Let the Walls Break Down (1/2)
Title: Let the Walls Break Down (1/2)
Pairing: Hyukjae/Sungmin
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 5615 words (11606 total)
Summary: AU. Neither of them knew they'd find a love like this in one cold winter night.
[Part 1 | Part 2]
When he thinks about it, really thinks about it, this is just a job and no shame should come from it. He is living, he is trying to survive, and if that means he has to shake his ass in front of greasy old men for money, then so be it. When Sungmin thinks about it, being a stripper is a hard job to do. He has to move, he has to keep moving, and trust him, you have to grip onto that pole pretty hard or you'll go flying off. Sungmin has to put up with idiotic men who think he's just a piece of meat they can jeer at, he has to put up with dicks who think he's stupid and just another pretty face. Sungmin has to put with the scorn of other men who were lucky and made a name for themselves. Sungmin has to put up with being touched in places he rather not have other hands touch.
But, Sungmin likes to be a stripper, sometimes. He's always been a leader, not a follower, and having the eyes of hundreds - because hell, he isn't going to work in some small town strip club, no, Lee Sungmin does things on a high scale - of men following his every move sends a shot of power up and down Sungmin's spine. Every lick of the lips, every swing on the pole, and every crawl across stage makes the men sweat, and Sungmin loves that he can do that. He has a power not even their wives have over them, and Sungmin snickers to himself backstage when the men keep asking to see him and the bouncers won't let them.
Sungmin has curled himself up in a swinging chair, right in front of his makeup table, a flimsy silk robe hanging loosely over his frame. He's been looking in the mirror for such a long time, keeps reapplying his blush and the very light layer of eyeliner he's wearing. Sometimes brushing the strands of hair that fan his face behind his ear.
Tonight, tonight he really doesn't want to work. He's tired, he's sweaty, and he hasn't had his smack. Sungmin sometimes likes to believe that the smack gives him that air of confidence to move around stage, but the other strippers doubt that and tell him so. He doesn't listen to other strippers, though. Sungmin knows Jungsoo's going to come flying in through those doors, tell him there's a big crowd, and they need him out there tonight - and Jungsoo will suggest a hell of a lot of tips tonight, and that hell of a lot of tips lead him to a hell of a lot of heroine. Sugnmin's never been able to tell Jungsoo no, and he really has no choice. He either works that pole or ends up on the streets.
So Jungsoo comes flying through the door, barking orders at each stripper as he passes them. He stops behind Sungmin, arms coming out to wrap around the smaller boy's neck.
"Sungmin, dear," he says into his ear and Sungmin doesn't even know why he tries the seduction thing because he knows and Sungmin knows that there's no 'no' option to what Jungsoo's about to say. "We have special guests tonight and we need you to work. You can work tonight, right?"
Of course, he nods his head but he can't help but kind of wonder about these special guests. His boss has never put so much emphasis on the word 'special' before.
"Who are these special guests?" He asks and they lock eyes in the mirror. Jungsoo giggles - he fucking giggles - and Sungmin feels his arms tighten around his neck. This only happens when Jungsoo is really happy.
"They're this big time group who are coming in. Hip-hop and disco music, or some bullshit like that. I forgot their name."
"Oh," he says. Sungmin likes music, he really does, but hip-hop isn't his thing and recently he hasn't been listening much to the radio, probably because they turned off the electricity in his apartment because he refused to pay the fucking rent. Then logic catches up somewhere in the back of his mind because Jungsoo said 'big time' and most big time acts aren't into male strippers, "But hyung, if they're some big time group, don't you think they'd be more interested in some girls?"
Jungsoo smirks, and then kisses his ear. "Min, always the thinking one. Of course they're more into girls, but they want to surprise one of their members, and they sort of want something special for him--"
"So you want me to give him a lap dance even though he's as straight as a nail?" he snaps. This is an insult to him because when Sungmin really works, he takes it seriously. He works as hard as he can to give a spectacular performance and Jungsoo wants to make some joke out of it.
His boss sighs into his ear, and then tilts his head back, "I'll give you three times what you make in a night. We can afford it with what they're paying us."
Sungmin blinks because three times the pay is sounding amazing, but it's still some sort of a joke.
"This robe you're wearing, wear it tonight. We'll have someone tie your hair back, put a dash of make-up on you, and we'll give you a fan. Put it in front of your face so he doesn't know you're a boy until you sit in his lap." Jungsoo grins like this plan is so clever. He just rolls his eyes because he doesn't want to seem like a whore, doesn't want to be dressed up like some woman.
When he doesn't say anything, Jungsoo places either hand on his shoulder, calls on one blonde woman and she waltzes over, hips swinging seductively, "I want you to get a wig and pull it up, make him look sexy, teach him how to hold a fan too." He shakes Sungmin's shoulders before he walks away.
She leans down, giving Sungmin a full view of her breasts, "No worry, even though Jungsoo wants you dressed as a woman, you're still one hell of a man to me." She smiles at him and Sungmin fakes a smile back, taking a deep breath as the blonde picks up a stray hair brush and a few hair clips.
Sungmin came out with the wig pulled back, the robe is hanging loosely off one shoulder and loosely around his hips so one leg is always exposed, and he has the fan placed in front of his face. He smiles, lifts the fan as he feels the light shine on him, and the music start to play. He steps forward, right into the light, and he automatically knows whom Jungsoo was talking about. He's sitting right in the middle of the room, and Sungmin licks his lip because he has to give it to the guy, he is pretty good looking - he has a snapback on so couldn't make out what's the colour of his hair, but other than that, Sungmin considers him attractive.
The other band members are cheering him on, whistling too, and he flutters the fan a little, not enough to expose his whole face, but enough to show at least his eyes. He walks a bit quicker, bending his knees a little and pushing his free hand into the front of the robe, trailing his fingers down to where there would be a vagina if he had one.
The boys cheer harder and Sungmin can see the rapper lick his lips, hands in his lap and fingers moving in anticipation; Sungmin smirks because he won't be so happy in a few minutes. Sungmin flutters the fan again, reaches back and pulls the wig out of the bun the blonde put it in, shaking his head a little and allowing a few of the strands to fall into his face. When he gets to the very front of the stage, he lifts his arm a little, sticking out his knee and running a hand over it. He lifts the fan to expose his mouth, licks his lips, and then comes to stand in front of the rapper. The guy licks his lips, looks up at him, and then Sungmin is in his lap. At first, he doesn't notice anything, and when there's a mean riff in the song, Sungmin grinds his hips down.
