Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk

[sistermagnetic]

Who: Big Sis Magne & anyone 20+
What:
The official opening of the first proper entrepreneurship in Pumpkin Hollow!
When:
Late July and onward
Where:
the newly built, remodeled, and furnished VAS
Warning(s):
General warning for sexually explicit talk pertaining to the job functions of the business. Underage characters will not be able to enter via an enchantment on all entrances that stops them in their tracks. There are no exceptions. (My younger characters aren't allowed in, so neither are yours.)


Pre-opening Staff Party
Perhaps Magne talked it over with you while construction was underway, perhaps you heard about it through the grapevine, perhaps you were pinged thirdhand while looking for a position after newly arriving in town. Either way, if you were invited to come and see the newly-built, elegant multi-story brothel, a couple of nights before she had scheduled the official opening of the business proper, the Madame of this particular business will be throwing a small party to get her workers, friends, and little family together. It's a celebration of good fortune and tenacity. It's also a tour to let those that would be staying on the premises claim their rooms and start to talk over decorating with her.

The main parlor is pristine, with a bar and a few stools stationed around it, with bottles of liquor arranged behind it on sturdy shelves. Purchases from The Limoncello, and supplemental bottles from Erin Peters' collection. There are a few chairs, a few cushions arranged around a low tea table, poofy armchairs and footrests to go with them, loveseats and a couch. Around the walls are a couple of portraits already, one of the Madame herself, with an enchanted magnolia blossom attached to it softly glowing due to her presence in the building. This, she will explain, is the indicator for who is on staff at any given time, bending to the will of the person in the portrait. If they don't want it known that they're in the building, it won't show. First and foremost, it is to tell patrons who is available on staff. Hers is to let them all know when she is there. It will almost certainly be permanently lit. She will always be there for them.

There is a kitchen off the main parlor, specifically that that had come with the front of house that was originally just a normal two-storey home that Magne had built her business onto. It's not only functional, but now supporting the production of light foods for the gathering, with more supplies due to come in in the next couple of days. She had asked Max Maximum to be there a bit earlier than the rest to help her prepare for it all, knowing that he would want to be part of the hospitality for the event.

Everybody under her employ, regardless of position, would be walked through the rules and the security measures. Nobody would be in danger, so long as this was her business. Not if she could help it.

If Magne spots you on your own when you're in attendance, she will come and say hello. You may be the recipient of a big, squeezy hug and a "Hello darling!". Maybe even a kiss on the cheek. Sorry not sorry about lipstick smudges.

The Grand Opening
The wards are set. The rules are in place. A list of names is available with their own flowers beside them in place of the eventual portraits that will line the walls of the front of house. The curtains are drawn and the lights are soft and a radio plays softly from the shelves behind the bar. Everything is warm and inviting, and Magne? Magne is beaming. Her business is officially open.

"It's really happening," she says to herself, not for the first time since the construction was completed. She stands at the end of the bar, her hands clasped around one another mostly hidden by the wide sleeves of the kimono that she had had designed by committee to fit her, deep red with pink and gold embroidery of flowers and vines, the sash tied at her back. Her hair is pinned up in neat, elegant rolls and her makeup done subtly, and she looks every part the Madame that she decided she would be.

The rules are pretty standard, all things considered: consent can be recalled at any time. Refunds will only be given if all parties are in agreement that such a thing is called for. Abuse of her employees will be stopped by force if need be, and that will be done by Magne herself. This is not something that you want to happen to you. There will be nobody on the premises under twenty years of age, barring extremely specific gatherings to be announced at a later date. There is no "three strikes" in this building; testing your luck is not something that you will walk away from looking particularly pretty.

Welcome to the Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk. Whatever your pleasure may be, it will be seen to.

(Well, unless you want something from a vampire, in which case you'll be put into contact with Lord Erik Osborne. They have an agreement.)

