Hired Company
digitalPopsicle: + TanaChan:




In the bustling city, there lies an underground network of criminals, split into many gangs and many territories. The police know they're there, but through connections and threads, can rarely touch any of them unless planned so.

Some run drug rings, some prefer prostitution, some handle illegal weapons, some have casinos and gambling rings, and some do a mixture of everything. Everyone has their own sins in the underworld.

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Name: Skyler Berkley
Alias: Phoenix
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Height: 5 foot 9
Occupation: Protitute/Companion
Notes: Going by the name of Phoenix on the streets, he has been working at that particular 'game' for many years. Starting off on the street, he has managed to work his way up to being more 'professional' hired company. Men, women, he doesn't mind as long as they pay him in the end. He even goes so far as to crossdress convincingly for those who don't wish to be seen with a male companion yet have no desire for a female. Each to their own, in the end he's all about the money.

Sebastian tapped his foot impatiently, he was currently waiting for the Matron to bring Phoenix down. Normaly a rather bubbly person he was in a right mood today. He had been told he was to bring a date, and not that corner trash. Sebatian had not gone to a corner whore in years, he preferred the company of men and you did not find those on the streets except in certain parts of the city. He shuddered at the thought. He much preferred hiring company from one of the many escort services, he used them quite frequently...but recently he had found a favorite, and that was who he was waiting for. He had used Phoenix as just a quick body the first time, but after had not been able to not think about the shorter man, and had hired him multiple times. This was the first time he was asking Phoenix to accompany him to several functions his father was holding, or that he was required to go to.
He huffed and ran a hand through his hair, you would think he was in his late teens instead of mid twenties by the way he was acting, it had thrown many opponents off and had cot them dearly.

Dressed in a simple suit, looking for all the world like a business man going to meet a client or similar, Phoenix walked down the corridor to the room he was directed to. An older lady accompanied him, but he was only half paying attention to her chit-chat as they walked. He was more interested in the job he was to be paid for. As an 'escort', this kind of thing was standard.
The door to the room was opened, and whom he presumed had been the matron or maid let him in. With a polite nod, the young man stepped into the room with a slight smile.
"Good evening, Sebastian." He greeted

"Phoenix!" Sebastian called out and grinned at the other man. "Looking good as always, sit please." He said as he sat back down after having stood to great the young man. "I have several functions I am required to go to...Father is not letting me back out of these gracefully and requires I bring a date. I wish for you to be that date." He said and grinned at the escort. "There are several parties needing to be attended, as well as a ballet and an opera..." Sebastian's face scrunched in displeasure at the last item. "I am asking that you be my date for the next month and a half." he turned amber eyes on Pheonix as he picked up the tea he had been served upon arriving. "I do expect you to stay with me the entire time." He said before finally taking his eye away from the male to take a sip of his tea.

Politely, Phoenix took the tea from the tray in front of them, sipping at it while he listened and nodded along.
"A month and a half? How many functions are you attending? Surely there won't be one every day." He teased with a gentle smile, eyeing him over the edge of his glasses. "I just have my usual questions about what we'll be doing, how I'll need to present myself, the usual. I wouldn't want to show you up after all."
He chuckled quietly, offering the other man a smile that reached his eyes. He was quite fond of the man, even if he was in the mafia. It had never been explicitly said to him, but he'd been around long enough to figure things out by now. As long as no harm came to him, Phoenix didn't mind. Sebastian was very good to him.

"Not every day no, but there is something just about every day. A meal with someone important, and the family is trying to be open to all of the community, though he knows letting me come with a male partner will not please some, but we have what they want, so they won't leave." Sebastian smiled lightly around his tea cup. "Your formal wardrobe will be provided for. There are about eight blasted parties, though a few are birthday parties, so those won't be so bad. Three ballets and two bloody operas." Sebastian frowned at the last, he liked ballets, but could not stand opera, it put him to sleep every time. "As for presenting yourself...like you would with a lover, someone who is not afraid to show their affections in public. Father is trying to reach the community that it is possible for unity and to not fight so much over stupid shit." He put his tea cup down on the tray and leaned back in the chair, crossing his left leg over the other as he studied Phoenix.

Phoenix nodded, tracing his finger over the edge of the cup. "I see. If there turns out to be a problem with my gender, I have been told I make a convincing woman." He joked with a quiet laugh, pushing his glasses back up on his nose.
"I suppose my questions are few then, considering you answered a lot for me. Am I to be staying in my own apartment and you provide travel for me, or am I going to be so busy I must stay with yourself during my... employment." His blue eyes twinkled while he took another drink, tapping finely manicured nails on the ceramic.
He was quite feminine, there was no mistaking that. Given enough time, he could seem more manly or more womanly depending on how he dressed. He was a man of many facades and faces, fitting to where he was needed when needed to do so. Such was his job as an 'escort' after all.

