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January |
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January |
The Body Shop
In my head, there is an alternate and slightly futuristic version of Seattle, where shapeshifters and other supernatural beings like elves and vampires and the occasional dragon live and work along side more ‘normal’ people, and exotic body modifications like tails, horns and even cat ears are available to anyone who can pay for them. In this Seattle, a few blocks from Pike’s Place Market, is The Body Shop, a gay strip club and safe haven for many of the city’s more unusual inhabitants.
For one reason or another, lots of exotic men end up at the club and find there way into my stories. Some of these guys pop up in more then one story and deserve introductions, so here they are.
Kale
Kale’s first because he owns the place. He’s a tall, buff and often grumpy red-head with ice-blue eyes. Kale is also half vampire, though, he usually keeps that to himself (the only people who know are his lover Dante and Aoi). He’s very protective of the boys who work for him and won’t hesitate to throw a customer out if they’re caught mistreating anyone. Kale can usually be found in his office trying do get his paperwork done or checking up on things in the club.
Dante
Dante is Kale’s lover and one of the bartenders at The Body Shop. He’s on the shorter side, well, compared to Kale at least, with dark blue hair and violet eyes. Dante loves body mods and has a pair of goat horns and a prehensile lion-type tail along with his pierced ears, nipples and tongue. Bouncy and outgoing, Dante get along with everyone he works with. He loves Kale to death and can usually talk Kale into doing almost anything.
Kale and Dante are the main characters in ‘Finding Trouble’, ‘Tell-Tail Signs of Trouble’ and ‘Curiosity’. They also make appearances in ‘Between a Fox and a Hard Place 1: Threesome’, Between a Fox and a Hard Place 3: Home’, ‘Tails and Teapots’, ‘Ride the Tiger: The Six of Swords’.
Aoi
Aoi is a gorgeous elven man with knee-length black hair and light brown eyes and one of the dancers at the club. He’s been there since Kale opened the place and really loves his work. Aoi was born and raised in Okinawa. Always a bit of a black sheep, Aoi never quite fit in with his strict and often cold family. They sent him to Seattle for schooling and Aoi never went back. He feels more at home at The Body Shop then he ever did back in Okinawa. Outgoing and flirty, Aoi was never the type to settle down, at least until he met Itsuki and later Aya. He is a sweetheart, though and would do anything to help a friend or either of his lovers.
Aoi is in all three Between a Fox and a Hard Place stories, ‘Sex and Presents’, ‘Last Minute Shopping’, ‘What to Do On a Friday Night’ and makes appearances in ‘Tell-Tail Signs of Trouble’, ‘Tails and Teapots’, ‘Ride the Tiger: The Six of Swords’ and ‘Painted Wings’.
Itsuki
Itsuki is a kitsune (were-fox) with dark brown hair, copper-colored eyes and a fox tail and ears that match his hair. He is tall and sleekly muscled and Aoi’s long time lover. Itsuki is direct and protective almost to the point of jealousy (at least of Aoi… he figures that Aya has more sense and isn’t as watchful of his younger lover). His alternate form is that of a large (German Shepard sized) fox. Isuki likes sex and good food and is not above making sad puppy eyes at Aoi or Aya to get either.
Itsuki is in all three of the Between a Fox and a Hard Place stories, ‘Sex and Presents’, ‘What to Do On a Friday Night’, and makes appearances in ‘Last Minute Shopping’, and ‘Ride the Tiger: The Six of Swords’.
Aya
Aya is elven as well with cinnamon-colored hair and grey eyes. He was abandoned by his mother when he was 14 and found his way to The Body Shop looking for his dad. Instead, he found Aoi and Itsuki and the three of them couldn’t be happier. Aya is the calm sensible one and it helps, especially when Aoi and Itsuki are mad at each other.
Aya’s in all three Between a Fox and a Hard Place stories, ‘Last Minute Shopping’ and makes an appearance in ‘What to Do On a Friday Night’.
Aki
Aki is a tanuki that Frankie got for Christmas last year (2008). Granted, no one knew he was a tanuki until Frankie freed him since he was stuck as a teapot. In his tanuki form, Aki looks more like a red panda than an actual tanuki, which makes him very cute. In his more human form, Aki is a pretty slim man with dark brown hair tipped with copper and gold and expressive brown eyes. He also keeps his furry stripped tail and fuzzy ears in this form. Aki is flirty, fun and outgoing but he’s also loyal and takes debts very seriously.
Aki and Frankie are in ‘Tails and Teapots’ and the up coming ‘Tanuki Trouble’.
Max
Max is a slim young man with warm brown eyes and wavy, caramel-colored hair that falls just past his shoulders. He’s also the resident costume designer at The Body Shop and lives and works in the basement of the club. Max is sweet, quiet and a little shy. He’s also a very talented costume designer and it’s no surprise that everyone at the club likes him. Ravi also thinks he’s gorgeous but Max doesn’t really see it, which makes Ravi love him all the more.
Ravi
Ravi’s tall (around 6’), lean and muscular with back length black hair and ice blue eyes. He’s a tattoo artist and lives in an undisclosed loft somewhere near the water. Ravi also likes to work in other mediums besides ink and skin (usually paint and canvas but has been known to dabble in photography when he needs to). Personality-wise, Ravi is outgoing, good natured and generally easy to get along with and can usually be found hanging around The Body Shop pestering his lover Max or in his loft doing the same.
Ravi along with Max are in ‘Painted Wings’ (from the body paint Toybox anthology) and ‘Dressing Up Is Half the Fun’.
Frankie
Frankie is about 6’2 with a lean build, spiky silver hair and jade-green eyes. He’s also one of the bartenders at The Body Shop. Frankie’s a good listener but often has problems with over thinking things. He also talks to himself which amuses his co-workers to no end. Other than that, Frankie’s a good guy. He’s good natured and cares a lot for his friends and will do anything to keep them and his current lover happy.