The Off Hours
When not at work, Magne can often be found upstairs, in her own personal living space constructed with a soundproof layer between her loft-like home and her business. Her furniture from when she had first acquired the house has been moved up and the remodel has been completed to put in a small tamaya. There are small pencil portraits of the people that she loves framed there, and the little, square-ish figure of one stationed just under his portrait looking somewhat out of place there among the fine wooden shelves. She can be found in front of this every now and then, knelt in proper seiza, offering her fallen friends quiet prayers and updates on the way that things have gone.

There is a door buzzer that can get her attention if you want her downstairs, but some people are welcome to simply come up to see her when they want to. Just step around a curtained corner and pull on a braided silk cord to signal your arrival.

Comments

Grand Opening

[spaghettification]

What does one wear, to one's first visit to a brothel? How does one act? Siebren's nervous, overdressed and quiet, taking in every detail of the new space with the curious eye of an anthropologist. The nagging voice in the back of his head says he really ought not be here.

But he came, anyway.

[sistermagnetic]

While her staff mill about and make themselves comfortable, fetch little things to eat, entertain their guests and preen in general, Magne scans the room until she spots the tall gentleman in his finery, looking terribly nervous where he's put himself. The lighting is warm and the talk is quiet and easygoing and the place is overall very nice and inviting. The subtle smell of flowers permeates the air.

"Well hello there, ojii-san," she greets him with a warm smile, coming to lay her hand on his arm and try to calm his nerves.

Mostly Open Prompts

[pineapplesalmon]

[Pre-opening Staff Party, Open]
César isn't staff or friend but family. But he's too exhilirated for Magne to process that, radiating pride. Magne's amazing. All he did was accelerate her plans by filling in missing pieces of her knowledge, investing in her business, and helping out with remodeling and cleaning. She would've gotten here on her own, he's certain, but he's happy he could be a part of this.

"My girlfriend's amazing!" César's too excited to remember to say hello first, unsurprisingly.


[The Grand Opening, Open]
Of course César's here today, too. He's a little more useless today, though. César has tucked himself into a corner with one of the poofy armrests. He tries to read, but can't keep his eyes off Magne for long, averting them again to give people privacy.

César also makes sure to order at the kitchen at regular intervals, not wanting to take up a seat without spending money. He's so besotted with the way Magne looks that he bumps right into someone. "Oh! Oh—I'm sorry!"


[The Off Hours, Closed to Magne]
César can come and go as he pleases, but he still pulls the silk cord. He finds it funny. But it also gives him a chance to steel his nerves, his heart pounding. He's got a big enough jewelry box for a necklace that he's fiddling around with his hand, nervous enough he forgot to hide it behind his back. Will she like them?

[sistermagnetic]

The door upstairs opens and Magne's head pokes out to see who's wrung for entry, and immediately smiles down when she sees César down on the landing. She twiddles her fingers at him, then simply leaves the door open for him to follow her inside. She wonders privately what he's decided to spoil her with now, even after he'd already gotten her some new outfits for work and around town.

Grand Opening

[stonecoldtop]

Perhaps it could be called scoping out the competition, perhaps it's simply supporting his fellows in the industry. (Or perhaps, even, he's looking for a change of scenery) Whatever the reason, George is attending with a genuine—if restrained—joy carved into his face. He loves to see sex work celebrated for what it is, and forced into the shadows, hidden behind locked doors and hushed voices.

He keeps to the sidelines for most of the evening, though. Nursing a drink and watching others mingle. He doesn't want to draw too much attention and accidentally give the impression that he's here to poach clients, after all.

[sistermagnetic]

When Magne spots this well-appointed gentleman observing the parlor and her guests, she waits until he's looked back for her, then offers him an easy smile. She's met some of the other sex workers in the village and even made friends with one or two, and assured them that she wasn't in the business to steal anyone's clientele. Quite the contrary; if any of them happened to want a new space, temporary or otherwise, to conduct their work, she has plenty of space for them. George is of course no exception.

