Completed Hypnotising Hands

[Matthew]

5th of Summer, 513 AV.

"Hello there. What can I help you with?"

Matthew turned his blue eyes to regard the receptionist, a young man by the name of 'Ivis'. Offering him a small smile, he stepped up to the desk, forcing himself to keep from getting distracted by the surrounding scenery. Syliras wasn't anything gorgeous to look at, but it was slightly interesting to see how they had managed to stuff all these businesses into the fortress. He couldn't help but feel a bit astounded each time he found someplace new to wander, marveling at how they had tucked away such a large variety of locales. "I am Matthew, and I wish to purchase a long massage. From your least experienced masseuse, please." Ivik kept the professional smile on his face, but raised a small eyebrow, curious at the odd request. "Easy enough to do, sir. We have one who hasn't been here with us all that long." He took a note in his ledger, glancing up at Matthew for a moment before scribbling a few more things. After a few more seconds of note-taking, he extended a hand for payment, which Matthew had at the ready.

"You can find the studio behind me. There is a hallway to the left where you will find waiting benches for all the private rooms, and their associated masseuses. She should be with you whenever she is ready." Matthew nodded in thanks, heading to where he was directed.

He moved gracefully, catching the stares of one or two women as he passed. He gave them all soft smiles, instinctively nipping his lower lip in a slightly feisty manner, his bold eyes sparking with little flirtatious hints. It wasn't even purposeful at this point, merely something he did to help with business. He continued walking, slim body almost cat-like in his slow and measured steps. He eventually reached the hallway he was supposed to wait at, and quietly took a seat. Noticing the heat of the place had produced some sweat on his brow, he lifted his hand, wiping it away. Glancing down at his attire, he tried to figure out if he was supposed to undress a little or leave everything on. Since everyone in this place was in various states of undress, he had no idea. Musing for a bit, he finally popped the buttons down the front of his black silk shirt, opening it up a little bit. That looked casual enough, as he was just cooling off or ready to undress.

He glanced around a bit more, taking in everything around him. He was here to learn, and figured the best way to learn would be to start with a session. Maybe he could also turn it into a lesson somehow. He didn't really know how, yet. This whole entire plan was still kind of being 'planned' as he went. That was usually how he did things. Staring across the hallway at a blank wall, he suddenly had an idea. Now that he always carried an advertisement or two on him, he could slap them anywhere he thought they would be seen at. This place was probably perfect. He was sure a lot of men and women came here to try and get a variety of services that they weren't supposed to. He quickly stood up, tugging out the poster and attaching it to the wall.

Matthew Wayne

Human | 25 | Male

______________________________________________________________________

A professional Escort seeks to provide his talents to any that may require it. While the Herald's Arms are wide open for those who seek the physical comforts, there is also a service to be provided for those who want something a little deeper than that. While a bed is certainly something that can be shared, one can also request a simple date. They can request a body to sit beside them as they fall asleep. They can request a love letter be written, to remind them of better days. There are many broken hearts and lonely widows in Syliras, and I only wish to help. A small fee is asked, and nothing more.

Any other requests shall be entertained on a case-by-case basis. A quick summary of skills are shown below.

Skill set:
-Intimacy
-Seduction
-Cuddling
-Romance
-Teasing
-Playfulness
-Dates
-Companionship
-Lovemaking
-Questionable Things

He stepped back, measuring it up with a small look of satisfaction. He wasn't sure why he had never thought of advertising here before.

[Wanda Endust]

Alone, Wanda sighed. She wasn't exactly sure what emotion she was releasing -- perhaps angst, perhaps exhaustion, perhaps boredom. Oh yes, even she could be bored every once in a while.

Not that she could help it. And not that she was complaining. She'd gotten this job no more than a couple days ago, as a means to support both herself and her mother, since Mrs. Endust was in no condition to bring home the mizas. For the most part, Wanda was grateful to have gotten employed, especially since the Employment Office was the most packed she'd seen in seasons. But it was slow-going. The majority of the bathhouse's customers were in no position to splurge for a masseuse, and those that were typically reluctant to surrender themselves to the hands of the newbie.

