Maki closed the door of his hotel room and headed down the stairs to the street. The temperatures of the fall night were rather brisk and with the light rain misting down, the air picked up a distinctive chill. He pulled his head in closer to his body, trying to keep as much warmth as possible trapped in his trench coat and jammed his hands deep into his pockets. The clothing he was wearing led him to being warm, so it was done as a form of habit more than necessity. He walked quickly passing the other night-goers who laughed and talked and hustled up and down the street. He stuck close to the buildings, sliding past those who were on the fringes surrounding the surge of passersby who were headed in the opposite direction. The overhead lights illuminated the path he was treading, knee high leather boots making very little sound.
The night was Maki's haven. There was something about the night sky that brought him solace. Everything about the night was calmer, more peaceful, and the people were a hell of a lot better, too. Maki preferred the people with dyed hair and "too many" body piercings, enjoyed watching people on street corners and frequenting the night clubs. He preferred sleeping during the morning hours and being awake in the evenings and nighttime. It wasn't a lifestyle for everyone, and that's the way he liked it.
His footfalls slowed as he approached the club and pulled the brass handle on the large wooden double doors in front of him. Two women approached him: one blonde, the other a brunette. They were both dressed very much alike as each of them was wearing thigh high patent leather boots with stiletto heels with what small amount of leg he could see above the top of the boot being covered by fishnet stockings. The blonde woman was wearing a patent leather teddy with a vinyl miniskirt. The brunette was wearing only a corset, no top, and a pair of thong panties. Slave collars of thick black leather adorned their necks, one single silver ring at their throats. Maki watched them as they ran their hands over his body and it was difficult for him to tell if they were frisking him or just touching him. The brunette removed his coat and the blonde gave him a claim ticket. He watched them walk to his right and behind a service counter.
~*~*~*~*~*
"What the hell is wrong with people tonight? Seriously. Are there no beautiful people left in this goddamned town?"
"Easy, now, Gunnar." Maya soothed, touching his arm as she glided around the counter. "Did you see the one we just brought in?"
"No." Gunnar seemed slightly annoyed Maya hadn't called his attention before the beauty had slipped away. "Where is she?"
"She? It certainly didn't FEEL like a she." She smiled a quirky little smile through her long blonde tresses and filed at a broken nail. "No, he most definitely was a HE." Maya bit her tongue between her teeth until she drew blood. "I WISH I didn't have to be working tonight. I would tie that boy to the wall." Maya dropped off as Gunnar walked out from behind the counter and into the atrium. "Gunnar, you can't just LEAVE!"
He turned to look back at the girls. "You're the ones that have to work tonight. Not me."
~*~*~*~*~
Maki stepped forward onto red carpeting and looked around the atrium that was far too quiet for the club setting he was entering. The ceilings were vaulted with windows of stained glass, much like you would see in a Catholic cathedral. The designs filling the windows, however, were a different story. The first window Maki laid his eyes on was of a woman seated on a black couch, clad in nothing more than a pair of evening length black gloves, knee high black boots, and radiant beauty. In each hand she held a leash which attached to one male and one female who sat obediently at her feet. Around her was a brilliant display of color from the different pieces of cut glass. The second window featured a girl in a long black flowing dress with black hair and black lips, standing with her arms outstretched, her head slightly tilted. The glass behind her was blood red, her skin was moonlight white. The contrast was quite striking and Maki was quite taken with it. He stared at her for a few minutes before inspecting the other windows one at a time. The artistry was breathtaking! His visual tour stopped on the first window, catching his eye once again.
"They're quite lovely, yes?"
Maki turned and looked down to a man who had come up on his right. He smiled slightly and nodded his head just once. The man turned his eyes to the window at which Maki had been gazing.
The man continued. "She has the gift of a Goddess, that one." He sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead just above his right brow with the back of his hand, smoothing his hair behind his ear. "When the moon is in the right place, she lights up and it looks as if the glass were a living and breathing thing. And I'm not the only one who has stood here to look at her." He smiled up at the woman's image. Maki turned his gaze once again to the ceiling and stared into the mural eyes. "Care for a drink?"
Maki nodded and then followed as the man led the way further into the club through a second set of doors. The moment the door cracked open, Maki could feel the eyes of the club patrons on him. It was like that everywhere he went. Everyone had to watch him. He was fairly accurate how long it would take for someone to tell him how beautiful he was.
Three… "My God." The first whispered response.
Two… Maki's toes touched the baseboard of the bar. "Look…" another voice, hurried, as though Maki might fly away should they not catch him right then.
