Chapter Text
“Are you sure about this?” Uzi asked as she looked up at the bright neon sign.
‘Club 98.7’ was lit up in neon blue and pink. The sign itself was suspended on the wall of a moderate size building, tucked away in between a casino and a bar. Uzi could hear the blaring music all the way outside, the thrum of the bass shaking the pavement under her feet.
“Of course!” A voice off to her left spoke up. Thad walked up beside her, still in his jersey and donning his signature backwards cap, the wind ruffling the tuft of hair coming out of the front. “Liz and I come here every week. Right Liz?” Thad looked back at his sister for a response.
“Yeah, whatever. Listen you two can freeze to death all you want, but I'm going inside.” Lizzy pushed past them and into the club and Uzi could feel the warmth wafting from the open doors before they shut and left her in the cold once more.
She looked over at Thad who gave her a reassuring nod and a thumbs up. Uzi lets out a sigh and trudges up to the door, shivering slightly due to the cold.
“Alright.” Uzi mumbled under her breath as she pushed open the door. “Let’s get this over with.”
The inside of the club was dark and lit with flashes of muti-colored light, swirling against whatever surface they came across. Tables and chairs were scattered around the place, surrounding velvet couches that circled a few raised platforms in the center back of the room. Uzi felt her ears grow hot as she noticed poles adorning each stage. There were a few patrons milling about, sitting at tables and wandering to and from the bar in the corner. A tall young man stood behind it. He seemed to be in his early twenties and had to be 6ft at least. His youthful features contrasting against the shock of white hair on his head partially hidden underneath a hat.
A few feet away from where the trio stood just inside the doors was a tall black haired woman doing ID checks. Her eyes were such a rich shade of brown that they were almost red and she had a scar going through the right one. She seemed oddly familiar to Uzi but she couldn't quite place it. Uzi stared for a second before realization hit her in the face like a brick.
“DOLL!?” Uzi yelled in surprise.
Said woman whipped around to face Uzi. “Doorman.” Doll replied, the girl’s Russian accent rolling the R in Uzi’s last name.
Uzi walked up to Doll and gave her an incredulous look.
“Do you seriously fucking work here?”
“I’m a security guard. It pays good and is easy job.” Doll said with a shrug and tapping a badge on her sleeve. She grinned. “People think twice before mess with angry Russian bitch”
“But like, why are you working here!? How!?” Uzi questioned still not believing that Doll of all people was working at a strip club.
Doll chuckled and pointed at Lizzy. “She dragged me here. Say it's good to let loose. Some bastard tried to hurt one of the girls, I kick his ass.” Doll snickered to herself, reminiscing in the memory. “Boss comes over, offers job and I take it. I check ID, I beat up pricks, and at end of week I get paid”
Uzi gave Lizzy a side eye. “Of course it's your fault.” Lizzy just rolled her eyes, deciding not to comment. Uzi turned back to Doll. “I’m guessing your parents don't know about this?”
“No, and if they find out, I make you disappear. Understood?”Uzi just nodded. “So, why are you here, Doorman?”
Thad slung his arm across Uzi’s shoulder earning a grunt from the shorter girl.
“It's Uzi's birthday today! So we thought we would take her out for a little fun.” Thad said beaming with a proud expression that said that this was obviously his idea.
Doll quirked a brow before asking for Uzi's ID. “Well then, happy birthday Uzi. Want me to call a dancer over to sing you a special happy birthday~?” Doll asks, waggling her eyebrows and checking the girl's driver's license.
Uzi flushes, snatching the card back and looking away from the girl in front of her.
“NO! No, I'm good. I'm fine. Thanks but no thanks.” Uzi looks off to the empty stages. “Speaking of which, where are all the dancers?"
Thad passes Doll his ID and some money. “We came early so you could see the whole thing. It starts in about ten minutes.” He chuckled “trust me, you wanna see the whole show”
Lizzy did the same thing as her brother and gave Doll a kiss on the cheek. “Good luck, Dolly. Have fun kicking ass.” Lizzy said, smirking as Doll’s cheeks darkened slightly.
Doll cleared her throat and gave the three of them wrist bands showing that they were paying customers.
“Wait, shit.” Uzi growled as she dug her wallet out of her pocket. But Thad just pushed her hands down.
