riptide_asylum (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
riptide_asylum) wrote2008-12-18 10:55 pm
riptide_asylum) wrote2008-12-18 10:55 pm
Entry tags:
"The Hour" (Out of the Dark, 1973)
Title: The Hour
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Mimi had seen her share of American GI's, but she realized straight away that these two were different...
Ever since she'd come from Quang Ninh, Mimi had seen her share of American GI's. Mostly, she'd seen them from below, pinning her to the narrow bed in one corner of her tiny room above the pool hall as songs she could not understand drifted up from the floor below. Sometimes, she even tried to smile.
She realized straight away that these two were different.
The dark-haired one searched her room with his eyes, lingering on the window and the door. The exits. His blond friend was more at ease, and she could almost believe his smile for her was genuine.
Almost.
She and the tall blond with the nice smile had worked it out between them, settling the transaction around her limited English. They'd pay double, in American dollars, just to have the room to themselves for an hour.
The GI's exchanged glances as she pushed past them towards the door, and Mimi had no doubt they'd both been thinking of this for awhile. The dark-haired one, his expression softened as the blond put a hand on his vest, and Mimi dropped her eyes to the floor. She shut the door behind her with a soft click. Their dreams were no concerns of hers.
Sharp words floated up the stairwell, the clipped consonants and twang of Madam Lam's accent. Quickly, Mimi slipped inside the broom closet between her room and Mai's, shutting the door softly behind her. She set the minutes aside on the oversized digital watch she kept in her clutch. The pale green numbers on its face reminded her of the long-ago GI who'd given it to her.
A whole hour to herself, as long as she wasn't seen. Unheard of luxury.
She could hear the two men through the thin wall as clearly as if she was still with them. They'd wasted no time after she'd left them, and the small closet filled with the sounds of their passion, desperate wet kisses, groans, gasps and tortured breaths.
Mimi leaned back in the darkness, resting her head against the plasterboard, closing her eyes. The handle of a dustpan dug into her thigh, but did nothing to spoil the moment.
Alone. Untouched. For a full hour.
This must be what it's like in heaven, Mimi thought, fingers interwoven against her forehead, elbows on her knees. She took a deep breath, dust and the acrid odor of cleaning products filling her lungs. For the next hour this space, and her body, was her own.
A loud groan sounded next door, followed by a shushing noise.
Mimi tilted her head, smiling. These two weren't the first pair of soldiers to take her room, but it was definitely a rare occurrence. Mostly, if they came in pairs they wanted her between them, and she--
"No, Cody," she heard, clear as a bell through the plaster. "Take them off. Take everything off. I wanna do this right."
Mimi waited a moment, listening. Rustling, the squeak of footsteps, then silence. Curiosity overcame her, and she got to her knees, putting her eyes to the thin slat in the wall overlooking her room. She'd known it was there, of course, knew Madam Lam often rented it out. But she'd never been the one in a position to watch before.
The two men were naked, their clothes in one pile on the floor. They stood in the middle of the room, neon light from the dirty window prisming the sweat on their skin, frozen in place. The blond, the one who'd smiled at her, was facing her and by the wan light of the naked bulb overhead she could see his throat working as he swallowed, his eyes never leaving the other man.
The darker one sat down on the bed. "C'mere, Cody," he whispered. Cody. Until now, she hadn't wondered about their names.
Mimi watched as Cody climbed on top of his friend, watched the care he took aligning their bodies. They were kissing again, gentle now, but no less urgent than earlier. The two of them slid over one another sinuously as the neon sign sputtered, then regained its strength. Multihued lights illuminated their writhing bodies.
Some of the men who sought her favors kissed her, but not this way. She craned her neck, trying to see more in the dim light, watching the grasp of hands on flesh, the flash of teeth as their heads moved. They give themselves to each other, she thought suddenly, watching the dark-haired man arch beneath his friend.
"Stop, Nick, stop." Cody sounded breathless and Mimi cocked her head on one side. Nick and Cody. She repeated the names under her breath, fascinated by them.
Cody was a good-looking man, she thought, watching the blond as he pushed himself back to kneel between his friend's thighs. What would happen now?
