A/N: The third chapter HUZZAH! Hey guys, I can totally see you... You should review *eyes*
Marluxia
I'd spend hours staring at a goddamned map to make sure I couldn't run into customers! Being a loner certainly helped in that department as well, generally avoiding people as much as I could. It was part believe on 'having friends was a waste of my time', another part being 'my situation was so unlike many around here in this university, they were too immature to hang out with'.
That last one pissed me off. So many people walking around these school grounds willy nilly, tuition paid for by their rich ass parents. If only I were so lucky. Also, people were nosy, it was hard to hide the fact I was a stripper. Now, I didn't mind the job much at all, but it made people uncomfortable. Instead of thinking 'This is Marluxia, a handsome devil who I happen to be friends with', it usually went more along the lines of, 'This is Mar- Forget his name. He's a stripper'.
Kadaj's voice penetrated my thoughts, "I'm doing fan-fucking-tastic today." He said with a wink. Who'd have thought the highlight of my working nights went to the same university I did?
I was rather sure this was against the strip joint's protocol. Strippers weren't exactly allowed to socialize with the customers as that could lead to trouble. Dating, be it customer or not, was sorta frowned upon since that led to jealous boyfriends and girlfriends, and that was just time consuming to deal with, not something the strip joint wanted to waste their time on.
Well... It's not like I liked my boss anyways, and I did follow the rules perfectly when I was actually inside the strip joint. Did I want him dictating my life when I was outside of it? No, not really. Feeling my posture relax, I let out a discrete sigh of relief as my thoughts were finally in order after having been startled with his presence. I then gave him a smile, leaning back in my chair and shamelessly checked him out. Because I wanted too.
"So I guess I can expect to see you on my next shift?" I murmured. Quirking his eyebrow, definitely noticing the way my eyes were watching him, he leaned back giving me a better view. His dark jeans were snug and form fitting around his waist but flaring at the bottom, and he wore a tight fitting black muscle t-shirt. Silver blue hair was hanging loose and framing his face, every once in a while dropping in front of his eyes.
"That depends...when is your next shift? I was thinking I might see you tonight?" I was sure there had to be more to him than his looks, and I was curious, but... smothering a soft moan of appreciation that wanted to escape my lips while I'd been drinking him in rather greedily, I brought my gaze back up to his eyes. None had affected me like he had, and it was confusing the hell out of my system. Hard to ignore though.
"Tonight sounds good..." I breathed, trying to remember that we were in a public library.
"So you're working then? Or do I get your number so I can call you later?" His voice was hopeful, his eyes sparking as he stared at me.
It's like tires screeched to a stop in my mind, halting my horny thoughts. "Phone number?" I asked in surprise. I was going to have to think about that... Allowing him to have direct contact with me wasn't an unpleasant idea, but I had to consider the whole job and customer thing. Also, he was my highlight during my working hours. Stripping was dull when he wasn't there to watch me. "Come by tonight and find out if I'll give it to you." There, I was giving myself the time to process all this, but not saying no to him either and hopefully he'd agree to the proposition, which would effectively make sure he'd be there tonight.
Licking his lips, he dropped his arms from behind his head and leaned forward. "What time does your shift start?" He asked softly before lifting one hand, and gently touching my hair, his eyes seemingly mesmerized as he stroked it.
I still felt confused when he was so careful and gentle with me. But it wasn't bad, I liked it, clearly, as I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, tilting my head into his touch. His thumb brushed my cheekbone and that gesture nearly led me to have a reaction that made me think of a heart attack. Which it wasn't, my heart beat just picked up in speed. That just didn't happen. Ever. Not for this. Before anything else could happen, a large figure loomed over us, a hand wrapping tightly around Kadaj's wrist, harshly shoving it away from my face and back into his lap.
"Did you not read the sign? No gays allowed." A big bulky guy of about twenty-two informed, snickering at his two other idiot friends flanking each side of him. Oh for fuck sake. Now he'd not only pissed me off by interrupting the soft moment, but he'd touched Kadaj. Standing slowly, I gave him a dull stare before throwing a bitch slap right across his face.
"Please grow up." I told him pleasantly, reaching down to take Kadaj's hand, tugging him out of the chair so he would follow me away from the table before the big no brain brute would realize he'd just gotten smacked by a 'fairy'.
"Holy fuck, Marluxia!" He exclaimed and chuckled as I led him through the maze of chairs and tables. "What the hell was that about?"
