Zuzu City was a land of vice. William thought as he sipped watery beer from a pint glass. A city that slowly covered you in a drip-drip-drip of sludge and grey, one that wouldn't allow you to feel a single shred of emotion, even if you bought it and injected it yourself. He would know, having the track marks to prove it. Yet here he was, once again, in the Mirage looking for a partner that had something…anything to make him care tonight. Someone who would be trying to connect too. Someone to keep him from reaching for the chemical that he'd quit two years ago. His eyes skimmed the men of the club and he took a longer swallow of beer. No one he didn't know. No one he hadn't either had or rejected. Because this city, just like his entire life, was a soulless drip drip drip of apathy.

Just when he was about to approach an old fling, Thomas or Brian or Somefuck, he saw Chad in the corner and scowled. Because against the wall, definitely looking for an out, was some poor youngblood who didn't look like he was from around this block.

It wasn't his business, he told himself, as he neared them. They were near the bathroom, William reasoned. He couldn't help that Chad was picking a victim near the bathrooms. It wasn't his fault that they were in his sightline. He wasn't at all influenced by the low key panic on the young man's face. Nope. Not one bit.

The victim in question had dark hair and a black hoodie, his face clean shaven and his back tense. Chad, the bastard, was looming over him, his right hand planted on the wall next to Youngblood's head, a shit-eating grin on his smarmy face. William felt the three shots of jack in his belly giving him really good advice about how easy a kidney punch would be. William hated when that asshole cornered new guys, breathing on them all hot and sweaty, thinking just because he was a thick bastard, that they had to take what he wanted to give. Dom? More like bomb. A ticking bomb of abuse pretending to be someone's kink. Chad had a nose for vulnerable people, a nose for people who came into the city looking for adventure and wanted to pay them back with pain.

"You get in a fight again, Bill, and Julio is going to ban you," Trixie, the pierced barmaid hissed. She was holding an empty tray and watching the interaction with worried eyes. William raised an eyebrow at the woman, all pink spiky Mohawk and fifty odd tattoos over her shoulders and neck but didn't bother answering. He didn't tell good people to fuck off and despite her fear, Trixie was good people. He rolled his head, swallowed the rest of the pisswater and wiped his arm over his chin, getting rid of the foam stuck to his beard. Then with a wink, he laid the empty glass on Trixie's tray and finished his walk across the room, his steps solid.

As he got closer he could hear the trash Chad was spitting.

"-and you know, new guys like you are always welcome over at Chad's booth. I'd pay you extra special attention, twinkie."

William clamped a hand down on Chad's shoulder and squeezed. Chad gasped and whipped around, eyes furious, then wary. Youngblood's face was pale but relieved. He side stepped, putting space between him and the confrontation.

"Evening Chad," William said, hands at his side. "You bothering Julio's customers?"

"Fuck off Bill."

William ignored the curse and turned his head to check the new guy over. His eyes were striking, lined black, his hair half covered his smooth face. William nodded an acknowledgement to him and he was rewarded with flushed cheeks.

Well.

"He bothering you?"

Most people might miss it, if he hadn't been tuned for it, hunting for his own partner tonight, he might not have noticed the attraction, the slight widening of eyes and relaxation of jaw muscles…but William's instincts on a hookup were finely tuned. Could see the compulsive movement of the dark-eyed man's Adam's apple as he gave a reflexive swallow. Yup. He could turn this to his advantage.

"He's with me, Chad."

Chad gave a back of a laugh, full of scorn.

"With you? The man looks like he has standards, not like he wants to be picking curly bear fur out of his bed for the next week. Fuck off Bill."

William grabbed Chad by his collar and lifted him up, slamming him against the wall. Chad struggled but the movement had been too smooth, too unexpected for the wannabe tough guy. His tight pants, so nice on the dancefloor, restricted his movements. His silk shirt was good quality and didn't rip, instead acting a good handhold while William dangled him. A few guys cursed and vacated the area. The man at the table stood up quickly, eyes wide at the display of strength.

"I'm done asking nice," William told him, squeezing the fabric over Chad's throat. The man choked and gagged, his flimsy hands on William's thick wrists. "So let's just try this the old-fashioned way. I'm a traditionalist." And with that William slammed a fist into the side of Chad's head.

