Keanu

[keanufm]

keiynan lonsdale, bisexual, non binary  they/them/theirs― hey look, it’s keanu vestergaard! they’re 28 years old, they’ve lived in shrike heights for  2 years, and they’re currently working as an interior designer i heard they’re pretty pompous, but i think they’re so sociable at the same time. can they make it out alive? || mad, 26, they/them

There’s a new kid in town...

Name: Keanu Edmund Vestergaard Nicknames: Kee Age: 28 Birthday: June 13th, 1963 (Gemini) FC: Keiynan Lonsdale Gender: Non binary Pronouns: They/them/theirs Sexuality: Bisexual Height: 5′10 Build: Fit Vices: Cocaine, Cannabis, Cocktails Character Inspirations: Clay (Less than Zero), Steff McKee (Pretty in Pink), Jake Ryan (Sixteen Candles), Johnny Utah (Point Break), Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)

Background

Keanu was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Their father, an architect by trade, helped open several mega malls across the south. Their mother, a successful business woman in her own right, owned and operated a high end salon that catered to the rich and famous  drawn to the Magic City. With combined efforts they brought Keanu up in the lap of luxury. They’d want for nothing and the lifestyle suited them. 

Much like their parents, Keanu had a natural eye for design and from an early age they watched their father work. Fascinated by the blueprints and models he’d spend hours mocking up it was no surprise they wound up at a prestigious design school out of high school. 

It was in college where Keanu switched gears from architecture to interior design, advertising, and marketing. They realized they cared a whole lot more about the final product and what the consumer would see than the construction of things. Image is something that will always be important to Keanu. 

Keanu had planned to live in Miami for the rest of their life. Their life was interwoven so heavily they couldn’t imagine breaking away from it... until the promise of a paycheck directly out of design school was dropped in Keanu’s lap. Had they only been offered the job to be on the interior design team because their dad was one of the head architects on the project? Maybe but nepotism always worked in their favor. 

Personality

You love them or you hate them. They are as charming as they are cunning. They’re generous and gregarious but there’s is a way about them that comes off phony to some people. Even when they are being kind it’s hard to fully trust their intentions and if you listen closely it’s not hard to catch them telling a sea of little white lies. 

They’re a partier. You’ll catch them buying rounds for the entire bar if egged on. They are always drumming up a good time around them. Back in Miami it wasn’t uncommon for their house parties to last days. 

Extroverted doesn’t even begin to explain how dependant Keanu is on being social. Almost all of their energy they absorb off of other people. If they are feeling down they goes out. If they’re celebrating they goes out. Even if it’s eleven on a Monday Keanu is already itching for happy hour to roll around. 

They’re a Casanova of sorts. Wining and dining are two of their favorite activities and they have a reputation of courting many people at a time and never committing to anything serious. Keanu doesn’t do labels like that. The term wasn’t around back then but they’d definitely claim they were  “ethically non monogamous”. 

Headcanons

They own a house in one of the nicer housing developments  outside of the CBD that also popped up around the same time the mall did. They’re known for throwing house parties and anyone who hears about it is invited. Whether or not you actually catch Keanu outside of the room at one of their shindigs is another story (they really dug that about Gatsby). 

What do they actually do for a living???? No one really knows. If you find them actually at work he’s mainly facilitating work other people are doing. They do a lot of pointing. They also does a lot of sketching and designing but that’s done back in their office deep in the belly of the mall away from the public. 

Keanu had a spending problem. They keep a couple of crisp hundred dollar bills on them at any given time and it’s not uncommon for them to rack up a transaction when out with friends. 

If you’re hanging out with Keanu they’re probably paying for everything especially here in Shrike Heights. 

They’re the type of kid who’s parents would hire professional clowns and caterers for their birthday parties.

Their father may or may not have some enemies...

Huge fan of pineapple on pizza. 

