Author's Note: Four veeery familiar faces. This story is heavily inspired by 'The Lost Boys', a great cult classic that knew how to showcase dark pretty things. Warnings: drug usage.

CHAPTER 5: Blue

Blue. There was blue everywhere. Somewhere, a high-pitched siren wailed, bouncing off blue-tinted glassed walls where patterned fish swam. Beams of blue light radiated from the ceiling high above. They flickered in half-second intervals. Flash – blue. Flash – blue. Flash – blue. Within the darkness that swallowed Cloud, glimpses of blue faces appeared. Dark figures surrounded him; an endless sea of blue silhouettes. Here. There. Everywhere. Abdominal muscles reactively clenched at the sight of open-mouthed hysteric grins and awkward body movements. The figures danced like stop-motioned puppets amongst the flashes of blue light.

Breathe. Cloud needed to breathe.

His pale skin shined against the blue auras that surrounded him. A few beads of sweat streaked along the sides of his face; matted blond hair clung to his sticky forehead. He must've smelled terrible. Cloud exhaled through parted, chapped lips. When he took a deep swallow afterward, he made a face. The back of his throat tasted funny, a bitter raspberry flavor. No doubt, it was remnants of his last drink, some pleasant mixture of tangy fruit and burning vodka.

Cloud stared at his feet to briefly escape the onslaught of shadowy images that appeared and disappeared in the darkness. The glassed blue floor rippled with a watery effect. An illusion. Transfixed by it, Cloud stared at the shimmery ground until his eyes throbbed with a dull pressure. When he finally looked up again, he grimaced. Those terrible dark figures… they danced more chaotically now.

Club LIFESTREAM. The popular night club was situated inside a giant, donut-shaped aquarium; the largest of its kind. Designed with two stories, the bottom floor featured a dance platform flanked by two separated, semi-circled pools. Blue leather-cushioned seats and neon-lit booths ran alongside curved walls. Downstairs was also home to the club's bar. Casting glows of blue and pink, it was situated inside a massive cylindrical-shaped tank. Two squid-shaped robots served as the club's bartenders. Their multiple arms simultaneously mixed drinks and passed them to the waiters.

Not far from the bar appeared two illuminated staircases guarded by bouncers. The steps led to a members-only second floor. Upstairs, the live band played. Donned in vintage-styled coats, top hats, and monocles, their electric sounds of guitars, sirens, drums, and saxophone boomed loudly in the air. Giant jellyfish lanterns, meanwhile, hung from the ceiling. They glowed with a wild spectrum of rainbow hues. Four-dimensional projected images of sea creatures floated alongside them in the air.

Club attendees pumped their hips and arms to the wave of synthetic melodies. The more ambitious dancers wore scantily-clad swimsuits in spirit of their watery environment. Similarly, the club's hired performers showcased provocative scuba-dive suits with faces covered in metal-plated masks. Their rubber suits were fully decked out with lights. Dangling from the high ceiling with bungee cords, the acrobatic aerial entertainers spun in circles in the air. They offered the crowd an impressive light show.

Standing near the club's pool, Cloud stared up at one airborne dancer above his head with the same fascination of a child. He watched streaks of blue and green light flush in various directions.

Beautiful, simply beautiful.

A heavy musk lingered in the air, a mixture of sweat and perfume. Clusters of attractive men and women clashed their moist bodies against each other in giant waves. Cloud Strife tried to keep his distance. He wasn't usually into the club scene. He didn't have the energy or Gil for it. And he rarely drank or used chemical substances, except on the special occasions he wanted to indulge himself. His knowledge of dance was also limited to the old-fashioned steps his mother taught him as a boy. Hardly fitting. However, it was really vanity-related issues that kept Cloud away from Midgar's nightlife.

He didn't own any flashy clothes. He couldn't compete with all the handsome city boys with his second-hand assortments. Even now, his attire proved inappropriate. Whereas Ele', Biggs, and Wedge had brought a different set of clothes for the birthday outing, he had none. Too embarrassed to show the beautiful people in the club his Chocobo Chow uniform, Cloud kept his coat on. Now he was soaking in sweat.

Cloud felt his stomach twist and turn while the sides of his head throb. An urge to vomit grew strong in his belly. It wasn't just the amount of alcohol he had consumed that bothered him, but the overwhelming heat that emanated from the large crowd on the dance floor with him. He inhaled slowly to subdue the unwanted sensation. No doubt the heavy amount of visual stimuli and fast movements triggered many symptoms related to his motion sickness. The club, itself, reflected a chaotic environment of lights, sounds, and movement.

