Chapter Text
“It’s completely unfair that you won’t accept this return!”
“Ma’am, this isn’t even the same brand of laptop that’s on the box.” Anthony tried to explain while not fully insulting this woman who was whining and pointing her bony fingers at him, looking up at him like he was the absolute scum of the earth.
“I know you’re not calling me a liar, missy!” Anthony clenched his jaw, it was taking everything in his power not to climb over the counter and beat the cheap foundation right off this bitch. “You better get me a manager! I’m not going to spend another minute talking to you, you clearly have no idea what you’re doing! I don’t know how they could hire someone as stupid as you.
Anthony could see from the corner of his vision that his coworker and best friend was also struggling to keep it together and stop herself from beating this woman to a pulp. The big difference being that Anthony wouldn’t actually do it; but Cherri would. “Gladly.” Anthony grabbed the phone to access the store’s intercom. “Charlie, can I get you to come to the front, please.” His voice rang out over the speakers.
It didn’t take long for Charlie to arrive from the back of the store. Her blue eyes were sparkling and her smile was as bright as the sun. She happily walked on over to the register and Anthony stepped to the side to allow Charlie access to the register. “Hi there! My name is Charlie! What seems to be the problem?”
“Your idiot employee here refuses to accept my return!” The woman crossed her arms, giving Anthony a toxic glare that didn’t have nearly as much of an effect as she thought it would. “She shouldn’t even be working here.”
“Let me take a look!” Charlie took the laptop as well as the box and looked over it. It was very hard to see through Charlie’s chipper attitude, but Anthony could see that her hands were more tense than usual. “Unfortunately he is correct, we can’t take this return. This laptop is not the same one that’s pictured on the box. See, you can see the brand name here.” She pointed to the logo on the laptop. “And this is the logo that’s on the box! So since this isn’t the same product, we can’t process that return. I’m very sorry for the inconvenience!"
“This is absolutely unacceptable.” The woman crossed her arms in a huff, her face turning red from frustration and the tone of her voice only becoming. “Who let some dumb bimbo like you even be put in charge? You look like a child! Let me talk to the real manager.”
“Oh you—” Cherri’s fuse had certainly reached its end but Anthony stuck his hand out to stop her, he knew that Charlie could handle this and they always had backup..
“You may wanna text Vaggi.” Anthony muttered quietly to Cherri who grumbled but took out her phone.
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” Her golden retriever smile never faded for even a second. “But I am the highest ranking manager in this store! The only one higher than me is the store owner and I don’t even think he’s in the country right now!” She laughed politely. “We definitely can’t accept this return but if you find the correct product or the correct box we will be happy to work with you! In the meantime,” Charlie pushed the box and laptop back over to her gently before putting her hands together. “We are going to have to turn this away, and if you keep disrespecting our employees then I’m going to have to ask you to leave the store!”
The woman honestly seemed at a lost for words and it was very amusing to see Charlie deal with these kinds of customers. She was the cheeriest, sweetest person that Anthony had ever met and angry customers didn’t know how to react to her. They couldn’t break her, they couldn’t make her mad or cry and they all just fumbled their words. “Well—” The woman tripped over her words as Anthony and Cherri tried not to laugh at her expense. “I’m not leaving!”
“She wasn’t giving you an option.” A new voice spoke, this one a lot more intimidating than Charlie’s. Behind the woman stood Vaggi, the store's asset protection as well as Charlie’s newly made fiance. The woman turned around with a hateful glare at Vaggi who was completely unwavering, standing stoic and stern as a mountain. “So take your product and go, or I will have to intervene.”
“You wouldn’t dare touch me.” The woman scoffed, putting her hand to her chest and Anthony couldn’t tell if she was actually offended or just putting on a show for the act.
“I don’t have to.” Vaggi held up her phone. “The owner of this store is real close with the local police, so unless you want a cute little fine and to be permanently trespassed from this chain of stores, I suggest you leave.”
The woman grabbed her laptop and the box and stuck her nose in the air. “Like I would come back to this shithole anyway. You’ve just lost a valuable, high paying customer! Your store owner will be hearing from me personally!”
“Okay, now let’s go.” Vaggi started herding her towards the door. Anthony definitely felt a little jealous, Vaggi actually had the authority to talk to customers in such a way whereas if Anthony, Cherri or even Charlie acted in such a way it wouldn’t end well.
Vaggi escorted the woman out of the store and Anthony finally let out a loud groan. “Thank god.” He leaned against the back corner and grabbed his water bottle, taking a long drink. “Didn’t think she would ever leave.”
“Are you alright?” Charlie turned around, her big round eyes flooded with concern. “She was…not pleasant.”
