Love from Venus: Arc 1, Part 5
Title: Love from Venus
Part: ARC 1, Part 5
Author: Aquarius Galuxy
Fandom: Power Stone
Pairing: Rouge/Ryoma
Genre: Romance/Erotica/Friendship/AU
Rating: varies from PG to NC-17
Word count: 3,784
Summary: Sales representative Ryoma Iwakura's life careens off course when a business deal brings him to a hostess bar, and into the company of hostess and strip club dancer Rouge. A spark of attraction ignites between them, one Ryoma tries to deny. Despite his reservations, he embarks on a scandalous friendship with Rouge that questions his plans for the future.
Author's Notes: I'm seriously hoping that I can finish this before school starts. @_@ As it stands, I've got 19 scenes out of 42 done. Which is rather pathetic. Prompts are from 10_prompts.
#16 (3:3 Simple things)
Rouge pushed the apartment door open with a wince. Spending the night at Ryoma's place had been something akin to a dream; she hadn't her own residence and its issues to be concerned about during that fleeting respite. Now that she was home, however, the stress of affording the place had settled back onto her shoulders like a shadow.
Not to mention that she was coming down with a cold from the night before.
With a gulp that hurt her throat, Rouge entered her rented unit, looking around for her roommate, Mindhi. She hadn't informed the girl of her change of plan, and Mindhi was bound to have a question or two. The soft click of the door was enough to draw her roommate out of the kitchen.
Like Rouge, Mindhi hailed from Fireland instead of Sunland. Straight, jet-black hair framed her face; her skin was a shade darker than the dancer's. Thick-framed glasses staved off unwanted attention that her large eyes and fine features earned her on the streets. A Biology student at the nearby college, Mindhi had got to know Rouge by chance, striking a fast friendship that led to her moving in with Rouge when the latter's previous roommate bailed out on her.
"You're back," she said mildly, nursing a mug of tea.
Rouge couldn't help but grin at her. "Late night?"
"Yeah." Mindhi crinkled her nose. "My Cell Bio. exam is on Saturday. Can you believe it? Everyone's begging the prof. to reschedule it to Monday, and he tells us that we shouldn't be concerned about that in the pursuit of education."
"I work Saturdays. And Sundays." Rouge snorted, then sneezed. She brushed it off, heading towards her own room to deposit her satchel. The rain had soaked through most of it. She cursed at having to replace her ruined belongings. "I get one and a half days off a week and you don't see me whining."
Mindhi chuckled behind her cup. "I guess you've got a point. Where did you go last night? You left your brolly on the coffee table and it was pouring."
"Trust me to forget it on the one night I left work early." Rouge rolled her eyes, setting her bag down and fishing a change of clothes out of her closet. "A client invited me back to his place."
"I thought you didn't do clients." Her roommate raised her eyebrows, leaning against the doorframe.
Rouge remembered dark eyes and hungry lips, unable to suppress a tiny smile. "He isn't exactly a client. He was one, but right now all he is, is a friend."
"One you fancy," Mindhi observed.
"We exchanged phone numbers." Rouge set her clothes aside and emptied her bag to assess the rain damage, grimacing when she glimpsed her cosmetics pouch.
"Don't bring him back this week if he's a loud one. I need to study." Mindhi laughed, then made a face as she caught sight of Rouge's possessions spread out on the floor. "Ouch. That's going to be costly."
"You can say that again." Rouge picked the wettest items out and laid them to air, estimating the amount she'd need to replace them. Considering the rent, when she actually got them substituted would be something else entirely. It was suffocating to be this short on cash. "Ryoma makes a fair amount of noise, so I guess he wouldn't be spending much time here at all," she added absently.
"You know, it'll be great if we could get a third person to share this place with us," Mindhi fantasized, taking a long sip of tea. "We could split the cost further."
A whiff of budding despair escaped Rouge when she sighed. Her friendship with Ryoma was the only thing that was going right. (She hoped it was going right.) Everything else was screwing up one way or another, from her health, to the rent, and the increase in her future expenses. Her two jobs could barely cover her share of the rental fee -- if she stayed well enough to work, that was. It unnerved her to think just how much trouble could snowball from such simple things.
"We don't have a third bed to house someone else," she told Mindhi with a tired smile. "We'll make it work somehow."
"And I promise I'll return that rent money to you soon." The girl raised her mug, turning away from the door. "Gotta get ready for class. Sleep more, Rouge. You've got eye bags."
"Will do. See you later!" Rouge sat heavily on the floor and stared at the contents of her bag blankly for a lengthy moment, before a sneeze drew her focus back to the present. With another sigh, she gathered her clothes for her shower, hoping to escape her troubles in sleep soon after.
---
#17 (9:6 Double)
"Rouge! You'll never guess who was here last night!" Ayame practically leapt at the chocolate-haired hostess, her inky eyes sparkling even before the latter had set her replacement bag on a stool. Cassie hushed her from the other side of their dancer friend.
