I Want You More (18+)(YellowMelon and LoneDigger)(Private)

[LoneDigger]

Someone was standing behind him, probably waiting their turn to use the sink.... Wait, no. All the others were open so why would there be any waiting?

He glanced up with his eyes only not even moving his head as he looked briefly into the mirror to see him reflected in the back of it.

 

What the hell did he want? Had he figured out that he had been standing there too long just listening in on his session with his client and about to confront him for being that desperate and pathetic?

Yet from the brief glance it didn't seem Ace looked annoyed or even embarrassed, so that couldn't be it.

 

But then why was he doing this? Maybe if he just ignored him he would go away...

Only it got worse, now the white noise from the water hitting the sink and his hands had been shut off followed by a touch to his face.

He should have been furious, no one was allowed to do that. Ace was not his friend, and even his own friends weren't allowed to do that.

That was something reserved for his wife only, yet he couldn't bring himself to feel anything but defeat, and the lingering heat that seemed to have spread all throughout his body.

 

"Perhaps."

 

Was all he could say in response, he should have been scolding the other by now.

How dare he come to his company and have sex in here like it was nothing to him?

Yet nothing along those lines ever even came out of the man's lips, he was too preoccupied with the way that Ace's fingers were delicately gliding over the rogue strands of hair.

Finally with a sharp breath he was able to turn around while gently pulling Ace's hand away from his face.

 

"... You shouldn't be here."

[YellowMelon]

Ace was slightly taken aback by Nikita actually touching him. Now, it wasn't anything to be excited over, he was only moving his hand out of the way, but he was surprised he made such an action. He had expected him to stiffen up like the last times he's touched him. He couldn't help but feel accomplished when the man finally met his eyes, although he was just as silent as usual. The only difference with his demeanor was that he seemed a bit more relaxed, but maybe Ace was a little bit too happy to realize he was still uncomfortable.

 

"You're right, I shouldn't be here," he firmly agreed, "But I usually listen to my clients and one of your employees, as you know, told me to come here. So, here I am." He made it sound simple. It's not like he knew this was where Nikita worked. Not until now, at least. Even if he had known, he probably would've still come, although he would've been better at avoiding the individual. Speaking of which, wasn't he not supposed to know Nikita? If he had acted like he didn't recognize him, Ace would have easily played along. Maybe he should start the game himself. How cruel would that be.

 

"I don't think I'm supposed to recognize you as anyone other than a childhood friend though," he smiled, bringing up the tale Nikita wanted him to play along to if they had got caught leaving the hotel together last night. However, he didn't think the lie would be believable now, not with the manager acting shy around him. Well, he was in his workplace, so he should at least obey his commands, although he hadn't told him outright he had] leave yet. "If we're caught here in the bathroom together standing this close," Ace stepped forward so he was face-to-face with Nikita's chest, then turned his eyes up towards him and stretched as though he was going to give him a kiss, "I don't think it'll look good." He whispered, smiling, before backing away to give him his space. He liked the reactions he got when he teased the man. They amused him.

 

"Anywho," he began, grabbing a paper towel and touching Nikita again to dry his hands. He knew the man was capable of doing this himself, being a manager of this company, but Ace liked to help, especially since he always seemed to be a bit in a daze around him. He could clearly see that he didn't know what to do around him. Should he suggest kicking himself out? No, he could easily leave on his own. He hadn't intended to stay, anyway, since he had only been here for one thing, and that was safely in his wallet. "I can't say it was nice seeing you again," he was being honest, "But I'll make sure not to come back. It doesn't seem like you take well to visitors at your workplace, telling me I shouldn't be here." Oh, he knew the real reason why Nikita didn't want him here. "I'm going to call a cab again," he pulled out his phone and walked into a stall for privacy, not bothering to lock the door, just closing it, "See ya." He chimed the goodbye, expecting Nikita to leave while he made his phone call.

[LoneDigger]

You should both know better than that.

 

Nikita thought out loud to himself, but didn't actually give Ace the satisfaction of an answer to his casual explanation for why he was here.

Didn't he know that he should have just called security by now? Or that the guy would likely loose his job over this?

Yet logic wasn't really on the man's mind at the moment, he was still struggling to comprehend the situation.

The fact that he was still slightly aroused didn't help matters much either.

 

If there was one thing he really hated, it was being teased. And Ace was using this against him in any way possible.

And he couldn't deny any of it, so he didn't. Instead when the other dared to move closer to him he did the same thing, pushing back slightly by stepping forward to claim his space.

Perhaps that wasn't the wisest thing to do considering he had been trying to keep things down there a secret and accidentally brushing too close to the other could give it all away.

 

"Well, aren't you just so helpful."

 

Nikita scoffed slightly as he pulled his hands back.

What the hell was wrong with Ace thinking he had the right to do that? As if he couldn't.

It was like the other thought of him of little more than just a child. Or just someone who didn't know how to take care of himself anyway.

 

If the other was leaving then good riddance, he'd had enough of Ace's nonsense. In fact it seemed to be rubbing off on him.

He was still uncomfortable obviously, but he would never actually stay behind and let himself indulge in that.

No, he had enough shame even letting himself be brought to such a pathetic state. And who's fault was that?

It would have been easier to blame Ace for coming here, but he hadn't done anything... this was all him.

[YellowMelon]

Ace made the phone call right there in the bathroom stall, as he said he would. He already had the cab company’s phone number his log, being a number he used often. With the phone ringing, he held it up to his hear and immediately started speaking when he heard a voice on the line that wasn’t a machine.

 

“Hello. How may I help you?”

 

“Hello. My name is Ace. I need a ride.”

 

“Where are you, sir?”

 

“Hold on,” Ace paused to check the message sent to him earlier by his client, then repeated the address into his phone, reading from the text. He was never good at remembering addresses, especially since he was usually going to different ones depending on where his clients wanted him. He could name landmarks, however, and he had a couple of times, but that wasn’t helpful to plug into a GPS.

 

“A cab will arrive in thirty minutes to pick you up.”

 

“Thank you. Bye.”

 

“Bye.”

 

Ace hung up his cell before returning it to his pocket. Thirty minutes, huh? Where should he wait? He knew Nikita wouldn’t appreciate him waiting in the lobby of the company or loitering outside. Plus, he didn’t want to be accused of loitering and then arrested if that was an offense for the company. The other man clearly just wanted him to leave, but he had nowhere else to wait except for here. Right in the bathroom. This was a public bathroom, wasn’t it? Well, a private bathroom for the company, but he assumed guests like him were allowed to use it. No one had stopped him from using it earlier, so he might as well just continue to occupy the space. Yeah, that worked.

 

The prostitute opened the door to exit the stall, but, once he saw Nikita still there, he immediately shut the door and locked it. He hadn’t expected the manager to still be here. Didn’t he have work to do? Wasn’t he still on his shift? He unlocked the door and cracked it open enough for him to peak at the man on the other side. He seemed to be staring at him. Perhaps he was waiting for him to leave? Did he not trust that he would? Ace really didn’t want to stay here longer than necessary. He didn’t think Nikita would want to escort him out of the building though. Well, he must have heard the conversation he had on the phone, so he could easily explain why he still needed to be here until the cab came.