So here she sat, tucked away in her "office", limited to only a couple customers a day. Wanda had positioned herself comfortably on her masseuse's mat. Her back was flat to the floor. Hazel eyes watched the shadows dance across the ceiling. Candles placed throughout the small room, coupled with the hint of incense, gave the space a soft, warm appeal. I would have been quite relaxing, but...

I. Am. So. Bored.

It'd been bells since her last customer. Wanda rolled to her feet, almost mindlessly, to check outside her door for the umpteenth time. And gods be blessed, there was actually someone there! Well, he was still a short ways off, but close enough to make conversation with.

"Hey!" Wanda called, a bit louder than was probably necessary. Nevermind that the fellow might be busy. A bright genuine smile spread across her face. "What'cha doin'?" It might have been a strange question. This was a bathing house, what else would he be doing? Looked like he was applying something to the wall, though it was hard to tell through the mist.

[Matthew]

Hearing a voice call out behind him, he turned, applying a smile and directing it at the sound of the greeting. The blonde girl met his eyes, and he regarded her quietly for a moment, eyes flitting up and down her for a quick examination of what he was going to be getting himself into. Satisfied that she wasn't a giant blue muscle of a beast that would massage him into a pretzel, he offered her a more friendly smile and quickly explained. "I was posting my advertisement. I work in the Herald's Arms as a pleasure-giver, but am actually looking to start my own personal escort services. Not just sex, but romances, date nights, and that sort of thing. You are welcome to look at my advertisement if you are interested." He said all this quite matter-of-factly, as if advertising any old business. After voicing himself, Matthew paused and turned, regarding his poster with concern glittering in his eyes. "Do you think the damp air will destroy it before anyone has the chance to see it?"

He posed the question, then barely gave time to answer it before turning back around. "Anyways, enough about my business, on to yours. I am here for a massage, obviously. I signed up for the longer massage? I am assuming that is the best one there is? I ache in different places." He pointed to various areas on his body, his voice remaining calm and soft, words each pronounced slowly and carefully. His speech and mannerisms were all very proper, so much so that it was a bit hard to tell he was a pleasure-giver like he said he was. Or perhaps she wouldn't notice. Perhaps she had no prejudices about what pleasure-givers were like.

Concern still mocked at the corners of his mind, and he turned his head, fixing an eye upon the poster (now shrouded in the mist). Sucking just a tiny bit of Djed from his belly, he focused it to his eyes, filling the fleshy orbs with the glittering gas. Lights begged to flicker on around him, but he focused on only the poster. The soft yellow glow of the paper lit up, looking to be just as healthy as it was whenever he first put it there. Satisfied, he turned back to Wanda.

"In my line of work, I tend to stress a lot of muscles. If possible, could you get everywhere that is appropriate? Don't be shy. I need everything working as best as possible to actually get repeat customers." It could almost be taken as really creepy flirting if he didn't look so petching serious about it. Not once did his eyes glimmer with attempted seduction, nor did his voice ever lose that polite tone. Apparently he was a very proper and dedicated pleasure-giver.

"I am Matthew, by the way." He extended a toned arm, long fingers offering a formal handshake as he continued to smile at her.

[Wanda Endust]

You are welcome to look at my advertisement if you are interested."

"Ah, hm. Not really my kind of thing." Let the fellow take that as he may. The topic he'd brought up had taken Wanda off guard, and she wasn't all too comfortable with it. At least he's probably not here for "other" services. Some of the other masseuses offered more off-the-books attentions. Though Wanda had frequented the baths her whole life, she hadn't known about such activities until the she'd been hired. Of course, she refused to partake. But now she understood her mother's aversion to the establishment.

