The lights flashed brightly behind the closed curtains of the stage, the song playing slowly coming to an end.  Yixing stood in his starting position, clad in black leather pants and a thin white long sleeved button up shirt as he waited for his turn. The routine was one he had performed too many times, too many in fact that he could perform it with his eyes closed. That would be beneficial to his part wouldn’t it? Not having to see those hungry eyes from strangers rake over his body.

The song finally comes to an end and Yixing inhales deeply as his song begins and the curtains draw back. He exhales and makes his way to the centre of the stage, he lifts his head and the cheers and whistles become louder but Yixing zones out the people and focuses only on the music as he powerfully moves his body to the beat.

To be honest Yixing hated strip clubs, despised it. These men and women who would come for their pleasure or self pity to watch these performers who really had no satisfaction in pleasing them; Yixing hadn’t met anyone who enjoyed this job, they mostly did it because of their past stories or because they needed money, and Yixing knew... it was upsetting really.

He slowly lowered himself to the floor, whilst he dragged his hand down his torso, making sure to undo the shirts buttons as he did so. He then lifted himself back to height level; moving his hips in a circular movement whilst his hand made his way to the front of his pants, placing it there as to tease the howling crowd. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the reactions.

He spun around so his back was facing the audience, once again kneeling on the floor and throwing his head back, making what he knew was his ‘y’ face, years of practice, he slid the now ed shirt down his shoulders, eliciting yells and whistles from the watching men as sweat dripped down his chest from the heat of the bright lights.

So why did Yixing take this job you may ask? Well to put it simply; his parents were and that was really the nice way to the put it.

Ever since he remembered he had always wanted to grow up like the idols he saw on television, performing in front of screaming crowds, doing the thing he loved to do, dancing. But of course his parents didn’t want that, what kind of man dances? Are you stupid? Where would you get in life with that sort of career? Do you want to be known as gay? They would say things like that, over and over, but it never stopped him. This is what he wanted, to do what he enjoyed, for people to enjoy his performances... and no he never wanted it to be as a strip club performer but things happen.

One day, his parents had drove him to the city to see a film that he had begged to see with the promise of them picking him up after it had finished, but they had never came back. While he waited he had found a note in his backpack that read; “Yixing, many years have passed and we are glad to inform you now that you are old enough to take care of yourself. We do wish you the best,” and to finish it off was a smiley face. He was fifteen at the time, only a boy; a boy who thought his parents had wrote this letter as some kind of sick joke.

He had tried calling his parents but to no use; there had been no way to get back to home as it was far from the city and he had nothing to pay for transport. It had been two days later when a man who seemed to be in his late thirties had found him lying on the footpath with his backpack over himself as a use of trying to keep warm. During this time Yixing was exhausted, confused and tired and this man offered him a roof above his head. He wasn’t stupid to know not to go with strangers but what other choice did he have.

He thought he was lucky; the man, who he learnt the name to be Woojin, turned out to be kind, he offered him hospitality and made him a bed in the spare room, informing the young boy that he would need to repay him someday. At that time Yixing didn’t mind what it was, he was just grateful to this stranger who had helped him. But when Yixing turned seventeen Woojin spoke of his repayment.

So this is how Yixing, or by his stage name Lay, ended up working in this hell. Woojin owned the strip club and in order for Yixing to leave this man he would have to pay him back of all the money and time he had spent looking after him and if he didn’t; in Woojin’s exact words “you will be sorry.” So in conclusion Yixing had been saved by a disgusting selfless man who only wanted to use him for his advantage. Now Yixing was twenty two and unfortunately he still wasn’t able to leave.

Yixing furrowed his eyebrows as the memories of his past came flooding back to his head but otherwise glad they chose to come as the song came to an end. He quickly walked backstage as the lights went out, grabbing a towel to dry his sweat off of his face.

“Good job Lay, you were almost better than me,” Yixing forced a laugh in reply as the other prepared for his turn to go on stage.