When the club's current song reached a high mid-point, the sprinklers in the club all activated. Water sprayed the dance floor. People screamed and hollered in rejoice. Cloud wanted to retreat to a dry area but Ele' soon approached from his left. Somehow she found him in this heap of mess. His coworker joined him for a dance. Cloud was ready to reject the offer, feeling unsure of his abilities, but Ele' wrapped her arms around his waist anyway. She pressed their bodies together. Dressed in a rather risqué outfit, two budding nipples poked out of her soaked blouse. Heat rose on Cloud's cheeks.

"Not a bad way to spend your birthday, huh?" Ele' remarked over the music. She opened her mouth to drink some of the water that rained on them.

Feeling thirsty himself, Cloud did the same. He blinked through the drops of water that fell over his eyes and found two holographic sharks directly above them. They circled around each other.

Not far away Cloud spotted Wedge and Biggs. Wedge clumsily stepped on the foot of some random woman while Biggs fared better. He had brought along a female friend to the birthday get-together.

Cloud had met the girl several times before. With long brown hair pulled into a high ponytail, Jessie worked as a mechanic in the Slums. She had a knack at building engines from scraps. A bit of a tomboy, she wore a simple gray tank with suspenders and dark jeans. Cloud always thought Jessie was strange. She rarely talked. On the occasions she appeared, he often caught her looking at him with an odd, unblinking expression on her face. Tonight was no different. Even as she danced with Biggs, Jessie studied him with those big chestnut brown eyes of hers.

"Biggs mentioned you don't commute to the Entertainment District often," Ele' spoke again. One hand lazily swept the side of her drenched purple-dyed hair. "We figured this would be a nice place to celebrate your birthday. Of course, Wedge wanted to take you to a strip joint instead."

Cloud made a throaty sound but later confirmed, "It's pretty expensive in this sector. I think I've visited the Entertainment District only three times."

"It's nice to have an excuse to come back, right?"

He nodded and then slowly inquired, "You live near this sector?"

"Mm-hm. But it's also expensive for me. I'm on a tight budget. Working, while wrapping up my final year in high school, isn't a walk in the park."

Cloud nearly paused in the middle of their dance. He remembered Ele's father. He taught in Shinra's Military Academy. Curious, he wondered aloud, "You don't get help from your old man?"

At this, Ele' licked her blue-painted lips. "No. I live in my own apartment, away from the folks."

"But… wouldn't it be easier to stay with them? You wouldn't have to work and go to school."

"My pop's an asshole." Ele' practically growled. "He thinks he can control my life just like he did with my sister. I'm supposed to enter the Academy this year after I graduate from high school. But I want to follow my own damn path. I'm tired of my father deciding things for me. I'm not my sister."

Cloud briefly broke away from eye contact.

He wasn't sure whether to sympathize with Ele' or resent her. Those who entered the Academy were automatically qualified for a high-ranking position in Shinra's army or the Turks. Cloud couldn't enroll in the Academy himself because he lacked a general education certificate. Worse, the school only accepted top-notched applicants with high scores. Ele' practically rode on a free ticket. Daddy issues aside, she lived on the Plate and had all the necessary credentials and connections. Many career opportunities were opened for her. As for Cloud, he was a hick who lived in a shit-hole and had failed the try-outs three times.

The darkness of the club helped mask Cloud's solemn mood. Water drops fell while the two resumed their awkward dance.

They lost themselves to the steady beats of steampunk metal music. That special type of eclectic funk intrigued Cloud. He didn't know any relevant dance steps but, in the end, it didn't matter. He followed Ele's cue and forgot all the bitter shit that cluttered his mind. Cloud's eyes drifted back to the beams of light above. A light-headed sensation washed over him and nearly made him stumble off balance. No doubt, the shots he had drunk earlier now took their toll. Ele' softly laughed and held him in place.

"This is our time to shine, you know," her voice reached his ears again. There was a serious, monotone vibe in her sound.

Cloud stared at her.

"We're at the turn of our youth," the young woman professed, "This moment won't ever happen again. Tonight, we celebrate our immortality. Let's make the best of it. Okay?"

