TM challenge 145: Tell the truth about something you usually lie about.
Title: Yes, of course I’d like to be your Permanent Companion.
AN: Companion!Simon AU. If you recognize some lines, it’s because they were lifted from ‘Shindig’.
A few more cruises like this, Simon thought, and I’ll retire early.
His schedule was fully booked nearly every day of the six week cruise. This was his fourth year with Sihnon’s Imperial Cruiseline, and his sixteenth cruise since becoming a Licensed Companion. The work wasn’t hard at all. It was composed mostly of holding the hands of elderly widows, dancing with their daughters, and smiling while listening to them talk… and then spending the nights with bored husbands, or completing the occasional ménage.
Docking on border worlds could be a bit more interesting.
Simon only had ten minutes to check his wav’s before dinner with the Widow Li at the Captain’s table. He needed to book the three day layover on Persephone.
Fastening his tie, Simon smiled to see his screen filled with wav’s. So far, this trip had been more widows than bored husbands. He clicked the messages from men first.
“I understand your time on our planet is limited,” came the message record in Simon’s small but luxurious cabin. “And if you've selected my proposal to
hear, then the honor that you do me flatters my... my honor... and I hope-“
Simon sighed and clicked that one off, unimpressed. He’d been entertaining and leading so many first time customers through the ‘dance’, he really wanted someone a bit more experienced… That was why so many Companions quickly grew weary of working the cruise lines and left… leaving behind very good pay for those who stayed.
Just then the chime of a live, incoming message sounded.
Simon’s eyes widened as he recognized the address. He finished his tie and checked himself in the mirror before accepting the call.
“Now there's the smile made of sunlight,” came the cultured tones of a Persephone oligarch.
“Atherton! How wonderful to see you,” Simon said with his best welcoming smile.
“Did you get my message? I was extra appealing.”
“Oh Atherton! I’m just checking messages and I’ve got to run in a flick,” Simon said, biting his lip. “Please. Now you can tell me in person.”
Atherton’s eyelids quivered. He liked Simon’s neat white teeth… on his flesh. “Well, you arrival synchs with the Social Event of the Season. We only have four or five of those a year, you know. I proposed to contract with you for the full three days of your stay on our planet.” Atherton paused and raised his eyebrows. “So, you'll accompany me, I ask, heart in my throat?”
Simon awarded him a brilliant smile. Atherton was just what he wanted. And the full three days meant his scheduling task was done! “I'm delighted to say I'll be there.”
Atherton smiled smugly. “There is also a certain offer I'm still waiting to hear about.”
“Yes, I imagine there is,” Simon said with a coy smile. Atherton asked him to stay every time he set foot on Persephone. He’d see Atherton’s recorded wav later and hear the latest details. “Now, I'm sorry, Atherton, I have to run.”
“I understand, I'll see you soon, bao bay.”
Simon looked himself over in the full length mirror. His eyes grew serious. His friends back on Sihnon warned him about stringing a client on like this... letting him believe there was a chance…. at something permanent.
But if he told Atherton straight out that he’d give up his left testicle before enslaving himself to a single master on some backwater moonbase… Atherton wouldn’t be paying him up front for a three day engagement.
It was only three days. What could possibly go wrong?
Simon turned and left, headed for the Captain’s table and an interesting discussion of Earth That Was Chinese artifacts with Mrs. Li.
He had yet to pick up a client for the midnight to 4 am slot, but soon met the eyes he felt on him during dinner. They belonged to an older man… dragged on this cruise by his wife who probably spent all her time at the gaming tables while he stayed drunk, chafing at the time spent away from his business. Bored out of his skull… and thinking about how easy it would be to take a walk on the wild side. His wife might even approve and contract with Simon later in the cruise.
That’s how it usually went.
Simon kissed the back of Mrs. Li’s hand and thanked her for the stimulating conversation then crossed the room to press a copy of his current schedule into the hand of the man’s eyes he’d met. The open time slots flashed and a thumbprint was all that was needed to reserve him… Simon Tam, Licensed Companion. The scheduler was synched into the cruise ship’s database and Simon’s fee would be added to the passenger’s bill. Simon smiled at the man and disappeared to meet his 8-10 pm dancing reservation on the Phoenix Deck.