 

“Nikita,” he closed the door once again so he was talking to the stall door, but spoke loud enough to be heard by the other, “I think I’m going to wait in here until my ride comes. It wouldn’t look good for me to simply be standing outside in front of the building or in the parking lot. I would look lost, and that would lead to questions on why I’m here. I’ll only be here for thirty minutes.” It wasn’t that much time, right? “I’ll make sure to pass by your office when I leave so you don’t have to worry.” As if he would worry, but he couldn’t think of a better word. He certainly wouldn’t worry about him, only about him being here in the company because he was thinking about the company. “I’ll just stay in this stall, so anyone who comes in won’t be suspicious of me either.” He also found staying in the stall to be a good way to avoid Nikita at the moment.

[LoneDigger]

"No, it wouldn't.... But you can't stay in here either. Come with me."

 

The man stated simply, waiting for Ace to come out of there. It was really awkward of a situation for both, and he knew he couldn't force Ace to do anything nor was he trying to boss the other around. Yet this was his business, and now the other had involved himself and an employee so he had to make things clear that this should never happen again or else he would call security.

He didn't know exactly why he hadn't done the latter already, but a small part of him didn't want to get Ace in trouble.

Maybe it was his own sense of guilt for knowing the prostitute by name, having called on him twice out of desperation, only to waste both their time.

Nikita had the other follow him as casually as possible, and luckily since everyone was on their lunch break the place was pretty much empty as he lead Ace into his office and had the man sit down.

 

"Fate is cruel, isn't it? You never wanted to see my face again, but look where we are."

 

He remarked, his tone wasn't hostile though. If anything he seemed to have calmed down some and was mulling over the situation.

[YellowMelon]

Ace continued to wait in the stall even after Nikita told him it wasn’t acceptable. He played with the metal lock on the door, continuously unlocking and locking the stall as he thought about what he should do. Where would the man take him? He didn’t want him to be anywhere near or in the building, so where was he supposed to go? He was hesitant to follow the man in case he later found out he was playing a trick on him where he would be dumping him somewhere unpleasant, like the janitor’s closest. Both such thoughts were extreme, however, and he knew that. He didn’t have a solid excuse not to follow the blond. Plus, the usual seriousness in his voice showed that he was being nothing other than that. Ace slowly unlocked the door and stepped out of the stall, standing in front of the taller individual. Without any added direction, Nikita took off and the prostitute followed him, silently.

 

Having the manager take him to his office, his personal business office, truly shocked Ace. Wouldn’t the bathroom have been more private? He shut the door behind him and lifted the slats of the closed blinds beside it to look out the office window. He then checked the time on his phone. It all made sense now. He could understand why Nikita had chosen this time to bring him here. It was lunch break. Ace let out an audible sigh. Well, what else could he have expected from Nikita. The sex worker pulled himself from the window before taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs as the other instructed him to. He stared up at the man looking down at him. He was so tall it was almost menacing. Almost, since he knew the true personality of the individual. He could see why he had such a high position in this company though.

 

The next words stung Ace a little, but the words were spoken softly, so it wasn’t that hard of a blow. It still brought embarrassment to him. He was set on never seeing Nikita again, bidding him a good farewell last time, and here he was. Fate was cruel. “Aren’t you going to sit?” Was all Ace could say in reply. He didn’t want to stretch his neck to look up at Nikita anymore. He turned his body to face the empty office chair on the opposite side of the wooden desk before him. “Don’t you think it’s dangerous for me to be here?” He made his thoughts known to the manager. “What will you do when the break is over? What if an employee walks in here? How will you explain the situation?” He paused to think about the stories Nikita might try to conjure, only to smile without reason. “I don’t think any of your stories will work, either. I know your other employees saw me leaving with that coworker and probably noticed him return alone to. If I saw that, I would be suspicious.”

[LoneDigger]

Nikita paused, seeming to give the prostitute a hard look that was more contemplative than threatening, but it was still tense. Even as he slowly gave in by sitting at his desk across from the smaller man, watching him so closely it seemed almost strange.

Truly there was nothing normal about this whole situation and Nikita was not about to make things any easier for either of them.

 

"You don't need to say another word."

 

That was supposed to be a threat, but yet... when Ace smiled, even if it was in mocking of him Nikita didn't know what to feel, but he couldn't bring himself to act the part of the menacing boss.

The other already knew that behind all this when he went home that things were not in his control. The blond didn't even know what he wanted, so how could he act like he was command?

It didn't matter if this was his fucking office, Ace shouldn't have came here and now they were both stuck with each other for the next half hour at least, but it would probably turn out to be the longest and most painful lunch break he hadn't been expecting.

[YellowMelon]

Ace seemed to relax when the manager sat across from him, although his intense staring made him uncomfortable. What was he looking for? He wanted to ask Nikita, to get him to talk and to put him at ease, but he kept silent after what the man said. He didn't appear to be in the mood to talk, and Ace would respect that. He stopped focusing on the other and pulled out his phone to keep track of the time. It also allowed him to peek at Nikita without him being aware of what he was doing. Oddly, he liked watching the blond. It was the typical blue eyes and blond hair he was weak against, along with his muscular, yet slender figure. While his appearance attracted him, it was a pity his personality didn't. Seeing Nikita with an open shirt again would really please him, but he wasn't going to ask that from the other now. Not at this time, not ever.

 

Within the thirty minutes of them having to wait for his cab to come, Nikita returned to his job as manager, ignoring Ace was there except for an occasional glance, as if making sure he hadn't left his sight. When the prostitute received the text that his cab was here, he immediately stood from his chair and turned on his heels to leave, not caring to give the other a proper goodbye.

 

***

 

"Take a left."

 

This was clearly a déjà vu moment. Seconds after the cab driver texted him he was at the company, even before Ace could make it out the office, the number called to inform him he would need a new ride. The driver didn't bother to give more details besides they had to respond to a family emergency. Ace let out a sigh and returned to the seat that faced Nikita. Without the manager having to say or ask anything, he explained his situation, unable to hide his disappointment. A familiar silence pursued with the ex-client staring intently at him again, but, this time, Nikita was the one to break the silence by making an offer he had accepted before. Why not accept it a second time? He didn't discriminate when it came to saving money, as long as he saved it legally. The one condition was that he had to stay with Nikita until he finished his work, which he didn't mind, and took it as a chance to nap in the office.

 

Now, here he was, directing Nikita from the backseat to the apartment building. Although the driver seemed to know where he was going once they reached a certain point, Ace still guided him with his words. Different from last time, instead of immediately stepping out when the car was parked at the end of the curved street in front of his building, Ace remained in the vehicle. There, he attempted to convince Nikita to come inside with him. First without reason, then for safety.