Cloud clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He wasn't sure if her words were inspirational or cheesy. But they did make a lot of sense. He had reached that period in his life when he could commit to the giant unknown without worry or restraint. Only seventeen, there was plenty of time to own the world. However. The dream he wanted still remained out of reached. Worse, that window of opportunity was closing. Fast. Perhaps, if only for tonight, he could pretend to be immortal. He could feel fierce. Hell, he could even feel optimistic for once in his damn life.

Water droplets continued to fall from above. An onslaught of purple and blue lights washed over the dance floor. Hundreds of bodies jumped up and down, moving in tune with the fast-paced tempo. Cloud kept up with Ele'. Both thrust their hips forward, one leg between the other. Grinding. He saw her place a blue pill on the tip of her tongue. Ele' wrapped both arms around his neck and brought his face down to hers. As they kissed, she passed the pill into his mouth. Their faces pulled away a moment later and Cloud swallowed.

Gradually, his body felt lighter. He could hardly feel his feet planted to the ground; he was flying. The two teens twirled in circles on the dance floor and raised their hands in the air. Laughing. Smiling. Cloud closed his eyes, feeling ecstatic now. He allowed himself to become one with the music and crowd. The dark blue figures that flashed about no longer terrified him.

When the sprinklers finally deactivated and the crowd settled down. A few attendees left the dance floor to dry themselves. Cloud considered doing the same, especially when his heavy coat was soaked. A young man dressed in a fancy suit bumped into him though.

Holding a PHS in his hand, the man ignored Cloud and handed out business cards to a pair of women dancing nearby. He offered one to Ele' before he moved on. Cloud made a face. He felt aggressive enough to punch the guy.

"Something wrong?" Ele' noticed his sour expression.

Cloud's eyes tracked the rude young man who walked away. "Who the hell are those guys?"

"Huh?" Ele' checked the direction of Cloud's glare. "Oh. Them. "

"Yeah. Them." He shook his head and spat, "I see them everywhere. All they do is walk around, carry a PHS, and pass out business cards. Are they Turks? Musicians? Businessmen?"

"They're Hosts."

"Hosts?" Cloud repeated. "Like… dinner hosts?"

Ele' blinked a few times and took a step back. Hand on hip, she chortled. "You mean to tell me you've been in this city for how long and don't know what Hosts are? Wow…"

"Give me a break. I spend most of my time down at the Slums." Cloud turned his face away from Ele', feeling annoyed. He found Jessie nearby looking at him again. The strange girl quickly stared at her feet when he caught her.

"Fair enough," Ele' finally said and showed Cloud the card given to her. "They're paid boyfriends."

One of Cloud's brows rose. "Excuse me?"

"They're boys hired for love."

Cloud stood silent again. He was positive he misheard Ele'. When she maintained her silence, though, he abruptly burst out laughing. A bit carried away by his drug-induced state, he had trouble controlling his erratic thoughts and emotions. When Cloud calmed down again he checked the glossy card she held up for him.

He found a name, a phone number, an address, and a photo of a handsome man who wore more mascara and hair products than the average woman. The name of a club was stenciled in generic, Gothic-styled silver letters. Cloud shook his head. Paid boyfriends?

Ele' must've seen the confusion on his face. She soon explained, "Hundreds of Hosts reside in Midgar. All those men you see passing out cards, they're affiliated with a club. The client contacts them for a get-together. Then the Host takes them to their club for a fun time. Anyone with Gil to burn can hire them to be their boyfriend for the day, week… however long."

"Hired boyfriends?" Cloud spoke each word slowly. "Paid love. That's… kind of fucked up."

"Midgar is a busy metropolis, Cloud. A lotta business men and women don't have time to look for love. This method is easier for them. It's love without the strings. Besides, when you think about it, you're paying for love anyway. Taking out a girl to the movies, buying her flowers, giving her an engagement ring… Love comes with a price tag no matter where you get it from."

Cloud ran a hand through his damped blond hair. He still couldn't fathom this surreal city-born concept. Paid love. It sounded so… wrong. Cloud finally concluded, "So, these Hosts are basically male gigolos."

"Kinda. It's a platonic relationship. No sex is involved. At least, that's how it should go." Ele' shoved the business card underneath her bra strap and elaborated, "Ideally, the Host provides the dream to their client. They're there to listen, talk, and have a fun time. Not to fuck."

"I really doubt that…"

"Hosts are like giant cock-teasers," Ele' strongly exerted, "They'll flirt and maybe get a bit physical to plant the illusion to their clients that they have a chance. But they won't give it up. They want their clients desperate and coming back for more."

