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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2017 8:07:19 GMT
Running four brothels was very taxing to one’s health. Running a local gang at the same time made it even more difficult to get out and have some free time for a change. There were always problems; some man or women going into brothels, causing problems, occasionally killing one of the whores and pissing Raydon off. At the same time, another group of trouble makers in the city may step on his toes by pressing into the Spurs’ territory and making things complicated. Sometimes though, there would be a brief reprieve; a single moment where he could leave The Seductive Serpent to go get a drink and sex somewhere else, someplace different. Today was one of those days.
Ray was walking down the stairs of the two story building, counting the coin in his bag as he went. He adorned himself with more of his cleaner, more “expensive” clothing which included a dark brown, long-sleeved low-cut top that exposed most of his bare upper chest, his neck, and part of his shoulders as well as gray, tight trousers and brown shoes. The clothes were not flashy, but they would do for the time being.
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, a middle-aged woman with a full waist, large bust, and beautiful curly brown hair approached him with a scowl on her face. He looked up and grinned from ear to ear, almost as if to mock her. “Gretchen! How are you, my sweet?” He grabbed her hand and lifted it up to his soft lips, gently kissing the back of them. “I did tell you that I would be gone for most of the day today, right?”
The woman rolled her eyes and pulled her hand out of his. She was the head whore of the Seductive Serpent and was in charge of keeping all the women and men in the house in line, as well as making sure they did their jobs and were protected. “Y’u mock me, Ray. Y’u kn’w be’ter than any’ne tha’ I kn’w e’eryth’ng tha’s g’ing ‘n in th’s bu’lding.”
Ray attached his coin purse to the built holding his trousers up and laughed. “Yeah I know I know. Take care of everyone while I’m gone, yeah? You shouldn’t have any trouble today. If you do, feel free to kill whoever is involved.” It seemed like a joke, but it was only half so. There were rules about making a ruckus, and Gretchen was notorious for putting a knife in a customer’s back from treating one of Ray’s girls or boys wrong.
Gretchen sighed and waved him away, turning her back to him and heading up the stairs he just came down. She was the only whore that he allowed to treat him that way. She had been through some tough shit, and he deeply respected her for it more so than anyone else. Ray continued to exit the brothel, passing by a few men and women that winked or blew kisses at him. As far as he knew, all the whores in the Seductive Serpent had some form of appreciation for him. He liked to believe he treated them well.
One of the men at the door, wearing barely even a loin cloth, opened the door for him and he stepped outside.
It was a gorgeous day. The sun was blazing in the sky and he could instantly feel the heat on his exposed skin. His orange eyes glimmered in the sunlight, and all his piercings reflected in different directions. Since he was not working and it was his day to relax, he reached back into his coin purse and pulled out a small, light-weight chain. Ray reach up and attached hit to his septum piercing, followed by attaching it to the earring in his left ear. The chain was purely a form of ornamental aesthetic. It was different from what most people wore (as were most of his piercings), and he felt confident that he looked good with it.
After a quick stretch of his arms, he smiled and headed down the street away from his brothel. His destination was some form of place that sold good alcohol that he could afford.
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Post by Harlequin on May 22, 2017 9:51:11 GMT
The Black Mirror was a funny little bar, tucked between two ugly terraced houses on some nondescript, mostly residential city street. It wasn't far from one of the red light districts but it wasn't part of it either, and its only street front was a black door, with a round table and two stools on either side, heavy black curtains bordering the door, and a black awning that cast a thick shadow over the entryway. The red brick has been roughly painted black at some point too, though with little skill so the terracotta showed through in places where the paint was peeling off. On most streets it would have been easy to miss alongside other bars and clubs, but as it was stuck so awkwardly amongst people's homes, with the little flower beds and picket fences a very strange juxtaposition to all the moody black, it stuck out like a sore thumb.
Harlequin liked the Black Mirror. Not for it's faux edgy, half-arsed gothic aesthetic or the oddity of it's location, but for the crowd of regulars and the quality of the drink. The latter was okay at best but it was dirt cheap and generously poured, which was a lot more important to him than anything else. It was a primarily Shifter haunt - the supposed improvement in Shifter Human relations that they all heard from the Castle hadn't yet stretched to these traditional old haunts hosting more mixed crowds - but the odd Daemon and even Fae who managed to traverse the City safely could sometimes be found in here. The whores from the red light sometimes came down here to spend their wages on drink, though as they were mostly from brothels they didn't tend to scout for custom like the street whores in other parts of the city. The roughest crowds also tended to steer clear; the Black Mirror was a small, cramped rabbit warren of a building, and not worth bothering with. They did make you smoke outside, though, which was a shame. Not for any concern about the smoke or the like, but because the place was so small and so cramped you risked setting someone's clothing on fire as you lit up. It was this that drew Harlequin to the rickety black stools outside, under the shade of the awning. He took out a long cigarette holder of the type more typically used by women, made from ornately carved ivory but blackened with old smoke, and lit the white paper smoke at the end of it. The end flared red for a moment, briefly lighting his face before he was plunged back into shadow.