“Yeah, I’m okay Charlie.” Anthony set his water bottle down. “She’s far from the last transphobic prude I’ll encounter working here, she didn’t even call me a slur so I’ll take that as a win in my book.” Charlie was clearly not amused by the way he coped with humor.
Vaggi walked back up and stepped behind the counter to check on Charlie who didn’t really seem phased at all by the exchange. “She definitely complained the entire way, but she’s gone.”
“Hopefully the cunt stays away.” Cherri growled, finally speaking up.
“Cherri.” Charlie pouted slightly. “We talked about you using that word.”
Cherri threw her hands up in exasperation, but there was no real frustration or anger behind the action. “Come on, Char. It’s just a word, I have no idea why all you Americans are so fussy about it. I used to say it to customers all the damn time back home.”
“But this isn’t Australia, Cherri.” Vaggi countered, raising an eyebrow at her.
“I know I know.” Cherri waved her off and Anthony just laughed, he felt utterly exhausted from that interaction and it didn’t help that it was almost the end of the work day so he was more than burnt out.
“Thanks for the save, both of ya.” Anthony said to the two of them. “I don’t know how you keep up all that smilin’ when dealing with people like her.”
“Everyone deserves kindness, Anthony.” Charlie spoke confidently. “And I know there are much bigger concerns in the world than some irritating customers! I especially don’t like it when they talk badly about any of you.”
“Good thing Vags wasn’t in here when she called you a dumb bimbo.” Cherri joked, sitting up on the counter beside Anthony.
Vaggi crossed her arms tightly and blew a strand of hair from in front of her one uncovered eye. “I’ll say.” She growled. “I’m not afraid to lose my job.”
“I’ve heard a lot worse.” Charlie put her hands on Vaggi’s shoulders. “I promise it takes a lot more than being called a bimbo to break me.” Charlie giggled and planted a sweet kiss on Vaggie’s shoulder which seemed to instantly cheer her up but Anthony saw it as a chance to poke a little fun.
“Oooooh cheek kisses on the clock? How scandalous.” Anthony put his hand to his mouth acting in feign shock and Cherri played along beside him.
“Oh shut it.” Vaggi replied sharply, but her tone wasn’t at all revealing any actual anger. “I’m sure you would do much worse if given the chance.
“How do you know I haven’t already?” Anthony sneered, wrinkling his nose slightly and for a second, he had both Vaggi and Charlie wondering if he did.
“Anthony—”
He just laughed and cut her off. “I’m jokin’ Charlie.” He saw relief cross his expression. I unfortunately need someone in my life to actually do that with.” He joked, sticking out his tongue playfully.
“Well uh when you do…please don’t. In the store.” It was cute how she seemed to be asking genuinely.
“You have my word.” Anthony drew a cross over his chest.
Charlie laughed a bit awkwardly. “Alright, alright.” She looked to Vaggi. “I gotta finish up ordering some new stock, wanna join me?”
“Of course, babe.” Vaggi smiled at her, her visible eye soft and full of love.
“Can you two handle closing up?” Charlie glanced at Cherri and Anthony.
“Always, princess.” Anthony gave her a thumbs up and glanced at Cherri who nodded.
“Great!” Charlie and Vaggi went to turn and return to the back of the store but stopped. “Oh, I forgot!” She quickly spun back around on her heels. “Me and Vaggi wanna have a little celebration for our engagement! I know none of us work on Friday. Would you all be willing to come out and have some drinks with us that night? On us, of course!”
Anthony’s lips tightened and he shifted awkwardly. “Oh uh, I’ve got my other job that night…” He trailed off a bit, but he really didn’t want to miss a fun night out and he could see Charlie’s big puppy dog eyes. “But I can ask my boss if I can have the night off. He’s a mostly reasonable guy.” He could feel Cherri staring at him, but he ignored her.
“Yay! Thank you!” Charlie beamed. “If you can’t, let me know okay? I’m sure we can reschedule if needed! I really want both of you there!”
“Just let us know, okay?” Vaggi took Charlie’s hand and walked her towards the back of the store again. Once they were gone Anthony just sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
“You really think Val will let you take that day off?” Cherri raised an eyebrow.
“No fuckin’ clue.” Anthony shrugged. “But it won’t hurt to ask. I’m his “favorite” as he says, so I’m sure I can convince him.”
“I still don’t like you workin’ for that freak.” Cherri pouted. “Dude gives me the fuckin’ creeps.”
“He’s not that bad.” Anthony waved her off and grabbed some cleaner to start wiping down the counters. “He’s just…a lot sometimes. I like working there and I’m damn good at what I do. I make more money there than I do this fuckin’ place.”
