[PRP] He Also Paid Prostitutes [Quinn/Vale]

[Kappawolf]

"Look at this." Quinn dumped his tips out in front of Vale. There were ten scraps of paper included in the pile. "You see these?" He held up one of the scraps. Numbers were scribbled on them in pen.

"Phone numbers. I got ten phone numbers and I didn't even do anything." He threw them all in the trash can. "They know where to find me." Giggling happily, he pushed all the tips back into his apron and took it off, carrying it over to the safe behind the counter to put the money there.

"I could have a date every day for the rest of my life thanks to this place." He grinned and hopped over the counter instead of walking around it, grabbing onto Vale's vest and pulling himself forward to kiss him.

"Tips actually kind of sucked in general, though. But I was surprised at the turnout! The ad campaign must have worked."

Ah, yes. The ad campaign. Paying thirty strippers to wear thongs with Godsend on them?

Genius.

He used the money Vale alloted him for marketing to do this, and didn't really tell him about it. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Basically, this is the best day of my life. You're amazing."  

[Scroll]

Originally, Vale had hoped that he could get away with hiding in the upstairs, managing the business affairs, while Quinn handled the downstairs. Those hopes were promptly dashed opening night - he'd been corralled into taking orders, cleaning tables, and breaking down into flustered fits at every flirtation and innuendo that didn't go over his head.

But it was over. They were closing up shop now that the early morning was done with. The hours, strangely, seemed to work for the both of them - managing from sun-down to the pre-work caffeine rush had netted them no insignificant amount of customers throughout the night, although there'd been a definite lull between 3 and 5 am.

"Hn," he grumbled, tired but ultimately pleased, returning the kiss chastely and dropping the broken-in rag he'd been cleaning the bar with onto the counter top. "It v'as surprisingly successful."

He'd half expected everything to go up in flames. But Quinn had pulled through.

"You did a good job, too," he complimented back with a shadow of bashfulness. "This may actually v'ork," he added, with somewhat more awe.  

[Kappawolf]

Quinn looked smug. "Of course it will. It already has." He hadn't poisoned any drinks that night. He needed to ease into it, and Vale was much too active. He'd need to find a way around Vale's watchful eye before he could actually poison the drinks. Pre-mix them? No...he'd worry about it later. He had more serious things to attend to.

He slipped behind Vale and started massaging his shoulders, in an obvious ploy to get his affection.

"Also, we have a problem." He paused in massaging for a moment to rest his chin on Vale's shoulder. "About that Grapes Extravaganza place across the street or whatever. Their chef, Connor, threatened me. I didn't want to upset you on opening night, but...he told me that if we didn't think again about opening up shop, he'd 'call in some favors'. What if he knows the blacksuits, or like, special police real people have for gene-modders?"

Quinn went back to massaging, and sighed. "I guess it's probably not a big deal, but I'm just a little scared. He sounded really serious. And he was so rude to me! I went in there to say hello and to get out of the rain and he was super cold to me. And then he threatened me."

"But it's probably no big deal, I mean, maybe he was just joking."  

[Scroll]

His elbows thudded lightly against the counter-top, body sinking forward in a just-as-obvious ploy to communicate to Quinn do not stop I am loving this. He'd done his fair share of strenuous work during construction, but the stress of opening had taken its toll on him.

"A problem?" he hummed under his breath, ears cocking back leisurely to show he was listening. His brow slowly furrowed at the information, a frown stealing across his lips. His tail twitched. All tell-tale signs that Valeriu had entered his problem-solver mode.

"He really said that?" It sounded surprising. Maybe it had been taken out of context, but Quinn seemed genuinely troubled.

"I'll talk to him," he decided, twisting his upper body to give Quinn a reassuring pat on the head, momentarily mourning how short Quinn had cut his hair.

"Just stay off that side of the street for now, da?"

Because usually Quinn went looking for trouble.  

[Kappawolf]

"Okay." He smiled and continued massaging Vale in silence, but eventually stopped and wrapped his arms around the catboy's waist, pulling him close.

"You're the best, you know that? The best. Thank you so much for making this dream a reality." He nuzzled his nose against the other's neck, and laughed a little.

"The other guy who works there was really nice, though, so leave him alone. His name was Tully." He wrapped his mouth around the word like it was a candy, tasting it on his tongue. Tully. "Don't hurt him, if it comes to hurting. But you can eat the other's heart or whatever all you want, he was a b***h." Quinn nodded firmly.

This is where you are in life, now? Actively condoning the eating of hearts for your own personal gain?
Look. My boyfriend is a carnivore. I need to point him in the right direction so he doesn't eat--
Tully?
I was going to say someone important, but yes. Tully.
Sickening.

"That was weird," he mumbled as he broke away from Vale, "Quetzalcoatl just talked to me for the first time in months. Have you heard from Tezcatlipoca at all, recently?"  

