chase the neon throne

➡ PLAYER OF THE MONTH; BRIT!

Words can’t even begin to describe how impressed I am with your Jesse, Brit! I’m completely blown away by his tone of voice and your writing is just – wow. We don’t really know a lot about Jesse other than what we’ve seen in the show, which, isn’t a lot to go by, but you still managed to capture him perfectly. I can literally hear his voice when I read your posts and I think that’s a really difficult thing to do, to make Jesse so spot on like you do. I’m definitely having a lot of fun playing against him and learning about him at the same time. I look forward to seeing him grow as a character and I can’t wait to see where you take him next! Once again, congratulations and well done!

“We’ve never settled for anything less than the very best. Money can get you almost anything and we were never short of that.” Hunter let out another chuckle, shaking his head in amusement as he refilled their shot glasses. He had purposely left out the part where he was doing this to one up his father, to show him that he could do better than he had ever done. Sparing Jesse the details of his family affairs was a no-brainer; things were already cumbersome enough without anyone knowing. 

“Have you ever thought about producing your own show? Those fans of yours would gladly raise up their hands to sponsor it. In a heartbeat.” It was a possibility after all, a huge one, and Hunter would be very surprised if Jesse hadn’t given the matter some thought. He would have leveraged on the connections he had made tonight to get ahead in his career if their roles were reversed. 

At the mention of the tiara, Hunter’s eyes flickered over to Jesse before giving him a sharp smile, saying, “It may be for charity but at its core, it’s an investment. The jewellery auction market is on the rise, and if word gets out that the Claringtons can fetch a much higher price than most auction companies out there, people will start coming to us with their precious heirlooms. Why auction them off publicly when you can do it privately instead? And at a much more attractive return?” He mused, tossing his drink back in one swallow and pouring another. 

“Why? Were you consideri–” His words were abruptly cut off when the lights suddenly went out, leaving them in near darkness except for that eery glow that was coming from the windows, stretching across the floor and into the hallways. Quick as a flash Hunter stood up, whipping his head around to grasp his surroundings. And to think that they were this close to reaching the land. “Don’t move.” He said calmly. He had no idea what was happening, but years of experience had taught him to remain vigilant at times like this. Running almost always trigger an innate predatory response which could easily lead to a sudden attack.

They both stood in total silence until suddenly, Hunter heard footsteps running towards them. He held out a hand in front of Jesse just in case, but was ultimately relieved when he realized that those footsteps actually belonged to his men. “Took you all long enough.” Before he could make his way towards them, however, the beeping sound of his phone caught his attention and he raised his eyes, staring down at the screen for a split second before holding it up and smashing it against the bar. “Everyone who works for me is fucking useless. You call yourselves professionals? How the fuck did they even get into that room, completely unnoticed?” Hunter snarled. He was already worked up, annoyed, and in no mood to deal with this bullshit. 

“We’re heading up, now.” He commanded as his hand went to an inside pocket and pulled out a gun, already striding away from Jesse and towards the front. They had wasted far too much time and he would be damned if he let them get away with this, with the tiara. “You’re coming with us.” Hunter turned around and gave Jesse an appraising look, knowing for a fact that it would be much safer for him to stay with them than wandering off on his own. After receiving a sharp nod from Hunter, one of his men pulled out a gun and threw it to Jesse, before turning and following their boss out of the door. 

“Well, no one is going to ever doubt that after tonight,” Jesse gestured at the room around them, still stunning as ever, even as the night was winding down to an end for most. These extravagant affairs always served as a clear reminder that the Claringtons stood above all in the world of money - simply put, they could own your ass. “Not that they ever did in the first place.”

