lounge

Jaemin had gone around stabbing at all the sofas in the lounge, grunts of frustration falling past his lips with every of the blade. After he had placed so many holes in each he could no longer stab them without the blade landing into a previous cut he kicked them over and began stabbing at the bottoms only for the blade to not give the sensation or similar to cutting through human flesh that the front had and he screamed and threw his blade before crawling after it, sitting in the corner and hyperventilating before looking down at his own unmarked skin and contemplating.

"The truth. He just isn't ready to hear it." Dokyeom felt like his emotions had been slapped by the man as though he had made unsolicited advances toward the other, it stung to his core and made him question more than regret his actions. Even if Jaemin had to be who he was to survive, he still chose to survive instead of falling victim to his circumstances. Dokyeom knew he was right and maybe that was what had angered the man. Or maybe he was that embarrassed to be rejected. " You know him?" Dokyeom was curious about the newcomer, he didn't want to feel the wrath of es friends or acquaintances for something that was out of his control.

Xiaojun blinked as a fuming Jaemin brushed past him and whirled out of the lounge, taking a few moments to collect himself and assess the situation. Jaemin was easy to rile, maybe, but hard to aggravate. (He suspects it has something to do with the beta's own personality and bratty tendencies.) It had been a long time since he'd seen him that upset, and that triggered a sense of almost twisted curiosity in the omega. Who had the ability to ruffle Jaemin that much? His gaze drifted towards the only other person around, running up and down the human with a cold sort of curiosity. "What did you say to him?"

[] I'm: dying

Jaemin's face twisted in annoyance before he opened his switchblade and held it up to Seokmin's face. Jaemin wasn't sure why he was angry but a stranger telling him he wasn't being himself or couldn't be himself pissed him off. "You don't know me. You don't know about me. I'm who I have to be. I'm who I have to be to survive. So it must be really ing great to just be yourself, to be who you want to be, to choose. But it's not an option for everyone. So Seokmin keep being the you, that you want to be and shove your opinions up your ." Jaemin said standing up and storming out of the lounge.

Dokyeom carefully removed the other from his lap with a uncomfortable chuckle. He was being tested, the man was trying to prove he was just like everyone else who had misjudged him. And Dokyeom wasn't. He had seen glimpses of something in the other that he couldn't quite identify but wanted to dissect. "I want you to be yourself, but seems like you have a difficult time deciding which you to be." Dokyeom said.

"I'm whoever you want me to be for the night. If you have to lie about your career to a perfect stranger there must be something about yourself you want to hide, and I'm hoping it's a large inheritance you like to blow on strippers." Jaemin said straddling the man's lap. And just like that the walls were back up the shallow pleasure driven, thrill seeking stripper was all there was to Jaemin.

Dokyeom tucked the cigarettes back in his pocket and raised a brow at the way the other man spoke. This wasn't just a e, this was someone observant, perceptive and self aware and that scared Dokyeom as much as it intrigued him. "Now you're lying. Being a mistress doesn't suit you. If you're as dramatic about ing some of the most powerful men in the country as you are about getting released from jail they'll have your death ruled an accident in months." Dokyeom cracked a smile. "I'm Seokmin by the way." He said extending his hand for a shake.

"Ha! I know the world can't be changed. I learned that lesson the hard way pretty early on. I went to jail for ion, this time." Jaemin held up his hand a silent rejection of the cigarette. "Can you change that? Can you figure out if it's the loose morals of the newer generation, if it's the failing education system leaving people unprepared to find meaningful work? If it's the influx of dirty money and gangs infesting this city." Jaemin laughed at the last part. Jaemin didn't know why he wanted to talk to the stranger, he usually reserved his voice for dramatic exaggerations and swearing, he wasn't supposed to be aware of how wrong everything was. A pretty face to strangers and a calculative to those that hated him. "At least that's what the noisy politicians campaigning around say. I'm trying to climb up, high up so the mistress to a politician is the goal." Jaemin laughed.

Dokyeom leaned away feeling uncomfortable by how well the beta was able to read him but he simply laughed it off. "And what oft you? Did you go to jail for justice? Were you stupid enough to try to change the world?" Dokyeom said pulling out a box of cigarettes and extending it toward the other man, he didn't smoke but it usually disarmed people's suspicions of him at least for a little while. Dokyeom should be wary of someone so seemingly perceptive, but he was also somewhat enchanted.

"Oh? A bleeding heart. But you're probably one of those work for free doing the right thing types so that's a minus." Jaemin walked over and sat down next to the human staring into his eyes before smirking. "But you're lying. I can tell. Your eyes are brave, counselors look at the world as though it's suffering. I've seen enough of them to know." Jaemin leaned closer. "But you look at the world as though your stupid enough to change it."

"Assaulting an officer and only two weeks? That's pretty lucky unless you just kicked them in the shin or something then I see that as a bit excessive. But how doesn't your boyfriend know you're dating? That isn't a boyfriend at all!" Dokyeom couldn't help but overhear the loud beta lament about his trivial woes and having nothing better to do he decided to provide the distraction the other requested. "So I'm guess you're free from jail. Congratulations! Hope you can stay on the right path. If you need any help I'm a... counselor at a shelter." Dokyeom lied.