Wanda gave the man a quick once-over, offering a cheery lop-sided grin. As a rule, she'd always avoided the Herald's Arms on it's reputation. Though she wasn't adverse to simply visiting the place sometime. In fact, now that the man had brought it up, she began to wonder why she hadn't tried it out before. I'm probably too young to get in anyway, she mused, then realized that she'd missed part of what the man had said.

"...deep tissue massage? I am assuming that is the best one there is? I ache in different places."

Oh, he was here for her! Wanda felt silly, but soon became distracted by a her mind's observations. He seemed pretty straight-laced for an "escort". It kinda made sense, though -- one couldn't have a salacious persona full-time. That would be sheer madness.

The man turned back to the wall before Wanda could form a reply. She couldn't tell what he was up to. Simply staring at his creation? Leaning on her doorway, she took the brief pause to glance back into her massage room. Was everything in order? Ready for a customer? Seemed like it! She turned back just as he did the same.

"In my line of work, I tend to stress a lot of muscles. If possible, could you get everywhere that is appropriate? Don't be shy. I need everything working as best as possible to actually get repeat customers."

"Shouldn't be a problem. If I were shy, I'd probably be out of a job." She winked, though the fellow's mannerism threw her off. He seemed awfully businesslike for someone who was about to have her hands all over his body. It was strange though -- it wasn't like he was uptight or anything. Simply incredibly polite.

"And I'm Wanda," she chimed, returning both the smile and the handshake. "Come on in!" She motioned for Matthew to enter, taking a few steps back into her room to allow him to pass. "Go ahead and take a seat on the mat." The scent of apples wafted from the burning incense.


"How long have you been in Syliras? I don't think I've seen you 'round, Wanda queried brightly as she turned to grab open a new flask of massage oil, then chuckled. "Not that I would have. It's a big city! Myself, I've been here all my life." She turned back to face Matthew. Cocking an eyebrow, she held up the oil for him to see as she popped off the cork top."Let's get started, eh? Where to first?"

[Matthew]

"Well, if you know anyone that would be, please point them towards the poster. I would greatly appreciate it." With a little bow of his head, he took another glance at the poster, once more sizing it up. He couldn't help but let the worry play out across his features, teeth finding his lower lip again as he judged his creation. It always looked bad whenever he posted it up. He would have to redo it for the umpteenth time, and hope that he actually managed to get it right this time around. "As a matter of fact, I am sure you get plenty of customers who want you to touch them in more ways that just massage strokes. Politely direct them to my advertisement as well." He turned his head back to her, eyes glittering with just a spark of playfulness as he offered her a bit of a smile. Apparently there was some humor underneath all the politeness.

She winked, and he paused, opening his mouth as if to say something. He held his tongue for a moment, then closed it right back and followed her motion into the room. Apples hit his nose, and he wrinkled it a bit before spotting the burning incense. They used it in his line of work as well, just not that particular scent. He followed her instructions and sat, folding his legs underneath him. Each of his movements were slow and graceful, like a seductress approaching her lover. His beauty was a bit feminine as well, so the somehow-suggestive gait seemed to go hand in hand with it.

He peered warily at the massage oil she uncapped, horribly familiar with it in his line of work as well. Mentally, he was making notes. Massage oils and mats were something he was going to have to pick up, and incense... he assumed it was to relax the person, though mostly their muscles. His knowledge of anatomy would come in handy here, he believed. Seeing how there was going to be oils involved, he quickly stood again, tugging off his shirt and britches to leave himself in a pair of black silk underpants. He took his time neatly folding and tucking the clothes away to the side, actually smoothing a few wrinkles before looking satisfied. He returned to his position, slim and muscled body rippling lightly with each lithe movement. "Only a few seasons. And I doubt you would, I usually stay in the bedroom." Once again, it seemed like a joke, but he looked quite serious. "As for where to start... I am honestly not sure. I suppose my shoulders? I am new to this, so best to start someplace safe." He shuffled around a bit on his mat, slowly revolving his sitting form so his back was facing her. Apparently he was more than happy to work with her.