[takemecn]

"as you should be," charlie nodded his head in agreement over keanu's name. charlie was a much more common name than the one keanu had been bestowed, but even so, they both felt like they belonged in their names adequately. while charlie had never been an academic, learning fun little facts such as the origin of tipping was something that greatly interested him - and particularly in the way that he had learnt it from such an attractive individual. he didn't have much more to say on the topic, but he was glad that keanu had shared their knowledge with him nonetheless. "well thanks for letting me know," he smiled. "that's super interesting," he voiced again. "maybe we can start a revolution here, get it back to the old ways," he suggested, though only half-heartedly; charlie didn't actually have any plans to work on the way tipping happened, not even when it would have been smartest to go back to how it was done originally. he laughed at the way keanu teased him. "honestly, with you in the crowd, i would have tried my hardest anyway," he flirted. "don't take my tip back now that you know that, though," he softened the flirting with a joke, not wanting to come on too strong like he so often was told he did.

[keanufm]

Keanu was amused at the idea of actually changing things when it came to tipping. They certainly had the funds to tip blindly but Keanu wasn't sold that Shrike was the kind of place for that sort of forward thinking or maybe more accurately historic thinking. "You work on the service end of things and I'll be sure to put my money where my mouth is," Keanu joked. Keanu was used to being flattered and the flirtation didn't go unnoticed by them. It'd been a while since they'd been flirted with and they blamed it on the podunk town they were in. There was not nearly enough fish for Keanu's liking though they didn't mind who they swam up next to this evening. "I wouldn't dream of it," Keanu insisted before taking a nonchalant sip of their beverage. "That twenty's got a very valuable number on it just so you know," Keanu added as the nudged towards the bill that was now in Charlie's possession. Keanu didn't really care if Charlie did get ahold of them later but the flirtation now was keeping Keanu occupied and they really were the type to live in the moment. "It really is a shame you've got to get back to work."

[bitcme]

"I actually drink a shocking amount of beer for someone who proudly and openly admits that it tastes like dirt," she tells them. For reasons unknown to Chandler, beer and sports go hand in hand, and with the woman loving sports as much as she has always has it only makes sense for her to be a beer drinker, regardless of her preferences. "I'm glad I don't come across as the type to enjoy it, though," she chuckles. "Unless that's a bad thing," she worries, though still with a smile on her face. At the end of the day it doesn't matter a single bit, but even so, Chandler does hope that she comes across as athletic as she always has been.

"That's why you've gotta know good people in this place," Chandler advises them. "When you've gotta make your own entertainment, the people you're with makes it or breaks it," she says. "What kind of stuff are you into? What do you like getting up to?" She asks them, assuming that they're not a competitive athlete like herself, which in turn is Chandler assuming that she can't help them all too much with suggestions on how to keep themself busy outside of the mall. "That makes sense," she agrees with Keanu at their comment about the drinks not mixing well. She makes a note to not mix anything too different if she continues to drink, though she doesn't plan on a wild night. "My best friend works at Julio's, so it's usually pretty good for me other there," Chandler understands why it might not be Keanu's scene, however, from judging their appearance and attitude so far - and she doesn't think this is a bad thing. "Sometimes I find the customers a little old, though," she admits.

[keanufm]

Keanu could only scrunch their nose up at the comment about beer. They were constantly in pursuit of pleasure in life so they saw no reason to indulge in something that tasted awful when there was an option that was much sweeter and nice to do the job twice as fast. "It's definitely not a bad thing," Keanu confirmed. "I don't often associate with folks who look like they drink beer," they went on which wasn't really true. They didn't care what people drank around them as long as they stayed on the same high as them that was the most important part.

While there wasn't much Keanu was lacking in life they weren't nearly as well connected as they once were in Miami. It seemed that you had to have lived in Shrike your entire life to have any sort of credentials here and that just wasn't Keanu's story. "This place isn't exactly welcoming to newcomers," Keanu admitted. That was why they were constantly making their own fun with those who happened to be around more often than not. "Oh you know, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I like going out and having a good time. Been getting into abstract art a lot lately too," Keanu explained. There were plenty of other ways Keanu liked to spend their time but talking about lavish bubble baths and skincare didn't lead to conversation. "Julio's sounds like a hometown favorite around here," Keanu observed. They'd only heard good things about the place. Keanu was more used to spending time in clubs that the bar really wasn't their speed but they'd learned to make do with what was available. "That's exactly why I'm not there right now. The crowd's too old this early in the night. I probably would've gotten stuck drinking some beer."