“We already paid. This is your birthday gift. We're not gonna make you pay for it.”
Uzi huffed, but was otherwise complacent as she let Thad and Lizzy drag her along and into the club.
They led her over to the bar, claiming three stools that had a clear view of the stage. Lizzy called the bartender over and ordered three shots of whiskey.
“Alright loser, ready for your very first taste of alcohol.” Lizzy asked as she set down the shot glass in front of Uzi. Uzi eyed the drink before raising it to her lips and taking a quick swallow.
It was fine for about maybe half a second. Then it started to burn. Pain lashed through Uzi's throat and she spat half of the glass onto the bar. Violently hacking and coughing Uzi slouched forward onto the counter, pounding her fist against it.
“HOLY FUCK *COUGH* WHY DOES- *COUGH COUGH* WHY DOES IT BURN!?” Uzi rasped out through her coughing fit.
Lizzy however, was laughing her ass off at this whole display. “That's what it's supposed to do, dumbass!”
“THANKS FOR THE WARNING, YOU BITCH!”
Lizzy just shrugged and downed her glass with ease.
Thad gave Uzi a few gentle but firm pats on her back. “It takes some getting used to. You'll get the hang of it.”
Just then the bartender spoke up. “Hey, you're… obviously new here. My name's Nathaniel but you can call me Nate.” He pulled her shot glass over and refilled it. “It can be a little rough but it gets better if you do it right.You just gotta tilt your head back and swallow real fast and it shouldn't be so bad.” He slid the glass over and gave her an encouraging smile.
She reluctantly accepted it and brought it up to her lips. She tossed her head back and drank it down as fast as she could. She coughed a few times but it wasn't nearly as bad as the first time.
“Thanks, my name's Uzi.”
“Like the gun?”
“Yeah my mom is-... was a little weird.”
“O-oh… I'm sorry to hear that.” Nate looked down at the counter top, grabbing a rag to wipe up the mess Uzi had made earlier.
“It's fine it happened when I was really young I hardly remember it” Uzi shrugged it off, trying to not let it show how much it actually got to her. She picked up her empty glass. “Hey, can I get another one?”
Nate happily refilled it. Just as he slid it back to her the lights dimmed even lower and the music slowed to a stop. When the lights brightened again they were a deep red, making the room look like it was bathed in blood. A tall figure stepped out from behind some curtains that were hanging in a doorway that went through the back wall. As Uzi took in the sight of the girl walking up to the stage, it was safe to say her jaw practically hit the floor.
The girl was tall, like really fucking tall. She seemed maybe a bit shorter than Nate, but not by much. She was wearing a sinfully tight leotard as pale as her skin with black lace thigh high stockings that had little yellow stripes around the ankles and along the strips of elastic at the tops. She also had a cropped jacket on, the zipper pulled down dangerously low, looking like she was at risk of flashing everyone at the slightest move.
Uzi could just barely see the muscle definition of the girl's stomach, as the fabric of her outfit clung to her skin. In fact, Uzi could see it all along her body. Thin, corded muscle lined her arms and legs making the woman look like she could rip a person in half.
Uzi's eyes slowly traveled up the woman's slim figure to her face. Her face looked like it was carved by some divine being, high cheek bones, perfect jawline, and her eyes… her eyes were a piercing gold that seemed to look right through Uzi's soul for a moment as they briefly landed on her. Her hair was cut in a bob, the ends just barely brushing the furred collar of her cropped off jacket.
“Woah… who's that?” Uzi asked, completely entranced by the woman on the stage.
“That's Valerie. She's the BEST dancer in the whole building. Just watch.” Nate looked like he was practically vibrating in excitement.
Uzi looked back to the stage as the music started to phase in, a steady beat that was getting louder and louder until Uzi could feel it shaking inside her chest.
Then… Valerie started to dance.
A hypnotic sway of her limbs and hips as she moved to the music like she was perfectly attuned to it. Spinning around the pole upside-down and arching her back, showcasing the ridges of her abs. Each movement carried an air of grace and danger that gave Uzi a feeling like she was watching a predator.
Like Valerie could rip her to shreds without batting an eye.
And Uzi wouldn't bother to stop her.
As the song continued on Uzi noticed something a little off about the girl.