Jesse nodded his head along with Hunter’s question, wholeheartedly agreeing that he would have little problems getting the funding for a show of his own. “Oh, absolutely. I think a lot of performers consider it at one point or another... problem is, we all love to be center stage, and producing a show doesn’t allow that unless you do the dick move and cast yourself as the lead,” Jesse commented before knocking back another shot of whiskey. “Though, honestly, if anyone is going to cast themselves in their own show, you know it’s going to be me.” Jesse chuckled as he set his glass down on the table again. His reputation in show business would definitely allude to that, and if they were going to expect it from him, might as well do it, right? “It’s probably why I haven’t really decided on moving on to anything in particular.”

Hunter’s sudden shift into sharp analysis of selling the tiara in a private auction didn’t come as a surprise to Jesse - it made perfect sense to do so, especially if they wanted to rise ever higher in society as a name. Why not push it to the limit, if you had the means? Hunter’s question about Jesse’s interest was abruptly cut off by the darkness that suddenly enveloped them. Jesse’s pulse quickened as he looked about, trying to find some kind of reason for the power outage - though it was silly; he highly doubted whatever happened had taken place in this room.

Jesse followed Hunter’s command without protest, knowing that making a sudden run from the room or calling out to others was probably not the greatest idea, in the case that this was something criminal. Until they knew more, it was best to err on the side of caution. The sound of nearby footsteps which were quickly approaching caught Jesse’s attention, and he turned to look in the direction they were coming from.

He released the breath he had been holding, his muscles relaxing slightly as he quickly realized they were part of Hunter’s security. 

Hunter’s explosion - and consequently, the destruction of his phone - caused Jesse to jump suddenly, more out of surprise than fear. Whatever it was - and if Hunter’s words were any indication, theft - had Hunter swiftly walking away from them, and Jesse wondered if he should just go back to his room now.

He was only slightly relieved when Hunter demanded that he go with them - they were, after all, heading straight for the trouble, after all. Not expecting the gun suddenly tossed at him, Jesse caught the cold steel in his hands somewhat awkwardly. The adrenaline surged through his body, snapping him into a more focused mode as he checked the safety and quickly followed after Hunter and his security.

The adrenaline was still pumping through Hunter’s veins like a strong drug even as the night came to an end. He couldn’t help but feel relief that they would be returning to land soon. The sooner he could get away from his own parents, the better. Having to spend the entire week meeting his father’s scrutinizing gaze was more than enough to make him dislike the cruise in general, although, he couldn’t deny that the gala had given him the chance to reconnect with some old, lost bonds. Like Kitty, for example, and as it turned out, Jesse St. James as well. 

“What can I say? I’m a very busy man.” He replied easily, matching Jesse’s teasing tone with a quip of his own. It had been far too long since Hunter had seen him last, and while he had a vague idea of how Jesse had been progressing in his career from the news, he knew next to nothing about his personal life. It was truly a shame that they hadn’t been keeping touch, for Hunter had always found Jesse’s company enjoyable. They were both arrogant, ambitious, and had similar taste. Every conversation they’ve ever had had been met with approval from Hunter’s end, which was a rarity in and of itself. 

Hunter liked people with intellectual, fiery depth, and Jesse was definitely in possession of that.

“Here,” Hunter said as he filled another glass to the top with whiskey and handed it to Jesse. “You’ve caught me in an excellent time.” He let out a chuckle and clinked his glass to Jesse’s, downing his shot in one gulp and wincing a little as it burned his throat.

“So, did you find the gala satisfactory? You weren’t pestered for autographs, were you?” Most of his guests were elites with too much money and time to spare, so he wouldn’t be surprised if they had gone to his show for more than once, or perhaps even twice. 

“Some things never change,” Jesse grinned, taking the glass and clinking it against Hunter’s. As long as he had known the other man, something always demanded his attention, and Jesse had always assumed it came with being born into a wealthy, elite family. Their conflicting busy schedules was - no doubt - the reason he had hardly seen Hunter in a while, despite the fact that they lived within the same city and sometimes existed in the same circles. Now he had to wonder, when was the last time they’d really sat down to talk? Had a drink together?

