(AHHHHH IZZ LATE AGAIN IM SORRRRRRYYYY!!!!! DON HATE MEH PLEZ!!!!)

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(Ink)

Even with fresh bruises, I kept up my movement around my apartment. I had Reaper bring in one of his punching bags and hang it up for me. I couldn't use my gymnastics equipment with my boot on, but I could work on my strength. If Lust was going to keep coming at me, I needed to be able to take a hit and stand my ground. Like hell would I let him control me with ease. Even though I told Error we shouldn't fight, it doesn't mean I shouldn't be prepared.

Once my boot was off, I planned on going back to dancing. Like returning to dating, I wouldn't let the memories of my past haunt me anymore. If I was going to take my life back, then I needed to return to everything I loved. Not just what remained untainted by Lust.

So, smiling as I hit the punching bag, I felt satisfied. 'L'Artiste' will not be erased.

At least my regulars will be happy... I thought. Returning to work was really just a slap in the face to Lust. G would welcome me back with open arms.

Just thinking about the look on the customers' faces when I return to the stage...Pleasing them made me all giddy inside and my hands twitch to move and dance on the pole again...

My first plan had failed. I could not avoid my past, as much as I might want to. It was time to embrace it. And embrace it I will.

With Error's support included. Though, he might be shocked to learn exactly what I plan on doing...

(Error)

It fell out of my pant's pocket as I folded laundry. I looked at the slightly battered card, anger bubbling in my stomach. It was the gaudy business card Lust had given me all that time ago when he first discovered us.

I stared at it, studying the name of the place he worked at. 'The Azure Orchid' a club of sorts. But what kind? Lust didn't exactly seem like the barkeep or DJ type. He acted almost like...

Dropping the card like it was on fire I shook my head, backing away from the bed where my half-finished laundry sat. It can't be, can it?

Swallowing my shock, I picked the card up and went to my laptop. A quick search yielded an ad for The Orchid's Date Night Friday deals. The address matched the card but other than the start of the deal time, which was four o'clock, it revealed nothing of its nature. 

Growling slightly at the lack of info, I glared at the card. The only way to figure out what this place was without ruining my search history would be to go there. And I hate clubs, more than any public place.

But he threatened Ink... I crushed the card in my hand, my knuckles white.

Damn the club. I need to set him straight.

Making plans to go during the week to avoid Date Night Friday, I folded the rest of my laundry with a dry anger, the crumbled card on my bedside table as a reminder.

Lust, I'm coming for you.

------

A large part of my brain screamed that this was a huge, huge mistake. 

The neon pale blue sign in swirly cursive glowed bright, spelling out Azure Orchid next to a blinking flower, an orchid. People flitted in and out, those leaving often tipsy and wobbly or leaving with someone I doubted they entered with. Voices were loud with drunken fervor. Music blared inside, momentarily growing louder with every opening of the door. 

Standing on the opposite side of the street I tapped my foot nervously, my hood pulled tightly over my head to hide. Slowly I built up the anger and courage to walk in that place, to confront Lust. Letting out a tense breath through my teeth, I cracked my neck.

For Ink.

Striding forward with a confidence I didn't really feel I walked up to the club to wait in the rather short line. It was Tuesday, after all.

The bouncer eyed me, dark blue shirt tight against a lean chest. If he stood outside, I doubted his slim figure was anything to judge him by. He was probably strong, but he flashed me a lazy grin as I stepped up to him.

"Welcome, bud," he said, "Ya all alone out here?"

I nodded curtly, barely trusting myself to speak. My heart hammered and my palms were sweaty. I probably looked nervous as all Hell. The bouncer picked up on it and leaned down slightly, brown hair with faint orange highlights falling into his eyes.

"You have any trouble, call me, alright? Name's Stretch," he said in a low tone before standing straight and giving me that lazy grin again, "Go on in. I recommend a bar seat. Best in the house for a loner like you."