The man's eyes go wide,his hands are instantly on Sungmin's chest. Before Sungmin can catch himself, he's lying on the floor, the guy standing over him. "What the fuck?" He screams and Sungmin scoots back, pulls the robe so he's not exposed to the world, and leans against the stage, a little irritation shinning in his eyes.
The other male looks between his band mates, back to him, and then he's storming out of the building. Sungmin growls because he just put on a performance and didn't get paid for it. No one leaves this club without paying. He pulls himself up, straightens out his robe, removes the damn wig, and then goes the way the rapper went.
Lee Sungmin doesn't put on performances without getting paid, it's a role he's always gone by.
Sungmin throws the doors open, storms out even though it's the dead of winter, and searches the streets. He can see the douchebag leaning against a brick wall on the other side of the street and he doesn't even check for cars, just walks across the frozen street, his bare feet already feeling a bit numb.
"Hey, you, fucker! Where the fuck is my money!?" When the musician hears his voice he lifts his head, turns to get away, but Sungmin's already there and grabs his arm. He jerks the other male so they're facing each other and Sungmin discovers that the male is only an inch or two taller than him.
"Money? What fucking money?" The other asks back and Sungmin resists the urge to stomp his foot. He bites his lower lip, though, and keeps his hold on the taller one's arm.
"The money you owe me for the lap dance I just gave you! You can't leave without paying," he sighs and shivers because of the cold, "It's against the rules."
The other guy starts to laugh and pulls his arm away from him, "Well, I didn't want the lap dance so I'm not paying."
Sungmin glares, glares as hard as he can, but he imagines he looks as dangerous as a kitten - he has never been able to look very angry before. He wants to bitch slap this man so hard, but that would be so gay. Also, Sungmin doesn't believe if he hits the other man he's going to pay. They lock eyes, both glaring at the other, before Sungmin starts to shake and has to hop from foot to foot to keep his feet from freezing. He should've grabbed shoes before he came out here.
"You're shivering," the other says and before Sungmin knows it, he has a black jacket placed on his shoulders. Sungmin isn't going to say thank you because this man didn't pay him, and Sungmin only strips for the money. Instead, he's going to take this man's generosity to the fullest.
"My feet are cold, too." He mutters, hopping again to emphasis and the other throws his head back and laughs.
"What do you want me to do, um?"
"Sungmin."
"What do you want me to do, Sungmin, give you my shoes?" Sungmin pouts, bites his lip, and then nods because his feet are freezing. It's the middle of winter in Seoul and he wishes he wasn't clad in a robe - even though this nice young man gave him his jacket - without any shoes.
He hesitates but adds, "Yes, um?"
"Hyukjae."
"Yes, Hyukjae, I want you to either a) give me my shoes, b) carry me back to my apartment, or c) pay me my money." Hyukjae looks down at him and he looks back up, wraps his arms over his shoulders, and they lock eyes again. "Make your choice, Hyukjae, and if I were you I would go with--"
Before he can even finish his sentence, he's up in the air, wrapped in Hyukjae's arms and he lets out a little squeak of surprise. He wasn't expecting to be picked up, and he really doesn't want to be up in the air.
"What the fuck are you doing!?" Sungmin almost screams, kicks out his legs and then has to stop because the robe is slipping and he doesn't want any person to walk by and look up the thin material.
Hyukjae gives him a stupid grin, "You gave me three options, Sungmin, and I'm going with option B." Hyukjae says and shifts him, Sungmin lets out another squeak and resists the urge to have a fit and start banging his fist against Hyukjae's chest.
He would really love to go home, but his robe is riding up, he's freezing cold, and he still hasn't gotten his money from Jungsoo or this guy. He isn't going to let that slip because he doesn't want to starve to death.
"I hate you," Sungminsays, crossing his arms across his chest as Hyukjae starts to move and he grins at him.
"And I love you," he stares at the other man, watches the smile fade away from his face, "I was only kidding," Hyukjae says, stopping at a corner and waiting for his instructions on where to go. "I don’t fall in love with guys."
And to be honest, neither does Sungmin. Well, he doesn't like falling in love, period.
Sungmin 'hmphs', rolls his eyes, and then looks away. This is an awkward situation for him and he hates this because he isn't a woman and he doesn't need to be carried around, even though he suggested it to Hyukjae. He was pretty sure the idiot would have taken the easiest option and pay him, but now he has to carry him all the way to his apartment, and he means it. Hyukjae isn't just going to drop him off in front of his apartment building, no, he is going to drop him off inside of his apartment because that was the option. And as they stand there, Sungmin knows what Hyukjae is waiting for, and he can tell the rapper's arms are getting tired because Sungmin definitely does not weigh twenty pounds.
"Take a left here," he finally mutters, not meeting Hyukjae's eyes, "And a right when you get to the corner."
The other male nods his head, complies with what he said, and starts to walk. He has to shift Sungmin one more time and his hand ends up on Sungmin's ass. There's a slight pause and then he moves his hand, places it on his lower back. Sungmin smirks, kicks his leg a bit and fixes his robe, the jacket, and then wraps one arm around Hyukjae's neck, willing to play a little game now.
"I thought you weren't gay, Hyukkie." He runs a finger down his chest and Hyukjae looks down at him, just looks. Sungmin can't tell anything about his facial expression because it's kind of blank, and the rim of his hat obscures his eyes.
"Don't make me drop your big white ass." Hyukjae finally says. Sungmin can't help but look up and then a grin breaks on his face. He lets his head fall back, he laughs, and then lifts his head again. Usually, Sungmin wouldn't find that funny but right now he's freezing cold on one side - because the other is pressed against Hyukjae's warm chest - and he can't seem to muster an insult to bark back. So, he's just going to glare and laugh.
When Hyukjae takes the right, he looks around himself, winks at a person they pass on the street, and instructs Hyukjae again, "Just keep going straight, I'll tell you when we get to my apartment building."
When they do get there, Hyukjae almost puts him down. Sungmin manages to stop as he wraps his arms around the taller male's neck and refuses to let go. "I said to my apartment, this is my apartment building, start walking."
Hyukjae's mouth hangs open as he stares down at the stripper and mutters a 'you little fucker' before starting up the staircase, "Make me carry you to your apartment and you're probably not even going to say thank you, are you?"
He gives the taller man an innocent look as they get to the second floor, and he points one slender leg out to a large, sliding, door that matches the other door's on this floor, the floor below them, and every other floor in the apartment building. Hyukjae brings him over and Sungmin reaches out, manages to somehow slide the door open enough for them to move in.
Once they're inside, Sungmin gracefully falls out of Hyukjae's arms, pulling his robe tighter around his body and then removing Hyukjae's jacket. He hands it out to the other man and Hyukjae takes it, shrugging it back on his shoulders.