He could hear the disappointment and concern in the sigh that followed from Cherri, but she didn’t know Valentino like he did. “At least tell me you’re not still sleepin’ with him.”
Angel blushed at that comment and nearly dropped the bottle of cleaner. “Hey, I only slept with him like two…or three times. And the first two times were before I even worked for him. I wanted a sugar daddy, is that such a crime?”
“Nah, I get that.” She had a defeated tone in her voice, but she was still smiling sweetly. “I just worry about ya.”
“I’m fiiiine.” Anthony laughed it off. “I’m a much tougher bitch than I look.” He winked at her.
“I know you are.” Cherri laughed with him and the two continued to work on getting the store cleaned up to be closed down. They had a couple more customers that were easy to help but the story was practically empty this late in the day. “You go work at Val’s tonight?”
“Sure do.” Anthony replied, checking the clock and counting the minutes until they closed. “Next day off is Sunday unless I can get Val to agree to let me off. Maybe I’ll try and trade Friday off and come in on Sunday for him. Friday is busy as fuck though, not as much as Saturday but still one of our busiest days of the week.”
“Doesn’t he have a bunch of dancers workin’ for him? I’m sure he’ll live without you for a night.” Cherri stocked up some of the drinks they kept for sale in a cooler up front.
“Yeah but he always tells me I make him a lot of money.” Anthony shrugged again, taking another drink of water. “Like I said, I’m one of his favorites.” He beamed confidently but Cherri didn’t seem to think that was a good thing.
“Just lemme know if he ever gives you a hard time, yeah? I’d be happy to fuck up that pretty little club of his.” She grinned, clearly itching for some chaos.
“Not necessary, toots.” Anthony played her off once more. “Val’s a little weird, but like I said he’s perfectly chill. He’s never given me a reason to be weirded out by him.” That wasn’t entirely true, sometimes Val could be a little too touchy but Anthony brushed it off as just how Valentino was.
The clock finally struck 9 and the store was officially closed. “Thank fuck.” Anthony signed out of his register and he and Cherri walked to the back to get their stuff and clock out. Anthony grabbed his favorite sweater from his locker. It was fluffy, pink and oversized. He put it over his work shirt and checked the time, knowing he would have to change at the club but luckily he had plenty of outfits there.
“Ready to get out of here?”
“Always.” Anthony grabbed his pink tote bag and slung it over his shoulder and walked towards the front door. “See ya on Thursday, Charlie. Have a good night.” He waved to his manager and her girlfriend and he and Cherri stepped out into the chilly evening air. New York City was just as bustling as always. The two of them stuck close together and they walked to the nearest subway entrance.
“I’m fuckin’ starvin.” Cherri said, hopping the turnstiles with ease. Anthony followed her lead and they walked towards the platform, he checked his phone to see when the next one would arrive. “Wanna grab a bite before you go to the club?”
“Nah, if I eat before dancing I’ll feel like shit afterwards.” Anthony brushed her off. “But if you wanna grab somethin’ on the way I won’t stop ya.”
“You barely ate lunch today.” Cherri frowned, looking at him with concern in her eyes, only one visible through the mess of hair covering the other one. “Are you eatin’ enough?”
“Of course I am.” Anthony assured her, even if it was somewhat of a lie the past couple days. “I’m just not super hungry. I’ll have a big dinner when I get home, alright?”
“You better.” She lightly tapped his arm with her fist. Anthony had struggled with not eating enough in the past, just one more thing Cherri had helped him through, so he knew that she was genuinely concerned but he’d just been…stressed lately.
They waited for the subway to arrive and boarded it, finding an empty spot to sit together. Anthony relaxed against the seat and glanced at his friend, seeing her smile at her phone, blush forming on her cheeks. Anthony smirked, knowing exactly who she was talking to. “Talkin’ to your boyfriend.” He teased, reaching in to snag her phone.
“Fuck off.” Cherri swatted his hand away before he could, leaning away and protecting her phone, but she was still smiling. “He’s not my boyfriend, we’re just talking.”
“Uh huh.” Anthony knew that Cherri was completely full of it, he could easily tell she had the hots for the dork she was talking to.
“Shut up.” She scolded. “He’s not even my type” She was right about that, he’d seen the ones Cherri went for; she always seemed to have more of a taste for the masculine types—both in men and women. However this guy she had been talking to, some British guy named Pendleton. Anthony had definitely made fun of the guy for having the most British sounding name possible, but he was skinny and pale with long black hair and big round glasses. He looked like someone the normal guys Cherri went for would shove in a locker.
