She was with a group of strangers, smiling sweetly and curled under the arm of another woman. When she noticed him, her smile immediately brightened. She sat up straighter.

"Lucius!" she said. "Or, Lucy! Sorry!"

Lucius laughed. "I don't care either way."

"Hi!" she said, dragging the word out, high pitched and so endearingly happy. Lucius was almost flattered. "Sit down! Meet my new friends for the night."

Lucius sat and took in the lot of them. It was a flamboyant group of people, that was for sure. But no more than Gior. Or himself at the moment. 

A woman with too many piercings to count and a face of dramatic and dark makeup held out a hand to him. He shook it immediately.

"Fuck, you're cool," he said. "You're all so cool."

"So are you," she said. She winked. "Name's Blake. Is Lucy or Lucius the preference for tonight?"

"Uh, Lucy I guess. I'm not losing sleep either way."

The man beside Blake, huge both in height and muscle, held out his hand next. His nose gauge looked heavy. Impressive, to have worked up to it. "Broderick. Call me Bro if you want."

"Karisma," the women said who was still holding Juliet. She was short haired, a little boyish, but there was a quiet femininity about her anyway. "You left this sweet thing all alone? I was worried about her."

"Uh, technically that wasn't me," Lucius said. "That was all Elena."

"Another friend?"

"Yeah."

The last of the group, a pretty boy with hair almost as long as Gior's and so much jewelry around his neck and on his hands it looked as if it could weigh him down, nodded at him. "Zaire. Is Elena the one over there? With the flames and the red hair?"

Lucius glanced over and yeah. There she was having as much fun as she'd promised. She was dancing between two guys, twirling around and rolling her hips and enjoying the way they caressed her. A part of Lucius wanted to step in and pull her away, but that wasn't fair. She was fine. This was what she wanted, and she was no idiot, tipsy or not.

He really didn't want to be on her bad side right now.

"Yup," Lucius said, letting the word pop. He raised an eyebrow at Juliet. "Guess she never went too far, huh?"

Juliet shook her head. "I think she was scared I would get murdered the second I was out of sight."

"Not a bad assumption," Zaire said, cocking an eyebrow. "You look like a delicate thing."

"She's pretty, not weak," Lucius said, a little offended on her behalf. "She could kick your ass. She's one of our best fighters."

"Chill, Lucy," Zaire said, emphasizing the name. "I said she looks delicate. Not that she is."

"Who do you fight for?" Bro asked, tilting his head back into the couch. He was intimidating to look at. His opposing nature was lessened only by the way Blake was playing with his hand and he was letting her, his free hand curled around the bend of her waist. "Not Vice, I hope."

"No," Lucius said, tilting his head. "I'm an Angel. What's wrong with fighting for Vice?"

Bro shrugged. "Shitty place with shitty leadership. You could do better, is all."

"You guys aren't Vice?"

"Hell no," Zaire said. "Unaffiliated, technically. We come here for money sometimes. Other times just to relax. Like now."

"For money?"

"We fuck for money, daffodil," he drawled, rolling his eyes. "Or... I do. They dance. Bro just does collections."

Lucius's eyes widened, baffled. "He's your... pimp?"

"No, dumbass. Don't look so shocked. This is what Vice is known for. Don’t be one of those dipshits that show up for the music and the drinks and the sex but then turn your nose up at the people that produce it. You wanna know who's the real pimp? Leader of the Vice."

The conversation had taken a serious turn. Far more serious than Lucius was really prepared for. Certainly not inebriated as he was. 

"But... why?" Lucius asked. "Do you like what you do? Why here?"

"Easy money," Zaire said. "And that's a bit heavy for having just met us a few minutes ago, no?"

"You started it," Lucius pointed out. 

"Apparantly it's one of my worst habits." Zaire stood, draining the rest of his drink and then slamming it back on the table. Heavy handed, but not angry. Just... uncomfortable maybe? Tired? "I'm gonna go smoke. Be back in a bit. Nice meeting you, Lucy."

He left. Blake grinned at him and Lucius could sense something like an apology in the shine of her eyes. 

"He can be intense," she said. "He's great though. He loves hard."

"I know someone like that," Lucius whispered. "He hates hard, too."

"Yeah. Like that. Hate is its own kind of passion, you know?"

Lucius nodded. He avoided Juliet's eyes. 

"He can be difficult, but that's not the kind of person you want to lose, you know?" Blake continued. "He's had a rough time. We all have, really. We come here for the good and the bad. It's how we survive."

"There's no better alternative for you?"

"None we've seen," Karisma chipped in. "Not yet."

"The tides always change though," Blake said. "Eventually. No harm in waiting."

"I'm sorry," Lucius said, unsure of what else to say.

"Don't be," Blake laughed. She threw her hands wide, narrowly avoiding smacking Bro in the face. "I'm having fun! This is fun. Everyone is navigating ups and downs. This ain't so different."

"Some people's downs are really really low though," Lucius said and immediately regretted it. It was a stupid thing to say. Insensitive for the moment. He tried to backtrack. "Sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, no, you're right," Blake said. "They are, sometimes. Your friend, that one like Zaire, are they like that? Are you all running from something right now?"

Lucius made eye contact with Juliet across the table. Her lips wobbled a little. He chewed at his own.

Running. He supposed, in a way, that they were. Was this how Corbin felt? Every time something happened and he'd disappear for weeks at a time, is this what he was doing? Meeting new people? Trying to take the edge off? Drinking his way to happiness until it felt as if his brain had been permanently chemically altered and he could, even if just for the night, be okay again?

"Uh, kinda?" he said. "Things have just been a little strange at home. We're taking a break. He actually didn't even want to come at first, but I thought it'd be good for him."