"It's cold in here," he comments, looking around and Sungmin laughs.
"They turned off my heating, I refused to pay the rent," he replies and Hyukjae stares at him as he falls back onto his bed, which is in the center of the room; circular and surrounded by beads.
Hyukjae bites his lower lip and then shrugs the jacket he just put on back off. He comes over to him, pushes some bead out of his way, and lays the jacket on top of him, "Take it, I don't need it."
Sungmin glares at him because he doesn't need charity, but he likes Hyukjae's jacket so he takes it anyway. "Thank you," he mutters and the other male nods his head, looks at him one more time, and then leaves him alone.
That night, Sungmin curls up with the rapper's jacket to keep the cold away.
***
The next time he sees Hyukjae, it's two days later and it's not the same situation as when they met, but they're still in the strip club where Sungmin works - and well, Sungmin is still a stripper and Hyukjae is still the rapper of some hip-hop group Sungmin still doesn't know the name of - except Sungmin isn't grinding into his lap.
He first noticed Hyukjae - standing in the shadows in the back - when he swung on the pole and the lights swept across the audience. He was pretty sure Hyukjae didn't want to be seen, but they locked eyes anyway and Sungmin stuck his tongue out at him and the rest of the men thought it was for them. Sungmin had no idea why Hyukjae was there, and he would like to pretend that he didn't care, but the rest of his dance was a bit distracted and he didn't get as much money as he wanted.
When he finds himself in the dressing room, staring at himself like the night when he gave Hyukjae a lap dance, Sungmin glowers at himself. He knows he's not fixing his hair for another performance, he's fixing it because he has a feeling he'll be seeing Hyukjae again.
Sungmin's never been good at doing his own hair. Sure, he can run a brush through it, but he could never style it. Most of the time he keeps his hair short because he hates it when it grows longer and makes him look like a girl.
He remembers some girl, here with a couple of her gay friends, come up to him after a performance and tell him that he turned her into a lesbian, but in the good way. Sungmin had been confused and a little bit insulted, too, until Jungsoo had explained it to him.
"You look so much like a girl that you turned her into a lesbian," he laughed. Sungmin had been utterly insulted and when she returned the next night with her friends, Jungsoo had to drag him off of the poor girl before he nearly scratched her eyes out.
"Now," Jungsoo takes the seat in front of the dressing table next to him and spins his chair so they're facing each other, "Tell me why you've fixed your hair. Is it because that musician is back?"
The look on Sungmin's face must have given it away because Jungsoo laughs, lightly, and places a hand on Sungmin's knee, a little bit of reassurance.
"I saw him out there, watching you, only you. When the girls did their performance, he didn't look, he only looked at you. If you ask me, I think he likes you." Jungsoo gives him a look - the look meaning he's on to something - and Sungmin only stares at him.
He licks his lower lip and then shakes his head, "He's not gay, hyung. Trust me." Jungsoo arches his eyebrows as if saying, 'oh, really?' and before Sungmin can say anything, the door flies open and one of the bouncer is walking in, followed closely by Hyukjae.
As soon as Jungsoo sees Hyukjae, he makes a face at Sungmin and whispers into his ear, "Min, I have a feeling that guest from two nights ago wants to speak to you, earn some money for me, will you?"
He tells himself that he will not make some money for Jungsoo because Lee Sungmin is no hoe. He is not going to touch, give a blow job, receive a blow job, give a hand job, receive a hand job, or sleep with Hyukjae; no matter how much Jungsoo flutters his eyelashes and pouts at him. Sungmin is not a hoe.
Sungmin makes a noise of irritation and Jungsoo pulls back and gives him his most threatening look. Even though Jungsoo looks so nice and shit, he's still one hell of a ferocious beast. They look at each other until Hyukjae clears his throat.
"Um, I need to get going, and I would like to make this kind of quick. So can I talk to Sungmin by myself?"
Jungsoo turns his head away from him to look at Hyukjae and he knows Jungsoo is faking that smile. Inwardly, his boss is probably fuming because Sungmin just basically told him no, and he's not supposed to do that. "Why of course, Mr. Lee."
Sungmin makes a mental note to remember Hyukjae's last name. Only to realise later that they actually have the same last name.
"I'll leave you alone with Sungmin," Jungsoo finishes and turns his head back to Sungmin, his face telling him he's in big trouble; then he leaves the room with the bouncer.
Sungmin watches them go, looks at Hyukjae, and then swings his chair so he's looking in the mirror. Hyukjae comes up behind him, leans down so their eyes lock in the mirror, and then places his hands where Jungsoo has last sat.
"That jacket I gave you, did I leave anything in it?" Hyukjae asks and now that Sungmin thinks about it, Hyukjae did leave something in one of the pockets.
He isn't going to lie; he searched the jacket as soon as the taller man left. Crumpled up pieces of paper with some lyrics written on them, pretty good lyrics, actually. And then there was a couple of hundred dollar bills that Sungmin used to buy some new clothes and groceries. He's going to take that as his payment for the lap dance, and then a crumpled up picture of some pretty looking girl.
Sungmin grins and Hyukjae just knows and leans closer, waiting to hear him speak, "You left pieces of paper, money, and a picture." He hears Hyukjae's breath catch as he says 'picture' and Sungmin knows that's the main thing he wants, the picture.
"Who is she?" he asks and Hyukjae pulls back.
"It's none of your fucking business."
"Then it's not your fucking picture anymore."
Sungmin spins in his chair to smile up at Hyukjae's scowl and glare. He watches his hands ball up, and then Hyukjae's face is right in front of his. His hands on the arms of the chair and creating a cage with his arms. Sungmin's breath hitches because he looks angry, really angry, and he decides to think better over his choice of words next time.
"I want my picture back," Hyukjae breathes and the stripper looks away, curls a strand of hair around a slender finger.
"Tell me who she is first, and then I'll give it back." he replies because Sungmin is more stupid than he is afraid, and curiosity has gotten a hold of him. Hyukjae's eyes narrow and he looks back at him. Finally, the other man sighs and pulls his arms back, crosses them over his chest.
"You," he says, pushing one finger to Sungmin's chest, "Take me to where the picture is, and then I'll tell you who she is."
He can do this. The picture's sitting on the table in the kitchen, un-crumpled and pressed down because it irritates Sungmin when things aren't smooth. A lot of things bother Sungmin, but mostly crumpled pictures. "It's in my apartment," he makes a scooting motion with his hand.