"I am actually interested in learning to massage. If you could talk me through it while you do your work, I would appreciate it. Such a skill would come in handy with what I do. Most people like something to loosen them up before they play. Some like it to work out the kinks inbetween playing." For a moment, his eyes twinkled, the corners of his lips twitching. Had he noticed her brief show of discomfort when he had invited her to check out the poster? It was gone almost as quickly as it came, curious eyes turning to watch her as she started.

[Wanda Endust]

She watched him undress -- not with lecherous unabashed gawking, but with the nonjudgmental gaze of someone unaffected by nudity. Or partial nudity, as it were. His grace and feminine allure were undeniable but not too difficult to ignore.

"Only a few seasons. And I doubt you would, I usually stay in the bedroom."

Wanda snorted, determining that his serious expression was only part of his sense of humor. In the close quarters of the room, she could observe him more closely, without outright staring. Though he was now sitting, she could tell that he was far taller than herself, but strangely unintimidating. "Ah, okay," she chimed at his suggestion. "Well, best to lie down," she pointed out with a gentle hand on his tan shoulder.

Once he'd obliged, it struck her just how attractive the man really was. She cleared her throat, scolding herself. Uh nope, nope, nope. Wanda refused to be seduced in a professional setting, especially when the person doing the seducing plainly wasn't even trying to. At Matthew's next words, she snapped out of it.

Talk him through it? "Well, I, uh, guess so, she murmured hesitantly. "I've never taught anyone before, but I'll give it a shot!" She waved away his last two sentences. "I don't need to know the nitty-gritty details," she noted, shifting uncomfortably.

"Anyway, it's always good to know anatomy before you go poking around people's muscles and pressure points, she began, spreading the heated oil across the man's upper back. "But I assume you already know a bit about that, considering. A small chuckle escaped her lips as she proceeded.

Resting her forearm lightly on the oiled area of his skin, she continued. "Once you apply the oil, run your forearm, positioned cross-wise, along one side of your client's back," she explained in a low voice, following her words with her actions. "Don't push with your forearm, but lean in with your weight and let your forearm slide down the back before sliding it back up. Oh, and avoid pushing on bony surfaces as you work. Especially the spine."

OOCMassage know-how courtesy of livestrong.com

[Matthew]

"Right, lay down, of course." He made a quick mental note, and awkwardly shuffled to a laying position, cheeking resting on the mat as he stared at the wall to the side. Trying to glance his blue eyes behind him without moving the rest of his body, he shuffled and tilted his head a bit, wiggling it around to try and get a good position. Eventually he would have it craned at a rather awkward position, but he would succeed in fixing a single eye upon her and her motions. He didn't remotely notice any staring on her part, too affixed upon her motions to pay attention. He watched every single movement with undisguised interest and focus, gaze narrow and intense as he looked upon her. Every now and then he would mumble little notes to himself, just repeating things she said.

The minute she reached a little higher on his back, he was unable to really watch, and settled his head back down in frustration. Her hands had the muscles responding a bit tightly, rippling and pushing against her prying fingers as if they were uncomfortable with their intrusion. Matthew noted this with a bit of surprise, thinking that his profession would have him quite at ease with exploring fingers. He was getting a bit tense as a woman touched him? That didn't really make sense, did it? Perhaps it was just the pose. He was vunerable and exposed, more so than any of his customers had ever demanded he be.

"I did study anatomy, yes." He spoke up, his tone slightly delighted that he had found someone to talk business with. "I thought it might come in handy. Not for the same reasons you do it of course, but there are tons of handy uses. May I?" He interrupted her massage for the moment, holding his hand out behind him with fingers wide, ready to accept her hand. If she gave it, he would guide it. If not, he would show her the area with his own tracing fingers. "If you follow the side of the spine down the back, all the way to the area right above the buttocks..." He paused, tapping an area on the small of his back. "This vertebrae right here. The sacrum, we called it. Pressing on this actually can stimulate the front area of a woman, directly opposite where the place is being pushed. Between the legs." He clarified, as if it wasn't already clear enough. "It is a fairly handy area, and most women don't even know about it. Nor do their men." He smiled, apparently pleased with how he had combined medicine and pleasure. "It is delightfully scientific, and who would imagine that science and the sort would be something to take into account to pleasure a woman?"

