Edited: 5/2021
Tatara Totsuka had a knack for getting into trouble for the oddest reason. This night was no different. He wanted to show his internet followers the real true form of this city everyone calls home. Naming his newest video, 'The real nightlife of Shizume City.' Grasp the main point enough for everyone to follow.
Now he knew there were parts of the city people like himself should have stayed out of—a place where money talks.
Clapping his hands together, even bowing his head some in front of his camera, he spoke, "Sorry, Kusanagi, but I had to." He enters the red-light districts with less than a few dollars to his name. "I, myself, always wonder why someone picked this lifestyle. However, I may have the wrong idea about it. Let's see if we can find someone who wouldn't mind being interviewed."
Two times. Two whole times, the slender honey color hair man was thrown out on his bum. For trying to enter certain adult places with a camera. Most people would've called it a night. But not Tatara, not when this became his newest hobby.
Dusting himself off, double-checking the camera. Unaware, a pair of amber eyes have been following him since he steps one foot inside this hidden world.
Word of mouth spread fast that someone was paying big cash for something—rumors from shooting a snuff film to losing one's virginity on Livestream. Whatever the reason, someone was willing to pay upfront cash.
"You're the kid with the money?" To the locals around this part of town, a single warning was given. 'Amber eyes. Flee on sight.'
Without second-guessing himself, Tatara answer honestly. "Yes. I think?"
"You're not from around here, are you, kid?" Two things gave the young man away. One, he wasn't running. Two, he was actually talking. "Are you even old enough to be on this side of town?"
Tatara just shrugs his shoulder, some giving the redhead a goofy grin. "Are you old enough for this line of work?"
"Do you want me to be?" Anything to please the client was the only fact Mikoto ever got right. He knew how to handle himself in any circumstance. Yet…Standing here in this dark alley with a strange kid. He was lost.
Generally, if things didn't feel right. He would of just walk away or beat the crap out of the person. This time Mikoto just felt calm. A feeling that's almost foreign to him anymore.
"I'll pay you all I have if I could just interview you, please?" Huge brown puppy dog eyes. With the dim streetlight, the kid almost looks like he was pouting.
"Whatever you're into. I'll play along with it." Mikoto role-played many roles. From a street thug, naughty schoolboy to a juvenile delinquent with some mommy and daddy issues. This was a first on so many levels.
"I'm Tatara, by the way. If you're not comfortable in giving out your real name, I could pick out a nickname for you."
Being called every beautiful colorful name in the book beside his real name. Which only the police ever called him that.
"Follow me, call me whatever you want. Doesn't bother me any." Walking through the maze of back streets, hidden alleyways reached a hole in the wall hotel. The type you feel like even a hazmat suit would melt if you wore one inside. "Enjoying the view." Mikoto couldn't help but let his playful side out once he noticed the pair of brown eyes staring.
"You remind me of the time when I little. I ran away from home because no one would take me to the zoo that day." Mikoto raised an eyebrow. He even blinks a couple of times, trying to figure this person out. "Everyone was so afraid of going near the lion exhibit. Since he was roaring so loud." What did this story have to do with him? Mikoto didn't have a clue, yet a part of him doesn't mind hearing it.
"It didn't scare you?" Looking into those eyes of the storyteller, the sense of fear couldn't be seen, not even a glimmer of it.
"No. I felt sad for him. I think he was roaring that loud because he was lonely. So I stood there all day with my nose against the glass. To show the lion, he wasn't alone. I don't know if it helps him, but it seems to be helping you." A gentle smile rested on the shorter man's lips. Knowing if he could help even just a little someone else out. He was happy about it. "How about Mr. Lion."
"Like hell." A vulgar, blunt response, and yet his companion for the night didn't seem to be bothered by it.
"Pussy cat!" Tatara beamed with joy, trying to figure out a nickname as he tried to keep with a kitty theme. "Ally cat?"
Shaking his head Mikoto, lead the way into one of the rooms. A single light hung from the ceiling, mattress on the floor in the corner, ashtrays everywhere the eye could see in this tiny room.
It wasn't much, but it was home for Mikoto. Until something better came along. "Money first, or can I ask my question than the money?" The redhead doesn't do anything for free. Holding out his hand, repeating his swore oath.
"No credit cards or personal checks. Cash only." An oath he lives by. If you can't pay upfront, you can not play here.
"Okay. Um, here you go. Oh, here some more." Another surprise for the night. Watching for the first time, someone empties out their pockets, not a wallet, but every single pocket. Handing him a different amount of cash each time. "I'm not sure how much is all there. Payday not until the end of this week. So that's all the tip money I could get." Mikoto really thought this was some role play kink his client for the night wanted to play. Until now. "How many questions does that amount give me?"
If this was some other client, Mikoto would of toss his ass out, keeping the cash, of course. One looks over at Tatara, who just flop down on the mattress. There were no words to describe this moment. Nothing can even come close to it. Some dumb kid looked like he should still be in middle school, using his milk money to pay a prostitute for an interview.
