You're a big girl in the same small town

[trusts_none]

WHO: Chataya, Bridget, and Quentin, at the moment - OPEN to anyone else who'd like some company.
WHAT: Chataya's gotten lonely, which basically means - anything you want!
WHERE: The Madam's.
WHEN: Anytime after her most recent post.

Comments

[atwistedfancy]

Maybe it was the increased and decidedly worrisome activity of the gods. Maybe it was the rains, how his levels of anxiety rose along with the waterline until standing still was no longer an option. Or maybe it was simply that Jam wanted someone to talk to, and Chataya had thus far not been a terrible conversational partner.

Whatever the reason, there he was. And needless to say, Jam looked every bit uncomfortable as he pushed in through the door and glanced around, damp, dripping, and clearly not in his comfort zone. Not anywhere near it, as it were.

[trusts_none]

Chataya's eyebrow shot towards her hairline as that particular arrival arrived, dripping, into the receiving room. Of all the people she'd expected might show up, Jam had been nowhere near the top of the list.

As a matter of fact, he might not have been on the list at all.

Still, Jam was one who called for some propriety, so Chataya rose elegantly from her couch and crossed the room, her smile only mildly teasing.

"Jam," she greeted warmly, "I'm so glad to see you here. Please, come in where it's warm and dry yourself off. Can I get you anything? Something warm to drink? A towel, perhaps?"

[atwistedfancy]

He hovered near the door like one not sure if he's coming or going. Which was, in fact, exactly the case. Why was he here at all? Here, of all places, where Jam had entirely no inclination to be? The question was making a habit in short time of clanging about in his head, and he very nearly missed Chataya's greeting.

But not entirely.

He knew well enough that the greeting called for a smile from most, a wan, lifeless one from himself at the very least, but it wasn't coming. All he could manage was fidgety and uncomfortable.

"Ah... yes." He'd been near to refusing on instinct, but a towel did sound like a much-needed amenity. "A towel, please."

[trusts_none]

Chataya took no offense at Jam's lack of response - though, he was so visibly uncomfortable that she found herself wondering exactly why he'd decided to pay her this visit. Still, it wasn't her place to ask, so she merely inclined her head slightly and trotted off to find a towel.

She returned a few moments later with one large, fluffy specimen draped over her arm, and she approached him slowly, holding it out in front of her.

"Here - come in, please. You'll catch your death if you don't warm up." She reached out for him, snagging a damp shirtsleeve, and attempted to draw him deeper into the house.

[chainsaw_juliet]

He had seen her post, but felt a meeting would fare better than a message. The rain did not deter him, in fact the rain brightened his spirits considerably as he knew no amount of time on the Island could remove his English heritage.

Not bothering with an umbrella Grell hummed an aria cheerily, kicking up the water collected in a puddle here and there with his stylish heeled boots. Spotting his favourite of the Madam's ladies, Grell offered a wave and a brilliant smile.

"Hello hello~," the redhead greeted as he leaned in to kiss her cheek, "how is my dear lady tonight?"

[trusts_none]

Her demeanor entirely changed from her previous guest, Chataya returned the light kiss with a smile. Grell was always welcomed here, and she still hadn't forgotten how he'd comforted her when she was injured.

She reached up with a delicate hand and ran her fingers along a lock of his long hair. "Oh, well enough," she said agreeably, "but you're drenched, Grell. What have you been doing out in this weather? Here, come and sit down and let me dry you off."

[chainsaw_juliet]

"I may have been dancing." Grell implied sheepishly, unable to control his grin as he allowed her to lead him inside. "A little rain never hurt anyone and I reckon it's rather good for the soul."

He hung his soggy overcoat on the rack, giving an apologetic smile as others noted how water steadily dripped onto the floor.
"I've been so busy lately I've hardly had time to visit you and the girls." The Reaper sighed, flopping onto a chair. "And I do miss you all."

[trusts_none]

"Dancing?" Chataya echoed dubiously, not only because of the torrential rains, but because she knew the local wildlife was getting restless, and she'd had quite enough of that, thank you. But she'd learned by this point that asking questions of Grell was not always the greatest idea, so she simply shook her head in silence.

One of the other girls pressed a warm towel into her hands, and Chataya took it gratefully and moved around the chair to stand behind Grell. Then, with practiced and gentle movements, she began toweling his long hair dry.

"You are missed just as much here, of course," she answered, pausing for a moment in her caretaking to lay a gentle hand on Grell's slim shoulder.

[rosereddaughter]

The door swung open to allow the heavily cloaked woman and her charge an escape from the ever-present downpour at last. At least the perk of having a cloak heavy enough to keep out sunlight also had the ability to keep her fairly dry through the winding streets. One hand reached up to push the sagging hood back off her head and then tugged on the tie so one of the girls could whisk the wet garment away. Bridget had worn a rather simple black dress for the day and had let her hair fall freely. Poor Hotsuma had been awkward enough helping her with the buttons, she hadn't wanted to inflict laces or other complicated frills on him. Her sword was hanging quite naturally on her left side even though the sleeve hanging down over it was empty up to slightly below the elbow.

Her one hand flicked some of her waist-length hair back over her shoulder while pale blue eyes flickered around the room with military-trained caution. Or maybe it was caution borne of too much experience with nasty surprises.

[trusts_none]

They didn't get many female customers, much less those who carried themselves in such a stately fashion, so the instant that cloak revealed the woman beneath it, Chataya knew she'd found her business for the night.

"You must be my massage appointment," she greeted, with little to no attention paid to Bridget's missing limb - it was not the most extraordinary thing she'd seen, not by a long shot. "I do apologize that you had to make the journey out here."

She glanced down at Bridget's left side then, but her next comment was probably not the one that was expected. "Do you anticipate needing your weapon, or shall I have one of the girls store that for you, as well?"

[themindunbroken]

He had always heard of places like this, but Lord knows he'd never been in any of them, and it was like a blow to his head and everything he knew to know what it was and where he was and the business that went on there. And he almost turned and went back out to the rain - it almost felt right out there, wet like he was supposed to be - but there was the woman he'd talked to in the book, and looking like with her hair done up and lips like she'd been biting them and nails colored special She didnt smell like trees so Benjy hollered What are you looking like that for Its a date What date what date Caddy and he stepped forward before knowing it, all determined and not knowing what to do.

"Now listen - " But he fumbled, since to him it was Caddy and it wasn't, and he couldn't quite talk properly because of it, " - listen... I mean, pardon, ma'am, but... all these girls, do they all - I mean, are they all... this kind of business... uh... "

[rosereddaughter]

Bridget glanced down at the sword and smiled just a bit wryly. There really wasn't much need to verbally confirm the girl's statement. "I don't mind either way, but it may be a little awkward later." Her hand twisted the sheath out of the bindings and then pulled it free to hand it off along with her cloak to be whisked elsewhere. How efficient they were, or perhaps it was because there was little else to do? Even Bar Hades had gotten rather slow with people doing their drinking at home rather than wander dangerous streets for it.

The woman smiled a bit more welcoming (but not enough to bare teeth) as she stepped further into the room and the warmth it held, both in temperature and in the curious glances drifting her way. As she thought, female customers were probably rare but not unheard of. "I didn't explain much, since I thought you'd prefer to do so yourself."