Chapter Text
The room was dimly lit, a forced romantic atmosphere created through red lights. Plush seats made for comfortable seating for the guests, encouraging them to stay longer than what might have been originally planned. Beautiful women, one after another showed off their bodies while moving on the dance poles, doing their best to seduce men for their money. The lieutenant regarded them with indifference, coming back day after day for one alone.
She moved her body sensually to the soft music playing, clad in distracting black lingerie. Black strips and golden chains wrapped around her body, glittering softly in the dim light. What made her so interesting to him was the lack of seduction. A beautiful woman she was, yet it was her skill that did it for him. Actually dancing on the pole rather than seductive movements, an honest smile on her lips as she spins. Motions fluid and graceful, the elegance of a dancer evident, the strength her body possessed put on display, as well as her liking for what she does.
His eyes followed her movements closely, every so often taking a sip from his drink as he did. The way she held herself up on just her arms, hanging upside down with full confidence that she would not fall. The way her upper body strength allowed her to curl and fall from the pole, catching herself just barely before hitting the ground, and curling back up in the same motion. Her long legs wrapped around the pole, her muscles showing every so often from the moves. He was fascinated by her, how her light and small body could hold so much strength and control, not to mention her agility that many men in his profession can only dream of.
It was his staring because, really, that is what it was, that made him notice the way her pole shook under her movements. Something that was not supposed to happen. Raising his gaze off of her and up towards where the pole should be fixed to the ceiling, all he saw was duct tape. And the way it looked dangerously close to failing its job of keeping the pole upright. Just as he finished his thought, she got into another spin on the pole, with all of her moving not having noticed the bad fixation or the threat of it falling that came closer with each of her movements. Until, a few minutes later, just that happened.
Ghost watched like it was in slow motion, the duct tape ripping inaudibly with the music playing and falling to the side. His dancer had not realized the predicament she was in with her being concentrated on staying on the pole, again hanging upside down from the pole, not having much of a chance to let go as she fell with the pole. With a loud clatter, she landed on the ground, the pole on top of her, lying still.
Jumping from his seat, Ghost hurried over to the stage, completely forgetting his half-full drink, and ignored the signs that forbade customers to enter the stage. Kneeling beside her, he took the pole off of her, throwing it to the side for the time being while his hands hovered over her, unsure whether or not to touch her soft-looking skin with his own calloused ones. The decision was taken from him as she slowly sat up, looking over to the pole and then at him as she resituated herself. Her gaze on him was gentle, her eyes a much clearer blue than the red lights made them appear to be.
"I don't think you should be up here." She stated the obvious, her voice soft and much different than the harsh words he is used to, blinking as her mind caught up with what had happened. Looking back over to the pole lying on the ground, she did not appear to mind his concern, however. A staff member of the club finally arrived as she slowly stood up again, having accepted Ghost's hand in aid. Ghost noted how small her hand was compared to his, as well that it was indeed as soft as it looked, the skin taken care of and nails cleanly painted in a shimmering rose, and in contrast, his own rough and calloused ones, wondering if they felt uncomfortable for her to hold. He looked over to the staff member, the guy scrawny-looking, but having an ego like nobody else. "What did you do, Kate?" He accused her right away. She simply looked disapprovingly at him.
"I should be the one asking you that. Why wasn't the pole properly fixated to the ceiling?" She asked right back, not taking any of his shit, despite her leaning slightly against Ghost for support, her right leg already looking bruised where the pole landed on her. She was warm against his side, Ghost's mind unhelpfully supplied, even through his multiple layers could he tell, and rarely was he as happy with having forgone his gloves as he was now with his hand on her bare shoulder. The guy looked taken aback at that, clearly not having expected for her to just fight back, seemingly not thinking much of the dancers in the club. "The pole was fixated, you-", she cut him off harshly, not letting him say any more false information. "I believe we are both aware that duct tape does not count as proper fixation. Of course, it wouldn't be able to hold up with our dances." Scoffing, the guy just mumbled under his breath as he took the pole away. "As if that can be counted as dancing."
Kate just let out a sigh, used to his behavior by now and once again wondering why he was working in the club when he did not like them one bit. Looking up to Ghost, she spoke softly once more, the hard edge gone from her voice, "I'll have to ask for you to leave the stage again. Thank you for your concern, though." Ghost had to swallow the lump in his throat before being able to answer, mesmerized by her smile and how gentle her eyes looked to be when gazing up at him. No sign of the fear and hesitation that he had come to expect when people looked at him. "Yeah, of course. You sure you'll be alright?" He managed to get out, silently proud of himself for not stuttering and how confident he sounded. "Yes, I'll be alright." With a last smile and a gentle path to his shoulder, she left his side and followed the staff member backstage, leaving him alone on stage.
