[Fic] Black Satin - 4/14
Title: Black Satin
Author: Coley Merrin
Rating: R
Pairing: Zhou Mi/Kyuhyun
Genre: AU, Romance
Warning: crossdressing
Summary: Out of work, Kyuhyun's last ditch effort lands him a curious roommate - and a job he never expected.
Chapter One * Chapter Two * Chapter Three * Chapter Four * Chapter Five
***
Kyuhyun got the feeling that Zhou Mi looked at him like a giant project. After having dressed him the night before, he could almost see Zhou Mi’s mind working. He got his hand grabbed on the way to dishing himself up right, Zhou Mi examining his nails. Even trying to get at his legs as Kyuhyun washed the dishes.
“Hey!” he protested, dancing away from the hand that had tried to hike up the leg of his pajama pants.
“Just looking!” Zhou Mi said.
And then cornered him in the bathroom of pots of facial creams and exfoliants, and stood there until Kyuhyun was scrubbed and smelled of whatever clay or junk had been in that last jar. He scowled and rubbed at his smoother skin, and went back to playing the next phase of his game. He didn’t really see it coming, when Zhou Mi told him that food was ready. All he really knew was that he was hungry. He got fed.
And then Zhou Mi corralled him into the bathroom with one of the kitchen chairs. Kind of literally. The only way he could’ve gotten out would’ve been to leap the chair and knock Zhou Mi down.
“From what I see, some women like to do this in the shower. But I think for the first time, it’s easier to get a nice seat, and draw some water in the sink, with a cloth, so you can see all you’re doing and not waste water.”
And then from seemingly nowhere, Zhou Mi presented him with a cute can of shaving cream and two brand new disposable razors.
“You do know how to shave, right?”
“Of course,” he retorted, stung. What was he, five?
“Okay. So. Be careful, and don’t cut yourself. I can keep you company or, if you need help…”
“I can take care of it,” he promised. He’d just hoped his poor, as so far yet untouched legs did not blame him for it.
“Be careful around your ankles. I’ve scraped myself before. Oh, and make sure you get your feet, too, just in case. Oh, and in case you wear something that bares your belly, I’d probably check there, too.”
“But how would someone find their way?” he asked blandly.
Zhou Mi kind of tittered, and at Kyuhyun’s glare, left Kyuhyun to his own devices.
So it wasn’t so hard to start, he thought. He got kind of a rhythm going. Shave, rinse blade, repeat. Of course, after washing off the foam, he’d fount a generous swath of hair and another spot that the razor had missed completely, but he figured he was the only one who had to know. He kind of felt naked. And paler. And sensitive, too. His pajama pants against his skin was a whole different thing than what he was used to. But he did get all the places Zhou Mi suggested. Staring at his belly button with some sadness. And a little unsurety. Zhou Mi really wouldn’t be so cruel as to put him in a belly-showing shirt. Right? But with a sigh, he’d done what he’d had to.
And he had almost thought that that was that. Until Zhou Mi came out with a little case. And started to set up shop beside him on the floor.
“What’s that?” he asked, before Zhou Mi had a chance to open it.
“You’re getting a manicure,” Zhou Mi said. There was no question in that. Just a statement.
“I do not want nail polish,” he protested, wondering how he was going to escape when Zhou Mi seemed so determined.
And Zhou Mi mumbled something about shaping and cuticles and occasional clear gloss and he figured he’d lost the battle anyway. It wasn’t like sitting there with Zhou Mi poking at his hands was such a big trial, even if he complained.
“This is what they do if you get it done in a shop,” Zhou Mi said, and started to massage his hand and arm.
Well. Okay then. He moaned and let his head drop back against the couch, rolling it toward Zhou Mi so he could make some snappy comeback, but what he got what Zhou Mi’s eyes staring at him. And then snapping down before he could even blink.
Okay. That was weird.
“I don’t care what you do to my hands, if you keep doing that,” he said, hoping his voice wasn’t too husky.
“Even nail polish?”
“Let’s work up to that.”
And Zhou Mi smile brightly at him.
***
So he was shaved, primped, buffed, and otherwise all around prepared for the next night of work. The night that Zhou Mi said that he would be on his own for at least half of. Which was cool. He knew it was coming eventually. Zhou Mi had come after him with some citrusy body spray before they’d left the house, yanking up his shirt to blast his chest. So, he’d yelped, and figured at least he’d smell good through the night. He figured, probably, Zhou Mi smelled really good in that. Probably right there below his ear.
He shook his head mentally, and focused on keeping still so that Zhou Mi didn’t stick the eyeliner pencil in his eye or something. Staring balefully at the mascara wand and puckering for the lip liner.
“How did you learn to do this stuff, anyway?” he asked, as Zhou Mi dusted blush onto his cheeks.
“When I started, someone taught me the basics. I looked stuff up online, too. I’ll teach you, if you want. Or. I enjoy doing it for you, so I don’t mind.”
If Zhou Mi was sick or something, he might need to do it himself. But unless that happened… He didn’t really see himself researching and practicing. And it was kind of nice to have Zhou Mi hovering around him. Focused on him. So that really suited him just fine.