 

"I'm not going to cause you any harm if that's what you're worried about," the sex worker leaned forward, "I just want a buddy to make sure I'm not coming home to a stranger in the apartment. You wouldn't want me to face a burglar alone, would you?" Ace tried to make the poor excuse genuine, although he wasn't sure how much the blond actually cared about his safety. Plus, it was probably strange to be asked such a request when he didn't question his safety last time. Well, he hoped Nikita just viewed it as a sudden quirk of his.

 

***

 

Somehow, Ace managed to bring the man to his doorsteps. It was probably his eventual begging that caused it. Either way, he had Nikita follow him, so he was happy. The apartment owner pushed open the door after he unlocked it and the sight he came upon in his living room made him raise an eyebrow questionably. There was a man sitting on his couch and another facing two individuals, a boy and a girl, on the floor with empty beer cans placed in a circle around the two. The smell of cigarette smoke also lingered in the air. Despite this surprising sight, Ace did not flinch, casually moving closer to the group who ignored him and the guest.

 

"Excuse me, but what are you all doing here?"

 

"We live here," the man sitting cross-legged on the floor with shoulder-length hair responded.

 

"Yeah, but no on this floor."

 

"Everyone was worried about you because you were out so late!" The only female in the room chirped. She was sitting on her brother who was lying face first on the carpet floor, holding his head up with his hands.

 

"You know I'm always late!" Ace threw his hands in exasperation.

 

"The landlord gave us permission to be here because the third floor television broke and our thermostat isn't working either." The boy being sat on finally spoke the truth.

 

"You aren't even using the television."

 

"We got distracted." The long-haired man spoke as he began to stack empty beer cans.

 

With Ace occupied talking to the three individuals on the ground, he seemed to have forgotten about Nikita. The stranger in the room, however, caught the attention of the landlord of the building, the man who was on the couch. He was also the one responsible for the cigarette smoke, although he hid the evidence once he heard a car come down the street, expecting it to be his missing tenant.

 

"Who are you?" He demanded with a deep, rough voice, as he stared at the unfamiliar man.

 

"Oh! This is Nikita!" Ace immediately introduced the guest after hearing the landlord speak, giving no time for Nikita to answer for himself. Now, with all eyes on then, he could continue introductions without interruption. "Nikita, that is my landlord. We refer to him by Mr. Miller. He owns both houses on the street." He now pointed to the siblings. "The girl is Jia and her brother Ji-hu is under her. Jia is a make-up artist and a co-worker of mine while her brother is just rooming here as he's still training to become a hairstylist." Next, spoke about last man without pointing him out. "Damian is also in the same business as I and Jia. His special talent is being able to hold his liquor."

 

"Hey, I have other talents."

 

"Yeah, he snores so loud he scares himself awake sometimes." Both Jia and Ji-hu laughed at the comment Jia made. "Anyway, cute client." Jia mentioned in passing as she continued to play with the empty beer cans around her.

 

"You don't usually bring your clients home. What gives?"Ji-hu eyed the assumed client.

 

"They must be unsatisfied." Damian smirked.

 

"But why finish here?" Ji-hu whined.

 

"It's probably the only place he could afford."

 

Ace ignored the chatter about him, not forgetting why he had brought Nikita inside. He wanted to repay the man for driving him home twice. He didn't have the sum he wanted to give him in his wallet, so he wanted to bring him inside to get it.

 

"Come with me," Ace motioned for the manager to follow him again, "I have something to give you." He brought Nikita to his bedroom, then began to rummage through the drawers of his dresser, searching for an envelope of money he hid somewhere among his clothes. "Do you mind closing the door? I don't want others eavesdropping on what I'm going to do. You can sit on the bed too, if you don't want to stand."

 

---

 

 

Zachary Miller | 30 y.o.

6'1" | Landlord

 

 

 

Damian Anders | 27 y.o.

5'10" | Co-worker

 

 

 

Jin Jia | 25 y.o.

5'4" | Co-worker

Cosmetologist | Makeup artist

 

 

 

Jin Ji-hu | 23 y.o.

5'9" | Younger brother of Jia

Student | Training to become a hairstylist

 

[LoneDigger]

Nikita didn't wan to get involved in this, they had both already mutually agreed to never speak again but look at where fate had brought them together again. He couldn't ignore that Ace needed help, and he couldn't just leave a prostitute at the office when it was closing or having him loitering outside.

It would just be best to take him home again, once and for all. Then to be done with it.

 

But yet life kept making excuses to push the two men together, case in point that Ace wasn't feeling safe.

Nikita would have said that this was his problem and to go deal with any so called robbers himself, but what if there really was trouble? And if so, then him having been the last person in contact with the prostitute and being outside his house could pin unnecessary suspicion on him.

 

So here he was, going to check the house to make sure it was safe. As irked as he was, he didn't grumble or say a word this whole time, just giving the occasional nod to acknowledge that he was in fact listening to Ace.

 

The scent of cigarette smoke was the first thing to strike Nikita, the familiar scent made him crave for a smoke, but he'd quit years ago and was too proud to ask for one.

Besides, he didn't wish to stay here any longer than necessary or draw any sort of attention to himself.

The only thing worse than burglars was annoying uninvited visitors.

 

As stern as Nikita seemed, he was not antisocial by any means and knew better to ignore others, he greeted the group briefly, yet politely enough. Already his brain had noted their appearances and details, his brain was still in 'work mode' when picking up details from others was vital.

 

But just when he was about to leave he seen Ace gesturing for him to follow into the bedroom, oh great... He was about to say he didn't need anything, but he wasn't an idiot. Saying so out loud would only drawn attention from the unwelcomed house guests.

Shutting the door behind him casually, he stood around. Not feeling at all comfortable enough to sit on the bed, even if Ace was trying to be friendly Nikita was uptight, but the temptation of taking a quick smoke before he went was even more appealing than money, but he didn't dare say so.

 

How annoying that those guys thought that he was a client of Ace's, well he was a former one, but not the kind they were imagining at all. Hell, they didn't even touch each other.

He wanted to say something, but he was lost for words again. He just wasn't one to talk much unless something needed to be said anyway, but the tension was making the man even more silent than usual.

[YellowMelon]

Ace found the envelope of money in his sock drawer, underneath piles of unpaired and unorganized socks. No wonder he hid it there. He doubted anyone would find that drawer suspicious if they were trying to steal money from him. The money he currently had was designated for the week, about $150 was in the envelope. He always took out, at least, $200 each week and kept $50 of that money in his wallet. He had less than that amount from taking a cab one-way, but it was still enough. He counted the bills in the envelope, flipping through them with his index finger. As he counted out loud, which was a habit of his, he pulled out two twenty-dollar bills. He was down to $110 in total now. The prostitute returned the envelope to its "secret" place and held out the money for Nikita to take.

 

"Gas money." He stated simply, although he knew the car hadn't used up $40 in gas. The extra $20 was an apology for disturbing his work.