Her eyes seemed to wander all throughout the club but her gaze always came back to a certain spot. Or, more accurately a certain person. Right there, front and center, was a girl sitting on one of the couches. Hair done up in a ponytail with a ribbon holding it together. Wait… a ribbon? Uzi nudged Thad gently to get his attention.
“Is that Lizzy!?”
“Yeah… just- just watch for a minute.” Thad shifted around a bit, evidently uncomfortable.
Uzi complied and turned back to the stage. Lizzy was still sitting there, but now she was holding some money up waving it in the air. She watched as Valerie’s full attention locked onto Lizzy, giving the girl a grin that would put the Cheshire cat to shame. Valerie slinked off the stage and strutted up to Lizzy. Lizzy held out the bill and Valerie took it between her teeth before sitting down on Lizzy’s lap.
Valerie began to roll her hips against Lizzy in a slow sensual rhythm as she ran her hands along Lizzy's shoulders. Valerie took the money from between her teeth and held it out for Lizzy to bite onto. After Lizzy took it Valerie pressed her face against her neck and ran her tongue all the way up from her collarbone to underneath her ear.
Valerie’s eyes drifted up to where Uzi and Thad were sitting and Uzi felt her blood run hot as that gaze of molten gold locked onto her. Valerie pulled away from Lizzy for a second just to shoot Uzi a wink before she refocused on Lizzy. The golden eyed girl finished giving Lizzy a lap dance and grabbed the money back from the other girl's lips, turning back towards the stage.
Then, yet again, Uzi noticed something off. Right before Valerie walked off, she tossed the money into Lizzy's lap. It was a blink and you miss it moment. If Uzi hadn't been watching as closely as was, she wouldn't have seen it. Uzi couldn't see Lizzy's face but she could tell by the way her head moved that Lizzy rolled her eyes.
“Why did she give the money back?”
“Well… Val and Lizzy kind of have a thing for each other. It's gotten to the point where Val refuses to take any payment.”
“So… are they, like… dating?”
Thad squirmed in his seat. “No. They- they just…” He trailed off seemingly uncomfortable about talking about his sister's relationship with the stripper.
“They fuck like animals any time Val’s on break.” Someone grumbled into Uzi's ear, so close that she could feel their breath against it. Uzi nearly fell out of her seat from flinching so hard. She spun around with a glare ready to yell at them, when the words died in her throat.
Right between her and the bar stood another very tall woman, though this one looked to be shorter than Val. She was pale just like Nate and Val, with light brown eyes that reminded Uzi of caramel. Her honey blonde hair was done back into pigtails, tied off with thin strips black lace. Her face was, to put it simply, drop dead fucking gorgeous.
Uzi could feel herself flushing even further (if that was even possible).
The woman was wearing a black blazer with a bright yellow button up shirt underneath and a tie was looped around her neck. A tight black skirt clung to her thighs with a leather belt around her waist. She had stockings that looked identical to Val's but they only came up to her knees instead of mid-thigh. Black garter straps held them up. Whereas Val was barefoot, presumably to make dancing easier, this girl had on a pair of black heels that looked downright dangerous.
The girl snapped her fingers in front of Uzi's face and only then did she realize she was staring.
“Eyes up here.”
“B-BITE ME!” she stammered out. “Has no one taught you not to sneak up on people!”
“Has no one taught you not to stare?”
Uzi just looked away, embarrassment written on her face.
Nate placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, pulling back when she flinched. “Jay, be nice. She's new here.
Jay scoffed and rolled her eyes. “It's still rude to stare. That's just common etiquette.”
“It's also common etiquette to introduce yourself.” This time it was Thad who spoke up.
“Fine.” She held out her hand. “Jayden. What's your name?”
“Uzi.” Uzi reluctantly accepted the handshake.
“So, what's a cute little thing like you doing here?”
“I am not cute and I am not little.”
“It’s her 21st” Thad spoke up trying to diffuse the tension.
“IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!?” Nate chimed in. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Uzi giggled at his enthusiasm. “Thanks, man”
“Here, I gotta have something around here. Gimme a sec.” He dipped below the bar in search of… something. He resurfaced clutching a wrapped honey bun. He held it up in two hands like it was a cake. This rouses more laughter from Uzi. He ripped it open, placing a candle right in the middle of it. “Hold on, I need a lighter.” And back under the bar he went. When he popped back up he had a long nosed lighter. He lit the candle and pushed the bun closer to Uzi.
