Chapter Text
Crow hummed along with the music blaring throughout the club, the heavy beat of the base reverberating up his spine, hands steady as he applied a bold line of eyeliner around his eyes. The bracelets around his wrists and ankles jangled as he moved, adding to the noise already deafening him to the outside world.
Once he slicked a final layer of red gloss upon his lips, he rose from his dressing table to make his way towards his satchel, the intel he’d been gathering for the last several weeks stored within a storage device. With careful fingers, he tucked the device within his costume, making sure it was secure and would not fall out during his performance.
If all had gone to plan, Rean should be out there in the audience tonight. Crow hadn’t been able to send a message to the other man; all his communications being monitored by the club.
Paranoid assholes. But with good reason, considering the things he had uncovered during his time there.
Rean had wanted to be the one to infiltrate the group, not wanting Crow to put himself at risk, especially considering the silver-haired man didn’t work for the Bracers in any official capacity, but Crow hadn’t been the only one to veto that suggestion. Although Toval had been a bit more tactful in his disagreement, Crow had simply burst into laughter.
“Rean...” he’d been wiping tears of mirth from his eyes as he addressed his naive partner. “You do understand what this infiltration involves don’t you? You realise that you’ll have to be up on that stage every night, dancing, men and women watching your every move, to say nothing of the outfits you’ll need to wear.”
“I-” Rean hesitated, his conflict clear on his face. It was obvious to Crow that Rean hadn’t thought this through at all.
“You’re too conscious of what people might think of you to be able to sell the act convincingly.”
“What, and you’ll be able to do any better?”
“I convinced you I was a normal student for nearly a year.” Crow gloated, watching as both Rean and Toval winced at the reminder.
“What? Still too soon? He teased, before turning serious again. “I have a far better chance of succeeding in this instance, and you know it.”
Rean hadn’t been happy about it, but Toval had backed Crow when he’d turned to him for help dissuading the other man. He’d been even less happy when he’d discovered that Crow would be out of contact the entire time, the scant intel they already had letting them know all communications of employees was heavily monitored.
It had taken Crow nearly two months to gain the clubs attention, and several more before he’d gained enough trust to be given a looser leash. Becoming their headlining act had helped put him into their good graces, his bosses beginning to demand his attention when he wasn’t performing on stage. As distasteful as it was playing up to slime balls like them, it gave Crow the opportunity to gather the information that he needed.
With one last look at himself in the mirror, Crow slipped his feet into the two-inch heels he’d wear for the performance, wincing at the uncomfortable pinch. Aidios he was glad he’d managed to talk them down from the six-inch monstrosities they had originally provided him. Crow wasn’t sure how the girls did it, but just looking at them made his ankles ache. How could they walk in those death traps, let alone dance in them?
The music was even louder as Crow exited the backrooms, a sly smirk stretched across his painted lips, drawing attention from more than one patron on his way towards the bar, nodding at the bartender in thanks as his usual was slid into his waiting hand.
Leaning against the slightly sticky wooden surface, drink raised to hide his roving gave, Crow felt a hint of relief fill him at the sight of Rean’s familiar figure, lounging at one of the tables in front of the stage. Instead of the usual laced up look that Rean tended to favour, Rean was dressed in tight black slacks (were they leather? Crow felt his mouth begin to water), the first several buttons of his shirt left undone, revealing the scarred skin usually hidden beneath. Not that that seemed to detract from his looks any, not if the admiring stares he was attracting was any indication.
From the almost lazy sprawl, and half smile tugging at the corner of his lips, to the way his eyes slid closed as he savoured each sip of his drink. Crow could almost imagine that Rean fit in here. Crow could spy at least two of their targets at the same table as the other man, the red head laughing, leaning in close, his eyes sparking with mirth as the pair broke into laughter.
Huh, maybe he hadn’t given Rean’s acting skills enough credit. He had done a few infiltrations while under the command of Osborne and Rufus after all.
