lee jae eun

@fcxglcves

The room is rented.  It’s more of a convenience for both.  It’s an expensive room, private - clean, fresh, crisp sheets, a trolley to one side with a good vintage wine and half filled glasses.  He wouldn’t necessarily go to so much trouble - but the worth of the evening stretched a little further than the norm.  And, as far as she’s concerned… She is worth it.

She bats those long lashes and plays the game as well as he does.  Better.  This is her area of expertise… Her talent… For him it’s a hobby.  An amusement.  A craving.  An itch that she sates with immaculate skill.  A master craftswoman.  The perfect chameleon.  A fantasy in the flesh.

He’s under no illusions that she is - an illusion.  The ghost of whatever he wants, or needs her to be.  He’s equally sure that she’s well aware that their arrangement is simply that.  It’s business… A transaction.  He’s not here to buy either her attention or her affection ( and isn’t that the mistake that so many make? - Those things, when given, are given freely…  They can’t be bought.  They can make up part of the overall pretence… But they’re never real when they’re paid for ).

Those clean sheets are now damp with sweat.  He can feel them clinging to his back as he shifts.  Every button pressed.  Every muscle lax and at ease - a knot of ebbing pleasure settled low in his gut in the aftermath.  Christ, she was good.

“Refil?”

Moving to stand.  A few long languid steps, stretching muscles before tipping more wine into the glasses.

“So c’mon - this is the point where you tell me… How many have declared their undying love for you this week?  What little… or large - tokens of affection - have found their way into your closet?”

He’s always curious - just to see how far they’re willing to go.  How far and how deep she can ensnare them in that web of decadent temptation.  A sprinkling of lust, a glisten of flesh and they’re all hers.  Somehow, he finds it easy to ask.  It’s an honesty that’s perhaps outside the boundaries of their ‘arrangement’.  

He doesn’t think she’s ever lied.  He almost hopes she never needs to.

there are no illusions in this... arrangement. no expectations on her end for more than just a good night — and oh, how very good they were indeed. beautiful rooms with soft luxurious sheets shining white against the pale of her skin. wine that glided down throats like molten honey. there never needed to be anything more than that. none of that sappy feelings nonsense, no. nothing as fickle as that.

it is oddly satisfying to know this — that they come together ( that he calls eve to set up this standing arrangement that’s been in place for months ) so easily. the fact that they fit like lock and key, a matched set designed to strike the flint of each other’s bodies in just the right way.

she accepts the glass with a graceful smile, relishing in the way the wine soothes her throat ( dry and scratchy from the past hour’s activities ) as it flows down.

his question invites a knowing laugh. somehow they always find their way back here in the aftermath, a gentle probe into the rest of her clients. she’s not sure why he still asks — it’s not like there’s ever anything new, anything for him to compare himself to. their relationship exists outside the realm of her regular clientele.

“Just Jae?” Eris chuckled, shaking her head, she was never sure how to really take it when people insisted on using their ‘normal’ names. “It must indeed be a special evening” she added, swilling the water in her glass and scanning the crowd again. “Risky…” she admitted, but clicked her tongue “Perhaps one…” she then added as she looked over the other.

she shrugged in response, smiling at the question. “yeah — no boss, no foxglove, no eden. a special offer for one night only.” though in reality it was just the luck of the draw. pure luck that frenchie needed a date, that she herself was free to offer one, that eve had nothing to say on the matter. still, she held on to her free night as tight as she could, reveling in the change of pace.

who: open when: a couple hours in where: the dance floor ;]

Winnie had been swarmed by nerdy hospital folks.  Allie had never taken to heart what he’d meant when he said “medical dynasty” until that moment, but now she knew without a doubt that they both had run away from similar shadows.  She’d been lucky, though.  She escaped hers.  Winnie appeared to be drowning in his, which, presented two problems: she couldn’t rescue him without seeming odd, and she was suddenly without a dance partner.  The latter was her immediate issue because dancing was the only redeemable thing about this gala.

Across the room, she spotted a solution.  With giddy urgency, she downed the rest of her current drink before ditching it on the tray of a passing server.  She snaked through the crowd of swaying and chatting bodies until she was in arm’s length of her target.  "Come on!“  She said cheerfully, grabbing their wrist and tugging them onto the dance floor.  

"Stop looking so dreadfully bored.  Let’s dance.”

the sudden clutching against her wrist sends sparks of fear ricocheting through her veins, sharp and lightning-bright. though what she’s afraid of, she’s not entirely sure. something’s going to happen, she can feel it in her bones, and she won’t have any part in it. still, it is only becoming for one of eve’s pretty flowers to smile and play nice, so she slips into that skin again for the night, quickly slipping on the veil of a smile as she twirls to face the other woman.

