Peacock ー Inej x Kaz { SoC AU }

Ch. 1

Jordie tucked in his tie, looking as sharp as ever.
"Today will be the day," He said, turning to face his little brother, Kaz. "That I will buy The House of Exotics."
Kaz looked up at his brother, proud, with his chest puffed out.
"Yeah, Jordie, sure." He mocked. Jordie scoffed, punching Kaz's arm.
"Cut me some slack." Kaz shook his head.
The night was cool and drafty, much like every other. Almost nothing was different but for the fact that the stars were unusually bright, and they twinkled, screaming Kaz's name, calling him to stare at them.
So he did. Kaz silently opened the window and turned to the astros above, admiring them.
"Let's go," Jordie stated, pulling Kaz's coat sleeve softly.
"Ah," Kaz made a little noise as he turned, walking along his brother to the night of his life.
His ungloved hands were tucked warmly inside his coat pockets, his perfectly healthy legs walked him to the Menagerie.
Jordie looked around, his expression unreadable to everyone except his brother. He was memorizing the territory. Just a little precaution if anything were to happen.
Tante Heleen greeted them with a manicured hand bearing jiggling, golden bracelets and countless diamond-incrusted rings. Her all-knowing smile made Kaz's insides recoil, yet he stayed professional and his expression blank.
As the woman swayed her hips and played with the vibrant blue, silk drapes that were wrapped around her neck in an effort to seduce Jordie, Kaz walked back and watched in repulsion.
Jordie tried his hardest to end the conversation, but Tante Heleen would not give up that easily.
Kaz looked around, pushing at the lock-pick at the back of his mouth with his tongue, making time for Jordie to give the signal.
Kaz tried to concentrate on the sounds of the house.
Did they actually want to buy it? What good would they get apart from the money? They would be responsible for the lives of tons of people. Would they be able to? Would they do a good job? Would they improve the living of these girls and boys or end them?
Kaz's dreamy eyes scanned the room once again, trying to distract himself from the stress of having so much responsibility, bottling it in and once again keeping his expression blank.
Jordie's eyes locked with his and the other boy did the signal.
Kaz nodded once, looking around for either exits or a way out of the room.
Stairs, he thought as his eyes landed on them.
He calmly strolled to them, turning his head one last time to see his brother and Tante Heleen, the Peacock, walking towards a quiet room.
It was a dirty tactic, but all is fair in love and... business.
Kaz's bony, pale hands gripped the ivory railing, cold and unyielding underneath his fingers.
The muffled moans and pants of apparently satisfied clients filled the air, and Kaz's stomach did a backflip. He tried to locate a quiet room, and to avail, he found one in more time than he initially hoped.
He could still hear them, but it was quieter now.
Sighing, the boy started messing with his cuffs, along with the silver-embroidered buttons alongside them.
"What are you doing here?" A silky, girlish voice asked. She seemed genuinely surprised. "I don't have another appointment until the 22nd hour."
Kaz stood and turned towards the voice, adjusting his coat nonchalantly.
"No, you see, I did not come here for... that. I'm here on business with my brother, we are planning on buying the Menagerie." The raven-haired boy responded, wiping some dust from the brilliant-colored, Suli-themed bed.
After taking a good look at the girl, he could tell that she was used to this lifestyle, used to being touched and tossed around like a pretty doll. Maybe if he bough the Menagerie he could give even the slightest bit of liberty to these girls, make them feel like they have control of themselves again.