here at the honeybee inn. / open

[makopoison]

[ they tell him he won't make soldier. no amount of training can fix a weakness of the soul. the mako doesn't agree with him - he's bedridden for three days after the initial test, and upon discharge, told he'll nnot be allowed to apply again. on the very same day he'd tendered his resignation, apologizing to his squadmates for letting them down, and left a message to the turk who had helped him on the trains as well as zack fair, thanking them for their belief in him, however ill-placed.

he was left with no choice but to improvise. there was nothing to return home to in nibelheim, no reason to quietly endure further ridicule and a lifetime of being ostracized, but no way he could live on the plate with the sky-high rent and the soul-sucking jobs requiring more skill than country boy can provide. he isn't the first SOLDIER washout to be too ashamed to go home, and he knows he won't be the last. the slums are full of them. he'd found himself lost, wandering lost in the shadow of the plate. sector five was bright and flashy but he wasn't equipped to deal with pickpockets and gangs. the better part of the day was spent utterly terrified, certain he was going to die here tonight and no one would ever know because he'd been too damn stupid to tell them his plans.

don corneo's men saw an easy mark for the coliseum. promising big money and a place to sleep - but a hand on his shoulder, a whisper in his ear, i could make you a star, darling - offered him something better.

andrea rhodea had smiled so charmingly and with such faith he'd decided he was in before he even heard the offer.

( they'd suggested claudia for his stagename, not knowing it was his mothers. he'd balked, almost shouting no, because while the rhinestones and glitter were rapidly becoming just another part of his world - he couldn't imagine the humiliation of anyone he knew knowing this. shame had consumed so much of his life, dictated so much of what he enjoyed - he refused to let it ruin this too. )

so cirrus was born. and cirrus was a fucking hit.

and he hadn't been lying. cloud's androgynous features were a smash with the customer-base. he was a quick learner, a hell of a dancer, and not too bad of a fighter. he was a star - and it came with glitz, and glamour, and gil, but no glory.

the usual showstopper was done for the night. cloud, center-stage, dancing to a flashy new routine in a uniform somewhere between the men's snappy suits and the women's bulky bee costume. he's fanning himself in the changing room, huffing out a breath as he counts down the minutes until the end of his shift, when one of the girls tells him he's been requested for a private show. ]

Seriously? I'm almost off the clock. Can't someone else -

[ it's someone important, she says, shaking her head. classified. you know what that means.

the blonde pulls a face.

don't worry, it doesn't look like an exec. she adds hastily. but you better move.

he sighs. turns back to the mirror to wipe away any evidence of exertion and heads for the room. ]

Comments

[makopoison]

[ the routine is certainly more theatrical than you may expect if you aren't a regular of the honeybee in. cloud isn't a star because he's pretty to look at, he's talented. a childhood running wild in the military combined with those two years in the military made him strong and lean and more than capable of preforming some impressive feats of flexibility and dexterity.

but he's got rhythm. and that ethereal look that sells the whole thing. he looks like he was born to be nobility, even if he was and always will be nothing more than a country bastard. ]

[beenhad]

[ Tseng takes a slow drag from his glass, but his eyes do not leave Cloud. Whether that is because he enjoys the sight or expects him to run is absolutely unclear. The expression on his face—muted to hardly a whisper—does not tip the scales either way. ]

Whatever moves you is fine.

[ The last of his drink's flavor is wicked from his lips with a slowly sliding tongue. And he tips his head back, watching, expectant. ]

[electroburst]

[ well, if nothing else, he's a pretty, pretty boy. reno's not special just because he's cynical and has bad memories that happened nearly two decades ago—he's a guy. he's susceptible to the same shit. maybe even moreso, considering the type of careless, loose person he is. he's sure to provide plenty of encouragement throughout the whole thing, although it certainly has the funny effect of coming off more like a pal amping up his buddy than a whistling hound panting for a cut of the steak.

when it's all said and done, he refills cirrus's glass to about half again. ]

Well, it's no wonder they call you the shining star of Wall Market. You must got a lotta fans. Maybe even me, too.

[makopoison]

[ the whole experience is ramping up to be one of the oddest ones he's had with an exec. it's too... normal. too humanizing. he isn't sure how he likes it, or how he'll handle it when the other shoe finally drops. ]

I do alright.

