with a little bit of gold and a pager.

[kennyjr]

"fresh hair cut clean shave with the raa-zor."'
-----

Kenny Fox had learned that you didn't have to be a Winchester Community College student to benefit from the semi-respected collegian establishment; he had found that most anyone could take advantage of student privileges down town or even sneak around campus if they really wanted to. He often stayed over in the dorms, ate the food in the meal halls and used the school's buses, but nothing could quite top the student bar.

There really wasn't any other club quite like it. It wasn't the physical setting; it had all the basic necessities: a good sound system, an interesting lighting scheme, a large dance floor and a decent sized bar. Rather, it was the simple fact that as a student bar it's entire population (sans himself and a few other fellow leeches of the system) of patrons were college students.

Shouting, dancing, hooking up, breaking up, falling together, falling apart, rash and stupid and drunk on youth - college students.

Kids his own age, bursting with the same unapologetic, chaotic lust for life, sticking their middle fingers to the older generations, to the establishment and the politics and the decaying archetypes of the status quo - !

He swore it felt just like coming home.

He stood at the bar, taking neat gulps from the beer bottle held loosely in one hand and slow drags from the cigarette in his other, his cap tilted up high away from his face, the heel of one of his nikes tapping against the back of the stool beside him. He had the slow, distracted movements of an individual who had consumed far more than the doctor recommended dose of cannabis, and he was eying the kids on the dance floor with envy.

The reason he wasn't out there using girls in short skirts as an excuse to move to the music was because, surprisingly enough, young Kenny did actually have a reason for spending so much of his time on a college campus he didn't actually attend. He had a certain associate by the name of Tobi Crush who was a freshman, who he was supposed to be meeting.

Here.
...Now.

Actually, more like ten minutes ago, but Tobi hadn't showed; Kenny had begun to suspect he was probably outside in the back, crouched behind a dumpster smoking a clip. And so he'd made himself comfortable next to the bar, contenting himself for the present with people watching.

Perhaps in a few minutes he'd summon up the energy to go meet someone, but for right this moment he was floating on the lazy, enjoyable lull of the cannabis high; all else would have to wait.

[ticogamble]

Tico came to the student bar for a variety of different reasons. A main one being, well, they served alcohol. And, being that this was a college bar (and in Las Vegas, at that) they didn't give a shit how old you were. You just needed a nice student I.D. or a friend with one- or, hell, say you 'left it at home'. The business was good for them, so where you came from wasn't really as much of an issue as how much you ordered.

Tico always ordered the same old here because he was one of those people who got comfortable with one thing and became tough to budge in another direction. "Henny on the rocks." And that was all you had to say. That shit went down like some kind of honey, and he loved it.

The atmosphere here was pretty wild- and that was one thing that contradicted with Tico himself. It wasn't like he minded the noise, or the tight space with people pushing past you. He just didn't fit completely into the scene. Not yet. The alcohol would help. But the blunt he'd had earlier had mellowed him out quite nicely. The bass in the music was keeping his head bobbing casually as he watched the mass of bodies in the middle of the floor moving together to the beat (except some of the rhythm-less fools).

Another reason he came here. Everybody was so much more themselves. No one was here to put on airs. The liquor intake was too high, and the mood was too carefree for that.

And it was nice to be carefree for a change.

He'd entered the bar with a few of his boys, but from there they'd split. His friends gravitated to the dance floor, to them loose hoes. Tico wasn't so interested. He just wanted that henny. Wanted his friends to please not bring back another of their extras for him to attempt to entertain.

What he was actually a bit interested in was the dude some ways down the bar from him, head turned in a different direction (thankfully). He knew some hot little bitch was going to get that, and it kind of killed him a bit inside. It was fucking frustrating. But he remembered the henny and let his eyes fall away from the fly guy in his upturned cap. "Not even, Tico." He'd mumbled into his drink and he took a much larger sip than he probably needed.

[kennyjr]

It was a good five minutes before Tobi returned, drifting across the floor to where Kenny was still standing. They greeted each other in a mutually distracted murmur, both immediately recognizing that they were in a similar state of mind. "Doin' aiight?" Kenny asked after a moment filled with the pulsing bass of the club music.

Tobi grinned lazily, running a hand through his short, curly hair before replacing the Yankees cat he was wearing. "Most dope. You been standin here waiting for me this whole time?" He looked around, tsking quietly in disapproval. "Hopeless."