 

After the door was closed, curiosity got the better of the two younger males in the group. With one look at each other, they both ran to the door. Ji-hu used the little strength he had to do a push-up and throw his older sister off him, making her tumble backward onto the floor. On their way to eavesdrop, as Ace had predicted, they tipped over some cans in their rush and crushed one amongst the fallen. The sound of crushing aluminum made them turn their heads, only to be met with a glare from Jia. Since the can was empty anyway, neither of them considered it to be a big deal, so they continued on their mission. Once at the bedroom door, both pressed an ear against the barrier, waiting to hear something that wasn't silence.

 

Jia didn't care what the boys were doing, but she didn't appreciate them leaving behind their shared mess to pursue another activity. She collected the recyclable beer cans now scattered on the floor and tossed them in the blue bin near the front door. With his tenants occupied with other matters, Zachary used this opportunity to sneak in a smoke. He slipped one from his pocket and lit it to his pleasure. The smell of the tobacco itself made him feel at home, even though he already lived on the third floor of the building. A cigarette made a real difference. The landlord made the first puff last with a sharp inhale and a long exhale. Windows had been cracked open from him smoking before, but the distinct smell was now strengthened in the room.

 

"He doesn't like it when you smoke." Jia spoke sharply to the offender. She seemed to be the only one with common sense amongst the group.

 

"It doesn't do him any harm."

 

"Why don't you do it at your place?"

 

"Don't I own this entire house?" Another puff was taken to taunt his tenant.

 

"You-"

 

"Hey, be quiet you two," Damian whispered out, "You don't want to disturb them."

 

If Jia could shoot daggers from her eyes, she most certainly would have hit Zachary and Damian. She moved to where the two guys were, forcing them from their spots. She banged a fist against the door as a warning knock before turning the handle and pushing it open. She made direct eye contact with Ace and the stranger in the midst of what she thought was a business-related exchange. Nothing too exciting here.

 

"Are you paying the client to have sex with you?" She asked slowly, not understanding.

 

"Is he really that good?" Damian, despite eavesdropping, couldn't decipher the muffled couple of words Ace had said before, so, he, too, questioned the scene.

 

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Zachary commented, having appeared behind the other three. He casually took another smoke in the presence of everyone.

 

Ace, like a deer in the headlights, although he had been doing nothing wrong, froze when his bedroom door was open. He could easily explain himself, but admitting he invited an ex-client into the apartment to pay him for an inconvenience he caused would incite more questions, and he didn't want to explain himself fully.

 

"Oh, this is a guarantee that he'll see me again. He got worried I might not contact him, so I told him I'd give him my money to ensure that I'll meet up with him again to get it back. A security deposit, if you will." Ace nervously lied. It was a poor response, unable to make a good excuse on the spot. He had thought about saying he was breaking change for the client, but he wouldn't be able to explain why he had needed to bring him inside to that because, in reality, he didn't.

 

"Why does he doubt you'll see him again? Did he do something to you? Insecure?" Jia continued to question suspiciously, acting as though the other man in the room wasn't there.

 

"He..." Ace stepped forward to stand next to Nikita, slightly waving the money to indicate the man to take it, "I think it's best if my client tells you what happened." He sounded like a lawyer, but promoting, and wanting, Nikita to lie.

[LoneDigger]

"Seriously, Ace... I don't need any money from you."

 

Nikita muttered underneath his breath, he thought he understood the gesture of it. But he just wasn't the type of person to accept favors from anyone unless of course there was really something strategical about it. Though in this case he felt like it would just come to bite him in the ass again later. Or at the very least make him feel some kind of unexplainable guilt.

 

"I don't need it."

 

He repeated, refusing to take the money out of the other's hands even though Ace clearly just wanted to give him something Nikita could be one of the most stubborn headed--

 

What were those idiots up to now? He thought he heard something like cans being knocked against the floor and the crinkling sound of the aluminum being crushed. Maybe they were cleaning up? Or just being incredibly annoying.

How did Ace even put up with all that nonsense?

 

This shouldn't have been so stressful, but Nikita was getting more tense. Feeling trapped in this room when Ace wasn't even holding a gun to his head, it was still paralyzing. The fact they were both hear right now was all his fault, his fault for even calling upon Ace in the first place. To have sex with him, but even he couldn't bring himself to do that and ended up making a bigger problem by not just letting the other do his job.

 

The blond felt like he was going to loose his shit, and Ace wasn't even doing anything at all. But instead of the door being pushed open being the tipping point of some kind of emotional breakdown, it instead had the opposite effect. The intrusive questioning, the scent of cigarette smoke... It all just earned a sad chuckle out of the man as he ignored the words and instead made a straight line towards Zachery.

 

"Got an extra smoke?"

 

Again, it was spoken as more of a casual demand than a request, being the manager at his tech company meant he did always have this bad lingering habit of expecting others to do as he wished, even when he wasn't at work.

Usually his demeanor alone was enough to give him what he wanted, but sometimes he had to deal with reality too.

 

Being so distracted by his craving and caving into the old habits, he had completely missed what Ace had said and the hinting behind it. Btu he took the money anyway and tucked it away because he was done arguing over it. He just wanted to smoke, then get out.

 

"Oh... right. Ace was just giving me gas money. We're not having sex, so... nothing to see here."

 

No doubt that the prostitute would be mentally face palming himself, or screaming inside.

[YellowMelon]

If Ace was made of slime or ice cream, he would have melted onto the floor right there out of sheer embarrassment. How obvious did he need to be? He had thought Nikita would have taken the hint, but, in reality, he hadn't been listening. He was betrayed over a cigarette. Did the man really choose a smoke over him? Wait, why was Zachary smoking in his apartment to begin with? He could easily do it in his own, just two floors above, where he wouldn't be a distraction. Well, it's not like it mattered now. The cigarette had won. Ace was defeated. The prostitute returned the stares the other tenants gave him. Witnessing a prostitute giving gas money to an ex-client who he had never slept with in his own bedroom was questionable, and he was ready for those questions. At least Nikita took his money. That was a feat.

 

"Gas money?" This was the third time the two words had been spoken: once by Ace, another by Nikita, and this time by Jia.

 

"This is the first time I've heard of you paying a client for driving you around. Is this something you do regularly?" Damian wondered, not seeing how it would benefit his coworker, or himself if he were to do that.

 

"No, this-"

 

"Wait, he mentioned you guys weren't having sex. Is he not paying you?" Jia interjected, now concerned.

 

"No, he is!"

 

"What for?"

 

"To see me."

 

"Who pays a prostitute just to see them?" Damian was shocked by what he was told, but also curious. If what Ace said was true, maybe he could get that client to pay him for a visit. He wouldn't have to do anything. It was easy money right there.

 

"I mean to talk to me."

 

"Oh." Damian let out a small sound of disappointment. He would still have to work for his money. Well, he considered himself to be a decent conversationalist, so maybe it would work. He silently eyed the man being talked about before returning his attention to Ace who was now explaining how they had ended up here.

 

Zachary did not care much about the business his tenants were in. They could do what they wanted as long as they could pay rent and cover any extra expenses. The only business he cared about was if they damaged the property. He wanted to know more about that than any stories they shared about encounters with their clients. He wasn't a nosy landlord, but, now, an opportunity had presented himself. This was the first client a tenant had brought into the house and he was interesting enough to not ignore, espeically since he had politely asked for a smoke.