He seemed nice enough, Anthony had spoken to him a few times over the phone while spending time with Cherri and he seemed nice, just a huge nerd. Anthony found it cute how much Cherri seemed to like him, he’d love to see her genuinely be happy instead dating some douchebag for once. Though he really didn’t have any room to talk, the last few men he’d been with hadn’t exactly been the peak of society.
Eventually Anthony’s stop came up and he rose from his seat. “See ya on Thursday, Cherri.” Anthony held his bag close.
“Let me know when you get home, yeah?” Cherri smiled at him before putting in headphones for the rest of her own journey home. Anthony got off the subway and made his way back up to the street, putting on his own headphones and started the short walk to the club.
He finally reached the stretch of the city that was seemingly designed for the club’s clientele. Lingerie boutiques pressed shoulder to shoulder with adult novelty ships, their windows glowing with inviting, suggestive neon signs. Liquor stores dotted the street as well, each of them selling the same overpriced cheap liquor.
The most notable building however, was Valentinos. True to its name, it demanded attention from anyone passing by after dark. A bright magenta neon sign blazed above the entrance, its letters curled in a sultry flourish with a glowing moth serving as the apostrophe, the entire thing spelling out the name of its owner. The none ashed the pavement in pink and violet hues, spilling across the street and beckoning anyone curious to come closer.
Anthony ventured towards the alleyway on the building’s left side, entering in the side entrance that he and the other dancers used to reach the dressing room. It was tucked off to the side of the stage and was a single, sprawling space shared by every dance on the roster. It was comfortable, with warm lights and well-kept for the most part though it didn’t share quite the same glamour as the rest of the club.
Rows of tall wardrobes lined the walls, each claimed and customized with photos, stickers and anything else personalizing it to the dancer. Full-body mirrors lined a wall opposite the wardrobes, plenty of lights above to provide the best lightning. There were three different women in various states of preparation in front of them, getting ready for their own performances tonight.
There were multiple vanities cluttered with makeup, brushes and half-finished drinks. The entire room buzzed with a quiet energy, laughter and idle chatter echoing off the walls, softened by the hum of the lights. There was an attached bathroom that offered brief privacy for those who needed it and near the door sat a small fridge stocked with cold water, electrolyte drinks and light snacks. Everything in this room was provided by Valentino himself, who always boasted about wanting to provide the absolute best for his talent.
All of the dancers loved Val, he doted on them, praised them and made them feel cared for and taken care of. Anthony was one who stood out slightly, Valentino gave all the girls a lot of praise but when it came to Anthony, he always acted a little different. He would touch Anthony on the shoulders, his hair and just about anywhere else. He walked into the dressing room, waving at a couple of the other dancers and going to his own wardrobe. The front had sparkly heart stickers all across the wood, with plenty of photos taped to the front. Some of just him, some of him and Cherri and a couple of him and Val. He opened it up and looked through the outfits he had, wondering what he was going to wear tonight.
Anthony heard the door open to his left and gleaned over seeing Valentino walk inside. He had a very imposing appearance, standing very tall at nearly seven feet tall which was made even taller by the heeled boots he wore. Everything about Valentino screamed confidence, he was skinny which only made his features more sharp and striking. He had long hair that was dyed a vivid shade of lavender, swept back into two long, thick sets of braids that went over his shoulders and rested across his chest.
His dark colored eyes were nearly hidden by heart-shaped gold and rose tinted glasses. He wore plenty of expensive gold jewelry, small hoops along his ears and layered chains at his throat with plenty of rings along his long, slender fingers. He always dressed extravagantly, with a deep magenta suit tailored close to his lean frame, a dark purple shirt underneath that exposed plenty of his chest. He topped it off with an oversized white fur coat that draped over his shoulder, sometimes he really did look like a stereotypical pimp from the 70s, but that was his clear aesthetic and he made it look good so who was Anthony to complain?
“Anthony.~” Valentino’s tone came out as purr and he walked over to him, his long swaying behind with each movement. “There you are baby, you’re running late.” He felt Valentino standing behind him, putting his hands on both of his shoulders.
“Sorry, Val.” Anthony looked up at him, meeting Valentino’s gaze. He didn’t sound upset, his lips pulled into a tight grin. “Work was a real bitch today.” He turned back to his wardrobe and thumbed through the clothes. “Any suggestions on what to wear?”
“I’m so glad you asked, baby.” Valentino let go of his shoulder. “I actually have something new for you. A special gift from Velvette.”
“Really?” Anthony raised an eyebrow at him.