[enshrikes]

Danny quirked an eyebrow as he took another sip of his drink. "Where to start?" He sighed, half-teasing, before holding up his fingers to count each item. "Let's see, they're loud and obnoxious – by definition, neon or otherwise. They're soulless, corporate entities run by faceless people looking only to make a profit. They kill local businesses in favor of big box stores and chains. The food's not that great. Oh, and I have to work here if I want to make any money in this town." He finished with a pointed look, raising his open hand to display his final count to his companion for the moment.

He knew most people didn't share his opinions, and he understood that his views were biased and deliberately unforgiving, but he didn't care to give the mall or its ownership the benefit of the doubt. He figured Keanu didn't share the same mindset. He smirked at Keanu's comment about the fruit, choosing not to respond and instead bring his glass back to his lips. He also refrained from commenting on how Keanu hadn't ever seen the place busy enough to not offer what they deemed proper service; he thought that just illustrated his point.

Keanu explained the type of people they preferred to spend time with, and Danny offered a short laugh. "What a perfectly vague description," he replied, teasing. "The nightlife's fine, I guess, if you don't want loud music and sweaty dance floors." He shrugged. He certainly didn't, but he wagered Keanu was more likely the type. As he neared the end of his glass, Danny waved over to the bartender, moving on from the fruit-forward drink to something more refreshing. "Tom Collins," he ordered, looking over at Keanu. "You stickin' around for another one?" He asked, eyebrow raised. He wouldn't blame them if they weren't.

[keanufm]

Keanu could only roll their eyes at Danny's response. It was so typical of a townie to have such strong negative feelings about change. Even though Keanu had a counter for almost everything Danny said they opted to keep their opinions to themself. Bickering back and forth about the mall hadn't been on Keanu's to-do list. This kind of talk only soured the otherwise sweet drink in front of them. "There's plenty of local businesses who've taken up space in the mall," Keanu finally decided on. It was something that made Shrike quite unique in Keanu's mind. The place was much more of a community center than other malls Keanu had spent time in in their life.

"I like to keep my options for friends open," Keanu insisted. The more vague Keanu was the more people Keanu could find themself socializing with and thus keeping Keanu from boredom. There weren't many people in Shrike Heights that Keanu wanted to keep close. They thrived in the hustle and bustle of city life and the sleepy town certain saw Keanu as an outsider and while Keanu certainly didn't mind the attention on them it hadn't landed Keanu many friends. Besides, if Keanu had been more picky they never would've struck up a conversation with Danny and would've missed out on this riveting conversation they were having.

Keanu watched as Danny order himself another round. They briefly looked down at their own cocktail that they weren't finished with when he asked the question. A smile crept onto Keanu's face before taking a long sip of their drink to help dwindle down the liquid. "Well I haven't got any other plans for the evening," Keanu began. "Why do you ask? Are you just enthralled with the conversation we've been having?" Keanu teased. They weren't sure if the other was actually lightening up or not but they figured this was the best way to test his mood.

[shujubeelamoglia]

Keiynan Lonsdale

Photography by Jordan Munns

[urdamage]

" yeah , we are close , " akito told them . they'd always been proud of the fact that they were a good big brother to momoko , and a close one , too . while some siblings thought it embarrassing to call a relative a best friend , akito was also proud to call momoko one of his . the pride associated with them being a good brother was no longer as strong , as they had failed their little sister by not being able to save her from her attacks , but the pride he they felt when thinking of her being friend wasn't something that could ever be changed . " that's good to know , " akito wasn't an avid drinker , or someone who went out to establishments like angel's or julio's very often , so it was genuinely good information to learn from keanu - even though it was likely subjective , where had the best drinks . " i would have thought more people would go to julio's for a good drink , as their focus is pretty much just on the drinks , you know ? " while julio's had performances there , too , they were very different on the scale of performance . akito wasn't bringing it up because he didn't believe keanu , he was mostly only bringing the idea up as a talking point .