"Giant cock-teasers…" Cloud quoted, already scoffing at the idea. He absently stared at a family of fish swimming along the glassed walls up ahead. Curious, he asked, "And where are the clubs? In the city?"

"They're scattered everywhere, but most are here in the Entertainment District," Ele' confirmed and later went on to say, "Visitors can enter them any time. Potential clients will receive a compendium that showcases all the club's Hosts. From that list, they get to choose which Host matches their tastes. They hook up to determine if they're compatible. For many clubs, once the client has made a choice there's no going back, so the guest has to choose their Host wisely."

"But wouldn't it be easier to fall in love with the right person? Naturally?"

"Depends. Not everyone can meet the right person." Amused by Cloud's reaction to this entire topic, Ele' grinned. She leaned forward and shared a short, sloppy kiss with him.

When their faces pulled away another dizzy spell hit Cloud. He almost fell backward. Ele' laughed at him again. As before, she kept him steady with both hands. He was a bit high. And drunk. Or was he buzzed? Cloud couldn't tell. His liquor toleration and knowledge of drunken states was extremely limited. Hell, he hadn't experienced a hangover so far. Biggs expressed an annoyance toward cotton-mouth but Cloud had no idea what the fuck he meant. Regardless, it was a good thing he had tomorrow off. If he ended up shit-faced tonight at least he could sleep it off before attending his evening class.

His legs unsteady, Cloud's eyes wandered about the busy dance floor. All the blinking lights and dark dancing figures continued to aggravate his delicate senses. He could feel the acidic tastes of liquor lurk up his throat. Cloud swallowed hard and looked at Ele'. "I… I need to take a breather. Maybe to puke. Maybe to pass out. Maybe to piss. I don't know which yet."

"It's fine." Ele' chuckled. To her, Cloud sounded funny whenever he got a little drunk or high. "Let's find a table and chill there. You can decide then."

Ele' took his arm to guide him out of the dance floor. However, Cloud gently pushed her hand away when his stomach's muscles abruptly jerked. He covered his mouth with both hands. Cloud's face turned to a lighter shade of pink when he muffled, "Give me a moment… If I move right now I'll definitely puke."

Ele' nodded in understanding. "All right. No prob. I'll secure a table first. Then I'll come fetch you. Just stay here. Okay? I'll call if I can't find you so keep your PHS close by."

Still covering his mouth with both hands, Cloud bobbed his head in compliance.

Reassuring him, Ele' squeezed his shoulder. Then she headed off. She had the others follow her as well. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie all joined the search for a table. Club LIFESTREAM was packed tonight. There were hardly any spots left to sit. Cloud knew it would take them awhile to find a table or booth. He felt guilty he couldn't help.

Briefly, the blond-haired teenager shut his eyes and mentally scolded himself. Cloud hated being a burden to anyone. He also hated his weak, pathetic state right now. It threatened to ruin tonight's celebration. He'd have to take it easy the rest of tonight. He had heard how some susceptible people passed out from drinking beyond their limit. Worse, they would forget the events that had transpired. Biggs called it a black-out. Cloud hoped he didn't fit under that category of drinkers.

Once the muscles in his belly slightly relaxed, he forced himself to bend forward and rested his hands on the knees. He stayed like that for a good few minutes. Cloud didn't move from his spot by the pool since Ele' would return to this spot after she secured a table.

The silhouettes of nearby dancers hadn't stopped moving nor did the flashes of neon-fused lights. Aerial performers twirled in the air; a fusion of swift movement and glowing colors. Cloud could not focus on them anymore. Their non-stop motions made his head hurt. The music from the live band upstairs, meanwhile, turned into a sultry type of sound. With a bit of an experimental touch, the lead singer sung in a low raspy voice. He was accompanied by a steady beat of drums, chimes, the soft plucks of a guitar, and a lonely saxophone. The song provided the perfect soundtrack for electric hot sex, Cloud mused, feeling aroused at the moment.

Cloud continued to stay put until he caught something peculiar among the crowd of dark figures. Blue. A very intense blue. Tiny specks of blue. It was a blue unlike any shade of blue in the club. Even when the dance floor was briefly engulfed in total darkness, those dots of blue remained. Cloud slowly stood at full height. It wasn't just the blue color that threw him off guard. They weren't lights. They weren't reflections. They weren't figments from his imagination. As Cloud studied the strange phenomenon, he realized they were something else altogether.

