Disclaimers: All characters belong to rightful owners.
Story concieved by Lee.


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Unaware that the stranger he'd run into followed only a few paces behind him, Tesu continued on down the street. Upon reaching the florist's, he went inside. The small shop, as shabby as the rest of the area, had few customers. Not surprising, really. What the hell would most of Shangri-La's inhabitants want with flowers, anyway? Just one more reminder of how ugly and hopeless their own lives were, and who the fuck needed *that*?

After the rest of the customers had been waited on, Tesu approached the counter and shyly requested a single, perfectly shaped, blood red rosebud. Money exchanged hands, and then Tesu was back out the door, prize in hand, heading back the way he'd come.

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Turning his head, Muneca watched as Tesu disappeared into the florist shop, but, having no reason to stop, himself, he merely continued on his way. It wasn't really, that he had any particular place to be, but more that he didn't want to dwell in this area of the city, especially when he was supposed to be clear across town.

Closing his eyes, he muttered a curse to no one nor nothing in particular as he let his feet pick his way. He didn't want to go back, but he'd have to find Barano so he could fork over his night's take...as well as to learn whether he'd have to work the day or not. Of course, it wasn't like he'd have anything better to do or anything he'd particularly want to do, but still...

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"Huh," Kein grunted, but refrained from giving his own name, on the grounds that it really wasn't necessary. Not like he wanted to introduce himself to every brat running around in the street... he snuck a glance at Darran and the girl, then snorted. No wonder Dar was taking so long, he was already on the prowl. Damn, this _would_ take a while.

With a sigh and a face like a funeral, Kein turned back to the children at his feet. "No, I'm fine. Any reason why you three are running around without a parent?" *Any reason why the damn parent's so irresponsible?*

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Darran's smile only widened as Cordero turned to him. He couldn't help it-- something about the kid's eyes were so trusting and totally (he'd been using this word too often, hadn't he) cute.

Yeah, and Para's, too.

"Hey, well I'm glad I meet your approval," he cooed, shaking the child's hand a little. Then he turned to Parajo as a thought struck him. "Hey Para, is Cordero... uh... yours? I mean..." *Oh, _real_ smooth way to ask if she's got a boyfriend. I really gotta hand it to ya.*

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"Kitty!" Cordero giggled--no, I don't know why he's randomly naming animals at people, leave me alone--as he curled his chubby kiddy fingers around Darran's scarred fingers, or as many as he could grip at once. It certainly did seem like the boy more than approved of Dar as he giggled and played with the stranger's fingers.

"Is Cordy mine?" Para, not able to resist teasing the cute male even though they'd just met, quirked a brow at this question and, a smile tugging at the corner of her lightly painted lips, she tilted her head. "Well, of course..."

"Could there be any doubt that such a cute, adorable, sweet little boy could be anything but..." She grinned and, brushing a hand through her dyed hair, she winked. "....my adorable baby brother?"

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As he headed up the street, Tesu thought he caught a glimpse of a tall, lean figure crowned by a luxuriant mass of plum-colored hair some distance ahead. The guy he'd run into earlier - the one who pretended not to believe he was a whore. Idly, Tesu wondered just what the other boy would've done if he'd decided to *prove* the truth of his claim, if he had assumed one of the many masks he wore that enabled him to do what he did. Which one would appeal? The cold, superior, untouchable godling, used most often when he danced in the Guild's main room? Or perhaps the seductive and oh-so-touchable siren? The shameless wanton, or the shy, virginal (but oh-so-eager-to- learn) boy-child? Or perhaps one of the many others he sometimes used? It didn't matter, really; he hadn't done it, nor would he now if he were somehow given the opportunity to do so. He'd created his masks - his many personas - for one purpose, and one purpose only: to help him get through the nights. So that he could continue to lie to himself that it wasn't really *him* being used, but someone else entirely.

His thoughts had carried him most of the way to his final destination: a dim, narrow alleyway near the edge of Shangri-La. Slipping down the darkened corridor between an old, abandoned theater and a reasonably prosperous-looking - for this neighborhood, anyway - headshop, Tesu proceeded to about the midpoint of the alley before stopping and dropping to his knees.

