When I lay with you, I think of him (Kai)

[Cynthia DeMato]

This week had been good to Cynthia DeMato. Bolstered by increased revenue - the audiences were always bigger in winter - she had made a whole host of new hires, performers and crew members alike, and was excited about everything the House would be doing over the next few months. Really, the entire year had been a good one: her new choreographer was working wonders on the dance numbers, the costumes were looking great thanks to Roger's creativity and enthusiasm, and the renovations to the stage were all finished. Things were really looking up for La Maison Magnifique and the Pilot Ridge Madame was in very high spirits.

It was no wonder, then, that on a Friday night, just as the show was starting, Cynthia decided she didn't want to spend all of her time backstage. Melody seemed to have a handle on everything, so she ducked out, deciding to catch the show from the audience's point of view this time around. Slipping through the back hallways, she appeared in the back of the room towards where the bar was. Finding a barstool on which to perch herself, she ordered a pretty pink Cosmopolitan from the bartender and sat back to enjoy the show.

Tanner Larson was the evening's first performance. He was singing a number she didn't recognize - whereas she used to assign him every single song, these days she let him do his thing and provided suggestions every once in a while - so she took this time to scan the crowd. It was a pretty lively bunch, mostly older men as it usually was on a Friday night, but a few women in the group as well. She looked back up at the stage. Tanner was wearing a dark pair of jeans and a simple black shirt, as he usually did when he was singing (she certainly didn't make him get all dressed up in skimpy and interesting outfits like the dancers had to do). He looked good. Cynthia looked pretty good, too, at least for a woman her age. Her dark hair fell in curls to her shoulders (she'd gotten it done just earlier that week), and she was wearing one of her favorite ruby red dresses. Yes, tonight was a night to relax and take it all in; she had worked for all of this, and she was going to reap the rewards wherever they may come from.

[Malachai Roen]

With finals finally out of the way, Kai was finally, finally free to do as he pleased. Well, not totally - he still had to work, which was unfortunate, but he wouldn't complain. But since it was a Friday evening and he had nothing planned the next day except perhaps more partying to relieve all the pent-up stress he'd been dealing with, he'd decided to go out by himself and see what sort of entertainment he could find.

He'd been to the House a time or two; it wasn't somewhere he frequented often, though he wasn't typically a clubber in general. He liked the atmosphere; it wasn't too dark and smoky, the music and performances were fun to watch, and he could usually blend into the crowd alright if he wanted to. Which, for the over-6-foot Asian man, could be difficult. Kai'd dressed simply but tastefully in a form-fitting pair of dark-wash jeans and a perfectly ironed button-up shirt, his hair sicked back in its normal, carefully done style and stubble trimmed back neatly. He wasn't looking to get piss-drunk - just to relax and enjoy the show, and maybe meet a person or two.

He eyed the current performer with an approving smile as he settled down at the bar, quickly ordering a drink as he gazed around at his neighbors. Of course, the stunning, richly-clad woman to his left immediately caught his eye, and he made sure she was looking his direction when he gave a little blink and lean back. She was older, sure, but Kai could appreciate mature beauty. "That color... Looks absolutely fantastic on you," he spoke in her direction, reaching out to grab his drink as it was handed to him. "I don't think very many people could pull it off, but... Wow." He gave the woman a pleasant smile and offered a hand, adding,"My apologies, I shouldn't be so bold without introducing myself... My name's Kai." He nodded towards Tanner. "I like the singer tonight. I've only been here a few times, but I haven't been disappointed yet."

[Cynthia DeMato]

Perched upon her maroon leather barstool, Cynthia had a perfect view of the house, and she took that opportunity to do some people watching. However, it wasn't until a few minutes into Tanner's performance that she felt someone's eyes on her, and turned to see a young man looking in her direction.

Now, Cynthia had a complicated relationship with men. Ever since her husband had cheated on her with one of the dancers (ex-dancers, she enjoyed reminding herself), she had been mostly distrustful of men. That said, she still knew a look of interest when she saw one, and she had to admit it was very flattering coming from a man who was... however old this man was. Not very, it was likely.

She smiled at the compliment. Her first thought, to be honest, was 'gay,' because most straight men never remarked on her outfits, as fabulous as they were. But at the next remark, she changed her mind, deciding that perhaps he was just trying to compliment her and landed on her wardrobe. "Well, thank you," she replied with a smile. She had to admit, she felt very much the same way: red was a bold color, but she managed to make it look good.

The older woman looked at the hand, hesitating just a moment before taking it lightly into her own. "Cynthia," she replied; she usually referred to herself as Madame DeMato or something equally theatrical, but something about this man made that seem unnecessary or - dare she say it - over-the-top. "Tanner, yes," she stated, looking briefly towards the stage before turning back to Kai. "He's one of our best." It occurred to her at that point that she wasn't sure whether this man knew she owned the establishment. Perhaps he was trying to score free drinks by flattering her? That was a long shot, but there was always a little voice in the back of Cynthia's mind questioning the intentions of the men around her. "I'm glad to hear you've... enjoyed your stay." At the House, they often acted as though theirs was a world apart from reality, where folks could come and take a break from the trials and tribulations of the real world. At that, she took a long sip of her Cosmo.

