Favor returned [TTRPG bluebooking]
Al didn't like the man.
He was oozing power. And he wasn't here for the power play. Absolutely not. It's a dom. The dom, to be precise. The apex predator.
Al has encountered a variety of clients during his tenure here. Some of the clients were the most pathetic and whiny. Some were pretty decent and willing to obey. Some were equally strong and willing to pay to make Al obedient. But this man... He didn't need to pay to do whatever he wanted with Al.
Al considered himself tall; 6.5 feet is not a joke. This guy was a head taller than him. Al thought that all his rigorous workouts paid off, and he looks huge. This guy was twice his size. Al could swear that the client's bicep was as thick as his thigh.
"I'm flattered." Said the man with a mischievous smile. "But I am here to talk."
"To talk? Okay." Al shrugged his shoulders. This is not the first time he has played the role of a confession booth.
"A little birdie told me that you do not belong here."
This magician, whom Al had rescued a few weeks earlier. Yes, he had to take his place and entertain the guests, but he has never regretted this decision. He is the lost cause. Dreamers should take every opportunity they have. In the end, that's why he willingly came into sex work. He did this to provide his brother, who was a dreamer, with the education and opportunities that he himself did not have.
"It's not up to him to decide if I belong here or not. I have my reasons."
"Do you like it?"
"I'm..." Al hesitated with the answer. "To be honest, no. But what makes you think that I am capable of something else aside from stepping on rich men's balls?"
"I know quite a lot about you, Albrecht."
"Do not call me by this name. Who the fuck are you anyway?"
"People call me Molfar. My real name is none of your business. I am a fixer who enjoys getting people out of trouble and prefers favors over money. And I owe you one, Al. For saving this joke of Houdini."
"I enjoyed his show. Maybe my standards are low, but..."
"This is what makes you different, boy. I am not going to force it upon you, but in my opinion, you deserve a better fate than VIP dominatrix."
"Your point?"
"How about becoming an edgerunner?"
"Wha? Oh no, no-no-no. I don't have it in me. Listen, this place is... safe. I do not enjoy working here, but at least I can provide my family with everything they need. Not worrying about my roof or lawmen looking for me."
"Yeah, it surely feels better when they fuck you, right?"
As much as Al wanted to stay cool and professional, he didn't want to swallow the insult.
"Listen to me, you fucker. People are not born equal. Especially in this forsaken place. I did what I could to care about the only family I have. And I will never allow anyone — not you, not some freaking corpo — to insult me because of my choices and ways to make money. Even if it's the last thing I ever say or do in my life, I will not back down.
"Molfar" smiled, as if he was expecting exactly this reaction.
"Gosh, you are easy to manipulate. I'll have to work on your tantrums and trigger points. But! My point is that you're ready to attack. And you know exactly how. I spoke with some of your clients, and I wanted to know what makes you so special here. It's your natural, non-modified body that you work so hard on. It's your attitude — this flammable part of you — that makes them shiver. They know that you are dangerous, Al. They know that you are capable of killing. And being with you equals being at the petting zoo with the tiger. They project an illusion of control over you. However, they are also aware of the potential for casualties. Despite the impending death, the tiger remains indifferent. Instincts tell him to attack. Your attack is going to be lethal. I pulled your tail in the wrong direction, and here you are, growling at me — a much stronger person than you. Reckless. But it is certainly good. Taking risks is necessary. For me as well, because you will get in trouble sooner or later. Still, I see the potential."
"Fuck you. Your final offer, or I swear, I will ask to remove you from here."
"Okay, straight to the point. Do you want to live on the other side of steel bars? Live the life, rather than hide from it behind rich men's dicks. I will offer this just once. There is a fixer who has a simple yet well-paid task. As far as I know, she already has a rockergirl for this gig, but on her own, she can only do as much. There's a need for someone who can and is willing to kill. I can recommend you. I will give you the key to your cage. Freedom may seem terrifying, but to me, being an entertainment rather than a person is much scarier. I will help you gear up. I have room in my shelter."
"Can you imagine me meeting some of my old clients? I have a new team and everyone knows me as a professional assassin, but then there's a corpo who is like, "Wow, I grabbed this guy's ass; do you know that he was a prostitute?"
"Aha. So, you are ashamed of your job? Don't worry, son. I know someone who can erase you if you give up your name and connections. Nobody needs to dig as deep; you are entertainment, after all. Not a person. But if you accept my offer, you'll become one. And then your actions will have much more dire consequences. What do you say? Yes, or no?"