He wiggled his shoulders, trying to settle down the tension in his muscles as she massaged the skin. "Of course, this has nothing to do with your profession, but I understand. You press certain areas to invoke muscle relaxation and pleasurable stimulus. Minor, just enough to help ease the muscle even more. Correct?" He babbled out somewhat complex explanations for rather simple things, but with a child-like smile on his face the whole time. His back started to relax as she worked it, his own words apparently working wonders on his rigid state.

[Wanda Endust]

A frown lightly tugged at the corners of her mouth. She had expected a man of his... "profession" to be far more relaxed. Or perhaps relaxed wasn't the right word. "Loose," a self-amusing reference to his line of work, "is probably a better way of putting it," she mused out loud, unawares. Anyway, she'd expected him to be less tense.

She concentrated, knowing that if she focused she could eventually work out the knots in his muscles. "Use your fingertips to probe for individual muscles and the boundaries between them." Talking through her actions took more effort than she figured it would. Of course, should could talk about trivial things while she worked -- they took less concentration. But to actively explain the process in layman's terms? It was completely new to her.

She hadn't realized Matthew had been saying anything until his outstretched hand entered her field of vision. Oh! What was he saying? Something about handy uses? She paused her kneading, placing her hand in his as he guided it down his back.

At first, she thought nothing of his show of knowledge. Anatomy was nothing new to her, though she was still immature enough to have to stifle a giggle at the word "buttocks."

"This vertebrae right here. The sacrum, we called it. Pressing on this actually..."

The sacrum, huh? she thought, now interested. She'd never heard of the that specific vertebrae before. Or, if she had, she simply hadn't taken much note of it. Maybe this guy is going to teach me something?

"...can stimulate the front area of a woman."

Oh, I should've known it'd all come back to that. She snorted, hiding her unease. Matthew actually seemed to be pleased with himself, and she didn't particularly want to rain on his parade. "Ah, well it's all just anatomy I guess. Even... pleasure organs," she had to force the word out, "are still just organs."

After he'd settled back down and released her hand -- which was now tingling oddly -- she sat still for a couple ticks. The man, though he was now more relaxed than he had been, had nonetheless broken her concentration with his little explanation.

Oh, but it the interruption that now kept her from continuing now, or was it the topic?

Either way, her next course of action was probably a bad idea.

"I've got an idea, actually!" She exclaimed much more suddenly and forcefully than she'd intended to. "I could just tell you what to do and hope you understand, but then you'll never really know how to put it into practice, right?" She sat back on her heels, reaching for a hand towel. "How about I talk you through the actions while you practice on me?"

Wanda certainly wasn't gifted with foresight. What made her believe that being on the receiving end of this man's hands would make her any more comfortable than massaging him herself?

OOCSo sorry for the delay! And I know some of these sentences might be confusing, since I was confusing myself even as I wrote them. ;)

[Matthew]

