undergrounds | [OPEN] The sun don't ever want to shine

1. Singing @ Rhapsody in Red (a night club in Hackney) - Sept 4, evening

Singing at the club was quickly becoming Caroline's favourite thing. She'd always love to sing and was very proud of herself for being able to job doing it - and all without turning to mind control to land it. And sure, the place wasn't the nicest club in the world but the money was good and the customers generally behaved themselves. But most of all, on this little stage she was able to just put her emotions out there and not feel self conscious about it.

So far, London had not been what she'd hoped. Instead of feeling free in her life, she felt more trapped than ever. Trying to figure out just what was going on in the Nest from one day to another was exhausting - let alone dealing with any of the other factions and their politics. Plus, she missed everyone back home desperately. She had expected to be a little homesick but it was hitting harder than she'd anticipated.

All these feelings somehow led to her singing better than she ever had before.

She was singing the last song of her first set, an original rather than yet another cover, called Why Don't You Stay. It was a fairly standard break-up song, but there were a few lines that just had extra resonance now ...

I never thought it'd be so hard to let go.

When it was over, she was definitely read for a break. And a drink.

2. Outside Guilty Pleasures - Sept 5, evening

Soon after arriving in London, Caroline had decided to spend her nights off exploring Nest territory. She'd done a pretty good survey of Hackney by this point, so tonight it was time to go to Tower Hamlets. She's already done the tourist thing and checked out the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge, so tonight she was hoping to find places of "local colour."

She's pretty sure it doesn't get more uh, colourful, than Guilty Pleasures. She was pretty sure she'd heard the name before, though right now she couldn't remember why. She also couldn't decide if she wanted to brave going inside or not. It was about as far from her usual scene as you could get. But that was old, Mystic Falls Caroline. New, London Caroline was still figuring out her scene.

She was out there thinking about it for awhile.

3. Wildcard (must be @ night in Nest territory)

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Jean-Claude offers her a smile and gestures her towards the line. Motioning her towards the front of it -- they can hardly stand to wait in it, she might get cold feet if she does after all. He nods towards the bouncer as they get to the front, before stepping forward to get the door for her.

"After you, madamoiselle," he says, with a flourish. Of course he does not explain why he is allowed to skip to the front. Nor does the bouncer for that matter. But there could be several reasons why he receives such treatment. Perhaps he is a serious patron? Perhaps he is a dancer? Surely not all choices should point to him owning the place.

"Okay, that was interesting," Caroline says as they cut the line, her curiosity piqued. "Why exactly as you such a VIP ..." Her voice trails off as they enter the club and her senses are all bombarded a once.

"Wow."

Jean-Claude casually side-steps her question about what has them cutting the line in favor of smiling at her response to being let inside the club itself. It is of course a bit tacky, a bit gaudy, a bit over the top, but in all of the right ways. Jean-Claude is a smart businessman, after all, and he knows how to work the club in just the right way to flaunt what it is while not making the customer gag on it as well.

There is a bar of course. And tables to be seated at. And of course a main stage where the real entertainment takes place. Is currently taking place right now. A semi-nude and very flexible young man making himself well-acquainted with the pole on stage and with the front row of the audience for that matter as well. It's why the first row of tables went like hot cakes, after all.

He grins wickedly in response to her speechlessness and comments, as quietly as the beat of the music will allow, "You are speechless, mon amie."

"Yeah ..." she admitted, staring unabashed at everything around her. It was so small town of her but she didn't even care.

In the back of her mind, she was aware he hadn't answered her question, but she was pretty distracted right now. The man on stage was bending ways that she wouldn't have thought possible, especially for a guy.

Finally she managed to look away. "So, do you come here often?"

Jean-Claude offers her something of a smile, tilting his head slightly at her as he does. Does he come here often, she asks. Oh, if only she knew.

"I am here almost every night," he replies honestly. He gestures towards the bar, which is slightly out of the way of the performance and should hopefully put her a little more at ease. "Would you care for a drink?"

Caroline grins. "You know the way to my heart already." Now she just had to figure out his Zodiac sign and favourite colour and they'd be set.

Jean-Claude flips her a flirtatious smile before leading the way over to the bar, summoning the bartender, who seems amazingly ready to hasten to their corner of the bar. Some of the patrons shoot him a somewhat angry side-eye for effectively cutting them in line, but the regulars know who he is and their own glances are far more appraising of him and his partner instead.

"What would you like, mon amie?" he asks.

Now Caroline really wants to know what the deal was with this guy. It's pretty obvious he's someone important. But it's also clear that he enjoys being a man of mystery, so she manages to push her curiosity aside for a bit longer.

She shrugs slowly, smiling. "Surprise me."

Jean-Claude inclines his head at her slightly. "As you like," he says, before he leans forward to murmur quietly to the bartender, his words just too quiet for her to overhear herself.

The man tending the bar seems to understand however, nodding and stepping back to set to work. Jean-Claude turns back to her with another smile. "Then surprised you shall be. Speak now if there is anything you do not care for, though. Lest I need to tell the bartender any adjustments before he's finished."

"I'm open to trying anything tonight," she replies with a grin, then looks around again. The club really is something else. She wishes Elena and Bonnie were here too, to enjoy it with her.

"Can I ask what your name is or are you planning to be mysterious about that as well? Mine's Caroline."

He laughs softly at her question and comment about how mysterious he is handling his business here, and decides that sharing his name will not hurt so much in this game they are playing.

"I am Jean-Claude," he says, offering her a coy smile, in case the name should mean something to her. Who knows how much she knows about Guilty Pleasures, perhaps it might ring a bell. "Enchanté."

Caroline's knowledge of Guilty Pleasures pretty much only extended to its location and what it was. So that secret is safe for now.

But now she at least knows his name. Jean-Claude. "Now was that so hard?"

Jean-Claude smiles in response to her question and shakes his head slightly. "I suppose that it was not, no, mon amie," he replies. "You will forgive me. I am used to people knowing who I am as soon as they set eyes on me. The fact that you do not is... Refreshing, if I may say as much."

She smiles back. "What can I say, I'm new in town. No one warned me that I should recognize any handsome Frenchmen who hang around strip clubs."

[OPEN] The sun don't ever want to shine

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