-..-
Outside propped against the open doors of the warehouse that acted as their temporary information center until the official on not too far from here was finished constructing, Roland silently debated confessing his feelings as he had ever so often contemplated. Taking a last draw on his cigarette he tossed the bud to the ground and crushed it under his heel.
He silently wondered what was taking Vivani so long. He was already dying from the anxiety at the mere thought of what Vivani's reaction would be like and if he could accept rejection. Before he could suffer much longer a figure in the distance, just a dark outline against the night, slowly approaching dragged his attention. With the ware house standing like a blinding beacon in the night it wasn't before long that the youth stepped into the light.
Within seconds of instant assessment he deemed the youth to be of no threat to him. He was shorter than most males which would probably lie about his age and he was clad in a loose t-shirt one of the popular ones that girls these days raved about with the wide neck that caused the sleeves to fall off the shoulders using two straps instead to hold it in place. The style irked him since it ever so often revealed cleavage they hardly had and was short enough to drop above the navel, which in the youth's case was pierced and studded. To his eyes that saw everything the piercing seemed fresh as though it had been done a few hours ago.
To complete the attire he wore loose fitting denim pants that bunched at the ankles over black boots polished to perfection which gave you the impression of it being new. In the entirety it was inevitable to see this guy's body before his face which was androgynous enough to fool a less perceptive person on what gender it was. But he had been around pretty boys long enough to know when he was looking at one or just a girl that wasn't so easy to identify.
"Ah 'scuse me sir but dis the place to hand dis in?" the youth enquired his use of words conveying his horrid upbringing that was below standards even in the slums.
Accepting the out stretched sheet he gave it a once over. Apparently the guy went by the name Apple Margarita, age nineteen, gender male and notable skills null.
Heaving a sigh he turned to saunter back into the warehouse leaving the youth to follow behind.
"Could I ask you where you've been up until this point, the registration hours passed a long time ago?" he asked the dark youth who glanced around suspiciously.
"That right?" Apple asked scanning the room with evident distaste, "then why you still here mister?"
The way the boy spoke irked him, as if he already knew the answer but decided to toy around to get the object of his attention to confess it.
"I'm waiting on someone, someone who will have to see you before you leave thus you too will have to wait," Roland stated flatly taking a seat behind a desk that had not yet been cleared of the necessary things he needed for the registration.
"That's fine by me I'm a Night Walker sir," the youth stated sitting on the chair in front of him with a far too seductively suggestive grin.
A Night Walker was a term coined here in Ceres used to refer to those whose profession laid in their promiscuity and skills of seduction whether it be a prostitute or a strip dancer didn't matter, all Night Walkers were relatively the same kind of filth; selling their body- untouched or not- to get by. But the profession wasn't the subject of ridicule or scorn after all any means to make credits except spilling blood was a respectable profession.
"I'm used to the night but you sir working over time without pay makes me wonder whats the occasion. Waiting on a lady friend I wonder or a male friend?" Apple rippled his voice oozing temptation that was filled with promises.
"That it now of your concern," he stated bluntly refusing to reveal how much of an effect the youth had on him.
He was on adult for Pete's sake he could wait on whomever he so desired. The youth eyed the jacket he'd been carrying that was obviously for a shorter person who had a build a bit less shapely than his.
"So a boy friend tis the case then?" Apple pressed, his light brown eyes filled with mirth as he toyed with a strand of hair that he plucked from his head of bouncy red curls that fell a little over his nape and managed to cover an eye whenever he swayed or tilted his head in contemplation as he did now.
"What's the address for your permanent place of residence?" Roland questioned filling out the sections Apple left vacant assuming he either couldn't or simple didn't know how to spell it.
Apple met his gaze and for a moment Roland could have sworn he had seen doubt it them. But as swiftly as it came was just as swiftly as it went and mischief filled his eyes once again.
"Is it really that important or should I be prepping fo a personal visit, although I-," Apple began having Roland tinting to a fairer shade of pink.
The little son of a…
He banished the thought watching as a smile sprouted on bowed lips revealing pearly white teeth for all to see. So the brat knew squat about etiquette, but where personal hygiene wasn't an issue his relation to others was…unnerving.
"Stop being a smart ass and answer the question," Roland counted to ten inwardly. The brat was just yanking chain that was all, "there's no need for that, here you're a citizen not a Night Walker,"
"Sadly sir it don't matter who I is with, a potential client is all I see," Apple stated easing a back in his seat.
