[FIC] Salvezza, CH3
Title: Salvezza * CH3
Pairing: QMi (with future side pairings)
Genre: Prostitute!AU, Romance, Dark, Smut
Rating: R
Type: Multi-chaptered
Summary: Zhou Mi is an Arch-in-training, an angel of no recognition, to be one of the highest of the prostitution rank due to his mentor’s persistence. He realizes that "going out" and "testing" would be both a temptation he couldn’t resist and a salvation he really needs.
Kyuhyun believes no person, no miracle and no hope. When he gets himself a questionable companion glued to him, wanting him, he starts to believe otherwise.
CH 01 | CH 02
--
Arch - highest member of the hierarchy; richest, proudest paying prostitutes.
Principalities - mentors/coaches who are denied being an Arch due to age and lack of prowess.
Angel - lowest member of the hierarchy; simplest, cheapest paying prostitutes.
House - the notorious prostitution place that has been on-wanted by the authorities for a long period of time.
--
“Impressive show in such quick record, I must say. What did you do, tell him about our bet? Any prostitute inside the House would flip when they learn that.”
“He doesn’t know, sir. Not a thing.”
There was query expression, illumined by the screen right in front. It was another recorded video of one of the clients begging their partner to go faster, harder. Chains tinkling, beds creaking, moans echoing.
Then the expression turned knowing.
“Oh? You want Zhou Mi to be an Arch because you want him to have a good life here?”
A grim face with a sinister smile. “Definitely not. I want my own good life. Out here. And once Zhou Mi becomes one, you will grant me freedom from here. Isn’t that we agreed on? When he becomes an Arch, I’ll leave the place and have nothing to do with it anymore.”
“Oh, yes it is. That’s what we agreed on. So that means you’ll leave? Without him? You’ll leave him here? Not that he can get away anyway. Remember what happened to little Taemin when he tried to run away? I ordered the security to beat him up until he gets the idea that he can’t try it anymore.”
The opening of the door told that this conversation was done. “I don’t care, sir. Not for the House, not for any angels, not even for Zhou Mi. Do not mistake me for a good teacher or a good friend. I was never one to begin with.”
“Ah.”
--
Zhou Mi woke up with the sound of crowd noise and rowdy laughs. Even stuffed between pillows didn’t do anything to block the ruckus just outside his door. He didn’t know what was going on but he was pretty sure that whatever was up was ruining his sleep. He was still tired from last night, dammit. It was only eight in the morning. No one was supposed to be up for another hour.
“Hey, would you keep it dow-“
“Ah, there’s the star whore.” Zhou Mi immediately recognized the Arch members through sleepy eyes, them smug with arms crossed at him. The once-over look they sent him and his bed-head glory was unmissed, Zhou Mi noticed despite his tired condition. He stood where he was circled instantly. “So, we heard the management liking what you did. Whatever that is.”
“None of your business.” Zhou Mi meant to leave, not even wanting to spend a second with them. But two members had blocked his path, barricading his door and stopping him.
It wasn’t the strangest time to remember it, what Sungmin had said about fights between Archs and Angels and that could only go so badly. But Zhou Mi could see why there was a need to at least defend themselves: these people were serious arrogant asses who were way over their heads. And Zhou Mi didn’t do egocentric people.
“I could say the same thing with you. You do your cheap service and stay in these cheap quarters where you belong.” The leader of the group barked. “Don’t ever think for a second you can be good so easily, you filth. You’ll never become one of us.”
I don’t intend to. Zhou Mi wanted to say, to really lash out. But his mentor arriving had the group dissipating immediately, finally leaving Zhou Mi alone. If he said that, if he confessed within the hearing radius of his mentor, this would mean a different trouble for him.
“Okay, what’s going on?” His mentor asked, watching the retreating back of the people.
“Nothing.”
“Well, alright. Go fix up then.” Then his mentor craned his neck, inspecting Zhou Mi like he was made of statue. “You look like you need to shave. We can’t have you looking like you aged twice just over night. C’mon. Time to go out and do your job.”
The push on his shoulder had him backing at his room, standing still for a moment and decided to just brush off the incident and look forward to today.
He had himself wondering what a good attire to put on to show Kyuhyun.