"Thanks," I said shortly. He nodded and I entered, blinking to adjust to pulsing blue lights. The light pounded in beat to rhythmic hiphop music. Despite the weekday, there were too many people for my comfort levels. Then again, my comfort levels were rather shallow.

Following the recommendation of the bouncer Stretch, I made my way over to an empty corner bar stool at the brightly lit blue and purple bar. A line of bottles was lit by neon lights from behind, casting funny colors into the various shadows of liquid along the shelves. Taking deep breaths to calm myself, I took a moment to actually inspect my surroundings. My face flushed as my hands went cold at what I finally realized I had entered.

A strip club. A gay strip club at that.

Guys of all types, dressed in extremely revealing fashion, stood on small stages or wound their way through the crowd carrying drink trays, surrounding me. Those on stages danced to the music while those with trays passed by the half drunk people in the club, sometimes pausing to flirt or, to my increasingly tightening stomach, to give lap dances.

Some of the performers sat with groups of guys, leaning on arms or whatnot. Each performer had his own theme, it looked like. They weren't really 'average' in their category but seemed to have their own style and act.

One such performer, dressed in black jean shorts cut off just below his butt, a ragged maroon crop top, and high-heeled boots walked with a riding crop at his hip as he carried an empty tray under his arm. Maroon hair pulled into a long, slick ponytail made him look serious, even with dark maroon eyeliner and...was he wearing lipstick? Fingerless half gloves completed the look as he paused next to me and shouted at the bartender for a table's order.

He turned to me and smirked, biting his lip.

"Hey there, hotty~," he said, his voice low and sultry and managing to cut through the music, "You new 'round here~?"

My throat constricted as he leaned in close, dark eyes flashing in the light. He leaned on the counter in a way to show off his rear to passerby. Without my noticing, a hand had gripped the riding crop and I found the tip at my chin as he tilted my face to observe.

"Never seen your face before, doll," he said. I swallowed, unable to speak as my heart hammered. My breathing sped up slightly as the crop maintained a light pressure on my chin.

"Leave him alone, Lord," said a voice I almost recognized, "He's not a proper customer."

The performer, Lord, pouted slightly and we both turned to see the bartender. He had filled Lord's tray with the asked for drinks and made a shooing motion.

"If you please, M'lord," he said, a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice. Lord smiled slightly in amusement.

"Want him all for yourself, Dragon?" he teased and the familiar-looking bartender shook his head.

"I know for a fact he's already taken. By L'Artiste, no less," this Dragon said.

Lord turned to me, his smile turning to surprise before he smirked. He glanced me up and down and chuckled deeply.

"Skittles has good taste," he said and Dragon shooed him away.

"Off! Shoo!" he said. Lord chuckled some more while carrying the tray away. I went to thank the bartender before I realized who it was who had saved me.

"Sorry 'bout him, Error," he sighed, smiling at me in curiosity, "What brings you of all people to my club?"

I could only stare at him. The tattoos that marked his face stood out obviously with his bright yellow eyes. My gaze took in the fact that, unlike last time, he lacked a shirt and I could see the dark lines of tattoos under a black scaly snake-skin jacket. The tattoos I could see were of a ribcage regularly intertwined with flowers and vines and other things.

After a long pause where my heart calmed down minimally, I blurted, "You run this place?"

Ink's friend G, also known as Dragon apparently, nodded, "I own the club."

"So," he set down a glass on the counter, "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Uh...you have Coke? I'm not much of an alcohol drinker," I said and G nodded. He pulled out a glass bottle of Coke, popped the cap, and set it on a coaster to slide to me. He leaned on the bar, still curious.

As I took a sip, he asked, "So why are you here?"

The fire that sent me in here flared, "I'm looking for Lust. Know him?"

G frowned, "He's my best dancer. Why?"

My grip tightened on my bottle as I forced another sip down my throat, "I need to talk to him."

G sighed, leaning back to stand, "Well, right now I think he's-"

The music suddenly changed as the lights focused. G stared at a large stage as people turned their attention to it. Spotlights lit it up and everyone waited expectantly for something to happen.

"...about to perform," G finished.