One… Maki's hip bumped the barstool. "Oh my God you're beautiful…" It was muttered in a breathless murmur at his side. He turned toward the voice and smiled a half smile with just the left corner of his mouth and met her eyes. She dropped her eyes from his and a very faint stain of pink flushed across her cheeks. It was the same statement, different location, always the same story: never handsome, but nearly breathtakingly beautiful. The first five or six times the compliment was given, Maki was flattered. It began to lose appeal very shortly thereafter and he had since perfected the timing into an art. Maki raised one brow as he accepted a drink from the bartender.
"It's a house specialty called Black. I thought it would be fitting." He eyed Maki's attire, almost admiringly. "I hope you don't mind that I bought?" Maki continued his quirky expression, raising it to the man's eyes. His head cocked slightly to the side and slightly forward, questioning.
The man laughed. "Here." He took the drink from Maki's hand and swallowed a mouthful. "I didn't have it poisoned." He handed the drink back and Maki took it, smiling a small, genuine smile. The man offered his hand. "The name's Gunnar."
Maki took his hand and shook with a firm handshake. "I'm Makiros."
"Makiros." Gunnar repeated, his brow furrowed.
"Friends call me Maki. Like the mouse." He was shocked at how soft spoken he sounded. That was something he was going to have to change.
Gunnar laughed. "All right. Maki it is. So, what brings you here tonight, Maki?"
"Boredom." He blinked slowly and tasted his drink, finding it very much to his liking. He'd have to remember and ask what was in it. Perhaps other places would make it for him since there were so few drinks Maki could actually stand.
"You seem to be a man of few words, Maki."
"Usually." His eyes showed amusement.
"Hmmm." Gunnar sipped at his drink. It was a 7/7 if Maki wasn't mistaken. "I haven't seen you here before." He paused as if waiting for a reply and looked up at Maki over the rim of the glass he held. "Are you new in town or just new to the club in general?"
"No, I'm fresh blood. You were right to grab me when you did." Maki sighed and relaxed, leaning back in his chair. He surveyed the crowd nearest his table who were dancing to something he didn't recognize but had a decent beat.
"I caught sight of you when you walked in." He was lying, but didn't exactly care. "Will it surprise you when I tell you that you are extremely beautiful? Or does it embarrass you to have a man compliment you that way?"
Maki stifled a laugh that came as a snort. "No, it doesn't embarrass me and I have been half expecting it." Maki stretched his arms behind his head and then pulled his waist length black hair from behind his back. It swung across the chair back and settled thick and straight. He rested his chin against his hand with his elbow resting on the table in front of him. Maki had worn leather tonight. The top was long sleeved with a mock turtle neck. The pants were all too tight and Maki had laced his boots so they were over the legs of the pants. The leather of the entire outfit had been pieced together and was stitched with obvious thick black stitches. His skin was white: as pale as the image had been in the window glass, although Maki's eyes were dark charcoal colored and only slightly lighter than the pupils. Maki leaned forward and smiled another of his half smiles.
"Then would it be bad form if I kissed you?" Gunnar reached out to tuck a lock of hair back behind Maki's ear. He ran his fingers along his jaw line, down his neck and slipped his hand behind Maki's head, fingers wrapped in the black silk of that long hair. He closed his eyes and shuddered slightly, feeling the want twist in his belly. He applied gentle pressure against the back of Maki's head, pulling him forward. He leaned around the table edge and their lips pressed softly together sending a jolt of liquid electricity singing between them. Maki shivered slightly and reached a hand behind Gunnar's ear, his fingers barely touching flesh and parted his lips with the same softness, allowing Gunnar to make the moves. He had been craving this for far too long to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. If he was believed to be passive, making a move that came across too strong would shatter that illusion. Maki was very selective in his male partners and it had been quite some time since he had found anyone who piqued his curiosity. It wasn't often he got the craving for male flesh, but when the mood struck, he sated the need as quickly as possible. Gunnar's lips broke from Maki's and he blinked very slowly, a smile turning slightly as their eyes met.
"Well, that's… um… not what I expected to happen." Gunnar stated softly.
"Should I be offended?" Maki stated more than asked.
"Oh, no." Gunnar shook his head. "It was nice, believe me. But that was not how I… that wasn't…"
"Expect it to be a lot harder than it was, did we?" Maki smirked.
"Well, yea."
"So now that we have that out of the way and you are suitably uncomfortable." Maki paused. "Not used to being the dominant in a relationship, are you?"
Gunnar blinked. "I'm generally the dominant. You seemed rather submissive earlier, unless I was mistaken."
"I'm a switch. It depends on what strikes my fancy, who piques my interest, my mood, and those I actually see fit to get my hands or lips on. I'm a picky bitch." He grinned from ear to ear. Gunnar returned the grin.
"I hate to kiss and run, but I've been summoned." He nodded his head in the general direction of the door they had entered from. One of the two greeters was beckoning. Gunnar stood, but continued leaning down in close proximity to Maki. "I have a feeling I'll be in the show tonight. You'll watch for me."