Hyukjae steps back as he stands up, moves away from the rapper and grabs the jacket Hyukjae gave him the other night. Sungmin's more suited for the weather today because he managed to change into jeans and a light blue sweater, with boots only he could pull off. He puts the jacket on, flips his hair away from his eyes and Hyukjae stares at him.
"Are you going to stand there all day are we going to get down to... business?" he asked, giving Hyukjae a sly smile.
"The only business we're doing, Sungmin, is getting my picture back."
"And the story, don't forget the story, I wanna know who she is!" Sungmin says cheerily and smiles at Hyukjae's frown, "There's an exit that way."
Hyukjae looks at him weirdly, and then Sungmin rolls his eyes as he turns on his heels and goes through the door. Hyukjae hangs back in the dressing room a little bit longer, by a few milliseconds, before pocketing the decorated ring Sungmin left on the table.
Sungmin's waiting for him at the exit, the door held open by one arm and snow flowing in. He smiles and Hyukjae returns the smile because he isn't angry anymore, just a bit irritated maybe. He joins Sungmin and then they're heading out the door together. Sungmin links his arm with Hyukjae's, sticking his hand into his pocket, getting him a pointed look and he only grins up at him.
"I like to walk like this. Put up with it or you're not getting your picture back." Hyukjae makes a noise of frustration and he continues to grin. Sungmin isn't sure if he's gonna call this flirting, because he kind of is flirting.
They have to come around to the front of the club and Sungmin starts to lead them in a different direction than what they had gone two days earlier. Hyukjae doesn't comment, though, just goes with it. He starts to hum, kicks at the snow with one foot, does somewhat of a little dance and Hyukjae finds himself smiling because Sungmin looks like a complete idiot, and he's pretty sure Sungmin knows this.
Lifting his free hand to run it through his hair and get some of the snowflakes out of it, Sungmin turns his head to him and his smile has gotten bigger, "I like playing in the snow, it reminds me of Goyang."
Hyukjae nods his head, runs his thumb over the ring he has in his pocket, "You're from Goyang? I'm from Goyang, too."
This kind of surprises the stripper. He shakes his head a little to make the snow fall off, "Really?"
"Yeah, I got bored there, though. I get bored easily. Not a lot seems to hold my attention." Hyukjae admits, he loved Goyang. It will always be his home, but the place had started to bore him. There was so many things one could do in one place, and Hyukjae had decided that there was plenty more things for him to do with his life - Hyukjae explained, or that was what Sungmin understood anyway.
When they manage to make it to the apartment, it's colder than Hyukjae can remember, but Sungmin flings his jacket off onto a couch and then walks into the kitchen. The picture's laying by itself on the kitchen table, the corners taped down to the wood to keep it from crumbling in on itself. He runs his finger over the girl's face, and then starts to peel the tape away, slowly so not to ruin the picture, even though the crumpling marks have already ruined it. Sungmin can feel Hyukjae's gaze on him, but he ignores it. He has gotten used to ignoring people's gaze; he's done it ever since he was a kid. People have always stared at him for his height, his face, and now his body.
When he finally manages to free the picture from the tape, he lifts it up between two fingers and rests the tip close to his mouth, "I want the story, first."
Hyukjae looks at him incredulously, narrows his eyes and Sungmin narrows his right back. The taller man lets out an exhausted noise and then flops down onto the couch, resting his feet on the coffee table; Sungmin stays put behind the kitchen table.
"Her name was Sora, she's my older sister. She was a heroine addict and got HIV from sharing the needle and all that shit," Hyukjae says and Sungmin finds himself slipping his fingers into his jean pocket where he has his stash, "Didn't take her medicine and got AIDS and died. Now, can I have the picture back?"
Hyukjae looks at him and Sungmin bites the tip of the picture before pulling it away from his mouth. His eyes narrow a bit, he thinks about it, and then places the picture back on the kitchen table, "One more request, Hyukjae?"
The other man sighs and then stands up, coming into the kitchen and standing on the opposite side of the table, hands pressed flat on the surface, "One more."
"One dance," Sungmin says shortly and the musician arches his eyebrow at him. "Not a lap dance, just a slow dance."
Hyukjae lowers his head and then lifts it, nods his head, and Sungmin smiles. He comes around the table and Hyukjae follows after him till they're standing in the living room, face to face. Sungmin steps forward, wraps his arms around Hyukjae's neck and feels Hyukjae's hands on his hips, bodies close but not too close.
"There's no music," Hyukjae chuckles.
Sungmin nods his head, shrugs his shoulders, "You're in a band, you're a musician, you sing something then."
Hyukjae snorts and shakes his head and adds, "The music we make isn't exactly slow dance worthy."
He smiles lightly at Hyukjae's words and then leans his head against his chest. Hyukjae doesn't say anything, but Sungmin feels his breath hitch and hears his heart start to beat faster. He likes to be close while they dance, this way, he can gauge every action's reaction.
They're swaying a bit and he has his eyes closed because swaying movements have always made him relax. Sungmin likes slow dancing better than any other dancing because of the swaying and the rocking that makes him relax, and sometimes, sometimes, he just needs to relax. He's not paying attention because he's relaxed, and he doesn't feel Hyukjae's fingers slip till it's too late and he has the stash in his hand and Sungmin's been pushed away from his chest.
"I had a feeling you were in to this shit. Did you use my money to buy it?" Hyukjae asks in a rushed voice and Sungmin glares, reaches out to take it but Hyukjae pulls it so it's out of his reach.
Sungmin wants to scream 'give it back!' like a little kid, but he decides not to because acting like a child isn't going to get him his stash back. He needs it; that's his last stash till his dealer comes back from vacation next Tuesday, and that's a week away. It's a somewhat big bag, but Sungmin doesn't need much to get him by, just a little and that stash is supposed to last him a week.
"You bastard!" he yells, clenching his teeth, "I need that."
"That's what they all say." Hyukjae replies and Sungmin ignores the hurt in his eyes. This man has no right to look hurt. They're not dating, they're not even fucking friends. Hyukjae is here for however long he has to be in Seoul, and he's sure he'll be gone within the week. That's how all big stars are. Show up for a week, even less, and then you don't see them again for another year.
"How long have you been using? You look so young--"
"I'm just as old as you are and it's none of your fucking business!"
"Then it's not your fucking stash anymore!"
Sungmin's eyes narrow into dangerous slits and Hyukjae only stares at him. The taller man laughs lightly, and then places the stash in the breast pocket of his jacket, "I'm doing you a favour, you know, Sungmin." he says quietly.
But Sungmin is too busy breathing hard in anger to hear what he says. Hyukjae gives him a sad look before leaving, and he barely dodges the glass vase that's sent flying at his head, the door making a sound barrier.