"Who?" Rouge smoothed her dress down, rummaging in her worn satchel for the spare makeup set she'd borrowed from Mindhi. She'd have to source for some eyeshadow from either Ayame or Cassie -- Mindhi didn't have that.
"Falcon and Iwakura!" Cassie chipped in before Ayame could reply, sending the black-haired woman a smug grin when she frowned at her.
Rouge blinked in surprise. It made sense now that she thought about it. "No wonder he knew," she muttered, glancing at the pair to ascertain that they weren't fleecing her. They were aware of her schedule at Venus, and she wouldn't put it past them to slip in pointers on her activities where Ryoma was concerned.
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "No wonder who knew what?"
Rouge froze, only realising then that she'd spoken her thought aloud. There was no avoiding the slew of questions that would follow. She tried to anyway. "Um, a former client of mine."
"You mean, Mr Iwakura," Ayame supplied helpfully. She exchanged a look with Cassie; their lips curved in identical knowing smiles. Rouge groaned and resisted the urge to cover her face with her hands. What happened at Venus hadn't been that explicit. But last night had been steamy, and her face would burn to share that information with them. Ayame and Cassie thought in similar fashions -- having both around spelt double the embarrassment she'd be put through, even if she had experienced it countless times prior to this.
"I suppose." Rouge blushed, hoping that they wouldn't probe too deeply. Work was starting soon and they were in a room full of other hostesses.
"You don't 'suppose'. It was Ryoma who knew," Cassie accused, her grin stretching into a smirk. She rested her hands on her hips. "So, explanations, Rouge. How did you know he knew?"
"He went to the club, obviously." Ayame snickered and ran a comb through her hair. "We dropped enough hints for him to know when she ended work."
Rouge coaxed the telling heat off her cheeks, schooling her countenance to one of neutrality. Her heart raced at the prospect of them seeing through her guise all the same. "He wanted to apologise for the other day. Could I borrow some eyeshadow from either of you? Mine was ruined by the rain last night."
"I've got some. And that's sweet of him!" Ayame smiled wickedly, fishing through her travel kit to produce a clear case of coloured powder. Rouge murmured her thanks and leaned close to the wall mirror to brush the makeup on.
Cassie shook her head. "That's not what we should be focusing on, Ayame." Rouge's heart sank. The cerulean-haired hostess turned her gaze on her. "I'm assuming that he met you towards the end of your shift."
"He did." Rouge answered carefully, spreading glitter deftly onto her eyelids. It was a few minutes before work started, and she hoped she'd survive them without Ayame finding out that she'd slept with Ryoma and squealing over it.
"Was he still there when you left?" Cassie asked shrewdly, watching her expression. Rouge skirted her gaze and snapped the box of eyeshadow shut.
"Or did he send you home?" Ayame tacked on immediately after. She waggled her eyebrows, accepting her loaned cosmetics back. Rouge blushed.
"I, uh..." She looked around the space between herself and the wall, keenly aware that she'd taken a leaf from Ryoma's book. Which was the last thing she needed. "No," she told them decisively, finally looking them in the eye. "It was pouring, so he invited me back to his place."
She cursed herself for revealing that tidbit right afterwards.
Twin grins broke out on their faces. Rouge looked hopelessly at the pair before reaching for her lipstick. It had survived the rain, and she was thankful for that. A little part of her wondered how long Ryoma would last under questioning about his sex life. Not very much, she thought in amusement.
Ayame giggled and tucked her eyeshadow back into her bag, scrutinizing Rouge. "What you should be saying, Cassie, is, 'How many times did you do the deed with him?'"
"Or, 'In how many positions?'" Cassie laughed, glancing towards the dancer. "C'mon, girl. Spill."
Heat scorched Rouge's cheeks. Could she have even hoped to escape their knowing without telling untruths? Memories of her stay at Ryoma's apartment tugged at the edge of her consciousness, teasing her with their smoky heat. She glanced at the wall clock and sagged with relief when the hands read '5:00'.
"Too late," she told her friends with a grin, shoving Ryoma's nakedness to the back of her mind. Her throat was starting to ache a little more insistently. It wasn't a big deal, though. "Work starts now."
"Damn!" Ayame elbowed her in the ribs, grinning mischievously. "We aren't letting you off just yet, Rouge. It's obvious that you weren't just sleeping last night."
"Details after work. Right down to every last morsel," Cassie added, gathering her curls behind her neck and chuckling. "The usual. Like how big he was and how many times he sent you over the edge."
Rouge rolled her eyes. The warm blush returned to her face and throat. Between them, Ayame and Cassie would rob her of every scandalous piece of information, just as they always had. She could've sworn that they teamed up to conspire against her. Casting them a mysterious smile of her own, Rouge zipped her bag shut, allowing herself the briefest reminiscence of her interaction with Ryoma. "I had enough to make you girls jealous, and you'd better believe it."
