runningred | to Berlin with love.

Emcee returns the grin as he accepts the invitation onstage and climbs up to join her. Amid a round of applause, he takes the microphone (wireless, future technology is amazing in all its practicalities).

"My lady," he he greets Miss Kitty, bowing low and gallantly kissing the back of her hand.

He turns to the audience with an impish smile, giving them a childlike little wave.

"Hallo, everyone! It's very nice to see you." He scans the crowd. "And you. And you." He points, flirtatious. "And you, ooh, and I'd like to see more of youuu."

They laugh and giggle, peppered with the occasional whistle.

"People call me Emcee. Which is funny, because that is what I call myself, so it all works out in the end." He turns to Miss Kitty, batting his eyelashes with a mischievous grin. "But you can call me whatever you like."

“I’d call you mine if I could.” Kitty purrs, grinning brightly and clearly enjoying the banter. “But I think I might have some competition on my hands.” She gestures to his adoring audience, waving up a storm of cheers and whistles.

“Now, you’re kindly offered to sing for us. And as the band are still mostly sober, I think we might be able to manage some adlibbing. But just so we’re clear, this is not a karaoke bar,” She warns the crowd with a playful shake of a finger. “If you’re after that sort of party, come back on Tuesdays for the open mic sessions. No, tonight is about love and joy.” She runs a finger up his arm. “And old fashioned lover boys.”

{ooc: sorry I'm so slow this week, love. Work is a trainwreck. Hopefully I’ll be back on a level soon.}

Emcee puts his hands over his heart and tilts his head in a cutesy, exaggerated expression of gratefulness and modesty -- but he adores the attention. It's why he's onstage right now, making the most of the opportunity.

As Miss Kitty speaks, he turns around to look the band over, waving and winking at them in greeting. Mostly sober is good enough for him, being mostly sober himself. It will all even out.

On Miss Kitty's cue, Emcee nods to the drummer, who clicks the tempo out on his drumsticks. The piano player begins and Emcee sings in a sweet tenor simultaneously:

"I can dim the lights and sing you songs full of sad things,
We can do the tango just for two..."

He can't help a crooked smile, looking right at Jay, having just danced the tango.

"I can serenade and gently play on your heart strings,
Be your Valentino just for you..."

The rest of the band joins in, with backing harmonies on the chorus.

"Ooh love, ooh, loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?"

Emcee puts a hand on his hip, shaking it to the beat, and pointing into the crowd at a young man in the front.

"Set my alarm, turn on my charm,
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned loverboy...

Ooh, let me feel your heartbeat (grow faster, faster)
Ooh, ooh, can you feel my love heat?"

He slides his hand down his front, his eyelashes fluttering.

"Come on and sit on my hot-seat of love,
And tell me how do you feel right after all...

I'd like for you and I to go romancing,
Say the word: your wish is my command!

Ooh love, ooh, loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?
Write my letter, feel much better
And use my fancy patter on the telephone..."

Basically everyone within eye contact range is getting eyefucked. And it's marvelous.

Jay tries to linger by the bar but fails miserably, being pulled onto the dance floor by more than one member of the crowd. He laughs warmly, looking up at Emcee with that wicked grin of his as he spins and swings.

The band are clearly loving it. As is Kitty who happily joins in with the back up harmonies. The song seems to hit just the right note with the crowd and there’s more than a few people eye-fucking Emcee right back.

This is what Emcee loves to see most, people enjoying themselves. And of course, he notices Jay dancing in the crowd. It's a particularly nice feeling.

The song's vibe changes into an overly sweet and sweeping melody during the bridge. Emcee slips into that persona easily, all dramatic, doe-eyed expressions and reaching toward the lights.

"When I'm not with you,
Think of you always,
I miss you...
(I miss those long hot summer nights)
When I'm not with you,
Think of me always,
Love you...love you..."

And then it switches back to raunchy and bouncy--and so does Emcee.

"Hey, boy, where'd you get it from?
Hey, boy, where did you go?
I learned my passion
In the good old-fashioned
School of loverboys!"

During the guitar solo, Emcee demurely requests a dance from Miss Kitty, and they take a jaunty spin around the stage. Sort of like a half-waltz, half-tango, all-fun.

For the next few lines, he adopts a prim English accent, punctuating the lyrics with elegant gestures:

"Dining at the Ritz we'll meet at nine precisely
(one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine o'clock)
I will pay the bill, you taste the wine...
Driving back in style, in my saloon will do quite nicely,
Just take me back to yours, that will be fine!
C'mon and get it!"

A wicked grin and a hip thrust.

"Ooh love
(there he goes again)
(he's my good old fashioned loverboy)
Ooh, loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?
Everything's all right,
Just hold on tight,
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned
(fashioned)
Loverboy!"

The song ends with Emcee striking a pose, hip jutted out, arm raised above his head, face turned up to the lights -- ever the showman.

