Not Your Golden Boy

“Excuse me--” Ren called over the music, standing right next to the lip of the stage. He looked up at the blonde woman who had taken the stage, Ren’s attention first drawn to her by the hoots and hollers of the other patrons. It was a pretty packed night at the club which was good for him and great for his dancers. But having a stranger get up and start pulling the attention away from his workers wasn’t great-- even he thought she was doing a great job. “Excuse--” he called over again before finally just standing up on the stage himself to look her in the eye. “Hi,” he said with a slight smile. “I’m the owner. Can I offer you a drink on the house?” He gestured across the venue to one of the bars where things were a bit more quiet. 

what your muse’s name is in mine’s phone: K

what your muse’s picture is in mine’s phone:

what your muse’s ringtone is in mine’s phone: Sports with Strangers - HUNNY

my muse’s last text to your muse: 

what your muse’s name is in mine’s phone: Bestie-Exie

what your muse’s picture is in mine’s phone:

what your muse’s ringtone is in mine’s phone: Cry Like A Ghost - Passion Pit

my muse’s last text to your muse:

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Nolan couldn’t help but laugh at the others comment, nodding his head, “I am pretty helpless.” He offered, with a flick of his brows, taking a sip of his drink. Did Nolan actually think he was adorable? No. Not at all. He has always viewed himself as just a dude who happened to have a great personality. That was really how he got by in life. It was how he managed to bag himself a stud like Leo back in the day. At least, that’s what Nolan always assumed, anyway. There was really no logical explanation for it besides that.

“Well, you figured out the way to do it then. At least, it worked with me.” He laughed, “Pleasure to meet you, Ren. Nolan.” He reached out, shaking the others hand before he rested his elbows on the bar in front of them. He shrugged his shoulders at the others comment, his gaze shifting around the bar, “Long day at work. Figured I could come here and wind down. Drink some beer. Maybe watch a game or something.” He nodded towards the TV at the bar, “But that wasn’t in the cards I guess. Apparently news is far more interesting that the basketball game.” He shook his head, rolling his eyes before he looking back to Ren, “Whatcha do for a living?” He asked, looking the other over, “You look pretty snazzy. You a lawyer or somethin’?”

💋

Ren chuckled at the man’s agreeing to his assertion. Most guys would be a bit miffed at the statement but the stranger took the comment in stride. Either he was very much a calm and collected sort or he really was a poor helpless thing. Though the more Ren thought about it the more he realized such things weren’t mutually exclusive. They shook hands. “Nolan,” Ren repeated to himself to help him remember. He followed Nolan’s eyes up to the television screen. Ren, intentionally or not, brought his elbows to the bar and leaned a bit forward. “I’m pretty sure they have a remote you know.” Wow he really was helpless. Ren waved down the bartender. “Excuse me-- not to be a bother but I find the news depressing. Could you switch to... a sport?” Ren still wasn’t sure what was considered a fun sport to watch in America. This was the land of baseball for crying out loud. The bartender nodded and changed the channel, landing on a basketball game. 

He laughed at the man’s question. “No, no nothing quite so prestigious. I own a club, Plan B out in Queens.” People tended to act a bit weird when he said he owned a strip club so he’d gotten into the habit of just saying the name of the place. “Though I appreciate the complement. A bit more flattering than my helpless comment.” He laughed some more. “Though we’re both right aren’t we?”

TASK 007: FASHION IS EVERYTHING

While Ren isn’t afraid of color he usually wears darker shades and a lot of black. 

Often layers his outfits with a suit jacket but is just a fan of layering overall. 

Accessorized with a lot of necklaces, watches, and bracelets.

Ren + Tattoos

Snowflake tattoo - left forearm

Barbed wire tattoo - wrapped around right forearm

Fuck/Love you - right ribs

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The wolf’s watching him, it’s seeing the clocks turning that has her amused— stubborn also, always expecting the penny to drop from another before actually acknowledging it. She purely did it to get a feel for the reaction. “Are you calling me a dog?” She’s teasing, jest clear within her tone but she settles, giving a slight nod, confirming what he had asked to be the truth. “I am and you don’t like m&ms. Strange.” She states, what with his reaction. She found it weird. Though that was only because they were her favourite sweet. Never really understanding what there wasn’t to like— it was similar to cheese, the people that hated it? Psychos. “How’re you doing?” She’s being nice, purposely, it’s making an effort with those she held a harrowing experience with.

💋

Ren let out a breath of a laugh and shook his head. “A wolf and a dog are pretty different aren’t they? I suppose most purse dogs are just as vicious as a wild wolf...” One of his aunts had a toy poodle growing up. Vicious thing. He just shrugs at her stares. “I prefer smarties. The chocolate kind not that chalk bullshit you Americans give out to I assume the worst kinds of children.” It was nice that they could joke, though her asking how he was doing sort of ruined the lighthearted mood. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? That whole thing seemed a lot more stressful to you... maybe I’m wrong. But I’m usually not wrong about these things.” He was avoiding her question. “I’m fine. I find not thinking about it too much helps.”