I watched in curious dread as some pale, red-tinted fog came out of nowhere. Out of some hidden door, a shadow slowly made its way through the fog cloud to a brightly lit pole in the center of what became obvious as a center stage. My hands, already sweaty, grew slick and I rubbed them on my pants uselessly to dry them as I swallowed my apprehension.

There was no doubt the figure who emerged from the red-tinted fog was Lust. Despite the skin-tight red pants, sleeveless black jacket, and blood red tank top, there was no mistaking that violet hair or those glinting piercings. The blue lights that softened the club became sharp and red, bathing the entire area in a Hellish crimson.

Lust made his way over to the pole, grabbed it and leaned down, swinging slightly.

"Miss me~?" I could barely hear him from the distance between us but I made out his words nonetheless. There was a chorus of yes and soon most of the crowd was chanting a name.

"Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer!" they chanted, giving each syllable its share of time and enunciation.

As Lust's shoulders shook with a chuckle I couldn't hear, I turned to G.

"Lucifer?" I asked. G chuckled before sighing, shaking his head.

"We all have our stage names," he said, "You've already met Lord, whose real name is Razz. Then, of course, there's me, Dragon. I'd list off a few others but you don't need to worry about them now. Just wait until you meet them if you want," he waved the others away.

"Who's..." I swallowed, "L'Artiste?"

G smirked at me, "I thought you would have figured that out already."

"But...h-he doesn't...work h-here...does he?" I glanced around, shivering slightly with conflicting emotions. On one hand, this place made me extremely uncomfortable. On the other, the idea that the guy I'm dating was hot enough to be a stripper made me feel all warm and short of breath in a new way.

"Not anymore," G sighed, "He was my best dancer. He really danced with his heart. He didn't put on a show like some of my others..." we both looked at Lust/Lucifer as he ground his crotch on the pole, smirking at the audience. He had abandoned the jacket and my face grew warm as he dipped down suddenly, drawing himself up while a not-so-casual hand slid up the back of his leg before smacking his ass. I quickly turned away, hunching my shoulders. G let out an apologetic chuckle at my shy attitude.

"Sometimes I wish he'd come back and dance again," G said wistfully which made me turn my gaze on him, curiosity or jealousy or suspicion flicking through my mind. Maybe all three.

"Why?" I asked evenly, stilling my shaking hand on my Coke. My heart hasn't slowed down since I entered and it was a fight not to bolt right now.

"Like I said, he was my best dancer. Most popular," G explained, "He had a lot of regulars, too. They miss him. And I miss having my friend around here. But I don't blame him for leaving and I won't ask him to come back unless he's ready."

There was loud cheer with whoops and wolf-whistles and I tugged my hoodie tighter over my head. G chuckled again.

"Tell me he still has his pants on..." I said pleadingly and G shook his head.

"Nope," he said and I groaned.

--------

G gave me instructions to wait backstage for Lust. As I went to pay for the Coke he waved me off, saying it's on the house. When I asked why he shrugged, said, 'a few reasons' and failed to elaborate.

Thankfully, when Lust returned from the stage he grabbed a robe on his way to his dressing room. He caught sight of me and smirked, his eyes sparkling wildly.

"Hey there, cutie~" he purred, walking up to me. I backed myself into the wall and he chuckled.

"I wanted to have a word with you," I said with a bravado that I was definitely not feeling.

Lust backed off slightly, tilting his head. He walked past me, waving me forward.

"Follow me," he said. After swallowing the lump in my throat I followed the, as I now saw, glittery asshole. Yes, he had actual glitter on his body and I fought off the hollowness in my stomach. We passed a few other dancers and I dodged all of them, avoiding as much touch as possible. I yelped when someone smacked my ass and the entire group laughed, Lust the hardest. The touch lingered on my body and I felt cold sweats drip down my neck.

This is a horrible idea...awful, stupid idea...

I thought I might be able to gain some air once I was out of the hallway and not surrounded by people. But I soon realized that air would not return to my lungs until I was no longer in the same building as Lust. Let alone locked in a room with nothing but a wardrobe and, much to my dismay, a bed.