Jesse downed his glass in one shot, almost instantly feeling the fire in his stomach. He cleared his throat, not really used to the burn of whiskey anymore. Approaching thirty with a successful career meant long nights of throwing back shots of whiskey were a rarity. While he did go out for after show dinner and drinks, his drinks consisted of cocktails and glasses of wine or champagne. Still, it felt good to let loose a little, especially when he knew he was in good company.

“As usual, your family throws another impressive gala,” Jesse grinned and placed the glass back down in front of Hunter. Every time he came to one of these events, Jesse convinced himself that the Claringtons couldn’t top it with the next one; he was always wrong. For some reason, he was reminded of John Hammond from Jurassic Park: We spared no expense.

“Of course I was,” Jesse said with a pleased grin. 

It was somewhat perplexing that in a room filled with so many other performers - some of which they likely had closer connections to than each other - they were still both attempting to entertain a conversation that neither seemed to be too invested in. She could almost swear she’d caught him eyeing an escape route more than once over the rim of his drink. At the very least she could appreciate his dedication to Blaine’s friendship, at the very least that was a safe topic of discussion they could both agree on. 

“Mmm,” she hummed thoughtfully around her drink, “while there’s merit to the idea that it can help to know someone in the business, there’s a certain level of satisfaction that comes from knowing your achievements are all your own, that you reached the level of stardom you’ve always dreamed of due to your own talent and dedication,” a short shrug followed as she spotted Blaine again in the crowd, her back straightening a bit “there’s power in not owing your success to anyone.” Who knew that better than she did? As if snapping out of a daze, she again smiled and continued, “that said, I hope you hear back on those auditions soon, the more opportunities that are open to him, the better.”

It baffled her - though perhaps it shouldn’t have - how seemingly proud he was of being considered heartless, an emotion she was sure was written on her face as her eyes rolled at his giddiness over the comments. In a way, it almost reminded her of a much younger version of herself, one that used to believe that a bad reputation was better than no reputation at all. “Right. Well. I suppose that’s one of the benefits of being a man in our industry; you can wear those labels with… pride, I guess? Never truly seeing any sort of backlash for their behaviors, while they’re attributed to being a method actor, or something along those lines. Women, on the other hand, are expected to be sweet, demure and accepting lest they be shunned with those same labels,” though her words were harsh, she did her best to keep a friendlier tone; the last thing she needed was to be accused of starting a scene. 

This was not the place to hold this conversation, much less when she could feel her pulse quickening in a mixture of annoyance at his pleasure over his own reputation. Not when one of her hands had already moved to her hip as it often did when she went into a lecturing mode, she was only glad she still had her glass of champagne in the other hand lest her body language fully shift to something much less friendly.

What was it about Jesse St. James that seemed to push her buttons so easily?

“Keep it. I only hope it’s enough to cover the drink. I’m afraid all my other cash has already gone to the bartender, though if it’s not I think it’d only be fair I cover your next drink… Or better yet! You could start a tab with Blaine’s name and place it under his?” She chuckled, again attempting to smooth over the awkwardness of having just given him a stern lecture only moments before.

Musicals. That was always a safe choice amongst performers, and it proved no different now as she quickly found herself enthralled at the mention of Wicked. “Oh! I adored Wicked when I was in it! Easily one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve been involved with. West Side Story is still on my list of dream shows to perform in; but all great choices to consider. I assume you’d be going for the role of Fiyero, yes?“ She nodded at his next question as she finished her own drink, “I am, yes,” the role was all but hers but this was the last person she felt comfortable confiding in, “I worked with Duncan and Steven on Spring Awakening, so once I heard they had a new show in the works, I jumped at the opportunity. Isn’t it every performers dream to originate a role on Broadway?” She nodded, but felt the need to add, “Regardless, I do have a few other projects in the works at the moment. It’s imperative to keep busy.”

