Chapter Text
Friday nights in apartment 318 usually had the occupants gearing up for the working night ahead. That usually meant Octavia hogging the bathroom mirror, trying to get her hair to do that thing that Raven’s did naturally, and Raven moaning about needing to check her make-up before the car pulled up outside, and then it was off to work.
Work consisted of looking pretty, of being charming and funny, but not too funny, and doting on whoever was paying them by the hour. And if all went well, if their date wasn’t a wolf in sheep's clothing, then it would be back to a hotel room to finish off the night.
As of late, however, that routine had changed. While Octavia was accepting clients, though only screwing her regulars, Raven had cut things off with hers entirely. She hadn’t had a client in just over a month, had passed her regulars onto others, and didn’t look to be getting back into the game anytime soon.
If rent, student loans, and life, wasn’t so damn expensive, that might have been fine, but as all of those things existed, something needed to change; and Octavia was on it.
On that particular Friday night, Octavia was coming home from a charity fundraiser, dressed to the nines, heels in one hand, pizza in the other, and shit eating grin on her face.
“Atom might be a bit of a douche, but he pays great, has a mouth like a god, and I’m home by 1. What more can I ask for?” she sang, spotting Raven sprawled across the couch, who was eying her pizza. “And yes, you can have some, I bought your favourite.”
Raven sat up, rubbing her eyes as she did so, and shot another look at Octavia. While she was usually in a good mood after seeing Atom, there was something about her that had Raven suspicious. Plus, when did she ever get Raven’s favourite?
“What’s going on?” Raven asked, watching Octavia put the pizza in front of her, before she curled up in the nearest armchair.
“I have a client for you,” Octavia stated, nodding happily, like this was good news. It was all in the presentation.
Hearing those words, Raven froze for a second. The pizza in front of her smelt great, and opening the box, it looked delicious. She may have had dinner, but thinking it over, she was still hungry, and it wouldn’t be right to let it go to waste.
Grabbing a piece, Raven took a bite, ignoring Octavia’s grin, and waved her hand for her to talk;
“Tell me about your night, first,” she mumbled, between mouthfuls, wanting them to get that ritual over with first.
Given that Octavia was practically giddy, and Raven knew Atom’s bedroom skills weren’t that good, she must have had a good time. As it turned out, she did, the food had been excellent, Atom was polite as ever, and apparently the sex had improved. But the grin was really for the cash sitting in her purse.
“I’m so close now, Raven, to having paid off my tuition. Atom has already booked a few more nights, and from that, I’ll have enough extra to get that motorbike I’ve been looking at.” The excitement was palpable, and Raven grinned back. “So, can I now tell you about this client?”
“I’m taking a break, I told you.”
“Yeah, you did, but I don’t think you want to pass up on this one,” Octavia said, nodding seriously. “Hear me out,” she continued, holding her hands up, to stop Raven interrupting her. “I’ve met her a few times when I’ve been out; she kinda clocked on to what I do when my name kept changing with my dates.” That had Raven smiling again, as she’d been there a couple of times too.
“She say anything?” There was always one jackass who did and then it became awkward.
“Actually no, not until this evening. She approached me when Atom went to the bathroom, asked if I could help her out.” That implied that Octavia was her desired ‘date’ so how did Raven get dragged into it?
“And this led to me because?” she asked, frowning.
“Because, I happen to be busy the times she suggested, and I know for a fact she will pay good.” Octavia didn't have much room for new clients now, which was good on one hand, as she had a steady income, but annoying on the other when a really good opportunity came up, like this one. However, she wasn’t going to let it go to waste.
“She understands I’m not going to fuck her, right?” Raven asked bluntly, raising her eyebrows in question.
“I don’t actually know.” Octavia paused, frowning. “That, you might need to clarify with her.” Great.
“What’s her name?” Raven asked, a little curious now.
“Alexandra Woods, Lexa for short. From the events I’ve met her at, she’s regarded as pretty important, definitely well off. You should see the number of people trying to suck up to her. So I may have already asked Monty to check her out for me. She’s some heiress, sits on the board, all business, no pleasure.”
“You make her sound like a hoot.” However, Raven could see the potential there, and it had been a while since she’d worked. Maybe it was time to get back out there. The longer she left it, the more of her savings she was going to eat up.
“Look, I’ve not committed you to anything. I have her number, I can arrange a meeting for you, and you can go from there. Or, if you’d rather not do it at all, no pressure, I can pass her on to someone else.”
Taking a moment to think it over, Raven weighed the pros and cons of each. The pros far outweighed the cons in this one, and female clientell was hard to come by, so she shouldn’t dismiss it without at least meeting the woman.
“Give me her number, I’ll meet her to go over some things,” Raven grumbled, knowing that now she needed to start taking a bit more care of herself. No more pizza, no more beer, and maybe this could be the right stepping stone needed to get back on track. It’s not like she could hide out in her apartment forever.
