Series: Trade off: part 1/3

Pairing: Mal/Simon

Warnings: fantasizing, smut, spanking, slash

Thanks to Vae for the great beta.

Simon took a careful look around the room, trying to keep his assessment subtle as his eyes took in every detail. Polished wooden flooring and tasteful seating, not so close as to enforce intimacy, giving enough privacy and respectful space between each person, old fashioned tastes in décor which contrasted with the sleazy interior Simon had pictured when he first contemplated visiting the House. The House, innocuous name that held a wealth of meaning in all circles. Impressive in its refusal to discriminate, affordable by all, tastes merely modified or compromise made when the benefits outweighed lack of funds. It guarded its patrons safety and privacy almost religiously, which made it all the more tempting to Simon.

He shifted slightly, glancing around at the other people in the waiting room, trying to decide what each one was there for. He could quite easily scrape the hulking, glowering male in the corner and the delicate looking young lady with the blush on her face into the categories his brain instinctively put them in, but Simon knew that only too often appearances could be deceiving. Where he saw the delicacy, it was quite possible that smile could become confident and firm, those hands wield a whip or strap, her soft voice could easily carry firm commands.

Simon looked away as her gaze fell upon him, his staring having caught her attention. She wasn’t what he was looking for. But then, none of the others in the waiting room quite fitted what he wanted and Simon was finding difficulty deciding just how he should answer the questions in front of him.

Just what do I want?

He’d been certain in mind when he’d first booked the appointment, yet as the time drew close he’d become more confused, more undecided about what he wanted or even if he even did want this. Bondage, domination and sadomasochism. The words laid out so starkly on the pad before him mad