The yellow street lights reflected in the puddles left over from the heavy downpour earlier that day.  It wasn’t nightfall yet but the dark gray clouds that blanketed them in the sky overhead made it darker than it usually was during the early summer evenings.  A car sped past as Taemin waited for Jongin on a metal bench a few feet away from the hotdog stand where the younger man was buying his dinner.  He slowly peeled away at the plastic wrap on his sandwich, his stomach grumbling but his taste buds not craving the soggy, slightly stale three day old bread.  He couldn’t remember the last time he ate something because he wanted to, everything lately was for sustenance alone.  Taemin’s face twisted in disgust picking at the wilty pieces of lettuce, pulling them off and letting them fall onto the sidewalk by his feet.  

Jongin sat down next to him, grimacing as the water left on the bench from the storm soaked into his pants.  He muttered something about finding a dry spot to sit before he looked over at Taemin.  “I don’t know how you can eat that.”  

Taemin examined it once more carefully for any other offending vegetables or possible mold before he took a bite.  “It’s not spoiled yet.”  He mumbled after chewing a few times.  

“Yeah but it can’t taste good.  I wish you would let me buy you dinner.  I mean it’s just a hotdog.  What’s two dollars between friends?”  He looked down at his food feeling guilty at how bright and fresh the tomato and pickles looked on his Chicago style hotdog.  

He heard Taemin sigh and could see his posture sag just a little bit.  Jongin let it go and began eating, hating the feeling of deja vu that had just washed over him.  This wasn’t a conversation he liked having again.    

“Hey we’re hiring at the club.”  He changed the subject passing his soda over to Taemin.  The blonde taking a long drink before handing it back quickly while shaking his head.  “Oh come on Taemin hear me out.  You wouldn’t have to strip if you didn’t want to.  I mean, that’s where all the cash is but you could just dance or serve, maybe even bartend if you get in good with Heechul.  He could teach you.”

Taemin stared at the browning piece of lettuce on the sidewalk by his feet, toeing at it with his worn out sneaker.  “It’s not really my kind of place.”

Jongin wiped some mustard from the corner of his mouth with his thumb.  “Yeah, but at least it would pay you enough to eat a decent meal every once in awhile and you never let me help you...”

“You talk like you have money to just throw away.”  Taemin laughed bitterly.

“No.  I don’t.  But seeing my best friend eat something they actually enjoy is worth it.”  Jongin’s voice went up in defense.  “And I’m sorry if you feel like working at a strip club is below you but…”

“Bull.”  Taemin cut him off looking over at him eyes narrowed.  “You know that’s not what I meant.  Not much is below me at this point.”  He looked back down at the half eaten sandwich; his boss had told him to toss it at the end of the day because it wasn’t even worth selling at a discount.  Trash.  He was basically eating trash, it just hadn’t hit the dumpster yet.    

Jongin nodded.   “Yeah, I know.  Sorry.”

Taemin wrapped up what little bit was left of his food, no severity of hunger was going to help him get this down tonight.  “I’m just too awkward.  I’d probably find a way to get tangled up in my g-string, or my tassels would fly off and hit someone in the eye.”  He joked trying to lighten up the conversation.  “Then you’re looking at a possible lawsuit.  I couldn’t remember drink orders, I’d get everyone’s food mixed up…”

“Okay okay.  I got it.”  Jongin couldn’t stop himself from smiling, breaking into a chuckle when he looked over a Taemin to see him grinning as well.  “I’ve never worn tassels you know.”

“Really?”  Taemin’s eyebrows went up surprised.

“Never.”  Jongin shoved the last of his dinner in his mouth, barely able to chew around the huge bite.  

“Hmm.  That’s disappointing really.  The whole stripping and dancing for money doesn’t seem that appealing to me but tassels look kind of fun.”

“You want to see me in tassels Taem?”  Jongin nudged him with his elbow, still mumbling around the last of his food.  

“Ew.”  Taemin groaned.  

Jongin stood up in front of his friend, pushing his dirty blond hair away from his eyes.  “Don’t deny it baby.”  He swayed his hips back and forth.  “I’d have on a matching gold banana hammock too.”  

“Gross gross gross.”  He leaned away as Jongin nearly got in his lap.  

“Twirling the sparkly gold tassels right in your face.”  He moved his chest to some imaginary rhythm as Taemin tried to push him off.   

“Get off me!  It’s like my brother is trying to give me a lapdance.”  He shoved him trying to sound serious but he couldn’t hide the laughter trying to bubble its way out.  “Besides you smell like onions and the last I checked that wasn’t y at all.  You better get a shower before you go in tonight or your tips are going to suffer.”

Jongin laughed even harder.  “Fine.  Fine.  Just...keep it in mind yeah?”

Taemin got up and threw the rest of his dinner in the trash, it’s rightful place.  “I’m not going to think about you in gold tassels you ert!”

“Not me!  The job.”

“Yeah Yeah.”  Taemin waved at him dismissively as he started to cross the street.  “I got it.”

“Good night Taemin.”  He heard Jogin call after him but he didn’t bother looking back, he picked up his pace as a car came around the corner.    

~

Jinki leaned against the back bumper of the black SUV checking his watch.  This was taking longer than he had anticipated.  The sound of laugher caught his attention and he looked across the street at an old hotdog stand.  He watched slightly amused as two young men playfully pushed each other around.  The smaller one looked barely old enough to be out of school.  Jinki followed him with his eyes as he crossed the street to the deli he was parked in front of.  

“We’re all done here.”  

He turned towards the deep voice watching as the man carefully pulled off a pair of black fitted leather gloves.  His face was grim but he offered Jinki a small smile as he looked up at him.  

“Everything went as planned then?  I was getting worried you were gone so long.”  

“More or less.”  His companion opened the backdoor of the BMW.  

“I see.”  Jinki needed no further explanation, ing his jacket as he sat down.  He spared a glance out of the window to see the skinny blonde round the corner heading behind the deli.  The sound of the engine starting made him to look forward.  “Minho, have you ever eaten here?”

“I don’t think so.  Why?”

“Just curious.  Maybe I’ll come back and check it out sometime soon.”

Minho looked at the older man through the rear view.  It was getting dark but he could make out just enough of his face to see that he was distracted, distant.    

“Everything okay?”

Jinki focused and gave Minho a reassuring smile.  “Of course.  Let’s go home.”  

A/N:  Hey!  remember this?  Sorry it's been like...over a year....I hadn't forgotten this one.  It stays on mind a lot actually, I just have to get in the right mind set for it.  It's pretty dark.  But I've got a lot of it mapped out and will hopefully be updating soon-ish.  :)