"Have a seat," Lust offered as he went to a little table. He half-turned to me, "Care for a drink?"

Swallowing the lump in my throat I shook my head, "Not a fan."

"Suit yourself," Lust shrugged and poured himself a glass of dark purple liquid. He took a long swig before sighing and setting the glass down with a slight clink.

"So, you wanted to talk," he said evenly, not looking at me as he went behind a changing screen. Hopefully to put some goddamn pants on. I looked away as the robe was slung over the top of the screen.

"Y-yeah, um," I cleared my throat, finding it dry, "I wanted to talk about Ink."

The shuffling behind the screen paused, "Oh?"

My confidence and my anger perked up, "You need to leave him alone."

Lust came out from behind the screen, violet eyes glinting. He had put on a sleeveless jacket, the same one I met him in, and very tight black jeans.

"Do I now," he stated flatly. I nodded, feeling bolder and standing stiffer.

"He isn't your boyfriend anymore," Lust slowly approached me as I spoke, walking in heeled boots and standing taller than me, "You need to leave him be and stay out of our lives."

"Is that so," Lust said, his voice oddly dark. I swallowed again as he got closer and closer.

"Y-you can't treat h-him like some thing..." I slowly backed away from his approach, my heart hammering, "He's a-a human being..."

Lust grew closer and my breathing hitched when I hit the wall. An audible gulp sounded as Lust continued his approach, staring down at me.

"Ink..." Lust said slowly, "Is a hopeless, helpless idiot. He doesn't understand the truth of life. There is no such thing as 'love'. There is only control. There are those who have it and those who don't."

My nerve slipped away as Lust stood right in front of me, his violet eyes commanding my attention as my breathing grew shallow. My heart raced in my chest as he put his hands on either side of my head, leaning on the wall and trapping me. I swallowed again, unable to help how dry my mouth felt or the slickness of my shaking hands.

"Ink has no control," Lust went on smoothly, "You have no control. Neither of you will amount to anything in the real world. Both of you are just pathetic whelps that need strong handlers. And Ink..." he let out a hot breath on my face, smirking, "is my little bitch."

The word stung and Lust watched in amusement when I flinched.

"He's been a bad bitch, too..." Lust went on thoughtfully, "Ignorant little Inky ran away and messed with some half-breed stray. He's hiding under the porch, raising filthy whelps away from me." His teeth glinted in a snarl, "Do you know what happens to illegitimate whelps, Error?"

My throat constricted and I couldn't speak, so I shook my head. Lust leaned in close, a permanent snarl on his mouth.

"They die. They aren't mine, but the bitch won't leave them for me until they're all dead."

I could feel the moisture in his breath. His nose almost touched mine and his intense violet eyes never left my field of view. My breathing was fast and shallow, my head growing light as my heart failed to pump oxygenated blood to my head. Pressing myself as far into the wall as possible gained no ground as Lust just moved closer.

"So far, most of the whelps have died," Lust considered me, tilting his head slightly, "Only a few left to take care of..."

He leaned by my ear, his breath warm and wet on my skin as I trembled, feeling strands of his hair tickle my face.

"You're nothing but a filthy, stubborn whelp to me, Error," he said in a low tone, "So, if you value yourself, you'll leave Ink in the dust before your blood paints his next canvas."

He drew his head back, bringing one of his hands to run his knuckles down my cheek, "Besides, what do you have to offer that I cannot top? You're nothing compared to me, Error."

"I..I.." I panted, forcing the words out to Lust's surprise, "Can o-offer him..."

"What? Affection? Love? Care?" Lust scoffed, trailing his dry, smooth fingers down the curves of my neck, "Please...I have the only true control over Ink I'll ever need."

He looked me in the eye, biting his lip, "Do you know what that is, haphephobe?"

I swallowed, only to feel increased pressure on my throat by his hand. My skin was growing numb as I trembled, gooseflesh spreading over my whole body.

