Private Dancer
by Hiriko Saunders

Crawford stood in front of Reiji Takatori's desk barely able to control the urge to slap the older Japanese man.
"I do not need a 'night out' as you so eloquently put it."

"Trust me, even you need a break from business. The pleasure is on me tonight." Takatori said as he threw a card towards Crawford, who caught it between deft fingers and turned it over..."The Garden."

"What's this?"

"Oh, a place of mine. For a pretty penny the authorities keep their noses out of it."

WELL THE MEN COME IN THESE PLACES
AND THE MEN ARE ALL THE SAME
YOU DON'T LOOK AT THEIR FACES
AND YOU DON'T ASK THEIR NAMES
YOU DON'T THINK OF THEM AS HUMAN
YOU DON'T THINK OF THEM AT ALL
YOU KEEP YOUR MIND ON THE MONEY
KEEPING YOUR EYES ON THE WALL.

(CHORUS)

I'M YOUR PRIVATE DANCER
A DANCER FOR MONEY
I'LL DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO
I'M YOUR PRIVATE DANCER
A DANCER FOR MONEY
AND ANY OLD MUSIC WILL DO

The dancer, known as "Orchid", checked his face in the mirror as he pulled his long deep red hair back with a single black ribbon. The silk shirt he wore over the black lace top was the same deep purple as his eyes. The black leather pants and the single earring completed his look.

"Hey, get you butt in gear. Looks like we have a big crowd tonight." His manager smirked and then walked behind him, roughly pulling his hair, forcing him to look up at him. "I suggest you shake your ass and make money." He let go of the hair with a look of disgust. "If you don't keep their interest, you know the price, bishounen." The sound of the slamming door rang in his ears. His boss would ever do anything to jeopardize his "merchandise" but he could come up with some creative ways to make his point, ways that didn't show anywhere but left their mark nonetheless.
Crawford had been nursing the same gin and tonic for an hour and a half. He wasn't even sure why he had decided to come except that perhaps it would convince Takatori that he was totally on the side of the politician, that way if he needed to get rid of him Takatori would not expect anything.

The American very rarely gave into any emotion, fearing that it would make him appear weak, but he had to admit that he was curious. The "show" was due to start in only a few minutes and he found himself almost trapped in his seat as if waiting for some wheel of fate to turn. For someone with the ability of precognition waiting wasn't usually essential, and being uncertain of what he was waiting for was a bit disconcerting. His powers were not his to call most of the time so he simply waited wondering what was coming for him.

Orchid waited for the lights to go down. Because he was surrounded by light he couldn't see how many men were out in the darkness watching him in the club. He didn't mind the dancing, or even the hungry stares. He could even stomach the possessive touches, but he hated giving himself to these men. Men whose names he never asked, and really didn't want to know. Men who would probably return to their happy families and forget the whore that they so casually used and then tossed away.

It was the same every night. He would dance. One of the patrons would "summon" him. Then he would be expected to let them do whatever they wanted to his body, take the money and give the majority of it to his boss, then in the morning it would start all over again. A vicious cycle, that seemed to be his destiny, a never-ending dance whose moves were so easy, but which demanded a high price of the soul.

Crawford watched, afraid for the first time in his life, because the young man dancing on the stage seemed to break through his emotionless exterior and give free reign to that part of him that felt passion. For the first time in his very rigidly controlled life, he found himself wanting and willing to pay any price to possess.


Orchid was waiting in the dressing room again. He wanted to smash the mirror that reflected his made-up face. Don't worry, Aya, he thought trying to calm himself. I'll do this as long as I have to, until you wake up. I don't matter as long as you are safe and happy.

The buzzer rang. The system was the brainchild of his boss. It made sure that the boss was never really involved in the process so that if something went wrong he could always say that his employees had done this on their own and they would be the only ones to pay the price.
Orchid sighed as he glanced at this reflection. Each day it seemed his eyes got a little colder.

"You sent for me." His dark eyes glanced up at the young man who had just entered the room. He had only been sitting only a few minutes in the near silent room. He found that words eluded him as he tried to think of something to say to deal with the uncertainty.