✚

Chris gives it some thought before shrugging, “Yeah, you’re right. I can now say I’ve been to a strip club, which is an experience?” He wonders if he should mention this to Brycen, or if his husband has ever been in a strip club… And then his mind wanders off to Brycen and stripping, so he shakes the disrespectful thoughts away. “Oh, no, I definitely don’t like setting things on fire.” He replies dead serious, even though the guy says it’s a joke. One of Brycen’s roommates (the blonde one) accidentally set a table on fire once and Chris put it out out of reflex. He was actually shocked that they didn’t even have a fire extinguisher so he got one for them. He is serious about fire hazard, apparently. “I just had an accident and was in a coma for a few years. I’m still recovering from it, so… unfit to work right now.” He explains, just because he doesn’t want the other to think of him as a possible arson… Chris nods, somewhat relieved that the dancer would get some help. He realizes, though, he hasn’t introduced himself. “Oh– right, where’s my manner. It’s, uh, Mr. Doyle but you can just call me Chris. Nice to meet you. And you are?” He extends a hand for a shake. “And really, I’m just happy to help. Actually, if you need any help around the club, I’m not busy or anything right now.” 

💋

Ren chuckled, “it’s certainly a conversation starter. Though I don’t think you’ve really popped your stripper cherry till you’ve tipped. Which isn’t a drag,” he assured Chris. “After-all, I still owe you for helping out my dancer.” He just figured entering a strip club was very different from actually tossing a few twenties. Chris’ dead serious tone made Ren pause. He hated when people got serious. Made him feel like he’d done something wrong. “Oh.” Ren deadpanned. “That’s... sorry about that.” He said as if there was something he could have done about a coma. Ren shook his hand. “Chris. Pleasure. Name is Rentap Chendang. But everyone just calls me Ren.”  He raised a brow, “really? Well uh...” he looked around the empty club. Daytime was almost always slow. “You do house calls?” He laughed. “I am sure plenty of my girls have aches and pains they’ve been avoiding seeing a doctor about.”

Ren had heard good things about Brewery 718. Or he thought he had. Honestly there were so many Breweries that were just Brewery plus the first three digits of someone’s social security number it was hard to keep track. But even if he hadn’t actually heard anything about this place he was enjoying his time there. Not so much for the atmosphere, much too homey for his taste (and too reminiscent of the pubs he would frequent back home in London). But the beer was good, more than good it was fantastic. “Excuse me,” he spoke up to the man behind the bar. “I ordered this,” he gestured to the line of samplers ranging from a lighter to a darker beer. “And it’s fantastic. But, and this is embarrassing to admit, I really wasn’t listening when my server told me what was what. Care to help me out?”

-ˋˏ ✂︎—————

“That’s what stuck with you, huh?” Margot asked, brow raised. “Not the boundary talk? Makes sense how you ended up with that,” she said, gesturing to his scar again. This man clearly didn’t do his thinking with his head. Well not the one upstairs anyway. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and grinned at the insult, “Oh don’t worry about that, sweetheart. I was never an option. Though I will say I’m more of a hot girl than a pretty one. Important distinction.” 

Margot absolutely would make fun of him, but not yet. She owed her best friend her due diligence of carrying this recon mission out. “Ainsley understanding you isn’t surprising. She has that effect on a lot of people, including me. It’s because she’s well trained.” She gave him a more genuine smile this time, hoping it would make him think she was empathizing with him. “So what, was it the rich person thing or the supernatural thing? Because I’ve got to tell you, there are plenty of other people out there who will understand you, genuinely. You’re just wasting your time on the one that faked it.” She lifted one shoulder up in a careless shrug. “Interesting is an adequate way to describe the people I’ve met this weekend,” she said. “Am I going to give them a second thought after I go home, though? Probably not. Though it was nice to get a clear answer on which species some of these people are. You always have your hunches, but guessing right can be so satisfying.”

💋

Ren raised a brow, finding Margot’s argument a bit confusing. “So with you she’s genuine? Or... as genuine as she can be?” While his words were a bit insulting he did know what it was like to have to be the person other people wanted. There was a reason he didn’t speak to his adopted family. “Why do you care if I find someone who understands me? Feeling a bit of guilt?” He shook his head, “Kidding. I can already tell guilt isn’t an emotion you're very familiar with.” He didn’t want to be mean but it was hard not to. Everyone told him he was an idiot for caring about Ainsley and Margot was no different. Except she was allowed to care about Ainsley... which made him extra snippy. 

“I asked a bit too many questions so I’ll answer yours. Ainsley told me about what I was, taught me how to responsibly feed without hurting people. Call it sappy but it means the world to me that she bothered. That isn’t fake. Her motivations might have been...” he almost said wrong but he had a feeling Margot saw no problem with scamming him out of his money and playing with his heart like it was a dollhouse. “Might have been disingenuous, but her actions stayed the same.”