"I can offer him pleasure," Lust purred, "The most addicting thing in the world. Sex is the only tool I'll ever need to have Ink running back for more."

He leaned back by my neck and I jerked as I felt his cold piercing graze my skin. His hands gripped my shoulders, rubbing them slightly. My vision began growing black as I shook violently, coughing and hitching my breath as I failed to bring in oxygen.

"Can you pleasure him? Can you feel his body? Make him scream?" his lips brushed my neck and I felt my legs get weak as I used to wall to prop myself up. The idea of any more touching while his hands ran over my shoulders and his dry lips grazed the gooseflesh on my neck made my stomach weak.

"You can't even kiss him," Lust went on, bringing his body closer, almost pressing me into the wall. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, could barely hear his purred words as my vision grew so dark I couldn't even see.

"You'll never feel him grow tighter around you, never feel him claw your back, never hear his whorish moans," Lust went on, now by my ear close enough for me feel the vibrations of his voice. "Never hear him cry your name, desperate for more."

Suddenly I felt the pressure of his entire body push on my chest, constricting my already nonexistent breathing to nothing.

"Error~" Lust moaned by my ear, grinding on me, "Harder, Error~"

My chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow beats, my heart fluttering in failed beats, my brain shorting without air...

Choking, I jolted when a hand invaded my pants. Gasping an airless breath as a hand fondled me, the last thing I heard was,

"Prepare to die, whelp."

(Razz)

G waved me over maybe fifteen minutes after Lust's show ended. I'd seen Error leave but he'd been heading for the back.

Curious, I set my tray down as G leaned towards me.

"Grab Slim. I need you to check Lust's room," he said urgently.

"Why?" I asked.

"Error went to talk to him and I haven't seen him since he went back there. I'm worried about him."

"He went to talk to him alone?" I asked incredulously, crossing my arms.

"I didn't think he'd be this long. Now, go. Who knows what happened."

"Why are you so worried about him?" I asked before I turned around.

"Error's an extreme haphephobe. If he got locked in a room with Lust..."

He let it hang and I instantly darkened. Growling slightly, I snapped my fingers. Before I'd crossed the room Slim was at my heels, unquestioning of my movements or motives.

I was at Lust's door and grateful to find it unlocked. Without announcement, I walked in just to see Error crumple to the floor under Lust.

"The fuck did you do?!" I snapped, going over and pulling my crop out. Lust looked at me, emotionless as he glanced down at Error.

"He did that to himself," Lust said flatly, "I didn't do anything to him."

"Bullshit, fucker," I snarled at him, "Don't you fucking lie to me."

Lust just stared at me flatly, "I don't answer to you, My Lord," he spat.

Clicking my fingers my eyes never left Lust as Slim went over and picked Error up, holding his limp figure up with little effort in his arms. He walked behind me and I backed out of the room.

"I find out you did anything to him and I'll rip you to shreds, Lucifer," I spat.

"Don't mess with the Devil, Razz," Lust said wearily, as if I bored him, "You'll get burned."

Growling slightly, I turned and followed Slim as he carried Error out of the back door. I slammed the door behind me, my fuming stance enough to scare people off as me and my brother left the club.

G arrived outside shortly after, short of breath. He groaned at Error's state.

"They're going to kill me...I let this happen, in my own club..." he pulled at his hair and I laid a reassuring hand on him.

"It's okay, G," I said, "Slim and I will take him back to Ink's place."

G shook his head, "No, you need to take him to Reaper's house."

"Reaper? Why-"

"Reaper's fiancé is Error's brother. He'll know what to do with him. We can't let Ink see him like this." 

Huffing, I sighed, "Fine. Slim, put him in the car please," I turned to G, "Can you tell Reaper we're on our way? I don't have his number."

G nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I will. Thanks, guys, for doing this. I'll cover the rest of your shift, Razz. Don't worry about coming back. Make sure Error gets taken care of before you let him out of sight."

I sighed in relief, "We will, G."

Turning to see Slim start the car, I nodded to myself, "We will."