[Malachai Roen]

Kai wasn't... Well, he was interested in men, but not completely. In fact, all of his experiences had been with women so far in his life; and, though he knew complimenting a woman's attire could have its hazards, this stranger had obviously gone to a lot of effort to look as dazzling as she did, and she deserved recognition. He dipped his head as she thanked him, a light smile toying about his lips, and took another sip. He was in a good mood tonight; all the stress was gone. He was going to flirt with whoever was willing.

He took her hand gently but firmly, giving it a small shake before retracting it with a playful sparkle in his eye. "A pleasure, Cynthia," he replied smoothly, gazing at her for a moment before returning his attention back to the stage as she spoke about the performance. However, he blinked in surprise, quickly looking back at the older woman because of what she was saying. "You own the House?" he asked with intrigue. What were the chances! Then again, someone dressed as magnificently as she had to have a reason, he supposed. "Then I must compliment you - I've been to several clubs around town, and this is definitely the finest. How do you find your performers?"

He was curious; not that he had any intentions of working here himself (he had no time for that), but all the acts he had seen thus far were very well done. Did she train them herself? Or was she just great at seeking out talent? Or perhaps both? "If I wasn't so busy, maybe I'd try for an audition here," he laughed lightly, swirling his glass in his hand.

[Cynthia DeMato]

It had been a long time since Cynthia has received any sort of attention from a man. She was a busy woman, running a business with nearly fifty employees, renovating the building, managing new hires, attending events... the list of her responsibilities went on and on, and she usually didn't have much spare time to do things like mingle at a bar. While she knew nothing of the younger man's intentions (and in fact assumed he had none), it was nice to see that she could still catch a man's eye, even as she approached her fiftieth birthday.

Not that this man needed to know that.

She smiled at the man's reaction to hearing she ran the House; it was something she was very proud of, and she knew a lot of people in Pilot Ridge appreciated the presence of this establishment in what was otherwise, in her opinion, a pretty ho-hum city. "You're looking at the Pilot Ridge Madame herself," she replied, taking another sip of her drink. That was what they called her, at any rate, that or the Mayor of Downtown Pilot Ridge. Yes, she was an influential figure on the club scene, running one of the most successful venues in the downtown area. And she loved knowing people revered her for it.

"Oftentimes, they find us," she said in response to Kai's question. "When your establishment develops a certain... reputation," she explained, "you tend to attract all sorts of attention." She was aware that a lot of Hammel Institute students worked or wanted to work at the House, and as far as she was concerned, younger bodies were just fine for business, as long as everything was on the level.

At the mention of a possible audition, the older woman took a moment to look Kai over one more time. He was certainly handsome - that much was obvious. Did he have any talent? Difficult to say. Perhaps not necessary. She needed more men, though, as the Thursday performances were Ladies' Nights and the more beef onstage, the better. "It's not that big a time commitment," she replied, not trying to be too forward but hoping to push Kai (whom, frankly, she wouldn't mind seeing more often) towards a decision. "Sunday afternoons and Thursday nights. That's it." Applause rose up, signaling to Cynthia that Tanner's performance was over. She decided then that, as much as she wanted to remain at the bar to continue this conversation, she really should head backstage to make sure Melody had a handle on everything. "Think about it, okay? I have to go check in backstage."

[Malachai Roen]

The Pilot Ridge Madam herself. Kai gave a wide, genuine smile at that; it was the perfect name. "That title suits you wonderfully," he told her honestly. The outfit, the beauty, the air of grace and poise around her; definitely suited her. While he wasn't a huge clubber and didn't frequent them on a regular basis, he made a mental note to come here more often, if only for the entertainment and company.

Kai listened curiously as she spoke of their employees, nodding his head slowly. It made sense; even now, he was considering looking into it. He could maaaybe squeeze it in during the break... And afterwards, if he bumped down his yoga lessons.

He did his best to look... However he was supposed to look - handsome, talented, confident? - when she eyed him, his cockiness evident in his smile. "That's not too bad," he agreed, thinking he could find the time. "I'll definitely mull it over." He really had no idea what he would do - he was a mediocre dancer (though he could get better with lessons), and not anything special when it came to singing. He did, however, have his body, so that was something. Would it be enough to work with?

Hell, yeah. Kai thought so. He'd just have to see if the Madame agreed.

"It was a pleasure speaking with you," he told Cynthia as she made her leave. He took her hand as she stood, placing a kiss on the back of it. "I hope I'll see you again soon." He smiled and waved as she left, turning his attention back to the stage. He sort of wanted to meet this blonde guy - maybe get some tips, or just... Flirt. Kai stood and, leaving his drink behind, he made his way closer to the stage, hoping he'd get the chance to speak to the guy once he was done receiving his applause.