[ he rests a hand on his hip, his cheeks faintly pink from the stupid title and from the exertion. pausing just a moment to catch his breath. it's been a long fucking night, and really, he'd love to go the fuck to sleep. but he's a professional. this is his profession. and if the guy isn't a total fuckhead, it'd be nice to have him back sometime.

he doesn't respond to the usual bullshit, so cloud just sips his drink. maybe should watch how much he's drinking. he doubts he could outdrink a turk and the guy is nice, but nice doesn't mean anything when someone works for shinra. ]

Most people don't really call me a 'star' because they like the way I dance, though.

[electroburst]

[ reno's had quite a few, but he's—eh, yeah, doing alright. kinda tipsy, bordering into drunk territory but not enough to start braying like an ass. if he'd come in here more shitfaced he might've done just that, but there's also the oddly sobering effect of being in a place that doesn't exactly scream good, funny times to him. still—it's definitely changed. the fact that cirrus here gets to stand there and catch his breath at all is a big ram up from how it used to be, and that's, y'know? pretty nice. really warms the cockles of whatever approximation of a heart he has left. ]

Hehehe. Oh, yeah? Is it somethin' else?

[ aaand here it comes. ]

[makopoison]

I've got a smart mouth and I know how to use it.

[ from no shortage of practice. and correction. and long, long lessons with people he'd rather sink his teeth into than bring any kind of bliss. ]

[makopoison]

[ maybe just... a lapdance to start? some simple to try to suss out what he actually wants and how far he actually wants to go. he trails his fingertips along the finery of the suit, feeling the texture between his fingers as he presses a button to set the music. ]

[electroburst]

[ oh—ha. good times. reno snorts stupidly and laughs into his glass, thankfully doesn't sputter his drink and actually gets the chance to sip it. ]

I bet. You look like you can talk some serious shit.

[ that's way more fun than the other thing. ]

"And you can use it," yeah, yeah, blowjobs or whatever. You wanna roast some suits? I bet you've met so many.

[makopoison]

[ there's a faintly suspicious look. ]

A few. Not as many as you'd think.

[beenhad]

[ The music kicks on like a fading pulse, low and languid. Tseng can feel the percussion rumbling in his chest. It complements the inherent grace in every move that Cloud makes, turns those drifting fingers and that slow advance into languid choreography.

Tseng reaches out, his hand sliding down Cloud's back until it becomes a feather-light weight upon his waist. He draws him in, not unkindly, but commanding all the same. ]

[makopoison]

[ he goes easily, feeling the command of that movement. not unlike a knife against his throat, delicate and precise, just enough pressure to know who is in charge here. he moves easily, practically in tseng's lap on his leather throne.

his hands slide along his shoulder, grasping his tie to pull him just a little closer. ]

[electroburst]

A few is still some. C'mon, I bet I can guess who's been here. Scarlet, for sure, right? What a fuckin' witch.

[ you better believe he's watching for recognition. ]

[makopoison]

[ oh, he's getting some. cloud takes a long swig of his drink. ]

I'm not at liberty to say.

[beenhad]

[ There is an amused quirk at the corner of Tseng's lips, as if he has not often had the occasion to be treated so forwardly. Usually, it's trembling fingers, bowed bodies, eyes squeeze so tightly shut. If Cloud was not already so far beyond them simply by virtue of his beauty, that alone would set him apart. ]

Very good.

[ Tseng does not have the occasion to make many corrections. The sway of Cloud's hips between his legs is perfectly on beat. The captivating cover of his blue eyes is exquisite. But still, he draws him nearer, inviting him on to his lap with one hand sliding under Cloud's thigh to support him. ]

[makopoison]

[ one arm bracing itself on the back of the couch, settling onto the turk's lap without missing a beat.

he'd met a turk once. she'd been absolutely nothing compared to this man - she'd been human, and touchable, readable even in the midst of a crisis. i know who you are could mean that he knew all of this... no. there was no could about it. his story isn't terribly unique - soldier washouts either went back home, took other positions within shinra, or eventually found their way to the don's arena. the only difference was that he'd started taking his clothes off for a living instead of beating people bloody for sport.

but that sort of remained a hobby.

his fingers skim down the man's chest, before he reaches back up to start undoing the clasp of the first layer of this stupid costume, hand returning to rest against his shoulder. an open invitation to take it off. ]

[beenhad]

That won't be necessary.