She did not return to the stage, the pole properly fixed to the ceiling as other dancers took her spot. The small interaction was still stuck in Ghost's head, the warm feeling of her skin under his hand, her soft smile, the gentle gaze. He had wanted to just finish his drink at the bar, but with his mind distracted with processing, the time flew right past him, two hours having gone by like it was nothing.
"One coke and another of what he is having." The familiar, lovely voice pulled him out of his head, making him look next to him. There she was, sitting on the bar stool next to him, now in sweatpants and a hoodie but no less beautiful. Kate smiled at him as she felt his eyes on her, handing the bartender cash for the drinks. "As a thanks for your help." She supplied simply. "Don't think I did anything that warrants a drink as thanks, though," He replied before he could stop himself, mentally slapping himself for such a response. Why could he not just say thank you and accept the drink? Kate chuckled softly, taking it with good humor. "You don't have to accept the drink. I just wanted to show my appreciation, it's all." An easy smile formed on her lips, not at all affronted by his words.
"Thanks then." Managing to get some sense into his head, Ghost accepted the drink with a nod of his head. "You're lucky that the manager talked to me first, or you would have been thrown out and banned from the club," Kate said after a moment, studying him from her place beside him, turned towards him with one arm resting on the bar countertop. "For entering the stage and such." And such was the fact that he had touched her like they were friends and not complete strangers. "Thanks for the good word, then. Maybe I should be the one to buy you a drink." He joked, surprising himself with the soft note in his tone, his rough voice sounding somewhere close to gentle for once, the deep British accent working in his favor.
A delighted laugh left her mouth, the sound pleasant to his ears as her eyes sparkled up to him, mesmerizing him for just a moment. "Maybe you should. I'm sure I wouldn't mind it." And the barely visible blush on her cheeks could be just a fiction of his mind or a trick of the red lights, but he wanted it to be a result of his words. From him. A clear sign that he could be more than just a terrifying, deadly soldier and be a simple man talking with a beautiful woman who seemed to enjoy his presence.
"So, what is a beautiful woman like you doing at a place like this?" ...He could slap himself. Bury him in a coffin, and he promises not to even think about crawling out again. He will dig the grave himself if he has to, because what is he thinking? It took a lot more self-control than Ghost cared to admit, not to flinch at his own words. She seemed to take them with humor, though, chuckling softly, "Just a side job. I like the pole dancing and the money is a much-needed bonus too." "Ah, so you have financial troubles?" Someone just put him down already. What is coming out of his mouth for Christ's sake? "Not that it is any of my business, of course," He added quickly. And while he knew he was not the most skilled when it came to holding a conversation, he had never before fumbled his words like this in front of a pretty woman. Luckily, for perhaps one of the first times in his life, she took it in strides, laughing amused. "Eh, not quite. I can pay my bills and groceries fine. There just isn't much left at the end of the month." She told him with a little shrug of her shoulders, not appearing too bothered with him or her financial situation. "That's good, at least," Ghost agreed, not wanting to say more in case he says anything stupid. Not wanting to risk his luck with this beautiful woman, who actually appeared to somewhat like him.
"What about you? What do you do for work?" She asked him, her eyes glinting with curiosity as she took in his body and clothes, likely trying to think about the kind of job he has with his muscular structure. "Nothing too interesting. I work with the government, get to travel a lot." He told her nonchalantly, not wanting her to know too much about his actual job. The lie rolled easily from his lips, hoping that she did not question it too much. "Really? Where have you been to? I've always wanted to travel someday." She said with an excited look in her eyes, completely focused on him and his words. Her gaze was gentle on him. "Nothing tourist-friendly, I am afraid. Middle East mainly, but I have been in all kinds of corners of the world," He tells her, hoping she would not ask too much about it.
She nodded her head in understanding. "Sounds like interesting work." Silence followed the comment, neither knowing how to continue with the conversation. As she took a sip from her drink, his eyes followed her movement while speaking again, "Not much of a drinker?"
"Hm? Oh, no. Not really. Got to walk home, and I'd rather not be drunk when doing so. Don't have anything against the occasional drink, but not often," She told him with a little shrug, looking down into her drink. Ghost nodded at that, liking the answer. "Always good to not be under the influence too much and know one's limit." Another short pause ensued before he added, "You're heading home soon then?" "Yeah, just... wanted to thank you in person. For your help when I fell." She told him with a soft smile, the yellow bar lights letting her blue eyes shine like crystals with the way they were angled at them.
"You want me to walk you home?" Ghost asked before he could stop to think about how that may sound to her. Kate blinked at him in surprise, giving him a once over as if to judge his intentions, "I ain't taking you into my home." She told him plainly, after a moment. Nodding at that, Ghost agreed easily. "Of course, I just want to make sure you don't run into any problems. It is already 3 a.m. after all."