He people-watched as he smoked, angular lilac eyes alighting on those who caught his interest. The street was busy; it was a nice day, the sunshine blazing hot, and there was plenty to see. Harlequin was drawn to the dramatic; beautiful, strange, or eye-catching. A small doll-like child with blonde ringlets and disconcertingly pale eyes, who looked more like a toy than a person, earned a small smile that showed the pointed fangs which were his Shifter mark. She stared at him unabashedly, especially drawn to the battered black top head perched on coiffed black hair, and pierced through with silver rings and feathered pendants. An elderly woman so laden with all different types of cloth she was stooped nearly to the ground had the kind of weathered, heavily lined face he found fascinating for the stories it told. She scowled at him, probably disapproving of the cigarette, or perhaps the Black Mirror in it's entirety. Lots of the people around here were, disliking the bar for the disorder it brought to the street. Maybe she lived nearby. He only grinned more widely and earned himself a look that could've killed, if only she had that power.
The man that strode by next caught his eye because he was beautiful, and because the light that reflected off all the silverwear hanging off his face briefly blinded Harlequin even under the deep shadows of the Black Mirror's awning. He squinted, tilting his head to try and get a better look. He wouldn't have ordinarily said anything, an observer and nothing more until he retreated again inside the bar, but the man looked as though he was searching for somewhere to go. Maybe he had a destination in mind, maybe he didn't. It never hurt to give someone options.
"The Black Mirror here sells a decent cold beer, on a hot day like this, if that's what you're seeking this fine afternoon."
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2017 22:33:19 GMT
Though his destination was to find a place to drink and relax, Raydon had been aimlessly walking for a little while. He was a simple man, and a simple man like him could easily indulge in a nice walk on a nice day. There were plenty of places to go in the Red Light District; other whore houses, bars, even small fighting pits for shifters, animals, and people. And yet, it seemed like there was still nowhere specific that he desired to go. Maybe he had just explored every part of the district and knew it like the back of his hand, so possibility of finding some place new to venture was slim.
He was brought out of his aimless wandering by a voice that seemed to call out to him. Ray looked first to his right, then to his left and saw the rather tacky Black Mirror establishment. He had been to it a few times in the past, but not recently. It wasn’t exactly in his tastes, but he could not very well just walk away when someone was talking to him, or at least he assumed so. It sounded like the comment he heard was directed towards him.
In the shadows was the man he assumed had spoken. He seemed to be distant from the other patrons outside. Smoke rose out of the shadows from whatever he was smoking. On closer inspection, the man adorned himself with a decorated top hat and had rather feminine features. Ray raised an eyebrow and smiled as he stopped walking and took a few steps towards the man. Ray crossed his arms and shifted his weight to his right side once he stopped. “Is that so? That was what I intended to look for when I took the day off. Got a bit distracted I suppose.” He inspected the dark, ragged building and wondered what it was about it that drew people in.
Dropping his arms to his sides, he took a few steps closer and pulled a stool over with his foot. Ray assumed the man wouldn’t mind a good chat. Why else call out to him? He was overly confident of himself as well and liked to assume everyone wanted to talk to him.
Before he sat, he slowly reached for one of the man’s hands and brought the back of it up to his lips, gently kissing it in greeting like he does to almost every person he meets. Almost. “Raydon. Good to meet you.” He let the man’s hand go and went ahead and sat down, the chain attached to his face jingling from the movement. Because he owned numerous brothels, he knew how to read people and understand whether it was appropriate to invade on their personal space or not at times. This man had that demeanor, and Ray had no shame. “But most call my Ray for short. The preference is completely up to you.” He gave a crooked grin.
“ ‘Tis an interesting place to decide to spend the day. Here I was just asking myself, ‘What draws patrons to this establishment?’. Care to enlighten me? Perhaps I can understand why it is some of my girls prefer to come here rather than other, more calm environments.”
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Post by Harlequin on May 23, 2017 9:35:11 GMT
There was a self-assured intensity to Harlequin's gaze as he watched the man he'd called out to search for the source of his voice. His eyes, a light and unusual, unmistakable shade of purple, were heavily outlined in dark kohl, which only served to draw attention to that intensity even more. Delicately sculpted eyebrows made his face highly expressive and he made no effort to hide his reactions as they flitted across his features. Surprise and intrigue, for example, when the man kissed his hand and took a seat. Harlequin did tend to invite forwardness - he was a flamboyant and outgoing creature, as loud in personality as he was in stylistic choices - but not everyone seized the opportunity so readily as his new companion.
"Harlequin. Harley, if you want less of a mouthful. And likewise, Raydon." The name suited him and Harlequin returned the grin with one of his own. His eyes were bright as he assessed the man more thoroughly now he was seated across from him. He was tall, noticeably taller than Harley. Some femininity to his features though not so pronounced as in Harlequin, who was so androgynous as to confuse people at times, given his manner of dress and behaviour were fluid and changed day to day. Handsome, overall, and Harlquin liked all the piercings. He had a few of his own; his ears and tongue, and several in the huge wings that were a part of his half form. Raydon had many more though and the look suited him, ostentatious though it was. Harlequin didn't bother to try and hide the appreciation in his gaze; somehow, he didn't think Ray would mind.
"You don't spend much time at the Black Mirror?" Harlequin couldn't tell yet if Raydon was a Shifter or Human, though he leaned towards Shifter with those striking eyes of his. Despite his preference for Shifter-only bars, however, Harlequin had no particular quarrel with Humans in general and spent plenty of time with them.