[keanufm]

"I wouldn't know what that's like. I'm an only child," Keanu explained. They quite liked being an only child and rarely thought about what it might've been like to have a sibling. They had plenty of friends growing up to fill any void that might've been caused by being raised alone and they certainly hadn't minded the spoiling that came with being an only child by their parents. Keanu could see the point he was making but didn't agree. "Some of the best drinks I've ever had have come from restaurants," Keanu explained. They'd done plenty of drinking in their day to support the claim. "Julio's doesn't do anything special they're just run of the mill if you ask me," Keanu went on. Even though Keanu hadn't picked their drink tonight they were used to the cocktail menu that Angel's provided that featured a lot more variety than Julio's did not that Keanu really had a bone to pick with the other establishment. Julio's still beat out the other options in town by being in the mall. Keanu rarely ventured downtown and when they did they didn't bother in places like Creepie's or Wastoid. Keanu really only occupied the CBD and had since they moved to Shrike.

[enshrikes]

Maybe Danny was just being stubborn, or maybe the problem was he just didn’t like malls. Honestly, it was probably a combination. But either way, he didn’t plan on coming around to the saturated, overexposed color palette they’d gone with. “Maybe that’s a problem with malls then,” he countered with a shrug. Made no difference, ultimately – the mall wasn’t going anywhere, no matter what he or anyone else thought. The investors had made sure of that when they’d bought out as many businesses as they could in town.

Danny was admittedly surprised at Keanu’s staunch defense of the restaurant. It wasn’t the sort of place he imagined anyone feeling particularly loyal to, but he’d certainly been wrong before. “Isn’t dried fruit, like, a whole industry?” He asked, purposefully obtuse and reductive. “And still, I bet they don’t cut every garnish fresh when they’re packed. If they do, they must be staffed better than any bar I’ve ever been to,” he added with a short laugh. Of course, he was more the dive bar sort, so his average experience was decidedly skewed, but that wouldn’t stop him.

At Keanu’s answer, Danny felt compelled to follow up. “Who d’you consider the right people, then?” He asked. They seemed highly selective in just about everything so far, and Danny didn’t expect different from this answer. Surprisingly, despite the disagreements, Danny’s usual surliness didn’t go any deeper than its typical surface level. He never had a problem drinking at the bar alone – probably a red flag, if he was honest with himself – but he’d also certainly had worse conversation partners.

[keanufm]

"What do you have against malls? They're a one stop shop for anything you could possibly need," Keanu pointed out. Keanu had always been a mall rat. They'd spent most of their days back in Miami visiting the various malls the city had to offer. That was why Keanu had the shopping addiction that they had today and one of the only reasons Keanu could stand living in Shrike Heights. Even though they didn't have to work very much at their job they found themself often hanging around the mall because it was the only place they found something to do in the small town.

"There's a difference between fruit that's been intentionally dried and a stale piece of fruit," Keanu pointed out. Keanu had nothing against dried fruit when it was intentional. "It doesn't take much to offer quality service. Nor does it take that long to cut up fruit fresh for a drink. I've never seen this place so busy that they couldn't offer proper service," Keanu explained before taking another sip of their drink.

Keanu smiled at the question. Even though they'd been in town for over two years now they hadn't really acquired a friend base in Shrike Heights. Instead Keanu sought out cheap thrills with temporary people. "Anyone who knows how to have a good time," Keanu put simply. "The nightlife here is terrible but I've still been able to find a few people who know how to party," Keanu went on. Even though Keanu had high standards they had to lower them significantly after moving to Shrike Heights.

[inthefear]

"ah, well like well not well like well, gotcha," marty nods in understanding. he appreciates that keanu doesn't mind answering his questions, or that they at least are answering his questions and helping him to expand his knowledge, regardless of how they feel about doing so. "it's expensive, though," marty argues, having guesses about keanu's finances due to everything he's seen so far, and guessing that they're very different to his own, different enough to not think about the fact that some people can't afford a top shelf lifestyle. "especially when i was younger," he says, as if he's not still young, and baby faced enough to prove it. "the best i could get was cheap," he states. "oh-" he reacts to keanu ordering him a luxury drink of his own. "are you sure?" marty has experienced kindness before, but nowhere near enough to be used to it, or to feel entitled to it. "thanks," he settles, excited to try the drink.