✚

His mouth hangs open as the owner confirms his question. It takes him a few blinking away to process that he is in a strip club. He doesn’t believe he has ever been to a strip club, ever. Or Gentleman’s Club, or exotic dancing venue, whatever you call it. He now definitely feels out of place. “Oh, wow, okay. That’s new. I’ve never been in one.” The words just blurt out of him, and Chris detachedly wonders if he sounds like a total country bumpkin. “I guess so? I used to be a firefighter and they teach you first aids… It looked like a sprain to me, but if she actually hurt ligament or bone, she’d better go see an actual doctor.” Chris says, even though his expression suggests that he is surprised that he knows these things. “If she’s uncomfortable with hospitals, my husband’s an EMT. I can ask if he can help.” He shrugs, looking toward the room the dancer disappeared to. He genuinely hopes she is okay. At the offer of the seat and drink, Chris sits down meekly. “Aw, thank you. I’d appreciate some water, actually.” 

💋

“First time for everything,” Ren assured the man, clapping him on the shoulder. It didn’t really phase him that the guy hadn’t been inside a strip club before. Plenty of people hadn’t, their shame outweighing their curiosity or desire. It was the rest of what the man had to say that concerned him. “Used to be? I didn’t know they fired firefighters. Well, except the ones that are also arsonists. You’re not one of those are you?” Ren grinned, “I kid,” he clapped Chris on the shoulder again. “A water, easy. Free even for people who didn’t save one of my dancers.” He waves to one of his passing employees and tells them to grab a water and a vodka soda. Ren sits down across from Chris. “I’m not a doctor but I know one of the dancers back there is in nursing school and the other was a girl scout so I think she’s in good hands for now. I still owe you though Mr...”

-ˋˏ ✂︎—————

Her smirk widened once he made the connection. “No thank you, it’s against girl code,” she said with a wink. Though it clearly wasn’t an actual offer, she didn’t want him to be too worried about her, she just wanted to make sure she got her point across. “I think you’re putting the emphasis on the wrong word there, sweetheart. I said she knows how to leave her mark. The trouble comes when her marks don’t know how to leave her.” She rose her brows and placed her hands back in her lap to give him his space. “Look, you seem… hot,” she said, waving her hand at his body after deciding that was the only positive trait she really knew he possessed at this point. “It would be a shame for you to keep getting in trouble and ending up less hot, with more scars and stab wounds that might not heal as nicely. So, this is just a friendly little reminder that Ainsley is off limits. She’s not someone you want to pursue. And if you do, you won’t just be dealing with her. Alright?” Margot wondered if it would be too early to mention draining his bank accounts if he continued, but decided she’d hold off for now. She didn’t want to show her hand too soon. “Anyway, we didn’t come here to talk business, right? How’s your weekend going? Find anyone new to pine over?”

💋

Ren rubbed his brow with his thumb, really not wanting to have this conversation right now. No one understood why he cared about Ainsley still even after everything she had done to him. Granted that was before the stabbing incident but still Ren felt his heartstrings tug when he thought about her. Even if he didn’t want to be with her anymore. Unless she offered... Ren shook his head as Margot pointed out he was a mark that just wouldn’t leave her alone. “Wow. Me? Hot?” He gestured at his chiseled body. “No one has ever said that before I’m flattered, I might blush.” Margot implied that if he didn’t leave Ainsley alone, Margot would deal with him. She didn’t look all that intimidating but then again neither did Ainsley, and Ren had a nasty gash to prove that line of thinking wasn’t accurate.  

·⋅𖥔⋅ ━━✶━━ ⋅𖥔⋅

“Why thank you,” Liv mused, giving the man before her a playful curtsy, followed by a quick spin so that he could take in the full look and the way there was nothing but a thin string keeping the satin bandana of a top laced around her back. “Isn’t that sort of the point of the room?” She asked with a light laugh followed by an amused quirk of a brow. “But, honesty accepted and, to be painfully honest in return, I primarily lean towards girls. But, I’m also very, very single right now and you’re easy on the eyes, so what do you say we have some fun? And friends can. Or enemies, give or take?”

💋

Ren gave a little clap as Liv spun around for him, showing him a 360 of her outfit. “You’re pretty brave with that top,” he teased well aware of how satin liked to slip. He raised a brow when she mentioned preferring women but his smirk remained firm across his lips. “Oh? Can’t blame you for that one men can be... well, men.” He chuckled. “I don’t have a preference. Whoever is around and interested is who I lean towards. I’m ambidextrous like that.” Clearly oblivious to his questionable use of the word he continued. “I’d hate to have Ken as my enemy only because I know how ruthless he can be. But anyway...” Ren ran the back of his finger from the top of Liv’s shoulder down to her wrist. “What sort of fun were you thinking. Lots of fun to be had in this castle.”