Although the bloodstains on the broken and pitted pavement had long since faded, the location had been indelibly etched into Tesu's mind; there was no way in heaven or hell that he'd ever mistake this spot for anywhere else. As he knelt in the debris-littered alley, hot, stinging tears slipped from eyes as grey and bleak as the winter sky overhead.

"Khezra..." he murmured softly into the silence of the alley, "I...I haven't forgotten... I'll *never* forget..." Unable to say any more, Tesu bowed his head, burying his face in his hands.

Several minutes later, a pale, slender boy dressed in shabby, oversized clothes emerged from the alley, heading up the street in the direction of the club-district known as Nirvana. He left the area without a backward glance, walking steadily, gracefully, toward his unknown destination. And behind him, in the precise center of a filthy, garbage-strewn alleyway, lay a single, perfectly-formed, blood red rose.

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Wolfgang gave Kien a shear look that could only be described as a 'deathray' in responce to his outlandish rudeness, "What's it to ya, where is your parents? Or were you spawned from the hired help." Wolfgang was quick to give Darran a gesture of 'no offince' then directed his attention back to Kien. By this point Frank and Robert had picked up the football and had slowly backed away from his brother.

"HEY! WAIT UP," Gabby was running up from behind, breathing hard from both years of smoking and the cold air,"you *gasp* need to *gasp* slow down for *gasp* an old lady *gasp*" after that she slowly begain to regain her composure and then noticed the group of assorted people around her, "OH!? Who are your friends, Wolfgang?"

Wolfgang, still rather agrivated at Kien's "parent" remark, introduced his mother to Para and Cordero, ignoring Kien and cutting him off before a remark could be made. Then suddenly with a uprise of energy, "Come on guys, lets get going," to Para," do you wana come with? Safty in numbers."

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Damn. That hadn't really gotten him closer to finding out if she was taken or not, had it? And worse yet, it had made her wink... eek, she looked cute when she winked. Not that it made him nervous-- he knew how to pick people up, in normal circumstances. Which these weren't. But _anyway_--

He grinned back at Cordero and made a playful little grabbing motion towards the child's nose. "Kitty, huh? You got a smart little brother, Para. Hey--" he asked Parajo with a faint gleam of hope in his eyes, "you guys going to be going to the festival? I gotta get Mr. Killjoy to the office--" he jerked his head towards Kein, and recieved a glare and growl in recognition-- "but after that, that's where I was headed. Bet Cordero would love the games..."

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"Kitty!" Cordero squealed in delight at Darran's playful little grabbing motion and, giggling sweetly, he again made a grab for the elder's fingers. So, yea. Obviously Cordy's found himself an older brother surrogate...

"Mm! You're right!" Para nodded eagerly as she watched the playful exchange between Darran and her brother and, well, c'mon, how could any girl not be fond of someone so good with children?! "He's the brightest boy in the world! Sweetest, too!"

"Hmm.." Naturally, Para smiled and introduced herself as Gabby joined them, then, at Wolfgang's request, she tilted her head slightly. After a moment's thought, she turned a questioning glance to both Wolfgang and Darran. "Hey, why don't we all go together or, if Darran has to go take Oscar the Grouch to his office, we can just meet up later somewhere?"

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[oT: Just a word of warning: This particular thread'll probably end up getting very naughty, indeed, in a mansex-y sort of way. Take that into consideration before reading it, n'chay?]

After leaving the peacoated boy to his errands, Muneca returned to his apartment in Magdalen Fields and, knowing better than to be late for such a thing, he quickly prepared himself for the party at which he'd be 'entertaining'. Of course, being an office party, it'd be more 'high class' with lots of businessmen and the like, but it wasn't really as if that'd make a lot of difference; they were still paying only to fuck him, to see if _they_ could be the ones to finally break him.

Snorting rather bitterly at this thought, he pulled his jacket around clothes that were tight enough so as to be entirely redundant and, his still damp hair, hanging free about his shoulders, he quickly walked over to the appointed building. Taking the elevator up to the proper floor, he noted each and every glance he earned, but each grew less and less important as the lights announced the floor.

Coming to the topmost level, he exited and, as soon as he set foot on carpeted ground, he could hear the sound of loudly played Christmas tunes, as well as the general sound of many men gathered together. Sighing a final time, he stepped through the double doors into the room proper and, nearly before he could get his bearings, he found arms around himself....hands tugging at his jacket, then his clothes, then his skin...