 

"Yeah, I have an extra." Zachary pulled another from his pocket. However, he did not surrender it immediately. "Wait, how old are you?" He raised an eyebrow. "You know, I have to be careful these days. Kids always seem to look older than they really are and your height gives you an advantage." The man knew the blond was old enough, but he still played his game, all the while holding the cigarette he had taken out for him. He purposefully held it beside a bright red lighter tucked in his front pocket with the metal cap and a little bit of color sticking out for the man to see.

 

Once Ace finished explaining the situation he was in and, with no further questions being asked, he moved towards Nikita again. He wanted to push the man out before he got a chance to embarrass him again, although it was no fault of his that he told the truth. Only why now did he have to tell it? The prostitute pushed himself closer to the ex-client but said nothing, giving no indication as to why he was pressed so close to him. Strangely, being beside the other figure seemed to comfort him. In no way was he becoming soft to Nikita, but it was the other's body he still silently admired.

 

"Hey, hey," Zachary suddenly spoke, as if reprimanding Ace when he saw him pushing against the blond, "Is that anyway to treat a client?" Not to mention he was still making conversation. "Why aren't you having sex? Are you impotent?" The landlord directly, and bluntly, asked the assumed client with the other tenants now staring at him, waiting for the answer.

[LoneDigger]

"Old enough."

 

Nikita shot back just as fast, a smile tugging up his lips. He knew the other man was playing with him, and if that's how it was going to be then he'd be as equally irritating. But hey, it was kind of fun in a way. He rarely got to act like this. With work and his wife at home and all he had to be on his best behavior.

But this was just almost like being a teenager again, the scents were just so nostalgic. Honestly the whole situation was bringing him back.

 

Yet as much as that was true, he still wasn't in a playful enough mood to attempt grabbing the cigarette from Zachery so he just waited for the other to quit messing around and give him one already.

The energy in the room seemed to infecting Ace as well, and the man gave a soft 'oof' when he felt the prostitute pushing against him, Ace had never been so physical before. What had gotten into him acting all gruff all of a sudden?

It was actually kind of funny, only adding to the humor of the whole situation.

 

"Let's just go with that answer. Must have been the smoke, that stuff's a killer."

 

The blond replied with a playful smirk. Anyone else should have been offended by such a suggestion, especially a person like Nikita was normally, but right now he really was in a good mood, but it wasn't that exactly. He just didn't feel like himself at all, and it wasn't necessarily bad. But he wouldn't call it a positive thing either.

[YellowMelon]

Old enough, fair enough. The quip made the landlord smile in return. He had not been wrong in his assumptions. Nikita was an interesting person. But he still wondered why he was here. The response to his second inquiry was much more vague. He was tempted to pry, but his last remark drew back that desire. Zachary let out a hearty laugh, amused by the directness of the statement. It was laughable even though no one else around him was laughing. The guy seemed to be right. All the inhaled smoke must be going to his head. Still, he enjoyed it. The raven-haired man soon calmed down, taking another puff of his cigarette and blowing the smoke at Nikita purposefully. He was no longer taunting him, just enjoying himself.

 

"How true. I have no intentions of living forever." He finally let Nikita have what he was waiting for, a cigarette. He even took the liberty of lighting it for him once it reached his lips. "If it makes me impotent, then so be it. I can imagine myself being hard, can't I?" He cracked a suggestive smile. "Is that what you do when you look at someone you can't fuck?"

 

Before another distasteful exchange could be made, Ace linked an arm with Nikita's and started to pull him towards the exit. His embarrassment only continued to grow now. The words were meant to offend Nikita, but they irritated Ace, and, mixed with the smell of cigarette smoke, they wore his patience thin. Still, one thought lingered in his mind now. Could impotence really be his problem? The prostitute had assumed it was inexperience and nerves, but maybe Nikita just wanted to hire a sex worker to try to cure his problem. That clearly did not work, however. But the response the other gave to that guess was clearly in a joking manner. No matter, Ace didn't want to rule that out. He didn't want to think the problem was because of him. Did Nikita judge him on appearance and think he lacked some sort of skills? What an asshole if he did.

 

Ace was about ready to shove Nikita out of the residence when he suddenly felt a force pulling him back. "Nikita!" He yelled to blame the individual, but turned around to see he was not the one who had pulled himself away. Oddly, neither was it Zachary.

 

"Let go, Jia," he demanded, firmly, "What business do you have with Nikita?"

 

"I think we're all curious to know why he really hired you." Jia continued to hold onto the blond's upper arm, not giving in to the opposite force that was now pulling the body away from her.

 

"He said impotence."

 

"As if he was serious. Do you honestly believe that?!"

 

There was no immediate answer to the question, only a pause while Ace looked at the ex-client. Should he say what he really thought or respond to any man's liking? The silence coming from him already gave his honest opinion on the matter, though.

 

"It's none of my concern." He pulled Nikita towards him again.

 

"Well, it doesn't do you any good to keep meeting with a client who you pay for his services instead of the other way around."

 

"I told you, he pays me too!"

 

"Then aren't you just breaking even?!"

 

"He's not my client anymore!"

 

"You..." Jia softened her voice and directed her attention to the man being spoken about, clearly displeased by what she heard. "You stop taking advantage of Ace. Clients like you are the worst in our business." The younger woman finally let go of the arm she had her hold on, releasing the body from being the rope in a game of tug of war.

 

Taking this opportunity, Ace was finally able to get Nikita out of his apartment, unlinking their arms once they reached his car. Now, it would be polite to apologize, but he felt the man deserved what had happened to him, being the victim of a little bicker. Instead, he chose different parting words.

 

"Get better." Ace did not make eye contact when he spoke.

 

"Drop by if you want another smoke!" Zachary called from the door, surrounded by the other residents who waved at the pair. Everyone except Jia, that was.

[LoneDigger]

What a damn shame.

Was what Nikita would have jibed if not for being hastily pulled away by a rather flustered looking Ace.

Great now he was embarrassing him too? And to make matters even worse he had gone through this whole ridiculous thing and hadn't even gotten a smoke like he wanted.

But the gas money gave him an idea. A gas station was just where he needed to go, not for fuel. But for a pack of cigarettes.

He could almost taste them now--

 

"What?"

 

Nikita muttered when Ace snapped his name at him, followed by another tugging sensation on his arm.

He guess the funniest thing was that if he had really wanted to he could have had both Jia and Ace down on the floor in a second for daring to try pulling him out like some kid. But he wasn't in a bad mood, nor was he ever really an aggressive type of person in that way. It took a lot to get him physical, and Ace already knew that fact all too well.

Though he really didn't appreciated being played with, especially as the rope in tug of war.

 

"You two both need to just--"

 

He was cut off again by their own conversation and he kind of gave up at defending himself at that point since it was already getting too awkward and he should just leave before something else was said that spiraled into another lengthy conversation about sex, or therefore lack of.