It was a satisfying sound, the sound of bone hitting flesh. Chad's eyes rolled back and he stumbled, William letting him. Gasps and shouts sounded around him and he grinned, the fight making his blood hot.

"Damn it William," a voice shouted from the other side of the bar. The music stopped and patrons moved out of the way as a short and round man in bright colors came over with a bat. "How many god-damned times to I have to tell you to take that shit outside."

William smirked and flipped Julio off. Fuck him and fuck his lack of bouncers. The bastard acted like that men didn't need help when jumped. God he hated bullies. The fight had jumped his blood up, started to chase out the grey, colors starting to form around him. He turned and winked at the youngblood he'd just rescued and walked back towards his bar stool. But Julio, fat little diva, wasn't done with him.

The older man slammed a hand on his chest and glared up at him. He held a baseball bat in the other hand, a heavy cudgel meant to knock sense into drunk heads. Too bad he never used it to stop the predators that oozed out of the woodwork.

"Out." Julio barked at him, pointing the bat at the door.

William raised a brow but the older man wasn't playing games. The high of the fight was starting to fade and after all, Julio would forgive him eventually. William nodded over at Trixie who had tried to warn him and pulled some gold out of his pocket. He dropped it on the table closest to him and nodded at Julio to cover his tab, then started towards the exit. Still, he decided as he stepped out and glanced back to see the sexy young guy was following him, not a total bust tonight.

The entire outing had been an exercise of bad judgement. Sebastian's drive into Zuzu City was supposed to be a short day trip for some tools for his bike. But the mechanic has said he wouldn't have a part until tomorrow and Sebastian had said 'fuck it', gotten a cheap hotel room and had turned the day a dream-walking fantasy quest. First he'd looked at apartments, but after three hours felt the despair that nothing was affordable with what he was making at his new consulting job. It was late then, and when he'd seen the sign for the bar and realized with a certain amount of thrill that it wasn't a regular pub like he had back home. This was a bar for gay men. It had intrigued him. He'd heard of the gay scene before of course. He was always online, always on forums and in chats. He'd spent money on cam-boys and had his own preferences of porn that featured these kinds of hook ups.

But tonight would have been the first time to see it in person. To be where the action was.

Normally that wasn't Sebastian's thing at all. Normally he'd rather just sit and wait and watch it come to him. People were, in a word, exhausting. But he was on an adventure and normal was for back home.

The city was different than the small town he'd grown up in. At home everyone was in your business and expected you to know and say and do things like everyone else. This? This was total anonymity. He'd been enjoying the solitude, content to just watch people, not willing to go out onto the dance floor to actually speak to anyone…when the slimy jerk had come to his table. He'd tried to escape him by retreating to the bathroom, only to get cornered.

And then? Bill.

The man had appeared like a golden hero, and Sebastian's heart had pounded when he saw him lift Chad up by his collar. His savior had muscles that bulged under a tshirt. His fists were thick and scarred with old fights, and his body was cut with sharp definition. Tattoos peaked around his shoulders and arms. Sebastian could see some scars on the side of his neck and head- though if he hadn't shaved the sides up, it wouldn't have been as noticeable.

He was like an avenging god, eyes blue with thick brows that furrowed and threatened.

When he followed him out into the street, Sebastian wasn't sure what had gotten into him. His heart pounded. He wanted to thank him, he decided, but what to say.

Then the man paused and looked at him sideways.

"Looking for trouble?"

Was he? He hadn't felt so alive in a long time, this spontaneous trip, the bar…and now a stranger in a dark alley. It was like he was a different person.

"I'm Sebastian," he blurted, shoving his hands in the pocket of his black jacket. "Thanks…for that."

The man looked him up and down then nodded.

"William."

William, not Bill. It fit him better, Sebastian decided. He swallowed, trying to think of what to say, what to offer when William turned his head towards the street.

"You wants some coffee, Sebastian?"

He did. He nodded. William nodded back then turned.

"I know a place."

Sebastian hesitated then fell into step beside him. Whatever this was? He was ready to see where it led.