"I came out to my parents when I was fourteen, my mother was open minded and had to convince my father. Which she did quite well. That community is the one that we are trying to show our support to." Sebastian smiled broadly, "She is a very convincing woman." His mother was jut as hard as any of the family, though many underestimated her. When his father had started to rave about how he was not going to have a gay son she had shot him and he had changed his mind. He was now trying to garner support from the rather large gay community in the area. "There will be no problems with you being yourself...You know I prefer that to anything else." He smiled at Phoenix and picked up the tea cup again to take another sip. "I would love your company during this time. The pay is good." He added as an after thought and looked over at Phoenix over the cup before he drained it and set it down one last time. "You would be staying with me, it would be much easier."

The young man nodded along as always, looking at him over the rim of his cup as he continued to drink. "I'm aware of that. I was just wondering what kind of community your family was trying to appeal to." He chuckled softly again, putting his empty cup down and sitting back. "I'm sure you're aware of my usual fees? Although, for such a regular client, I'm willing to give a discount."
He winked cheekily at Sebastian, playing with the ring on his middle finger. It had actually been a gift from the man some time ago. A simple gold band with amethysts embedded in it, his favourite gem, and the family's insignia engraved in it. Something t symbolise that he was welcome within their family, he had been told at the time. And it was his most favourite accessory now.

Sebastian smiled as he stood, "No discounts, you are worth every cent and more." He said as he held out his hand for Phoenix. "We must get going my dear, Mother and Father are awaiting us for lunch. Is there anything from here that you need to take with you? I'm sure my driver is asleep at his post, lazy bastard." He muttered the last as he opened the door and held it open to allow Phoenix to walk through first. He may have frequented the building, but he never stayed any longer than it took to pick up who he wanted, and for the last two years he had gone to no one but Phoenix, taking up quite a bit of his patronage.

Phoenix shook his head, a few strands of his chocolate coloured hair falling free from the ponytail that held it from his face. "I have everything I need, assuming you're paying for everything I require." He gave him a sly little smile, walking out of the door that was held open for him, putting a little sway in his hips to show his appreciation, and showing off how finely tailored the suit was that he wore. It showed off his ass and he was damn proud of that fact.

Sebastian could not help but to look at Phoenix's rear as he followed after the young man. "Ofcourse I am paying for everything you need." He smiled, "Especially for more pants like that." He grinned unashamedly as they left the building to the car he had waiting outside. He once again held the door open and allowed Phoenix to enter the vehicle first before he slid in as well. "How have you been in the last week dear?" It's been what..seven days since our last encounter?" he asked as he settled into his seat with a smile for Phoenix

Phoenix chuckled and gave him a sly smile over his shoulder as they walked. "I have no idea what you mean. This is just what well-tailored pants look like." He said with a spark in his eyes.
He slid into the car, tidying his hair once he sat down and making himself comfortable. Sebastian's family always had the more comfiest of cars, the latest models and all that. It was a lifestyle he'd grown used to having been hired by him for so long.
"I've been fine. A little bored, have to admit. A gentleman hired me to entertain his wife, who simply wanted to watch soaps while we cuddled on the sofa." He sighed, twisting a lock of hair around his finger. "Though I understand that she'd just lost her brother so I can't complain I guess. Easy money is easy money."

Sebastian nodded lightly as he closed the door. "That does sound like easy money, the soaps must have been horrid...they are all the same bullshit, just different names. So and so screwed so and so's wife/ husband, someone tried to poison someone else, bah. Real life is much more dramatic, at least in my case. As for your pants, please hun, I have well tailored pants and they don't hug my ass like that." Underneath his clothes Sebastian was fit, well toned, with a body many men were jealous of, especially if he was found on the beach. Sebastian reached over and ran his hand through Phoenix's hair and smiled as he gently gripped the back of his neck and pulled him closer for a kiss. Pulling away he grinned, "Well you should not be bored anytime soon, we shall be plenty busy being in the public's eye." Grinning he once again pulled Phoenix closer, this time the kiss was longer than a peck, Sebastian's tongue quickly seeking entrance.

The brunette didn't pull away, smiling into the kiss and even shifting closer to him. He chuckled at what was said, but before he could reply he found his lips otherwise occupied by something else, something much more pleasing.
With a pleased little sigh, Phoenix wrapped his arms around the other male's neck, allowing him entrance and his own tongue flicking out to briefly greet his. His fingers traced over the collar of his shirt, playing with the neatly trimmed hairs at the base of his head.
One thing he had to say about the man and that he was the best kisser he'd come across in his line of clients.

Sebastian groaned into the other man's mouth, he loved it when people played with his hair, and it seemed only Phoenix knew to run his fingers through it.
When the car stopped Sebastian pulled away with a soft sigh, "Time for lunch my dear." He murmured softly and climbed out once the driver opened the door. He held his hand out to Phoenix and smiled, the restaurant was a small family run Italian place that Sebastian's family frequented. He quickly found his parents sitting in a corner booth and waved before he hurried over to kiss his mother's cheek before sitting down once Phoenix had slid into the booth.
"That is not how you should act in public Sebastian, one would think you had outgrown your hyperactivity." Hi father said, sitting just as stiff as he always did in a public setting.
"Yes well...Mother, Father. This is Phoenix." He indicated the man sitting next to him.
"Surely you must have a legal name not just a working name." Sebastian's father said again, just barely hiding his disgust at having hired company sitting with them.