"Let's be honest, it's a bit of a dive. Have you been inside before? Tiny, dinky, cramped little place. But the beer is good and cheap, and I know a lot of the regulars. Attracts a rowdy, fun crowd, no-one too serious, no-one that'll upset the vibe by getting stab-happy." He waved a hand over his head as he spoke, gesturing to the curtains.
"The decor is absurd, obviously, but I think the proprietor likes pissing off the neighbours. He's a good sort, gives the regulars a drink on the house if he's had too much whiskey of a morning."
Harlequin did not miss the hint, of course; 'my girls' suggested Raydon was involved with the red light industries around the corner. A pimp, or perhaps even a brothel owner. This was a bonus as far as Harlequin was concerned; he liked socialising with people who would probably have good stories to tell. The work in the whoring industry could be brutal and bleak, depending on your part in it, but it definitely wasn't boring. Harlequin in fact visited brothels occasionally, though he wasn't often flush enough to make it a regular habit.
"Speaking of beer, would you like to go inside for a drink? It's not the kind of place where someone'll take your order at the table. I'm afraid." Harlequin had no drink either, having retreated outside for his now finished smoke, and with ash on his breath he was ready for another drink himself.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2017 21:14:29 GMT
The man that introduced himself as Harlequin did not seem to mind Ray’s invasive gesture. It posed a good sign to him, for it showed that the man had a similar mindset, or was just more open and welcoming than many folks that tend to skulk around in the district. The admiration for the jewelry adoring Ray’s face did not go unnoticed. It fed his ego, so he could not help but give another crooked, sly grin. The man had some attractive jewelry himself. Ray was always a sucker for others that enjoyed having piercings as well.
Humans and uptight folk thought he looked disgusting with all the metal in his face and on the rest of his body. It wasn’t like he much cared for what others thought, but it was always refreshing and confidence boosting when a stranger could appreciate them. Gretchen, the old wretch that watched the Seductive Serpent, liked to lecture Ray about how impractical they were and how dirty they were. Most of the other girls in the brothel tended to compliment him. Wait…maybe that was just because he owned them and they felt obligated to say so. His brown briefly furrowed at the thought. He’d have to look into that.
Ray’s eyes glimmered with intrigue from the descriptions that Harley gave him of the bar. He studied the androgynous man as he spoke, taking in his facial features and body language. The way he spoke and held himself was…different from the normal riff raff. His clothing had its own form of style as well that was different from most that spent most of their time in the district. Ray had many questions from some burning curiosity within that comes with meeting a potential outsider, but he held them back. He could not just ask for information left and right and expected to get nothing but answers. Harley did not seem too conservative of his speech though. Perhaps it would not take a lot of word play in order to hear some experiences and stories.
He rotated his shoulders and rolled his neck to help stretch them. Too much tension had built up in them throughout the week. “I’ve been in it once upon a time. About….fifty some years ago I think? Hard to remember. Everything’s kind of a blur since I’m too focused on other things at the moment. So I don’t exactly remember anything about it.” Ray cocked an eyebrow and smirked, “Oh? I think the décor is so….dazzling,” he joked. It was actually quite awful like Harley mentioned.
The mention of beer had Raydon instantly hop off the stool as he reached into his dry leather coin pouch. “A beer it is! I could use one…or ten. There’s not really a medium between those numbers.” He brushed the dust of the stool of the back of his trousers, then flicked a few coins at Harley as he began to walk towards the entrance. “Here’s a few on me. Not just for some booze though; for some information as well. What brings you to The City?” Raydon did not know every single individual that lived in the Red Light District beyond his territory, but he had been around enough to recognize uncommon or different faces. Everything about the man spelled, ‘I don’t spend most of my time here’. Or maybe Raydon was just over reading it too much. Still, he was interested.
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Post by Harlequin on May 24, 2017 9:19:45 GMT
Some might have been unsettled from the intensity of the conversation. Even to someone outside of it, it would be clear the two strangers were sizing each other up and testing the waters for where this chance meeting might lead. Some would find both Harlequin and Raydon deeply disconcerting, overly forward, even lascivious to the point of being inappropriate from their body language and the tone of their conversation. Harlequin was not just anybody, though. Two hundred and some years of life in Litharia had gifted him a sense of confidence in who he was - the fluidity and changeability of himself as a person in terms of his expression to the outside world notwithstanding, the Shifter was sure of what he wanted and how to go about getting it.
Fifty years ago? A Shifter then, Harlequin was sure. No Human looked like Ray at that age. Harlequin's grin grew a little wider.
"Come now, I can tell just by looking at you that you have better taste than that." Harlequin matched Ray's light-hearted, teasing tone, leaning forward as he did to very gently run a finger along the chain connecting Ray's septum and ear piercings. Not at all tacky, in Harlequin's opinion - an unusual and rather dramatic fashion statement, definitely ostentatious, but not tacky.
The Bat Shifter could always appreciate an enthusiasm for drinking, and he also couldn't recall ever turning down a single coin in his life, so he pocketed what Raydon flicked at him. Harlequin had his own kind of power, and a lengthy history as a ruthless and effective captain of a fairly famous pirating vessel, but he did not suffer from the fault of pride. Suffered deeply from the fault of greed, obviously, but no-one's perfect. He straightened the tailored black jacket he wore over a simple white shirt with a deep v neck, opened the door, and led Ray inside.