---
#18 (10:6 Cowboy)
"Right," Falcon began as he and Ryoma left the Sunland Steel Manufacturing headquarters. Dusk had almost consumed the late afternoon sky; all along the streets, office workers were slowly diffusing from their workplaces. "About this morning."
"There's nothing to discuss." Ryoma grew taut -- his abrupt withdrawal was most obvious from the set of his jaw and the tightening of his fingers around his briefcase handle. He lengthened his stride. "Please refrain from mentioning it again."
Falcon clucked his tongue in annoyance and caught up with him, swinging his own bag jovially. "Look, I'm happy for you. You got laid. But as your roommate, I'd love to not choke on my coffee just because I didn't expect to see some chick in your bed."
"There isn't going to be a second time." Ryoma stared stonily at him from the corner of his eye. No, he couldn't trust himself around Rouge. He'd lapped her allure up the night before precisely because he hadn't been able to restrain himself. It scared him, his willingness to do as she bade. She'd smelled of soap and woman, tasted of sex and pleasure. She was soft and warm and the mere thought of pressing into her roused him like nothing else did.
Falcon turned to stare fully at him in surprise. Ryoma avoided his piercing blue gaze. "Wait, let me get this straight -- you had the hots for this woman. You denied it. Then you slept with her and now you're saying it was a one-night stand?"
"That's what it is." Ryoma pushed forward, ignoring the blond. He ran through the inventory of the grocery store in his mind and decided on what they'd have for dinner.
"You? A one-night stand? Of all people?" Falcon gaped at him, flabbergasted. "You're such a cowboy, Ryoma."
"Speak for yourself," Ryoma muttered, turning into the grocery store and grabbing a basket. People were starting to stare at them, and he'd much rather not have their attention. It wasn't as if he was the only one who did this sort of thing, anyway.
"Yeah, but I'm me! You're the goody-two-shoes. Virgin, morals, straight-laced." Falcon paused, thinking. That opportunity gave Ryoma some quiet to collect the ingredients they'd need. He steered them away from the crowds as soon as he could, checking the entries off his mental list. A sudden smirk crossed Falcon's expression. "Did you get her phone number or something?"
"I don't owe you answers." Ryoma breezed through aisles of confectionery, resisting the urge to gag his roommate with a bun.
"That means you did," Falcon gloated with a wider grin. This had to be one of the rare occasions that made Ryoma wish the blond didn't know him so well. Strangely enough, a number of these had occurred over the past two weeks. Falcon ignored his resentful silence. "Somehow, I doubt that last night would be the only time you'd fornicate with her."
Ryoma glared at him.
"Which means, either you still have the hots for her, she likes you as a bedmate (and I wouldn't doubt that), or both of you are desperate." Falcon ticked the options off on his fingers, before rubbing his nose. "Or all of the above. I bet she was good."
"Shut it, Falcon," Ryoma gritted as they approached the queue at the cashier. A hot flush was creeping up his neck. He wasn't desperate, but he couldn't deny that Rouge knew what she was doing. He -- his body -- liked her caresses to the point of embarrassment. Falcon was not receiving that knowledge, come hell or high water. "I don't need everyone to know things about my personal life."
"I'll shut up." The blond slanted him a smug grin. "But you owe me for that hostess club visit last night. I told you so."
If eyes could deal physical damage, Falcon would have been lying on the grocery shop floor in a gory mess of pieces right then.
---
#19 (1:8 Beginnings)
Bailey's was a tranquil, empty place that Thursday afternoon. What Rouge noticed first about it, though, was its warmth the moment she pushed its glass doors open, stepping into heated air that was a stark contrast from the icy wind outside. She rubbed her arms through two layers of sweaters. They hadn't provided much comfort on her way to the cafe. A harsh cough welled up in her chest; she stifled it with her handkerchief, wincing as her abdominal muscles ached with the hacking that had dragged on for the past few days.
It was only after the wave of itching in her throat subsided that she could look up, albeit in discomfort at how she'd made her appearance. There was hardly anyone around to have noticed, however, save for a sprinkling of staff and a raven-haired head looking inquisitively in her direction from one of the rectangular booths at the back.
Rouge smiled weakly when she recognised Ryoma, making her way over to him. Admittedly, she wasn't in her best condition to meet anyone, and it'd have been nice if she had made a better impression on him than one of sickliness.
"Hey." She smiled again when she neared his table. "Shall we start afresh?"
"Sure." Ryoma quirked his lips in a way that set her stomach plummeting. He stood and extended his hand, a swirl of thoughts in his eyes she couldn't discern. "Ryoma Iwakura."
"Rouge--" She placed her hand in his, relishing his warmth. "Actually, just call me Rouge. My full name is too long for most to remember. You see, I'm from Fireland," she added by way of explanation.
The sales representative raised his eyebrows. "I'd thought you were a Sunlander."
Rouge broke into a coughing fit as they settled into the booth, sniffling and looking apologetically at Ryoma after it died down. There were some cough drops in her bag, but she was saving them for work, when she needed them most. "I came to Sunland in my teens. You aren't from here either, right?"