Nick held his hands up in surrender. "What's wrong?"
Mimi struggled to hear past the honking of traffic outside, and the pulse of music coming up through the floor. She imagined she could hear their ragged breathing.
Finally she made out a whisper. "I want my dick in you."
Mimi nodded to herself wisely. All men wanted that, a warm body to thrust into, claim. If you were lucky, the one who chose you was gentle. She blinked at Cody, wondering. Was he kind?
A very long moment passed before Nick reached for his partner, sitting up and sliding a hand round the back of Cody's neck, pulling him down onto the bed, all hard kisses and grasping hands.
Kneeling at her observation post, Mimi froze, not even moving to ease the cramp in one leg; the energy in the room had changed, electrified.
Cody was kissing Nick as if his life depended on it, Mimi thought. They were both wild and urgent, their bodies together so hard, almost violent, the girl felt frightened for a moment. She had never been taken as roughly as these men seemed about to be with each other.
But as Mimi watched, wide-eyed, the frantic movements on the bed slowed, the two men's bodies tight together, the dark shapes of Nick's hands on the paler skin of Cody's back sliding softly now.
The blond's head moved as he kissed Nick and Mimi saw that his eyes were closed. In contrast, Nick's were open, gleaming in the dim light as he moved his head on the mattress. She could see the tension in him, in the way he moved his spread legs, one then the other, the way he was bucking against the man whose body held him down on the bed.
Cody sat back up, sliding a hand along the length of his cock. In Mimi's experience, men stroked themselves immediately before they breached her, and she looked at Nick. Was he ready? Was he prepared for it to hurt?
It was hard to see Cody's hand as he reached between Nick's legs, but Mimi knew what he was doing. She'd felt it often enough herself, dry, rough fingers probing her asshole, forcing a way inside.
Nick winced and Mimi flinched in sympathy. Cody drew back, and Mimi jerked her head up in surprise as she heard his muttered "Sorry." A small smile touched her lips as she watched him lean forward and kiss Nick again. Nick reached for him, lifting up off the bed. He said Cody's name, his voice muffled against his partner's body, and Mimi didn't understand the next word he used.
Cody sat up fast, the burned-out bedsprings twanging at his sudden movement, and looked wildly around the room. There was little to see: the scrubbed table, the icon on the wall, and the narrow bed were the room's only furnishings, and Mimi wondered what answer he sought.
Nick sat up, grabbed his wrist and pulled, and Mimi watched Cody refocus on his partner, watched his frightened, anxious look soften. Nick tugged his wrist again, then spat on his fingers and reached for Cody's cock. She understood immediately: lubrication.
Both of them had their hands on Cody's cock now, and in the mottled neon she saw it gleaming, slick and moist with saliva and the sweat from their hands. Cody pushed Nick back and spat on his fingers again, and Nick drew his knees up as Cody's hand probed again between his legs.
Nick looked more at ease this time, Mimi thought, watching him push back towards his partner's touch. Cody rubbed his hand over Nick's belly then reached down again, using Nick's sweat as added moisture.
Cody stroked his cock again. "Nick..." He sounded doubtful, his eyes anxious, fixed on his friend's face. Cody didn't want Nick to hurt, Mimi realized. That was good.
She saw the determination on Nick's face, watched him roll his hips back further, readying himself for Cody. "Do it," Nick growled. "Do it, Cody."
Cody leaned forward, propping himself up on one arm. Mimi could almost feel the tenderness in the way he kissed Nick, felt for an instant she was seeing one of the dreams of love she'd used to moon over as a child, back in her village. She shook herself, pushing the thought away. Such dreams were only lies men told to foolish girls.
Turning her eyes to Nick's face, Mimi bit her lip as she watched Nick do the same. His mouth worked silently and she knew what was happening: Cody was pushing at his entrance, stretching his hole, relentlessly penetrating Nick's secret, private place. Mimi felt herself blushing as she always did when men intruded there.
Mimi fixed her eyes on Nick, feeling his pain and powerlessness as he was taken. She saw him tense and force himself to relax, watched him spread his legs wider then grab at Cody's hips. His stomach muscles rippled, taut, and he turned his head slightly, hiding his face from her, burying his head against Cody's shoulder.