“Yes! Come on, I’ll show you.” He put his hand on Angel’s upper back and walked him away from the wardrobe and out of the dressing room towards Valentino’s office. His office smelled strongly of smoke and Valentino’s signature cologne that he always wore. There were a lot of pictures on the wall, a lot of Valentino himself, a lot of the models, and a lot of Valentino’s closest friends Vincent and Velvette.
Velvette was a very well known fashion designer from the UK and Vincent was an up and coming CEO who actually owned the store chain that Anthony worked at during the day. It was Valentino who helped him get that job and he later helped Cherri get a job alongside him a month later. Anthony hadn’t met either of them, however Anthony had a sneaking suspicion that Valentino was sleeping with Vincent, just the way he talked about him and the sheer amount of pictures.
In addition to being a club owner, Valentino was also a very talented artist and had many of his own paintings around the club. Anthony had been in this office many times, not always for business reasons.
He followed Valentino over to a closet near the back of his office and watched as he opened it up and pulled out a clear garment bag and showed it off. Anthony looked it over, it was mostly a pale blush-pink in color. The bodice was structured with delicate lace panels and satin accents with white thin straps for his shoulders.
He could already tell it would be white, really showing off his chest and cinching his waist. There was a very short, layered lace skirt with matching garter straps and ruffled bands to complete the look. It was very doll-like which he knew that Valentino enjoyed quite a bit. “What do you think?” Valentino asked, handing the outfit over to Anthony.
“Looks great.” Anthony smirked. “I know I can pull it off, and I’m sure the crowd will love it.” he spoke with confidence, holding the outfit to his chest.
“Oh I know they will, muñeca.” Valentino reached out and lightly tugged at Anthony’s chin, making him blush faintly. “You know I’ll be watching, baby.” His tone was incredibly flirty and more than a little suggestive. He wasn’t normally this flirty, but maybe he was just in a mood.
Anthony turned away and left Valentino’s office, feeling slightly flustered and somewhat confused. He returned to his wardrobe and hung up the outfit so he could put his makeup on. He made his way to one of the vanities and started to get to work, taking his time to look good but he also knew that he would be up soon and he had to get it done. He couldn’t go for something that extra, but he could still make himself look nice.
He got to work, putting most of the work in his eyes. Putting on plenty of pink eyeshadow, going from a gradient of bright pink to a soft, powder pink. He painted on some sparkles around his eye lids, applied a healthy amount of eyeliner and mascara before moving onto a seductive pink lip stuck. He finished up the look by applying his favorite perfume, a generous dusting of glitter and setting spray to keep it all in place for the dance.
He returned to the wardrobe and quickly got undressed out of his work outfit, binder and everything else before changing into the new outfit. It was definitely snug, probably a little too snug but knowing Valentino that’s exactly what he wanted. It squeezed Anthony’s waist incredibly tight, making it a little harder to breathe. It also accentuated his chest more than anything, which he didn’t like. He hated so much attention being there, but at least he wasn’t as well endowed and some of his coworkers. A solid B cup that was easily hidden by a binder, but he knew what men liked and it made money so he couldn’t complain too much. He could get through the night, he only had the one dance to do tonight anyway, unless Valentino made him do some personal ones but it was a Wednesday, there wouldn’t be that many people here.
Anthony walked over to one of the full body mirrors and looked at himself, he certainly looked good, the outfit was very well made and he couldn’t complain about being given such a high quality outfit for free. One of the benefits of being one of Val’s favorites he supposed, he got a little spoiled.
“Lookin’ good, Angel!” He turned around seeing two of the other dancers standing beside him. One of them was a shorter girl with long hair that was dyed cherry red who went by the name Scarlet and a taller, skinnier woman with sharp cheek bones and platinum blonde hair that went down to her ass who went by the name Pixie.
“That’s a cute outfit.” Pixie added on, her icy blue eyes looking over him sharply. He could definitely feel the judgement but he also didn’t really have much energy to kill. He spent plenty of time in high school around girls like Pixie and he really didn’t care much about her bullshit now. She was judgemental and bitchy and not worth the effort to feel intimidated by. “Is it a gift from Val?”
“Technically from Velvette, but yeah.” Anthony turned back towards the mirror, tightening a few more of the strings and getting his heels on.
“Hm.” He could see Pixie’s cold eyes reflected in the mirror. “What’d you have to do to get that?”
He knew what she was implying and he knew why, she certainly wasn’t the only one to think that Anthony was actively sleeping with Val, but he wasn’t. Though as far as he was aware, he was the only one of them who had slept with him. Before I ever started working here. Anthony noted silently. Minus one time. “Nothing. He just offered it to me.” As much as Anthony wanted to clap back with something to piss her off, he just didn’t feel like it tonight and he knew Val hated it when the dancers didn’t get along.