Muse: Dr. Simon Tam
Fandom: Firefly/Serenity
WC: 806
AN: Companion!Simon AU. If you recognize some lines, it’s because they were lifted from ‘Shindig’.
A few more cruises like this, Simon thought, and I’ll retire early.
His schedule was fully booked nearly every day of the six week cruise. This was his fourth year with Sihnon’s Imperial Cruiseline, and his sixteenth cruise since becoming a Licensed Companion. The work wasn’t hard at all. It was composed mostly of holding the hands of elderly widows, dancing with their daughters, and smiling while listening to them talk… and then spending the nights with bored husbands, or completing the occasional ménage.
Docking on border worlds could be a bit more interesting.
Simon only had ten minutes to check his wav’s before dinner with the Widow Li at the Captain’s table. He needed to book the three day layover on Persephone.
Fastening his tie, Simon smiled to see his screen filled with wav’s. So far, this trip had been more widows than bored husbands. He clicked the messages from men first.
“I understand your time on our planet is limited,” came the message record in Simon’s small but luxurious cabin. “And if you've selected my proposal to
hear, then the honor that you do me flatters my... my honor... and I hope-“
Simon sighed and clicked that one off, unimpressed. He’d been entertaining and leading so many first time customers through the ‘dance’, he really wanted someone a bit more experienced… That was why so many Companions quickly grew weary of working the cruise lines and left… leaving behind very good pay for those who stayed.
Just then the chime of a live, incoming message sounded.
Simon’s eyes widened as he recognized the address. He finished his tie and checked himself in the mirror before accepting the call.
“Now there's the smile made of sunlight,” came the cultured tones of a Persephone oligarch.
“Atherton! How wonderful to see you,” Simon said with his best welcoming smile.
“Did you get my message? I was extra appealing.”
“Oh Atherton! I’m just checking messages and I’ve got to run in a flick,” Simon said, biting his lip. “Please. Now you can tell me in person.”
Atherton’s eyelids quivered. He liked Simon’s neat white teeth… on his flesh. “Well, you arrival synchs with the Social Event of the Season. We only have four or five of those a year, you know. I proposed to contract with you for the full three days of your stay on our planet.” Atherton paused and raised his eyebrows. “So, you'll accompany me, I ask, heart in my throat?”
Simon awarded him a brilliant smile. Atherton was just what he wanted. And the full three days meant his scheduling task was done! “I'm delighted to say I'll be there.”
Atherton smiled smugly. “There is also a certain offer I'm still waiting to hear about.”
“Yes, I imagine there is,” Simon said with a coy smile. Atherton asked him to stay every time he set foot on Persephone. He’d see Atherton’s recorded wav later and hear the latest details. “Now, I'm sorry, Atherton, I have to run.”
“I understand, I'll see you soon, bao bay.”
Simon looked himself over in the full length mirror. His eyes grew serious. His friends back on Sihnon warned him about stringing a client on like this... letting him believe there was a chance…. at something permanent.
But if he told Atherton straight out that he’d give up his left testicle before enslaving himself to a single master on some backwater moonbase… Atherton wouldn’t be paying him up front for a three day engagement.
It was only three days. What could possibly go wrong?
Simon turned and left, headed for the Captain’s table and an interesting discussion of Earth That Was Chinese artifacts with Mrs. Li.
He had yet to pick up a client for the midnight to 4 am slot, but soon met the eyes he felt on him during dinner. They belonged to an older man… dragged on this cruise by his wife who probably spent all her time at the gaming tables while he stayed drunk, chafing at the time spent away from his business. Bored out of his skull… and thinking about how easy it would be to take a walk on the wild side. His wife might even approve and contract with Simon later in the cruise.
That’s how it usually went.
Simon kissed the back of Mrs. Li’s hand and thanked her for the stimulating conversation then crossed the room to press a copy of his current schedule into the hand of the man’s eyes he’d met. The open time slots flashed and a thumbprint was all that was needed to reserve him… Simon Tam, Licensed Companion. The scheduler was synched into the cruise ship’s database and Simon’s fee would be added to the passenger’s bill. Simon smiled at the man and disappeared to meet his 8-10 pm dancing reservation on the Phoenix Deck.
Muse: Dr. Simon Tam
Fandom: Firefly/Serenity
WC: 806