"A beer or ten it is." Just as he'd described, the inside of the Black Mirror was cramped and strange. The door opened directly into what appeared to be a hallway, only people were standing throughout it or perched on thin wooden planks nailed to the wall in some approximation of seating. Hallway it might look like, but it soon became apparent that this was in fact the Black Mirror's main room. The bar itself was little more than a broom closet with a half door, though some kind of hidden space must have been carved out behind it to hold the booze and necessary extras, like pitchers in which to serve the drinks. The proprietor Harlequin had mentioned was luckily a very tiny man, all of four foot tall, and clearly a Water Sprite in his half form. Whether he was taller in his Human form was unclear, but if he was he certainly couldn't have acted in the role of server, as he wouldn't have fit behind the bar.
"The best bars," Harlequin added, raising his voice a little over the general din of a packed room, "have someone with ice magic working for them. Otherwise it's too damn expensive to get ice in summer for cold drinks. Two beers, Greyson, chilled."
"Right you are, Harley. Whose your friend?"
"This is Raydon. He's paying." Harlequin passed over one of the coins Ray had given him before, immediately earning the other Shifter bonus points in Greyson's eyes. It wasn't that hard to impress Greyson if you had coin, of course, but plenty of people around here lacked that so Raydon earned himself a freezing cold handshake at once. The reason for the coldness quickly became apparent, as the small man with pure white hair and pale blue eyes poured the beer, wrapped his hands around each glass, and chilled them with icy magic.
"Keep 'em coming until we leave, right?"
"Course, Harley. Nice t'meet ya, Raydon."
On first inspection the Black Mirror appeared to be nothing more than this hallway, with a door at the very end that exited into an alley behind the main street. But, venture further into the crowd and along the narrow passage and it became apparent that there were small nooks and crannies that sprouted off this hallway, providing other places to sit. These were mostly already occupied but Harlequin led Raydon to a tiny room off the passageway that was no more than a square table in the middle of three benches built into the walls. Three others already sat there, deep in conversation and hiccuping from their drinks, and they barely bothered to react when Harlequin slid into the other side, tangling his legs with theirs. Getting close was part and parcel of drinking at the Black Mirror - if you didn't like it you had to go elsewhere.
"Take a seat and I'll answer your question. I'm here for a change of scenery, some new crowds to glean a living from. My main business these days is cards and I need fresh idiots to win money off. The old idiots back in Spirit have run out and need a break to earn some more." His grin was distinctly predatory as he said this, though the mischief in his expression lightened the tone.
"You obviously work nearby. Something to do with the whores?"
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2017 21:03:23 GMT
Raydon liked this man, at least for now. His playful, teasing nature matched the avian shifters’ similarly. When Harley had run his finger along the chain connected to his septum and ear piercing, Ray could not help but snap at the man’s fingers as a retaliation to the teasing. There was a reason why he did not go to the Black Mirror often nor even pay attention to it, and that was because of its atmosphere. The décor was the foundation of making that atmosphere, followed by the type of people that it attracted. Ray liked to believe he was a man of decent tastes. He enjoyed taboo, but not tacky or cheesy.
As they entered the bar, it was just as cramped and crowded as Harley had mentioned. It was a good thing that Ray did not mind his personal space being invaded; it was hard to walk to where the drinks were without bumping into someone’s shoulder here or kicking someone’s foot there. His bright orange eyes scanned the crowd of faces, searching for any familiar faces whether good or bad. The Black Mirror was not in his, or really anyone’s, turf so he had to be just ever so slightly cautious. He wasn’t worried about more than a knife in his back. Many of the other mob leaders hardly “fought fair” and would dagger him in a heartbeat if it fitted their needs and/or the opportunity arose.
There was a distinct smell of alcohol and vomit that they passed by, but no smoke as Harley had mentioned. Interesting. Raydon was curious why that might be, but the thought passed almost as soon as it arose when Harley greeted the bartender and introduced him to Ray. The man was so…small. Ray stood a good two feet taller than him, so he felt like a giant in comparison. Harley mentioned the man used ice magic to cool drinks. Ray had seen a few bartenders here and there doing that. It was a useful way to use magic.
He smiled as he shook hands with the man, and quickly remembered how awful it felt to be cold. Only his hand felt the freezing touch, but the hairs on the back of his arm and the back of his neck quickly stood up in retaliation. He was not phased though, and released the man’s hand has he went ahead to make their drinks. Ray much preferred scorching heat than any form of coldness. "A pleasure," he greeted.
Since Harley seemed to know where he was going, Raydon happily followed after with his cold alcoholic drink in his hand. The condensation of the glass made his hand wet, but it felt nice and felt more tolerable than the handshake from earlier.
Like Harley, the chicken shifter slid across from him and bumped into a very drunk, sleeping young man who was lightly snoring as his head rested on the table. Ray rolled his eyes in amusement; it did not matter where you went. Every bar at the same type of people in them. He took a big gulp of his drink and sat it down on the table, causing the forming droplets to trickled down and form a wet ring around the glass. Ray dried his hand using his trousers, and rested his arms on the table in a relaxed manner, interlocking his fingers together as they were outstretched from his body.
“Cards, eh? Well I’ll make sure not to put any money down playing you then. I would be one of those idiots you mentioned,” Ray joked. He was awful at cards. Terrible. He always lost money. From time to time Ray enjoyed gambling, but not too often. If he did it all the time, he’d lose all his money. “Do you spend most of your time in Spirit, then? Never had the chance to go there. Tell me what it’s like. I’ve heard different things from different people, yeah? Been stuck here pretty much my whole life.” Not that he minded. His work in the Red Light District kept him very busy.