"Moonland," Ryoma replied distractedly, watching her in concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'll live." She leaned back in her seat, surveying him. Being down with a cold removed all inclination towards jumping Ryoma's bones, and she wasn't sure she liked that. He looked more relaxed today in a T-shirt and pants. "Ayame's from Moonland, too. I thought you might recognise the kimono."
"I did." Ryoma paused -- Rouge wondered if he'd run out of things to say, when a waitress stopped by to take their orders. He asked for coffee; she went with a mug of warm water to ease her cough.
"So, why are you still single?" Rouge questioned playfully once the wait staff had left. It was a topic she intermittently speculated on. "I mean, your looks aren't half bad, you're got a stable job, and you aren't the playboy sort." She was cut short as another fit of coughing consumed her speech. It was a while before the itch cleared; she hoped she didn't look too awful in front of him. "I'm willing to wager that you hadn't been with anyone before, ah, Sunday."
Colour seeped into Ryoma's cheeks. He squirmed in his seat, glancing away. "I, uh, I hadn't." The man fell silent, only nodding when the waitress returned with their orders. Rouge waited patiently for him to continue. She curled her fingers around her mug, savouring its heat in the coffee shop that had gradually started to feel chilly. At length, Ryoma spoke again. "I'm not planning to look for a wife here. My parents will be selecting one for me back home."
Rouge stared. Her jaw slacked. It was one of the traditions that were prevalent in Fireland as well, and she was glad that she had no parents who would force it upon her. "You're going to have an arranged marriage?"
"Yes. I don't see what's wrong with it." Ryoma took a sip of his coffee, looking quizzically at her. "It's the only way to marry in my hometown and I trust my parents to choose a suitable woman."
"But arranged marriages are just... wrong. I've had friends suffer under the hands of their husbands--" Rouge cursed when her speech dissolved into a bout of forceful coughing, taking a long sip of water to calm her throat once it eased. "--And their in-laws. Some have husbands who abuse them. Others are married into the family for their dowry. It isn't only that -- how can you trust a girl you've met just a couple of times?"
Ryoma gaped at her outburst. Rouge wondered if he had even thought about what the marriage entailed, swallowing a soothing mouthful of water. It would be a pity if a man like that tied the knot with someone who valued him for his money instead of who he was.
"I'll learn to love her," he told her simply. "It happened with my parents, so I believe that it can be done."
Rouge blinked, feeling as though she'd just heard profound wisdom that she would only come to appreciate in the distant future. His words lay a deep foundation of respect in her; she nodded in acknowledgement, bringing her cup to her lips for another quick sip.
"There's something I've been curious about," Ryoma spoke again. Rouge inclined her head, motioning for him to go on. She hadn't thought that he'd want to learn about her after their rendezvous.
"Why did you choose to work as, uh, what you do?" He watched her in fascination, lips wet with a sheen of coffee.
A sudden ripple of shyness dusted her cheeks with pink. It had to be the way he was looking at her so intently, like he was truly interested in her. That he had even showed up for their meeting at all gave Rouge a little spark of hope for subsequent tête-à-têtes. "Why do you work as a sales representative?" She raised her eyebrows, catching him off-guard with her question.
"I... It's something I'm good at," he mused into his coffee. "Besides, the environment suits me."
Rouge smiled serenely at him. "There, you've answered your question: Dancing and being a hostess are things I like to do. I didn't bring many skills with me to Sunland -- these jobs were what I could take on as a newcomer." She fiddled with her cup handle, tracing its glazed curves. "Juggling them gives me job security. Besides, Ayame and Cassie make things more enjoyable at the hostess club."
"What about Venus?" Ryoma queried, gulping a mouthful of his drink. "Do you have friends there?"
"Unfortunately not." Rouge shrugged offhandedly. She glanced at his watch to gauge the time before her shift began. Going to work the past few days hadn't been enjoyable with the flu -- if anything, the weather had only aggravated her condition. She suspected that her fever hadn't truly receded yet. "The dancers are from all over the world, and we just don't click."
Their conversation meandered on for another hour or so, weaving through their hobbies and occupations, until their beverages turned lukewarm and Rouge had to leave. Ryoma footed the bill, insisting on walking her to the club when she was caught in another violent bout of hacking just outside Bailey's.
"You really don't have to," she managed, shivering through a particularly strong gust. The sooner she got to Venus, the better. Their shadows were drawn long by the setting sun, and the streets were painted with a thin golden yellow.
He frowned at her, stepping in the direction of the pole-dancing club and unfolding his jacket. "Here."
When Rouge stared at him uncomprehendingly, Ryoma draped the article over her shoulders, tugging at it so it fit her frame. Warmth enveloped her; she gawked and murmured her thanks, cheeks darkening under his attention. "Now it'll be my fault if you fall ill too."
"I'm one of the best students in my dojo. I won't catch a cold that easily." Ryoma flashed a confident smile as he began to walk, one that made her want to smile back at him.