[keanufm]

"Exactly there's nothing well about them, they taste awful," Keanu insisted. They already didn't like whiskey much to begin with so they couldn't imagine drinking the cheap stuff. Keanu had always grown up with wealth so they were used to the finer things from a young age and couldn't relate to their fellow patron but they understood where he was coming from. "Were you even able to drink when you were younger?" Keanu asked jokingly. They were terrible at guessing ages and even though Keanu was quite vain they could tell the man was much younger than themself. "I'm positive," Keanu insisted as they took another sip of the drink they had before them. "Everyone should get the chance to try the good stuff at least once in their life."

[survibers]

Reagan did a mock salute when they told her to stay there. She didn't blame them for not extending an invite inside, knowing how she came off but she didn't think of it much. She had actually gotten decent sleep out there on the lawn. But man did she need a good shower as soon as she got home. "Ah you angel," she said and put her hands together in prayer before taking the offerings. Reagan shrugged at the question, taking a good sip of coffee before lighting up the cigarette. She took a moment to let it hit her system before she smiled. "Not particularly. I think it was the last shot that did me in, honestly. That's why I need to stop mixing liquors." She wouldn't actually stop, usually drinking whatever came free but it was nice to think about. "I think I laid here because the grass seemed so comfy and my apartment is still a ways away. Plus the dude I was gonna go home with totally sucked. He lives somewhere over..there," she said and pointed in random direction. "Even the grass seemed better than his bed our couch," she added with a laugh, watching her smoke in the sky. "I've seen you at some parties before though I think. Maybe, memories are a bit fuzzy."

[keanufm]

Keanu was certainly no angel but they'd take the title if given to them. They were doing a kind act after all when they could've instead called the cops on the person passed out in their yard. Keanu had woken up on the right side of the bed this morning and didn't see the need to get cops involved. They were busy enough as it is with all the crime this little town had afoot. Keanu hadn't actually been looking to hear this woman's story for the evening but they weren't surprised by what they heard. It was a classic story and one that many of their friends had told a time or two in their past. Never Keanu though, despite being a partier they never truly loved to be fully out of control that was why they hosted as many parties as they did. The clean up was something they could always pay for and they never had to worry about finding a bed to sleep in. "Well next time try to make it someone else's grass. I've got landscapers and it's not part of their job to remove people from my lawn," Keanu explained. Even though Keanu's home was modest by Keanu's standards they still kept up with the outside of the estate and wanted it to be one of the prettiest in the CBD if they could help it. "You might've. I certainly party," Keanu began. Her face wasn't ringing any bells but then again few people in Shrike had made it to Keanu's permanent memory. "The name's Keanu," they introduced (or reintroduced) themselves.

[survibers]

"This is true, you are very wise," Zeke replied with a grin, his head already moving to the beat of the music around them. "I do fancy, yes. Let's fancy away. I would love a drink." Zeke was usually down for whatever, especially when it came to a drink. He wasn't particularly picky, actually known for always buying the cheapest option at the store or accidentally buying the most expensive without meaning to. "How's your week been? What do you do all day, actually? I feel like we've never talked about that before. Unless we have and I was just blacked out. It happens more often than you would think," he joked with a shrug, it usually happening by accident.

[keanufm]

"The liquor selection is weak, but whatever this punch is is good," Keanu explained having already gotten their hands on the refreshment table before Zeke had arrived which they now led the both of them back towards. There was of course plenty of beer available but that wasn't Keanu's drink of choice so they hadn't even bothered to mention it before they got there. "My week's been fine, I'm glad it's over," Keanu began before smiling at the question. "I don't think we've talked about it before. I tend to do what I want from day to day but if you're asking what I do for work I'm in charge of keeping the mall gorgeous," Keanu explained. That was putting it broadly but they figured that Zeke didn't actually care to know about the meetings about what fake plants should go out for which season and what design should be placed over the not yet occupied spaces in the mall.

[bitcme]

Chandler smiles at Keanu's comment about her drink of choice having to do, completely amused by it and by their attitude. While Keanu's attitude isn't an issue for the girl who has lived her life in affluence, surrounded by people who similarly care to have fine taste, it's an attitude that Chandler hasn't seen a lot of since she's begun to spend a lot more time around people of her own choosing. A little voice in the back of her mind makes note of how she should tell Hector of this interaction, though it's not with the intention of making fun of Keanu, or anything of the likes, it's only because she finds amusement in Keanu judging her personal taste as if they didn't decide to order it themself. "There's definitely worse to be had, I could have ordered a beer or something else that tastes like dirt."