"Clearly I'm a tad protective... possessive." I said, not able to keep the smirk off my face before pushing the library's exit door open, breathing in some fresh air. "I don't like other people touching my things."
"Hey, I'm not complaining, babe." Squeezing my hand, he glanced around outside and shaded his eyes against the sun. "Can I invite you to grab a smoothie with me?" He asked pointing across the street.
Hmmm... No. I needed to think about the phone number thing before I'd be able to process 'drinking a smoothie along with him'. I did very much enjoy the fact he wanted to spend time with me though. But I was a thinker now... I needed to think before acting. I hadn't done so in the past and it had gotten me in a situation that wasn't exactly the way I thought my live would be.
"How about I buy you a smoothie and you buy me one and then we go on our separate ways and see each other tonight again during my shift?" I offered, carefully gauging his reaction. "I start at ten."
He simply nodded, still smiling easily. "I like raspberry smoothies. And I'll be there." Wink.
Later that evening
Wondering whether I'd be wearing the biker, cowboy or suit costume tonight, I quickly scribbled down the last of my solution to the math problem I'd brought along with me as homework. Other strippers were in the lounge, hanging out, talking, or just getting ready. I'd never really talked to them. I actually didn't know their real names, just their stage names. There were the more sophisticated ones; Mack, Leo, Lance and Harley. The innuendos; Rod, Prince, Godzilla... I kid you not, Lucky and Rocky. And then last but not least, the plain obvious; Six-pack, Dick, Woody, Rip and Cheeks.
Tossing my homework onto the vanity, I stretched my arms out over my head, smothering the grimace that wanted to stretch its way out over my features as the manager walked in, making his way right over to me.
"Jack. No dancing for you tonight."
Excuse me? "Am I fired?"
He shook his head. "No. Someone bought you off market for lap dances and added in some extra to make sure you wouldn't even appear on stage tonight." My eye twitched as I absorbed this and my fellow strippers gathered closer as this type of thing rarely happened. To be quite honest, I hadn't thought it possible. Not unless this had been a whore house.
"You make me sound like a prostitute." It's like I couldn't help myself.
The manager grinned. "Aren't you?"
Rolling my eyes, I got out of the chair. "So I only do lap dances for him, but otherwise I still dance the pole except for tonight?" That must have cost a fortune.
"It's got a brain." He pointed over his shoulder at the door leading directly to the private room area. "Now get moving and go thank the stupid fucker with plenty of lap dance gratitude." Giving him a careful nod, I walked towards the private area of the strip joint, looking over my shoulder with a perplexed expression directed at the other strippers. Those still staring at me shrugged, clearly having no clue either. Okay then.
Opening the door, I stepped into the hallway with the many doors that led to the small square rooms where lap dancing occurred, only now wondering about who it could be. If it was anyone other than Kadaj, I'd kill myself, if the frustration and irritation didn't do the job first that is.
Kadaj
I waited in the private room, sipping my scotch and checking to make sure I didn't have anything going on tomorrow in the way of school. Not that I really cared, but it wouldn't do to fail any classes, even if I didn't need them for my major...not that I had a major. I chuckled and leaned back waiting for the manager to bring Marluxia to the room.
I'd bought up all his lapdances for the time being. Sharing wasn't something I was into, and even if he didn't do what he did with me to anyone else, I didn't even want other people to get a taste. Despite owning the lapdances, I wasn't naive enough to assume that I owned him in any way. This wasn't Pretty Woman; he wasn't Julia Roberts and I wasn't Richard Gere. But all that I did know, was that I wanted him to only give me that kind of attention and if it came to me shelling out five thousand dollars, so be it. I wondered why he was even stripping, if he really enjoyed it or if it was just for the money. Either way, I'd bought myself a few hours of entertainment by my favorite stripper. The door opened and I grinned as Marluxia in all his pink haired glory walked through.
His blue eyes fixed on me and then he sighed really loudly in what seemed relief. "Oh thank god..." He groaned out, closing the door to the room by just leaning against it.
"Just Kadaj is fine, babe. You can call me god when we're in bed though." I smirked and raised my glass to him, letting my eyes roam up and down his form. He was only in his jeans and a very tight tank top, his hair pulled back into a ponytail, and I felt my dick twitch. So, it wasn't just the regular stripper clothes that could turn me on; his regular clothes flattered him just as well.
"Cocky." He grinned, pushing off the door and walking over to me slowly. "I suppose I ought to thank you." His voice was taking on that smoothness again that informed me if I wished him to lap dance right this instance? He'd do it.
