundation." Yes, they could. Caesar had a unibrow unless there was intervention on a regular basis, and foundation on that much hair looked like a beige caterpillar was growing over his eyes. It would have been easier to use wax, but Caesar's delicate skin stayed red for about three days after their first attempt. "Ouch."
"Please?"
"Fine, I'll sit still."
"Good. Now, lift your chin and tilt it to the right. That's it," Frederick said as he put a kabuki brush between his lips and he evaluated the makeup he'd just done. The foundation and basic makeup were complete, except for the eyes. Frederick loved the transformation makeup could make in a person's appearance, and as a result, their perceptions of themselves with just a little time and color application.
The target tonight was Oscar Alonzo, an arms dealer originally from Cuba. There were only two days left on the bond and Stephanie had been the lure the night before and the night before that. The skip didn't show when or where expected. No one realized Alonzo was gay and preferred to spend his time in the Liberty Ballroom with the transvestites. Stephanie didn't want to do a Victor/Victoria so Caesar was nominated. It didn't hurt that he enjoyed his drag persona, Julia.
After another forty-five minutes of fine tuning, blending, and touching up, Caesar was ready to complete the transformation. He pulled on a pair of boots, tight black skirt, short sleeved red shirt with a plunging V in the back, and short wig. He looked like a taller version of Rihanna, but his face wasn't quite so angelic and his eyes were coffee black.
"Don't we need to be on the road soon?" Caesar asked after looking at his watch for the fifth time in three minutes.
"We need to go in about fifteen minutes. You'll be done by then. After the distraction, we'll clean you up and put you in the sheath dress and long wig if you want to spend the evening with Peter."
"You know Peter and I broke up last week. Don't you ever listen to me? You should change so you can be my escort. Please?" he asked as he finished the final button on the skirt.
"I've got door duty tonight with Woody and Cal," Frederick said. He didn't have to transform for the job, he was already outfitted in the basic black uniform: cargos, shirt, windbreaker, and comfortable work boots. "Hector is going to be inside tonight watching over you. If you really want to make Peter jealous after we're done, I'll put other clothes in the back of the truck."
Frederick was Caesar's unrequited love, once upon a time. They'd been best friends in high school and been on the wrestling team. When they went to college, they roomed together all four years. Caesar forgave Frederick for being straight and Frederick had final approval on all of Caesar's boyfriends.
"I have more fun when it's you. Besides when you do your Eddie Izzard impersonation with the makeup, you stay just butch enough to be hot," Caesar said, flashing a smile. "Plus when you keep my mind off the fact that I'm not a pretty woman."
"You are pretty and I have a good time with you, too. Remember tonight neither of us are going to the Liberty to dance and have a good time, we're going to return scum to the justice system. Work is a higher priority than fun, you know that. If you want to look for better wigs next week, we'll do that. Okay?"
"Promise?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"No."
"Okay, now open your mouth. You've already got lipstick on your front teeth." Frederick took a tissue and daubed the red lipstick off the offending incisor.
9:30 pm Outside the Liberty Ballroom
Trenton, NJ
"No f-ing way that was Caesar," Woody said. "I mean, I know it's Caesar, but it doesn't look like him and it didn't smell like him, either."
"Thanks," Frederick said. "I think it turned out pretty well. Once we're done, I've got to pump up the eye liner and change the lipstick to a frosted pink after he changes clothes."
"And that would be because?"
"He wants to make Peter jealous."
"And you're going to help?"
Frederick did his best attempt at curling his upper lip and said, "I don't mind. I've done it before and I'll do it again. Besides, if it's me, I know he won't take a stranger home."
"I think we've just stumbled into the realm of too much information."
"Besides, if he looks really good, maybe I'll get some new clients. I'm an Avon representative."
"You're an Avon Lady? I figured you more for a Mary Kay girl."
"Actually, I used to be. My grandmother wanted to give me her clients when she retired from it; Luisa got them and it was a good start for her business. As far as I'm concerned, Avon's got good quality and it's more affordable. And I don't have to worry about the pink Caddy in the Rangeman parking lot, the boss wouldn't be happy."