“It looks so good on you.” Scarlet chimed in, her sweet green eyes encouraging. Scarlet was a sweet girl, the youngest one here at 19. Anthony kinda wished someone like he didn’t have to do this, from the conversations they’d had over time he knew that she was trying to put herself through college to be a microbiologist, she was very smart and sweet but he also happened to be a very talented dancer. Anthony just hated the way all the nasty ass men looked at her.
“Thanks, dollface.” Anthony smiled fondly at her before walking past both of them, taking a long drink of water before heading out. He knew he should stretch before this, but he’d already taken too long to get ready and he was up in the next few minutes so he didn’t really have the time to do so.
He left the dressing room without paying the other girls any other attention and he walked up backstage, knowing another dancer had just finished and they were getting the stage ready for him. He took a few deep breathes, allowing any nerves to fade away so he could focus on and enjoy the dance.
“And time for our next dancer…” The announcer spoke through the booming club speakers. “You know him well, please get ready for the elegant, stunning Angel Dust!” It was no secret to the patrons that Anthony was trans, it certainly seemed to bring out a certain audience and he was very popular—even if it did come with a certain amount of people being disgusted by him as well.
Anthony could hear the music swell as he took the stage, walking out in confidence as the glowing pink and white lights glistened across his sparkling, exposed skin. He approached the pole, fingertips dancing across the chrome as he blew a kiss to the audience, noticing Valentino watching from the VIP section, a girl on one arm and a fruity looking man on the other.
He took the pole with confidence, fingerings curling around the cool metal as he settled his weight into his grip. The corseted bodice kept his posture immaculate—shoulders back, spine elongated while the lace of his outfit fluttered subtly with each movement.
He began with a slow walk around the pole, moving slowly to the rhythm. Then, in a smooth transition he pivoted and lifted, legs swinging upward with a clean arc. The ribbons on his outfit shifted with the motion, accentuating the precision of his form and moving with the music. His thighs locked effortlessly as he climbed the pole, focusing on his core to keep his movements fluid and practical. He caught the eye of one particular man looking rather shy and blew him a sweet kiss, making his face turn strawberry red.
Anthony spun, releasing one hand to extend and arm outward and trusting his momentum and balance alone. His skirt fanned briefly before settling again as he descended in a controlled slide, stopping just short of the floor. He rolled his shoulders, re-gripped and launched into a series of tighter spins, each rotation faster than the last. The satin bows of his outfit caught light with each turn.
Every movement flowered seamlessly into the next, his confidence evident in the steadiness of his breath and the calm, seductive focus in his expression. When he finally dismounted, he landed into a perfect split formation just as the music came to an end. The crowd was eagerly tossing their money at him.
He stood up, breathing heavily and feeling how hot his body had gotten under the stage lights. He walked towards the crowd of eager men and played into their fantasies, taking a few hands and planting kisses along their knuckles. “Thank you so much boys.” He purred, looking one of them directly in the eyes as he spoke. “You always know how to make me feel so special.”
With his money, he stood up and glanced towards Valentino in the crowd who was watching him with a very satisfied grin. Anthony winked at him and blew him a kiss before walking off stage.
Once out of sight he pressed himself against the closest wall, panting and catching his breath. He was realizing that was a lot more intensive than he originally thought. He desperately needed something to drink but he had to catch his breath first. Why do I feel so fuckin’ exhausted. He wondered, dances were tough but this one seemed to take more out of him. Then he realized he’d barely eaten anything more than a pop tart in the last two days. Damn. He scolded himself silently. Guess Cherri had a right to be worried.
He saw Scarlet come around the corner with a cold water bottle in hand. “That was great, Angel!” She beamed, handing him the bottle of water.
“Thanks, doll.” He smiled at her, she kind of reminded him of Charlie. “I made plenty of money from it.”
“Drink some water and get some rest. I’m up next.”
“Good luck.” Anthony twisted the cap off and took a long swig of the water, feeling like he was dehydrated. He patted her on the shoulder before returning to the dressing room. He went to his wardrobe and grabbed the hot pink silk robe that was hanging up there, another gift from Val. He covered himself up and sat at one of the plush couches kept near the back to rest a while before he went home, needing to see if Valentino needed anything else from him, he really hoped the answer would be no and he could just go home and sleep.