Pairing: Hyukjae/Sungmin
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 5615 words (11606 total)
Summary: AU. Neither of them knew they'd find a love like this in one cold winter night.
[Part 1 | Part 2]
When he thinks about it, really thinks about it, this is just a job and no shame should come from it. He is living, he is trying to survive, and if that means he has to shake his ass in front of greasy old men for money, then so be it. When Sungmin thinks about it, being a stripper is a hard job to do. He has to move, he has to keep moving, and trust him, you have to grip onto that pole pretty hard or you'll go flying off. Sungmin has to put up with idiotic men who think he's just a piece of meat they can jeer at, he has to put up with dicks who think he's stupid and just another pretty face. Sungmin has to put with the scorn of other men who were lucky and made a name for themselves. Sungmin has to put up with being touched in places he rather not have other hands touch.
But, Sungmin likes to be a stripper, sometimes. He's always been a leader, not a follower, and having the eyes of hundreds - because hell, he isn't going to work in some small town strip club, no, Lee Sungmin does things on a high scale - of men following his every move sends a shot of power up and down Sungmin's spine. Every lick of the lips, every swing on the pole, and every crawl across stage makes the men sweat, and Sungmin loves that he can do that. He has a power not even their wives have over them, and Sungmin snickers to himself backstage when the men keep asking to see him and the bouncers won't let them.
Sungmin has curled himself up in a swinging chair, right in front of his makeup table, a flimsy silk robe hanging loosely over his frame. He's been looking in the mirror for such a long time, keeps reapplying his blush and the very light layer of eyeliner he's wearing. Sometimes brushing the strands of hair that fan his face behind his ear.
Tonight, tonight he really doesn't want to work. He's tired, he's sweaty, and he hasn't had his smack. Sungmin sometimes likes to believe that the smack gives him that air of confidence to move around stage, but the other strippers doubt that and tell him so. He doesn't listen to other strippers, though. Sungmin knows Jungsoo's going to come flying in through those doors, tell him there's a big crowd, and they need him out there tonight - and Jungsoo will suggest a hell of a lot of tips tonight, and that hell of a lot of tips lead him to a hell of a lot of heroine. Sugnmin's never been able to tell Jungsoo no, and he really has no choice. He either works that pole or ends up on the streets.
So Jungsoo comes flying through the door, barking orders at each stripper as he passes them. He stops behind Sungmin, arms coming out to wrap around the smaller boy's neck.
"Sungmin, dear," he says into his ear and Sungmin doesn't even know why he tries the seduction thing because he knows and Sungmin knows that there's no 'no' option to what Jungsoo's about to say. "We have special guests tonight and we need you to work. You can work tonight, right?"
Of course, he nods his head but he can't help but kind of wonder about these special guests. His boss has never put so much emphasis on the word 'special' before.
"Who are these special guests?" He asks and they lock eyes in the mirror. Jungsoo giggles - he fucking giggles - and Sungmin feels his arms tighten around his neck. This only happens when Jungsoo is really happy.
"They're this big time group who are coming in. Hip-hop and disco music, or some bullshit like that. I forgot their name."
"Oh," he says. Sungmin likes music, he really does, but hip-hop isn't his thing and recently he hasn't been listening much to the radio, probably because they turned off the electricity in his apartment because he refused to pay the fucking rent. Then logic catches up somewhere in the back of his mind because Jungsoo said 'big time' and most big time acts aren't into male strippers, "But hyung, if they're some big time group, don't you think they'd be more interested in some girls?"
Jungsoo smirks, and then kisses his ear. "Min, always the thinking one. Of course they're more into girls, but they want to surprise one of their members, and they sort of want something special for him--"
"So you want me to give him a lap dance even though he's as straight as a nail?" he snaps. This is an insult to him because when Sungmin really works, he takes it seriously. He works as hard as he can to give a spectacular performance and Jungsoo wants to make some joke out of it.
His boss sighs into his ear, and then tilts his head back, "I'll give you three times what you make in a night. We can afford it with what they're paying us."
Sungmin blinks because three times the pay is sounding amazing, but it's still some sort of a joke.
"This robe you're wearing, wear it tonight. We'll have someone tie your hair back, put a dash of make-up on you, and we'll give you a fan. Put it in front of your face so he doesn't know you're a boy until you sit in his lap." Jungsoo grins like this plan is so clever. He just rolls his eyes because he doesn't want to seem like a whore, doesn't want to be dressed up like some woman.
When he doesn't say anything, Jungsoo places either hand on his shoulder, calls on one blonde woman and she waltzes over, hips swinging seductively, "I want you to get a wig and pull it up, make him look sexy, teach him how to hold a fan too." He shakes Sungmin's shoulders before he walks away.
She leans down, giving Sungmin a full view of her breasts, "No worry, even though Jungsoo wants you dressed as a woman, you're still one hell of a man to me." She smiles at him and Sungmin fakes a smile back, taking a deep breath as the blonde picks up a stray hair brush and a few hair clips.
Sungmin came out with the wig pulled back, the robe is hanging loosely off one shoulder and loosely around his hips so one leg is always exposed, and he has the fan placed in front of his face. He smiles, lifts the fan as he feels the light shine on him, and the music start to play. He steps forward, right into the light, and he automatically knows whom Jungsoo was talking about. He's sitting right in the middle of the room, and Sungmin licks his lip because he has to give it to the guy, he is pretty good looking - he has a snapback on so couldn't make out what's the colour of his hair, but other than that, Sungmin considers him attractive.
The other band members are cheering him on, whistling too, and he flutters the fan a little, not enough to expose his whole face, but enough to show at least his eyes. He walks a bit quicker, bending his knees a little and pushing his free hand into the front of the robe, trailing his fingers down to where there would be a vagina if he had one.
The boys cheer harder and Sungmin can see the rapper lick his lips, hands in his lap and fingers moving in anticipation; Sungmin smirks because he won't be so happy in a few minutes. Sungmin flutters the fan again, reaches back and pulls the wig out of the bun the blonde put it in, shaking his head a little and allowing a few of the strands to fall into his face. When he gets to the very front of the stage, he lifts his arm a little, sticking out his knee and running a hand over it. He lifts the fan to expose his mouth, licks his lips, and then comes to stand in front of the rapper. The guy licks his lips, looks up at him, and then Sungmin is in his lap. At first, he doesn't notice anything, and when there's a mean riff in the song, Sungmin grinds his hips down.