"I'm free! I could kiss the ground I'm walking on but I just put on lip gloss. Anyway what's the latest on the street? The latest in the holding cell is that my officer boyfriend who doesn't know we're dating and going to get married one day and move out of this ty city, while I stay home and spend his money got engaged! And I can't just make his fiance... beautiful." Jaemin said smiling and eyeing his switchblade. "Because they're a cop too! And last time I assaulted an officer I spent two whole weeks in jail! I need a distraction or a dirty cop who doesn't mind making it look like an accident." Jaemin sighed dramatically and fell back onto the sofa.

Xiaojun sighs as he rubs a new scar on his hand absentmindedly, splayed out across the couch now that nobody was around. "Peace at last..."

*moseys on over to the Jukebox and braces himself against it with one arm as he tries to find a good song to listen to*

Wonho shrugged nonchalantly, not really bothered by the other's intrusion or dismissal. If he wanted to go about lecturing people to practice a sober lifestyle, more power to him. Yet he was preaching to the choir with the beta, who didn't even drink a of alcohol if he didn't have to. He might look like he did, with his leather and piercings, but that was why a book should never be judged by it's color. Picking up his bright red drink, he made his way over to one of the empty chairs and settled down before taking a sip of the sweet nectar.

"It takes sacrifice to make money Jun. I'm wearing these heels and suffering through the foot pain and if I catch the eye of some rich guy at the club next weekend because of these heels and he wants me to step on him for three times the amount the shoes cost, then my pain and the price were a worthy investment." Jaemin folded arms and nodded firmly believing what he said.

"A religious figure?" Youngjo almost laugjed but released a small snort instead, shaking his head with a smirk. "That would be no fun and you probably know it as well as I do. It's mostly the theme and location that I'm not too fond of. Too many people at once." Sure, the wink caught him offguard but it didn't show at all. "I might approach some other time then, pretty boy." And just like that, the conversation ended and he was all by himself again.

"Maybe he's just somebody who knows his preferences and wallet well, Jaemin." Xiaojun snorts into his tea, shaking his head at the younger as he curled up on the couch, watching him strut around. "I don't think he's into you. And no, I don't need a pair of heels that I would never wear. They look uncomfortable anyhow."

"Why shouldn't you be in a strip club? Are you a religious figure or something?" Jaemin was becoming more intrigued by the stranger. "But don't worry I also have an hourly rate for private events. Or maybe strippers aren't your thing, I'm not the look but don't touch type, for a fee, anyway." Jaemin sent the stranger a wink before walking away continuing to break in his shoes, huffing in frustration when his heel was rubbed again.

"They were a gift, I had to work real long and hard to get these." Jaemin subconsciously massaged his jaw thinking back to the 'work' he did. Before he smiled realizing who he was talking to. "I'm only going to wear them once but I think they'd fit you, want them?"

Staying silent as another person spoke up and glances at both of them with his gaze jumping around, hands now resting by his sides for once withoit the need to move around or do something. "I don't think it's a place where I should be, sorry. Glitter and colorful isn't my style."

"They're really eye catching I don't usually wear shoes on stage but Saturday's theme is Brazilian Carnival. And Naver tells me there's a lot of glitter and colors involved and not a lot of clothes, so colorful glitter shoes seemed like a good option! You should come." Jaemin smiled, having already taken in the man's appearance and deciding he might have some level of wealth, but it didn't matter if he was wrong.

"why not?" Xiaojun only sniffs at Wonho's brash attitude, turning away from the beta as if he thought it unworthy to continue the conversation any further. He was conveniently saved by the (exaggerated as always) entrance of Jaemin, frowning a little at the choice of footwear. "That must be your week's salary, no?"

The sounds had his head turning into the direction of the source and his eyebrow moved up before he knew it, the sight obviously surprising the male. "Interesting shoe choice but hello." Youngjo responded at some point, words chosen carefully.

Jaemin came in taking exaggerated steps in his sparkling heels, trying to break them in before he wore them on stage at the club next weekend. He hissed as he made a misstep and the strap rubbed over his heel for the hundredth time. He was distracted from his pain by a stranger and smiled while approaching the man. "Hi."

Not havinh anything better to do, Youngjo decided to actually look for some company, repeatedly fixing his perfectly ironed, white shirt as if it didn't fot perfectly enough already. "Looks like it's quiet here.. just my luck."

@ω xiaojun ((lol he'd still would have said the same thing. The kicker is that Wonho doesn't drink alcohol))

@β wonho []he was yee and also wonho would kind of know who Xiaojun was
Like he’d know that he was one of the higher ups

The lecture caught Wonho off guard and the beta quirked an inquisitive brow at the uppity, judgemental omega who decided to make his business his own. He'd barely gotten his order out before Xiaojun was assuming the worst, but all he'd ordered was a Shirley Temple. "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. You're in a bar. Of course most people are going to drink. Are you going to tell them all they're dead men walking, too?" He asked as if he was stating a fact rather than challenging.