"Wanna just sit and talk for a bit? I bet you don't really get to take breaks during your shift." I shifted in my chair, pointing at the slim spot that he could sit. "And you don't have to thank me. It's my pleasure, really." I could buy his dances for the rest of the year easy, if he'd let me.
He frowned, faltering in his steps, but then nodded. Instead of sitting down beside me in the small spot I'd liberated, he straddled my lap, but made sure his ass rested on my thighs instead of my crotch. Placing his hands on the arm rests, he looked at me curiously.
"I still wish to say thank you. And you better take it, because I don't thank very many people." He then said. "I'm also honest when the situation asks for it, so, I will have you know that the idea of performing a lap dance for anybody but yourself was quite depressing."
I quirked an eyebrow up at him, and shifted so I was evenly sitting on the chair. "Sounds like it's win-win for me. I don't relish the idea of you lapdancing any other fucker who walks in here." Settling my hands on his hips and staring up into his face, I licked my lips. Now, how do I convince him that he should just give up the stripping already? He looked down at my hands on his hips and I could see the corner of his lip quirk up before he looked back at me, reaching out to carefully push the lock of hair falling in my face behind my ear. He left his fingers there for a minute, before letting his hand slip down, ending up resting at the top of my chest.
"You wanted to talk." He murmured. "I've done a lot of thinking today." Had he, really? "About your question on obtaining my number and grabbing a smoothie together?" I nodded and he then gave me a small smile. "I don't see a problem in giving you my number."
"Really? You really sure that's what you want? I can be quite a handful." Pushing up with my hips, I was at least glad that he wasn't hovered directly over my dick. I didn't want to really get into what we'd done last time.
"Don't insult me." He smirked. "I can handle you no problem." Reaching back, he pulled out a piece of paper from his ass pocket and then showed me the number on it before tucking it into my pocket at the front. "Is there something you'd like to say to me specifically?" He asked curiously. I guess these rooms didn't get to hear much talking. I got why he might need a moment to get comfortable.
I had always excelled at asking the tough questions, which is why I didn't really mind asking the next question. "So, why the stripping? I'm curious and...I'm not going to lie, I'm hoping I can convince you to quit." Chuckling and winking up at him, I continued, "Believe me, my motives are entirely self serving."
I wondered if jumping directly into that subject without build up would bother him, but he seemed fine. Good. "I came here to go to the university. Tuition was very expensive and I was broke. I was working as a waiter in a restaurant during the day and then also did evening shifts in a bar. About to pick up a third job in between those two to make money fast."
He shrugged. "The add led me to this place and seeing as I don't mind showing a bit of skin and the pay was triple what I earned the two other jobs combined..." Right, that made sense. But how was he going to the university? "The boss of this place," He grimaced before continuing, "Very charming guy. With his words and propositions anyway. He told me that he'd pay for my tuition and assured me I could keep this job here, paying off the debt at my own rhythm."
Sighing heavily, he reached up with his hands, scratching his scalp while looking quite exhausted all of a sudden. "Of course he forgot to mention he was adding a rather large percentage to the sum of my dept every month. The amount has grown to twice the size of what the tuition amount started out to be. Basically, he's making sure I can't leave this place."
I blinked. "Did you say the owner of this place?" I just needed a little clarification before I did what I was thinking of doing. No way was this fair.
He stretched, cracking his neck and I was glad to see he didn't seem as stiff and uncomfortable as he had earlier. "Yes. The manager of this place is an ass, but the owner? I'm glad he only ever shows once a month to each give us our paychecks." He wrinkled his nose, looking disgusted, "And of course, look us over. Not that that doesn't make sense, it's a strip joint after all. But kinda makes you feel like stock." He chuckled.
I reached up to touch his face. "You are far from stock, babe." Stroking my fingers up into his hair, I grinned. "Whose idea was it to dye your hair pink? I absolutely love it..." I murmured.
My eyes widened as an actual blush appeared on his cheeks, his gaze seemingly sheepish. "It was an accident, actually... The manager wanted me blond as there were too many brunettes. I guess I won't be making a career in hairdressing." He cleared his throat. "But apparently it suits me, so I kept it."
Chuckling, I ran my hand down from his hair, touching his cheek, his neck, chest and finally I reached his waist, lifting the edge of his shirt up so I could rest my hand against his stomach. Leaning forward, I took a deep breath, relishing the fresh slightly flowery scent that came from him.
