A/N: I realised some readers (if anyone even reads Jeremiah fics) might be expecting smut as I had sex down as a warning in the last chapter, but that seems highly unlikely as I'm still so insecure as a writer. Also I don't know the first thing about that kind of sex, I'm a lesbian.
"Si, it's been two months. You can't keep paying for me." Jeremiah sighed, sinking down into the couch. Simon sat on the edge of the coffee table with his phone in his hand and just looked at his friend in disbelief.
"Honestly, J, it's no big deal. I'm earning enough to do it. Anyway, you looked after me when I ended up on the streets; it's only fair I pay you back." Jeremiah thought back to when they were 17 and Simon had run away from home. He had cleared out the garden shed and managed to keep his best friend secretly hidden in there for six weeks, sneaking him food and making sure he was never cold. Eventually Simon had found Mark, dropped out of high school and started working. It was strange to think that this was a year ago. So much had happened since; they had been forced to grow up. Their parents had abandoned them, leaving them to facing the world alone.
"I just… I feel like I'm taking advantage of you." It was Simon's turn to sigh now as he turned to stare into Jeremiah's bright blue eyes. "What do you want me to do? Let you starve? Kick you out? Calm down, it's just a pizza." He brought the phone to his ear and ordered a family pizza with pretty much every topping on it. When he was high he'd often go for days without eating, but on the rare occasions he was clean, like now, he could easily eat to make up for the days he didn't. He reeled off the address to the pizza company while studying Jeremiah's face. Simon was good at reading people, he was proud of that, but he could never read that face. Jeremiah was good at showing emotions, but they hardly ever matched what he was actually feeling. So as Jeremiah sat back on the couch looking lost, Simon could only guess that he in fact knew exactly what he was doing and what he was feeling.
"What's up?" he asked, hanging up. Jeremiah moved closer to the coffee table and placed his right hand over Simon's left one, which was resting on his lap.
"I need you to give me Mark's number." Simon flew up, grabbing his hair in frustration and started walking into his room.
"I know what I'm getting myself into but I need to do something," Jeremiah continued, following the dark-haired boy. "I won't have sex; I'll only do the dates." Simon spun around and grabbed his friend's shoulders. "No. Let me keep looking after you, I really don't mind. Please, I don't want you to get into this." Jeremiah stared into the dark brown eyes right by his face. "Stop it. You know as well as I do that I need my own money, my own freedom. It pays well, I'll just save up enough to move somewhere and get a real job."
It made sense to Simon. He knew that no matter how much he told himself that his best friend was different, stronger than him, they were more alike than he liked to think. He had been in the same situation a year earlier and it had taken him a lot less time to fall into the life he lived now. It wasn't like he hated it, not at all. He liked feeling desired by the men he saw, he liked the money and the gifts. It didn't even bother him that he was being used, his whole life had been like that anyway. But it bothered him that the one individual he really looked up to was willing to let himself be used by people because he was in a desperate position. What kind of friend was he if he didn't help someone who really needed it though? He'd still help Jeremiah find a real job, he promised himself and dialled Mark's number before handing the phone over to the wide-eyed blonde with a defeated groan.
"So Jeremiah, I have to say I'm happy you called. Let's start you off with something easy." Mark was leaning against the kitchen counter looking through his phone. It felt surreal, Jeremiah thought. Just yesterday he had made the call and now here he was, awaiting instructions from his agent. He wondered if Mark had been in this position once, if he had been an escort before starting his own agency. He didn't appear to be all that damaged, he was warm and friendly and seemed to care for his boys.
"Ah, this will do nicely." Mark looked up from his phone to make sure Jeremiah was listening. "Adrian, early 30's. He's got some kind of fundraiser bash tonight, nothing too fancy though, just wants a pretty little thing on his arm." Jeremiah froze up. "Tonight? Isn't that a little short notice?" He asked, panicking. Suddenly, he felt completely unprepared. This was actually going to happen; there was no way he could go back now.
"You're telling me," Mark chuckled darkly. "He called this morning requesting someone. We usually give him Alex, but that's for completely different things. Apparently, he's not good enough to be taken out in public and I completely understand that. Anyway, Adrian's new to the dating side of this business so you two should be alright. You a good first date, charming?" The taller man stepped closer to Jeremiah and inspected him through his designer sunglasses he for some reason refused to take off. He ran his fingers through the younger man's thick blonde hair and nodded. "Yeah, leave it like this," he said as if he had been debating the hair issue out loud rather than in his head.
"Wear something nice, but casual. I'm sure Si will help you." Mark glanced at the watch on his wrist and apparently decided he needed to be somewhere else as he started towards the door. As he reached it, he stopped and turned like he had forgotten something. Jeremiah couldn't help but think that this must be like his signature thing, dropping big news or questions casually while leaving.
"Have you thought of a name?" Jeremiah's head started spinning with names, but none of them seemed to fit. He considered sticking to his real name for about a second before realising that word would probably get around somehow and it was definitely not safe. Mark looked thoughtful.