“I’m good with you doing it. I’d probably make myself look like a clown.”
Zhou Mi laughed, and helped Kyuhyun into the wig. And then it was time to dress. Which was so far his least favorite part of the whole getting-ready process. He’d kind of started sorting through blouses when he felt Zhou Mi’s hand sneak up under the bottom edge of his loose pants.
And his skin crawled as Zhou Mi ran his fingers up the curve of Kyuhyun’s calf. “You did a really good job. I don’t think you need to wear anything on your legs tonight.”
That feeling unnerved him. He tried to stop himself. He really did. “Are you feeling me up?”
He thought Zhou Mi’s laugh was a little embarrassed as he tossed shoes at Kyuhyun’s feet. “I’ll find you a skirt.”
“Not like a kilt, right? You know they don’t wear anything under those?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, that’s what I read anyway.”
“Doing research on world fashion?”
“Ha. Ha. I wrote about it a paper for school. I just thought it’d be weird to be running around and riding horses and whatever in basically just a skirt.”
“You’d get plenty of breeze.”
“Yeah, as someone got a dagger to you. No protection.”
Zhou Mi hissed. “Okay, maybe we should change the topic.”
He laughed, poking at the heels he was supposed to put on. “Yeah, wouldn’t want your voice to go higher in sympathy.”
Of course, that was when he got a look at what Zhou Mi had come out of the little alcove with.
“I think this will do,” Zhou Mi said, holding it up and eyeing him with consideration.
“Is that a belt?” he asked carefully.
“It’s a skirt,” Zhou Mi told him, urging him onto his feet. “Let’s try it.”
“Let’s” had one too many people involved, considering Zhou Mi seemed to assume he was going to be helping Kyuhyun get that… Surely that wasn’t all Zhou Mi intended for him to wear. There were things that were short, and there were things that were just way too short. That was one of them. He managed to push Zhou Mi back enough so that his face was far, far away from his crotch, and shimmy the skirt up before letting his pants drop. It wasn’t like he’d never worn shorts before, or didn’t know what his legs looked like but it was different when he looked down and saw a swath of skin above his knees. And that he knew why.
“I think this is a bad idea,” he advised, picking up his pants and feeling a distinct breeze underwear or not. He was supposed to sit in this? Walk? “How am I supposed to do this?”
“Just keep your knees together.”
“Yes, Mom. But…”
Zhou Mi gave him a quick lesson on the fine art of sitting in a skirt. How to keep his thighs glued together or cross his legs. Which was possible, he discovered, even if he was tempted to put his hand down to make sure everything was covered.
“If you tell me I have girly legs, I’ll hit you,” he muttered, shoving his feet into the shoes.
Zhou Mi just smiled and handed him a bracelet.
When he got a chance to see himself, he realized that the makeup on his eyes was just a little bit darker than what Zhou Mi usually did, taking the layered sheer white top to what Zhou Mi called “a different level.” A more evening level, he was told. They were certainly more striking, but that was all. He wasn’t worried about his face, he was worried about his butt hanging out. He wasn’t like some of the others that went for frilly underwear. He figured if he was going to be the only one to see what he had on down there, he was sticking with as much armor and protection as he could get. And Zhou Mi had never commented to the contrary or tried to offer him anything else either. So it was definitely personal preference. He’d never seen Zhou Mi pulling any panties out of his locker, either, and that was a fact that was strangely comforting to him. There were some things in this bizarre life turn he’d taken that he could still count on. Even if it was a choice in underwear.
They had started to filter in ahead of them, and he leaned against the wall beside Zhou Mi. Usually they waited a few minutes, going in two or three at a time, so it wasn’t overwhelming. Half an hour later, five or six others would go, and they would cycle that way.
“Wow. I’m totally straight, but I’d hit that,” one of their coworkers said, giving Kyuhyun a once-over that went once over a few too many times.
“I don’t think he’s into girls,” Zhou Mi said, the tone so biting that it shocked him.
But the man laughed at Zhou Mi’s insult. “Dude, look at yourself.”
“I am. Come on, Kui Xian.”
“What’s up with you?” he asked, but quiet since they’d entered the club.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re sweetness and light. Why were you all up on his case for?”
“He shouldn’t be talking to you like that. They know better than to start teasing or hitting on someone else.”
So Zhou Mi didn’t just think the guy had been teasing? But that he’d been hit on, too? “He could be one of the clients then,” Kyuhyun murmured.
“They shouldn’t make it uncomfortable for anyone,” Zhou Mi insisted. “I know you can take care of yourself, I just… That guy sitting alone is looking at you. I can go with you, or…”
“I’ll try it myself, okay? I’ll talk to you later.”
Zhou Mi’s face was bordering on grim as Kyuhyun shot him a smile, and he wondered why it bothered Zhou Mi so much that someone would try to hit on him. Especially since out here, he was going to be hit on multiple times per night. Maybe it was just that it had been a coworker, and that he should’ve been protected from that at least. He didn’t really have the time to ponder Zhou Mi’s sudden weirdness though, as he did a poor job of getting up onto the barstool next to the man who’d been looking at him. And all his clumsy really garnered him was a significant look down his legs. Still, he got his knees in position.