The man's eyes go wide,his hands are instantly on Sungmin's chest. Before Sungmin can catch himself, he's lying on the floor, the guy standing over him. "What the fuck?" He screams and Sungmin scoots back, pulls the robe so he's not exposed to the world, and leans against the stage, a little irritation shinning in his eyes.
The other male looks between his band mates, back to him, and then he's storming out of the building. Sungmin growls because he just put on a performance and didn't get paid for it. No one leaves this club without paying. He pulls himself up, straightens out his robe, removes the damn wig, and then goes the way the rapper went.
Lee Sungmin doesn't put on performances without getting paid, it's a role he's always gone by.
Sungmin throws the doors open, storms out even though it's the dead of winter, and searches the streets. He can see the douchebag leaning against a brick wall on the other side of the street and he doesn't even check for cars, just walks across the frozen street, his bare feet already feeling a bit numb.
"Hey, you, fucker! Where the fuck is my money!?" When the musician hears his voice he lifts his head, turns to get away, but Sungmin's already there and grabs his arm. He jerks the other male so they're facing each other and Sungmin discovers that the male is only an inch or two taller than him.
"Money? What fucking money?" The other asks back and Sungmin resists the urge to stomp his foot. He bites his lower lip, though, and keeps his hold on the taller one's arm.
"The money you owe me for the lap dance I just gave you! You can't leave without paying," he sighs and shivers because of the cold, "It's against the rules."
The other guy starts to laugh and pulls his arm away from him, "Well, I didn't want the lap dance so I'm not paying."
Sungmin glares, glares as hard as he can, but he imagines he looks as dangerous as a kitten - he has never been able to look very angry before. He wants to bitch slap this man so hard, but that would be so gay. Also, Sungmin doesn't believe if he hits the other man he's going to pay. They lock eyes, both glaring at the other, before Sungmin starts to shake and has to hop from foot to foot to keep his feet from freezing. He should've grabbed shoes before he came out here.
"You're shivering," the other says and before Sungmin knows it, he has a black jacket placed on his shoulders. Sungmin isn't going to say thank you because this man didn't pay him, and Sungmin only strips for the money. Instead, he's going to take this man's generosity to the fullest.
"My feet are cold, too." He mutters, hopping again to emphasis and the other throws his head back and laughs.
"What do you want me to do, um?"
"Sungmin."
"What do you want me to do, Sungmin, give you my shoes?" Sungmin pouts, bites his lip, and then nods because his feet are freezing. It's the middle of winter in Seoul and he wishes he wasn't clad in a robe - even though this nice young man gave him his jacket - without any shoes.
He hesitates but adds, "Yes, um?"
"Hyukjae."
"Yes, Hyukjae, I want you to either a) give me my shoes, b) carry me back to my apartment, or c) pay me my money." Hyukjae looks down at him and he looks back up, wraps his arms over his shoulders, and they lock eyes again. "Make your choice, Hyukjae, and if I were you I would go with--"
Before he can even finish his sentence, he's up in the air, wrapped in Hyukjae's arms and he lets out a little squeak of surprise. He wasn't expecting to be picked up, and he really doesn't want to be up in the air.
"What the fuck are you doing!?" Sungmin almost screams, kicks out his legs and then has to stop because the robe is slipping and he doesn't want any person to walk by and look up the thin material.
Hyukjae gives him a stupid grin, "You gave me three options, Sungmin, and I'm going with option B." Hyukjae says and shifts him, Sungmin lets out another squeak and resists the urge to have a fit and start banging his fist against Hyukjae's chest.
He would really love to go home, but his robe is riding up, he's freezing cold, and he still hasn't gotten his money from Jungsoo or this guy. He isn't going to let that slip because he doesn't want to starve to death.
"I hate you," Sungminsays, crossing his arms across his chest as Hyukjae starts to move and he grins at him.
"And I love you," he stares at the other man, watches the smile fade away from his face, "I was only kidding," Hyukjae says, stopping at a corner and waiting for his instructions on where to go. "I don’t fall in love with guys."
And to be honest, neither does Sungmin. Well, he doesn't like falling in love, period.
Sungmin 'hmphs', rolls his eyes, and then looks away. This is an awkward situation for him and he hates this because he isn't a woman and he doesn't need to be carried around, even though he suggested it to Hyukjae. He was pretty sure the idiot would have taken the easiest option and pay him, but now he has to carry him all the way to his apartment, and he means it. Hyukjae isn't just going to drop him off in front of his apartment building, no, he is going to drop him off inside of his apartment because that was the option. And as they stand there, Sungmin knows what Hyukjae is waiting for, and he can tell the rapper's arms are getting tired because Sungmin definitely does not weigh twenty pounds.
"Take a left here," he finally mutters, not meeting Hyukjae's eyes, "And a right when you get to the corner."
The other male nods his head, complies with what he said, and starts to walk. He has to shift Sungmin one more time and his hand ends up on Sungmin's ass. There's a slight pause and then he moves his hand, places it on his lower back. Sungmin smirks, kicks his leg a bit and fixes his robe, the jacket, and then wraps one arm around Hyukjae's neck, willing to play a little game now.
"I thought you weren't gay, Hyukkie." He runs a finger down his chest and Hyukjae looks down at him, just looks. Sungmin can't tell anything about his facial expression because it's kind of blank, and the rim of his hat obscures his eyes.
"Don't make me drop your big white ass." Hyukjae finally says. Sungmin can't help but look up and then a grin breaks on his face. He lets his head fall back, he laughs, and then lifts his head again. Usually, Sungmin wouldn't find that funny but right now he's freezing cold on one side - because the other is pressed against Hyukjae's warm chest - and he can't seem to muster an insult to bark back. So, he's just going to glare and laugh.
When Hyukjae takes the right, he looks around himself, winks at a person they pass on the street, and instructs Hyukjae again, "Just keep going straight, I'll tell you when we get to my apartment building."
When they do get there, Hyukjae almost puts him down. Sungmin manages to stop as he wraps his arms around the taller male's neck and refuses to let go. "I said to my apartment, this is my apartment building, start walking."
Hyukjae's mouth hangs open as he stares down at the stripper and mutters a 'you little fucker' before starting up the staircase, "Make me carry you to your apartment and you're probably not even going to say thank you, are you?"
He gives the taller man an innocent look as they get to the second floor, and he points one slender leg out to a large, sliding, door that matches the other door's on this floor, the floor below them, and every other floor in the apartment building. Hyukjae brings him over and Sungmin reaches out, manages to somehow slide the door open enough for them to move in.
Once they're inside, Sungmin gracefully falls out of Hyukjae's arms, pulling his robe tighter around his body and then removing Hyukjae's jacket. He hands it out to the other man and Hyukjae takes it, shrugging it back on his shoulders.