When there is a lull in conversation around her, Magne asks after a drink for herself, as well as another for him, and makes her way over to settle in at his side.

"It's good to see you here. Scoping out your options?" she asks, tone slightly teasing.

Max Maximum | OTA

[maximumcake]

Staff Party
Magne barely had to ask, because Max would have insisted on showing up early anyway. This is the first party he's gotten to help cater for a quite a while and he's as eager as a puppy playing with a favorite toy.

"I made full use of my magic," he says proudly as he goes about laying out the various finger food options he'd prepared in advance. "Managed to spread out all the cooking over a few days that way." Good thing, too, because there's a lot of it.

Max spent a months planning the menu for this new venture. He wanted to strike the perfect balance. It's hard to argue he failed that assignment when laid out before them on the food bar are small plates intended to capture the very essence of Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk. There are crisp medallions of fresh cucumbers topped with sweet and spicy marinated smoked salmon chunks that melt like butter on the tongue, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top for look and a little extra flavor. Next to those are the deep fried and breaded strips of chicken meat paired with simple sweet chili and soy based sauce for dipping. There are fried mushrooms or sweet potato slices, too, as a vegetarian options. Next up are the toasted slices of baguette spread with rosemary seasoned goat cheese, with pomegranate seeds on top for some tartness and a drizzle of honey to finish it sweet. Such decadence feels right at home here. (Though, for the less adventurous eaters, Max has also put out some simple buttered garlic bread versions, too, with and without the cheese.)

For the sweeter side, he's keeping with the theme by offering a delicious ambrosia salad full of oranges and cherries. He's also whipped up some chocolate silk pie and red velvet cupcakes crowned with cream cheese frosting. Last, but not least, he's included the deceptively simple castella, or Japanese honey sponge cake, that he first baked for Magne as thanks when he'd only just been starting to know her. That's a little nod to their friendship from him.

"Eat up! I want to know what you all think," he announces excitedly. "I'm still rounding out the menu so let me know if you have some ideas to add on!" In case anyone is wondering, yes, he does have a notebook in his pocket to take actual notes.

The Grand Opening
Max is here for the grand opening dressed in his best navy blue suit, with a cute and lacy black apron donned over it. His name appears on the list of available staff and that flower is glowing, but if you approach to inquire about a session with him, it won't be quite the same as other offerings in the house.

"I can offer you an evening of pampering and decadence for your senses," he says enticingly, "pleasure, but not the traditional kind. No sex, but I promise you'll have a good time. If you're still interested, I can tell you more."

Grand Opening

[spaghettification]

"Please, do tell me more." Siebren's doing his usual floating thing, though he's closer to the ground than usual, in an attempt not to loom over anyone working here. "I need to find ways to relax, but sex doesn't have to be the point."

Absolutely slams into the staff party

[pineapplesalmon]

"It's a good thing Magne's bed is big enough for both of us, because there's no way I'm walking home tonight with all the food you made." César laughs warmly. "I think the menu's amazing as it is. But if you ever get bored outside of the menu and want to try something new for yourself, Magne and I have been starting to play with fusing our respective cuisines. Japanese, Mexican, and Argentine."

Little does he know that his Serena Eterna self offered Max something similar.

Staff Party

[sistermagnetic]

It has taken her such restraint not to simply sit where the food has been arranged to stuff all of it into her mouth. She knew already that Max was a talented chef with a deft hand for presentation, but getting to see the sheer scope of it all was awe-inspiring. She had nibbled on one of each of the offerings to give him her notes on each, approving very much of the variety even if she herself wasn't particularly partial to one or two of them; even if she didn't like them, someone else was bound to have a more refined pallet that could appreciate them.

"Oooo," she murmurs under her breath as she picks up one of the cupcakes, swiping her finger through the frosting and popping it into her mouth to suck off of it. "Thank you for catering, hun. You might actually end up outclassing me here in your fancy duds and your cute little apron." While she's merely teasing, she absolutely does appreciate how he cleans up for the occasion, and the sheer effort that he had put in to make this event as stellar as she could have hoped for it to be.