--
The time he spent inside the House without going out surprised him when he efficiently remembered where Kyuhyun lived (he didn’t have the best mind GPRS, sadly). Seoul was huge, that was much he realized after going out for the first time. Zhou Mi was sure he’d be lost within the two to three streets and turns and he’d arrive much later than he could allow. But then there was the street, the familiar signs and the red Post box by the lot. Yes, he was on the right track.
Kyuhyun was already bounding at the stairs when Zhou Mi finally saw him. And the morning light fell perfectly on brown, messy hair, pale skin and neat choice of clothes. Had Kyuhyun looked this fabulous last night too? He couldn’t really compare, probably with the natural light on came natural beauty. Or in Kyuhyun’s case, looks. He should really close his gaping mouth right about now. Drooling was unbecoming of him.
“Hey. Wow. You’re really here. Uh, good morning?” He heard Kyuhyun and immediately straightening up, easing a smile and bowing like he knew how, to his clients back at the House. He could admire Kyuhyun’s chiseled features later, when he wasn’t being stared back.
“You did say that I can see you right?” Zhou Mi said and noticed the dark ring under Kyuhyun’s eyes and thought they were rather cute. He probably slept a little like him. “Good morning too.”
He knew he needed to act, get close and intimate or something as he were instructed because his mentor was just around, observing them from god-knows-where (and it actually irked him because then he couldn’t move like he wanted to so much). Then again, he was in no hurry, per say. He was also instructed to earn his customers trust. He would very much want to earn Kyuhyun’s trust.
Then destroy it?
And the debate on his head raged suddenly, like bombs going off at the same time. Of seducing and being honest and bringing in sales and making into the Arch and seeing Kyuhyun. Did he really want to-
“So, uh, do you want to accompany me to my part-time? There’s no school today so I’m heading for work instead. I’m pretty sure Eeteuk wouldn’t mind another leg and hand. He’ll love more pairs of it actually.” Kyuhyun was already walking down the path and Zhou Mi was scampering right after him, picking up his sudden missing mind. “Well, I’d take that as a yes.”
“Yes, please. Kyuhyun. I think I’d like to see what you do.” Zhou Mi smiled, coming right next to him. His thoughts shifting to excitement he was suddenly feeling at the sudden invitation. “What do you do, anyway?”
“You’ll see. And I swear it’s the best job ever.”
Zhou Mi sensed the sarcasm in there, but maybe it was just his imagination. He was too busy eyeing the path behind them for any signs of following or shadows. But he did notice the smirk on Kyuhyun; a playful tug on the corners of mouth and he kind of wanted to wipe it off. With what, he halted right there.
And thirty minutes later, they stood in front of large pane window that had flowers everywhere. On vases, on walls, on buckets. Beautiful, fresh and sweet-scented. This was no brainer at all.
“Florist? Really, Kyuhyun? Really?”
“It taps the inner artistic self with decorative flora and the like.” Kyuhyun placed a mocking hand on his heart before hitting Zhou Mi by the arm. “Hey, it pays well nonetheless. Arranging, combining and stuff like that. Working here doesn’t lessen my masculinity if that’s what you’re trying to imply.”
“Exactly, Kyuhyun. And masculine men come on time as well.” A man emerged from the door of the shop, donning pink apron and blonde hair tied back. His dimples were very much visible, attractive. Zhou Mi idly thought that how come his clients never looked as good as the people he kept on seeing outside the House. “That’s right mister, you’re fifteen minutes late. Good thing no one came around to get orders.” The man stopped, turning to Zhou Mi with an obvious wonder. “Oh, oh, hello.”
Zhou Mi immediately bowed. “Good morning.” And he watched Kyuhyun marching inside the shop with the man and him trailing behind.
“That’s Zhou Mi.” Kyuhyun supplied, not looking at the said man and merely putting on his work clothes which included green apron and gloves. “I brought you an extra servant, Eeteuk-hyung.”
“Kyuhyun!” Eeteuk hit him, scandalized. Before smiling pleasantly at Zhou Mi who was lost at this playful banter he had never seen before, not even at the House. “He’s a kid, don’t mind him. And really, I don’t treat my workers servants! No way! I’m Eeteuk, owner of this pretty place. Now, c’mon! You gotta wear proper clothes!”
This wasn’t on his plan, he didn’t even predict it. It was supposedly trying to get close to Kyuhyun and now he was being pushed inside a small room with a pile of various aprons on his arms. Colorful, bright and everything new. He could feign that he needed to leave - something about at home or work or anything convincing - but knew otherwise he didn’t want to. Because he was monitored, watched.
