#anora mikeeva x y/n

[bumblesimagines]

Entwined

Request: Yes or No

Summary: (Y/N)'s always believed in the saying of not shitting where you eat, but life has an unexpected way of springing up on you.

Pronouns: He/Him/His, M!Reader

CW/TW: Typical Anora warnings, mentions of sex work and strip clubs, brief/short sexual content, miscommunication(?), the man Ani deserves

~~~

His eyes traced the neon sign encircling the gas station across the street, the vibrant blue casting a glow over the pavement and cars coming and going. Ever since getting the apartment, he indulged in people-watching from his spot by the window to decompress after each tiring workday at Headquarters, a little habit to ease his sluggish mind out of work mode. 

There were regulars he started to recognize, some neighbors he scarcely saw in the halls and cars with license plates from other states that always left him wondering why they'd chosen to drive so far from home to visit Brighton Beach. He watched them stop for gas, watched when they rushed inside for the bathroom or staggered out of the store with beers in hand despite being a sip away from passing out on the sidewalk. 

He exhaled a cloud of smoke into the chilly night air and watched an older man check on all four tires with his foot to avoid taking his hands out of his pockets. The corner of his lip twitched into an amused half-grin when the man ducked his head into the car only to tug it back out and slap the top of the vehicle in frustration before doing another round of checking the tires. 

"What, are you a peepin' tom or somethin'?" 

Pressing the cigarette onto his windowsill, he added a new black ring to the countless others before flicking it into the darkness to be forgotten within the hour. He eyed the gas station one last time, giving a small huff of amusement when the man's angry words reached his ears, and then stood from the windowsill to properly shut the window and tug at the blinds.

Ani remained lazily sprawled on his bed, her messy hair scattered out across her bare back and the glittery tinsel strands she loved putting in her dark hair shimmering with the dim lamplight that lit the room in a soft orange glow. She swung her legs back and forth in the air and propped her chin onto her knuckles, the area around her mouth and eyes stained from her smeared makeup. She batted her lashes at him and gave one of her sparkling smiles, the one dancing the line being genuine and alluring. 

He shook his head at her and tossed the pack of Marlboro's aside onto his nightstand. "Peeping tom?" He repeated with a small laugh. "Do you even know what that means?" 

"'Course I do." Ani rolled her eyes and twisted around on the bed, the sheets and comforter dragging and crinkling with her movements until her back was against the headboard. "I'm not a fuckin' idiot." She scoffed, dragging her acrylics through her hair to comb back the wild and frizzy strands.

A hum vibrated in the back of his throat with feigned uncertainty and she let out a mixture between a gasp and a laugh, her hand reaching over to grab a pillow and throw it at him. He dodged it and it fell onto the floor with a soft thump, left to be picked up later when he'd crawl into bed for the night. Ani's shoulders shook with gentle snickers as her body slumped against the headboard, looking lighter than she had when she'd shown up on his doorstep with pouty lips. She hadn't given much details apart from mutters about one of the strippers at Headquarters.

Diamond always had a knack for getting on Ani's nerves. He gave it a week before one tore the other's hair straight from the scalp.

With an almost wistful sigh, Ani leaned forward, pressing her palms on the bed and slowly crawling across it toward him. She sat back on her knees and pressed a hard kiss against his stomach, looking satisfied when it left a lipstick mark, before she tilted her head up at him and batted her lashes once more.

"Maybe you could draw a bath for us?" she asked with an innocent tilt of her head, her fingertip rising to teasingly trace the waistband of his briefs

"Yeah," (Y/N) gave a soft snort and pushed his fingers through her hair, her eyes fluttering shut at the action and her head pushing into his palm like a cat receiving affection. "Give me a second."

(Y/N) had lost track of when Ani went from simply being a stripper at the club he worked at to a friend he occasionally slept with. He vaguely remembered when the friendship sparked during a night when they were both working, her entertaining the coming and going clients and him behind the bar feeding them drinks that'd have them pulling every bill out of their wallets by the end of the night.

He'd stepped outside to escape the stuffy air and music and stood by idly whilst Ani and Lulu shared a cigarette and exchanged gossip, his ears occasionally tuning in to hear what Diamond had said or the relationship drama between Crystal and her on-and-off girlfriend until Lulu shuffled inside to continue her shift. Ani remained outside, and by the third time they made brief eye contact, she struck up a conversation with one of her little smiles. 