Kitty accepts the dance just as demurely. Which is hard to do in a dress so plunging but she pulls it off with style, turning circles with him happily.

The verse about dinner at the Ritz has Jay grinning up at him with a playful smile. After all, they did just that and it was a wonderful night.

The band plays up to his moves, making the finish a big one with a crash of drums and cymbals.

The crowd erupts with cheers and Kitty casually walks over and plants a big, theatrical kiss on him, her voice low. “Oh, we are so keeping you!”

Jay’s standing at the side of the stage, grinning up and whistling loudly.

It feels so good to hear an audience cheer like that again.

Beaming, he takes a bow, and as soon as he rights himself, Miss Kitty plants that kiss on him. He laughs brightly, squeezing her hands. He hears what she says over the applause, but thinks it's just an affectionate joke.

Turning to the band, he quickly makes his way to each of them, giving them a handshake or a kiss on the cheek, telling them how wonderful they played.

And then he hops off the stage, landing right in front of Jay.

Jay catches him by the waist as he jumps down and kisses him. Lovingly rather than passionately. "You looked perfect up there. It's who you were born to be."

Emcee feels the love in Jay's kiss. And he lets him kiss him that way, and-- and maybe he gives a little bit of it back.

He's feeling good now anyway, riding high on endorphins, buzzed on gin and the sound of a happy audience.

"Oh, stop," he says, patting Jay's cheek. "And by 'stop' I mean 'do go on.'"

With a giggle, he kisses him again.

"All night long and gladly." Jay chuckles between kisses. "But your adoring fans are circling."

There's quite a crowd of people wanting to congratulate Emcee. And at least one local club owner wanting to talk to him about performing regularly at his club.

Emcee is actually surprised to find people gathering around him, but he takes it in stride. After he asks Jay to get him a glass of gin and seltzer, he turns his attention to them, delighted by their enthusiasm. Deep down he's honestly humbled by how much they enjoyed his performance.

One girl with blue hair and matching blue Doc Martens sidles up next to him and holds up her smartphone, aiming to take a selfie. He knows about selfies! And so he indulges her, mugging for the camera.

Jay comes back with Emcee's drink and somehow ends up iin selfies too. Part of him hopes one of the bat-computer algorithms finds it.

"Feel like taking a moment away from your adoring crowd?" Jay asks, only half teasing.

By the time Jay returns, Emcee has a pocketful of business cards and phone numbers. He's flattered by all the offers, but can't help thinking that he should secretly redistribute the numbers to other people.

He takes the glass and takes a much-needed drink.

"Let's, darling," he says, before squeezing one more girl's hand and giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Where to?"

He nods to the balcony. "Booth maybe?"

"Ooh," he coos, a twist to his lips. "I've been wanting to put those curtains to good use all night."

He takes Jay's hand and follows him upstairs.

A few people might be disappointed as they watch them leave together, but as long as the DJ keeps pumping out the music, there may still be hope.

Jay leads Emcee up to one of those booths - deep couches and a small movable table to make more room as needed. There's also a small basket of condoms, lube and wet wipes in one corner, a discreet little bin under the edge of the table.

Jay looks it over with approval, pulling the curtain closed behind them.

Emcee gasps a little with childlike delight. He sets his drink down on the table and picks out a condom. They're like the ones he got from Guppy.

"Look, it's green!" he giggles.

He can find the joy in the simplest of things.

Jay chuckles and sprawls out on the couch, grinning. "If you keep looking I'm sure you'll find flavoured ones too."

Emcee examines a personal-sized foil packet of lube.

"Oh, god, there's flavored lubricant as well! They really have thought of everything. I adore this, it's like getting a little gift basket at a pornographic birthday party."

Jay laughs and holds out a hand to pull Emcee to him. "We should those one of those at home sometime. Declare a birthday and have a pants optional party."

Emcee takes his hand and lets him tug him over, and he flops down onto his lap.

"You mean at Milliways?" he says, pointing out the word usage this time. "We'll be put in the cells for it, as I'm sure we'll be the only two who'll be committed to the suggestion."

“Yeah, I guess I do.” Jay muses, not realising he’d meant it that way till Emcee pointed it out.

He dropping the matter as he runs his hands down Emcee’s flanks, pulling him into a kiss. “are you having fun?”

Emcee gives Jay the flattest expression he can muster.

"No, I am having a terrible time and you are being terrible and everything is terrible."

He lightly smacks Jay's chest, breaking into a grin.

"Of course I'm having fun, you silly, silly boy."

Jay catches hold of him and pulls him close, kissing him deeply and passionately. While trying not to laugh. “Terrible and silly, huh?” He curls his hands around Emcee’s hips, drawing their bodies together.

Emcee utters a muffled noise against Jay's lips as he returns the kiss just as fervently.

"Ugh, darling, you are the absolute worst," he gripes before diving into another kiss, running both hands through his hair.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject