“Uh huh… Reginald, got it.” Emily chuckled slightly. She typically got along with everyone, and this guy definitely had a douche complex about him, but he hadn’t been directly rude to her, so she was fine being civil toward him. “Yeah, we’ll see. I’m not really looking for a relationship right now, swim pretty much has my devotion.” She hummed to herself before asking him a question. “By the looks of it, you’re pretty desperate, the fact that you’d ask for a date from me right out the gate. You might need a wingman. Or a wingwoman for assistance.”
Reggie chuckled at the woman calling him desperate. Reggie Mantle and desperate would never be in the same sentence unless there was a ‘not’ in between them. But he didn’t comment on that. “By your body I can definitely tell you’re devoted to something. And it’s working.”
Reggie pondered her offer for a moment. “You swear you’re really not looking for a relationship right now? Because if I accept your offer as wingwoman then I need to be sure or else I’ll loose my women to you knowing my luck.”
Archie had just finished up a quick shopping at Jellyfish Jewels, a necklace for his mother to thank her for her hospitality since the injury. Of course, he still had a long way to go since most of his muscles were torn up in his leg, but he was now finally able to be out and about without much assistance. He hobbled through the door on his crutches and forgot to thank the individual who held the door open.
“Oh wow.. I’m so sorry. Thank you for getting that for me.” Archie mused as he began turning around. “Reggie? Hey man, how are you doing?” He asked as he hopped toward the other guy.
Reggie really hadn’t expected to run into his old teammate so quickly after him coming back home. In retrospect, it really hadn’t been that soon, but Reggie didn’t really do sympathy, but he didn’t want to come off as disrespectful either. How he felt about Archie in high school didn’t matter now. What the other man did was honorable as it comes. “You’re good, Andrews. How’s the leg?”
He tried to avoid fights if possible, he couldn’t afford getting locked up and he was a long way from his juvenile years. But Reggie got under his skin, even all those years ago at school and it seemed that hadn’t changed when he pushed up against him, fluffing his feathers and starting shit he would not like to see finished. “Brave coming from a daddy’s boy.” he growled, huffing when Reggie stepped past him and he was quick to follow at his heel, grabbing his shoulder roughly at the entrance. “I think you’re going to leave. Before I show you how much of an asshole I am!”
Reggie had every intention of just going in to the bar, in spite of Sweet Pea, having a drink and then leaving. Had. That was until he mentioned his father. There was very few things that truly got under Reggie’s skin, but his father was a big one. Reggie turned hot on his heel when the biker grabbed his shoulder. He was quick to shove his hand off. “Don’t you fucking dare mention my father. Don’t even think about it.”
Reggie took a breath. He wasn’t one to stoop to a level of the poor and desolate and fight hand to hand - not to say he couldn’t, he was a well built man who had four years of football training and seven years of boxing under his belt - but he was better than that. He had more class than that. He straightened out his suit jacket and looked through the crack that the door had been opened. Nobody was even looking at them - yet.
“I know just how much of an asshole you are already. No need to emphasis it. But, again, I think I’m going to stay. I hear the drinks here are phenomenal.” With that, Reggie pushed the entrance door completely open and made his way in. He knew now that the other man couldn’t confront him without making a scene and that’s the last thing he’d want to happen - with this being his baby mama’s work establishment after all.
Was there a dress code she was unaware of, or a certain clientele only accepted? Or did this guy seem to think he decided who was allowed to get a bracelet adjusted. A cool brow raised as she placed the box in her pocket and she looked direct into his eyes. “Do I know you?” she couldn’t place him, but her back was instantly up at his attitude. Perhaps it was the stone cold Chicago-an in her which made her instantly hostile, but he acted like he was surprised other people could afford such places.
“No. But I’d definitely like to know you.” Reggie gave the woman one of his famous Mantle smiles. And to his surprise there wasn’t much of a reaction. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Which is out of the ordinary seeing as I know pretty much everybody. And I would never forget a face like yours.” He followed her as she went out the door, appointment all but forgotten.
Brooke rolled her eyes at him. She didn’t understand what the crime was in being blonde especially if it was natural. “I don’t even think you know what you’re talking about.” She muttered as she walked away from him. He was hot, but an asshole, not the kind of asshole she liked either.