By now she was about to fall off the stool from laughing so hard. A couple tears were slipping down her face and she sniffed before blowing out the candle and taking a bite. Thad gave her a pat on the back and pulled her into a side hug.
By the time Uzi finished off the honey bun Lizzy had come back. She gave Uzi a slightly concerned look. “You good?”
“Yeah *Sniff* just… can't remember the last time someone celebrated my birthday that wasn't my dad.”
Suddenly the lights brightened back to a disco-esk look and Uzi felt someone toying with her hair. She turned around for the second time that night and like before she stopped short.
Valerie was standing behind her twirling a lock of Uzi's dark purple hair around her finger. Now that the lights were sort of normal Uzi could see that her hair was a dirty blonde and she had bright red lipstick on. Upon closer inspection she saw the same shade of lipstick smeared on Lizzy's neck.
“Uh… hi?”
Valerie giggled, grinning and getting closer to Uzi's ear. “Hiii~”
Uzi felt like her heart was going to beat right out of her chest if Valerie didn't back up soon. Thankfully Jay noticed her discomfort and nudged Val away from her.
“Back off you're going to give the poor thing a heart attack.”
Valerie scoffed. “You just want her for yourself.” Val leaned forward and draped her arms over Uzi's shoulders. “You can share.”
Jayden rolled her eyes and took a seat. “As if. You know I don't prefer to slut myself around like you do.” Valerie got off of Uzi, much to the smaller girl's relief, and slammed her hands down on the bar on either side of Jay.
“Listen here you little bitch-”
“Ooookaay. Let's calm down.” Nate put both of his hands up, motioning for the girls to calm down. They glared at each other for a minute before Val backed away and took a seat on the other side of Thad, Lizzy was soon to follow.
They sat in awkward silence for a moment until Val got up to stretch. “Welp, time to get back to work.”
“If you can call it that.”
“Whatever Jay. It's not like you do anything productive around here. So how about you get off my ass.”
Jay scoffed. “Please, I do a lot around here, you just don't notice because you're too busy being a whore.”
Val rolled her eyes but said nothing. There were more dancers now, though none were as tall or as attractive as Val. Valerie walked up a couple steps onto the stage and got into position, Lizzy trailing behind her and resuming her seat on the couch.
Uzi stopped paying attention after that and instead turned her focus to the woman sitting beside her.
“So… how long have you been working here?”
Jay seemed slightly startled at the sudden question.
“We’ve been here since it opened” she said motioning to herself, Nate, and Valerie. “There's a fourth somewhere around here, but I haven't seen her in a while. Anyway, we grew up with the owner. We all volunteered to work here when she opened the place up. That was about… maybe…three years ago.”
“Four in five months.” Nate added. “Also the fourth person is Cyn. She's my little sister.”
Jayden made a face that suggested that she didn't particularly like Cyn.
Jay got up and turned to Nate “I'm going to see Tessa.” She ran a finger under Uzi's chin. “And I hope I get to see you again.”
Uzi blushed much to Jay's delight and the twin-tailed girl walked off towards the back and disappeared behind the curtain that Val had walked out of.
“Haven't seen that in a while.” Nate murmured, looking a little confused.
“What?”
“She likes you.”
“WH-WHAT!?”
“I haven't seen her flirt like that in years.”
Thad patted Uzi on the shoulder. “Guess you've got an admirer. Good job Zi!”
Uzi just sat there in stunned silence for the rest of the night.
“So, what did you think!” Thad asked Uzi as they walked out of the club, the crisp air biting at their faces and fingers.
“It was nice.” Uzi said with a shrug. “I wouldn't mind coming back.”
“So you're coming back next week?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Lizzy lightly shoved Uzi from behind, but before Uzi could complain Lizzy spoke up.
“Happy birthday… or whatever.”
Uzi gave a soft smile and said thanks. In response Lizzy blushed and looked away.
“Whatever, loser. It's fucking cold out here, move your slow ass.” She pushed past Uzi and made her way to the car.
Thad rolled his eyes and nudged Uzi with his elbow. “Sorry about her.” A pause, “Anyways… happy birthday Zi. I really do hope that you had a good time.”
“Thanks dude, it was a great time”
They shared a smile before they joined Lizzy in the car and made their way back to campus.