Yeah, this story going right up there with the time someone paid him just to see what a real man's penis looked like.
Running his hand through his messy red hair, lighting up a cig as he counted the cash in his hand. "Five." There was less than a hundred there. "But you use up one."
"I wasn't ready yet. No fair!" Setting up his camera, getting out his beat-up notebook to read his scribbles of question.
"I have been over the age of eighteen for the past two years." Tatara tried to hold a grumpy look on his face. He even tried to glare at the man. But couldn't maintain a look that didn't suit him well. "You're cute when you try to play being angry."
"Whatever you say…King~ How did you end up in this type of work?" With a limit on good question Tatara, had to use the best one first. In hopes of answering what his followers always wanted to know about was this city life after dark.
"I don't know. Just sort of fell into it." Answers were shortcoming when someone gives away so few details.
"Is there a code among you when it comes to your work detail?" Trying to wiggle every bit of truth from him. Yet the lion in human form wasn't taking the bait.
"Who to stay away from and who willing to pay a good amount. Those details get shared. Everything else is needed to know." Just like a cat. Mikoto enjoyed a friendly game of cat and mouse. Playing with his mouse for the night proved to be more amusing than he thought. "You now have two questions left."
"Would you ever leave this type of work?" Had to make these two counts. Throwing his notebook back into his messenger bag. Tatara just goes with what came to him. As he looks into those intense amber eyes. Wonder what's all the things they have seen. Wondering what type of desire hides behind them.
"Maybe." One more type of game for the pure enjoyment of having someone to play with. Staring contest in who smiles first. The loser has to answer honestly. "I just live my life as I want. If I want something. I go get it. It's simple like that. To hell with the 'rules of life." A familiar sense of freedom Tatara could relate to. Who's to tell them otherwise how to live. It's their life to live as they see fit. To hell with anyone who tells them differently.
"How much can you make in one night of work?" The ultimate last question of their time together.
"Depend on the night, really. Some night just enough to buy something to eat and cigarettes. Other nights have been chosen between the two. On good night maybe a couple of grand." Tatara's eyes lit up at those words' couple of grand'. His hobby of getting into many other hobbies does cost money. He might have to really think about keeping his job as a bartender trainee or quit it to become a prostitute to help pay for all his goodies. "You wouldn't last an hour on this side of town, Tatara. Get that idea out of your head."
"Okay." Grinning ear to ear, still playing around with that idea of having all the money he could dream of, with endless possibility. "Thank you for answering our question, King, of the pretty red lights. Maybe we can meet up again when I have more money for more questions." Turning the camera off for the night. Getting his stuff ready to leave. Only to stop at the door. Recalling what he said. 'Having to choose between the two.' Remembering how it felt when he went hungry a few times before someone show him an act of kindness by taking him in.
Looking back at the redhead going through an empty package of cigarettes. "If I make you some food…could I ask you more questions about this type of life?"
"You know how to cook?" From what Mikoto could see in him. Tatara doesn't appear like the 'cooking type.' Then again, never one to judge on appearance alone. "Sure."
"Alright, King. Follow me." Trying to mimic the grief tone Mikoto once use on him, only ending up laughing some. Grief and scary, something he could never pull off well. But everyone has a dark side to them. The truth behind his brown eyes appears as a glimmer before disappear as fast as it was seen.
* The following day *
"How many times do I have to repeat myself?" The very person who once showed Tatara kindness by offering to take him in stood over his bed, yelling at him. Like any older caring sibling would do.
Like any other morning, Izumo always goes above his bar to wake up the delinquents who live there. Kicking some of them out for work, others for schools. To give the same speech on how reckless Tatara live his life. "You couldn't be more right. I fully agree with you. I shouldn't be so reckless."
"What's going on here? I knew you for years, Tatara Totsuka. Never once have you ever agree with me. You always just give me that smile and tell me, 'Don't sweat it; everything will work out in the end." It's never an odd sight to see Tatara's room messy with clothes everywhere. Half of the blanket on the floor. Yet something off. Something is way off.
"Nothing going on. I just didn't want to repeat myself. That's all." The tall, bleach blonde eyes scan the room once more. Noticing his brand of cigarette on the nightstand near the non-smoker's bed. Picking up the bed looks more messy than usual. Also, the small frame of Tatara looked..larger. "Can I cook-" Covering Tatara's mouth before ripping off the covers to find..someone else in his bed with him.
Tangled up with sheets and limbs was dead to the world's naked redhead. "New hobby. Bring home a prostitute for a night! I hope you don't mind. I asked him to live here with me. Since he was starving and homeless. I promise to take good come for him."
Izumo just stood there holding a blanket with his mouth open, unable to say anything for a moment. The only thing that seems fitting was. "You owe me a pack of cigs to replace the ones your 'friend' smoked through. Plus, no sex on my bar!."
In the bar known as Homra, anything goes. No matter the lifestyle, no one is turned away.