Three figures. They currently stalked the dance floor. Their tall forms were mere shadows at first, like the other attendees. However, as they approached the pool area directly opposite of Cloud the water's light illuminated their features. Cloud stood completely still.

One of them sported raven-black, spiked hair. Dressed in a worn-out fatigue jacket with a tight-fitted undershirt and loose cargo pants, chains and belts all over, his style was both wild and furious. The boy walked through the crowd of dancers and took a high-voltage puff from his e-cigarette. A stray wolf, Cloud thought. Spikes of black hair was pulled back to reveal a face void of unwanted blemishes and details, save for a curious cross-shaped scar at the bottom left cheek. Both ears were littered with metal piercings. Cloud found himself perplexed by the youth's eyes.

Blue. Those bizarre, starry blue eyes… That's what immediately caught Cloud's attention. That's what lingered among the crowd of shadowed figures. That's what glowed. The boy's blue eyes. They were like blue-tinted mirrors. Even within the darkness, they shined. Eye contacts, Cloud quickly concluded. They had to be. No human being could possess eyes like that. Even the Tsviets' eyes were nowhere near that level of glow.

Fake or not, the strange boy still carried a powerful and piercing gaze. Nearby dancers noticed it. They stepped out of his way. Some out of fear. Some out of captivation.

Upstairs, the saxophone reached a high note. Its sound ricocheted across the entire club. While the crowd cheered, the boy took another inhale. The tiny light in his e-cig flared. Cloud held his breath. The raven-haired teen briefly glanced at his direction. He looked him dead in the eye. Blue against brilliant-blue. Cloud grew even more anxious by those eyes.

The boy was similar to age. Maybe a year or two older. Yet, those blue eyes reflected someone well beyond his years. They shared the same clear intensity of an elderly man who had seen more than his share of the world. A half innocent, half devilish smile tugged at the corner of the other boy's lips. And then… he looked away. The mysterious youth walked onward and ignored the rest of his onlookers.

More blue followed. The second figure. Many years older with shaggy black hair that reached down to his neck, this man stood a few inches taller and featured a more notable frame. Well-built arms. Strong shoulders. Cloud imagined this guy could give Mr. Mukki a serious challenge. However, there was a calm quality beneath the physically indestructible facade.

With naked hands buried inside the pockets of his denim jeans, he maintained a steady and even pace. Cloud could tell the man self-groomed. A patch of hair outlined a proud chiseled chin, yet parts of it looked slightly uneven. Even the thick sideburns that outlined a perfect structure of cheekbones hadn't been cut to fine, thin tips. Still, the imperfections worked. It was a modest yet chic look. This was a confident man; one who didn't resort to high-fashion methods to get noticed. The long-sleeved, gray-blue buttoned shirt highlighted the bizarre color in his eyes. Likewise, the hand-stitched navy vest. A handcrafted choker made of ivory bones decorated his neck. Only his auburn-orange flat shoes offered a splash of warmth to his overall attire.

That strange arrangement of loud musical notes upstairs inspired more energy in the crowd. Bodies moved faster. Rays of colorful lights from above rotated in all directions.

Two female dancers took an interest toward the unique stranger and approached him. But he merely acknowledged them with a simple nod and moved on. His starry blue eyes were set to the club's upper floor. Looking like a man on a mission, he never glanced at anyone and kept to himself.

Cloud watched him drift deeper into the crowd. Then he set his sights on the third man of the group.

He was an auburn-haired gentleman of good height, sporting a sharp figure. Cloud's jaw danced a bit. The vibe he got from this guy was definitely different: direct and bold. Even more, the intensity of the man's eerie eyes burned brighter. Angrier. Within the darkness of the club, they were absolutely terrifying.

An air of silent but prominent confidence surrounded him. This was a man who took pride in his appearance; a man of high stature. Unlike the others, he reveled in extravagance and aristocratic fashion with his tailored vest, leather red trousers, and knee-high leather boots that were wiped to a shine. A crimson coat sprouted rich, brown fur at the collar. The duster reached down to his ankles; its split tail trailed after him as he strutted forward with his head raised. In a gloved hand, Cloud spotted two items: a book and a rose. The handsome man kept both at his side. Never once did he acknowledge the people who stared at him. His brilliant blue eyes stayed ahead. They never looked back.