Jesse found Rachel Berry somewhat perplexing - if only for the fact that she just seemed so defensive with him. No matter what he had said so far - even if it truly wasn’t meant to be something snide - she had taken it as such and made to defend herself. Jesse wondered what - if anything - he had done now or in the past to prompt this sort of behavior with him. Surely they hadn’t met before? No - he was certain he’d remember meeting her.

“Well, yes, of course, it’s satisfying to be able to say that you’ve done it yourself, but how many people who are currently big name stars can honestly say that they didn’t get some help from a friend here or there?” Jesse shrugged and leaned back against the bar. He wasn’t saying Blaine should go and sleep with a bunch of directors to get a spot in a show, but rather, he should at least recognize that getting an audition from another friend wasn’t exactly a strike to your pride. “Yeah, I hope something comes up. I’m eager for Blaine to be on Broadway already, you know?”

Jesse almost groaned aloud once she began her feminist diatribe. Of course, she had good points - he wouldn’t deny that - but this was neither the time or place for this kind of conversation. Still, it all stemmed from the fact that she’d misunderstood him and her overtly defensive behavior with him. He wanted to outright ask her what he’d done to make her so on edge with him, but he felt it would be rude, and he didn’t need a twenty-minute character assassination in this small, crowded bar. Maybe he would just ask Blaine later.

“I don’t feel pride over it,” Jesse smiled wryly as he peered around the room. He wondered how many of these people felt about him the way that Rachel seemed to. Surely, her apparent opinion of him wasn’t a rarity - but probably the rule. “As long as I don’t lose work over it, I don’t care. Besides, what can I do? Any defense on my part just looks... shady. Like I am definitely a heartless jerk who’s full of himself, but I just don’t want to ‘fess up to it,” Jesse shrugged as he turned to face Rachel again. Perhaps she was in the same boat - a victim of baseless rumors that she couldn’t quite defend, lest she just prove that they’re true. “I like to think people can decide for themselves what kind of person I am when they meet me.”

Jesse grinned at the idea of starting a tab for Blaine as he pocketed the cash. “As tempting as that is, I promised him a couple of drinks, and I’m guessing he figured one for himself and one for you fell under that. Either way, I’m not that upset about it.” In the end, Blaine had at least given him an interesting interaction, even if it hadn’t turned out to be the most pleasant. He could at least now say he’d met Rachel Berry, though he doubted it would ever really come up again. He wondered what Blaine would ask him later about all of this, and more, what had Blaine expected to come of leaving the two of them alone?

“Yeah, Fiyero is a natural choice for me, I think,” Jesse nodded with a smile, amused at the sudden shift of energy in the conversation. So musicals turned out to be a fairly safe topic. “I’m going to guess... you played Elphaba? West Side Story is such a classic... it seems a shame not to have performed in it yet.” Jesse set his glass down on the bar, intrigued by her upcoming project. It was amusing to think she was just lecturing him about the satisfaction in doing it yourself. Still, it was impressive to be originating a role, and he envied her for that. “That really is every performer’s dream. Congratulations, Ms. Berry.”

It’s not just that, honestly. I used to think that roles or even auditions should be earned through the traditional way, and anything else is simply unfair. But I suppose that’s just me being needlessly stubborn because the world of work is full of unfairness anyway. Those who already have the advantage of better educations and better financial resources can easily parlay those advantages into securing more valuable opportunities, and then there are those who are simply born with raw talent. 

I’ll think about it, but I suppose the better question is – are you sure you want to help me, Jesse? I have a feeling that once I get onto that stage, I’d be unstoppable. 

Of course they should be earned - this is Broadway, not Hollywood. However, the people putting together the shows are going to circle back to faces and voices they know, and even if they don’t, it’s usually on recommendation of someone who knows how to spot talent. So, sure, audition and get roles because you’ve impressed the directors, but knowing about the auditions in the first place is where the help comes in. And you’re right - some people are simply born with a better station in life. Don’t let that stop you from going after something you obviously want.

Blaine Anderson, I’d love to see you try to upstage me.