"Please sit down." The young man remained standing, as if he was impatiently waiting for something.

"Do you want to go somewhere more private?" His voice sounded breathlessly seductive to Crawford.

Crawford almost forgot to breathe as he stared at the beautiful young man. "I have a hotel room...we can go there."

Since there wasn't much else to say the ride was swallowed in silence. They entered the hotel without any words either.

Orchid watched with disinterest as the man opened the door to his room; though he had to admit that this place was probably the most posh that he had ever been to, and that was saying quite a lot. His naturally red hair and violet eyes made him a very expensive purchase.

Crawford watched frozen in place as the young man sat down on the bed, his eyes hooded as he held out a hand to the American. Crawford's body seemed to move of its own volition towards the beckoning hand.

Orchid removed the rigid looking glasses laying them on the nightstand.

"I'm yours... What do you want?"

Crawford's throat was dry. Damn you, he thought to himself. I will not let you make me loose my control. He grabbed Orchid's arms roughly pushing him onto the bed. After a few moments, he felt more like himself. The contrast of red hair against the sterile, clean white of the pillow threatened to snap the thread of his hard won control. He slowly lowered his lips to the full ones that seemed made for kissing. Just as his lips were a breath away, Orchid put his finger to the other man's lips to stop him.

"My rule, no kissing. Anything else is fair game."

Crawford wasn't sure how to react, so he simply nodded. Orchid started undoing his button-down shirt, pushing it off his shoulders. Crawford shrugged out of it, and then began to trace his lips down the other man's neck.

"Here..." Orchid pushed him off and began to remove his own clothes, laying back down, looking up at Crawford with an expectant and seductive grin playing on the edges of his mouth.

Dark eyes followed as he trailed his hands down the lithe body underneath him, simply for once allowing himself to relish the silky texture of his skin.

Orchid simply stared up at the ceiling letting the other man touch him, not really letting these motions touch him. He let his mind drift away leaving his body to the other's ministrations.

Crawford licked each nipple letting the moans coming from the man under him guide his movements. He hadn't ever denied himself pleasure, but often he had trouble really letting go of his emotions and control. His father had harped since he could remember about how important it was for a man to be contained and never let something like emotion cloud logic. Emotion was for women, not for the son of a respected Army captain. So he had learned his lessons well and kept his emotions so deep inside that sometimes he forgot he even had them. Sports, such as boxing, had been the only way that his father had approved of to vent his emotions, and even then, he was expected to set his emotions aside and care only about the defeat of his opponent. Now as he drank in the beauty underneath him he knew that at least in this moment of time that he was no longer in control; but the one under was somehow leading him into some unknown territory, and this submission, though he wouldn't admit it, frightened him.

Orchid couldn't help the way his body responded, and he hated that. Luckily, very few of the men even cared and he could allow his mind and body to separate. Sometimes, though, the man felt that he was doing Orchid a favor in pulling these responses from his body. He hated these men because they, more than the others, made him realize that he had no control, no power over himself once they decided to put down the money for his body. He preferred to be detached, not to let himself become involved in the act.

Crawford had worked his way down the young man's body hesitant when he got to the juncture between the young man's thighs. Somehow, it mattered to him whether or not Orchid wanted to be here, or if it was just about the money. He had made it a habit not to care about other people's feelings, but this time he couldn't just ignore, and dismiss, the other person.

"Orchid?" The purple eyes looked up at him with what could only be considered amusement, and deep down in the depths, passion. Orchid noticed that even though there seemed to be no accent in the other man's Japanese that the way he said 'Orchid' revealed that Japanese might not be his native language.

Crawford wanted to say something, but then the room began to dim. Dammit, not now, he thought, but the vision held him in its power. He could clearly see Orchid sitting in a dimly lit room. The room had a feel of sterility around it like it might be a hospital room. He was talking softly to the person in the bed. Crawford shook it off trying to make up some reason for his 'zoning out'. He ran a hand through his black hair and then walked over to where a chilled bottle of champagne was waiting.

