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[Nobody has to be nice to Bido, because Greed is plenty nice to him already. But that first part is good to hear, and he nods, pleased to hear Ling admit it.]

And what is it you're hoping is going to happen?

[Bido is a gentle soul... Anyway, this is taking a weird turn, maybe? Greed rattled off a list of all the dumb shit Ling does last time, so that's still somewhat on the brain.]

Hey now, what's with the interrogation? Can't I just want to see you sometimes?

[His expression is unreadable for a few seconds, then he lifts a shoulder in a shrug.]

Sure.

[There's a reason he likes Ling coming around, frankly. There's a reason he brought him up here tonight; that he dragged him behind the bar last time. Yeah, the kid's good looking, but it's a little more than that. It's . . . what? His tenacity, maybe. His blatant greed. He's made it clear to everyone paying him any mind that he's here to elevate himself, and that kind of honesty is refreshing. There's no bullshitting, no desperate attempts at charm or lies.

The fact he's just a little younger, that he's so very inexperienced in certain ways (and very experienced in others, frankly) is just bonus.

With a sudden laugh he shoves his fingers through the kid's hair again, pushing his head forward and breaking his solemn little moment.]

So how far up do you have to go, huh? The Yao gotta be somewhere near the top, you spend money like it's nothing to you.

[Pushing his head like that does nothing to clear up just what that was about for Ling, but it makes him smile and nudge Greed's offending hand to quit it, anyway. This is fine; he has even less of a plan for this than he does for holding his family up, but it feels better that way.

He lifts Greed's whole arm away from his hair and drops it around his own shoulders. That's where he can put that if he's feeling especially like putting his hands on Ling today, frankly.]

I do have a lot of money.

[That's just the truth, and Ling has a knack for money not in the way that he has a head for numbers, but he was born with a silver spoon not in his mouth so much as gripped in hand, ready for more. So yeah, he spends money like it's growing on trees, but he's not a total dumbass about it.

And frankly, drinks he always leaves behind are less than pocket change, in the grand scheme of things.]

Somewhere near the top isn't the top, is it? I'm not satisfied with a lot of money. Someone always has their thumb over us and I'm not going to let it continue forever.

[He lets his arm stay around Ling's shoulders, grinning a little at the impudence of it. His fingers skitter lightly over his shoulder, tugging at his damp shirt until he can slip his fingers under and trace the skin beneath.]

Good answer.

[Very good answer. He tips his head back, eyes closing.]

You could kill em off, I guess. But that'd be kinda messy.

[Oh, well, Ling goes from "good answer" to "buffoon" in no seconds flat the moment fingers touch his skin. He comes up with,]

Uh, haha.

[And then he's got nothing. No, he's not going to kill everybody, please... He clears his throat.]

Being at the top of less things isn't as appealing.

Ah. You want them to be around to know you beat them.

[That's appealing too, he gets it. He's got a few ideas, actually, ones he isn't about to tell the kid, in no small part because if he does tell him, he's gonna get dragged down into Greed's world, and that's . . . not really something you can back away from.

So, instead, he keeps dragging his fingers against his skin, tracing little circles and mindless patterns there.]

You get in trouble last time you went home?

Something like that.

[And then he's going to make everyone happy, somehow, eventually... bragging rights are good too, that's true. Greed's hand is incredibly distracting, but let him take a sip of soda to steel himself. Sugary courage, since nobody brought him a shot.]

It wasn't any worse than usual... My bodyguards get more upset than anyone else.

[Also, he has bodyguards, free fun fact.]

[He has all the chances in the world to get some liquid courage; this is his own fault.]

Yeah, I bet. They gotta know where you run off to by now, though.

[He says it idly, honestly more focused on what he's doing to Ling than what he's saying. His fingers slide up his neck, nails teasing against his skin, before dipping down beneath his shirt again.]

Either that or they're shit bodyguards.

Maybe they follow me here in secret every time... I don't think so, though.

[Not that he's more than half-listening to the conversation anymore, either. He can't help shivering, leaning closer to Greed, bumping against his hip.]

What are you doing?

What's with the interrogation?

[Oh, that's clever, see, he just quoted his words back at him, isn't that cute? His arm curls in closer, keeping him pressed against him, his fingers working a little further beneath his shirt.]

[That is cute, but only because Ling is an absolute moron when Greed sticks his hand in his shirt. He gropes blindly down near Greed's hip until he finds it and curls his finger there. Hey.]

I answered most of your questions, to be fair. You probably owe me.

[Hey, and he shifts, letting his shirt ride up, giving him room to touch.]

Then guess, why don't you. You're a smart guy. What do you think I'm doing to you, huh?