Lord Erik Osborne | OTA

[lordoftheozarks]

Of course Erik is going to show up. He and Magne have a wonderful professional relationship and he does want to visibly support her in this. He even brought some brass with him in case he sees something on the menu worth trying (excluding Max, obviously.)

"It's even more luxurious in here than I anticipated," Erik says loudly as he crosses the threshold. "Congratulations are in order, I think."

[pineapplesalmon]

César's going to let Magne handle that initial greeting, but he does approach Erik a little while after Erik's arrived, positively beaming. "Look at her! Look at this place!"

[sistermagnetic]

Erik is of course one of the people that gets a warm greeting, her warm hands wrapping around his chilly ones to give them a brief squeeze, accompanied by a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you darling, I really wanted this place to be the kind where I would be comfortable, so that anyone else that came by might be able to relax and feel safe."

uh oh

[hate_gettin_older]

Well, here's a familiar face. They haven't spoken much since that day at the hot springs, but it's evident in the direct smile Edgar gives him from across the room that he remembers it well.

His outfit will probably bemuse Erik at least a little. It seems thrown together with no regard for harmony, as though he's raided three unrelated closets for it -- simple laborer's trousers and shoes in dull brown, cream-colored soft silk shirt with the collar unfastened, and a flamboyant brocade vest patterned in peacock feathers. The color makes his eyes startlingly blue, or maybe that's just the light in here.

the grand opening

[cacophonish]

Jeff doesn't show up because he wants to try any of the services. Pleasure's easy. Bodies are easy. But he likes to be around people, and even though he's never been to a brothel before, it's close enough to familiar territory. He would have been at home here, back when he was desperately seeking a home.

And maybe it's that kind of lingering, human sentiment that draws him here. Or maybe it's just curiosity. Maybe he's just scoping out future meal tickets.

In any case, Jeff shows up at the grand opening, all dazed smiles and sunshine.

"Whoa."

He takes the place in, from the people to the decor.

"Duuuuude. This place is nice."

He glances down at his own outfit, the simple shirt and trousers he arrived in, dressed up and embellished with little trinkets and colorful scraps of fabric for, like, his hair, or a makeshift belt, or bracelet, or whatever.

"I feel like I should put on a suit," he adds with a laugh.

[sistermagnetic]

It had been some time since she'd seen her friend, and had mostly chalked it up to them each being busy. After all, she had been taking care of the construction, finances, and everything in between for this place for weeks, if not months. She had missed him all the same, and so when she spots him coming in and hesitating in the doorway, Magne positively glows. She hitches up the front of her kimono enough that she can jog over to see him.

If he's not braced, he may be bowled over when she throws her arms around his shoulders and plants a kiss right on his scrubby cheek, leaving a pretty pink mark there in its wake. "You made it! I was starting to think I would have to go and find you out there myself," she jokes as her hand rests on his cheek and her forehead bows against his.

Grand Opening

[prince_of_beasts]

Though he's been busy with the farmhouse these past few weeks, Dimitri tries to stay connected to the town proper. He's still too thrilled about having a town's worth of people to know; he's never taking that for granted again. The opening of a new business is the something he feels he should visit, and the proprietor is César's girlfriend, so --

-- the problem is that Dimitri would never have so much as breathed in the direction of a brothel at home. The time in between has done a lot to loosen his figurative laces, but he still has no idea how to comport himself in a place like this. (He wishes Ossie were here.) It doesn't help that the madame is -- well, not the most beautiful woman Dimitri's ever seen, that can only go to his own girlfriend, but Magne is certainly on the short list of contenders.

He hovers by a wall with the expression of a polite boar in a hall of glassware, searching desperately for a familiar face, or any way to distract himself from his nerves.