So she did, hurrying forward to join him by his side.
------
Part: ARC 1, Part 5
Author: Aquarius Galuxy
Fandom: Power Stone
Pairing: Rouge/Ryoma
Genre: Romance/Erotica/Friendship/AU
Rating: varies from PG to NC-17
Word count: 3,784
Summary: Sales representative Ryoma Iwakura's life careens off course when a business deal brings him to a hostess bar, and into the company of hostess and strip club dancer Rouge. A spark of attraction ignites between them, one Ryoma tries to deny. Despite his reservations, he embarks on a scandalous friendship with Rouge that questions his plans for the future.
Author's Notes: I'm seriously hoping that I can finish this before school starts. @_@ As it stands, I've got 19 scenes out of 42 done. Which is rather pathetic. Prompts are from 10_prompts.
#16 (3:3 Simple things)
Rouge pushed the apartment door open with a wince. Spending the night at Ryoma's place had been something akin to a dream; she hadn't her own residence and its issues to be concerned about during that fleeting respite. Now that she was home, however, the stress of affording the place had settled back onto her shoulders like a shadow.
Not to mention that she was coming down with a cold from the night before.
With a gulp that hurt her throat, Rouge entered her rented unit, looking around for her roommate, Mindhi. She hadn't informed the girl of her change of plan, and Mindhi was bound to have a question or two. The soft click of the door was enough to draw her roommate out of the kitchen.
Like Rouge, Mindhi hailed from Fireland instead of Sunland. Straight, jet-black hair framed her face; her skin was a shade darker than the dancer's. Thick-framed glasses staved off unwanted attention that her large eyes and fine features earned her on the streets. A Biology student at the nearby college, Mindhi had got to know Rouge by chance, striking a fast friendship that led to her moving in with Rouge when the latter's previous roommate bailed out on her.
"You're back," she said mildly, nursing a mug of tea.
Rouge couldn't help but grin at her. "Late night?"
"Yeah." Mindhi crinkled her nose. "My Cell Bio. exam is on Saturday. Can you believe it? Everyone's begging the prof. to reschedule it to Monday, and he tells us that we shouldn't be concerned about that in the pursuit of education."
"I work Saturdays. And Sundays." Rouge snorted, then sneezed. She brushed it off, heading towards her own room to deposit her satchel. The rain had soaked through most of it. She cursed at having to replace her ruined belongings. "I get one and a half days off a week and you don't see me whining."
Mindhi chuckled behind her cup. "I guess you've got a point. Where did you go last night? You left your brolly on the coffee table and it was pouring."
"Trust me to forget it on the one night I left work early." Rouge rolled her eyes, setting her bag down and fishing a change of clothes out of her closet. "A client invited me back to his place."
"I thought you didn't do clients." Her roommate raised her eyebrows, leaning against the doorframe.
Rouge remembered dark eyes and hungry lips, unable to suppress a tiny smile. "He isn't exactly a client. He was one, but right now all he is, is a friend."
"One you fancy," Mindhi observed.
"We exchanged phone numbers." Rouge set her clothes aside and emptied her bag to assess the rain damage, grimacing when she glimpsed her cosmetics pouch.
"Don't bring him back this week if he's a loud one. I need to study." Mindhi laughed, then made a face as she caught sight of Rouge's possessions spread out on the floor. "Ouch. That's going to be costly."
"You can say that again." Rouge picked the wettest items out and laid them to air, estimating the amount she'd need to replace them. Considering the rent, when she actually got them substituted would be something else entirely. It was suffocating to be this short on cash. "Ryoma makes a fair amount of noise, so I guess he wouldn't be spending much time here at all," she added absently.
"You know, it'll be great if we could get a third person to share this place with us," Mindhi fantasized, taking a long sip of tea. "We could split the cost further."
A whiff of budding despair escaped Rouge when she sighed. Her friendship with Ryoma was the only thing that was going right. (She hoped it was going right.) Everything else was screwing up one way or another, from her health, to the rent, and the increase in her future expenses. Her two jobs could barely cover her share of the rental fee -- if she stayed well enough to work, that was. It unnerved her to think just how much trouble could snowball from such simple things.
"We don't have a third bed to house someone else," she told Mindhi with a tired smile. "We'll make it work somehow."
"And I promise I'll return that rent money to you soon." The girl raised her mug, turning away from the door. "Gotta get ready for class. Sleep more, Rouge. You've got eye bags."
"Will do. See you later!" Rouge sat heavily on the floor and stared at the contents of her bag blankly for a lengthy moment, before a sneeze drew her focus back to the present. With another sigh, she gathered her clothes for her shower, hoping to escape her troubles in sleep soon after.
---
#17 (9:6 Double)
"Rouge! You'll never guess who was here last night!" Ayame practically leapt at the chocolate-haired hostess, her inky eyes sparkling even before the latter had set her replacement bag on a stool. Cassie hushed her from the other side of their dancer friend.