[Scroll]

Vale took the time to bask in the compliments and affection, a warm rumbling of content pouring from his throat.

"I am," he acknowledged, modestly, fingers rubbing against Quinn's feathers indulgently. "Yes, yes, I am the best. You are very v'elcome." The elation of success and congratulations was enough, for the moment, to distract him from the ever-present weight hanging off his heart. The one that reminded him of everything he'd lost, and told him, in no uncertain terms, should he even be in this city - that he'd sworn to stay away from here. So much for that.

"I v'on't hurt anybody," he chided, brushing at Quinn's hair. "Not v'ithout good reason."

Although, goddamn was he hungry.

"Besides, it v'ould be very suspicious if our street-side competition v'ere to mysteriously disappear."

So, so, so hungry.

"Hm?" His ear flicked, eyes dropping down from a point above Quinn's head to blink at the other. "Yes, I have. He still talks to me, though not as often." He hesitated. "He sounds different."

Different than he did at the beginning. Maybe it was just Vale's growth giving him perspective, but the god had once terrified him with his words, his presence, his personality. He seemed strong, stronger than anything.

I still am, said god asserted with a drawl. You have just become too stupid to have the sense to be afraid of me anymore.

Right.

"Definitely different," he confirmed, ignoring the affront he could feel rolling in through his mind. "And he goes on very long, strange rants, and he makes me put on classic rock all the time so he can listen to it."

No appreciation for the culture I bring to your life?  

[Kappawolf]

"I guess that's true," he sighed. "We would be suspects immediately. Okay, so don't eat his heart. Just...rough him up. Or something. Scare him. You don't even need to talk to him, just sneak up behind him sometime and claw him and then disappear into the shadows." Vale was pretty much a ninja, to him.

"Make him think he's being watched all the time. He'll drive himself crazy." Quinn realized how insane he was sounding, and cleared his throat.

"Weird. Quetzalcoatl sounds different, too. But he's mostly just sad-sounding." He laughed. "Classic rock? Ew! Is Tezcatlipoca going through his rebellious teenager phase as a God? Guess it takes a few Millenia to get to be a teenager."  

[Scroll]

"I am not going to 'rough him up,'" he countered, patiently, because obviously these things took a little while for Quinn to digest. "In the business v'orld, my blond, idiot friend, you talk."

Poor, stupid Quinn. It looked like something had simply addled his tiny bird-snake brain in life.

Maybe too much huffing of the paint fumes, he theorized, unaware that he'd totally said that aloud.

"I v'ould be sad, too. V'hat life is it, really, for them? It must be like being stuck in an empty room, and only able to see the v'orld outside through a tiny v'indow." Some tinier than others. "Sometimes they visit each other, yes, but I think it only reminds them all the more that they are in an empty room."

Fatigue and hunger appear to make you strangely observant, Tezcatlipoca drawled from his corner in Valeriu's mind.

More like being cajoled into indulging in your every sensual v'him has enlightened me.

The god could do more than simply see and hear through him; he could taste what Valeriu tasted, smell what he smelled, feel what he touched. For the most part, Valeriu didn't mind listening to the god's requests - he refused to take sensual into sensual though.

There'd be only one girl for him, and she was lying dead in the ruins of his home.

"Ah." He shook his head, realizing he'd unwittingly drifted off from the conversation. "Yes, yes, much like a rebellious teenager indeed. Quetzalcoatl might be going through the, hum, v'hat do they call it? Ah, yes, the emo phase of teenagerhood. I v'ould keep the razors av'ay from him if I v'ere you," he warned.  

[Kappawolf]

"Why not?" He whined. "You're the worst monster ever," he admonished, but giggled and hugged him again, "Even if you are an amazing manager." Quinn dramatically fainted along the counter, back of his hand to forehead.

"Oh, woe is me," he intoned, "I have no more energy to walk anymore! If only some handsome manager would come carry me off to bed and have his way with me! Only then could I possibly be truly satisfied with such a fabulous night!" He made a small noise of mock-distress, and opened one eye to peek at Vale.

"If only!"  

[Scroll]

Valeriu's poker face lasted for all of two seconds before he broke into a fit of snorting laughter he failed to smother behind his hand, shaking his head in exasperation.

"If only," he echoed, agreeably, crossing his arms and looking at Quinn, but making no move to pick him up. Instead, seemingly satisfied with the moment, he picked up his jacket, slipped it on over the too-short vest, snugly zipped it up, and pulled out his keychain, twirling the circlet around his finger casually.

The entrance door opened. The entrance door closed. Outside, visible through the glass, he cheerfully bumbled his keys around until he found the right one, and the lock snicked shut.

Valeriu ambled down the dawn-lit sidewalk, humming to himself, and called it a good day.