"Let's go with Jay," he said after a few seconds. "It's neutral and you already respond to it." He nodded. "Yeah, suits you. A car will be here to pick you up at 6.30, make sure you're ready." And with that, Mark vanished through the door and into the crowded street outside.
As soon as he was alone in the apartment again, Jeremiah freaked out completely. It was only two, what the fuck was he supposed to do until 6.30? He tried watching tv, but everything annoyed him. Books were just as bad and there wasn't any music he knew of that could match this mood. Not that he liked music anyway, especially since that little performance that had cost him his normal life. Singers were just show-offs, he decided. Little bitches that couldn't handle their own emotions so they had to throw them in other peoples faces so they wouldn't have to deal with them.
Ok, maybe he could start getting ready. It was way too early, he knew that, but he didn't want to stand there trying to plan an outfit in the last second. He rifled through his closet which seemed to be full of plain jeans and hoodies. Shit. Now his eyes were burning, was he seriously going to start crying now? Jeremiah couldn't even remember the last time he cried, he just got angry these days. He got up and made his way to the bed, but it wasn't comforting in any way. Of course, it was just a spare room, it wasn't his. He needed something that felt like home now.
Jeremiah managed to transport himself to Simon's room, though he wasn't quite sure how. His legs didn't seem to be working and he was breathing so fast and heavy he was sure he was about to die. He buried his face into his best friend's pillow and tried to relax himself by breathing in the familiar smell.
Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder and he started shaking again. Two very thin but strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him in to a safe place.
"I take it you start this evening… It'll be alright J." Simon whispered in his ear. "I can call Mark, tell him you don't want to go through with it. I can take your appointment." Jeremiah shook his head, still hyperventilating. "It's not about tonight, I think… I think everything that has happened these last few years is finally sinking in." He crashed his head against the reassuring shoulder and let himself cry.
"Wait," Simon said softly, getting up to rummage though his bag. He pulled out a bag of small white pills and gently poked one between the other boy's lips. "It's just a little something for anxiety." Jeremiah swallowed it and leaned back against that comforting shoulder, waiting for the medication to work its magic.
If there was one thing Simon knew about, it was anxiety. He knew it better than sex or the effects of drugs. Those two things were only in his life to distract him from his anxiety anyway. Every morning when he saw himself in the mirror, he felt it. Every time he had finished with a client, he felt it. Like his whole life was some hopeless mess and nothing he could do would ever fix anything. It was suffocating, crippling and lonely. So now, when his friend was going through it, he knew what he needed - a little chemical help and someone who understood.
He pressed his nose into the mess of blonde hair and kissed Jeremiah on the head, a little soothing gesture and smiled as the boy lifted his head and gazed at him gratefully.
"Let's find you something to wear," Simon offered with a quick but tight hug.
It was nothing like Jeremiah had expected. Adrian was charming and very good-looking. He was generous with compliments and affection and made it very easy for Jeremiah to act like his boyfriend. He showed off the blonde to his colleagues and acquaintances and they told a wonderfully romantic story about how they met at a workshop for urban kids.
The feeling was new to Jeremiah and he loved it. He soaked up all the positive energy around him. No one had wanted to be seen out with him before, his previous boyfriend was still way in the closet and no one since had liked him in that way. But here he was, as arm candy to some gorgeous wealthy man at a semi-public event. Adrian worked with a children's charity and had organised the fabulous party which was casual enough to make sure people felt comfortable but with a formal edge for the feeling of importance. Jeremiah smiled as he made his way around the room, answering questions politely as Adrian worked the room in his incredibly charismatic way. It did feel a little uncomfortable at first pretending to be someone else, someone older, with an education and a job, but he let himself enjoy being a completely different person for one night.
The party itself was pretty uneventful, there was dinner, people made speeches and then everyone kind of mingled, trying to squeeze money out of the old rich men who had shown up to keep up the appearance of wanting to make a difference. But the atmosphere was great and Adrian had thrown it all together. Jeremiah wondered to himself why a man like that would turn to an agency to get a date, but he quickly brushed that thought aside, even he knew that you couldn't ask a client that.
Soon enough the event was over and Adrian was walking Jeremiah to the agency car that was waiting for him.
"You're new, aren't you?" he asked quietly, making sure no one could hear what he was saying. Jeremiah just nodded, a little scared he might say something wrong.
"Well, you're great and I'd really love to have you as my date for some more of my upcoming events. I just wanted to make sure you're okay with that too before I make the call to Mark."
"Yes," Jeremiah breathed, smiling at the older man. "I'm fine with that."
"Well then," Adrian replied, opening the car door for his date. "I'll see you next time."
Of course, Jeremiah knew he was incredibly lucky. Not all clients were going to be as kind and attractive and caring as Adrian. But maybe if he had him as a regular, everything would be fine. He couldn't wait to get back to tell Simon about his evening, but realised that he had a late engagement tonight and probably wouldn't be back until Jeremiah was fast asleep. Well he could tell him tomorrow. At least he had someone to tell.