And there was the question Raydon was waiting for himself. He enjoyed talking about himself a lot. Harley didn’t seem to let information slip past him very easily it seemed, not that Ray really hid the fact he owned brothels. “Most of my work involves them, yes. I own a few brothels here in the district. I don’t just have girls, of course. I’ve got men as well. When I’m around them I don’t refer to them as whores. I try to…treat them a little better than the normal riff raff. I still own them and most of them despise their work, but their moral boosts up a little bit when they’re called consorts. Obviously they’re not wives to the king or anything like that, but it makes them feel good to be called Queens.” He shrugged. Ray knew he wasn’t a very nice man, especially when it came down to turf wars, but he did like his girls and he wanted to make sure that if they were stuck with a shitty life, then at least they should feel confident and good about it. “Some of them like to come here, so I won’t be surprised if we see them. I do some more ruffian-work on the side as well. Make sure my girls are safe by keeping my turfs protected by my other group of women and men that aren’t whores.” Ray figured Harley could put two and two together that he was not just a flamboyant, friendly brothel owner.
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Post by Harlequin on Jun 9, 2017 10:01:56 GMT
It was warm in the Black Mirror, the cramped space and mass of warm bodies combining into an atmosphere somewhere between cosy and stuffy. Greyson used his magic to send a cool draft around the place every now and then, a subtle but nice touch to keep the air from getting too close and sticky, but even so Harlequin soon peeled off his jacket. He'd have liked to shift into his half form so the extra surface area of his wings could help cool him when the draft came through, but there wasn't enough space for them in their tiny room. The beer was icy and refreshing, at least, and Harlequin didn't bother to regulate how fast he was drinking. Ray had paid enough that they could enjoy themselves, after all.
"I don't play cards with people I like," Harlequin smiled, a little enigmatically.
"I never lose and that pisses people off sooner or later. Though don't spread that around, if you don't mind, I still need to rob a few more suckers blind to pay for passage back home." Harlequin had magic that aided his luck in certain endeavours, not that he went around sharing his secrets with just anyone and even Raydon, handsome as he was, wasn't getting all the details. He'd never find anyone willing to play him if he was too free with his tricks.
Raydon's next statement surprised him, though. He wasn't sure why he assumed the other Shifter was a wide-ranging as him; perhaps his past as a pirate meant roaming was a lifestyle he defaulted to when he met others. Particularly other Shifters, since they had made up the bulk of his crew. Living in one place for so long was utterly foreign to Harlequin, though if he was right about Raydon's work it made perfect sense.
"You'll have to let me take you there one day. I'm in Spirit nearly all the time, these days. Seedy, crazy, mad place. I love it. Dangerous if you're stupid or careless but then so is most of Litharia. I could definitely show you a good time there, though."
And his guess about Raydon's work turned out to be right, though he was very interested to learn the man was not only a brothel owner but also, in all likelihood, deeply involved with the city gangs. The faint edge of danger Harlequin perceived in Raydon wasn't just an act then, which only made him all the more interesting.
"My apologies, consorts is a much better title for the work. I've been an infrequent visitor to the odd pleasure house in these parts. I don't often have the coin for it when I'm in the City but there's been the odd times...it'd be a pleasure to meet some of the girls if they swing by here." This was from a genuine desire to meet more people rather than any other motivation; Harlequin was a sociable type, and Raydon was interesting enough that it seemed likely the people working for him would be colourful characters too.
"What do you get up to when you're not working, if you're avoiding trashy places like this most of the time?"
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2017 8:24:46 GMT
Raydon raised an eyebrow in question as Harley explained how he never lost at cards, but he did not pry. Ray assumed he must have had some form of ability or magic that helped him win all the time. Now that he knew that, he really would never challenge Harley to a game of cards. Still…Ray took it in stride that, since Harley did not ask him to play a game of cards, there must be something about Ray that he liked. The thought made him smirk as he took another big swig of his chilled drink.
Something in the air seemed to…change as Harley spoke highly of Spirit. Maybe it was the occasional cool breeze that he felt at first, assumed was a draft, and then occurred to reoccurring to be a coincidence. Or perhaps it was some form of tension. It was an atmosphere Ray was familiar with, and he liked it. It was a mix of danger and sexual tension, as the man was a stranger and could be a danger. Harley had that aura of adventure around him as well, mixed with that danger and Ray was enthralled and curious. For a brief second, he studied Harley’s features. He liked the androgyny, the subtle, soft features of his sharp jaw line and the intensity of his high cheek bones. Ray even liked the pointed ears.
He finished off his first drink and leaned forward towards Harley with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes and his mouth raised into a smirk. Ray reached up with a hand and placed it under Harley’s chin. “I’ll take you up on that offer.” He traced his thumb gently along Harley’s jawline and glanced down briefly at his lips before pulling away with a coy smile.
With a wave of his hand, he disregarded Harley’s courteous apology. “I’m simply more nice than the common brothel owner. Figure business would do better if the women and men felt better about themselves. They’re under no illusion. They understand that they are the definition of whores. I just choose to make sure they don’t feel like the common riff raff.” Maybe it was a little ridiculous, but he was very selective with who worked in the brothels. They were as clean as he could make them, free of STD’s and grim, and also filled with a variety of people for customers. Ray did not have any children working for him. The only kids in the brothels were ones that lived with their parents. He stayed away from luring those forms of business.
