Right Under Your Nose

Chapter 1

It was a normal night at the strip club. A young man in a dressing room in the back struggled to get his stilettos to fit. He couldn't figure out how to get the intricate strap pattern to tighten and loosen on his ankle. He flipped his messy, neck length, raven hair out of his face as he leaned over his foot. "Damn it," If he kept this pace, he would be late for his show. He whined at the damn shoes and just as he was about to give up, a fiery red-haired guy walked in. Sydney's brown eyes lit up as he said, "Xander! How did it go?"

"Eh," Xander said as he clicked into the room. He put his hand on his hips and assessed Sydney's situation. "Need help?" he asked, smirking at Syd. Sydney sighed in relief and replied, "Yes, please." He gestured to the shoes and continued, "I can't get the damn strap to stay put,"

Xander sat on the table of Sydney's vanity and opened his palms. "Foot, please." Sydney stretched his fishnet-clad leg and put his foot on Xander's lap where Xander messed with the horrid straps. "I hope I get a good tip tonight," Sydney said as he smiled awkwardly. Xander undid the small plastic buckle on the shiny black heels, rolling his blue eyes, saying as he was doing so, "You will, you will. You're gorgeous, much easier on the eyes than me, you'll be drowning in tips!" He was referring to Sydney's Korean origins that gave him nice skin, pretty eyelashes and a slim body, among other beautiful features. Xan finished fixing the shoe and patted Sydney's knee when he was finished.

Sydney smiled and looked at the ground. "Thank you so much," he said. "I hope they still have money left after you performed." Sydney got up from the vanity and went to the full body mirror to make his hair match his style for the night.

Xander took a seat in the corner of the room, crossed his legs and bounced his foot in the air contentedly. "It's a rich crowd, Syd, besides I wasn't their type," He reached into his skimpy top and pulled out a single twenty-dollar bill, "This was it anyway." Sydney finished his hair and went to the door. Xander blew his hair out of his face and waved Sydney off, "Break a leg!" he said and put his arms behind his head to nap before his next show came on. Meanwhile, Sydney was giving it his best out there. He would throw a seductive smile at the audience, dance, and show off his body. He was killing it out there.
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Xander was dozing happily when the door to the room shut loudly and he lurched awake. "How'd it go?" He asked sluggishly, rubbing his eyes of sleepiness.

"Very well!" The young man squealed. Sydney clutched several bills to his chest as he went and knelt next to the chair where Xander sat. He leaned over Sydney while he counted the bills and commented, "See, told ya." He smirked pridefully. Syd finished counting and made a stack. "How much?" Xander asked. Sydney turned around, glowing with joy. "$100," he said. A large tip like this meant some new clothes. Xander sat up straight and went, "Whoa, holy shit! Those guys really loved you! Like I knew they would~" He friendly punched Sydney's arm. "Listen, I have one more show, but after that, I'm off, so we can crack open my secret stash of champagne for us." Xander crouched behind Syd and gave him a proud squeeze and rustled his hair before leaving to do his own thing.

Sydney kicked off his heels and sat down at the vanity. He reached into one of the drawers and took out his makeup wipes, removing one from the container and scrubbing the icky stuff off of his face. Then he began his face care routine while thinking about how well he did that night and how much better it was going to get. Sydney was going to drink with his best friend, they were going to chat about clothes and cute guys and girls they saw, they would go over to Alexander's house and they would have a sleepover! It was going to be a very good night.
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Xander sighed, exhausted from the night and looked at what he earned. He made $18. Not bad, but not fantastic either. He opened the door to the dressing room, put on a happy face and said, "Who's ready to get Black Out Drunk?" Syd raised his hand and Xander walked over to his Vanity and opened a drawer, pulling out a bottle of champagne and two red cups. He filled the two to the brim and handed one to Sydney as he pulled up a chair next to his vanity. "Cheers!"

About four cups later, Alexander was leaning back in his chair, telling Sydney all the things he could do with $100.00. "Ya could go getcha a suit, ya could go to a strip club," He paused. Syd laughed. "Haha yeah... I still can't believe that I did so well tonight," 
"I can!" Xander said before taking a swig of his cup. "You're fabulous, darling. You'll be much more popular soon enough." Syd looked at the ground and blushed. "Ah... You're giving me so many compliments... Sorry for robbing them before you could go out again."
"Nah pssh, 's fine," Xander replied. "Ya didna rob 'em... unless ya took their wallets while yer lap-dancing for them," He giggled. "Issat how ya got so much tonight?" 
Sydney laughed, "No!" He sipped more of his champagne. It was barely his 2nd cup. He noticed how Xander was on his 5th. "You're really going all out, huh."
Xander nodded. "Yeahp," he said, "And this champagne is going all in-" he pointed at himself, "in me." and chugged the rest of the cup before putting it down on the floor. His head bobbed as he tried to stay awake and Syd stroked his hair, saying, "I'll wake you up if I need to, 'kay?" The petting felt good to wasted Xander and he curled up in the chair and passed out. 
Syd smiled and left him, putting on his clothes and going to make himself presentable before he left with Xander in a bit. 

That night had to have been the best of Syd's life.

It would also be his last.