After what seemed like an eternity he relented leaving Roland to finish the rest of the work in silence. A few moments he stamped the document and eased aback in his seat.
"So what now?" Apple questioned eyeing the extra coat left on the back of the chair Roland occupied.
"We wait?" Roland questioned reaching for a cigar from his jacket pocket.
"This guy we'll be waiting for what's he like?" he eyed the cigarette with evident dislike which encouraged Roland to want to light it all the more.
"Where were you when the official registration hours were open up to this point?" he ignored the youth's provocative words, he's the one asking the questions around here not the other way round.
"I've been round, hustling in Midas,"
"I doubt that's the extent of it," the youth seemed reluctant but now he was determined to know even if he had to lie to get the cocky bastard to spill it, "look I need a valid reason to work with as to why we got one man accounted for until last minute. It's my ass on the line here, like you said I'm working overtime with no pay this is for a friend who, as you can see is not here. If you want in, give me something to work with, something freaking bullet proof."
It was a lie to only a given extent but his curiosity was not to be trifled with.
He sighed rolling his eyes as he folded his arms and eased aback in his seat, the defensive position failing go unnoticed.
After a moments silence he decided it best to confess, "Look I got caught in Midas by some guy who decided he wanted more than a one night stand. That mofo was crazy he would have killed me if I tried to leave. He kidnapped me and tied me up fo god knows how long," he pulled of his boots before yanking up the jeans as he rested his feet on the table revealing bruising around the ankles as evidence of his recent captivity.
Against his beliefs, they looked fresh. The youth flinched when he eased forward in his seat to touch it. It was fresh, the welts still standing where the cuff had bit into his flesh. Night Walkers were grown like geishas from the day they entered the world, frail like a princess prettier than a poisonous rose. But Roland doubted that anything could have prepared Apple for such a traumatic event. But sure enough like the professional he was he was back on his feet and bounced back well.
"The sick fuck even tried to brand me," he stated mostly to himself, "One day his wife Ms. Dolla bills shows up and she's pissed, but it was obvious who the victim was. I ran fo it the first chance I got. When I walked into town I see a bunch a then forms bout the place an some old guy sent me here," he sighed throwing back his head in clear annoyance, "That's what I get fo not watching my ass after a deal like that."
Roland cursed; he never would have guessed that it would have been like that. There he was abusing his authority on an already abused kid, yeah real mature.
"Are you still planning to go into prostitution?" Roland stated as Apple just let his feet lay there he was probably just resting of get back in Ceres.
"I'm hoping I don't have to but I really didn't spend my life doing something else that could give me a shot at somethin' else," Roland sighed rubbing his wrist which must have been bound as well.
Roland sat in contemplation for a moment knowing that he could only take up a position or get a job where he skills in but after hearing all that had happened he knew no matter how well the mouthy brat bounced back he just wasn't ready to grab the reigns again so soon or any at all. Making a decision he intended to blame on fatigue if he was caught falsifying information he drew for a pen and asked:
"Can you dance?"
"Like what a stripper?" there was a puzzled yet playful glint in, "trust me Mr. suit and tie to be a hooker, prostitute came geared to boot," he heaved a sigh before pulling back on his boot by the time he righted himself what like of the bitter truth that was etched in his memory hidden away once again, "no offense sir but what strippers do is child's play fo me."
"As in general or is it just you?" Roland felt implored to ask knowing laying on their back is what most knew how to do.
"It's not somethin' rare but in my household I was taught how to do a lot mo than lay on my back. I work by preference mostly not all customers are out for pounding my ass at every turn. There are always them lots who got what ma mama called queer kinks,"
Roland arched an eyebrow in fascination at the word kink his curiosity about the complexity of a profession he didn't even fundamentally care to understand. Putting down erotic dancing and seductive allure down as one of the traits the kid, Apple, had he rested the pen directing his attention to suggestive eyes that he was sure was there almost almost all the time more so due to nature and practice than actually aiming at it in this moment.
"I've never indulged in sexual favors up till this point and if I did once upon a time I really don't recall. So about these kinks please pray tell," he interlaced his fingers on his lap and eased aback in his chair feeling the atmosphere suddenly change as bemusement filled Apple's eyes.
"You sir is really something else," there was mirth in his purr but he spoke rather seriously on the issue.
An hour later when Vivani reappeared from behind the room behind them Roland was so far gone he had hardly picked up on Vivani presence.