He continued to take slow and steady breaths, holding onto the calm that he had managed to find in his own words. The feel of her fingertips was nice, as it should be. He focused on that feeling, on the relaxing and loosening sensation that it caused to flood through him. Something deep inside of him dislike being touched on this level outside of his profession, but he wasn't sure why that was. It was an irritating feeling, and he did what he could to suffocate it. It would only get in the way. This was something he actually wanted to learn, and he prided himself on being able to cast aside personal discomforts or emotions in order to learn. Taking another deep breath, he took control of his body, demanding it to relax. Slowly, his back relaxed even more, melting beneath her touch. "Correct. It is just another part of the body. Nothing taboo, as so many people seem to think." His tone was bland, his apathy toward the subject obvious. While the science of it all was extremely interesting to him, the actual act and the possible meanings behind such an act were something he wasn't all that interested in. He knew how to carry it out obviously. It just wasn't something that amused him. Aroused him, even. It was seperated, and something that was purely business. Even love and attraction were something that was just business. At her sudden idea, he tilted his head, turning it to rest his cheek upon the mat and focus a blue eye on her. He did like the idea. He was a bit worried about hurting her. Was it possible to hurt her if he pressed the wrong spot? He could definitely think of a few places that would hurt, but he was aware of them. If he just kept his knowledge of anatomy in mind, then he should be able to carry out her request with ease. Chewing his lip, he slowly nodded, clambering to his feet. "Do you lay down, or are you going to sit?" He moved around behind her slowly, staring at her back, brow furrowed. Even with her clothing still between his finger and flesh, he reached forward, lightly brushing his touch against her. He mumbled something under his breath, words that could barely be heard as her instructions before. Avoid the bony surfaces, she had said. Tracing slowly, he carved a path along her back, lifting his finger to avoid the spine when he had to cross it. He traced muscle and the lines between them, mapping out something of a plan in his mind, recalling her touches and pushes along his back. His confidence was slowly growing, and he was beginning to be fairly sure that he could give a simple massage. He merely waited for her to decide her position, grateful for the opportunity. "Do you want the oil applied, or will that be too much of a mess since you still have several hours? Or does it melt into the skin after a solid massage?" He tried to keep his questions quick and short, and made an effort not to spit too many out at once.

OOCNo worries, and it was a fine post.

[Wanda Endust]

"I'll lay down," Wanda decided after a hesitant pause. Actually, she would have preferred to sit. Laying herself prone to the strange man was not at all what she wanted to do, and she mentally derided herself for blurting out her switching-roles suggestion. But Matthew was paying for a lesson, and a lesson he would get. "After all," she nodded sagely, "you were laying down when I was going over the beginning."

Sliding onto her stomach, she crossed her arms beneath her head and blinked slowly. It'd been a long while since she'd been on the receiving end of a massage -- years, perhaps -- and it was almost a foreign sensation. A heavy breath exhaled from her nose in anticipation of the man's hands on her back. When it arrived, it elicited strange contradictory feeling. His touch was fine, of course. After all, he'd studied anatomy just as she had. But it was the impression of the touch that made her fight back the rising tension.

What had Wanda so uncomfortable? The lack of emotion in the man's contact. To someone so emotionally invested the simple act of massaging -- to whom physical contact was a way of connecting with another being -- Matthew's cut-and-dry demeanor gave the sensation of being slapped with a dead fish.

I can't imagine anyone wanting to be touched by this fellow, she mused, brow furrowed. It was so impersonal.

His next question brought her mind back to the surface. "Ah," she paused, considering. The oil would be soaked in by her skin, she knew, but it would require Wanda to remove her dress. Normally she'd have no qualms about going half-nude, but the intimacy of the setting and situation had her uneasy. A fairly ironic notion, considering the particular company she had at the moment. "It'll be absorbed," she explained, "but I think you should get the basics down first, before you try anything extra."

With that, she sprang into the next step of the massage. "When you find a knot or tense area or anything," she began, "don't push with your shoulders. Just lean into your fingers and let 'em kinda sink into the flesh." She nodded affirmatively as she waiting for his massaging to continue. So far he was doing well -- much better than she'd been when she'd first started out. Besides his cold fish disposition.

"And put some sunshine into it," she remarked with a half-teasing wink. "Nobody likes a reserved masseuse." Though perhaps some did, if they went to him for business...
OOCI'll be getting this ball rolling in the next post! Wanted to make sure You got a bit of XP first. Feel free to do anything that might make Wanda more uncomfortable and push her to use some magics!