Blake nodded. She wasn't smiling anymore. She looked strangely serious for the setting. "Good. Look out for him. I'm sure he appreciates it, however hard a time he might have at actually saying that aloud."

"Where is he?" Juliet asked. "Is he okay?"

"You left him alone, too?" Karisma asked. She tutted, shaking her head. "Bad track record."

Lucius stuttered over a laugh. He moved to stand.

"You're right," he said. "I'm gonna go find him. Nice meeting all of you guys, though! Juliet, stay close to Elena."

Goodbyes echoed and Juliet nodded. "I will. Be safe, yourself."

It didn't take long to find him. He hadn't gone anywhere from where he'd left him. He was brought up short, however, by the fact that he wasn't alone.

Gior was sitting with him, speaking to him lowly with a hand on his shoulder. Lucius paused where he stood, watching them. Taking in the way Corbin never responded to whatever Gior was saying, but he was nodding along. He didn't look upset. Vaguely self-conscious, maybe, but he was fine. That's all that mattered.

Corbin noticed him not too long after, and then he did say something. Gior looked back at him sharply, pulling his hand away. Lucius approached them slowly as Gior started to get to his feet.

Gior didn't say anything to him. He only pat him on the back as he passed. Lucius took the seat he'd vacated.

"What was he saying to you?" Lucius asked immediately, unable to help his curiosity.

"None of your business," Corbin said. "Where were you?"

"Juliet."

"What for?"

"What do you mean?" Lucius reached out to wipe a bead of sweat from his forehead away with the pad of his thumb. "I was checking on her. Hadn't seen her in a while."

"She's not a child."

"No, but she is Juliet." 

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Lucius nodded. Too fast, maybe, because it felt like his brain had just slammed against his skull. He stopped moving with a tiny wince. Maybe it was time to accept that he really was a lightweight. "I'm just kinda tired if anything. Have you drank at all? Why do you look sober?"

"You watched me drink, dumbass."

"I watched you sip. You need to drink more. I'll get you something."

The second he even started to shift, Corbin grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back down. Lucius looked at him questioningly. The corners of Corbin's lips tipped up the slightest bit.

"Down, girl," he said and then stood, himself. "I'll get us drinks. You just sit pretty."

Lucius's face warmed drastically. Too warm for the heat in the club already. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about figuring out the correct response to that. Corbin was already gone, disappearing past a crowd of gyrating bodies. 

He wondered if anyone else had tried to hit on him yet. It wouldn't be surprising. He was handsome— beautiful, was Lucius's personal favorite descriptor— and he looked so good. His voice was so nice, too. It sat low but smooth. It rang perfectly in Lucius's ears every time he spoke.

How would Corbin respond if someone had? Would he play into it? Flirt back? Would he take it further? How far?

To the bedroom?

"Would you take someone here to bed?" Lucius asked the second Corbin got back. A rush of adrenaline followed the question. The danger in it like a high. He took a cautious sip of the drink Corbin had brought him. It was brightly colored like his last, sweet with only the tiniest punch. 

Corbin looked at him over the rim of his glass. Whatever he'd gotten for himself with clear. It smelled strong even from a distance. "What kinda question is that?"

"A straightforward one, I thought."

"Sure," Corbin shrugged. "Why not?"

Lucius really could have spit the contents of his drink all over Corbin's face for that. The surge of bitterness was so strong he could have choked on it. Then, like whiplash, guilt came trailing sluggishly behind it.

Corbin was allowed to indulge. He was allowed to swim in either love or lust.Why not?

Lucius didn't want him to. He'd lose his mind if he did. He couldn't possibly sit by and just let it happen no matter how much he knew it was the right thing to do.

"Anyone specific catch your eye?" Lucius asked even though he really didn't want to know the answer.

Corbin looked him up and down. "Thought I was with Lucy tonight?"

Lucius shifted, pressing his thighs together, warmed through. "You are."

"So why is Lucy asking me if I want to fuck other people?"

"She's curious."

"She's an idiot," Corbin laughed. He set his glass down on the table and crowded closer. He set a hand to his thigh and then ran it up. He stopped only briefly to play with the chain around his thigh and then advanced further. Lucius's breath shuddered out of him, and he quickly set his drink down, too. Scared to spill it. Corbin breathed against his lips. "Your lipstick is smudged."

"Okay," Lucius said and didn't even try to fix it. He didn't care. There were bigger things to worry about. 

Corbin's hand moved from his thigh to instead grab the loincloth of the dress. "Anyone catch your eye, Lucy? Anyone you wanna take to bed?"

Lucius grabbed his hand, tightening his grip until it had to hurt. Corbin didn't even flinch.

"Why are you fucking with me?" he asked.

"Who says I am? When am I ever not sincere?"

"At least half of the time," Lucius said even if he wasn't entirely sure about that. It was hope that compelled the words. Half of the time, Corbin was almost sweet. Pleasant. A great friend.

The other half, he was missing. Or around but testy. Occasionally, violent. Half of the time he was insincere because, otherwise, it meant all of it was real. The love and the hate both.

Corbin wrenched his hand from Lucius's grip, shoving him back at an angle so he laid back against the length of the booth's seat. Lucius kicked out, pure instinct, and Corbin grabbed him by the ankle and held his leg that way. Lucius looked up at him, wide eyed, as he settled himself in the space he'd forcibly created between his legs. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" Lucius hissed, all breath. Corbin let him go and, with the limited room in the booth, he had no choice but to drop his leg half around his waist. "Why are you—"

"Hush," Corbin said. He bent his head down, and a second later there was the pinch of teeth on the side of his neck and the sharp ache that followed. Lucius gasped, his hands flying to his shoulders. Corbin set a hand against his stomach to push himself upright. "I'm just looking."

"Bullshit," Lucius breathed. "This is a lot more than looking."

A lot more, but not enough. It could be so much more.