“Can I get you a drink?” the man asked him, and Kyuhyun forced his mouth to curve, tipping his head to the side.
“Please, thank you.”
The bartender knew none of the employees drank alcohol during the night, and knew their preferences, and that was the start of a long night.
***
He was three hours into his shift, having taken a couple of breaks at Zhou Mi’s insistence, before he really ran into a problem. He was running on adrenaline, sneaking in big gulps of tea and trips to the bathroom, trying to remember that he’d made it out of college, was a reasonably intelligent man. He could handle talking to people. He settled down beside his next client at one of the little tables, the man being very insistent that he sit right beside him, not across. That wasn’t an unusual request, from what he could see. There was even some tame cuddling that went on every so often, between trusted customers and some of the employees who knew them.
Of course, this would be a man who didn’t just want to talk and look.
“You’re soft just like a girl,” the man exclaimed, a sweaty hand plopping onto Kyuhyun’s bare knee.
Oof. His manly pride went plopping onto the floor. Of course, with that touch, all of Zhou Mi’s little scattered admonishments went sliding through his head. Touching on the arm or the knee is one thing and isn’t anything to scream about. That’s allowed. But any place that you know they shouldn’t, stand up and let someone know. The customers know better. Still, the hand on his knee wasn’t doing anything untoward as yet.
“You’re sure you’re not a girl?”
He tightened his mouth. There were a lot of ways he could answer that, and almost all of the ones that weren’t direct sounded flirty. “Last time I checked,” just sounded like the pre-invitation to have someone double check. Which was not needed in the least, thank you.
“Yeah, I’m sure I’m not a girl,” he said.
Which had to be good for the guy, or he’d be off at some strip club where the breasts were fake, but the gender wasn’t.
“I’m glad about that. Nice voice.”
“Thanks.” And he was about to say something banal like, offering to sing, when an involuntary noise left him. Because the man had just dug his fingers into Kyuhyun’s thigh. Shit. That might leave a mark.
“Yeah. I knew you’d make those kind of sounds.”
What, the guy wanted sex noises? That had been a scalded cat noise. His sex noises were way better than that. Not that anyone here was going to ever find out. He tried to get his knee a little further away, and the man just took that as an invitation to scoot closer.
“Where you going, sweetie? You’re so cute. Come sit on my lap.”
Way out of bounds, the Zhou Mi in his head blared, holding a giant stop sign.
In trying to stand, he nearly banged his crotch on the table, which would’ve made things so much better, really. And that stupid hand just got higher, getting under the edge of his skirt, and no way, no possible way it was getting higher, not with Kyuhyun’s hand clamped on the guy’s wrist.
“Hey, come on, honey…”
“I’m not your honey. Get your hand off me.”
He could just punch the guy and solve his problems, but he’d rather not get arrested or lose his job because of some almost-molesting idiot. But there wasn’t much to miss about the commotion. He though Zhou Mi probably had eyes in the back of his head as quickly as he got to Kyuhyun’s side.
“Is there a problem?”
“Yeah,” Kyuhyun said, still trying to disengage himself. “He had a real problem trying to get his hand under my skirt.”
“You little…”
“You signed an acceptance form when you came in,” Zhou Mi said, none of the usual softness in his voice. “And you agreed that there would be no touching, from either of you. Let him go.”
He nearly tripped on his own feet as the guy stopped impeding his progress, using Zhou Mi’s shoulder to stabilize himself as the guy got escorted out by security.
“Come back with me,” Zhou Mi said, tugging Kyuhyun with him, past all of the curious eyes, into the back. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. He was an idiot. It’s not like he tried to do much.”
“He abused your trust.” Zhou Mi kept his face close, not letting Kyuhyun turn from him. “Do you want to go home? I could take you, or…”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll just take a couple minutes and get a drink. You should get back out there. You were with someone.”
“He’ll understand,” Zhou Mi fretted, playing with the sleeve of Kyuhyun’s shirt.
It was idiotic that that statement from Zhou Mi’s mouth made something scarily close to jealousy wing through him. Zhou Mi was being paid to pay attention to men. Zhou Mi wasn’t being paid to pay attention to him. And he was anyway. Because Zhou Mi had a good heart, not because there was anything between them or anything.
“Yeah, but the boss won’t, and neither will I. Go.”
Zhou Mi still hesitated. “If you want to go home early, tell me okay? I’ll be out there if you need me.”
And with a touch to his hand, Zhou Mi went back out. He let out a slow exhale. Some creep’s hand on his thigh didn’t make him want at all, but a couple of fingers on the back of his hand sent him off like a bottle rocket? He touched the sore spot on his leg and figured he’d never learn to understand himself.