Still, it was too late to have second thoughts now. Besides, Crow still didn’t think Rean would have been cut out for this type of mission, no matter how much experience he had with infiltrations.
Throwing back the last dregs of his drink, Crow made his way towards the backstage area, twisting and shimming his way between patrons, sending teasing smiles and flirty winks as he avoided any grasping hands.
The spotlights turned off just as he hit the curtain, Crow slinking out to his starting place, striking a pose as the music faded out. He closed his eyes just a millisecond before the spotlight came back on, the bass of the song he was performing to vibrating through the floor and straight to his core.
Showtime.
Flashing a dazzling smile towards his bosses, Crow began to move as the music played, hips swaying with each movement, hands running through his hair, trailing down his neck and down his sides, hands tapping against his hips in rhythm to the beat of the music.
Throughout the entire performance, Crow kept his eye on Rean, smirking inwardly as he watched how those lilac eyes trailed over his body, Rean’s adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed heavily, hiding the motion by taking another sip from his drink.
With a playful wink towards his admirers, Crow began dancing closer to the edge of the stage, resisting the urge to roll his eyes as people reached out to tuck handfuls of mira into his costume, swatting away other hands that were a little too eager and bold, waggling his finger at them teasingly to scold them. Bosses' rules.
No one touched the merchandise; not without paying first.
The song was coming to a close, so Crow finally made his move, strutting towards his target, crimson eyes locked with lilac, gloss lips parted slightly, hips swaying mesmerizingly. He could feel the heat of Rean’s gaze, a shiver of want trailing down his spine.
Crow was playing with fire, and he was all too willing to get burnt.
As the final notes of the song played, Crow leaned down, reaching out to trail down the exposed skin of Rean’s chest teasingly, before grabbing the silky material of his shirt to pull him forwards. He swallowed Rean’s gasp of surprise as their lips met lightly, Crow nipping at Rean’s bottom lip teasingly, tongue darting out to chase the taste of the whiskey Rean had been drinking earlier.
One hand slid into Rean’s pocket, depositing the intel he’d come to collect, but that action was almost an afterthought.
It had been too long since Crow had been able to sink into Rean like this, to taste, savor and devour the other man. A pointed cough pulled Crow from the spiral of want he was rapidly falling into, his hazed eyes drifting over to land on his boss, who pointedly gestured that the music had ended, and Crow needed to get off the stage to make way for the next performer before the patrons became annoyed.
Not that they seemed to mind the extra show they were getting; not if the cheers and whistles that filled the air were any indication. Or the copious amounts of mira being thrown at the stage.
Perhaps they thought if they paid enough, they would recieve the same treatment.
“Perhaps, we could offer you a.... more private encounter with our star performer.” the redhead suggested, eyes glittering with lust. “He seems to have taken quite a liking to you. We can discuss business afterwards.”
Well, that hadn’t been the plan, but Crow could definitely work with that.
“I look forward to seeing you again soon.” he purred, trailing his hand along Rean’s thigh as he retreated, swaying his hips a little more than normal as he turned to exit the stage, feeling lilac eyes scorching a trail down his body as he walked.
Crow had barely had the chance to sprawl himself over one of the lounges in the private room before the door crashed open, Rean storming inside, slamming and locking the door behind him.
Playful crimson met burning lilac, as Crow leaned back with a smirk.
“Hey.” Rean’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “Did you get the intel?”
“Shut up.” Rean grit out, stalking forwards slowly. “You know I did.”
Crow leered, remembering the way Rean had tensed beneath him, his hand trailing over his lap as he’d withdrawn his hand. But before he could even think of opening his mouth and teasing the younger male, Rean moved and suddenly Crow had his lap full of the other.
Aidios.
Angry and desperate; Rean looked hot.
Sword calloused hands rose to frame his face, Rean leaning in close enough that his next whispered words could be felt against his lips.
“Now, lie back and let me thank you properly.”
Oh yeah, Crow thought as Rean’s warm lips captured his own in a fierce kiss, he could definitely work with this.