"You're so concerned, pick up the gorram laundry yourself!"

Simon sat on the floor of their cabin hard, as his lover disappeared up the ladder and out into the ship.

~~~I keep on falling

His jaw hurt. Dazed, the doctor reached for the cold edge of the sink and slowly pulled himself upright. He looked down at his trembling hands, and tugged half-heartedly at his vest to straighten it. He tasted blood at the corner of his mouth.

~~~in, and out of love

He looked around himself, at the dirty piles of clothing on bed and floor, and began gathering them up. Bending down increased the pain in his face, straightening up made the claustrophobic room swim slightly. He kept moving, and did not turn towards the ladder.

~~~with you

Simon didn't know how the argument got so out of hand. He had just wanted to clean the place up... and before he knew it, they were yelling at each other, and then the fist came flying... *Something about my so-called refinement, looking down on him, but I never said...*

~~~sometimes I love you,

~~~sometimes you make me blue

He dropped the clothes onto the unmade bed and pressed his fingers into the forming bruise, willing that sharper pain to override the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Things had been going so well lately...

~~~sometimes I feel good

~~~at times I feel used

Doctor Tam, Mister Top Three Percent, the one with all of the advantages of a Core education, was completely at a loss. Out here, he was just Simon. And Simon didn't know what to think, what to say or not say to keep this from happening again. The thoughts buzzed inside of his head like drugged bees, faltering and directionless.

~~~lovin' you darlin

~~~leaves me so confused

The first time it happened, he had fallen back in shock more than hurt. After all, he'd been hit on this ship before. But this was different. He looked up, fury boiling inside of him... and met his lover's eyes. The dismay there, the instant self-loathing, had stopped him in his tracks. T