The weeks after were casual, with some idle small talk when neither of them were busy, an occasional smoke break together where he'd silently nod along while she complained about one thing or another (most often about a snide remark Diamond made in passing or how the DJ never played good music) until she asked for a ride one day and they fell into new habits. He'd drop her off at the train station or sometimes drive to her place to drop her off, each ride ending with her leaving a lipstick mark on his cheek before hopping out.

And then things really shifted.

The sun was beginning to dip beneath the horizon and he'd just clocked in, nodding passively while Dawn vented about girls calling in sick last minute and 'messing with her perfect schedule' as he wiped down the counter. Dawn gave a quiet huff, and her mouth parted as if to spew one last grievance before she noticed something in the distance and gave a low groan. He watched her with an amused grin as she stormed away, always acting more like the owner than Jimmy ever did. 

"Want a smoke?" Ani's voice rang out next to him, a coy smile toying on her lips as she approached the bar.

He gave the club one last scan to check for guests, but it was too early for many of the regulars to waltz in without a care. They always waited for the cover of night to properly time their excuses for their families at home, as if their skewed clothes and reeking breath would go unnoticed by their wives. He always failed to conjure up pity when one of them moaned about an ongoing divorce while having their arm wrapped around a girl half their age.

With the air outside too cold for either of their liking, they lingered in the VIP area and watched other employees ready the unoccupied rooms for private dances. Ani swayed on her crimson red pumps, her faux fur coat hugged tightly around her body, and a cigarette hanging loosely between her fingers. She turned her head to the side and blew the smoke out into the air, finishing their little pre-work smoke when she pressed the cigarette into the ashes in the ashtray and left it to be cleaned up later.

"You've ever gotten a lap dance before?" She asked with a grin and lifted her brows expectantly. He knew the girls well enough to know when they were planning something, when they were dangling bait and waiting for an eager fish to bite. 

Arching a brow, he asked, "Why?"

"I can give you one free of charge." A spark ignited in her pretty dark eyes. "You've been a real sweetheart to me these past weeks. Thought I could do somethin' nice for you."

There were a million different ways she could repay him: paying for food, offering him gas money each time he gave her a ride, convincing Jimmy to give him another vacation day. But girls like Ani mastered the art of trade, giving in exchange for something, most often money. It came like second nature to them to bat their eyes and coo velvety words, eyes always either wide and pleading or down-turned and seductive.

He wondered if Ani knew how to switch it off. If she knew how to leave Ani at the club and become Anora again. 

"Come, it'll be fun, I swear." She giggled and grabbed his hand to tug him into the nearest room, swiftly turning on her pumps to shut the door behind them before urging him toward the worn-out leather loveseat that'd definitely seen better days. 

The room was small, designed precisely for private entertainment away from prying eyes, and had a purple color theme. Plum-colored walls, lavender neon signs in the shapes of lips and curvy figures, an indigo side table beside the loveseat for drinks or powders, and a wall-length mirror for viewing pleasure.

He'd never taken the time to fully explore Headquarters, and he'd never found a reason to. His job was to provide drinks, keep an eye on said drinks, and cut off customers before they made the janitor's life harder and freaked the girls out.

Ani grinned at him and reached up to her shoulders, slowly dragging the coat down her arms until the sparkly navy blue dress that clung to her body peeked through. She stepped closer with a slow sway of her hips and raised her knee to sink into the loveseat, a giggle shaking her shoulders as she draped the coat over the backrest before she moved back to stand and ran her fingertips over the hem that barely reached to her thighs. 

Music began pouring into the room from the speakers and briefly put a scowl on her face when an early 2000s pop song filled their ears. "I swear, I don't know how that fucker got hired." She huffed and turned her head toward the speakers with an accusatory stare, as if the speakers had any fault in the person controlling them. He only snorted in response. "Fuckin' Jimmy and his stupid cousin."

Ani shook her head and pushed her long strands of hair past her shoulders, a small chuckle escaping her before she reached back to drag the zipper of her dress down until the top loosened and drooped. Her teeth caught her shimmery bottom lip and she tugged down the straps to reveal a skimpy, little black bikini top. She slowly shimmied out of the dress until it slipped down her thighs and pooled at her feet, her index fingers curling around the equally little bikini bottom. 