***
It wasn’t as hard as it might have been, going out there again. Zhou Mi met his eyes with a tiny secret smile, and Kyuhyun had been directed to a seat beside a different man. A little older, a little portly. Someone that ogled his legs, and kept his hands to himself. That had been the most pleasant half hour he thought he’d spent, chatting about sports while wearing lipstick and heels. Okay, so it was weird still, he couldn’t lie about that. It wasn’t like he was going to snap his fingers and be totally cool with it. But he was resigned to taking his time in it. It was like the ultimate strategy game. He had his, arguably strange, armor, and his goals, and all he had to do was maneuver to the ultimate goal: the paycheck. Also, the tips helped. He just kept that firmly in mind.
But Zhou Mi didn’t seem to see the incident in quite the same light. After he’d changed into his normal clothes and scrubbed his face, Zhou Mi was offering to take him to eat, to get dessert, anything. And he practically had to threaten Zhou Mi to make him turn the car for home. It wasn’t like he enjoyed almost getting molested, but he was kind of being prosaic about it. It was just one of those things. And Zhou Mi had all but drilled into his head what he should and should not put up with, so really it was because of Zhou Mi he wasn’t totally traumatized.
He was starting to get the feeling that Zhou Mi was counting on Kyuhyun crawling into his bed so they could decompress after that night at work. So that Zhou Mi could decompress anyway, and that they would make a habit of it. Especially because it had been his first night alone and because of what had happened. Kyuhyun more or less lay there and grunted as Zhou Mi went on, occasionally making a comment about something. Offering up answers so that Zhou Mi could give him advice. It was a little uncomfortable, in that he wanted to shelve it all, while Zhou Mi wanted drag it all out. There were those differences between them, at least. But Zhou Mi did seem to get that he was about done, at least right then.
And because he was in Zhou Mi’s bed, that wasn’t made easier. He could feel every time one of Zhou Mi’s feet moved, tensing as though they were going to touch. And when Zhou Mi’s hand caught his arm, he really did tense, his breath catching as he wondered how to get away. And his stupid body leaping with hope and expectation.
“It feels like my fault,” Zhou Mi said. And it did not take a scientist to figure that Zhou Mi spoke of the incident with the man and Kyuhyun’s thigh. “I’m so sorry.”
“Well, it isn’t your fault,” Kyuhyun retorted. “You got me the job, and you weren’t pushing his hand. I’m probably not the first or the last person it’s happened to, so just let it go.”
“I can’t feel guilty at all?”
“No! Not unless I was trying to tell you no.”
Which was an awkward way of saying it. He really didn’t think he’d be telling Zhou Mi no in that kind of situation, but he hoped Zhou Mi wasn’t able to read between the lines there.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, okay? Next time will go better.”
“Yes, it should. I want you to be okay. I could have hit him for touching you.”
He imagined Zhou Mi’s fist plowing into the man’s jaw, and it made him chuckle. Zhou Mi tackling the guy and beating his head on the floor. Don’t touch my Kui Xian. Er. Maybe without the “my” part. Though with as responsible and protective as Zhou Mi felt and seemed, maybe he thought Kyuhyun was his cute little brother or something. Zhou Mi probably had options. Options that weren’t some kid he got thrown, who was a couple years younger and didn’t seem to match that brightness at all.
“Well, you showed him, right? So you can sleep easy, cause I’m fine.”
“I’m glad,” Zhou Mi said softly. “Kui Xian?”
“Hm?”
But Zhou Mi was asleep too quickly to answer. He turned over carefully, Zhou Mi’s hand still ringing his wrist. Maybe he’d let him go. He didn’t just want to yank his arm away. In the dark he could see the edges of Zhou Mi’s face. Cheekbones, jaw. The parted mouth. He bit his own lip trying not to imagine scooting closer, breathing in that warmth. Pressing kisses to the skin beside his lips that seems perpetually curled. To the stubborn chin. Letting the tips of their noses rub in some prelude to a kiss. He could imagine the way Zhou Mi’s eyelids would sweep down, lost in the sensation. He covered Zhou Mi’s hand, feeling the warm metal of the ring. But didn’t try to move it away. Not yet. He’d just spend five more minutes. Maybe that’d be enough to tell him how ridiculous he was being. And after five minutes, Zhou Mi’s shoulders hunched in his sleep, making some soft sigh as he shifted, hand tightening around Kyuhyun’s arm. It wasn’t like Zhou Mi had invited him to stay. So he’d have to give it five more minutes. That was it.
***
He woke to find that he had drooled a small wet spot on Zhou Mi’s pillow, and that Zhou Mi was all curled up on himself, hair at some crazy angle. He smirked, resisting the urge to ruffle it, and feeling sheepish that he’d fallen asleep there again. He didn’t think sharing Zhou Mi’s bed was part of their arrangement, no matter how well he seemed to sleep there. After a while, he’d even have enough to buy a bed of his own. That was some kind of prospect at least. He scratched his stomach as he wandered to the bathroom, having carefully replaced the covers. And he discovered that he had faint purple marks on his thigh from the little encounter at the club. But he hid them the next night by asking for a longer skirt, and showing Zhou Mi a smile.