"Yeah, you're right there," she nods her head, Keanu growing on them the more they spoke - though it's not like Chandler wasn't a fan of theirs before now. "I think that's the only reason to be grateful for the mall; you couldn't find a hell of a lot of variety in this town beforehand," she says this like Keanu knew Shrike Heights before the mall, but even though they don't, it also works in informing the other of what it was like pre-mall. "It's actually quite nice," she answers. "I think these kinds of drinks," cream based ones, she means, "get a bad reputation for no reason at all. Well, maybe not no reason, but I think as I'm not just throwing them back like there's no tomorrow I'll be just fine," she chuckles. "Usually I'd be over at Julio's," she tells them. "So the whole experience is kind of new for me."

[keanufm]

"You don't strike me as the type to order a beer," Keanu stated with a grin. They'd never been taught the lesson to not judge a book by its cover. In fact, Keanu spent most of their time thinking about the presentation of things including people. Nothing about her screamed "beer drinker" and that was part of the reason Keanu had decided to take up a spot next to her instead of someone else at the bar. They didn't know exactly what kind of drink they were going to get but they figured it would be sweet even if it was milky.

"I can only imagine. There really doesn't seem to be anything to do in this place that isn't in the mall," Keanu agreed. They'd arrived very shortly before the mall had been constructed and those first few months were terribly boring for Keanu. They were forced to throw themselves into the work that they'd come to town for simply because they had nothing else to do. Small town life really didn't suit Keanu and it still was taking some adjustment to this slower pace of life that they'd stumbled into some two years later. "I think that's where they get their bad reputation. They don't mix well with other drinks," Keanu followed up before taking another sip of the minty beverage. "It's a good thing I don't plan on having too many drinks tonight." Keanu had no real plans for their evening but they didn't expect to have a late night so the drink suited them just fine. "Julio's is sad this early in the night. I only head over that way once the bar is alive," Keanu explained. They didn't mind grabbing a drink at Angel's early on. The atmosphere was more laid back by nature and they weren't stuck drinking with the sad day drinkers that were just beginning to wrap up at Julio's for the evening.

[keanufm]

does keanu regret moving to shrike heights?

Keanu doesn't necessarily regret moving to Shrike Heights they just wished this place was better. His expectations had been pretty low for the town when they moved here so they knew what they were getting into by making the shift from the big city. Still, this was the first real job they'd gotten and one that looked good on their resume so they don't really regret the move in the grand scheme of things for their life.

[enshrikes]

Begrudgingly, Danny had to agree with Keanu's assessment. Part of the reason he'd hated Shrike Heights so much growing up was because of how reluctant it had been to adjust, to change. And now, he was perpetuating the exact thing had drove him so mad back then. So he bit his tongue and shrugged, taking a long pull from his glass. "I'll grant you that, I guess," he conceded. "But what've you got against the more muted colors? Surely improvement doesn't need to come at the cost of my vision." He joked, mouth quirked up in a smirk.

Keanu's chief complaint about Julio's seemed a bit too particular as far as Danny was concerned, but that seemed to be more or less Keanu's style. "Cutting fruit fresh just sounds like a waste of time if you ask me," he mused, taking hold of the orange slice they'd submerged in his drink as he did. "Also sounds like something that flies out the window the second you get even a bit busy. Though I doubt this place gets hit with a rush at last call." He teased before biting into the orange. When Keanu commented on their need to lower their standards, Danny quirked an eyebrow. "And how long does it take for that, usually? Before you'll dare to stoop as low as an actual bar?"

[keanufm]

"Muted colors have their time and place. Just certainly not in a mall," Keanu explained. They happened to really like beige but that wasn't the vision investors had made for the mall they had built. The mall was supposed to be a vision of the future and it only made sense for the space to be bright and bold and eye-catching. Neon was as trendy as it got and Keanu wasn't going to date the mall with muted colors when it was supposed to be shiny and new.