 

"Yeah, yeah. I'll leave the poor man alone."

 

Nikita said just for the sake of ending it there. Though he didn't believe that was true at all, and it was hardly what she thought. He had not patience to explain it to her, or anyone.

He didn't bother to return the friendly waves, and it wasn't because he was trying to be rude, but he just needed to go.

Ace wanted to get rid of him and the feeling was mutual.

So he climbed into his car and in moments was gone, off to stop by the nearest gas station most likely before returning home to the wife.

[YellowMelon]

It was her dream to be a typical housewife with a husband who'd support her. She always wanted a breadwinner, not to be one. Despite this, she had grown up being a capable woman who could earn a living for herself. She had no other choice with her parents telling her that being a housewife was too low of a job for her. She needed to achieve better so she did. She pursued a degree in marketing which lead her to become a manager in the marketing division of a top technology company. Her knowledge only expanded from there. Although she went through the motions of being a manager, she was never completely happy. Everyone saw her dream as unachievable but she thought otherwise. Eventually she met someone who she could be a housewife to. The man took some time warming up to and even more to be convinced to go on a date with her. Both of them were managers in the company so they both had wanted to be in charge, making the progression of a relationship a little difficult. Nonetheless, she pursued the man, they fell in love, and they married. So, now, here she was, years later, content with waiting for her husband to come home.

 

Anastasia adopted a daily routine to please her husband. Before work, she would see him off with breakfast and a goodbye kiss. After work, he returned to dinner and another quick kiss. On weekends she would also make him lunch. When he was not home, she would do chores around the house and run any errands that needed to be done. Recently, she had noticed her husband was working later hours. On these days, he also wasn't as responsive to her greetings, hinting to her that work had been especially tough and something was bothering him. She wasn't one to pry about his work though. She would simply ask in passing how his day was and how he chose to answer was the response she accepted. If he wanted to talk more about it, she would be there for him, but it wasn't her place to force it out of him.

 

Hearing a car pull into the driveway got her excited. No one could be parking at the house this late except for Nikita. She waited at the door to greet her husband after what she thought was a long day at work. It must have been one of those tough days since he had stayed extra late, and he was usually always on time. As soon as the door opened and the familiar man stepped inside, she immediately went to him to give a quick kiss on his cheek. He was tall but she was almost as tall while sharing his blond hair and blue eyes. Their shared appearances had them mistaken for siblings, but it was only a coincidence. She was about to pull off his jacket next when she was hit with the strong scent of cigarette smoke. In her excitement she had not caught a whiff of the scent until now. However, she showed no other reaction besides leaving the jacket on her husband, a deviation of the usual routine,

 

"Work must have been hard on you," she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Nikita, "Sometimes I wonder what you do when I'm not around, you know?" She continued to smile as her hands dropped to her husband's dress pants, blindly feeling for his pockets. Each hand slipped into a pocket at the same time while she kept her eyes on the man, searching for a reaction that would give himself away. "Oh?" She looked down as she pulled out a cigarette pack. "Did someone offer this to you? I hope you said no. You know I don't approve of you smoking, and you promised me years ago you'd stop." She wanted to make him feel guilty because she knew the answer. She knew she would see a missing cig, and that would be his. "Looks like you don't remember." She pouted, pointing to the empty space in the pack. "I guess because it was only one I can forgive you." She returned the cigarettes to his pocket before turning on her heels.

 

"That's what you'd want me to say, right?" Sadly, she couldn't even humor him with those words. "Dinner is on the table. You can reheat it yourself this time if you aren't full of smoke. However, I expect you to shower before you do anything and do something with your clothes so the smell doesn't stick to anything else." She was demanding to show her displeasure. "I'll be in our bedroom. I can't be around you when you smell like that." Anastasia left to the said room without another word.

[LoneDigger]

Nikita couldn't even believe he was doing this. It had been ages since he'd last walked into a gas station for any reason, and to get some smokes brought him back to a much younger time in his life. He wasn't an old man, but yet it wasn't the same as being a young adult. Though he had picked up the bad habit as a teenager.

Walking inside with all the brightly colored packing of various candies wasn't even a distraction like it used to be, he could care less for snacks that always were washed down by neon colored, most likely secretly radioactive, Slurpee's.

He wasn't some kid anymore, and this should have been a guilty visit and it was, but right now he just felt oddly at peace.

Finally him and Ace could be done, go there separate ways and forget about each other forever.

 

Once he had his pack of smokes Nikita couldn't help it, the damn nostalgia of the old gas station had gotten to him and the relief of thinking he'd gotten rid of Ace was enough that the man let loose enough to go into the small patch of grass surrounding the sides of the building separating from the road and parking lot to lay down and just stare up at the sky.

It was dark, but not quite black yet as the hues of sunset were fading over the horizon and if not for the light pollution there would be have stars starting to show.

 

Never in a million years would the man everyone knew so well as a no nonsense manager expect to see him laying in some shady patch of grass with just the right amount of candy wrappers and other litter to be considered 'gross'.

But he wasn't even worrying about that, he just felt so calm. Taking his first drag and then exhaling slowly. Just watching the smoke dissipate.

Just this one... What would he even do with the others? He should throw them away, but it was such a waste and the dammed things were expensive. He should hold onto them to give away or for a later emergency.

 

He could have stayed there for the next hour or longer, even if it was dark out. But he didn't want to make his wife worry any worse than already done so he forced himself to rise from his spot and get back home.

Too bad he couldn't shower before going back, because he already knew he was going to be in some trouble over smelling like cigarettes when she had been the only reason he had quit years ago. For her it had been possible, but now it seemed harder and harder to work up to her standards. It wasn't her fault... it was just... something. He didn't know what was wrong. But that would be his last fling he then decided, no more prostitute and smoking. He'd go back to the good husband he was before that his wife had married.

Maybe he'd just needed to get that out of his system, and now things would be back to normal again.

 

"Mmmph."

 

Nikita grumbled in agreement to acknowledge that the day had indeed been stressful, but it had the best possible ending he could have hoped for so he wasn't in a bad mood at all now. He still felt that odd sense of calm.

 

"I gave into a craving... Someone outside the office was smoking and it just kind of hit me, I couldn't resist."

 

The man replied honestly, just leaving out some little important details that Anastasia didn't need to hear about.

The only trouble was, now he wasn't even all that hungry. The cigarette had satisfied everything, or so he thought.

But again, he didn't dare say such a thing out loud and instead just nodded and went along with it. He owed that much too her after coming home like this.

 

"I'll clean up first so you don't have to deal with it. I know you don't like it."

 

Nikita replied as he went upstairs to the bathroom, carefully peeling off the now tainted clothing and putting it into a separate hamper from the normal laundry basket. From there on he showed, spending a bit longer in there than usual. It was like everything he was experiencing was in a new light. What was with him? But he couldn't even care. It just felt like almost nothing at all.

Usually he'd be stressing over something he shouldn't even be about his work, or just thinking about his wife of course, but those barely entered his head as he just stood underneath the warm water and just got completely lost in his own head. And for someone who wasn't an abstract thinker normally this was different.