"It's cold in here," he comments, looking around and Sungmin laughs.
"They turned off my heating, I refused to pay the rent," he replies and Hyukjae stares at him as he falls back onto his bed, which is in the center of the room; circular and surrounded by beads.
Hyukjae bites his lower lip and then shrugs the jacket he just put on back off. He comes over to him, pushes some bead out of his way, and lays the jacket on top of him, "Take it, I don't need it."
Sungmin glares at him because he doesn't need charity, but he likes Hyukjae's jacket so he takes it anyway. "Thank you," he mutters and the other male nods his head, looks at him one more time, and then leaves him alone.
That night, Sungmin curls up with the rapper's jacket to keep the cold away.
***
The next time he sees Hyukjae, it's two days later and it's not the same situation as when they met, but they're still in the strip club where Sungmin works - and well, Sungmin is still a stripper and Hyukjae is still the rapper of some hip-hop group Sungmin still doesn't know the name of - except Sungmin isn't grinding into his lap.
He first noticed Hyukjae - standing in the shadows in the back - when he swung on the pole and the lights swept across the audience. He was pretty sure Hyukjae didn't want to be seen, but they locked eyes anyway and Sungmin stuck his tongue out at him and the rest of the men thought it was for them. Sungmin had no idea why Hyukjae was there, and he would like to pretend that he didn't care, but the rest of his dance was a bit distracted and he didn't get as much money as he wanted.
When he finds himself in the dressing room, staring at himself like the night when he gave Hyukjae a lap dance, Sungmin glowers at himself. He knows he's not fixing his hair for another performance, he's fixing it because he has a feeling he'll be seeing Hyukjae again.
Sungmin's never been good at doing his own hair. Sure, he can run a brush through it, but he could never style it. Most of the time he keeps his hair short because he hates it when it grows longer and makes him look like a girl.
He remembers some girl, here with a couple of her gay friends, come up to him after a performance and tell him that he turned her into a lesbian, but in the good way. Sungmin had been confused and a little bit insulted, too, until Jungsoo had explained it to him.
"You look so much like a girl that you turned her into a lesbian," he laughed. Sungmin had been utterly insulted and when she returned the next night with her friends, Jungsoo had to drag him off of the poor girl before he nearly scratched her eyes out.
"Now," Jungsoo takes the seat in front of the dressing table next to him and spins his chair so they're facing each other, "Tell me why you've fixed your hair. Is it because that musician is back?"
The look on Sungmin's face must have given it away because Jungsoo laughs, lightly, and places a hand on Sungmin's knee, a little bit of reassurance.
"I saw him out there, watching you, only you. When the girls did their performance, he didn't look, he only looked at you. If you ask me, I think he likes you." Jungsoo gives him a look - the look meaning he's on to something - and Sungmin only stares at him.
He licks his lower lip and then shakes his head, "He's not gay, hyung. Trust me." Jungsoo arches his eyebrows as if saying, 'oh, really?' and before Sungmin can say anything, the door flies open and one of the bouncer is walking in, followed closely by Hyukjae.
As soon as Jungsoo sees Hyukjae, he makes a face at Sungmin and whispers into his ear, "Min, I have a feeling that guest from two nights ago wants to speak to you, earn some money for me, will you?"
He tells himself that he will not make some money for Jungsoo because Lee Sungmin is no hoe. He is not going to touch, give a blow job, receive a blow job, give a hand job, receive a hand job, or sleep with Hyukjae; no matter how much Jungsoo flutters his eyelashes and pouts at him. Sungmin is not a hoe.
Sungmin makes a noise of irritation and Jungsoo pulls back and gives him his most threatening look. Even though Jungsoo looks so nice and shit, he's still one hell of a ferocious beast. They look at each other until Hyukjae clears his throat.
"Um, I need to get going, and I would like to make this kind of quick. So can I talk to Sungmin by myself?"
Jungsoo turns his head away from him to look at Hyukjae and he knows Jungsoo is faking that smile. Inwardly, his boss is probably fuming because Sungmin just basically told him no, and he's not supposed to do that. "Why of course, Mr. Lee."
Sungmin makes a mental note to remember Hyukjae's last name. Only to realise later that they actually have the same last name.
"I'll leave you alone with Sungmin," Jungsoo finishes and turns his head back to Sungmin, his face telling him he's in big trouble; then he leaves the room with the bouncer.
Sungmin watches them go, looks at Hyukjae, and then swings his chair so he's looking in the mirror. Hyukjae comes up behind him, leans down so their eyes lock in the mirror, and then places his hands where Jungsoo has last sat.
"That jacket I gave you, did I leave anything in it?" Hyukjae asks and now that Sungmin thinks about it, Hyukjae did leave something in one of the pockets.
He isn't going to lie; he searched the jacket as soon as the taller man left. Crumpled up pieces of paper with some lyrics written on them, pretty good lyrics, actually. And then there was a couple of hundred dollar bills that Sungmin used to buy some new clothes and groceries. He's going to take that as his payment for the lap dance, and then a crumpled up picture of some pretty looking girl.
Sungmin grins and Hyukjae just knows and leans closer, waiting to hear him speak, "You left pieces of paper, money, and a picture." He hears Hyukjae's breath catch as he says 'picture' and Sungmin knows that's the main thing he wants, the picture.
"Who is she?" he asks and Hyukjae pulls back.
"It's none of your fucking business."
"Then it's not your fucking picture anymore."
Sungmin spins in his chair to smile up at Hyukjae's scowl and glare. He watches his hands ball up, and then Hyukjae's face is right in front of his. His hands on the arms of the chair and creating a cage with his arms. Sungmin's breath hitches because he looks angry, really angry, and he decides to think better over his choice of words next time.
"I want my picture back," Hyukjae breathes and the stripper looks away, curls a strand of hair around a slender finger.
"Tell me who she is first, and then I'll give it back." he replies because Sungmin is more stupid than he is afraid, and curiosity has gotten a hold of him. Hyukjae's eyes narrow and he looks back at him. Finally, the other man sighs and pulls his arms back, crosses them over his chest.
"You," he says, pushing one finger to Sungmin's chest, "Take me to where the picture is, and then I'll tell you who she is."
He can do this. The picture's sitting on the table in the kitchen, un-crumpled and pressed down because it irritates Sungmin when things aren't smooth. A lot of things bother Sungmin, but mostly crumpled pictures. "It's in my apartment," he makes a scooting motion with his hand.