Kenny made a dissenting sound - but already Tobi was looking around, taking in the scene with a slow, measured look. He clicked his tongue, waving off Kenny's excuse and saying, "Ay, that's Tico, he's cool, he lives in the dorm next to me. Smokes dank shit." The irritated expression that had passed briefly over Kenny's face vanished and he peered curiously - and as subtly as was possible - across the bar.

Whoever Tico was, he was attractive, and according to some sources, "smoke[d] dank shit".

"Yeah," he said, straightening off the bar as Tobi lead the way over. Kenny followed a few steps behind, hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt as his friend greeted Tico with a loud, "'suuuuupppp," his voice obviously slow.

"Ay, this is my boy Kenny."
Kenny took up his cue with not too embarrassing of a delay, stepping forward into the conversation and tipping his head. "Whuddup."

He was even more attractive up close.
Nice.

[ticogamble]

Tico had forgotten all about his little reminder of how lonely being into guys could be. His henny was doing just what he'd asked it to, and now he could bob his head more comfortably, not worrying about what all the fine, straight boys were doing as he was over here all awkward, leaned against the bar.

Whatever, right? It was all good.

He did, however, feel like it was necessary to check on the guy in the up-turned cap. It would be a crying shame if that boy wasn't getting any good tail, straight and looking like that.

Just as Tico'd expected, the spot where the boy had been was now empty. He was at least glad that someone was getting some. Not him, but you know, he was in no hurry.

The drawn out 'sup' from a familiar voice made his head turn- and ohh shiiit, it was Tobi with that good-looking kid in the cap in tow. Not fair. It was one thing to admire from afar. Now this guy was feet away and looking like that. How dare he. His eyes went between the two, light, lazy smile coming onto his lips.

Kenny was him name. It was perfect.

"Yo, man." He said to Tobi, before turning his head to Kenny. He's jussst a guyyy. "You must be pretty dope, hanging with Tobi here." He commented back to the boy with a nod of his own. Kay good, he hadn't given himself away yet. Now if his ears could keep from getting any redder.

[kennyjr]

Kenny had never been very good at keeping his eyes to himself. It was one reason he was so often seen wearing sunglasses; that way no one could tell when he was shamelessly admiring eye candy. Currently he was trying to tear his eyes off of this Tico kid's ink. His eyes made lazy, intrigued tour of the other's arms before settling amicably back up on his face.

Tobi laughed at his side and slid into the seat next to Tico to order a drink, saying cheekily, "He's aiight." And Kenny clicked his tongue and tipped his head back dismissively, lazy and mostly unphased, throwing out a casual, "Yo fuck you man." Turning back to Tico he said, "I taught him errythin he knows," he said with good-natured self-confidene, grinning crookedly.

And then, ever the smooth talker, he cleared his throat and asked, "So yo, you go to school here? Tobi said you live in the same dorm."

[ticogamble]

Tico wasn't sure whether the henny was playing with his head or not, but through the thin frames of those shades Kenny had on, he was sure he saw his eyes studying up on him. It was making him a bit self-conscious, and a lot flustered. Thank god for black skin hiding the shade of red that was probably under there somewhere.

Tico bit into his lip in a moment of uncharacteristic sheepishness. This was new, this feeling of anxiety in the close proximity of someone he felt some kind of attraction too. There had been such a dry period, of sitting off on the sidelines, kinda watching fly guys float past. This was probably the continuation, but a twinge of wishful thinking made him think otherwise.

Pulling himself out of his shy, flustered state, he smirked again, calmly amused by the two friend's banter. Nodding as if in belief when Kenny claimed that he taught Tobi here everything he now knew.

Looking back to Kenny directly now as he asked Tico a question he shrugged a shoulder, "Some school here and there, yeh." He chuckled quietly, trying to remember the last class he'd actually attended, "He chills in the room next to me, though." Tico confirmed, cocking his head to the side, trying to keep his eyes on the boy's face,

"How 'bout you, man? Ain't really seen you 'round the school much." He mused, wondering if he just hung around to chill with Tobi.

[kennyjr]

Perhaps Kenny needed a darker pair. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose lazily with one finger, because of course he noticed the sudden air of uncertainty this kid Tico was giving off; it didn't mix well with the contrasting edge of stoner, the lazy, vacant look in Tico's eyes.
Ah, Kenny needed to get better at checking men out, people would start thinking he was funny.

Not that he regretted it, honestly. Why have all those tats if you don't want people admiring them (and Kenny did, he really did).

"Here an there?" he asked, grinning. "That sounds aiight. My man Tobi goes to all his classes, he's got no damn free time anymore." He tsked in the Saint's direction, but Tobi had started up a conversation with a girl next to him. From what Kenny could tell, it wasn't going very well, but ah, it was precious the way the boy tried. Kenny was rooting for him.