"Uh huh."
"I'll get you a catalog Monday at work, there might be something in there you can order your wife."
Before Woody could say anything else, Caesar was making his way out the door with the skip draped all over him like a bad rug. "I said no public displays of affection," he said, angling his head away from Alonzo.
"Just a peck?" Alonzo asked as he groped Caesar's ass. "I want to make sure you're worth the time."
Caesar kept stumbling away from the club's entrance. "How about I surprise you in the dark?"
"Okay."
They staggered three more feet when Frederick grabbed the perp from behind and wrestled him to the ground.
"Possessive boyfriend?" Alonzo slurred the words.
"Partner," Frederick ground out. "No means no, asshole."
After he was cuffed and shoved into the waiting SUV, Woody said, "I know you guys have plans. Hector and I have it from here. Have a good night."
"Thanks, man," Frederick said. He took Caesar by the elbow. "Walk into the light so I can see how much damage I'm going to have to fix before I change clothes."
"I don't think I want to torment Peter. There was a really hot guy in there that I'd like to get to know."
"No problem. Do you have you cell so I can pick you up later?"
"No. Come in, let's just hang out here. You don't have enough fun in your life. I can introduce you to Jeff, he'd be perfect for you. Or maybe you'd like Chris better."
"Overall, I'd rather meet a nice girl and it's not a great place to meet women," Frederick said with a shake of his head. "Don't get me wrong, I love hanging out with you, but I don't want to hook up with a guy for the night."
"You do know that a lot of women come to gay clubs to dance and have a good time without having to worry about some guy trying to get in their pants."
12:35 am Liberty Ballroom
"I'm calling it a night," Frederick said. "I've got the early shift."
"Come on, stay until closing. Then we can have breakfast. I haven't been out all night since Victor and I broke up. Please?" Caesar asked as he took another drag from his bottle of Bud. Victor was the boyfriend and love of Caesar's life six months ago.
"Fine. But next time we do this, it's a straight bar and you get to be the designated driver." Frederick was tired of always being the responsible one, not that he minded. Once in a while he wanted to let his short, honey-brown hair down and walk just a little on the wild side. He'd lived his whole life on the mild side and at twenty-six wanted to make sure he'd sewn at least a few oats.
"Deal. Now dance with me. I love this song." A slow, sultry number came over the speakers. It was non-descript in a hypnotic way.
"Only if I get to lead this time," Frederick said with a sigh. "You led the last three."
Caesar led him to the dance floor and placed his hands low on Frederick's waist. Every thirty seconds or so, Frederick would move hands that had found their way to his rear back to his waist. He knew what his sisters had meant when they talked about grabby guys, not that he was ever supposed to be privy to those conversations.
1:30 AM
At the edge of the dance floor there was a group of six women. Judging from their body language, they were feeling no pain. They might feel differently come morning.
"I told you, the ones with the hot bodies are always gay," the pack leader, Connie, said. Connie was about thirty-five, helmet of black hair, and built like Betty Boop. She'd been charged with taking her cousin Maria and her friends out for an engagement party. "See that one, the one in all black?"
Maria, the woman wearing the toilet paper tiara said, "I'd love to sink my teeth into that ass."
"Too young," said another.
"Nah, get them young enough to train and housebreak them," Connie said as she peered over her tumbler of ginger ale. "If they're too stubborn or difficult, set them free and someone else will adopt them."
"Girl, you keep a car seat available for your dates? Cause if that one isn't gay, he probably came in on a fake ID," chimed in someone else.
"Not a problem. I've got a car seat and I've even got things at home a boy like that can suck on."
"Eww."
"Yeah, well it isn't like I'm taking him home. Doesn't look like he bats for our team. We need to go. The place will be closing up soon and tomorrow is a work day," Connie said. She was long past bored and had been promised a Chipendale's type experience, not the Liberty Ballroom. Had she known, she would have worn more comfortable shoes, a bra that didn't heave her breasts up to her ears and a pair of pants that gave her room to breathe comfortably.
A/N: Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. Updates will be sporadic until the muse gets into a higher gear. This not a one shot, I promise.