 

The only thing that snapped him out of it was that the water was slowly going colder, forcing him out to dry and get dressed for bed to join his wife. He tried to read what she was thinking from across the room, but it wasn't easy. Even laying next to her he couldn't quite tell what she thought. His blue gaze focused intently, yet tiredly on her.

[YellowMelon]

Simply hearing her husband from the bedroom annoyed Anastasia. She sat on the bed with the door open, listening to the sound of his footsteps coming upstairs to do what she had instructed. Each step he took brought her closer to that horrid smell. It wasn’t as strong as she believed it to be in reality, but her anger towards her husband coming like that made her more sensitive to the smell. Once she heard the shut of a door, she rushed out of the bedroom and returned downstairs to the dining room. She wouldn’t be eating and she was convinced the other plate of food would be left untouched for the night too. Nikita would have mentioned he was hungry for her to think otherwise. She occupied herself with packaging and storing tonight’s dinner in the fridge while her husband took a shower. A break from the usual routine might be good, but in no way did it make her feel better. It wasn’t good at all, actually. Perhaps for her husband, not for her.

 

Anastasia cleaned herself up in the downstairs bathroom and managed to return to the master bedroom before her husband showed. She didn’t meet his eyes when he came into the room, only rolled onto her side to face away from the man next to her. She couldn’t pretend to sleep or keep her eyes closed no matter how hard she tried. Too many thoughts swarmed in her head. Truthfully, she wanted to ask Nikita what was going on. How could he have so easily been seduced by the smell of a cigarette when he had resisted so many times before? Why did he choose to break now and when she wasn’t there? How come she was the only one making such a big deal out of it? She wanted to believe she knew her husband, so she knew quitting hadn’t been easy for him, but he did it for her. Breaking that promise was much more than just falling back into an old temptation.

 

The woman turned over on the mattress to finally look at Nikita. He looked relaxed, yet so tired. She couldn’t even guess what he was thinking and that bothered her more than ever now. Oh, how she desired to know. To her, though, a good housewife didn’t ask. She wouldn’t concern herself with these matters when tomorrow comes. She would jump right back into her same routine and she hoped Nikita would do the same. It would be easier to forget what had happened today if he did. “You look tired, love.” She smiled at him as her hand reached up to briefly stoke the side of his face, “I think it’s best if we both get some sleep now.” Yet, saying this, she was wide awake. Still, she took one last look at the other before closing her eyes and pressing her body close to his, enjoying the warmth of his body heat.

[LoneDigger]

Pure bliss. Why was this? Nothing particularly special had even happened today other than cutting the uncomfortable ties with a certain prostitute and the first smoke in years. But somehow just feeling her gentle touch on his face was the most soothing thing. He didn't have to feel guilty anymore. He knew right then that he did love her, so much it was hard to even express himself at times. He never was very good with words after all.

Sleep, she had said. Did Anastasia realize just how tired he was? Even if it wasn't in a bad way, he could barely even keep his eyes open and was just sinking against the comforter, held by the shared warmth of two bodies.

 

Yet nothing so beautiful could last forever, and soon things went back to how they always were the last few months. Nikita feeling that something very important was missing, that no matter how much his wife loved him, was just something she could not give to him. It wasn't her fault that she wasn't a man. He had never wanted her to be one, but now look at him.

Sinking back in bad habits, first the prostitute forced therapy sessions, then the smoking became just another regular habit away from the eyes and nose, of his wife, but then finally the tipping point was this.

How could he be actually be thinking this? Had he really lost his mind?

Those were the questions that circled his mind yet his feet carried him so easily through the doors, entering the night club.

[YellowMelon]

His work had seemingly improved. Maybe it was because he was no longer affiliated with a certain someone, but he was definitely less moody. He could finally do his job without another man on his mind because, in his profession, that was unprofessional. Still, it had taken him a couple of weeks until he completely rid his thoughts of the past client. He started to feel relieved about not seeing him, but then got worried, checking his phone constantly as if he expected him to randomly text out of the blue. But they were not friends, he knew that, and he wanted it to be that way. Months passed and he cut him from his contacts, along with a few other clients, never having to see those names again. He willingly forgot about them and had the best feelings thereafter.

 

“Less clients?” The bartender inquired as he pushed two empty shot glasses in front of him and filled them up with a clear liquid.

 

“I’m taking a small vacation.” By that, he meant a week with only two sessions. He had the first yesterday and the second was tomorrow morning. Being at a night club may not be the best because of that, but he frequented this place whenever he had the time. The employees knew him along with other regulars, both of the bar and his own clients. Ace immediately downed the shots he was given with another two coming after. Four. That would be his total, as it usually was. He sipped the last two, letting the drinks slide down his throat at different intervals of time.

 

People often described the prostitute as a happy drunk. He wasn’t an over-the-top drunk, as he never drank enough for that to happen, but he got excited easily and bolder in his actions. Some of his present clients had been picked up by him when he was this way, and the one regret he always had with such clients was that he never charged them, for he was not in a clear mind to do so. Yet, he seemed to be on the lookout for someone, anyone, to have sex with. He casually flirted with people he talked to, both strangers and familiar faces. He was not desperate, but he certainly had a goal.

 

With customers coming in and out of the bar, Ace constantly found someone to his liking to introduce himself to. If one were to watch his antics, his type would easily be known. He was targeting taller men to speak to, individuals who had a professional or kempt appearance to them, and those who were clearly older. He paid no attention to the younger generation, not even when they showed interest in him. As the club got fuller, Ace started roaming the outskirts of the crowd with a fifth drink in his hand. It was a bit unusual for him to exceed his limit of four, but he made it happen tonight. He was in a happy mood and he liked that feeling. The session scheduled for the morning now slipped his mind. As far as he was concerned, he could sleep in as long as he wanted to when he got home. The drink he had was gone fast and, finding no use for an empty glass, he placed it on one of the cocktail tables near the wall.

 

Ace was eyeing the door for his next victim, having not yet found the person he wanted. He tended to be picky with those he wanted to sleep with when at the bar. This was opposite of what he did when working. He usually accepted any client as long as they were of age, took care of their hygiene, and didn't feel like a threat to him. Right now, though, because he wasn’t working, he gave himself the luxury of being choosy. And it seemed like he found someone. If he was in a more conscious state, he would know that the person his eyes were on had once jokingly referred to them meeting as fate, as they did not want to, but frequently saw each other at the time the statement was made. The lights were dimmed and colored, however, obstructing his vision.

 

“If you stand by the door you might get yourself crushed. Not to mention you’ll also be a fire hazard.” Ace joked as he boldly approached the taller, blond man, showing no signs that he didn’t recognize Nikita. Even though it would be easy to, being so close to him, his glasses were resting on top of his head, having pulled them up for some reason or another, so his nearsightedness weakened him in recognizing the male. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before, as I’d remember someone of your stature. I admire that height. It certainly fits you well.” As if one had a choice of picking how tall they were. “Have you come with anyone else? I can’t see a person like you coming, or leaving, alone.” Ace continued to cluelessly flirt with the individual with his eyes blatantly on his clothed chest, imagining the muscles under the shirt. He clearly forgotten having seen such muscles before.