"I don't go to school here," he confirmed, rocking back on his heels before moving forward and taking the empty seat on Tico's other side. "Barely made it outta high school man, school's got nothin' to teach me." He whisked his hat off, dropping it onto the bar counter as he rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully. "Whatchu' here for?" And then, to clarify, "Whutchu majorin in, I mean."

[ticogamble]

"Enough free time to light up outside the mess hall." Tico smirked, looking out of the corner of his eye at Tobi and the chick he was now trying to entertain. She was aiight. The kid could do better, but that wasn't really his area of expertise anyway.

Tico nodded finally when the boy confirmed that he didn't go to school here. He had suspected not, the air of 'too cool for school' surrounding him. He was a little disappointed since he really hadn't gotten a chance to meet many other cool(black) kids on campus.

Sitting back against the bar head turned in Kenny's direction, he shrugged, trying to think of how to explain why he was still in school. It hadn't really been his plan. But then again, he hadn't made any plans.

"This was pretty much the only place that accepted my application." He stated first, with a small smirk and a shake of his head before shrugging. "I ain't got nothin' better to do, and my moms was pretty hyped for me to go, so I went." He went on, reaching around for his glass and taking another drink, holding onto the glass in both hands. "Decided Law and Criminal Justice could be pretty chill." He finished, sloshing the henny around absent-mindedly.

[kennyjr]

Kenny scoffed, the sound playful, and glanced over to where his best friend was sitting, blissfully oblivious to the fact that he was being talked about; his attention was too focused on the girl for whom he'd just bought an expensive (bitch) drink. Bitches were gonna' rob the poor brother blind.

"There's always enough free time for that, dawg," he replied, finishing his beer and ordering another with a little wave to the bartender.

Kenny turned back to Tico, nodding, but then his face morphed into a grimace; "Law and Criminal Justice, homie? Shit, you're not gonna be a cop, are you?" He tsked in a clear show of how he felt about the justice system, murmuring his thanks to the bartender, who had arrived with his beer. "Or you gonna be a lawyer?"

[ticogamble]

"Ain't that the truth." He said with a smile, knowing he always made time for another joint- no matter what else there was to do. Poor Tobi, he'd thought, though, giving up his dough for a chick. That was one thing Tico was glad he'd never have to do. I'll keep my cash for myself, thank you very much.

Raising a brow at Kenny when he asked him if he were thinking of going into the police force he gave a short laugh, shaking his head,

"Nah, man, nah. I'd get kicked out the academy the moment I took the drug test." He said honestly, smirking now, shrugging in thought,

"Ain't really got an occupation picked out. But brothas sure do need some good defense attorneys. I might do somethin' like that. If I do anything with my degree at all." He shrugged. He really didn't see how he was going to get through college. Four more years of school.

Well, as long as his mom kept getting that same old look in her eyes every time they talked about him in college, he was going to at least try.

"Watchu doin, then? If college ain't yo thang?" He asked after a minute. He couldn't put a finger on what this kid would be doing. He seemed the artistic type, though, which you know was totally cool with Tico.

[kennyjr]

"Word," Kenny replied distractedly, waving the bartender down for another beer, his gaze settling for an absent-minded moment on the smooth, stained wood of the bar top. He glanced up in time to see the direction that Tico was looking in, and he followed his gaze to Tobi. He snorted quietly, amused, as the girl accepted Tobi's drink... only to get up and walk briskly away from him with it. "Ey, tough break, homes," he said dryly, but his beats man was never one to be discouraged; already he was making his way further down the bar to another lonely looking girl.

"Good," he said firmly when Tico once again recalled his attention back to their conversation. "I don't fuckin' talk to police, man." He thanked the bartender, paid with a crumpled bill, and took a large swig from the lip of his beer. "And ain't that the truth, bro. Too many penny pinching DAs out there, not lookin' out for the people they're supposed to be defending." He frowned, displeasure carved into the lines of his face, simmering in the doped out brown of his irises: "The system's fuckin' broken."

But just as quickly as it had come, the intensity of Kenny's emotions passed like a wave; his expression smoothed out into its usual look of laid back confidence and he grinned at Tico, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, y'know, I gotta' day job, keep the roof over my head, bread on the table." He paused in a rare moment of abashment before adding casually, "But I'm trynna' make it as a rapper, you know... I do gigs and freestyle underground." He shrugged, glancing away swiftly and taking a drink before saying, "It keeps things interesting, at least. You listen to any rap?"