But more than that, Kyuhyun looked at him like he was having fun watching Zhou Mi get into the whirlpool that was Eeteuk’s enthusiasm.
He missed the chimes that rang pleasantly, too caught up choosing the Hello Kitty design or the Mario Brothers one. The loud conversation was heard even through the door, the laughs and the snorts.
“New dude, huh? And Kyuhyun got him? Our Cho Kyuhyun? Pssh. As if.”
“Heechul, you’re rude. And why aren’t you in uniform? And you’re late too. Oh, why are my employees like this?”
“Teukie, Teukie. The better question is: why are your employees as awesome as fuck like this?”
“Aaaargh!!” Then there was running and chuckling and everything that Zhou Mi wasn’t used to.
He swallowed, feeling his suddenly constricted throat. He might not want to go out now, not when there seem to be more people inside the shop. Things just kept on getting out of his control.
“Zhou Mi-sshi. Out now. I’m sure putting on apron would only take you seconds.”
“Zhou Mi? Chinese? Not bad, Kyuhyun. Not bad at all.”
Zhou Mi supposed that as long he continued following his plan, he might as well deal with the new things coming his way. This would not hinder anything, no. He would step out, wear the silly apron and get on with the day. As long as Kyuhyun was close to where he was, it was fine.
--
Before he knew it, it was as if he was juggling two different works already. Selling his body, his time, his attention and voice when he was at the House at night and then selling flowers, bouquets, his smile, and his awkward conversation at the flower shop at day. Eeteuk fawned over him, Heechul - who turned out to be an employee just like Kyuhyun only more flamboyant and loud - bothered him with his incessant Seasoning! Seasoning! I’ll call you my seasoning and you’ll be mine! and Kyuhyun, well, Kyuhyun was still the same. Short responses and little smiles. But Zhou Mi did notice he was rather more cheery than he was before. And more open and vocal when he accidentally overheard Eeteuk’s conversation with him.
“How are you holding up at school? Has your father gone home yet? Are you eating properly?”
“Fine. No.” Kyuhyun sighed, “Sometimes.”
Zhou Mi watched quietly, trying to appear busy with watering the plants at the sides and then arranging vases according to size and design. His ears perked, attention piqued. He remembered never asking about Kyuhyun’s family. Only assumed they were busy like any other parents. Just like Kyuhyun not asking him about work.
“If you need company, you know where to go, right? I’ll be here. And there’s enough room for another tenant. You know that right? I’m worried, you know? You seem thinner these days. I saw your mother the other day and well, it seems like she has a new family with baby in a stroller.”
Kyuhyun snorted, clipping the extra stems out of the rose. “I see that she’s happy.”
“And you need to be too. You deserve to be happy too. Everyone is.”
Zhou Mi watched Kyuhyun sighed; his shoulders slumping and eyes direct at the tiny pot right in front of him like all mysteries on the world were found there. “Maybe there are times that things just don’t go your way, you know, hyung? One moment you’re living the life you want - free and okay - and then next you’re lost and you don’t know what do anymore. All by yourself. It’s like the future’s a blur and-”
Zhou Mi had not meant to be affected, not in any way. He was trained to put on a mask for the clients for the times he spent inside the House. Smile if he had to, smirk if the situation called for it, restrain even though Zhou Mi would want anything but hold back. But it was then he heard Kyuhyun - honest and small - and felt a rope of connection right there. Zhou Mi wanted to be happy too and staying at the House was nowhere near giving him happiness. He wanted to go home, wanted to see his family again. He wanted to pursue his dreams and not his mentor’s.
He wondered if he’d be able to escape. Could he actually get away from it, from the House, from grabbing, rough hands?
His clutched slipped the vase he was holding; only seconds late from trying to catch it drop. The vase fell with a loud crash and shards were flying all over. Oh, crap, not again. Zhou Mi cringed, didn’t notice that customers were staring at his crouching form. He didn’t think, simply began picking up the broken glass until one sharp edge cut the pad of his two fingers, blood already visible. Growing. And growing even more.
“Zhou Mi, don’t! That’s dangerous!”
He stopped, eyes wide and chest tight.
