"I'm Not Just a Sniper....."

(Part 2)

By: Domino

"Hello.... are you... Irvine?" An older man asked the boy. He looked ordinary: short, brown hair, cleanly cut, hunter green button-down shirt, khaki pants, and fairly thick glasses. He appeared to be about thirty, possibly younger. The man shakes Irvine's nervous hand. "So......," Irvine responded, "what's your name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry.... I'm Mr. Skylar.. er... Quinn...." the man anxiously answered. "This the first time I've actually.. done this...... but I don't want.. you know...."

"No problem," Irvine smiled, trying to hide his own anxiety. "So, what did you want to do then?"

"Actually," Skylar bit his lip. "We can just have dinner.... and talk."

"I'd like that." Irvine grinned as the older man placed an arm around his companion for the night, asking for nothing more than dinner and company.....

Quinn offered Irvine a drink, but he politely declined. "I don't blame you... it's nasty stuff if you don't develop a taste for it first." The man went on to talk and chat with Irvine about all his problems: how his boyfriend left him, how no one would listen, and why he resorted to the escort service. "All I wanted was for someone to listen.. and just someone to shower all my attention on..... you know.. to get the pressure off....."

Irvine flashed a concerned look. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm sure everything will fall into place. Just.. give it some time....." Quinn looked up and smiled. "It's hard to believe you're only eighteen Irvine..... you're so right....." The man leaned up and kissed the youth softly on the lips. Almost immediately he pulled away. "I'm so sorry.... I shouldn't have...."

the younger man smirked. "That wasn't so bad. Come on.... We'd better get back, or else my coworkers are gonna hunt me down for bein' late." Irvine couldn't believe it. His four hours were already up? Mr. Skylar dropped Irvine back off at the corner of the Deling Arcade and the Galbadia Hotel. After one final hug and gentle kiss, Quinn slipped Irvine's pay into his pant pocket. The green eyes sparkled softly with the street lights as they watched their first client drive off into the Deling night. Irvine reached into his pocket and pulled out the money. "Two hundred.... three hundred..," he counted, "eleven hundred.. twelve hundred gil?!?" He smiled and almost ran back to the escort service.

"Ms. Darlene! Look how much I made!!" Irvine told her as he ran past the glass doors. "Calm down Irvine.. it's not that much....." she smiled. "You'll be making much more with experience....."

"Wow... all I had to do was listen to him.... and I gave him some advice...."

"I'm so proud of you Irvine.... your first client...."

"But.. he did kiss me...."

Darlene stared. "(Irvine's... not phased.. by being kissed by a...... man..?) Did he try anything else on you?"

Irvine shook his head. "No.... he just hugged me. But I liked the kiss."

"Well..... as long as both of you had a good time. All I require is a small percentage of your earnings....."

"How much?" Irvine asked defensively.

"Only fifteen percent. Which comes to.... one hundred and eighty gil.... the rest is yours."

Irvine smiled and happily paid Darlene the money. The rest, he promised silently himself, would go to pay his tuition for SeeD training. He hopped the train back to Galbadia Garden, actually looking forward to his next assignment with Darlene's company....