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and let them do as they would.

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Kein sighed and shook his head. Freakin' hopeless. "Forget it, Dar, go on." He snorted slightly; god help anyone trying to get between the guy and a potential date, huh? Besides which, he just wanted to get _away_ from all the people. Without any more of a goodbye than that, he turned and continued down the street. *Thank _God_.*

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Darran watched Kein go with a slightly guilty expression. It _was_ his job, and his friend... but c'mon, Kein could get to the office at least without trouble. It was only a few blocks. Then he realized with another twinge of guilt that others had arrived on the scene while he'd been so busy chatting up Para, so he turned to them with a smile. "Hey, sorry, don't think I caught your names. I'm Darran... and I apologize for Kein there. He's not much of a people person when he's got work on his mind."

He turned back to Para quickly, to ask, "Hey, while we're going, you want me to carry Cordero there? You know, it's a little bit of a walk..."

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Wolfgang, pleased at not being turned down, even if he was gay, turned to Darran with a shrug and suggested that they meet at the puppet stage. "...thats where I am meeting my, uh, _friend_...and besides, Im sure that your little brother would like to see the puppets." to Darran, "would that be ok? and we can go from there." Wolfgang looked to his mother for a glance of approval, and with a nod from her he glanced back at Darran and Para.

"Oh lawd," Gabby said alittle disturbed,"there go the boy's again," as she watched Robert and Frank run downt the road toward the festival throwing the ball back and forth. "Im going to stay close to the boy's...you stay here with your friends and i will meet up with you at the puppet show in an hour or so, alright?"

Wolfgang, who was always very protective of his mother, most of all when they are in a public place with lots of people, agreed reluctently and watched as his mother ran off down the street after his brothers and, once getting there, _trying_ to toss the ball with them.

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"Well, I--" Whatever Para was going to say to Darran's kind offer was soon rendered unimportant as the boy, himself, made the decision. With the clumsy grace of a child, Cordero stood up in the cradle of his sister's arms and, with a daring leap, he all too easily crawled into Darran's.

"It looks like that's a yes." She giggled lightly as she shook her head. "Still, tell me if he gets too heavy or too wriggly for you, okay?"

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Wolfgang giggled a bit to as he also dived in to catch little Cordero after his gymnastics debute. "easy there little fella,"

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"O-kay..." Darran muttered as he settled Cordero in his arms, stabilizing him with Wolfgang's help. "Thanks," he added to to Wolfgang, then grinned up at Cordy and let him lean against his shoulder. "All comfy up there, kiddo?"

He laughed a little at Para's comment, bouncing Cordy a little, just to keep him entertained, "Heavy? Kid's as light as..." well, actually, he wasn't all that light, but that was besides the point! "...a feather."

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"Nice catch there..." Para smiled to Wolfgang for the added help--and I just realized that she's appearing not only a bimbo but a _terrible_ big sister--as he reached to take Cordy's hand. Still, the boy seemed more than content as he tangled his fingers in Darran's hair and surveyed his surroundings from his new postion. Happy to see her brother so content, she offered another smile to both of the boys. "Thanks so much for you help."

"Well, actually, he isn't really..." She giggled, then, to Darran's brave comment as she shook her head and, narrowing her eyes, she grinned teasingly at the boy--flirt, flirt, FLIRT! "He can get pretty heavy after a while, but if you want to play the big strong manly type, don't let me stop you..."

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Tesu made his way back to the Guild without incident. Glancing around the area, he quickly checked to make sure that none of the watchdogs were out. Clean. Ducking into the alley behind the club, he made his way back up the fire escape, entering his room the way he'd left it only a couple of hours before.

Once back inside, he quickly removed the clothes he'd worn, shoving them to the back of his closet under a stack of storage boxes. Having removed, or at least hidden the traces of his unauthorized outing, Tesu left the closet and climbed back into bed. He'd be working until well after the Guild's "official" closing time, so he'd need all the rest he could get.

Several hours later, he sat before the mirror, applying the finishing touches to the makeup he usually wore to work when a knock sounded at his door. Without waiting for a response, the door opened and Ausar walked in as if he owned the room - which, of course, he did. With some trepidation, Tesu watched the older man's approach in the mirror, sure that somehow he'd found out about his unscheduled early morning activities. Much to his relief, however, his employer had come for another purpose entirely.