She saw the moment when the pain passed, felt the glassy explosion at the base of her own spine and the warm heaviness seep into her limbs. Cody sank in deeper, inch by inch, and now Nick was whimpering, fingers clutching at Cody's hips.
Cody groaned. "Nick...oh god...."
Nick whimpered again in response.
Finally, Cody was still, deep inside, his body covering Nick's. Mimi trembled slightly. At this moment Nick belonged to the man inside him, his to be taken as the blond saw fit, hard or gentle, rough or tender. Which would it be?
Cody had seemed to care but she'd known men who changed once they held the power. She watched, holding her breath, as Cody took his first stroke. Both men moaned, and Mimi cocked her head. Nick leaned up for a kiss, and Mimi smiled as Cody gave it, his hips moving gently.
The noises they made were soft, muffled, even as Cody's movements grew faster. She watched Nick adjusting, beginning to move with Cody, his hips thrusting back at every stroke, and saw Cody stroking harder in response.
Cody's thrusts faltered for a moment, and squinting, Mimi realized he had reached between their bodies to take hold of Nick's cock. Almost instantly, Nick choked off a cry and she realized he was coming, his juice shining wetly on Cody's skin. She heard Cody's answering groan, long and shuddering, and saw him thrust in deep, pulling Nick's hips against him, holding them there as he shook.
Nick leaned up, reaching for him, but Cody was already pushing himself back, sliding out of him, looking away. Nick pulled himself up and grabbed Cody's arms, wrestling him back down onto the bed, pulling him close.
Cody surrendered and Mimi saw the fear that had sparked in his eyes draining away. He dropped his head and collapsed, spent, on Nick's chest. The two of them rocked against each other, sweat and neon bathing their skin, and Mimi couldn't tell who was making which of the soft noises she heard.
Mimi pressed her lips together as Nick's arms tightened around Cody's shoulders. The men she serviced sometimes wanted to hold her like this and she had to allow it, lying stiff and wary against them, but these two were different. Now they were curled together, faces close, whispering words she couldn't catch, their fingers moving softly on each others' skin.
Mimi thought of the dreams of love she'd cherished once, and shook her head in the darkness. The two of them together, they were too beautiful to last.
Sitting back from the crack, she turned her attention back to the watch. The numbers moved slowly, inexorably, towards the time when she would have to return to her room, ending their interlude and her own. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, waiting for the soft beep of the watch to summon her back.
After the third knock, Mimi opened the door apologetically. She stayed quiet as they pulled their shirts back off and exchanged them with sheepish grins.
Another thirty seconds and they were out the door and down the stairs, back out into the wet Saigon night, where anything could destroy them at a moment's notice. Upstairs in the small room above the nightclub, Mimi counted the pile of crumpled, sweaty dollars on the table with practiced speed. They'd left her plenty. More than enough for the hour.
She thought of the smile the blond one had tried to hide, the shy glances at his dark-haired friend. There'd been sadness in his partner's eyes, sadness far beyond his years, and more fear than she'd grown used to seeing in the eyes of the GI's who thronged the city's streets, clinging to her body for a sweaty coupling. She swung the dirty window wide, letting in dirtier air, pretending it refreshed the room. Crawling into the lee of the open frame, she lit a cigarette, adding its smoke to the city's choking smog. Perched there, high above the flotsam of Pham Ngu Lao, Mimi allowed herself a few minutes of hope. For them, for her, for her family back in Quang Ninh.
For a whole world on fire.
Mimi took long draws from the cigarette, and it was quickly gone. She stubbed the butt out on the peeling paint windowsill, exhaling a cloud that was swallowed by the city as soon as she drew a new breath.
The knock on the door was accompanied by Madam Lam's quick birdlike steps, footfalls somehow sharp on carpet. "They're gone?" the madam asked, using the address-form for youngest daughter. Lowest one.
Mimi could only nod. Of course she'd known all the time. Hiding anything from the sharp-eyed madam was futile, and Mimi braced herself for the slap, her employer's quick, explosive temper a legend.
It never came.