[ Unreadable as this man may be, direction is still needed. Tseng has always had a soft spot for trashy little upstarts in need of guidance. Cloud doesn't realize that all of his power in this room is commanded by his netted thighs and the slick silhouette his bodice cuts him, and that is a travesty.

Instead, he licks his lips to a razor's edge shine. Leans forward to breathe in the lovely heat at the base of Cloud's throat in a way that gives his kiss connection, an inextricable lock. And always, those hands on Cloud's hips are guiding him to rock this and that way, to lift upon his lap and descend slow, slower, the murmurs he's embedding deep into Cloud's skin reaching a particular vibrato when he gets it just right. ]

[electroburst]

[ yep. yep. reno laughs immediately, reaches out and nudges cloud in the arm. ]

Come ooooonnn. You can say whatever you wanna say in front of me. She's the fucking worst, isn't she?

[makopoison]

[ she really, really is. he's quiet a moment - it'd be smarter to shut up and just, like, make a move to try to suck his dick or something so his mouth is full and he can't get himself in trouble. ]

No. Corneo is definitely the worst. [ okay, just. taking a drink he hasn't drank that much right right is fine. he crosses his legs loosely at the ankle. ] ... There's just something... wrong with that woman.

[ ... ]

Her tits are fake, too.

[makopoison]

[ there's a fire pooling in his belly, a white hot spike of arousal as those soft lips meet his throat. his back arches prettily, arms going around the turk's neck.

the kid is a good dancer. not great at seduction, not great at seeming like he really wants it. he grinds their hips together, eyes fluttering shut with the breathiest of moans parting his lips. ]

[hero_of_wutai]

[ He turned at the sound of the door opening, curious about the dancer Genesis had favored so much. The voice was everything he'd been expecting from Genesis's descriptions, but he hadn't expected the young man to be as beautiful as he was. His features were perfectly androgynous, to the point where if Sephiroth hadn't known ahead of time that he was male he'd have had issues telling, and he truly had a wonderful build. It was surprising Genesis hadn't praised Cirrus's physical appearance as much as he'd praised his voice. The redhead had always loved beautiful things.

The stutter was unexpected and endearing, and suddenly Sephiroth was sure he knew why Genesis hadn't praised Cirrus's appearance: he'd wanted to keep the young man for himself and Sephiroth couldn't blame his lost friend.

In an attempt to set the dancer at ease Sephiroth moved to the wet bar and poured them both a glass of champagne before seating himself on the couch and gesturing for Cirrus to join him. ]

It's my pleasure to be served by such a talented individual. Come and sit please.

[makopoison]

[ relax. relax. take a deep breath - you're a professional. ]

Of course.

[ he smooths his skirts down as he enters the room, self-conscious and desperate to do something to make himself feel in control. the general utterly dwarfs him in size and power. nothing at all like the slim build of general genesis. his voice is a rumble as opposed to that soft lyrical voice.

he swallows tightly and takes a seat. ]

How can I serve you, General?

[makopoison]

People down here might not accept the help if you don't understand where they're coming from. [ cloud points out. ] And even if you did - all of it is pointless with the way things are run...

[ he crosses and uncrosses his legs, nice and slow. ]

The Don's men would buy the property and jack up the cost so only topsiders can afford it.

[electroburst]

[ ah, yes. corneo. it'd probably behoove him to get some useful dirt on that guy, but really, what else is there that they don't basically already know? any story cirrus can tell him would just be a different version of the same, depraved shit. like—maybe he's got something new and interesting, but the amount of stomach-turning shit they'd have to wade through to get to that point isn't something he feels particularly interested in dealing with tonight. he came here for fun, not business.

he came for comments exactly like that. reno cackles into his glass. ]

Hahahaha, you serious? I knew it. She's already just plastic and wires on the inside, might as well make it match. Y'know, now that she's like, seventy years old or whatever. She turned thirty, like, six times already.

[makopoison]

Serious.

[ he's seen so much of that woman. so... so much. ]

I've heard she brings her kinks into the workplace, but one of the guys that's always following her around? Not actually in the military. He's from here.

[plate_builder]

[How could he ever understand where they are coming from? Reeve has been lucky. He knows this. Doesn't even point that out because, well, he can't help the way his eyes follow the movement of Cloud's legs. Goddess help him, he's beautiful.]

I cannot fathom why topsiders would wish to buy property under the plates.