“I call it as I see it, you are definitely boring. Look at that gross drink you ordered for instance. Boring. You need spice in your life.” She stated simply with a shke of her head. “If you must know, I needed a change of scenery, I’m here for school.” Brooke mused as she took her tea from the barista and took the lid off and began to stir it. “Let me guess, you’ve been here all your life, haven’t seen much of the world, so you think that telling women how basic they are is your past time.”
“Black coffee isn’t gross. I appreciate the taste of the coffee alone, no need for anything extra to be added.” Reggie rolled his eyes. “I need “spice” in my life? I’m pretty sure I like my life as is. Thanks though.” Reggie took his drink from the barista and thanked her. “School, huh? Where do you go? What’s your major?” He didn’t know why he continued to take up his time with this woman, but he didn’t have his next appointment for another twenty minutes, so he had time to kill.
“Actually, if you must know, I am from here, you’re right. But my parents are from South Korea, so I’ve been back there quite a few times. I’d say I’ve seen quite a bit of the world. More than a basic California girl wannabe.” He looked down at the girl. “I just call them as I see them. What’s your name anyway? Unless you want me to continue to call you basic. I can if you’d prefer. I’ve seen weirder kinks than shaming.”
Reggie had an appointment at Jellyfish Jewels to get his watch tuned. As much as he rolled his eyes at the name, Simon, the head watch tech never steered him wrong. He had it for eleven a.m. and it was not ten of. Reggie Mantle was nothing else if not punctual. He was just opening the door to the shop when another person came out of it. “Uh- you’re welcome?” Reggie said at first until he got a look of who it was. “Since when do you come here?”
“That depends if you’re gonna make it a problem being here- this isn’t the place for you, might I suggest Seaside. It’s asshole central.” he replied darkly, getting off the bike and standing up, refusing to acknowledge the twinge in his leg from the quick move. He wasn’t going to be caught unaware. Leg be damned. He might have been gone from Andromeda for a while, but he never forgot a face, especially one as smug and irritating as Reggie Mantle. “You should leave.”
Reggie’s smirk grew deeper as the taller man got closer. Sure, to a lot of people he’d be intimidating, but Reggie was far from scared. “If that’s true, why aren’t you there?” Reggie took a step closer to where they were almost chest to chest.
“I think I’m going to stay.”Reggie took another step as if he was going to square up with the biker, but instead swiveled on his ankle and stepped past him and headed into the bar.
When the tall man spoke Brooke scoffed at him. “You‘re a kill joy, aren’t you?“ She asked with a roll of her eyes. “You might want to get some flavor in your life, you’re clearly a bore.” She mumbled at his coffee order. Stepping to the side, she waited for her order at the counter. ”Originally from Colorado, actually. Nice try though.”
“You could have fooled me.” Reggie mused about her not being from California. “Congrats on fitting into the cookie cutter blonde California girl stereotype. I’m sure daddy’s proud.” Reggie, begrudgingly followed the blonde to the side now waiting for his coffee. “I’ll have you know I am far from a bore.”
There was a few moments of silence before Reggie spoke up again. “So, if you’re not from here, which I’m not entirely convinced of yet, what are you doing here exactly?”
The toxic masculinity that was dripping off of him was less than unattractive. Emily took him in for a moment, rolled her eyes and shook her head. It wasn’t like she’d done it on purpose. “I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but you’re going to have to try harder than that to get a date. Plus I don’t exactly play for your team, any way. Nice try though. I’m Emily though.”
Reggie took rejection like a man. He didn’t need anybody fearing him like his sister had her exe. It wasn’t the rejection that caught his eye though. It was the reason. “It’s never nice to meet me. I make sure of it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re gay? Damn. I hope there’s a lucky woman who has your heart. If not that’s a complete shame.” He nodded at her introduction. “I’m Reginald Mantle, but my friends call me Reggie.”
“You lost or somethin’?” he cut the engine to his bike, removing his helmet as he surveyed the guy looking around the surrounding buildings. Sweet Pea knew who was Southside and who wasn’t and this guy reeked of Northside. And also highly suspicious. Especially when suits hung around his baby mama’s place.