Madam Lam nodded, leaning to peer out the open window, down onto the crowded street, as if she could pick them out of the crowd of uniforms and laughter. "Good," she said in English. "Good."
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Mimi had seen her share of American GI's, but she realized straight away that these two were different...
Ever since she'd come from Quang Ninh, Mimi had seen her share of American GI's. Mostly, she'd seen them from below, pinning her to the narrow bed in one corner of her tiny room above the pool hall as songs she could not understand drifted up from the floor below. Sometimes, she even tried to smile.
She realized straight away that these two were different.
The dark-haired one searched her room with his eyes, lingering on the window and the door. The exits. His blond friend was more at ease, and she could almost believe his smile for her was genuine.
Almost.
She and the tall blond with the nice smile had worked it out between them, settling the transaction around her limited English. They'd pay double, in American dollars, just to have the room to themselves for an hour.
The GI's exchanged glances as she pushed past them towards the door, and Mimi had no doubt they'd both been thinking of this for awhile. The dark-haired one, his expression softened as the blond put a hand on his vest, and Mimi dropped her eyes to the floor. She shut the door behind her with a soft click. Their dreams were no concerns of hers.
Sharp words floated up the stairwell, the clipped consonants and twang of Madam Lam's accent. Quickly, Mimi slipped inside the broom closet between her room and Mai's, shutting the door softly behind her. She set the minutes aside on the oversized digital watch she kept in her clutch. The pale green numbers on its face reminded her of the long-ago GI who'd given it to her.
A whole hour to herself, as long as she wasn't seen. Unheard of luxury.
She could hear the two men through the thin wall as clearly as if she was still with them. They'd wasted no time after she'd left them, and the small closet filled with the sounds of their passion, desperate wet kisses, groans, gasps and tortured breaths.
Mimi leaned back in the darkness, resting her head against the plasterboard, closing her eyes. The handle of a dustpan dug into her thigh, but did nothing to spoil the moment.
Alone. Untouched. For a full hour.
This must be what it's like in heaven, Mimi thought, fingers interwoven against her forehead, elbows on her knees. She took a deep breath, dust and the acrid odor of cleaning products filling her lungs. For the next hour this space, and her body, was her own.
A loud groan sounded next door, followed by a shushing noise.
Mimi tilted her head, smiling. These two weren't the first pair of soldiers to take her room, but it was definitely a rare occurrence. Mostly, if they came in pairs they wanted her between them, and she--
"No, Cody," she heard, clear as a bell through the plaster. "Take them off. Take everything off. I wanna do this right."
Mimi waited a moment, listening. Rustling, the squeak of footsteps, then silence. Curiosity overcame her, and she got to her knees, putting her eyes to the thin slat in the wall overlooking her room. She'd known it was there, of course, knew Madam Lam often rented it out. But she'd never been the one in a position to watch before.
The two men were naked, their clothes in one pile on the floor. They stood in the middle of the room, neon light from the dirty window prisming the sweat on their skin, frozen in place. The blond, the one who'd smiled at her, was facing her and by the wan light of the naked bulb overhead she could see his throat working as he swallowed, his eyes never leaving the other man.
The darker one sat down on the bed. "C'mere, Cody," he whispered. Cody. Until now, she hadn't wondered about their names.
Mimi watched as Cody climbed on top of his friend, watched the care he took aligning their bodies. They were kissing again, gentle now, but no less urgent than earlier. The two of them slid over one another sinuously as the neon sign sputtered, then regained its strength. Multihued lights illuminated their writhing bodies.
Some of the men who sought her favors kissed her, but not this way. She craned her neck, trying to see more in the dim light, watching the grasp of hands on flesh, the flash of teeth as their heads moved. They give themselves to each other, she thought suddenly, watching the dark-haired man arch beneath his friend.
"Stop, Nick, stop." Cody sounded breathless and Mimi cocked her head on one side. Nick and Cody. She repeated the names under her breath, fascinated by them.
Cody was a good-looking man, she thought, watching the blond as he pushed himself back to kneel between his friend's thighs. What would happen now?
Nick held his hands up in surrender. "What's wrong?"
Mimi struggled to hear past the honking of traffic outside, and the pulse of music coming up through the floor. She imagined she could hear their ragged breathing.