Orchid was leaning on one arm watching the other man with interest. The other man was not acting like any of his previous 'encounters', and this made things very interesting. He had to stop himself right there. They don't matter, he told himself for what seemed like the fifty-millionth time. He couldn't afford to let himself think anything about these men. It would only make the reality of his situation all the more cruel, because none of them would ever worry about his after everything was said and done.

Crawford wasn't sure what he should say, or do, at this point. He could do whatever he wanted to this young man and it would be okay, because he was paying for this time. Why was this person so different from all of the others who he had, without remorse, killed or tortured at the request of the Estet? He's dangerous, he thought as his dark eyes narrowed, so I should just get rid of him. I could pay off his boss; he doesn't seem the kind who would turn down lots of money to keep his hands clean. The only other person that Crawford knew of that would miss Orchid would be the person in the hospital bed. He could easily send Schulderich after that one. No, he wasn't sure why, but he knew that he couldn't do that.

"Get out of here, now. And if you know what's good for you don't ever come back." Crawford threw a wad of bills towards him. "Here's your money."

Orchid picked up the money and attempted to see the man's face, but it was hidden in the shadows. Best not to ask, best never to ask he thought to himself as he ran out the door.

I WANT TO MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS
I WANT TO LIVE OUT BY THE SEA
HAVE A HUSBAND AND SOME CHILDREN
YEAH I GUESS I WANT A FAMILY
ALL THE MEN COME IN THESE PLACES
AND THE MEN ARE ALL THE SAME
YOU DON'T LOOK AT THEIR FACES
AND YOU DON'T ASK THEIR NAMES

"Hello, Aya. I brought some flowers to brighten up the room." He placed the flowers on the windowsill and opened up the blinds. "It's such a pretty day today." He had the night off and so he came here. The nurses would overlook it if he ending up falling asleep, as he often did.

"I brought a book to read to you, I thought that would pass the time. It's you're favorite, fairy tales." He opened the book and began to read. He found himself going back in time to when he and his sister had been talking about what they wanted from the future. In fact, it was just a few nights before her accident. She had simply said that she wanted to live by the sea and that she wanted a big family so that she could bring them to see him and keep him from getting too serious. She could well imagine him running around trying to catch a child because he couldn't refuse their request to play hide and seek. He forced his mind back to the present and whispered, "I hope that you have that big family and I promise to be a good uncle."


Crawford had decided that he would not go back to the 'Garden' ever again. Yet, he found himself picking up the card and heading out of the door only a few nights after the incident at the hotel.

"Oh valiant leader, where might you be going...no wait, let me guess, hot date?"

"Very funny, Schuldich. Just some business."

"Oh, really then who's Orchid?"

"No one that you need to be concerned with."

"Tsk. Tsk. You could at least tell me if he's good. I might want to try him." Suddenly Schulderich seemed to get something out of Crawford's mind.

 

"Oh, on second thought tell him 'Hi' for me. Oh and ask him how his sister's doing."

The German snickered as if at a private joke.

Crawford looked back at Schulderich not letting his annoyance show on his face as he slammed the door.

"I don't think I envy Ran..." Schuldich whispered to the silent room. "But this I've got to see." He said as he called to Nagi that he was going out.

(CHORUS TWICE)

Crawford sipped on his drink as he watched the stage. He had paid quite a bit of money to ensure that he would be given the key to Orchid's dressing room. He would get this out of his system once and for all. He would do whatever it took to get past this obsession.

DEUTSCHMARKS OR DOLLARS
AMERICAN EXPRESS WILL DO NICELY - THANK YOU
LET ME LOOSEN UP YOUR COLLAR
TELL ME DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE SHIMMY AGAIN

Crawford made his way back to the dressing rooms wielding the key like it was some holy item. He could see light coming from Orchid's slightly open door, and he could hear Orchid attempting to say something, and then he could only hear mumbling. He broke out in a run and got to the door just in time to see Schulderich holding Orchid against the wall kissing him and Orchid trying to get out of his grip.