Reggie dusted off the completely immaculate lapels of his suit before turning around. He had heard the motorcycle revving get closer so he assumed it was only a matter of time before he was confronted. He assumed correctly, of course. A smug smile appeared on Reggie’s face as a “big tough biker” - coincidentally called Sweet Pea.
“Lost? No, on the contrary. I was just in the neighborhood looking for a fine establishment to get a drink and low and low and behold I found this place.” Reggie straightened his suit, sizing up the biker from foot to head. His right eyebrow rose in defiant question. “You got a problem with me being here?”
Emily found herself jogging on the Rosewalk Pier. It was one of her usual places she landed up on her usual route. It was sunset, and she was making her way back home. As she began slowing down, she nearly collided with the person in front of her. “Oh oops. I’m so sorry, that was my fault. Are you okay?”
Reggie had just completed his morning run - three times around the pier. He preferred the early morning because it tended to be empty or close to it. Except for this morning apparently. He backed away from the runner who had the audacity to almost run into him. He brushed the invisible sand from his left shoulder and ran his fingers through his hair. His deep set frown turned into a smirk when he saw just who almost ran into him.
“Normally messing up a Mantle’s hair calls for a throw down, but I’ll settle for a date instead given you’re a girl. I’m Reggie.”
Brooke found herself spending time at Gold Roast. It was a place to study, and most importantly, a place to get her peach tea lemonade, her go-to summer drink. Well, besides the fruity alcoholic cocktails that typically came out at that time, but this was still her favorite non-alcoholic beverage to consume. She’d opted to take a summer course, because why not? There wasn’t a whole lot to do, and besides she was in paradise, so she could always go to the beach and work on assignments if she wanted to. “Uhm duh, it’s the best thing to order on the menu.” Brooke told the individual who inquired about her drink of choice. “I highly recommend it.”
Reggie really hated bubbly blonde bimbos... unless he wanted a useless fuck. Which happened from time to time because hey, he was a red-blooded American man. But in the day to day they annoyed him to no end. “I really don’t think I, or the rest of the line, cares what you recommend.” Reggie spoke up. If she knew what she wanted why didn’t she have to keep the line held up talking about the order to a random stranger beside her about her order. God. The person right behind her, being a buffer between the two of them essentially, left so now he was right behind her. He let out a sarcastic scoff. “Typical California girl.” He spoke under his breath. “Can I just get a black iced coffee with two sugars.” He ordered and swiped his credit card when told to do so.
Full Name: Reginald “Reggie” Mantle
Age: 26
DOB: January 10 (Capricorn)
Residency: Andromeda, California
Birthplace: Andromeda, California
Occupation: Stock Trader / Secret Mob Middle Man
Sexuality: Heteroflexible
Martial Status: Single
Height: 6′1″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Reggie was born, raised, and still lives in Andromeda. He is first generation Korean-American, both his mom and dad were South Korea natives, but moved to America for college and stayed. Their strict Asian roots have ground their way into Reggie’s rebellious psyche for sure.
The first few years growing up that he can remember were a struggle. His parents didn’t speak English very well and after he was enrolled in school and his English got better than his father’s that was when his father’s attitude toward him changed. It was as if he resented his son. But with that resentment came determination - his father started taking late night ESL and business classes and after a few years, he was able to open his very own, still successful, car dealership.
After his father gained a reputation of his own, his treatment of his son got a little bit better, but there was still the underlying resentment that Reggie felt from his father. That’s why he’s always tried to impress his father - first with grades, then with athletics, and now as an adult his want to carry on the family business. None of which has really gained his father’s outward approval. His younger sister on the other hand has always had his father’s praise and adoration. And yet Reggie doesn’t resent her in fact their relationship was made stronger through their turbulent upbringing.
Being of stereotypical Asian raising - Reggie was expected to become a doctor or a lawyer - neither of which he felt really fit him. Instead, he always excelled in math and was known to be very persuasive, so he decided to pursue stocks - along with other more secretive things. The more secretive things being a middle man for none other than Hiram Lodge himself. He got roped into such things during his fling with Veronica Lodge. While his relationship with Veronica ended, his association with her father did not.