***
Author: Coley Merrin
Rating: R
Pairing: Zhou Mi/Kyuhyun
Genre: AU, Romance
Warning: crossdressing
Summary: Out of work, Kyuhyun's last ditch effort lands him a curious roommate - and a job he never expected.
Chapter One * Chapter Two * Chapter Three * Chapter Four * Chapter Five
***
Kyuhyun got the feeling that Zhou Mi looked at him like a giant project. After having dressed him the night before, he could almost see Zhou Mi’s mind working. He got his hand grabbed on the way to dishing himself up right, Zhou Mi examining his nails. Even trying to get at his legs as Kyuhyun washed the dishes.
“Hey!” he protested, dancing away from the hand that had tried to hike up the leg of his pajama pants.
“Just looking!” Zhou Mi said.
And then cornered him in the bathroom of pots of facial creams and exfoliants, and stood there until Kyuhyun was scrubbed and smelled of whatever clay or junk had been in that last jar. He scowled and rubbed at his smoother skin, and went back to playing the next phase of his game. He didn’t really see it coming, when Zhou Mi told him that food was ready. All he really knew was that he was hungry. He got fed.
And then Zhou Mi corralled him into the bathroom with one of the kitchen chairs. Kind of literally. The only way he could’ve gotten out would’ve been to leap the chair and knock Zhou Mi down.
“From what I see, some women like to do this in the shower. But I think for the first time, it’s easier to get a nice seat, and draw some water in the sink, with a cloth, so you can see all you’re doing and not waste water.”
And then from seemingly nowhere, Zhou Mi presented him with a cute can of shaving cream and two brand new disposable razors.
“You do know how to shave, right?”
“Of course,” he retorted, stung. What was he, five?
“Okay. So. Be careful, and don’t cut yourself. I can keep you company or, if you need help…”
“I can take care of it,” he promised. He’d just hoped his poor, as so far yet untouched legs did not blame him for it.
“Be careful around your ankles. I’ve scraped myself before. Oh, and make sure you get your feet, too, just in case. Oh, and in case you wear something that bares your belly, I’d probably check there, too.”
“But how would someone find their way?” he asked blandly.
Zhou Mi kind of tittered, and at Kyuhyun’s glare, left Kyuhyun to his own devices.
So it wasn’t so hard to start, he thought. He got kind of a rhythm going. Shave, rinse blade, repeat. Of course, after washing off the foam, he’d fount a generous swath of hair and another spot that the razor had missed completely, but he figured he was the only one who had to know. He kind of felt naked. And paler. And sensitive, too. His pajama pants against his skin was a whole different thing than what he was used to. But he did get all the places Zhou Mi suggested. Staring at his belly button with some sadness. And a little unsurety. Zhou Mi really wouldn’t be so cruel as to put him in a belly-showing shirt. Right? But with a sigh, he’d done what he’d had to.
And he had almost thought that that was that. Until Zhou Mi came out with a little case. And started to set up shop beside him on the floor.
“What’s that?” he asked, before Zhou Mi had a chance to open it.
“You’re getting a manicure,” Zhou Mi said. There was no question in that. Just a statement.
“I do not want nail polish,” he protested, wondering how he was going to escape when Zhou Mi seemed so determined.
And Zhou Mi mumbled something about shaping and cuticles and occasional clear gloss and he figured he’d lost the battle anyway. It wasn’t like sitting there with Zhou Mi poking at his hands was such a big trial, even if he complained.
“This is what they do if you get it done in a shop,” Zhou Mi said, and started to massage his hand and arm.
Well. Okay then. He moaned and let his head drop back against the couch, rolling it toward Zhou Mi so he could make some snappy comeback, but what he got what Zhou Mi’s eyes staring at him. And then snapping down before he could even blink.
Okay. That was weird.
“I don’t care what you do to my hands, if you keep doing that,” he said, hoping his voice wasn’t too husky.
“Even nail polish?”
“Let’s work up to that.”
And Zhou Mi smile brightly at him.
***
So he was shaved, primped, buffed, and otherwise all around prepared for the next night of work. The night that Zhou Mi said that he would be on his own for at least half of. Which was cool. He knew it was coming eventually. Zhou Mi had come after him with some citrusy body spray before they’d left the house, yanking up his shirt to blast his chest. So, he’d yelped, and figured at least he’d smell good through the night. He figured, probably, Zhou Mi smelled really good in that. Probably right there below his ear.
He shook his head mentally, and focused on keeping still so that Zhou Mi didn’t stick the eyeliner pencil in his eye or something. Staring balefully at the mascara wand and puckering for the lip liner.
“How did you learn to do this stuff, anyway?” he asked, as Zhou Mi dusted blush onto his cheeks.
“When I started, someone taught me the basics. I looked stuff up online, too. I’ll teach you, if you want. Or. I enjoy doing it for you, so I don’t mind.”
If Zhou Mi was sick or something, he might need to do it himself. But unless that happened… He didn’t really see himself researching and practicing. And it was kind of nice to have Zhou Mi hovering around him. Focused on him. So that really suited him just fine.