(Y/N) swallowed and rubbed the heel of his palm against his clothed thigh, eyes flickering away briefly and catching the identical bow tattoos on the back of both of her thighs in the mirror's reflection. He only ever saw glimpses of them, occasionally heard Lulu gushing over how cute they were, but he'd never seen the ink up close. He felt inclined to reach out and trace the lines but rules were rules. No touching on the dancers.

The corners of her eyes crinkled when she laughed lightly and she spun around, making a show of bending over as her hands grabbed his knees to push his legs apart. She settled over his groin and gave an experimental roll, another giggle escaping her when his body flinched in response. "You ready, sweetheart?" 

Since her first day at Headquarters, Ani had perfected the art of dance over time, and it was obvious in her fluid movements and keen eyes. She repeated movements that earned her more reactions and never faltered in her confidence, her hips moving and ass pressing against him with purpose from time to time. Eventually, she reached behind her and undid the laces of her top, letting the small fabric fall to the floor before she pressed herself to his chest and arched her back to shove off her perky breasts. 

He kept his hands to himself despite the warmth flowing through his body and the occasional hitching of his breath, until the weight of her body briefly left. She shifted around to face him and straddled his hips as best she could on the loveseat, her half-lidded eyes dark and hazy with desire he didn't see often. Ani pressed her palm over his cheek, her thumb stroking delicately over his cheekbone while her other hand traveled downward to mess with his belt. 

His eyes flickered to the camera in the corner of the room, the one meant to ensure customers were following the rules and the dancers were safe, but the little red light had yet to flicker on. It would any minute, though. The chances Jimmy would fire either of them were low, he liked them both too much, but it'd change the dynamic between them and their coworkers. Diamond would get insufferable. "Ani-"

"We've got time." She assured him as she popped the button on his pants and tugged them down to his thighs. "We'll be fine, baby."

Settling over him more comfortably, Ani grinded down over his bulge, and he allowed his hands to squeeze her thighs when he felt a wetness seep through the fabric. She smiled down at him and pressed harder, dragging herself back and forth over his bulge at a tantalizingly slow pace until the light gray fabric of his boxers turned dark. 

Her movements slowly picked up and she leaned in, coiling one arm around his neck as she mushed their lips together in a heated kiss. Her gloss smeared against his mouth and he tasted the strawberry flavor when his teeth caught her bottom lip. She released a muffled groan against him and dropped the hand on his cheek to tug blindly at his boxers until they slipped down far enough for her to wrap a hand around him. 

He cursed softly and she laughed, her cheeks and neck flushed pink when she leaned back to flick some of her hair back over her shoulder. She gave him a few pumps and tilted her head to the side, biting her lip again and pressing her thumb over the slit of his tip. His hips jerked in response and pre dribbled down his shaft. 

"You can touch, y'know." Ani cooed, her biceps pushing out her chest enticingly. 

Swallowing thickly, he ran his hand up to her hip and tentatively cupped the underside of her breast, his eyes darting back to her face as he lightly squeezed. Her lips stretched into a pleased smile before her brows furrowed and her head tilted back when he groped at her chest more firmly, a shaky gasp exhaling into the air when he pulled her closer and latched onto the hardened nub. He had half a mind to avoid leaving any noticeable marks while swirling his tongue and gently digging his teeth into her skin.

Soft, breathy mewls and curses fell from her lips, strands of hair beginning to cling to her skin as sweat formed. Her hand left him and she leaned back again, only to give her bikini bottom an impatient tug to the side and expose her glistening folds. She grabbed at his length again and dragged the tip along her wetness, their bodies simultaneously tensing at the feeling and foreheads pressing together. Their breaths fanned against each other's skin, hot and shallow, and hitching when it nudged inside.

Ani only spared him a breathy chuckle before sinking down as far as she could take him in the cramped loveseat, her hands immediately slapping over their mouths to muffle the long, guttural noises. Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths and his brain grew hazy, fingers digging into her hips before sliding back toward her ass to squeeze.

He lifted her slowly and she lowered herself down again, his hips jerking upward to keep her halfway. Her hand flew down to grab onto the armrest and her eyes screwed shut. When he wrapped his arms around her and repeated the action, her body seized up and her legs quivered, a flow of curses and whines filling his ear. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her face buried in his chest, each swift snap of his hips sending ripples across her skin. 

His hazy mind pushed aside the worries of being caught and reprimanded. He'd deal with the consequences later.

