Color Blind

Clubbing at the BlackHole

ANDY:

You could hear the thumping bass three buildings down from the club that was neutral territory, not that I knew anyone that frequented this place in particular, which is why I felt it was safe to bring him here. No one who was in a gang came here as far as I knew, so no one would think to use my companion as leverage. I gently helped him off the bike and placed his helmet under the seat when he handed it to me, his head turned towards the thumping building in awe. "What is this place?" Ry gravitated a few steps closer, his fingers reached back to rest on my wrist, his voice a quiet murmur of wonder.

"It's called BlackHole, it's a nightclub...is it okay? I mean, if you want, the museum is still gonna be open for another hour, we could go back if—"

"No!" He shouted whipping around, instantly becoming bashful and curling his hair behind one ear smiling wanly, "I mean, I did like it there and I'd love to go back, but, um, I really wanna check this place out with you if that's okay."

I chuckled, taking him by the wrist and tugging him forward. "I was joking, Ry. Come on, let's go dance." He beamed at me, eagerly nodding, following close behind me, the bass already thumping in our chest by the time we made it to the door after a nearly nonexistent wait, with it being barely eight PM. The bouncer gave Rylan a pointed glance before scowling at me.

"There's no way he's eighteen." He growled firmly, crossing impressively built arms over his thick chest in a dare for me to contradict him and I gave an easy smile.

"Actually he's exactly eighteen as of today, we'd show you, but he can't get a license, but I can prove that I'm twenty and I'll be keeping my eye on him." I flicked out my fake I.D and behind it, a hundred, which I slowly slid in to his hand. He arced a brow, but pocketed my bribe, glancing once more at my wonder filled friend. I gave him a brief glare, trying to keep his mouth shut about the money. If Ry knew I spent a hundred just to get him in, there's no way he'd be okay with it, he seemed as uncomfortable with me blowing money on him as Natta was, but for very different reasons. For Ry, it was sheer pride, self-precedence and 'I can do it myself' that made him glare my wallet back in to my pocket, whereas Natta...she didn't like it because she knew where the money came from.

"You won't let him out of your sight?" The big guy clarified, his stern mouth a thin line of disapproval, it made me think that if I had brought Ry later when there was a real line to get in, my little bribe would've been turned down, like he cared about Ry's wellbeing and didn't want anything to happen to him and not just for the sake of his job or the reputation of the club. A bouncer with morals...guess I really have seen it all now.

"Not for a second and we'll be out of here no later than eleven." I promised, sliding my hand in to Ry's, squeezing, which he seemed to take as a signal for him to turn around and beam excitedly at the bouncer.

"I just want to feel the music...it makes me feel like I can actually see."

Mister Hard-Ass melted a little further, seeming to think a little harder about my opening statement of Ry not being able to get a license and added it up with Ry's sunglasses in the near night time shade and it clicked for him. "Just...be careful in there, okay, kid? Stick close to your friend and if anyone gets too friendly for your liking, you have him come get me." He nodded and bounced a little on his toes, grinning excitedly. "Go on in."

Bam.

He was gone like a rocket, tugging me behind him as he made his way to the edge of the dance floor and simply stood there with his free hand pressed to his chest above his breastbone, smiling bigger than I even thought him capable of. This place was nearly dead, only a hundred people at most and only forty of them were on the dance floor, leaving plenty of room for me to tug him over there, but I let him have his moment, watching silently beside him as his fingers twitched to the beat and he moved his glasses up to the top of his head, sightless eyes misty as he took in what he could of the space around us. "This is....this is incredible, Andy..."