[LoneDigger]

"Ace? What the fuck--"

 

Nikita was truly at a loss. Should he have expected to find the other he had tried to forget about in such a place like this? Well, the odds had to be higher here, but still. He wasn't exactly planning on it so at first he was just pretty shocked, pretty soon his usual sense of sarcasm came back. Thinking that the prostitute was just fucking with him. It wouldn't have been the first time.

 

"Have you had too much to drink? I don't think those should be up there..."

 

He gestured to the other's glasses before reaching up to gently slip them back down over the bridge of the other's nose, adjusting them for him.

 

"There. I'm not so good looking now that you can actually see properly."

 

The man coughed, it was a bit awkward honestly, but really this whole damn thing was just... well, he had really stooped low. But was this even worse than what he had done by hiring a prostitute those months ago?

Wait a fucking minute, he didn't even think the other was listening to him. Instead it seemed his gaze was locked on his chest.

... Seriously?

Was this how women felt when they were in a similar situation. Of course it was hardly the same, but then again it was distracting Ace so, maybe not so different.

[YellowMelon]

Ace showed no signs of shock when the man called his name. Instead, he squinted his eyes as if that action would better his vision. He continued to do so even after the blob did him the favor of fixing the placement of his glasses on his face. They now rested on the bridge of his nose, where they should be, and his blurred vision started to correct itself. In short time, the stranger he was so close to became familiar as the individual took form. Under normal circumstances, Ace would have shown embarrassment and remorse for what he had done. However, given his greater confidence, he let out a long, disappointed sigh. What a waste of time for him to have approached Nikita. If only he had known sooner his identity. Ace continued to hold his gaze on the body of the taller man, not hiding the fact he was still staring at his chest, and even dared to let his eyes roam downward, targeting the crotch. He remained silent as he locked eyes on the body part. Different thoughts rushed through his head, and one such thought was the position he was currently in with Nikita might not be so terrible after all. He could easily find better, he knew that, but right now he wanted his type, and his ex-client fit that description. He couldn’t deny that.

 

“You know,” the prostitute spoke in somewhat of a whisper, loud enough to be heard over surrounding noises but not so much as to be heard by others around them, “You should take a compliment when it’s given to you.” He suddenly smiled as he stepped even closer to Nikita. A hand pressed against his torso to steady himself as he slightly stretched to better look at the face of the blonde. “Now that my glasses are on you’re even more good-looking. Totally attractive!” Ace shouted the last part excitedly before going off on a tangent about his physical characteristics. “Your blond hair and blue eyes match each other well! A lot of people seem to like that combination, so you must be really popular. Your body is also something that people must be envious over. It feels so perfect. Just looking at it makes me jealous.” Saying this, two arms dropped down to wrap around his waist, resting against Nikita. “Although I think your body type definitely suits you more than it would me, but that’s because of your muscles. It’s not easy to tell how fit you are with the clothes you wear. When you wear business clothes though, that’s truly when you look your best. Real sexy.” It seemed like he hadn’t completely forgotten about Nikita after all. Not his appearance, at least, and he easily let that knowledge slip. He would likely regret it after, if he remembered listing such compliments.

 

“So, what do you think? Want to give it a try?” Ace provided no context for the question, testing to see if he could get Nikita to agree to sleep with him. If the question caught him off guard, he was more likely to say yes. That was what Ace believed, as this was his usual tactic for bedding hard-to-get guys. Would it work on Nikita, however? He hoped so, and he would be persistent until he got an answer he wanted. “We don’t have to go all the way. I just want to admire you, partially or fully naked.” Ace slightly whined with a hand dangerously touching the bottom of his shirt, hinting it would soon slide under and up to touch bare skin, and the other tightening its hold on Nikita.

[LoneDigger]

"I think you're drunk out of your mind. Giving into anything you have just insinuated would be no better than--"

 

His gaze also shifted down to follow Ace's eyes and now they were staring at his crotch? He didn't know which was worse at this point honestly. The other thought he wanted him, but that wasn't really him talking. It was all just a drunken dream he was experiencing, if Nikita couldn't impress him when he was sober what made him think drunk sex would be better? Unless he was into that sort of thing, but the man wasn't so sure he could allow it.

 

"Admire me? That's all?"

 

He replied a bit snidely, gently grasping onto the other's wrists. The action was intended so he could pull the other's hands off him, but his own plan seemed to backfire on him since it just made things even more awkward when the abrupt grasp caused the other's hands to graze over his skin.

[YellowMelon]

"Yes, that would be all, even if you just let me look at you with only your shirt on. You can keep your underwear on." Of course Ace didn't specify that Nikita could keep his pants on, but he should be comfortable with his underwear on at least, right? Wouldn't that be enough for him? He could already picture Nikita sitting on some type of furniture, a stable one with four legs, preferably, and letting him admire his figure. Maybe he would let him touch him if he was in that mood, but no assumptions were to be made, although Ace was already building his hopes up. What was the reason for Nikita being here if he wouldn't accept his invitation? Just to drink? At a gay bar? What a boring guy! It would be better if he was dancing, even though Ace was preventing him from doing that at the moment.

 

The prostitute, himself, was shocked when he felt his fingers touch bare skin. Was this...an invitation? Ace gladly took it as so when he lifted the shirt up higher, allowing his hand to reach higher. His fingertips slowly ran over each defining muscle. How happy he was to touch Nikita! Once again he stepped closer to the other individual as if trying to shield what he was doing with his own body. Now, he lowered his hand to Nikita's abdomen while his other hand touched the zipper of the blonde's pants. Teasingly, he poked at the metal teeth and tugged on the tab. Even as he did this, Ace didn't look directly at Nikita's, but his eyes glanced over the exposed body part and crotch for a reaction.

[LoneDigger]

"Oh, how thoughtful of you."

 

Again his tone was dripping with sarcasm, but as it was already evident his actions had been directly misread, and it was his own fault for fumbling at a moment when he had to make it clear one way or the other. And now that Ace had the false affirmation to touch him, the other's boldness only made it harder to deflect.

Especially since he did like the man, hadn't he always?

So what was Nikita so afraid of? Well, there wasn't much left to fear now that this was happening. He brought himself to this place of his own free will, and with some very clear intentions. Ace was just helping him to remember this.

His breathing tensed, causing his abs to flex softly against the other's hand, and it was clear another part of him was reacting in a similar way.

 

Normally Nikita would not have been one for being touched in public, but in that moment he entirely forgot that they weren't just the only two being in the room, but for the briefest of moments his world changed to just the two of them, with only one purpose to fullfill that was less than pure.

It really was the tipping point for the man, and now that he was finally letting it happen everything that had been kept shoved down for years and denied was finally let free, and it was exhilarating. He could do anything.

And he didn't give a fuck if it was gay.