"Schuldich!" The German turned a smirk on his leader.

"What? So averse to sharing now are we? I paid, so he's mine, you'll just have to wait in line..." The German turned back to a flushed Orchid.
"Get away from him!"

"And if I don't?" Schuldich didn't see the punch coming and fell to the floor. Crawford didn't give Orchid a chance to protest as he dragged him out of the room.

It was a few hours later and Crawford had called Orchid's boss and quit for him, offering more than enough money to ensure that his boss wouldn't do anything stupid. Orchid was waiting for him in his room, not daring to come out when he had heard Schuldich come home, whose face was now marred by a blackening bruise.

"Asshole." He muttered as he passed the American.

"He's mine." And when he said it, Crawford knew he meant it.

(CHORUS)

Orchid waited on the bed, for the first time uncertain. He knew his boss would be gunning for him and he wasn't sure that the German wouldn't try something. He watched the line of light coming from the bottom of the door. What was he going to say to the man when he came through the door? He didn't even know the guy's name. All he knew for sure was that if he didn't get back to the club he would be in some deep shit.

He decided that no matter what he needed to leave, so he made for the door. It opened just as he put his hand on the handle and he looked up to see Crawford staring at him with the same look that men gave him when he danced.

"You don't need to leave. I called your boss."

"What?"

"He was willing to let go of you, for the right amount of money."

Orchid didn't know what to do as he stared at the man in front of him.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Orchid asked as he backed away from the American.

"You'll stay here, and I'll also make sure that the person in the hospital is cared for."

"How did you know about her?" He gasped backing away until he ran into the bed.

"I have my methods. We'll go tomorrow to get you some clothes and your room will be the one adjacent to mine."

"Do I have a choice?" Orchid asked, almost out of breath as the older man stalked towards him.

"Not really."

Crawford claimed his lips in a hot kiss as he pushed him down onto the bed. The American felt Orchid try to pull away, more than likely to remind the man over him of his rule, he smiled when he felt the younger man surrender to the kiss. Dark eyes looked almost sadly down. "Too many clothes." He muttered as he made short work of removing both of their shirts. There was a distant expectant look in the man's eyes beneath him and he claimed his lips once again. He kissed his way down Orchid's chest as he unzipped slowly unzipped the leather pants, finding no underwear to make lines against the fabric. His smile was soon hidden as he took the other into his mouth.

Orchid bit his lip to keep any sound from escaping. This night had been probably the most strange of his whole life. Then as the sensations slowly began to run like molten heat through his whole body, he lost the ability to think all together and just surrendered to the heat.

Crawford eased the younger man out of the pants and then got up to remove his own. He pulled a white tube out of his pants pocket. He had bought it on the way to the club that night. He coated a finger liberally and then took Orchid back into his mouth again. When he knew Orchid was once again lost, he inserted the finger into him drinking in the small helpless sounds that drifted to his ears. He knew he only had so much patience as he quickly prepared Orchid. When he thought he was prepared enough he urged the other's hips up and with a quick thrust found himself surrounded in a tight heat. He took only a moment to let the other accept him and then began a slow study thrust.

Orchid gasped as Crawford moved within him hitting just the right spot over and over again. The thrusts sped up slowly as the other reached down and took a nipple into his mouth, and then reached between them to take Orchid into his hand pumping in time to his thrusts. Suddenly, Crawford's control seemed to snap and he was pumping a little roughly and his thrusts were no longer restrained, but were pushing Orchid against the headboard until he snaked his hands around the poles and gave himself up the intense rhythm. It was only a few moments later that Crawford spilled himself into the smaller man and then kept only enough presence of mind to make sure that the man under him came before he collapsed.
Both of them slowly brought their breathing under control. Orchid felt himself slipping into sleep, but before he did he asked, "What's your name?"
"Crawford. Brad Crawford." The voice followed him into darkness.

TO BE CONTINUED...
in "What's Love Got to Do With it?"

AN: Thanks I hope you enjoy and please send me any comments and critiques. Any flames will be ignored. Wishes that she posted differently so that her sig would show...

Back