He was older than he looked, William decided as he held the door open for him. The diner was small and full of bright lights. It was Sebastian's eyes that made him think that, because underneath the eyeliner he had shadows. Eyes that had seen more than they needed to. It eased something in his chest to know that. Even though he wanted him, he didn't want to feel guilty for taking someone too young. Nothing fun about breaking a vulnerable heart.

"So." William said after they ordered, "Haven't seen you at Mirage before."

Sebastian shrugged, also leaned back against his booth seat, his hands buried in the pockets of his hoodie. "I hadn't been there before. Just passing through."

William watched him, admiring the way his jawline was sharp, the way his hair was styled and when the coffee came he leaned forward. "You're a good looking guy," William said without preamble. He sipped his coffee while Sebastian's cheeks warmed, his long fingers wrapping around the thick mug.

"Thanks." He sipped his coffee and lowered his eyes.

William smirked. "Shy too. Fuck Chad. Assholes like that are all over guys like you."

Sebastian glared at him from under his shock of hair, the black curtain falling over one eye.

"What's that supposed to mean? Guys like me?"

William met his eyes, then smirked shaking his head. "Never mind."

Sebastian smirked. "Chicken shit."

William's grin faded and he leaned forward, his lips nearly touching Sebastian's ear. "Guys in eyeliner. They make me want to do things to you that would leave that liner streaking down your cheeks, babe." He leaned back and enjoyed the breathless expression on Sebastian's face. He coughed and rubbed the back of his neck. William felt himself getting hard thinking about it and didn't speak while Sebastian swallowed down some of his own coffee.

"So is that what you were looking for tonight?" Sebastian's voice was a bit hoarse, as if the image William had put into his head had dried his throat out.

William cocked his head and made a bet with himself. 50% chance this guy was going to rabbit and he'd be going home alone. 50% chance that he'd give him a short term break from the grey drip drip drip.

"Looking for something to break up the grey, Sebastian. Why? You wanna help me color up the night?"

Sebastian's brows narrowed. "Will it make my eyeliner run?" the amusement was barely detected, layered with disbelief, as if the challenge was more than he could believe.

William never dropped his gaze and said, his own voice getting rough, "Yeah, I think I could manage that."

There was a moment of weighing the options, then Sebastian's eyes fell onto the redden skin on William's knuckles. Something there seemed to decide him and he dared meet his gaze again.

"Then let's get out of here."

Sebastian didn't know what he had been thinking when he walked into the apartment building. There was nothing like this back at Pelican Town. His mind raced. This was so different than every previous hookup…hurried hand jobs or drunken make out sessions with guys who later insisted they were straight. They passed walls that were marked with graffiti, mystery stains on faded carpet in the hall. He felt high, he realized, on the thrill and danger of this all. The man next to him was bigger than he was. He didn't know him. Was he really going to live out this fantasy? With a real breathing human?

He'd shot a quick text to Sam as he'd stepped out with William, a location that he was going to with a warning to come check on him if he didn't text back in the morning. Sam, asshole that he was, just had sent thumbs up and eggplant emojis. Crude bastard.

Yet as soon as they came into William's darkened apartment, he couldn't help the flutter of nervousness.

"You okay?" William asked him, holding the door open.

Sebastian looked up into the brown eyes of his soon-to-be one night stand and then nodded, pretending confidence he didn't feel. Fake it until you make it right?

He stepped into the small hall and without much warning, William had him against the wall, his thicker arms holding him still as he began to kiss up Sebastian's neck. He gasped, closing his eyes. He'd expected the beard to be scratchy…itchy even, but William's chin was soft and the sensation of it on his neck made him pant.

"I'm clean," William told him. "Got condoms too. You?"

The question scrambled Sebastian's brain as he tried to remember the last time he was with a physical person, not just his fist and a computer screen. "Clean too," he gasped, feeling William's hands rub down his shoulders and back…then his thumbs were underneath his hoodie.

William stripped him that way, slowly, exploring him with his mouth and hands, stripping him of his hoodie and shirt, his tongue and mouth working a trail down his collar and shoulder.

"That feel good, Sebastian?"

Sebastian groaned, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back against the door.

"More," he groaned. "I need more."

"Yeah, I bet you do," William groaned, roaming his hands Sebastian's chest. "C'mon."