[Well if that isn't encouragement he doesn't know what is. He goes right ahead, slim fingers drumming against his hip and then sliding against skin.]

Teasing me for what I said last time. Don't lie.

[Oh. That stops the fingers right in their tracks, as he glances down at him.]

I don't lie. It's a point of pride.

[And then:]

So, what, you think I'm gonna pull away in a minute and yell just kidding?

[Ah, no... That was the opposite of what he wanted. He looks up, wiggling his fingers on Greed's hip insistently.]

No, but I don't think teasing me is the same thing as pretending.

[Teasing and touching aren't mutually exclusive!]

Don't you ever multitask?

I'm not gonna drag you into my lap and fuck you tonight, but don't act like I'm leading you on.

[Which answers him and doesn't answer him all at once. It's better than huh, anyway. His fingers drum against Ling's skin, and for a moment it seems as if he might shove him away, but then--]

Give smoking one more try.

[It's more relevant than it seems.]

Now I just think you're not listening to me.

[Or Ling isn't very skilled in this particular flirtation, which is definitely true. He lets the issue drop, (just like his stomach, flipping over when Greed just casually mentions fucking him, have mercy--) and tilts his head to look up at him with raised eyebrows.

If anything is teasing him, it's wanting him to wheeze again—]

Just once?

[Fifty of one, half a dozen of the other, they're both hopeless in this . . .]

Just once.

[He pulls his arm back, holding his cigarette between his teeth. Carefully, hands calloused and hardened, he slides his fingers beneath Ling's jaw, tipping his head up.]

Open your mouth.

[To Ling's credit, he doesn't leap at the chance for Greed to stick a cigarette in his mouth after it was unpleasant the first time. He has more sense than that, but he can't deny being curious and appreciating the hand against his skin somewhere else (rougher than he imagined a bartender's hands would be, but why—). So.

Just once. He does as he's told, opening his mouth.]

Good boy.

[Praise, both meant and mocking, and he inhales sharply on his cigarette. One hand leaves Ling's face, tugging the cigarette out of his lips as he ducks in and presses their mouths together.

It's a kiss, no doubt, as his tongue snakes forward and traces against his bottom lip. It's also a way to stream smoke from his lungs to Ling's in one slow exhale, a proper shotgun kiss, all heat and bruising firmness, and he keeps their mouths together, really leaning in and deepening it towards the end.

It doesn't last forever. Half a minute, maybe, if that, and then he's pulling back, a smirk on his face. So there.]

[You know, all things considered, Ling should have seen that coming. He's sitting here goading Greed about his intentions, purposely toeing the line of his temper and pride, so in retrospect - obvious. Still, he freezes the split second before their mouths connect, when he realizes what's happening, and all but melts into him immediately after. He's never been kissed like this in his life, smoke and heat going right to his lungs, and it's not what he expected but it's certainly what he's been wanting for weeks. Maybe even months, if the soft noise he can't help making against Greed's mouth is any indication.

He's kissed a few people before but none of them were like this, no shyness, no darting in and out quick like it's too dangerous to admit doing. Greed kisses like he means it, and Ling would probably be weak in the knees if he were still on his feet. He slides his hand up Greed's side to just beneath his shoulder, gripping his shirt there.

With smoke in his lungs and Greed practically enveloping him the best he can do is try to keep up, but he's still flushed and a little out of breath when Greed pulls back. And- a little cough, smoky, while he runs his thumb over his lower lip. Okay then.]

Okay, okay, that one was better.

No kidding.

[H keeps Ling's face in his hand, his gaze hungry as it darts over his face. He wants very much to kiss him again; to lean in and drag him on his lap and consume him, kiss him until he's breathless, touch him until he's wailing and begging Greed for more, but--

Mm. Better to let his imagination work for a while. He leans in, nipping at his bottom lip again, before pulling away entirely.]

Break's over, kiddo.

[Is it, or is that just a way for him to dismiss Ling?]

[Ling doesn't let go of his shirt immediately. Just one kiss and not even his first one, but there's kissing and then there's that, and he could kiss Greed probably for the rest of the night, by his best estimation. It's a little dizzying now, all of a sudden, after they've broken apart—it will be ages before he can focus on anything else, he already knows.

Too bad he's being cut off, which definitely is a cool bar joke he could make, but instead—]

Now that you've kissed me, you should give me your number.

[He's got Texts to Send, big guy.]

One kiss and you already think you can call the shots?

[But he doesn't seem displeased. He shoves his fingers through Ling's hair one last time before hoisting himself to his feet, his stupid pointed shoes clinking against the pavement of the roof as he does.]

Go see if you can get it out of someone.

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