It was strange. As a country boy, it'd taken Cloud awhile to get used to the odd residents in the city. Three years of occupancy introduced him to the Punks, the Goths, the Metal-heads, the Preppies, the Hipsters, the Thugs, the Ghettoes, the Straights, the Gays, the Trans, and countless more. There were so many niches and flavors in the city. But Cloud had never encountered people like them. These men didn't fit under any categories. Cloud couldn't help but feel drawn to their magnetic powers. They were frightening. And beautiful. Beauty and beast wrapped into one.

Caught in a trance, Cloud took several steps forward. He suspected the three blue-eyed visitors were headed to the staircases. Second floor. The exclusive level. The teen moved left once they disappeared more into the crowd.

Cloud didn't notice how close he stood to the ledge of the pool. Too occupied by the pretty blue-eyed men, he carelessly advanced another step. He wanted to keep them in his line of sight for a moment longer. But then… His body abruptly tilted to one side. Nothing held him in place. Off-balanced, Cloud quickly glanced down. He saw only blue water directly below. He gaped. Eyes wild. Realization hit and both arms flailed about, struggling for counter balance. One foot remained on the ledge but it was too late. Too much of him had shifted toward the pool. He felt his body give way. Cloud fell toward the water.

That was when something latched onto him. Something dark. Something fast.

The movement was instant; Cloud barely registered a slender-shaped, gloved hand wrapped around his right wrist. Already, Cloud's whole body had fallen to a side angle. He held his breath and blinked several times. Shocked. Nauseous. Anxious. He stared wide-eyed at the glowing pool of water below. Cloud's right foot stayed pressed against the ledge of the pool though. This, and the hand that held onto his right wrist, was enough to keep him from dropping.

Exhaling loudly, Cloud turned his head back. He needed to acknowledge the wonderful person who had somehow miraculously caught him in time and prevented his fall. But the air in his throat stopped midway when he looked back. His skin turned ice-cold. Cloud suddenly wanted to drop in the pool and desperately escape. A tall creature covered in black layers stood at the ledge of the pool. Motionless. Silent. It looked like Death itself.

Everything about him was covered in black. Black shoulder epaulettes. A long black tailored coat that reached passed the knees. Black collared, buttoned blouse. Silk black tie. Black leather pants. Gloss-black shoes. Black gloves. Everything. Black and more black. As for the face, an extremely long, black-laced veil covered it. The thin material extended all the way to the lower back of the figure. With a lean physique, Cloud only knew this was a man by the lack of breasts and prominent shoulder frame. But that didn't surprise him as much as this man's aura. It caused the tiny hairs at the back of his neck to rise.

There was something about this man, about this being, that made him unworldly. Practically intangible. He screamed neither modesty nor vanity. He existed on a different plane altogether, emitting only a loud silence in Cloud's presence.

Dangling over the water, the boy felt both vulnerable and curious. The striking image of this nocturnal animal evoked a thought in Cloud. A recollection, rather. Kyle. Kyle had mentioned a man in a veil earlier today. Cloud wondered if this was that same man. Before the question could be explored, though, the dark figure suddenly pulled him up.

This guy… He was strong. Yanked so hard, Cloud almost feared his arm had been ripped out of its socket. But the brute force proved necessary. Had it been any lesser gravity would've done its worse, especially at his steep angle. As it was, the sheer momentum was enough to tip Cloud over to the other side without slipping or falling back to the water. His body helplessly flung the opposite way. He clashed head-on into the tall figure and nearly collapsed until two gloved hands held him at his waist. Once again, he prevented Cloud's fall.

Sirens wailed across the club and the music's tempo picked up. Again, those flashes of light engulfed everyone in blue. Their distorted faces flickered everywhere. Cloud had warped himself into hell and now met the Devil himself.

With a cheek pressed against the other man's chest, he momentarily froze. He could feel a strong, steady heartbeat thump against his ear. A part of him was surprised by the pleasant smell of vanilla in the air. The scent dominated the dark, tall figure. Cloud half-expected an offending smell, something like rotten meat or spoiled fruit. Maggots came to mind. Burnt scars. Decaying flesh. All sorts of horrible thoughts inspired by Kyle's words lingered inside Cloud's head. But the elegant beast smelled appealing. Inviting. Upon closer inspection of his attire, Cloud could observe the fine delicate details of floral designs sewn across his Goth-styled coat. It smelled of expensive leather.

Perfect monster indeed.