Some people might call an inattentive date a bad one, but between Frenchie and Jae, they both knew that this wasn’t the case for the Gala.  It was a simple agreement between the both of them; French needed a date, and Jae needed a way in.  She didn’t care if the woman wandered away from her, nor did the woman care if Frenchie did the same and that was what made the arrangement so great.  They came to do as they pleased, walking in like a duo of bad bitches but leaving with whomever they decided was lucky enough, or in Jae’s case, spent enough.

Frenchie was just glad she didn’t have to pay Jae for her services tonight; she needed a date, but not that desperately.  She rolled her eyes at the woman playfully, “That’s so generous of you, thanks.”  Her eyes flickered down to the ribbon, nodding her head when it looked about right and offered the woman a genuine smile.  “It’s great, thanks.  I just knew that if I kept playing around with it, you wouldn’t be the only one getting calls about “special services.”  She took the time to give her date a real look for the first time, her lips jutting out in approval as he eyes trailed over the woman’s frame.  “Lookin’ good; all play and no work tonight?”

she purses pristinely painted red lips, blowing a teasing kiss at her date. “only for you, frenchie my darling.” a tilt of the head as she examines her handiwork from a couple different angles, reaching out fingers to tweak the bow and accidentally ( accidentally? really? ) brush against the boundaries marked between sheer fabric and warm skin. “i’m sure no one would dare insult you like that.”

“Fresh air?” Arsenic repeated, eyebrow raised slightly. Now that raised her interest. “I’ve heard the best fresh air is outside.” Her tone wasn’t accusatory, it could even have been interpreted as joking, but it did seem like a strange response, as though she needed a reason and that was the first thing that came to mind that made enough sense. She was sure no one else would have thought twice about it. Arsenic did get it though. A side room was better than nothing when you wanted to take a breath away from the crowd.

 “Similar idea.” It was easier to agree than explain. Plus, it wasn’t that much of a lie. Yes, she was doing rounds to make sure there wasn’t any funny business going on, but it was a good enough reason to get away from the noise. “I do enjoy these things but sometimes,” she took a deep breath, “it does get a little much, if you know what I mean.”

the doubt in the other woman’s face, her voice, it’s all too tangible. she’s not wrong, but a wave of defensiveness rises up in jae’s throat. “perks of being a flower, yeah? can’t leave the venue and re-enter without my date.” she exposes her teeth in a shallow smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. true, she might’ve been caught in a lie, but the frustrations and limitations of her place as a flower in dertosa society was very, painfully real.

 Eris looked to Arsenic “Well well, if it isn’t a Foxglove?” she mused. “Hey yourself” she nodded, her tone still unreadable and yet a more approachable expression on her face. “The fact that I’m not drunk, that I don’t have a woman up against me…And most importantly that I can’t fucking smoke in here” she admitted.

“Fucking shit.” Frenchie mumbled as she angrily fiddled with one of the two only ribbons on her doily gown that kept her from completely exposing herself to everyone in Dertosa.  The woman normally donned a much more casual look, but for once she wasn’t working and she made sure that everyone knew the usually tough girl had come to play.  She donned what looked like practically one garment of black lace, clad against her front, back, and left arm only as the material met at her ribcage and the curve of her hip.  It was that one on her hip that was giving her issue, threatening to expose her womanhood upon entrance to the event.  She pulled herself aside, resting her champagne flute (that she was in a hurry to get) next to an empty table closest to the mirror-covered walls as she tried her hardest to tie the ribbon in a knot that was both secure and still “fashionable.”  

When she was having no luck, her dark eyes darted to the entrance about 10 feet to her right, eyeing each person that filed in to see if one of them would be trustworthy enough for the job.  The last thing she wanted was to flash everyone when the night had just started, spending the rest of the night as “the girl whose coochie was served before hors d’oeuvres.”  When the first familiar face came through the door, Frenchie hissed and beckoned for them to come over to her, clutching the two fragments of the silk ribbon in one hand.  “Now normally I’d ask you to get me a drink before I had you feeling all up on me, but I’m desperate.” Frenchie rolled her eyes before offering them a small laugh, “Not like that.  Just do me a favor and tie this in a bow that’s gonna stay, but not look like a huge, lumpy knot.”

it was hard to know what to do in a situation like this, being brought along to an event sparkling with dertosa’s elite not as a flower, but just as a date. an arrangement that allowed her to just be herself, without any strings. at least, not explicitly. so, when frenchie’d caught her eye and gestured for her to come over, it was easiest for jae to simply obey and see what was needed of her. it was still a huge favor, the fact that the other woman had gotten her in the room to begin with, a favor she wasn’t sure she’d be able to fully repay.