*0*0*
Murphy’s bar wasn’t the classiest of places, but Raven and Octavia knew they were safe meeting clients there when sex was off the table. Some did not like being told they weren’t buying the body in front of them, and that got mixed reactions. But Murphy was behind the bar, looking pissed off as usual, and they knew he’d step in if required.
Wanting to already be there when Miss Woods arrived, Raven arrived half an hour early, with the hope of getting settled in a booth in Murphy’s line of sight, and going over the rules in her head. Only, Miss Woods was already there.
Googling her name had brought up a picture that Raven had memorised for that exact meeting, so she knew the woman sitting in a booth across from the bar was Miss Woods without a second glance.
Approaching the booth, and shooting a nod to Murphy, who acknowledged it with a nod back, she waited at the end of the table for a second, before clearing her throat.
“Lexa?” she asked, getting Lexa to turn to her. Her eyes looked Raven over, once, twice, and then she, too, cleared her throat.
“Yes?” Her eyes made her look far younger than google had said, and Raven was glad she didn’t have to ask to see ID.
“I’m Raven, Octavia’s friend” she explained, switching from one foot to the other, waiting. Recognition crossed Lexa’s features, and a slight pink hue appeared on her cheeks, as she waved to the seat across from her.
“Oh, please, sit. It’s nice to meet you,” she rushed, almost tipping over her words.
“You too,” Raven grinned, taking a seat, and leaning on the wooden table between them.
Lexa was nervous, Raven noted. As hard as she tried to steady her hand, it was obvious, and maybe the grungy bar was working in Raven’s favour, or maybe Lexa really was uncertain about all of this, but the nerves were a good sign. Clients that were nervous tended to remember their manners.
“You’re early,” Raven commented, needing mutual ground to start. It was easier if she could relax the girl in front of her.
“So are you,” Lexa replied, her mask of indifference back on, and the nerves now nowhere in sight. That was interesting.
“What can I get you?” Murphy asked, sounding as pissed off as he looked, and cutting off anything else Lexa was going to say.
Raven didn’t miss a beat, ordering her usual, the moonshine under the bar, while Lexa refrained from alcohol, and ordered sparkling water. Murphy looked like he was going to kick up a fuss, because the chances of him having that were probably slim, but one look from Raven told him to keep his mouth shut and just go.
If Lexa got her water, Raven would be shocked.
“How does this work, exactly?” Lexa asked, once Murphy was out of earshot, and she was right down to business.
“Well, you tell me what you want from me, and we go from there.” Raven couldn’t help but watch Lexa swallow sharply at those words, her eyes cold and numb, glancing down to the table top, before back up again.
“I need company, for a trip.”
“What kind of trip are we talking?” Octavia hadn’t mentioned a trip of any sorts, and that complicated things. Even when Raven had been seeing her regulars for eight months, she was still dubious about going anywhere with them. To take a trip with an unknown client, that was a risk.
“I’m spending two weeks with my family. I would require a partner, a companion for the time, to partake in our activities, and socialise,” Lexa explained further, but it wasn’t enough to answer Raven’s questions.
“How long?”
“Two weeks, total.” Raven’s eyes narrowed slightly at that, and Lexa was quick to ask. “Is that too long?”
“I don’t normally do more than a weekend.” The longest Raven had spent with a client was three days, and that had been tedious at best. But then again, Octavia had said this was going to be worth it, and maybe it was (if she could look passed Lexa being a risk).
“I can compensate you for your time.” That line sounded rehearsed out of Lexa’s mouth, but it was what Raven needed to hear.
“You’d need to,” Raven replied, patting her hand on the table. “Where about would we be staying?” she asked, needing some more details before making a final decision.
“My family’s cabin, up north, in Polis,” Lexa explained. “We would stay there, though there may be days camping or hiking in the surrounding area. Would that be a problem?” Her tone made it seem like there was more to her question, and Raven frowned.
“It shouldn’t be.”
“Octavia mentioned an injury-”
“Octavia needs to learn to keep her mouth shut,” Raven grumbled, shaking her head and mashing her lips together.
Before any more could be said, Murphy was back, sliding a bottle of sparkling water Lexa’s way, a glass following, and then gently setting down Raven’s glass of moonshine. Despite the rough service, as it were, Lexa uttered her thanks, and Murphy grunted his appreciation on his way back to the bar.
With a natural pause, Raven sipping her drink with a small grin, and Lexa opening and pouring her water, both women waited for the other to speak. Lexa was curious about what had previously just been said, regarding Raven’s injuring, but was not going to bring it back up unless Raven did.
Using one of the many techniques Anya had taught her, Lexa waited, unfazed by the silence, knowing that silence was usually filled, and it didn’t take long for Raven to do just that.
“My leg, I sustained an injury a while back, and it can ache with prolonged use. If that’s a dealbreaker, I can put you in touch with another girl who’ll be exactly-”
“No,” Lexa said quickly. “No, that won’t be necessary; I can ensure we would not over do things, and you do not end up injuring your leg further.” Her family would understand, and perhaps it would give them time out from under their gaze by remaining back at the cabin.