Sebastian felt William's hand on his and he followed him into another room, a small closet with a precisely made bed. He sat and looked up. There was a window on the side of the room, the streetlights and billboards the only illumination in the apartment.

William loomed over him and pulled off his t-shirt, tattoos barely hinted out as shadowy pictures on his pale skin. Sebastian swallowed and reached down, pulling off his shoes as William pulled his belt off, tossing it to the side. His heart began to beat faster as his partner dropped trousers and then let out a small swallow when he saw the bulge in William's shorts, simple black shorts that outlined narrow hips and muscles…and scars.

Before he could think too much about it, William was on him, pinning him underneath, his mouth on his shoulders again.

Sebastian realized with a bit of relief that William hadn't kissed his mouth. He wasn't sure why but he didn't think he wanted him to. That would have changed this somehow. He groaned as William's hand reached down and pulled him out, his fingers gentle as he worked his cock hard. It wasn't difficult, he was already feeling his heart slam into his chest as the bigger man's fingers rubbed and pulled his flesh.

"That feel good?"

Sebastian realized he'd been quiet, so used to keeping his moans quiet at home when he got off.

"Yeah," he panted, biting his lip as William's fist let him go. Then he arched, another cock rubbing against his now.

"Hey, look at me, Sebastian," William said, nipping his ear and then pulling his head back to stare down into his eyes as he pumped their cocks together, matching the stroke. Sebastian couldn't help it, he reached down and put his fist with Williams, then slid his hand over to the other man's hip. William groaned, rubbing harder.

"You got oil?" Sebastian panted. William nodded, his eyes locked on Sebastian's as they rubbed. A grin spread on William's face and he leaned close.

"You wanna take it?"

Sebastian's cock jerked at the intimate question. He swallowed and felt sweat break out on his forehead. It was surreal, this moment, if he thought about it too hard, he might back out, but before he could change his mind, he felt William's other hand lifting his hips and arched as his thumb rubbed his puckered hole.

"Oh holy shit," he cursed, panting.

"Yeah," William growled, "Yeah, you want it." There was a moment where their rubbing paused and Sebastian caught his breath, looking up at William's broad chest, covered in tattoos too intricate to decipher in the dim room. William reached into a drawer near the bed and Sebastian swallowed as he looked up the broad chest. He closed his eyes, feeling nervous again, but closing his eyes just made the pounding in his chest louder. He could hear the tell-tale squirt and then the tear of a wrapper with William's teeth. Sebastian took a deep breath and wondered if just maybe…he'd gone too far.

William wanted to drive into the man underneath him so badly but that would ruin it. He wanted it to be good, this night. He needed it to be good, needed to have the knowledge that they were both satisfied to get that high he was chasing. He had to keep his brain on the task at hand or he was likely to blow his load all over Sebastian's chest. And he wasn't ready for that yet.

Though.

The image of Sebastian sweating and messy with his cum didn't do a lot to keep him from wanting to stop.

Hot man? Check.

Willing body? Double check.

But it was his responses to touch that was driving William to distraction. Each moan was like a burst of color against the gray of his day. Each move, each toss of his head was like a paint brush, a firework of brightness against the grey of the day. Against the cold. Around them, it was all around them, but William had the cure right here in his bed, if he could just work them to exhaustion, tomorrow wouldn't be such a hard day.

He coated his fingers in oil, and then with gentle pressure, began to work them in, preparing his partner. His lover's body was tight, but after a few soothing movements, he felt him relax. Soon instead of the stiff hips and whimpers, Sebastian began to moan, the sound musical to William's hungry ears, then with each move Sebastian writhed, eagerly taking the invasion. William felt himself sweating, could feel his heart pounding but he didn't care. With each delve, with each exploratory thrust, the man underneath him cried out, and soon tears of pleasure were streaming. William took the chance removed his slick fingers, set himself close, his rock hard latex covered cock pressing against Sebastian's entrance and then leaned down, sucking on Sebastian's ear as he held his lover's knees high, before thrusting in.

"Stroke yourself," he growled, working himself in. Sebastian's eye liner was a streaked now, but his arm shot down and he worked it, panting. William adjusted, propping himself up over him, a hand down cupping his chin.