“I’ll bet you a drink that one of my girls will show up in here at some point and approach me. That’s a bet I know I can wing.” He laughed while playing with his glass, sliding it back and forth from one hand to the other. “I like to get out and mingle. Have a drink or two, meet with some friends for some good grub. And sometimes I like to…take in the views here.” The glass stopped moving momentarily as Ray cockily eyed Harley up and down. “I like to think I’m a simple man. And what of you? What do you do when you’re not winning money?”
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Post by Harlequin on Jun 16, 2017 8:34:11 GMT
Harlequin stilled when Ray reached out and cupped his chin, one thumb brushing his jawline. Pale lilac eyes flickered up to meet the other Shifter's striking orange gaze, within them a hint of surprise. A slow smile curled the corners of Harlequin's lips and his unwavering gaze never left Ray's throughout the brief, intense interaction. What a flirt. Harlequin approved heartily.
"Well, now I'm going to have to hold you to it. You've made the prospect of entertaining you in my own city far too appealing to let you off the hook."
Harlequin leaned back and rested his arms on the ledge created by the back of the inbuilt seating, tilting his head to listen to Ray's explanation of his work. A slight wave of one hand - the nails a little sharper, a little more claw-like than a human's - summoned a sullen looking child bearing two more ice cold beers. He was an attentive companion, when he wanted to be, and it was too hot in here to be without a cool drink for long.
"Are they common riff-raff, then? It sounds as though some of these places you're running are a little more upmarket." Harlequin had never been a high roller by any stretch of the imagination, but on the rare occasion he used brothels he did tend to seek something with a touch of luxury about it. If you were going to pay for an experience, he figured, you paid for one that wasn't likely to kill you with some horrific disease. The nicer the place, the better the standards of hygiene, in his experience.
He laughed at the offer of a bet.
"Even if I was in the habit of putting down bets with such poor odds, you've handed over enough coin to get us both blathering drunk. Unless you secretly have the constitution of a lifelong alcoholic." And there it was, the flirting again. So brazen.
"Pleased to be of aesthetic service. If we didn't have so much company I'd take off my shirt to improve the view." No-one had ever accused him of being modest, but even as he spoke the sleeping man next to him gave a loud snort and flopped sideways so his head rested on Harlequin's shoulder. The Shifter looked down, eyebrow cocked, and gave a soft snort of amusement himself before shooting another grin at Ray.
"I was a pirate for a long time. Consider myself one still, in a way, though my ship is now in the hands of another and I have no immediate plans to return to the sea. I'm afraid I'm a committed hedonist these days; I win what I can to fund all my terrible habits. Drinking, smoking, partying. Clothes I don't need, jewellery I can't justify, experiences I should be more cautious about. Adventures. Sex."
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2017 21:01:57 GMT
Raydon chuckled with approval at Harley’s response. Not only did he seem to enjoy Ray’s flirting, but encouraged it by teasing him. He smirked and replied, “That almost sounds like a challenge.” Flirting came naturally to him. It was a skill that had been constantly improved over the time working in brothels. The women and men in them were excellent at being great examples. He could rarely contain himself, as he like to test the limits with many people that he met. Flirting not only got him information, results, or the occasional slap in the face, but it also consistently gave him pleasure when he so wanted. Ray wasn’t sure what he wanted from Harley yet as they had just met, but he was fun enough to flirt with.
He was just about to answer Harley about the commodities and people that worked for him when a young woman with bright, moonlight pale skin, red eyes and dark brown, almost black, hair walked into their vicinity. For the moment, his attention was off of Harley and onto the woman whom he knew. As he had told the card player, one of his workers was bound to show up. Ray whistled at her and waved, grinning from ear to ear. She was one of her favorites and was a consort that he almost considered to be a close friend.
She squeezed through people in the crowded bar and approached the two with the drink in her hand. She was wearing a very thin, almost see-through white dress that was cut very low and exposed much of her chest, as well as exposed most of her thighs and was cut short. A black scarf rested on the ack of her neck and wrapped around her arms, the excess hanging off around her wrists. Close up, one could see the large fangs in her grin; She was a daemon.
“Speaking of the few forms of bets I could win, Harley this is one of my girls. Amber Rose is what she goes by. Amber, this is Harley.” He grabbed her soft, gentle hands and, like everyone he greeted, kissed the back of it. She had a real name and not a whore one of course, but some of his employees liked to keep it secret. It wasn’t very fair of him to just give it away.
The woman grabbed the drink that just appeared for Ray and took a gulp, winking at Ray, she sat it back down. “A pleasure,” she stated to Harley. “It you two will excuse me, I’m quite hungry.” And with that, she was already gone.
Ray laughed; all his girls were like that. They would chat during their free time for just a bit, and then leave. He never blamed them; they didn’t get a lot of free time, so they deserved to spend it how they wished. They were all used to living a lifestyle in which they did not stay in one place for long. It was hard to quit from old habits. “And there she goes. Probably looking to drain some poor fool of blood tonight. They don't get much time to themselves so they like to avoid conversations and rush off to do what they will.”