“Zhou Mi, you look so beautiful covered with blood. I want to cut more of you. I want to run this knife along your neck, shoulders, arms and fingers until I saw a thread of blood there. And I’ll lap those red, metal-tasting beads like they are sweets. And you’re going to scream like hell.” His client breath against his face, labored, aroused. Both he and this sadistic man were half-naked, vertical and Zhou Mi allowed him to tie him up.
But he didn’t expect this. At all. The sharp knife, the cuts on his chest. He was hurting, bleeding and he was frightened to the core. Zhou Mi began shouting for help, shouting at the man to get away from him until security men rammed the door open, took hold of the man and murmuring words, “This isn’t allowed, sir. You are not allowed to hurt our employees.” and, “How in the world did he get inside with a dangerous weapon?”
Zhou Mi was informed later that his client had a fetish for blood and fed on terror of his partner. The House didn’t allow that form of activity, suspending that particular man for any of their services in the future. Zhou Mi requested for a day off, cooping up inside his room and staying there. He had never felt so petrified, almost as if what he felt when he was first brought in.
He was yanked back, a quick pull on the back of shirt, out of his sudden nightmare. Eeteuk immediately blocked the view with a broom at hand, began sweeping the shards away. Zhou Mi’s thoughts were at halt when his wounded hand was held gently and a Kyuhyun was staring at it.
“Idiot.” Kyuhyun crunched his face, inspecting the dribbling blood. Zhou Mi stopped breathing altogether at the sight of Kyuhyun taking out his handkerchief and covering the cut, stopping the bleeding. His touch firm but not hurting. “Picking the glass without gloves. What were you thinking?”
“There’s a first aid at the back. Tend to him, okay Kyuhyun? I’ve got this one.” Eeteuk’s command was concerned, worried but put on a smile, assuring the people inside the shop that their employee was going to be okay.
He felt being helped up to his feet, Kyuhyun leading him towards the back with an arm around his waist. He felt so frozen at the sight of blood that he just began babbling when he was finally placed down on a bench and Kyuhyun telling him to hold the cloth while he rummaged for the kit.
“I-I… I wasn’t thinking-I didn’t-”
“Chill, okay?” Kyuhyun knelt in front of him, taking in his hand and lightly touching the cuts; his face full of unease. And then his gaze softened, mildly looking pained. “I never liked seeing wounds like these. Reminds me of the time my father was hurting my mom.” He took out an antiseptic bottle and cotton, began wiping the blood that was dripping at the sides and over the open little slits. Zhou Mi felt his voice just disappeared on him. “I was always the one aiding my mom, until she was fed up one day and I had no one to nurse anymore.”
“I’m… sorry.” Was all Zhou Mi could choke out, not exactly sure what he was apologize for, Kyuhyun or his clumsy self; feeling foreign at the sight of being treated carefully, with utmost concern. “The blood scared me.”
He stuffed medicated cotton at the wounds, tenderly closing the cuts. “I can figure that much.” The last curl of the gauze finally covered Zhou Mi’s fingers and the click of the lock of the first aid box told that the treating was done. “There, almost new.”
“Thank you…” When was the last time Zhou Mi thanked someone for being so unconditionally considerate?
“One more thing. Because I always do this to my mom.”
Zhou Mi knew he was as prepared as any person out there who had most physical contact on a regular basis: the kissing, the touches, the gripping and the closeness, the sex, of which lack were honest emotions and love. Only driven by instinct, want, and desire. He knew that, grew with it, and subjected to it. You could make someone feel good without loving them.
But he knew he finally loved, the real thing like his stomach flopping and heart thumping fast, when Kyuhyun placed his mouth lightly on the bandaged fingers, eyes locked with Zhou Mi, whispered when he slowly pulled away, “There. All better.”
Zhou Mi’s heart just stopped right there.
--
To be continued?
---
A/N: LJ was terrible, terrible last night. By the time I was done and ready to post, they were down like a boss. /SOB so I let three hours to pass just so I could post again. And, well, good thing they are back. And I'm up and about at auto-pilot when I'm actually still sleepy and bed-head. I'm not even sure what I'm typing here anymore. Couldn't even dedicate this to people properly. Ugh.
In any case, there. Interaction. QMi QMi QMi. The cogwheels are in motion and a;sldfkjd;fkjls;--zzzz
(Comments are loved, as always. I'd love to hear from you, really! And please do add me at TUMBLR too!)