“I’m good with you doing it. I’d probably make myself look like a clown.”
Zhou Mi laughed, and helped Kyuhyun into the wig. And then it was time to dress. Which was so far his least favorite part of the whole getting-ready process. He’d kind of started sorting through blouses when he felt Zhou Mi’s hand sneak up under the bottom edge of his loose pants.
And his skin crawled as Zhou Mi ran his fingers up the curve of Kyuhyun’s calf. “You did a really good job. I don’t think you need to wear anything on your legs tonight.”
That feeling unnerved him. He tried to stop himself. He really did. “Are you feeling me up?”
He thought Zhou Mi’s laugh was a little embarrassed as he tossed shoes at Kyuhyun’s feet. “I’ll find you a skirt.”
“Not like a kilt, right? You know they don’t wear anything under those?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, that’s what I read anyway.”
“Doing research on world fashion?”
“Ha. Ha. I wrote about it a paper for school. I just thought it’d be weird to be running around and riding horses and whatever in basically just a skirt.”
“You’d get plenty of breeze.”
“Yeah, as someone got a dagger to you. No protection.”
Zhou Mi hissed. “Okay, maybe we should change the topic.”
He laughed, poking at the heels he was supposed to put on. “Yeah, wouldn’t want your voice to go higher in sympathy.”
Of course, that was when he got a look at what Zhou Mi had come out of the little alcove with.
“I think this will do,” Zhou Mi said, holding it up and eyeing him with consideration.
“Is that a belt?” he asked carefully.
“It’s a skirt,” Zhou Mi told him, urging him onto his feet. “Let’s try it.”
“Let’s” had one too many people involved, considering Zhou Mi seemed to assume he was going to be helping Kyuhyun get that… Surely that wasn’t all Zhou Mi intended for him to wear. There were things that were short, and there were things that were just way too short. That was one of them. He managed to push Zhou Mi back enough so that his face was far, far away from his crotch, and shimmy the skirt up before letting his pants drop. It wasn’t like he’d never worn shorts before, or didn’t know what his legs looked like but it was different when he looked down and saw a swath of skin above his knees. And that he knew why.
“I think this is a bad idea,” he advised, picking up his pants and feeling a distinct breeze underwear or not. He was supposed to sit in this? Walk? “How am I supposed to do this?”
“Just keep your knees together.”
“Yes, Mom. But…”
Zhou Mi gave him a quick lesson on the fine art of sitting in a skirt. How to keep his thighs glued together or cross his legs. Which was possible, he discovered, even if he was tempted to put his hand down to make sure everything was covered.
“If you tell me I have girly legs, I’ll hit you,” he muttered, shoving his feet into the shoes.
Zhou Mi just smiled and handed him a bracelet.
When he got a chance to see himself, he realized that the makeup on his eyes was just a little bit darker than what Zhou Mi usually did, taking the layered sheer white top to what Zhou Mi called “a different level.” A more evening level, he was told. They were certainly more striking, but that was all. He wasn’t worried about his face, he was worried about his butt hanging out. He wasn’t like some of the others that went for frilly underwear. He figured if he was going to be the only one to see what he had on down there, he was sticking with as much armor and protection as he could get. And Zhou Mi had never commented to the contrary or tried to offer him anything else either. So it was definitely personal preference. He’d never seen Zhou Mi pulling any panties out of his locker, either, and that was a fact that was strangely comforting to him. There were some things in this bizarre life turn he’d taken that he could still count on. Even if it was a choice in underwear.
They had started to filter in ahead of them, and he leaned against the wall beside Zhou Mi. Usually they waited a few minutes, going in two or three at a time, so it wasn’t overwhelming. Half an hour later, five or six others would go, and they would cycle that way.
“Wow. I’m totally straight, but I’d hit that,” one of their coworkers said, giving Kyuhyun a once-over that went once over a few too many times.
“I don’t think he’s into girls,” Zhou Mi said, the tone so biting that it shocked him.
But the man laughed at Zhou Mi’s insult. “Dude, look at yourself.”
“I am. Come on, Kui Xian.”
“What’s up with you?” he asked, but quiet since they’d entered the club.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re sweetness and light. Why were you all up on his case for?”
“He shouldn’t be talking to you like that. They know better than to start teasing or hitting on someone else.”
So Zhou Mi didn’t just think the guy had been teasing? But that he’d been hit on, too? “He could be one of the clients then,” Kyuhyun murmured.
“They shouldn’t make it uncomfortable for anyone,” Zhou Mi insisted. “I know you can take care of yourself, I just… That guy sitting alone is looking at you. I can go with you, or…”
“I’ll try it myself, okay? I’ll talk to you later.”
Zhou Mi’s face was bordering on grim as Kyuhyun shot him a smile, and he wondered why it bothered Zhou Mi so much that someone would try to hit on him. Especially since out here, he was going to be hit on multiple times per night. Maybe it was just that it had been a coworker, and that he should’ve been protected from that at least. He didn’t really have the time to ponder Zhou Mi’s sudden weirdness though, as he did a poor job of getting up onto the barstool next to the man who’d been looking at him. And all his clumsy really garnered him was a significant look down his legs. Still, he got his knees in position.