Finally she made out a whisper. "I want my dick in you."
Mimi nodded to herself wisely. All men wanted that, a warm body to thrust into, claim. If you were lucky, the one who chose you was gentle. She blinked at Cody, wondering. Was he kind?
A very long moment passed before Nick reached for his partner, sitting up and sliding a hand round the back of Cody's neck, pulling him down onto the bed, all hard kisses and grasping hands.
Kneeling at her observation post, Mimi froze, not even moving to ease the cramp in one leg; the energy in the room had changed, electrified.
Cody was kissing Nick as if his life depended on it, Mimi thought. They were both wild and urgent, their bodies together so hard, almost violent, the girl felt frightened for a moment. She had never been taken as roughly as these men seemed about to be with each other.
But as Mimi watched, wide-eyed, the frantic movements on the bed slowed, the two men's bodies tight together, the dark shapes of Nick's hands on the paler skin of Cody's back sliding softly now.
The blond's head moved as he kissed Nick and Mimi saw that his eyes were closed. In contrast, Nick's were open, gleaming in the dim light as he moved his head on the mattress. She could see the tension in him, in the way he moved his spread legs, one then the other, the way he was bucking against the man whose body held him down on the bed.
Cody sat back up, sliding a hand along the length of his cock. In Mimi's experience, men stroked themselves immediately before they breached her, and she looked at Nick. Was he ready? Was he prepared for it to hurt?
It was hard to see Cody's hand as he reached between Nick's legs, but Mimi knew what he was doing. She'd felt it often enough herself, dry, rough fingers probing her asshole, forcing a way inside.
Nick winced and Mimi flinched in sympathy. Cody drew back, and Mimi jerked her head up in surprise as she heard his muttered "Sorry." A small smile touched her lips as she watched him lean forward and kiss Nick again. Nick reached for him, lifting up off the bed. He said Cody's name, his voice muffled against his partner's body, and Mimi didn't understand the next word he used.
Cody sat up fast, the burned-out bedsprings twanging at his sudden movement, and looked wildly around the room. There was little to see: the scrubbed table, the icon on the wall, and the narrow bed were the room's only furnishings, and Mimi wondered what answer he sought.
Nick sat up, grabbed his wrist and pulled, and Mimi watched Cody refocus on his partner, watched his frightened, anxious look soften. Nick tugged his wrist again, then spat on his fingers and reached for Cody's cock. She understood immediately: lubrication.
Both of them had their hands on Cody's cock now, and in the mottled neon she saw it gleaming, slick and moist with saliva and the sweat from their hands. Cody pushed Nick back and spat on his fingers again, and Nick drew his knees up as Cody's hand probed again between his legs.
Nick looked more at ease this time, Mimi thought, watching him push back towards his partner's touch. Cody rubbed his hand over Nick's belly then reached down again, using Nick's sweat as added moisture.
Cody stroked his cock again. "Nick..." He sounded doubtful, his eyes anxious, fixed on his friend's face. Cody didn't want Nick to hurt, Mimi realized. That was good.
She saw the determination on Nick's face, watched him roll his hips back further, readying himself for Cody. "Do it," Nick growled. "Do it, Cody."
Cody leaned forward, propping himself up on one arm. Mimi could almost feel the tenderness in the way he kissed Nick, felt for an instant she was seeing one of the dreams of love she'd used to moon over as a child, back in her village. She shook herself, pushing the thought away. Such dreams were only lies men told to foolish girls.
Turning her eyes to Nick's face, Mimi bit her lip as she watched Nick do the same. His mouth worked silently and she knew what was happening: Cody was pushing at his entrance, stretching his hole, relentlessly penetrating Nick's secret, private place. Mimi felt herself blushing as she always did when men intruded there.
Mimi fixed her eyes on Nick, feeling his pain and powerlessness as he was taken. She saw him tense and force himself to relax, watched him spread his legs wider then grab at Cody's hips. His stomach muscles rippled, taut, and he turned his head slightly, hiding his face from her, burying his head against Cody's shoulder.