Dipping his hand into the rippling soapy water, he gave a satisfied hum at the warmth and turned the water off right as Ani appeared in the doorway with wine glasses and a bottle in hand. She gave an eager and excited shimmy of her shoulders before gingerly setting the cups and bottle aside to take his offered hand and step into the water. 

Settling down in the tub, she gave a long sigh and lowered just enough for the water to lap at her shoulders, her knees tucking toward her chest to give him space. "Maybe I should move in." She murmured with a smile, voice playful yet he caught the underlying genuineness beneath it.

The place she called home wasn't much to look at with its age and walls that shook whenever the train passed with its squealing tires. It was old, rundown, and in a questionable area, but the rent was cheap and the bills were easily divided between her and Vera. He'd only gone inside once to get back a jacket Ani had 'borrowed' (truthfully, he was pretty certain she'd stolen it right under his nose and lied about him having given it to her), and while it was heavily cluttered, it felt homey and welcoming.

"And your sister?" (Y/N) carefully stepped into the tub and adjusted to avoid the cold spout pressing into his back, a sigh of relief unconsciously escaping him when the water dug into his skin and naturally worked on his tired muscles. 

"Her little boyfriend can help her. Vlad's over every other day. The least he can do is start payin' some bills instead of freeloadin' off us like some parasite." Ani lightly huffed, wringing her hands before collecting her hair and tying it into a messy bun on the top of her head. Her lips pursed and she gave a small sigh. "He's a good guy, though, I'll give him that. And it's not like I'll leave her like that."  

"You think they'll get married?"

Her nose scrunched up. "No."

His barked laugh bounced off the walls and he shook his head, sinking deeper into the water and resting his head back along the wall of the tub. Ani raised her leg and draped it over his knee, soapy water gliding along her exposed skin. His hand came to rest over her ankle, fingers running back and forth in thought. He'd been holding back the news for long enough. Better now than later.

"I'm taking time off, Ani. A whole week." Her eyes darted up to look at him, widening with surprise. "I got this, uh, family thing down in Florida. My cousin's getting married to his girl soon and I thought it'd be nice to accept the invite."

"You're leavin' me?" Ani immediately pouted and he smiled, lightly squeezing her ankle when her shoulders sagged dramatically. "What am I going to do without you?"

(Y/N) licked his lips and lifted his head off the tub wall, his throat clearing softly. "You can come if you want. I haven't booked the tickets yet and the hotel's going to be close to Disney."

Ani stared at him, her mouth pulling into a frown. "You're fucking with me. Don't do that, dude."

"I'm not, Ani. I know you've been dying to go." He grinned at her teasingly, a chuckle vibrating in the back of his throat. "You're a whole Disney adult, huh?"

"You're serious? You're seriously askin' me to go with you to Florida... and Disney?" Her softened with subtle emotion as she pushed herself to sit up straighter, her eyes flickering wildly between his.

When he nodded, she surged forward, the water swaying from side to side and threatening to splash onto the floor with her movements. She wrapped her arms around him and planted a kiss on his lips. "Oh, my god, we're going to Disney?!" She squealed and laughed, planting more messy kisses across his face. 

His features scrunched up and he chuckled, letting her kiss him until every inch of his face was smudged with her lipstick. Her body slumped against his and she released a dreamy sigh, her head resting over his shoulder as his hands rubbed up and down her back. "You don't have to go to the wedding. It'll probably be a shitshow, anyway."

"What kind of girlfriend would I be if I said no to being your plus one?"

His hands stilled and his chest stuttered with a choked breath. Girlfriend. Now that was a word he hadn't considered in years, much less thought of when he thought about Ani. Relationships always seemed like a chore, another weight added onto the pile of work and bills and life. Girlfriend... was that what she was? They ate out occasionally, but nothing fancy to warrant it being a date in his head, much less part of a whole relationship. 

"I..." Girlfriend. Somehow, he didn't mind it. He resumed caressing her back and she relaxed under his touch, the fleeting tension leaving her body. "I don't know. You'd be a smart girlfriend to avoid that mess." 

Ani curled up against him with a soft chuckle, practically nuzzling into his neck when his arms wrapped around her securely. The tip of her acrylics dragged along his arm and her eyes fluttered shut. "You can meet my mom and her man. They're over in Miami. She's a little crazy but I think she'd love you."

"Sounds like this is going to be an interesting trip." His head moved to prop on the top of her head, her black strands tickling his chin. "Better than I was expecting, at least."