Sebastian stared up at him, panting, and William stared down, his cock ploughing them closer and closer. Then, in a move that shook William down to his bones, Sebastian leaned his head up and pressed his lips against William. William groaned and let the kiss happen. He crushed Sebastian against him, opening his mouth, letting him in, tongues mingling. For a precious moment, William could touch it…happiness.

With a spasm, he felt hot seed hit his chest as his balls seized up and then poured the same thing out into Sebastian.

He pulled back but kept Sebastian's head pressed against his. Sebastian's previously perfectly styled hair was a stringy mess against his pillow. He gasped and reached up, wrapping his arms around William's neck. William slipped his cock out and with a practiced slip, removed the condom and tied it off, tossing it into a basket near the bed. Sebastian had little spasms and sputters running through his body as he straightened his legs.

It was starting to fade, the color and with a panicked swallow, William pulled him close, clinging. Sebastian chuckled and in that dark nest, with no light to reveal the truth that they were two sweaty strangers just in a bed, he turned into his chest.

William relaxed, inch by inch and then, finally, sleep came.

Sebastian woke up feeling delicious and sore. He inhaled and smelled…stale sweat and sex stained sheets. He blinked bleary eyes and reached up to rub his eyes. They came back smeared and he chuckled, remembering William's throating promise. He looked down and saw that William's arm was over him, tattoos fading down his elbow. He swallowed, suddenly hitting a spike of anxiety. He had really fucking done it. He'd gone to a gay bar and gone home with a stranger. Sweat of a different kind broke out over his forehead. It had been cataclysmic, the sex. He'd fucked himself with toys before, trying to get the feeling of it…but it had been so different with another person. He shivered, remembering the feeling of William's hand on his chin as he took him, the feeling of safety and belonging.

"Hmmm."

Sebastian felt William loosen his arm and with a wriggle he got out of bed and found his boxers in the tangle of clothes on the floor.

"Hey," William said from the bed, eyes still closed. Sebastian turned to look at him and realized that maybe that was a bad idea.

Awake, William was a composed mountain of a man, calm eyes and sexy shoulders. Asleep, he was heartbreaking. His hair, previously gelled into a spiky strip over shaved sides had dropped into thick strands that fell around his head. His beard had been combed and trimmed last night. First thing in the morning, he was ruddy faced with beard strands poking every which way. It was endearing and unexpected.

"Hey," Sebastian said back, a bit nervous. William opened his eyes and Sebastian felt pieced by their blue gaze. For a moment, they were both still. Then William rolled over, pressing his palms against his face. Sebastian buckled his jeans and found his shirt, pulling it on.

"Morning. Where did you say you were staying?"

Sebastian shrugged, pulling his hoody on and looking around the apartment. It was Spartan, bare. There was a sink but it was clean of dishes. No real kitchen to speak of. Just a toaster oven on a table next to a microwave with a box of pantry goods. No refrigerator. It looked like the dumps that he'd seen when he was apartment hunting yesterday.

"Um, not staying. Just passing through, actually."

William sat up and Sebastian swallowed. He really was stacked, and it was hard to remember how they'd fit together the night before.

William stood and stretched and Sebastian turned his face away, embarrassed at how bold he was.

"Coffee?"

Sebastian opened his mouth to say, 'yes, actually coffee would be amazing,' when his phone vibrated in his jeans. He looked down and clicked the text. It was the automatic notification from the parts place that he'd come into town for in the first place. A polite query for signs of life from Sam was behind it. He shot off a 'thumbs up' to Sam and then looked up.

"Actually, I gotta go," he said, feeling regret.

William had put a pair of sweatpants on and was fiddling with a small pot. He turned then nodded, as if he wasn't bothered.

Of course he wouldn't be, Sebastian reasoned as he stood up. After all, he probably did this sort of thing all the time.

"Hey," William said, reaching out one hand and catching his shoulder before Sebastian could slip towards the door. "Last night? That was fun. If you're in Zuzu again, look me up."

Sebastian blinked at the invite and blushed. "You…you had a good time?"

William gave him a sexy grin. "Yeah. And uh, Sebastian? Your eyeliner is smeared."