She saw the moment when the pain passed, felt the glassy explosion at the base of her own spine and the warm heaviness seep into her limbs. Cody sank in deeper, inch by inch, and now Nick was whimpering, fingers clutching at Cody's hips.
Cody groaned. "Nick...oh god...."
Nick whimpered again in response.
Finally, Cody was still, deep inside, his body covering Nick's. Mimi trembled slightly. At this moment Nick belonged to the man inside him, his to be taken as the blond saw fit, hard or gentle, rough or tender. Which would it be?
Cody had seemed to care but she'd known men who changed once they held the power. She watched, holding her breath, as Cody took his first stroke. Both men moaned, and Mimi cocked her head. Nick leaned up for a kiss, and Mimi smiled as Cody gave it, his hips moving gently.
The noises they made were soft, muffled, even as Cody's movements grew faster. She watched Nick adjusting, beginning to move with Cody, his hips thrusting back at every stroke, and saw Cody stroking harder in response.
Cody's thrusts faltered for a moment, and squinting, Mimi realized he had reached between their bodies to take hold of Nick's cock. Almost instantly, Nick choked off a cry and she realized he was coming, his juice shining wetly on Cody's skin. She heard Cody's answering groan, long and shuddering, and saw him thrust in deep, pulling Nick's hips against him, holding them there as he shook.
Nick leaned up, reaching for him, but Cody was already pushing himself back, sliding out of him, looking away. Nick pulled himself up and grabbed Cody's arms, wrestling him back down onto the bed, pulling him close.
Cody surrendered and Mimi saw the fear that had sparked in his eyes draining away. He dropped his head and collapsed, spent, on Nick's chest. The two of them rocked against each other, sweat and neon bathing their skin, and Mimi couldn't tell who was making which of the soft noises she heard.
Mimi pressed her lips together as Nick's arms tightened around Cody's shoulders. The men she serviced sometimes wanted to hold her like this and she had to allow it, lying stiff and wary against them, but these two were different. Now they were curled together, faces close, whispering words she couldn't catch, their fingers moving softly on each others' skin.
Mimi thought of the dreams of love she'd cherished once, and shook her head in the darkness. The two of them together, they were too beautiful to last.
Sitting back from the crack, she turned her attention back to the watch. The numbers moved slowly, inexorably, towards the time when she would have to return to her room, ending their interlude and her own. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, waiting for the soft beep of the watch to summon her back.
After the third knock, Mimi opened the door apologetically. She stayed quiet as they pulled their shirts back off and exchanged them with sheepish grins.
Another thirty seconds and they were out the door and down the stairs, back out into the wet Saigon night, where anything could destroy them at a moment's notice. Upstairs in the small room above the nightclub, Mimi counted the pile of crumpled, sweaty dollars on the table with practiced speed. They'd left her plenty. More than enough for the hour.
She thought of the smile the blond one had tried to hide, the shy glances at his dark-haired friend. There'd been sadness in his partner's eyes, sadness far beyond his years, and more fear than she'd grown used to seeing in the eyes of the GI's who thronged the city's streets, clinging to her body for a sweaty coupling. She swung the dirty window wide, letting in dirtier air, pretending it refreshed the room. Crawling into the lee of the open frame, she lit a cigarette, adding its smoke to the city's choking smog. Perched there, high above the flotsam of Pham Ngu Lao, Mimi allowed herself a few minutes of hope. For them, for her, for her family back in Quang Ninh.
For a whole world on fire.
Mimi took long draws from the cigarette, and it was quickly gone. She stubbed the butt out on the peeling paint windowsill, exhaling a cloud that was swallowed by the city as soon as she drew a new breath.
The knock on the door was accompanied by Madam Lam's quick birdlike steps, footfalls somehow sharp on carpet. "They're gone?" the madam asked, using the address-form for youngest daughter. Lowest one.
Mimi could only nod. Of course she'd known all the time. Hiding anything from the sharp-eyed madam was futile, and Mimi braced herself for the slap, her employer's quick, explosive temper a legend.
It never came.
Madam Lam nodded, leaning to peer out the open window, down onto the crowded street, as if she could pick them out of the crowd of uniforms and laughter. "Good," she said in English. "Good."