"Trust me, you wouldn't be eating that orange slice if it was cut this morning," Keanu explained taking note that the other was eating his garnish. There was nothing worse than dried out citrus. That went against all the appeal the fruit had. "This place gets busy, I've been in when it's full," Keanu said coming to the establishment's defense. Even though Keanu wasn't terribly attached to Angel's he still believed it made the best drinks. "That all depends on the night," Keanu began. "If I'm with the right people I don't mind migrating to wherever they choose." Keanu liked to follow the party and they had no shame in that. Tonight, however, considering they were alone and not with company that seemed too thrilled to make their acquaintance Keanu planned to stay where they were for the night.

[loisfreakinglane]

My Fake Boyfriend (2022, dir. Rose Troche)

[reedharris]

Reed supposed Keanu was right. But he personally didn't read too much into it. He smirked and shook his head at that. When Keanu asked for clarification, Reed nodded. "Mhm," he said, putting his beer down for a moment. "Electronic, kinda experimental. Looking to make some music you'd hear in a sci-fi movie soundtrack," he said. Then they were talking about Keanu and he smiled. "Big shot from Miami, huh? You must really know people here then, if they pulled you out to the middle of nowhere," he said, raising his brows a little. "So you've got one foot out the door already, I take it. Any idea where you'll go next?"

[keanufm]

Keanu hadn't expected to sit down next to someone so nerdy when they picked their seat at the bar. Sci-fi movies weren't exactly Keanu's cup of tea but they frequented the cinema enough that they'd seen a few of the biggest films in that genre over the years. "So it sounds like you want to be the next Toto?" Keanu joked referencing their work on Dune. "I'll admit I've always been a bigger fan of the stuff they release on their own." Keanu took a moment to sip at their drink in front of them before nodding their head. "I did for a time. My father was one of the head architects for the construction of this mall. He's moved back home and is onto bigger and better projects already," Keanu explained. It'd been the man who'd gotten Keanu their job in the first place. "I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll continue westward to L.A. or return to Miami. That'll always be my home," Keanu expressed. They weren't actively looking for new employment but if another opportunity fell into their lap they'd be sure to take it.

[ofsyzygies]

An amused smirk tugged at his mouth at the comment. Most people in Shrike had a pedestrian taste in finery, mostly due to their lack of accessibility to the finer things in life. It was not until his parents cut him off that Maxxie truly understood his own privilege. Of course, that did not mean he was suddenly frugal or wise with his money. It only led him to spend less on what most people would deem as essentials just to save for better clothing and better alcohol. The smirk on his face only widened when the next drink the other ordered was significantly sweeter.

"Hm, well, being into drinking is a start. I think most people prefer drinks to not taste of the spirit they're drinking though. So, you know, rather than a Vodka they'll take a screw driver. Rather than tequila, Tequila Sunrise, et cetera." He paused to take another sip of his drink, swishing the amber liquid in his glass afterward. "There's nothing wrong with that. I like cocktails, too. I think I just prefer my alcohol straight. Rum cocktails are nice though."

[keanufm]

I don't see any problem in masking alcohol," Keanu countered. "Alcohol's consumed for its effect not its taste as far as I'm concerned," they went on. Keanu could still taste the bitter taste of the bourbon that burned their throat and their new drink couldn't come quick enough to help mask the alcohol they'd just downed. "To each their own though, I guess," Keanu added they weren't going to get into a fight with someone just because they preferred to consume their alcohol differently from them. Their father was a man who preferred his alcohol neat or at the very minimum the forefront of their cocktails and that'd never been Keanu's speed despite how many times they'd drank with the man over the years.

"Rum is good. A piña colada is one of my go tos. It's great for a hot summer night and is nice and flashy in presentation," Keanu explained. They'd always been drawn to party drinks and really the only reason Keanu went for higher end liquor in their drinks was because they had the money to do so not because they could truly taste the difference in a fruity blended drink like the one they'd just ordered.

[keanufm]

What is Keanu's favorite comfort movie?

Keanu's favorite comfort movie is the Wizard of Oz. They love the costuming and set design in the film. They often have it on in the background when they throw parties too.