Hyukjae steps back as he stands up, moves away from the rapper and grabs the jacket Hyukjae gave him the other night. Sungmin's more suited for the weather today because he managed to change into jeans and a light blue sweater, with boots only he could pull off. He puts the jacket on, flips his hair away from his eyes and Hyukjae stares at him.
"Are you going to stand there all day are we going to get down to... business?" he asked, giving Hyukjae a sly smile.
"The only business we're doing, Sungmin, is getting my picture back."
"And the story, don't forget the story, I wanna know who she is!" Sungmin says cheerily and smiles at Hyukjae's frown, "There's an exit that way."
Hyukjae looks at him weirdly, and then Sungmin rolls his eyes as he turns on his heels and goes through the door. Hyukjae hangs back in the dressing room a little bit longer, by a few milliseconds, before pocketing the decorated ring Sungmin left on the table.
Sungmin's waiting for him at the exit, the door held open by one arm and snow flowing in. He smiles and Hyukjae returns the smile because he isn't angry anymore, just a bit irritated maybe. He joins Sungmin and then they're heading out the door together. Sungmin links his arm with Hyukjae's, sticking his hand into his pocket, getting him a pointed look and he only grins up at him.
"I like to walk like this. Put up with it or you're not getting your picture back." Hyukjae makes a noise of frustration and he continues to grin. Sungmin isn't sure if he's gonna call this flirting, because he kind of is flirting.
They have to come around to the front of the club and Sungmin starts to lead them in a different direction than what they had gone two days earlier. Hyukjae doesn't comment, though, just goes with it. He starts to hum, kicks at the snow with one foot, does somewhat of a little dance and Hyukjae finds himself smiling because Sungmin looks like a complete idiot, and he's pretty sure Sungmin knows this.
Lifting his free hand to run it through his hair and get some of the snowflakes out of it, Sungmin turns his head to him and his smile has gotten bigger, "I like playing in the snow, it reminds me of Goyang."
Hyukjae nods his head, runs his thumb over the ring he has in his pocket, "You're from Goyang? I'm from Goyang, too."
This kind of surprises the stripper. He shakes his head a little to make the snow fall off, "Really?"
"Yeah, I got bored there, though. I get bored easily. Not a lot seems to hold my attention." Hyukjae admits, he loved Goyang. It will always be his home, but the place had started to bore him. There was so many things one could do in one place, and Hyukjae had decided that there was plenty more things for him to do with his life - Hyukjae explained, or that was what Sungmin understood anyway.
When they manage to make it to the apartment, it's colder than Hyukjae can remember, but Sungmin flings his jacket off onto a couch and then walks into the kitchen. The picture's laying by itself on the kitchen table, the corners taped down to the wood to keep it from crumbling in on itself. He runs his finger over the girl's face, and then starts to peel the tape away, slowly so not to ruin the picture, even though the crumpling marks have already ruined it. Sungmin can feel Hyukjae's gaze on him, but he ignores it. He has gotten used to ignoring people's gaze; he's done it ever since he was a kid. People have always stared at him for his height, his face, and now his body.
When he finally manages to free the picture from the tape, he lifts it up between two fingers and rests the tip close to his mouth, "I want the story, first."
Hyukjae looks at him incredulously, narrows his eyes and Sungmin narrows his right back. The taller man lets out an exhausted noise and then flops down onto the couch, resting his feet on the coffee table; Sungmin stays put behind the kitchen table.
"Her name was Sora, she's my older sister. She was a heroine addict and got HIV from sharing the needle and all that shit," Hyukjae says and Sungmin finds himself slipping his fingers into his jean pocket where he has his stash, "Didn't take her medicine and got AIDS and died. Now, can I have the picture back?"
Hyukjae looks at him and Sungmin bites the tip of the picture before pulling it away from his mouth. His eyes narrow a bit, he thinks about it, and then places the picture back on the kitchen table, "One more request, Hyukjae?"
The other man sighs and then stands up, coming into the kitchen and standing on the opposite side of the table, hands pressed flat on the surface, "One more."
"One dance," Sungmin says shortly and the musician arches his eyebrow at him. "Not a lap dance, just a slow dance."
Hyukjae lowers his head and then lifts it, nods his head, and Sungmin smiles. He comes around the table and Hyukjae follows after him till they're standing in the living room, face to face. Sungmin steps forward, wraps his arms around Hyukjae's neck and feels Hyukjae's hands on his hips, bodies close but not too close.
"There's no music," Hyukjae chuckles.
Sungmin nods his head, shrugs his shoulders, "You're in a band, you're a musician, you sing something then."
Hyukjae snorts and shakes his head and adds, "The music we make isn't exactly slow dance worthy."
He smiles lightly at Hyukjae's words and then leans his head against his chest. Hyukjae doesn't say anything, but Sungmin feels his breath hitch and hears his heart start to beat faster. He likes to be close while they dance, this way, he can gauge every action's reaction.
They're swaying a bit and he has his eyes closed because swaying movements have always made him relax. Sungmin likes slow dancing better than any other dancing because of the swaying and the rocking that makes him relax, and sometimes, sometimes, he just needs to relax. He's not paying attention because he's relaxed, and he doesn't feel Hyukjae's fingers slip till it's too late and he has the stash in his hand and Sungmin's been pushed away from his chest.
"I had a feeling you were in to this shit. Did you use my money to buy it?" Hyukjae asks in a rushed voice and Sungmin glares, reaches out to take it but Hyukjae pulls it so it's out of his reach.
Sungmin wants to scream 'give it back!' like a little kid, but he decides not to because acting like a child isn't going to get him his stash back. He needs it; that's his last stash till his dealer comes back from vacation next Tuesday, and that's a week away. It's a somewhat big bag, but Sungmin doesn't need much to get him by, just a little and that stash is supposed to last him a week.
"You bastard!" he yells, clenching his teeth, "I need that."
"That's what they all say." Hyukjae replies and Sungmin ignores the hurt in his eyes. This man has no right to look hurt. They're not dating, they're not even fucking friends. Hyukjae is here for however long he has to be in Seoul, and he's sure he'll be gone within the week. That's how all big stars are. Show up for a week, even less, and then you don't see them again for another year.
"How long have you been using? You look so young--"
"I'm just as old as you are and it's none of your fucking business!"
"Then it's not your fucking stash anymore!"
Sungmin's eyes narrow into dangerous slits and Hyukjae only stares at him. The taller man laughs lightly, and then places the stash in the breast pocket of his jacket, "I'm doing you a favour, you know, Sungmin." he says quietly.
But Sungmin is too busy breathing hard in anger to hear what he says. Hyukjae gives him a sad look before leaving, and he barely dodges the glass vase that's sent flying at his head, the door making a sound barrier.