"It does suit you. But tell me," I moved my hand a little lower on his stomach so that I was resting just above his jeans, "when they had you waxed, did you enjoy that as well? I'm sorry to say that I miss your happy trail."
"Hurts like a son of bitch." He said curtly. "I don't exactly have a say in that. I wear what they ask me to wear, and I wax what they want me to get waxed." He reached up to let his fingers slide into my hair, gently tilting my head back just a bit, his thumbs stroking over my neck. "Tell me something about you?"
"What do you want to know? Ask anything and I'll answer." I had no secrets, and I didn't care to keep anything from him.
His fingers scratched my scalp while he frowned. "Well, that is the thing, apparently I'm curious to know pretty much anything about you. Which is strange since I generally don't really care to get to know people." His left hand slipped out of my hair so he could trace my lips with those fingertips. "Tell me how old you are, what you do at the university, why you aren't in a relationship with someone other than a stripper," He smirked slowly, "Don't get me wrong, I know I'm fine, but isn't it complicated?"
I snaked my tongue out to taste his finger, smirking when he glared at me. "I'm twenty-two, I don't really do anything at university, and I'm not in a relationship because I don't care to be." Reaching up to grasp his hand, I placed a quick kiss on the back of it and inclined my head in a bow. "It is only complicated if you see it as such. I see something that intrigues me, in this case a rather striking stripper, and I want to know more about him." I didn't release his hand, instead I held onto it and I pushed our palms together and laced my fingers with his. "Everything else is just icing on the cake, babe. One word from you, and I'd wipe your debt clean just for the chance to date you."
His eyes were fixed onto our connected hands, his lips parting as he seemed lost in thought for a moment. "You'd get rid of my debt... buying me out of the strip joint." He wasn't forming it as a question and I wondered what he was thinking off as I couldn't read the expression on his face. I remember him having issues letting me offer him money so he'd give me his name. I knew offering to pay for his debt was a risky proposition, as lightly as I'd let it slip...
I was surprised when a small moan escaped him. "Almost like you'd own me. We'd be very interesting in the bedroom indeed..." His eyes were glazed over and he shifted his hips some, leading me to look down and see he was now sporting a semi hard one.
Biting back the moan that was trying to escape my lips, I just squeezed his hand again and let my other one stroke his hip some more, my thumb making circles against his hip bone. This was going rather well, and I was more than interested in doing just what I said. He'd be dynamite in the bedroom and I bet he could keep me guessing and satisfied for years...
"One word is all it takes, Marluxia. And as hot as it would be to own you, you have only to say the word and I'll jump when you command it." Oh hell yeah...The idea of dominating him was a cock starter, but the idea of him dominating me was making my dick strain against my zipper.
"Hmmm, I will think about it." He murmured. "Now, tell me, where is all this money coming from?"
"A rather large trust fund that my parents have given me in hopes it will keep me out of trouble for the rest of my life." I shrugged, not really caring if that made me a little spoiled in his eyes. Life was full of the rich and the richer and while it was certainly nice to have money enough to never want again, I was fully aware that it could not buy me happiness.
But that didn't stop me from having fun. "My father's half brother owns this strip club, which is why I brought my step-brother here for his birthday the first time we met. Which is what made me rather curious about your interesting situation that you described. He is a rather unsavory character and anything and everything I can do to disrupt him, is my pleasure I can assure you."
He pursed his lips. "You're giving me the key to my cage, yet don't want sexual favors in return?"
Winking, I murmured, "You got it, babe."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I'm going to have to be careful with you."
I pouted, but knew what he meant and although I did not share his reservations, I could understand him. "Treat me gently, master. I promise to behave." Smirking so he would know I was just poking him for fun, I shifted my legs, realizing that they were sort of going to sleep as he sat on them.
He cleared his throat, looking uncertain before he asked, "Would you like to grab a smoothie now? You made sure I'm only to be yours for the evening, and unless you do want that lap dance I sort of owe you, we don't necessarily have to remain here."
Grinning and nodding my head, I checked my watch and saw that it was about eleven o'clock. "Hmm, smoothie place is closed, but can I interest you in a late dinner? My treat." Any time spent with him away from this place made me happy.
Leaning in, he placed his lips softly against my cheek, "Your treat only cause I allow it." Giving my jaw a kiss, he then moved off my lap, "I'll just go get my things." He winked before exiting the room. My father had always counseled me against being reckless and impulsive, saying it would get me into trouble, but he'd never told me that sometimes just following what I wanted, could result in something as sweet and sexy as Marluxia.