He laughed again after Harley exclaimed he would take off his shirt were it not for the large crowd of people. Ray felt that the modesty was just an act, but he’d play into it. He cocked an eyebrow as the snoring patron used Harley as a pillow. “Well look, there’s another admirer. I would think he wishes you to take your shirt off as well,” he jested. The chilled drink was all the was keeping him from overheating in the crowded environment, so he finished half of it off in just one sitting. He was trying to make them last, but Ray was both thirsty and hot.
It was a good think that he finished swallowing his drink before Harley spoke of the days he was a pirate. If Ray had any drink left, he would have spat it out from his reaction. Sure, Harley actually looked the part, but Raydon would have never guessed. He’d met a few pirates in his day, but only because they were looking for a woman or man to sleep with in his brothels. That or they were causing trouble. He never had the chance to sit down and talk with one, even if he did not seem to be as interested in returning right away.
He leaned forward, intrigued by the implications Harley seemed to be giving as well as just being intrigued by Harley overall. Ray had heard of the sea, but had never been to it; a great body of water filled with salt and monsters. If he had been born an adventurer, perhaps he would have wanted to go out there. “I wouldn’t say they’re all terrible habits. Some of them are quite fun. Drinking, partying, sex. All things I partake in when I have some time to spare from my work. You'll have to tell me of some of your pirating adventures. I've met very few.”
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Post by Harlequin on Jun 24, 2017 2:52:51 GMT
He watched with interest as a woman made her way over to them, fulfilling the bet he hadn't made with Ray within moments of it first being proposed. The man knew his staff, that was for sure. Harlequin inclined his head in greeting when Ray introduced her, and decided he was right about the type of place Ray tended to run. Daemons were normally found working in the slightly nicer, more expensive brothels - they often had special needs they required meeting around their diet and work conditions, and also attracted a particular customer base for whom their unique features and striking beauty were of particular interest. Same with the Fae, though you'd be hard pressed to find many of them working in City establishments. Harlequin knew enough of the industry from Spirit to make these deductions, though.
"Pleasure indeed, Amber." She didn't stick around long, and Harlequin couldn't say he minded. She seemed interesting enough, but her employer seated across from him was more interesting still.
"I can understand that. Time is precious when you give much of yours to someone else." Not something Harlequin had in common with Amber these days, but he could appreciate the circumstance.
"I'm not sure he's thinking anything, it appears his brain is entirely pickled in cheap spirits at this point." Harlequin glanced down at the man's head on his shoulder again when Ray brought him up. He didn't have much of a need for personal space, but with the warmth of the bar it was a little uncomfortable for him to be so close. Experimentally Harlequin prodded his cheek with one finger - the man's head lolled to the other side and he snorted, shifting slightly, so he wasn't pressed quite so close. An improvement, except for the snoring that increased in volume with his change in position. Ah well, you couldn't have everything.
The bat shifter was surprised by Raydon's reaction to his previous occupation for a moment, before remembering that the City was not a common destination for his kind. The City ports were small and well-defended - pirates plagued the larger, more dangerous ports of Spirit and the Northern Tangle far, far more often.
"Oh, they're fun alright, especially with the right company." A pointed glance at Ray went along with this statement.
"But I have no useful employ. I am an entirely unproductive member of society these days." By his grin, Harlequin didn't seem to mean this is quite so self-deprecating a way as the words themselves implied.
"Adventures aplenty I had, and can share. Perhaps somewhere a bit more comfortable? What would you say to showing me around one of your fine establishments?"
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 2:38:57 GMT
Ray smiled at Harley’s comment regarding the gruffy, drunk man that was using him as a pillow. “Lucky him,” he responded. Ray’s alcohol tolerance was high. It was harder for him to get drunk, and overall he didn’t get the luxury very often. Work was busy, busy, and even with his free time he had to be careful whom he got intoxicated around. There were plenty of people in the city that wanted to see him dead, if not at least made an example of to others in his faction. After the three or four drinks he had already of cheap drinks, Ray was feeling a good buzz. Being intoxicated made him daring and flirty, more so than normal.
All the teasing was fun, but Ray wondered if it would go anywhere. He was enjoying Harley’s company a lot, and the teasing was going both ways so obviously. The chicken shifter wanted it to go somewhere, and it sounded like Harley did too with his last request. Ray pulled leaned forward on the table was much as he could and aggressively grabbed a handful of cloth around the fellow shifter’s collar. Pulling him forward, Ray gave a toothy grin, only inches away from Harley’s face. His orange eyes sized up Harley’s face before he closed his eyes and pulled him in for a long, hard kiss .
His lips were soft and warm. The kiss only lasted a few seconds before Ray pulled away, but it felt longer than that and oh so satisfying. He opened his eyes and released his grip on the card-player’s clothes. It didn’t matter that he’d only known the man for less than a few hours. All he cared about was that he was good looking, fun, and was overall interesting. “I can make you a productive member. It’s my specialty.” His eyes glimmered deviously as the sexual tension between the two them only seemed to increase.
Ray removed himself from being so close to Harley and stood up from his chair. With his nice buzz, he was anxious to move away from the crowded space. A few people around him gave him an annoyed look as he bumped into them, but he hardly cared. He grabbed what was left of his drink and chugged it down. He placed the cup back on the table before wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “I would be happy to show you around my finest accommodation.” Lilies and Roses was his best brothel and where he spent most of his time running everything. “Shall we leave? It is not far from here. It is not nearly as crowded and smells much better.”