[Tanner Larson]

((Hey I'm gonna have them meet at the bar if it's cool. Tanner wouldn't really be able to talk to someone over the side of the stage directly after the performance, since he'd have to go backstage while the next act sets up. I mean, it's not a strip club XD))

That had gone well. Tanner had performed Jordin Sparks' "Watch You Go," which was technically a girls' song, but it had been written by T Pain so he figured it was fine. Besides, it was kind of a sexy song without being blatantly sexual, so it was perfect for this particular venue. The performance was over, and Tanner took a quick bow before heading offstage. He enjoyed performing, but he was always grateful when it was over; he still got a bit nervous standing in front of a crowd.

Backstage, he saw several girls he knew decked out in costume, doing some last minute stretching and warm-ups before they went on. Cynthia came backstage as well, making sure everything was going smoothly and that Melody had a handle on everything, which she did. Satisfied that his work was over for the time being, Tanner headed down the hallway and out into the main room.

It was a weekly ritual that after his performance, Tanner would find himself a spot at the bar and order himself a drink. Even though he was technically underage, the bartender knew him (and, more importantly, Cynthia liked him) so it was never a big deal. He took a seat, ordering a vodka-soda from the bartender before turning back towards the stage to watch the next act.

[Malachai Roen]

See the guy head backstage, Kai tapped a finger against his lower lip and shrugged. He'd hoped to catch him maybe if he'd come out into the crowd to mingle, but, feeling silly standing there by himself, he went back to the bar, deciding he'd see if he could find someone else to talk to.

However, before long and only a couple sips into his second drink, blonde hair caught his attention, and Kai looked a few seats down to see the performer himself settle down at the bar. Well, just his luck! He nonchalantly slipped over beside him, glass in hand, and leaned against the bar with a cocky grin. "That was some performance," he told the guy. "Makes me want to come here more often. Do you perform on a regular basis?"

He paused, then added,"I actually just spoke with... the Madame?" Kai chuckled quietly; it was definitely a term he'd have to get used to using, even if it fit the woman well. "I might look into trying out here myself. It seems to be... A fun job." Kai's lips quirked into a smirk. "I might be able to use some tips, actually." Cynthia had obviously been pleased with Tanner's performance, which was unsurprising, and Kai would use the guy to his advantage if he could. Not, of course, without repayment, but Kai didn't even know if he would be interested in that. He'd have to wait and see the blonde's reaction first.

[Tanner Larson]

There was a time in Tanner's life when a man sitting down beside him at the bar would have gone totally unnoticed, or at any rate he would have figured it was for any reason other than to talk to him. But after performing at the House for over a year, he'd gotten more used to being approached. So it didn't terribly surprise him when a stranger struck up a conversation with him shortly after he'd sat down at the bar following his performance.

"Thank you," he said politely, turning towards the man. "Every week," he added in answer to the question. He must be new around here if he didn't know that, since Tanner performed quite frequently and most who came to the House had heard of him in a small way.

The blonde had to chuckle at the mention of 'Madame.' "Cynthia?" He asked, though he already knew who it was. It never stopped being funny to him that his boss actually called herself those things. Like she was actually French. He was surprised she'd struck up a conversation with a random stranger, but he supposed he saw the importance of customer relations. If only he knew...

He quirked an eyebrow; this guy didn't know he performed regularly, so obviously didn't come here that often, but already he was considering auditioning? He must really be into performing, else he wasn't sure what the reasoning was. "You'd have to talk to her about that," he said, sipping his drink. Tips, he wasn't totally sure he had. "I have a feeling you won't have a problem," he replied, giving the other man the once-over; he was obviously an attractive man, so he couldn't imagine Cynthia would pass him up for a job here. Ladies' Night was in need of more men, anyway. "Just know what you're good at, and stick with it." It was why Tanner rarely danced, and the dancers rarely sang.

[Malachai Roen]

Every week. Damn, Kai really should come here more often. Who knew what all he might be missing out on? Now that finals were over, he'd have more time to come and do this sort of stuff. And he would definitely take advantage of that.

"Yeah, that was her name," he chuckled back, taking another sip of his drink. "Quite a woman to have as your boss. I bet it's enjoyable work." From what little he'd interacted with Cynthia, she seemed the type to probably make things interesting. But then again, working at a burlesque club was probably an... Entertaining occupation no matter where one worked. Kai was definitely intrigued.

Kai was... Well, he was rather vain, so he thought maybe getting a job here wouldn't be all that hard. Just had to work his body the right way, right? Couldn't be too bad. He was about to reply that he would definitely talk to Cynthia more when Tanner commented that he wouldn't have a problem. Kai laughed again, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that definitely helps with my confidence," he replied; as if he needed that. "Unfortunately I'm not really a singer, so I only have my looks to really work with; you seem to have both." The corner of his lips quirked up as he glanced down, and then away. "I'm very flexible though." That ought to be something, at least, right? Or was he just flirting by this point? He wasn't entirely sure. But the blonde definitely perked his interest.