“Can I get you a drink?” the man asked him, and Kyuhyun forced his mouth to curve, tipping his head to the side.
“Please, thank you.”
The bartender knew none of the employees drank alcohol during the night, and knew their preferences, and that was the start of a long night.
***
He was three hours into his shift, having taken a couple of breaks at Zhou Mi’s insistence, before he really ran into a problem. He was running on adrenaline, sneaking in big gulps of tea and trips to the bathroom, trying to remember that he’d made it out of college, was a reasonably intelligent man. He could handle talking to people. He settled down beside his next client at one of the little tables, the man being very insistent that he sit right beside him, not across. That wasn’t an unusual request, from what he could see. There was even some tame cuddling that went on every so often, between trusted customers and some of the employees who knew them.
Of course, this would be a man who didn’t just want to talk and look.
“You’re soft just like a girl,” the man exclaimed, a sweaty hand plopping onto Kyuhyun’s bare knee.
Oof. His manly pride went plopping onto the floor. Of course, with that touch, all of Zhou Mi’s little scattered admonishments went sliding through his head. Touching on the arm or the knee is one thing and isn’t anything to scream about. That’s allowed. But any place that you know they shouldn’t, stand up and let someone know. The customers know better. Still, the hand on his knee wasn’t doing anything untoward as yet.
“You’re sure you’re not a girl?”
He tightened his mouth. There were a lot of ways he could answer that, and almost all of the ones that weren’t direct sounded flirty. “Last time I checked,” just sounded like the pre-invitation to have someone double check. Which was not needed in the least, thank you.
“Yeah, I’m sure I’m not a girl,” he said.
Which had to be good for the guy, or he’d be off at some strip club where the breasts were fake, but the gender wasn’t.
“I’m glad about that. Nice voice.”
“Thanks.” And he was about to say something banal like, offering to sing, when an involuntary noise left him. Because the man had just dug his fingers into Kyuhyun’s thigh. Shit. That might leave a mark.
“Yeah. I knew you’d make those kind of sounds.”
What, the guy wanted sex noises? That had been a scalded cat noise. His sex noises were way better than that. Not that anyone here was going to ever find out. He tried to get his knee a little further away, and the man just took that as an invitation to scoot closer.
“Where you going, sweetie? You’re so cute. Come sit on my lap.”
Way out of bounds, the Zhou Mi in his head blared, holding a giant stop sign.
In trying to stand, he nearly banged his crotch on the table, which would’ve made things so much better, really. And that stupid hand just got higher, getting under the edge of his skirt, and no way, no possible way it was getting higher, not with Kyuhyun’s hand clamped on the guy’s wrist.
“Hey, come on, honey…”
“I’m not your honey. Get your hand off me.”
He could just punch the guy and solve his problems, but he’d rather not get arrested or lose his job because of some almost-molesting idiot. But there wasn’t much to miss about the commotion. He though Zhou Mi probably had eyes in the back of his head as quickly as he got to Kyuhyun’s side.
“Is there a problem?”
“Yeah,” Kyuhyun said, still trying to disengage himself. “He had a real problem trying to get his hand under my skirt.”
“You little…”
“You signed an acceptance form when you came in,” Zhou Mi said, none of the usual softness in his voice. “And you agreed that there would be no touching, from either of you. Let him go.”
He nearly tripped on his own feet as the guy stopped impeding his progress, using Zhou Mi’s shoulder to stabilize himself as the guy got escorted out by security.
“Come back with me,” Zhou Mi said, tugging Kyuhyun with him, past all of the curious eyes, into the back. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. He was an idiot. It’s not like he tried to do much.”
“He abused your trust.” Zhou Mi kept his face close, not letting Kyuhyun turn from him. “Do you want to go home? I could take you, or…”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll just take a couple minutes and get a drink. You should get back out there. You were with someone.”
“He’ll understand,” Zhou Mi fretted, playing with the sleeve of Kyuhyun’s shirt.
It was idiotic that that statement from Zhou Mi’s mouth made something scarily close to jealousy wing through him. Zhou Mi was being paid to pay attention to men. Zhou Mi wasn’t being paid to pay attention to him. And he was anyway. Because Zhou Mi had a good heart, not because there was anything between them or anything.
“Yeah, but the boss won’t, and neither will I. Go.”
Zhou Mi still hesitated. “If you want to go home early, tell me okay? I’ll be out there if you need me.”
And with a touch to his hand, Zhou Mi went back out. He let out a slow exhale. Some creep’s hand on his thigh didn’t make him want at all, but a couple of fingers on the back of his hand sent him off like a bottle rocket? He touched the sore spot on his leg and figured he’d never learn to understand himself.