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Post by Harlequin on Jul 4, 2017 7:09:45 GMT
In the darkness of the Black Mirror, with alcohol running through his veins, Harlequin’s pupils blew out to give him an unearthly sort of look. A little more animalistic, despite his human form…a little more feral. His gaze rarely left Raydon, assessing and inquiring, a definite heat in the way his eyes traced the elegant sweep of the other Shifter’s cheekbone or lingered a little too long on his lips. He was still staring at those lips when Ray leaned forward and grabbed his shirt. His gaze flickered upwards, almost all the lilac iris obscured by black, all of it framed by long lashes. He didn’t blink until Ray kissed him and heat flooded the tiny space in the bar. Greyson’s conjured breezes could do nothing to relieve the searing fire where Ray’s hands brushed his chest, where their lips met.
The bat Shifter gave a low whine in his throat when the kiss ended. Wonderful, but much too short, the tease. Harlequin bit his lower lip as he studied Raydon’s face again, grinning in response to the flirtatious, over-confident expression he found there. Oh, he could make him productive, could he?
“I’d like to see you try,” came the purred response, Harlequin’s voice now laced with a touch of huskiness that hadn’t been there before. Was it just him or was it getting even hotter in here?
So he was gratified - oh so gratified - when Ray agreed to leave with him. And to show him around a brothel, no less. Harlequin briefly wondered if he was being too obvious before deciding he didn’t care. Raydon was gorgeous and he was tired of having to share the sight of him with the drunken idiots in the bar. The Shifter drained the last of his drink as he stood, following Ray’s example and licking the foam from his lips once he was done. Like Ray, he had a decent tolerance. But also like Ray, he’d been drinking all afternoon and felt pleasantly tipsy. No spinning room, no nausea, just that delicious loss of whatever scrap of inhibition he’d had when sober. Admittedly, that already wasn’t a whole lot.
Harlequin shrugged his jacket back on as he nodded at his new companion.
“By all means, lead the way.” The crowd parted for the two elegant, slender men as they wound their way out of the crowded place, through the badly painted door, and back onto the street. Over the course of their drinking day had turned to night and they stumbled into a cooler, clear-skied city beneath a veneer of scattered stars. A much appreciated breeze tugged at Harlequin’s collar and ran cooling fingers through styled black hair, making him shiver pleasantly.
“How far is it?”
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2017 0:40:08 GMT
Raydon took the challenge to heart and also took note of the huskiness in Harley’s voice. He wondered if the man would be against inviting one of the girls’ in his brothel to join them if they continued to escalate with the passionate heat between them, but he’d ask later. A lot of the girls in his brothels admired him and, free of will, would sleep with him from time to time. Having sex with one person was fun, but two people made it a ride.
Once they pushed their way out of the crowded, hot bar, Ray hooked his arm through Harley’s. There was no subtlety with his actions anymore. His intentions had been pretty clear in the bar, and Harley’s seemed to match his own.
A sly smirk spread across his lips. “Just a few blocks away. Not too fa.” Ray turned his head and leaned in close to Harley’s face again. “Eager to get there?” He chuckled, the chain hanging off his nose clanking with every step they took.
As promised, the brothel was close by. It was tucked into the corner of a line of buildings. It was hardly built of expensive materials, but it was well polished and clean looking on the outside as well as the in. Lillies and Roses was the name of it, and this one was exclusive to women consorts. Ray owned another that was exclusively male, one that had nothing but daemons and fae, as well as another that was just a mix.
There was a fountain outside of the multi-storied building. There were also staircases that led to each floor, all of which had women waving to people as they leaned over the railings. Some of the doorways were covered with heavy blankets that acted as the entry ways to each level. Ropes strewn across the buildings decorated the sky with banners and lanterns hanging off of them, lighting the street. There was a smoky atmosphere from the heavy incense used, as well as the locals smoking on the outside.
Some of the passerybys flirted back with the consorts, and a few even walked inside with their chosen girls. All brothels had some form of sleaziness to them, but Lilies and Roses was Ray’s finest. The husky atmosphere and warm space from the heat of bodies was masked by the strong and magical incense used. The streets were clean, and so was the outside of the brothel.
As they walked to the entrance, there was the daemon woman they had met earlier at the pub. She was dressed in a shear, silk dress that fell down past her ankles. She smiled at Ray and the man hooked around his arm.
“Harley, right?” she inquired as she batted her eyelashes. “Sorry we couldn’t chat earlier, love. Come find me sometime if you want to have a bit of extra fun. I'll give you a discount” She winked and twirled around on the ball of her feet, swaying her hips side to side as she walked away.
“Like I said earlier,” he mentioned to Harley. “She’s always on the move. Can’t ever sit still, that one.” Unhooking his hand, he gestured to the decently decorated and clean space around them. “One of my more finer brothels. It’s just on the edge of the Red Light District, just so the decently-living humans that like to pretend to confine to their prudish religions can sneak here easily if they so desire.” Ray was quite proud of his girls and the hard work they put into making it a successful business.
He faced Harley and lightly trailed the back of his hand against his guest’s jaw. “Shall we go inside? I’m sure the girls would love to meet you. They, and...others, tend to enjoy the view and tales of ruffians.”
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