"Who?" Rouge smoothed her dress down, rummaging in her worn satchel for the spare makeup set she'd borrowed from Mindhi. She'd have to source for some eyeshadow from either Ayame or Cassie -- Mindhi didn't have that.
"Falcon and Iwakura!" Cassie chipped in before Ayame could reply, sending the black-haired woman a smug grin when she frowned at her.
Rouge blinked in surprise. It made sense now that she thought about it. "No wonder he knew," she muttered, glancing at the pair to ascertain that they weren't fleecing her. They were aware of her schedule at Venus, and she wouldn't put it past them to slip in pointers on her activities where Ryoma was concerned.
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "No wonder who knew what?"
Rouge froze, only realising then that she'd spoken her thought aloud. There was no avoiding the slew of questions that would follow. She tried to anyway. "Um, a former client of mine."
"You mean, Mr Iwakura," Ayame supplied helpfully. She exchanged a look with Cassie; their lips curved in identical knowing smiles. Rouge groaned and resisted the urge to cover her face with her hands. What happened at Venus hadn't been that explicit. But last night had been steamy, and her face would burn to share that information with them. Ayame and Cassie thought in similar fashions -- having both around spelt double the embarrassment she'd be put through, even if she had experienced it countless times prior to this.
"I suppose." Rouge blushed, hoping that they wouldn't probe too deeply. Work was starting soon and they were in a room full of other hostesses.
"You don't 'suppose'. It was Ryoma who knew," Cassie accused, her grin stretching into a smirk. She rested her hands on her hips. "So, explanations, Rouge. How did you know he knew?"
"He went to the club, obviously." Ayame snickered and ran a comb through her hair. "We dropped enough hints for him to know when she ended work."
Rouge coaxed the telling heat off her cheeks, schooling her countenance to one of neutrality. Her heart raced at the prospect of them seeing through her guise all the same. "He wanted to apologise for the other day. Could I borrow some eyeshadow from either of you? Mine was ruined by the rain last night."
"I've got some. And that's sweet of him!" Ayame smiled wickedly, fishing through her travel kit to produce a clear case of coloured powder. Rouge murmured her thanks and leaned close to the wall mirror to brush the makeup on.
Cassie shook her head. "That's not what we should be focusing on, Ayame." Rouge's heart sank. The cerulean-haired hostess turned her gaze on her. "I'm assuming that he met you towards the end of your shift."
"He did." Rouge answered carefully, spreading glitter deftly onto her eyelids. It was a few minutes before work started, and she hoped she'd survive them without Ayame finding out that she'd slept with Ryoma and squealing over it.
"Was he still there when you left?" Cassie asked shrewdly, watching her expression. Rouge skirted her gaze and snapped the box of eyeshadow shut.
"Or did he send you home?" Ayame tacked on immediately after. She waggled her eyebrows, accepting her loaned cosmetics back. Rouge blushed.
"I, uh..." She looked around the space between herself and the wall, keenly aware that she'd taken a leaf from Ryoma's book. Which was the last thing she needed. "No," she told them decisively, finally looking them in the eye. "It was pouring, so he invited me back to his place."
She cursed herself for revealing that tidbit right afterwards.
Twin grins broke out on their faces. Rouge looked hopelessly at the pair before reaching for her lipstick. It had survived the rain, and she was thankful for that. A little part of her wondered how long Ryoma would last under questioning about his sex life. Not very much, she thought in amusement.
Ayame giggled and tucked her eyeshadow back into her bag, scrutinizing Rouge. "What you should be saying, Cassie, is, 'How many times did you do the deed with him?'"
"Or, 'In how many positions?'" Cassie laughed, glancing towards the dancer. "C'mon, girl. Spill."
Heat scorched Rouge's cheeks. Could she have even hoped to escape their knowing without telling untruths? Memories of her stay at Ryoma's apartment tugged at the edge of her consciousness, teasing her with their smoky heat. She glanced at the wall clock and sagged with relief when the hands read '5:00'.
"Too late," she told her friends with a grin, shoving Ryoma's nakedness to the back of her mind. Her throat was starting to ache a little more insistently. It wasn't a big deal, though. "Work starts now."
"Damn!" Ayame elbowed her in the ribs, grinning mischievously. "We aren't letting you off just yet, Rouge. It's obvious that you weren't just sleeping last night."
"Details after work. Right down to every last morsel," Cassie added, gathering her curls behind her neck and chuckling. "The usual. Like how big he was and how many times he sent you over the edge."
Rouge rolled her eyes. The warm blush returned to her face and throat. Between them, Ayame and Cassie would rob her of every scandalous piece of information, just as they always had. She could've sworn that they teamed up to conspire against her. Casting them a mysterious smile of her own, Rouge zipped her bag shut, allowing herself the briefest reminiscence of her interaction with Ryoma. "I had enough to make you girls jealous, and you'd better believe it."
---
#18 (10:6 Cowboy)
"Right," Falcon began as he and Ryoma left the Sunland Steel Manufacturing headquarters. Dusk had almost consumed the late afternoon sky; all along the streets, office workers were slowly diffusing from their workplaces. "About this morning."