[pineapplesalmon]

César assumes that everyone brought here, save for maybe himself, is a combat veteran. Which means he always makes sure to obviously approach someone.

He gives Dimitri a little wave as he walks over to him, his surprise obvious even through his smile. "I didn't expect to see you here, Dimitri. Thank you for coming!"

[sistermagnetic]

Dimitri's nerves may as well be lost on her, with the way that Magne approaches him. She'd seen him about here and there, but never had the opportunity to talk with him. Too much to do, and now even more now that she's managing her own business in earnest now. She approaches with the confidence afforded to her by her new lot in life, and gives him a small nod in greeting as well as a faint smile on full, painted lips.

"Welcome to Velvet, Ambrosia, and Silk. Is there anything that we can get you while you're holding up the wall here?" She's teasing.

[not_the_last]

Cassandra has long since resolved to attend this opening. She isn't sure she can reasonably offer to patronize the establishment -- but her early misunderstanding with the proprietress means it's only common courtesy to attend.

Which means she too is searching for a familiar face, and relief sweeps over hers as she spots Dimitri and heads in his direction.

The Grand Opening

[graphomaniac]

Lyubov comes by on opening night — back home, she would've maybe been more discreet, but here she's not got her old reputation following her. Here, few people know what to expect (and neither Zivia nor Cecil seem like they'd be judgemental, in any case).

And in any case, she's just coming to drink and show support to her friend.

She approaches Magne at the bar, and bows to her in greeting.

"Gitn ovnt, Magnyushka. The night goes well by thee?"

[sistermagnetic]

Magne, having availed herself of the little finger foods left by Max for the opening, had lingered near the bar to chat with her new bartender, and only turned away when she was greeted by a familiar voice. She brightens up and returns the bow in kind, then steps forward to kiss Lyubov's cheek lightly.

"Thank you for coming, Lyu-chan! It is going well," she replies, bubbly and excited. She moves to pull a stool out some from the bar and offers a hand. "Come, have a seat! Tell me what you've been up to lately."

The First Saturday in September

[misbegottendreamer]

To say she’s nervous would be an understatement. Drelasa knows it’s probably just her being silly, but just because the Velvet and Silk is much like a House of Dibella doesn’t mean she won’t be judged for her features. This is possibly going to be the first time she’s letting herself be vulnerable about her body, outside of her time with Siebren and her interactions with Dr. Watson.

She’s excited, too, of course. Really, she’s just generally overwhelmed, and she’s managing it by holding Siebren’s hand as they head over.

[spaghettification]

Siebren's also nervous, but his thumb strokes along her fingers gently, reassuringly. He is a balloon tethered to the ground by her touch alone.

"I've mentioned to you before that there's a professional at this house I have my own plans to engage with, right? George Elsworth. He, ah, is an expert in dominance."

He might not have said anything about that last part to Drelasa before, though. It's a very different dynamic, the one he has with George; they're not in love, for one thing.

For Magne - After Edgar/Erik conflict

[maximumcake]

It's the following day after the events of this thread. Max needed some time to collect himself after, but now he feels bad for leaving without giving Magne any explanation. So, with his head hung low in contrition, he approaches her.

"I'm sorry about everything that happened yesterday. Can we talk? I, um. I should explain."

[sistermagnetic]

When Max had passed by her nearly at a run after the exit of his friend, she hadn't really had the chance to pursue. More than that, she could see that it wasn't necessarily her place, especially when it stayed mostly civil and gave her no reason to intervene for anyone's safety. So she'd gone back inside, and been waylaid by Erik wanting to try and explain the situation, and took it all in quietly as the complicated story was spelled out for her from his side.

She hadn't wanted to speak much after all of that, wanting to settle it in her mind before going to talk with Max in turn, but then he manages to beat her to it when she's sitting at one of the low tables recording the earnings from the night before to allot toward their budget here.

She looks up with a soft frown, then gestures toward the other side of the table. "What's on your mind, love?" As if she doesn't suspect.