As he sipped on his water the door opened and he saw Valentino entering once more, giving Anthony a very sultry smile. “You did so good out there baby.” He crossed the room over to where Anthony was sitting. “Have I told you recently that you’re my star?” He reached down and slowly ran his fingertips along Anthony’s jawline towards his chin. His touch felt weird, and he had no idea why Val was being so touchy lately nor did he really know how to feel about it.
“Just doin’ my best, Val.” Anthony gave a flirty smile before reaching into his robe and handing Valentino the money he earned.
“Looks like they loved you just as much as I did.” Valentino took the money and flipped through the pills once more before tucking the cash into the inner pocket of his coat. “I’ll get this counted and get you your cut, baby.”
Anthony suddenly remembered being invited out by Charlie and Vaggi and knew it was the best time to ask for the day off. He hoped that Val would be alright with it, he could really use the night out. “Hey, Val…can I ask you somethin’?”
“What is it, Angel?” Valentino sat down beside him, putting his arm across the back of the couch but practically resting them on his shoulders.
“Well…I got invited out to Charlie and Vaggi’s engagement celebration on Friday…I was wondering if I could have the day off?” He did his best to play into Valentino’s likes, giving him some puppy dog eyes as he gazed up at his boss. He looked him over nervously and noticed Valentino’s expression shift very subtly. Anxiety tightened his chest, each shift in his expression was so subtle, the corner of his mouth twitching and his smile getting a little tighter but he didn’t look that mad.
“You know how busy we get on Fridays, cariña.” He felt one of Valentino’s hands move to his shoulder, gripping it a little tight but not enough to hurt, just enough of him to be fully aware of it.
“I know.” Anthony didn’t back down. “I’ll make it up to you in any way you want. I’ll work extra long on Saturday or come in on Sunday. Whatever you want.” he hoped that giving Valentino complete control to decide on how he could make this up would be a lot easier.
Val was quiet for several agonizing long moments before finally speaking. “I suppose you have been working so hard for me lately." He put his other hand on Anthony’s leg. He could feel Valentino’s warm touch against his bare skin. “I’m sure I can think of a few ways for you to make this up to me.” Something in Valentino’s tone made Anthony feel…strange and he didn’t really know exactly what those feelings were. He wasn’t stupid, he could tell exactly what Valentino was trying to get out of him. He had to think on if he was okay with this particular exchange, and in the end he figured he was. Sex with Valentino for a day off work didn’t seem like too big of a deal, not like they hadn’t fooled around before.
“What exactly you askin’ for?” Anthony flirted back in a playful tone.
“I think you know.” Valentino grinned, his hand trailing up and lighting tugging on the hem of Anthony’s robe. “But not tonight, you can make up for taking Friday off by coming in on Sunday and spending some quality time with me.”
“Yeah?” Anthony moved himself a little closer, batting his eyelashes up at Val. “You want a private dance, boss?”
Valentino’s eyes were practically growing, his grin wide and mischievous. “Just be sure to wear something nice for me, and wear that perfume I got you.” He gave Anthony’s thigh a gentle squeeze before standing up. “I’ll go get your money, muñeca.” He walked round the back of the couch, brushing his fingertips along the nape of Anthony’s neck and making him shudder.
He touched the back of his neck where Valentino’s fingers had been and watching Val walk away before standing up himself to get changed. He wanted out of this outfit, he could feel the tight fabric cutting into his skin. He quickly got undressed and changed into a spare, casual outfit he had kept here. He put his sweater on over it and waited for Valentino to come out. He finally did and handed him a slightly smaller stack of cash. “Here you are, baby.”
Anthony took the money and tucked it into his bag, flashing a smile up at Valentino. “Thank you so much.” See you tomorrow, Val.” He blew him a flirty kiss, seeing Valentino’s satisfied grin before finally turning away and leaving the club.
Once outside he could finally let his stripper act drop and just let himself be exhausted. Between working retail and this job he was utterly burned out and already feeling sore. He could feel an extra soreness in his thigh and was worried that he may have pulled something during his routine which would only make the rest of the week suck so much more.
His journey home was long, fighting the urge to pass out on the subway and finally nearing his apartment building. He just wanted to get to his bed and pass out, he could feel fatigue sinking into his bones, clouding his mind as well. His body ached and his head was starting to ache, each step towards his building was heavier than the last. He passed by a narrow alleyway beside the building, thinking about morphing more than sleep. That was when he heard something that completely paused his movements.
He glanced towards the alley, it ran along the side of the building, half-choked with trash bags, broken crates and discarded furniture people no longer wanted. Anthony passed this alleyway every day without a second glance if not for the sound that came from the shadows—soft at first, almost as if it were in his imagination. A faint crackle. Static.