"There's nothing to discuss." Ryoma grew taut -- his abrupt withdrawal was most obvious from the set of his jaw and the tightening of his fingers around his briefcase handle. He lengthened his stride. "Please refrain from mentioning it again."
Falcon clucked his tongue in annoyance and caught up with him, swinging his own bag jovially. "Look, I'm happy for you. You got laid. But as your roommate, I'd love to not choke on my coffee just because I didn't expect to see some chick in your bed."
"There isn't going to be a second time." Ryoma stared stonily at him from the corner of his eye. No, he couldn't trust himself around Rouge. He'd lapped her allure up the night before precisely because he hadn't been able to restrain himself. It scared him, his willingness to do as she bade. She'd smelled of soap and woman, tasted of sex and pleasure. She was soft and warm and the mere thought of pressing into her roused him like nothing else did.
Falcon turned to stare fully at him in surprise. Ryoma avoided his piercing blue gaze. "Wait, let me get this straight -- you had the hots for this woman. You denied it. Then you slept with her and now you're saying it was a one-night stand?"
"That's what it is." Ryoma pushed forward, ignoring the blond. He ran through the inventory of the grocery store in his mind and decided on what they'd have for dinner.
"You? A one-night stand? Of all people?" Falcon gaped at him, flabbergasted. "You're such a cowboy, Ryoma."
"Speak for yourself," Ryoma muttered, turning into the grocery store and grabbing a basket. People were starting to stare at them, and he'd much rather not have their attention. It wasn't as if he was the only one who did this sort of thing, anyway.
"Yeah, but I'm me! You're the goody-two-shoes. Virgin, morals, straight-laced." Falcon paused, thinking. That opportunity gave Ryoma some quiet to collect the ingredients they'd need. He steered them away from the crowds as soon as he could, checking the entries off his mental list. A sudden smirk crossed Falcon's expression. "Did you get her phone number or something?"
"I don't owe you answers." Ryoma breezed through aisles of confectionery, resisting the urge to gag his roommate with a bun.
"That means you did," Falcon gloated with a wider grin. This had to be one of the rare occasions that made Ryoma wish the blond didn't know him so well. Strangely enough, a number of these had occurred over the past two weeks. Falcon ignored his resentful silence. "Somehow, I doubt that last night would be the only time you'd fornicate with her."
Ryoma glared at him.
"Which means, either you still have the hots for her, she likes you as a bedmate (and I wouldn't doubt that), or both of you are desperate." Falcon ticked the options off on his fingers, before rubbing his nose. "Or all of the above. I bet she was good."
"Shut it, Falcon," Ryoma gritted as they approached the queue at the cashier. A hot flush was creeping up his neck. He wasn't desperate, but he couldn't deny that Rouge knew what she was doing. He -- his body -- liked her caresses to the point of embarrassment. Falcon was not receiving that knowledge, come hell or high water. "I don't need everyone to know things about my personal life."
"I'll shut up." The blond slanted him a smug grin. "But you owe me for that hostess club visit last night. I told you so."
If eyes could deal physical damage, Falcon would have been lying on the grocery shop floor in a gory mess of pieces right then.
---
#19 (1:8 Beginnings)
Bailey's was a tranquil, empty place that Thursday afternoon. What Rouge noticed first about it, though, was its warmth the moment she pushed its glass doors open, stepping into heated air that was a stark contrast from the icy wind outside. She rubbed her arms through two layers of sweaters. They hadn't provided much comfort on her way to the cafe. A harsh cough welled up in her chest; she stifled it with her handkerchief, wincing as her abdominal muscles ached with the hacking that had dragged on for the past few days.
It was only after the wave of itching in her throat subsided that she could look up, albeit in discomfort at how she'd made her appearance. There was hardly anyone around to have noticed, however, save for a sprinkling of staff and a raven-haired head looking inquisitively in her direction from one of the rectangular booths at the back.
Rouge smiled weakly when she recognised Ryoma, making her way over to him. Admittedly, she wasn't in her best condition to meet anyone, and it'd have been nice if she had made a better impression on him than one of sickliness.
"Hey." She smiled again when she neared his table. "Shall we start afresh?"
"Sure." Ryoma quirked his lips in a way that set her stomach plummeting. He stood and extended his hand, a swirl of thoughts in his eyes she couldn't discern. "Ryoma Iwakura."
"Rouge--" She placed her hand in his, relishing his warmth. "Actually, just call me Rouge. My full name is too long for most to remember. You see, I'm from Fireland," she added by way of explanation.
The sales representative raised his eyebrows. "I'd thought you were a Sunlander."
Rouge broke into a coughing fit as they settled into the booth, sniffling and looking apologetically at Ryoma after it died down. There were some cough drops in her bag, but she was saving them for work, when she needed them most. "I came to Sunland in my teens. You aren't from here either, right?"