Granted, natural instinct demanded a swift retreat. Cloud's cheeks rushed with color. This stranger evoked more terrifying feelings and thoughts than the previous blue-eyed men. Chemical madness within the veins only heightened those sensations of dread. But even as Cloud's heart pounded against his chest and all sense of reason wanted him to leave, he stayed put. His druggy condition made it difficult to take tonight's consequences seriously. Inner morbid curiosities also grew stronger at the sight the daunting creature.

And so, Cloud looked up. Fearless. Tonight, he could pretend to be invincible. Immortal. His clear blue eyes, amplified by the shimmery waters of the pool nearby, stared at the man in black. It was the same stare he gave the wolf many years ago. They did not blink nor waver.

A curious thing happened soon afterward. Up until now, the veiled man had not moved; did not speak. Both hands grasped Cloud's waist, still keeping him in place. But one gloved hand finally strayed. It moved to the boy's chin and lifted the head higher, as if to inspect something of interest there. Cloud realized what it was.

Blue. His own icy blue eyes. The veiled man wanted to see them.

Time crawled to a halt. Both men studied each other's features. While the club rejoiced in a crescendo of saxophone notes and violent beatings of drums, the two locked themselves in another world. Stillness swallowed the intimate space between them. For Cloud, he felt even more vulnerable. His throat was fully exposed as he looked up and the tall man's height practically bore down at him.

Black velvet cloth enshrouded his universe. It was difficult to see through the meshing of the veil. Briefly, Cloud thought he saw a spark of lime-green light hidden within the black covering. A glint. It could've been a reflection though. Or his eyes playing tricks. Cloud wanted to lean closer for a better look, even when his body was already pressed against the man.

A sharp, beckoning whistle abruptly sounded from behind. It snapped Cloud out of his daze. Turning, he discovered one of the blue-eyed men there. The young wolf. He stood only a few feet away; the e-cig still between his lips. Lights from the club painted his flawless face with multiple colors. The blue light in his eyes illuminated consistently.

On closer look, Cloud noticed a few turquoise highlights and patterned feathers that had been threaded into his hair at one side. It gave him a primitive, raw look. The other two blue-eyed men, meanwhile, were up ahead. Both had also stopped. Their eyes shimmered from a distance. Blue, Cloud thought again. The color blue.

Like before, the raven-haired boy directly looked at him. It was a longer gaze this time, as if he were studying him in greater detail. Cloud felt caught. He stood between two forces of nature. Overwhelmed. But that wasn't the only thing that rattled him.

Glancing back at the tall figure next to him, Cloud realized he was in the arms of another man. A man. Bizarre as he was, he was still a man. Cloud's eyes shot down to the floor. The color on his face flushed brightly. Kyle's words mentally echoed back to him in mocking manner. Have you ever been with a guy? Have you ever tried the vanilla milkshake before?

Embarrassment took over. A sickening feeling of self-loathe boiled within Cloud. Reactively, he pulled away and stepped back. He breathed a bit harder. The veiled man brought his hands to the sides. He calmly turned his head away and glanced at the direction of the raven-haired boy.

By this time, the youth removed the cig from his mouth. He took a step forward; the chimes of his belts jingled. "Yo. Gotta vamoose. They're waiting for us, tops."

That was all the boy said as he stood and waited. His face tilted to one side while he watched Cloud again. Lips wrapped tightly around the cigarette and the boy's prominent brows drew together. Concern painted his blue eyes.

Death's bride walked forward without a word. The tall figure passed Cloud and folded his arms together behind him. Moving with the grace of a feline, each step was smooth, effortless, and defined. No common man walked like that, Cloud thought. For something so trivial and common, he conveyed pure perfection in his walk. It was a form of art.

Admittedly, Cloud felt a tad disappointed when the haunting creature joined the other boy. They stood side-by-side and approached the two blue-eyed men straight ahead. Together, they cut through the crowd of moving bodies like apparitions.

It wasn't until Cloud felt a hand on his shoulder that he realized Ele' was with him again. Standing to his right, her eyes stayed glued to the veiled figure that walked further and further away. She quickly snatched Cloud's hand.

"C'mon. Let's join the others," she urged.

Around this time, the live band committed to a different song; something more mellow. Romantic. The excitement in the club died down. Couples gathered and occupied the dance floor. Cloud followed Ele'. They passed through a holographic image of an octopus floating in the air. The boy felt numb, somehow out of synch with the world. It was as if he had an encounter with a ghost. In some ways, he did. Cloud's eyes shot back to the veiled man while Ele' dragged him to their new destination.