He listened quietly as Ausar explained that Tesu wouldn't be working at the club that evening, but would, instead be attending a party. He was also given a list of names, as well as certain questions he was to ask each of those names.

"Now I do not expect you to get to each of those men during the course of the evening," Ausar chuckled, stroking his fingers along the curve of Tesu's cheek. "That would be a bit much to ask even of you, my love... You are simply to get as much information as you can, from as many as you can - as time and opportunity admits."

Tesu nodded, relieved. It had been a rather long list. "Yes, Ausar... I'll do my best..."

"I know you will," the Egyptian replied, bending down to kiss the boy's cheek, "I would expect no less of you." Turning to the door, he beckoned imperiously and a moment later, two of the watchdogs entered the bedroom. "When you are ready, Finn and Jaspar will escort you."

"I'm ready.." Tesu replied, standing up.

The ride to the office building where the party was being held was short and silent. Neither he nor the watchdogs had much to say to each other, either in the car or during the elevator ride up - which seemed to take almost as long as the drive over. When they finally reached the correct floor, one of the watchdogs... Finn? pointed him in the direction of the office suite where the party was being given. After a moment's hesitation, he took a deep breath and pushed open the doors to enter the room.

He stood in the doorway for a moment, gazing over the assembled crowd of well-heeled businessmen, searching for one or more of the names on his list. Several of his regulars were in attendance and waved to him, but if they weren't on the list he simply gave them a smile or a half-promise and moved on. As he passed one group seated around a conference table, he felt hands at his waist, pulling him back.

"And what's my favorite dancer doing here tonight?"

Glancing over at the man detaining him, Tesu smiled brightly. James Robertson. Approximately 45 years of age. Sandy brown hair, gone slightly grey, blue eyes. CEO of one of New Eden's major import/export companies. One of the names on the list. Most useful mask: the Tease.

Allowing the older man to pull him onto his lap, Tesu looped his arms loosely around his neck. Wriggling a little on Robertson's lap, he leaned forward to murmur in the older man's ear, "Anything you say, Mr. Robertson..."

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"I hardly doubt you could know _this_ girl any better, Sam..." Kisoku commented, turning his head to press a bit of his pretty-in- pink lip gloss to the other's lips. "...it'd be fun to look, nevertheless."

He pulled away from the other, so that they were only bound together by a single hand each. "Na-chan is really going to punch you someday, and I won't be able to defend you. Most people have better sense than to antagonize the bears at the zoo...you just need to apply the same logic to her."

He held his free hand towards Sam. "No getting around this, Sam...besides, I'm feeling lucky today."

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[oT: Remember what I said about mansex? It all starts here...so...stop reading. Really. Stop. No further. Do you want me to tell on you?]

With a strangled gasp, Muneca drew away as much as the hand fisted in his hair allowed and, raising his eyes, he glanced expressionlessly to the man sitting over him. Holden Staith, by name, the man was one of the most succesful CEOs in the city and he could easily buy or sell many of the men in the room; still, to the Mexican, this wasn't how he saw the man. No, instead, it was simply another disgusting old man who held a particular fondness for being sucked off and usually liked to spill into Mune's hair; there was really nothing else he really needed nor cared to know. Realizing that the man was talking to him, though, he forced himself to listen.

"...I really don't know why you always have to be so difficult.." Holden sighed as he gave the hair in hand a rather sharp tug. Turning his head, he glanced to Robertson, a man he knew through various business dealings, and, with a slight shake of his head, he sighed. "You could do to be so nice."

Rolling his eyes, Muneca sighed to this mini-lecture and, turning his eyes to the other businessman, he stopped short. His hazel eyes widening, they registered the first emotion since he'd arrived-- suprise--as he glanced to the boy in the man's lap.

It couldn't be....but it looked....just like the boy from earlier...dove-grey eyes....dark hair...small crimson tattoo...but...but why would he be here....doing such a job? No, it couldn't be right. He was mistaken, probably....

"Hmph." Holden snorted a laugh to no one in particular as he tugged rather painfully at the trapped bit of plum-colored hair. "How funny. A whore lusting after another whore..."

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