In truth, Eris had no idea what she was doing at this Gala, parties weren’t her, she detested dressing up and found that most couldn’t handle their drink well. Oh yes. That was why she was there- she was working unlike others, her role was one that had to extend to such events and she was a woman of her word in such a regard. A personal guard that also seemed to be a chaperone and date all in one. “Ugh” Eris huffed, giving an eyeroll as she took a slight breather between her boss’s socialisation, the guard trailing her finger around the rim of her glass of water- she had to keep a clear mind, no matter how much the bar screamed to her….Along with the voices of the past that were no longer silenced in her mind with soberness.

when: 10:00pm where: exhibition room within the museum

So far the evening had been quiet. Arsenic didn’t expect the night to continue that way but for the time being, she was more than willing to accept it. Drink in hand, she made her way around the room. Yes, she was here with Felix, but the Poisons had been asked to stay on alert, adding some security to the event in a time when safety was never guaranteed. At first, Arsenic had been worried about the Gala. A night where all the most important and richest people of the city were under one roof. If someone wanted to get rid of a few of them, it would be oh so easy. 

Leaving the main room, she started some rounds through the other open exhibits, it’s a wonder they didn’t close them all off. She would have a chat with security about that later. If they wanted to be able to keep their eyes on everyone, having a bunch of open rooms wasn’t going to help their case. Footsteps on the tile alerted her to someone else being in the room with her, someone who shouldn’t have been there. Turning to face them, Arsenic smiled, perhaps warmly it was hard to tell in the dimly light room. “Hi, what are you doing so far away from the party?”

glass of bubbly in hand, she’d strolled across the wide halls of the empty museum. frenchie’d been talking shop, and the subtle pressure against the small of her back was a clear enough signal for her to excuse herself. museums didn’t typically pique her interest — if a client brought her there, it was probably for the sick thrill of feeling her up in front of a thousand prying eyes, both human and digital.

“What an extremely accurate description” Eris mused, coming closer and now smoothing a hand up the womans arm, just to get a curious touch of the soft skin, her eyes catching how the other exposed a strip of bare skin, a sneaky little move it seemed. “You’re looking like one who has a skill for taking initiative” she studied.

— 68TH ANNUAL DERTOSA GALA

“Mm. And yet here we are,” Eve returned, “with me wasting my time, which as you so aptly noted, is worth more than you.” A pause followed as her thoughts turned to consequences because this was not a thing free of them, not when Juliana believed in the efficacy of tangible punishment. However, there was a secondary consideration: how much use was there in teaching Foxglove a real lesson? Perhaps none, if things were as she had said, if she’d simply missed the call ( carelessness was not the same as willful disobedience ), but at the least she’d make sure Jae never missed another from her again. “Your phone. Unlock it and give it to me right now. And while you do so, you can explain to me why I shouldn’t punish you with a week’s worth of extremely unpleasant evenings.”

it was always easier to be meek and obedient, there was nothing eve worshiped more than the thrill of her own power. no matter how much she wanted to, it wasn’t the time to spit in her face and walk out. she couldn’t afford that. still, the shame burned angry and hot in the pit of her stomach as she swiped a finger across the glass screen, passing the phone over as requested.

arsenic took another drag, looking around slowly before giving the woman a smirk. not only had arsenic needed a light, but one of the people she needed to keep tabs on was out here and there was no better way to not draw attention to yourself than to smoke. people didn’t pay attention to smokers filling their nicotine fix. “you have no idea.”

it’s a game they play, a back and forth of sorts. he knows what kind of girl she is, she’s subtle but he still caught on, is no fool, quite used to girls that came with certain demands and expectations to him. jae did come with a most peculiar set of expectations. he wasn’t interested in becoming a sugar daddy b u t he enjoyed her company still, enjoyed to purposefully misinterpreting her seemingly cute little requests. it is a game they play, a constant back and forth, by now she no doubt knew she’d never get out of him what she truly wanted, still, she fairly enjoyed herself in his company. 

he’s waiting for her, had asked her to come straight to his home. not the first time she’d been here and doubtfully the last. a coin idly rolls along his knuckles as he waits for her arrival, moving towards the door once the cap pulls up. ‘ evening. ’ a smirk on his lips, as he welcomes her. he isn’t sure what he’s after this time around but regardless of that, the evening would be entertaining no doubt. 

@fcxglcves​ ♦ plotted starter

it’d been months and she was no closer to cracking the code. he wasn’t stoic or cold, no — that she could handle. he was charming and funny, using every ounce of his wits to twist her words, her requests into something unrecognizable. it was frustrating to no end, but perhaps that was the unnamed spark that kept her heart pounding each time he called for her services.

“true enough,” nick replied with a soft snort, leaning back against the opposite wall with his hands loosely in his pockets, stance wide as if to assist in her unabashed once-over of him, “but trouble’s always looking for a certain kind of person too –” this punctuated by an expression that suggests great identification with such a character, “at least, that’s what eve’s always telling me. you get on her bad side yet? because that’s a whole other rollercoaster of trouble.” he’s calling that she wouldn’t have, he knows foxglove’s reputation if not her self, and the key-word seemed to be profitable. what else did eve care about?