This was another performer, his name Minseok and his stage name Xiumin. He was one year older than Yixing and very popular within the club; the boy was known for his ‘killer abs’ and ‘cute but y look’ that left everyone swooning. They had grown quite close over the last three years, Yixing had learnt that Xiumin had became a stripper because he needed money to pay for his mother’s sickness and at the time other workplaces wouldn’t accept his resume but he was desperate.

When Minseok was out of sight Yixing dropped his forced smile and went to the dressing rooms, just wanting to get out of his make-up and sweat soaked clothes and have a shower. But just as he was about to sit one of Woojin’s workers voice rings loudly from the other room, informing Yixing that there is a client wanting him. Ah yes, those strangers who watched him perform also had the choice of paying to sleep with him, oh how he loved this job.

Yixing groaned but otherwise complied as he knows he would get into trouble if he didn't do his job. Besides, the more money he gets, the quicker he gets out of this job.

--

Yixing waited in the small darkly lit room for the person while he tried to control his breathing.

You should be used to this

No, he doesn’t think he could ever get used to this; it was insane to even think he could.

Just breath, He inhales and exhales deeply until the door opens. He doesn’t look at the man, as always, he doesn’t want to remember the faces of the men who have done this to him.

Yixing closes his eyes; ready for his new client behind him to have his way with his already weakened body but to his surprise the man introduces himself,

"I'm Sehun and you are?"

His tone wasn’t one of demanding, it actually sounded like he was trying to be friendly.

“W-what?”

“Your name?”

Yixing couldn’t help himself but to look over at this person, only to be surprised once again by how young this Sehun guy looked, “How old are you?”

“How old are you?”

Yixing was taken aback, his mouth forming a small ‘o’.

“Why–“

“Why not?”

“Twenty two...”

The other made a tssk noise, “You’re young, I am nineteen”

Yixing raised his eyebrows, “You’re young”

“But old enough, so what is your name?”

Why was this boy asking questions, the men usually just got straight to the reason they came.

“Uh... Lay. It’s Lay.”

The younger shook his head, “No no, I meant your real name,”

“Just call me Lay,”

The boy frowned but hummed, “Okay... Lay, can I take you out for a drink or something?”

Okay well now Yixing was really confused, “Huh?”

Sehun smirked, “You heard me.”

“I don’t go out with my viewers”

“Well I technically wasn't... watching,” the boy waved his hand around in front of himself, “I was with friends.”

Yixing sighed, even if this guy sounded nice he didn’t feel like going out for drinks. He just wanted to shower and get ready for what probably was another sleepless night full of nightmares. Yeah and that sounded good.

“I-I’m sorry but I am still working,”

Sehun frowned deeper this time, the expression actually making Yixing think it looked adorable on him.

“When do you finish?”

“Never really,” he looked to his phone with disgust in his eyes, “if that calls then I have to get back to work.”

“Just... don’t”

“I wish,” his reply was almost a whisper, the younger only just making it out.

As Yixing was about to go into deep thought of his pathetic life the boy suddenly grabbed his wrist causing him to flinch but the younger mustn’t have noticed as he continued to pull him out of the dim room and into the main parts of the club before through the exit.

The outside bouncer eyed Sehun suspiciously as he noticed a trailing Yixing in the boy’s tight hold.

“Is there a problem here?”

The deep voice must have startled Sehun as he froze on the spot and then looked as if he was trying to conduct a reason to be manhandling one of their performers. Yixing surprised himself as he waved off the bouncer, informing him he was fine. The bouncer only looked slightly convinced as he glared after their disappearing figures.

He didn’t ask where Sehun was taking him, he didn’t care really but he was promised of a good time. Yixing could only scoff in return, good times were not for him.

--

A/N - Hello, this wasn't too bad was it? I hope it interests some. I will be able to update hopefully again soon as my study is almost over.

Thank you for the subscribers already, it means a lot