That evening

‘Stupid’ Ken cursed himself as he walked down the streets alone. I never realised how controlling she was…not until now. He stopped walking then, glaring at the floor beneath him. Mustang… he thought. Mustang was the one who made me realise….do I really want the life my parents have planned for me?

He shook his head then, trying to clear his thoughts.

‘Mustang…I have to talk to Mustang…he will help me…….maybe…’

Ken patted himself down, finding his mobile and pulling it from his pocket. He paused then, suddenly realising something with regret.

I don’t have his number…

Ken sighed wearily, pushing the phone back into his pocket.

Think……where could he be?

He wandered through the town for a while, heading to the only place he thought he might find him.

The gay club…Ken thought nervously, standing before it. Do I dare go in…?

He stepped to the side as a group of young men entered the club.

‘Hey stud’ one of the men winked. ‘What's a handsome young man like you doing hanging around outside and all by yourself? It’s much more fun inside.’

‘I…’ Ken fumbled. ‘I'm waiting for someone…he…might be in the club.’

‘Well if he’s in the club’ another of the men said leaning forward, ‘you're not going to find him out here are you.’

Ken’s cheeks flushed at that.

‘Why do you go inside?’

‘I'm not gay’ Ken stammered.

‘Oh…’ one of the men said flatly. ‘That’s a shame.’

They moved on.

Ken let out the breath he had been holding, touching a hand to his temple and turning away.

I can’t go in. I can’t go in. I can’t go in…

A minute or so later, he went in.

‘Mustang isn’t here yet’ the barman told him. ‘He’ll be in shortly though…I know that for sure. If you just wait a few moments….’

‘How do you know he’ll be here?’ Ken asked him, trying to avoid the glances of several men nearby.

‘He’s performing on stage’ the barman said.

‘He’s…’ Ken began, ‘…performing…?’

A short while later, Ken saw Mustang suddenly appear on the stage at the back of the club. He was surprised, having not even seen him enter from the front.

There must be another door out back Ken thought absently to himself.

As Mustang began to perform, Ken couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Mustang danced upon the stage alongside several other men positioned in a half-circle around him, dancing in perfect formation with the others to the beat of the music.

Ken’s heart fluttered.

He looked so handsome on the stage as the lead dancer, flicking his long red-red hair back and swaying his hips.

And then he began to sing.

Ken was surprised for the second time, to hear such a beautiful voice.

It was perfect.

Ken was surprised for the third time, when Mustang began to strip, opening his shirt to the cheer of the crowd, as he danced in unison with the others behind him, and singing loudly as he did into his microphone.

Ken turned sharply away, glaring the other direction.

I shouldn’t be seeing this!

It was at that moment when Ken realised he had unwittingly caught the attention of another man.

‘Hey you’ the man said playfully to him. He wore tight clothes, a high collar and had a long blonde fringe that covered half his face. ‘What's a pretty boy like you doing alone here?’

‘I'm waiting for someone’ Ken answered shortly, staring at the bar.

‘Well…’ the stranger said moving closer still. ‘Would you like to be kept busy while you wait?’

‘N-no’ Ken fumbled. He glanced away then towards the stage then back at the man before him.

The stranger noticed this.

‘You like what you see?’ he asked, eyes flickering towards Mustang.

The performance ended then, and the men in the club began to cheer.

It was then that Mustang noticed Ken standing at the bar, he faltered, clearly surprised to see Ken there, he leapt off the stage, making his way over.

‘Here he comes’ the stranger gleamed, watching Mustang drawing closer through the crowd.

‘Hey!’ Mustang called out.

Ken saw as Mustang stopped before him, his shirt still open and sweat upon his chest. Ken’s cheeks flushed at that, and he looked sharply away.

‘This one belongs to me’ Mustang told the stranger. ‘He’s mine.’

‘I’ll leave you to it then’ the stranger said with a smirk. ‘I should have known such a pretty young boy would already be taken.’

He drifted off, leaving Ken shocked and glaring after him, hot and suddenly bright red.

‘C…can we leave?’ Ken stammered not looking at Mustang. ‘I need some fresh air.’