let me be numb to you | aventurine x reader

chapter 1

A slow draw of smoke leaves his wet lips. The wispy thin line of smoke lazily slips away into the stale air of this tastelessly decorated club.Aventurine rubs his temple with a gloved hand, trying to remember who exactly was it who recommended him to come here? He can't remember. Dismissively, his fingers flick his cigarette onto the floor. The room is awash in shadows, the dim light barely cutting through the thick haze that clings to the air.

Strobing lights flash sporadically, casting garish hues of red and blue across the crowd, creating an annoyingly disorienting kaleidoscope. Faces twist and blur, lost in the beat that pounds relentlessly from the speakers.A bass-heavy rhythm that somehow finds his seat by the bar, reverberating through his bones. Aventurine felt his head pang with a headache from the sight. Not even his sunglasses could protect his eyes from this disorienting display of lights. Actually, why is he even hereAventurine rises from the bar to slink into the corners of the club. In the corners, shadows move with a different rhythm. There are small, suspicious gatherings huddled close together. Fast hands exchanging tiny plastic bags or passing along something to inhale, swallow, or snort. Whatever your poison is. No one cares.

Aventurine is familiar with it all: the rancid scent of smoke, the chemical sharpness of drugs, and the burning sensation of alcohol. His fingers twitched, fidgeting with his gambling token, the gold accents gleaming in the low light. Those who partake seem to dissolve further into the night, their movements becoming more erratic, their laughter louder but hollow, like the echo of something long dead. But to Aventurine, they only sound more alive.

In a hushed whisper, he exchanges cash with a seemingly innocent plastic bag of pills. Crumpling the plastic into his fist. Now remembers exactly why he's here.

On the dance floor, the crowd is a writhing mass, bodies moving with a manic intensity. Aventurine steers clear of it. He isn't here for that mess. Returning to the seat, he sits by the bar. A wordless gaze to the bartender, quietly demanding another drink. Somehow the bartender understands him and slides the cold glass to Aventurine.

Swirling in the glass is a deep amber hue glowing warmly at him. Picking it up, he tilts it slightly to observe how the whiskey swirls with such a languid grace. Its viscosity evident in the way it clings momentarily to the sides before settling back into the smooth surface. The ice softly clinks, sliding past each other. They're already melting into the golden liquid.

He admires the liquor before pressing it into his lips. A sharp scent of smokey oak intertwined with an intoxicating sweetness tingles his tongue. Savouring his drink slowly before he turns his attention to his recent purchase. He opens his fist and looks at the flimsy plastic carrying two round pale pills. Desire seductively whispers in his ear to take them now.

"Can I get a.. Long Island?" a clear voice cuts through the haze. A shadow lingers by his side. He could feel curiosity tug at his sleeve. A stranger sits next to Aventurine making him instinctively tuck the pills away. Through the corner of his eye, he peeks at the person next to him. Slight interest hidden behind his shades.

You're parched. You take a seat and place your clutch onto your lap. Beads of sweat glisten on your skin, shimmering like oil in the shifting lights. Tonight, you are here with your friends for some late-night dancing. There wasn't a particular reason behind it other than for fun. For most of the night, it has been a pleasure to dance with your friends.

However, you needed to get a drink. Not because you're tired. But because you needed something more exciting. Boredom claws within the confines of your mind, begging for something more stimulating. You didn't tell your friends that though. That would break their hearts.

The bartender hands you the drink, the citrus wedge adds a pop of bright colour against the drink's deeper tones. The condensation on the outer layer of the cup twinkles in the dim light.