“We need to talk numbers,” Raven said, leaning back in the booth, crossing her arms. It had Lexa sitting up a little taller.
“Of course, name your price.” She was no fool, she knew that this was not going to be cheap.
“We also need to talk sex.”
“Right.” That had Lexa swallowing again, pink on her cheeks, and Raven wondered about Lexa’s previous sexual history. It was not her place to ask, but god, she was curious. First things first, though, setting the ground rules.
“You’re buying my time, you’re not buying my body. If you want sex, I can get you another-”
“That won’t be necessary,” Lexa repeated, shaking her head. “I had no intention of paying you for sex, of paying anyone for sex.” That wasn’t something Lexa was prepared for, the sex, the intimacy of being with someone again.
“Good.” Raven took a moment, reading Lexa’s emotions, to see if it was a play. Instead, she saw a coldness, a detachment that she recognised, and no, there was going to be no sex between them. “What price did you have in mind?”
“Isn’t that what I should ask you?” Lexa asked, clearing her throat, the water doing nothing to help.
“It’s a two week trip, you must have a ballpark number.” Raven had a figure in mind, especially since Octavia insisted that it would all be above board, but whether that was a number Lexa could meet-
“$15000 for the full two weeks, which amounts to just over a grand a day. If that’s not enough, I will need more time to-” Or maybe she could blow Raven’s number out of the water.
Any doubts Raven had about accepting Lexa as a client were blown away, too. She didn’t want to sleep with her, it wasn’t going to be a one-on-one trip, there was going to be downtime, and despite Lexa’s apparent aloofness, Raven could see that this was a trip worth taking.
“Don’t,” Raven was quick to say, cutting Lexa off. “That’s a respectful offer, and I accept.” She was not going to push her luck, she was not going to ask for more, she was not going to chance it, especially when that figure was more than generous.
“Thank you,” Lexa replied, relieved that Raven hadn’t demanded more. It could have been done, but she would have needed to sold shares and moved money around, and take a tax hit, but it could have been done. “How does this...the money...work exactly?”
The nerves were a little amusing for Raven, and she hid her smile behind her hand, pretending to lean on her chin, giving Lexa a chance to compose herself before hashing out the details.
“You can pay me in advance, or you can pay me each day. I don’t do half now and half when it’s done, I don’t do full pay at the end. It’s either all now, and you trust me not to bail, or pay me as we go. Money transfer, no cash. So, what do you prefer?”
“You have a way of seeing the money being moved into your account?” Lexa’s fingers ran round the rim of her glass as she asked, as if uncomfortable with the conversation.
“Is there an internet connection at the cabin?” Lexa nodded, and Raven nodded in return. “Then I can check the money has been moved each day.”
“Right, that sounds acceptable.” Lexa had another drink, and employing Anya’s method of silence, waited for Raven to speak again.
“This isn’t a ‘I’m bringing you to piss off my family’ thing, is it?”
“No. My partner...my previous partner left a lasting impression, and my family are concerned that I have not adjusted, or moved on properly. I don’t want them to be worried any longer.”
“So I’m the new girlfriend?” Raven’s smile was teasing as she spoke, and Lexa dropped her gaze.
“You would be, yes.” Looking back up with a nod, Lexa went on, “However, I am private with my affection, and private with my relationships. There would be very little physical interaction at all. My family would not expect to see it. Handholding would be the extent of it.”
“Your family are supportive?” The last thing Raven wanted was to be stuck in the middle of nowhere surrounded by homophobes.
“Very.” Lexa’s smile on her lips spoke of good memories, and that was a relief.
“So they won’t have any issues with this,” Raven reached across the table, softly entwining her their fingers, with her thumb caressing the palm of Lexa’s hand.
“None.” Lexa’s voice was stoic as she spoke, which had Raven wondering.
“And you?” Lexa took a moment to look at their hands, and then gently ran her thumb over the knuckle of Raven’s finger.
“None.” With that, Raven nodded, slipping her hand back across the table, and reaching for her bag. “Send me the final details and the dates, give me a call, and we’ll talk some more, but I think you've found yourself a new girlfriend.” Grabbing her glass, Raven downed her moonshine, gasping for breath as it burned, smiling as she did so. With a nod to Murphy, and “put it on my tab,” Raven headed for the door.
Once in a cab, heading for home, Raven fired off a text to Octavia.
15k for 2 weeks in Polis, I’m the new girlfriend meeting the family, no sex, would have been an idiot to turn this down - thanks
And she really did mean it, because money like that was going to go a long way paying back the chunk she’d used on her savings, and this had the potential to be more than a one time thing, depending on what Lexa needed.
While it might not have been the most conventional job in the world, Raven couldn’t help but feel glad to be back. It might have been the relief of knowing she now had some income this month, or knowing that she could still work despite her leg, but either way, the small smile didn’t leave her lips all the way home.
Looked like her break was well and truly over.