"Moonland," Ryoma replied distractedly, watching her in concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'll live." She leaned back in her seat, surveying him. Being down with a cold removed all inclination towards jumping Ryoma's bones, and she wasn't sure she liked that. He looked more relaxed today in a T-shirt and pants. "Ayame's from Moonland, too. I thought you might recognise the kimono."
"I did." Ryoma paused -- Rouge wondered if he'd run out of things to say, when a waitress stopped by to take their orders. He asked for coffee; she went with a mug of warm water to ease her cough.
"So, why are you still single?" Rouge questioned playfully once the wait staff had left. It was a topic she intermittently speculated on. "I mean, your looks aren't half bad, you're got a stable job, and you aren't the playboy sort." She was cut short as another fit of coughing consumed her speech. It was a while before the itch cleared; she hoped she didn't look too awful in front of him. "I'm willing to wager that you hadn't been with anyone before, ah, Sunday."
Colour seeped into Ryoma's cheeks. He squirmed in his seat, glancing away. "I, uh, I hadn't." The man fell silent, only nodding when the waitress returned with their orders. Rouge waited patiently for him to continue. She curled her fingers around her mug, savouring its heat in the coffee shop that had gradually started to feel chilly. At length, Ryoma spoke again. "I'm not planning to look for a wife here. My parents will be selecting one for me back home."
Rouge stared. Her jaw slacked. It was one of the traditions that were prevalent in Fireland as well, and she was glad that she had no parents who would force it upon her. "You're going to have an arranged marriage?"
"Yes. I don't see what's wrong with it." Ryoma took a sip of his coffee, looking quizzically at her. "It's the only way to marry in my hometown and I trust my parents to choose a suitable woman."
"But arranged marriages are just... wrong. I've had friends suffer under the hands of their husbands--" Rouge cursed when her speech dissolved into a bout of forceful coughing, taking a long sip of water to calm her throat once it eased. "--And their in-laws. Some have husbands who abuse them. Others are married into the family for their dowry. It isn't only that -- how can you trust a girl you've met just a couple of times?"
Ryoma gaped at her outburst. Rouge wondered if he had even thought about what the marriage entailed, swallowing a soothing mouthful of water. It would be a pity if a man like that tied the knot with someone who valued him for his money instead of who he was.
"I'll learn to love her," he told her simply. "It happened with my parents, so I believe that it can be done."
Rouge blinked, feeling as though she'd just heard profound wisdom that she would only come to appreciate in the distant future. His words lay a deep foundation of respect in her; she nodded in acknowledgement, bringing her cup to her lips for another quick sip.
"There's something I've been curious about," Ryoma spoke again. Rouge inclined her head, motioning for him to go on. She hadn't thought that he'd want to learn about her after their rendezvous.
"Why did you choose to work as, uh, what you do?" He watched her in fascination, lips wet with a sheen of coffee.
A sudden ripple of shyness dusted her cheeks with pink. It had to be the way he was looking at her so intently, like he was truly interested in her. That he had even showed up for their meeting at all gave Rouge a little spark of hope for subsequent tête-à-têtes. "Why do you work as a sales representative?" She raised her eyebrows, catching him off-guard with her question.
"I... It's something I'm good at," he mused into his coffee. "Besides, the environment suits me."
Rouge smiled serenely at him. "There, you've answered your question: Dancing and being a hostess are things I like to do. I didn't bring many skills with me to Sunland -- these jobs were what I could take on as a newcomer." She fiddled with her cup handle, tracing its glazed curves. "Juggling them gives me job security. Besides, Ayame and Cassie make things more enjoyable at the hostess club."
"What about Venus?" Ryoma queried, gulping a mouthful of his drink. "Do you have friends there?"
"Unfortunately not." Rouge shrugged offhandedly. She glanced at his watch to gauge the time before her shift began. Going to work the past few days hadn't been enjoyable with the flu -- if anything, the weather had only aggravated her condition. She suspected that her fever hadn't truly receded yet. "The dancers are from all over the world, and we just don't click."
Their conversation meandered on for another hour or so, weaving through their hobbies and occupations, until their beverages turned lukewarm and Rouge had to leave. Ryoma footed the bill, insisting on walking her to the club when she was caught in another violent bout of hacking just outside Bailey's.
"You really don't have to," she managed, shivering through a particularly strong gust. The sooner she got to Venus, the better. Their shadows were drawn long by the setting sun, and the streets were painted with a thin golden yellow.
He frowned at her, stepping in the direction of the pole-dancing club and unfolding his jacket. "Here."
When Rouge stared at him uncomprehendingly, Ryoma draped the article over her shoulders, tugging at it so it fit her frame. Warmth enveloped her; she gawked and murmured her thanks, cheeks darkening under his attention. "Now it'll be my fault if you fall ill too."
"I'm one of the best students in my dojo. I won't catch a cold that easily." Ryoma flashed a confident smile as he began to walk, one that made her want to smile back at him.
So she did, hurrying forward to join him by his side.
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