***
It wasn’t as hard as it might have been, going out there again. Zhou Mi met his eyes with a tiny secret smile, and Kyuhyun had been directed to a seat beside a different man. A little older, a little portly. Someone that ogled his legs, and kept his hands to himself. That had been the most pleasant half hour he thought he’d spent, chatting about sports while wearing lipstick and heels. Okay, so it was weird still, he couldn’t lie about that. It wasn’t like he was going to snap his fingers and be totally cool with it. But he was resigned to taking his time in it. It was like the ultimate strategy game. He had his, arguably strange, armor, and his goals, and all he had to do was maneuver to the ultimate goal: the paycheck. Also, the tips helped. He just kept that firmly in mind.
But Zhou Mi didn’t seem to see the incident in quite the same light. After he’d changed into his normal clothes and scrubbed his face, Zhou Mi was offering to take him to eat, to get dessert, anything. And he practically had to threaten Zhou Mi to make him turn the car for home. It wasn’t like he enjoyed almost getting molested, but he was kind of being prosaic about it. It was just one of those things. And Zhou Mi had all but drilled into his head what he should and should not put up with, so really it was because of Zhou Mi he wasn’t totally traumatized.
He was starting to get the feeling that Zhou Mi was counting on Kyuhyun crawling into his bed so they could decompress after that night at work. So that Zhou Mi could decompress anyway, and that they would make a habit of it. Especially because it had been his first night alone and because of what had happened. Kyuhyun more or less lay there and grunted as Zhou Mi went on, occasionally making a comment about something. Offering up answers so that Zhou Mi could give him advice. It was a little uncomfortable, in that he wanted to shelve it all, while Zhou Mi wanted drag it all out. There were those differences between them, at least. But Zhou Mi did seem to get that he was about done, at least right then.
And because he was in Zhou Mi’s bed, that wasn’t made easier. He could feel every time one of Zhou Mi’s feet moved, tensing as though they were going to touch. And when Zhou Mi’s hand caught his arm, he really did tense, his breath catching as he wondered how to get away. And his stupid body leaping with hope and expectation.
“It feels like my fault,” Zhou Mi said. And it did not take a scientist to figure that Zhou Mi spoke of the incident with the man and Kyuhyun’s thigh. “I’m so sorry.”
“Well, it isn’t your fault,” Kyuhyun retorted. “You got me the job, and you weren’t pushing his hand. I’m probably not the first or the last person it’s happened to, so just let it go.”
“I can’t feel guilty at all?”
“No! Not unless I was trying to tell you no.”
Which was an awkward way of saying it. He really didn’t think he’d be telling Zhou Mi no in that kind of situation, but he hoped Zhou Mi wasn’t able to read between the lines there.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, okay? Next time will go better.”
“Yes, it should. I want you to be okay. I could have hit him for touching you.”
He imagined Zhou Mi’s fist plowing into the man’s jaw, and it made him chuckle. Zhou Mi tackling the guy and beating his head on the floor. Don’t touch my Kui Xian. Er. Maybe without the “my” part. Though with as responsible and protective as Zhou Mi felt and seemed, maybe he thought Kyuhyun was his cute little brother or something. Zhou Mi probably had options. Options that weren’t some kid he got thrown, who was a couple years younger and didn’t seem to match that brightness at all.
“Well, you showed him, right? So you can sleep easy, cause I’m fine.”
“I’m glad,” Zhou Mi said softly. “Kui Xian?”
“Hm?”
But Zhou Mi was asleep too quickly to answer. He turned over carefully, Zhou Mi’s hand still ringing his wrist. Maybe he’d let him go. He didn’t just want to yank his arm away. In the dark he could see the edges of Zhou Mi’s face. Cheekbones, jaw. The parted mouth. He bit his own lip trying not to imagine scooting closer, breathing in that warmth. Pressing kisses to the skin beside his lips that seems perpetually curled. To the stubborn chin. Letting the tips of their noses rub in some prelude to a kiss. He could imagine the way Zhou Mi’s eyelids would sweep down, lost in the sensation. He covered Zhou Mi’s hand, feeling the warm metal of the ring. But didn’t try to move it away. Not yet. He’d just spend five more minutes. Maybe that’d be enough to tell him how ridiculous he was being. And after five minutes, Zhou Mi’s shoulders hunched in his sleep, making some soft sigh as he shifted, hand tightening around Kyuhyun’s arm. It wasn’t like Zhou Mi had invited him to stay. So he’d have to give it five more minutes. That was it.
***
He woke to find that he had drooled a small wet spot on Zhou Mi’s pillow, and that Zhou Mi was all curled up on himself, hair at some crazy angle. He smirked, resisting the urge to ruffle it, and feeling sheepish that he’d fallen asleep there again. He didn’t think sharing Zhou Mi’s bed was part of their arrangement, no matter how well he seemed to sleep there. After a while, he’d even have enough to buy a bed of his own. That was some kind of prospect at least. He scratched his stomach as he wandered to the bathroom, having carefully replaced the covers. And he discovered that he had faint purple marks on his thigh from the little encounter at the club. But he hid them the next night by asking for a longer skirt, and showing Zhou Mi a smile.
***