The noise drifted out from the alley, uneven and unnatural against the usual sounds of New York city this late at night. He frowned, turning towards the noise with curiosity tugging at him despite the exhaustion he felt. He stepped off the sidewalk and into the narrow passage, the smell of dust and old garbage thick in the air. He pulled out his phone, turning his flash light and shining it down the dark alley.
His eyes scanned the piles of garbage and discarded items, squinting to try and see where the static was coming from. Near the far wall, half-hidden among discarded boxes and torn black bags, sat an old radio.
It looked out of place even amongst the garbage, its wooden casing scuffed by intract, as if it had been thrown away in frustration rather than neglect. It had an incredibly elegant design, almost reminding Anthony of some kind of cathedral. The dial glowed faintly amber, a warm living light against the cold gray of the alley. Static whispered from the speaker, weak and distorted like a skipping vinyl. Anthony stared at it, confusion and unease dancing through his body. Someone had tossed it out with the rest of the trash, yet it was on. Plugged into nothing. Alive.
He stepped closer, shoes crunching softly against gravel and broken glass. The static sharpened as he approached, growing loud, more insistent. For a fleeting second, the noise seemed to distort more, almost forming a sound that made his chest tighten, something akin to laughter before dissolving back into hissing static.
“Why the hell am I doing this?” Anthony asked himself, putting his hand to his head. “I need to sleep, not root around in the garbage.” Despite what he said, he was still moving forward. He crouched down in front of the radio, studying the scratched knobs, the warm fabric of the speaker and the way the light behind the dial pulsed faintly, as if sensing him. This thing didn’t belong here, it looked like it didn’t even belong in this century.
It felt abandoned in the way something discarded too hastily often did—thrown away not because it was broken, but because it refused to stay quiet. Anthony hesitated, then reached out. The moment his fingers brushed the edge of the radio, he felt like he could feel the fuzz of the static, reminding him of touching those old CRT screens when he was a kid watching VHS tapes in his nonna’s living room.
The sound of the static flared, sharp and suddenly, echoing off the alley walls. He jerked his hand back, heart pounding against his ribs. The sound settled again, returning to what Anthony would call normal for this weird radio.
He tentatively touched it again, and the same reaction didn’t happen again. He looked over it, looking for anything else out of the ordinary but found nothing. He glanced over his shoulder back towards the entrance of the alleyway. He needed to sleep, he was almost convinced that he was hallucinating all this due to his exhaustion and hunger. Still, he couldn't help but feel like he was drawn to this radio.
Before his very eyes the glowing dial and hissing static faded away, leaving him in an uncomfortable silence. He frowned, pressing his lips together and sighing quietly. It was getting cold, his fingertips and ears starting to ache. He knew he should just leave this thing here, but for some reason he couldn’t. For being in an alleyway, it looked like it was mostly good quality. He knew of a few antique shops around that sold old shit like this, so maybe with Cherri’s help they could fix it up and sell it for a pretty penny.
Against his better judgement, Anthony picked up the radio, finding it surprisingly light in his arms. With a slight heave, he walked it back to his apartment door. “You better not come with any demons…or roaches.” He would honestly prefer the demon.
He finally reached his apartment and unlocked the door, stepping inside and turning on the light to the studio. It was an incredibly small space that was rather cluttered with his own stuff. Clothes on the floor, bed unmade and dishes he had yet to put away. Empty cans on the nightstand and some unopened mail on the countertop.
He didn’t really have any other place to put the radio so he put it in his closet which was its own mess. Clothes and shoes crowded the floor, but made the perfect soft place to put the radio. He set it down, closing the closet doors and hoping it would stay quiet. With that out of mind, he went to his bathroom and very quickly washed the heavy makeup off his face. He caught himself in the mirror, seeing just how rough he really looked. Exhaustion clouding his multi-colored eyes and dark circles now visible after all the foundation had been washed away.
He left the bathroom, too tired to shower and collapsed onto his bed. He pulled a well-loved plush pig that Cherri had gifted him. He held the pig to his chest and already felt his eyes drifting close. He was hungry, but far too tired to eat. He made sure to let Cherri know he was home, and found the energy to plug in his phone. He pulled his blankets over his body, enjoying the warmth in his cold apartment. He breathed out a sigh of relief, finally glad to be resting his body.
He thought about the radio in his closet once more, but for just a few brief moments. He wasn’t the dumpster diving type, but something had compelled him to bring it inside and he couldn’t quite explain it. He was still sold on the idea of fixing it up and pawning it somewhere for some extra money, which he could always use. If not, then he was sure he would find something to do with it. He didn’t really know what, and he was too fired to figure it out right now. After all, it was just a radio.