by Nem Rowan
I led David through the door to the Men’s locker room, peeking ‘round and discovering it was empty. I could tell no one had been in here for a while because the automatic lights sprung on dimly before gradually brightening.
“Take off your wet shirt,” I instructed as I opened my locker and pulled out my bag, making quick work of unzipping it and taking out the T-shirt and shorts I had worn into work. I could wear my uniform home; it needed to go in the washing machine anyway. When I turned ‘round with the clothes in my hands, I found David still standing there, unmoving.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Embarrassed,” he murmured, clutching at the sleeves of his coat. Fortunately, that was waterproof, so I could wipe that with some tissue.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” I whispered, unable to stop a smile of endearment from turning the corners of my mouth as I pushed his coat from his shoulders. He let me slip it off, the sleeves dropping from his arms with ease. That action alone made a little spark of excitement crackle inside me.
“Can…can you turn around?” he requested hesitantly.
“I won’t look if you don’t want me to. Here, put on my T-shirt and shorts. They’re clean.”
He accepted the clothes tentatively, clasping them in his hands before him, behaving as though I had just passed something special and sacred into his possession. “Thanks.” He nodded, finally seeming relieved.
All of a sudden, there came a knock on the door and I poked my head ‘round the corner of the lockers so I could see who was there. The door opened a fraction and Frank’s red-cheeked face looked in at me.
“Oh, Tenny, there you are. Are you alright?” he inquired, sounding concerned that I had disappeared without warning.
“I’m fine. It’s my friend, he had a cup of cocoa thrown over him so he’s changing into some of my clothes,” I explained, knowing Frank wouldn’t have a problem with it.
“I thought something had gone on. There was a guy in the office shooting his mouth off to Leanne. Saying you walked into him and chucked cocoa on his suit, and then when he complained, you were rude to him. I thought that didn’t sound like the sort of thing you’d do.” He pushed the door wider so he could stand in the doorway. He had a mop in his other hand, no doubt because he’d gone to clean up the mess that had been made.
“Ugh, what a jerk. No, he walked into my friend. I said it was an accident, but I’m not sure it was, really. He knocked David’s cocoa out of his hands.”
“Don’t worry about it. Leanne looked like she’d had enough of the wanker seconds after he walked in.” He shrugged, but the lines of concern on his face didn’t ease. “Never mind though, eh?”
“Yeah.” I sighed, knowing Leanne would probably want to talk to me about it as soon as I emerged into the canteen. “Thanks, Frank.”
He nodded and shuffled into the corridor, the door creaking shut behind him. I found David sitting on the bench in my Nine Inch Nails T-shirt and camo shorts, the handle of his shopping bag hooked ‘round his wrist. His argyle socks and brown brogues didn’t match at all, but I thought he looked adorable.
“Is everything alright?” He looked up at me as I came towards him.
“It’s fine, don’t worry.” I smiled, bending to pick up his wet, sticky clothing so I could wrap the items in a plastic bag.
“You’re not in trouble, are you?”
“Nah, why would I be in trouble? I didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes customers like to have tantrums because it makes them feel superior. I’m used to it.” I shrugged and put the wrapped-up clothing into my backpack. “Here, you can hold onto my bag until it’s time to go. It’ll save me having to run to the locker room to grab it. We can just go after I’ve clocked.”
He smiled in an effort to cheer me up as I placed the bag on his lap, but I could see from the look in his eyes that what had happened had upset him.
“Come on, I’ll get you another cocoa.” I chuckled.
He let me pull him to his feet, and silently, he followed me back to the café. I took him to a table near the counter and he perched on a chair, sitting with my bag on his lap protectively, and when I turned to go to the counter, I expectedly found Leanne waiting for me.
“Tenny? Can I talk to you a moment?” she asked awkwardly. She seemed embarrassed. Not once in the entire time we’d worked together had she ever had a reason to call me into the office for something negative.
“Sure. Let me guess, the guy with the hot chocolate, right?”
“What a prick,” she whispered under her breath as she leaned close to me. I smirked and she gestured that I should follow her.
In the office, she told me what the man had said about me, exactly as Frank had described. I told her what had happened and suggested that she should go and speak to David about it, but she said there was no need, that she knew the other man’s version of the story was made up. We ended up joking about it and the conversation drifted to what we both planned to do at the weekend and whether there were any movies at the cinema worth watching. Before I knew it, my shift was over and she let me go.
“You weren’t in trouble?” David piped up when he saw me coming.
“Of course not. Come on, I’ve already clocked. It’s time to get out of here.”
The chair legs squeaked on the floor as he got to his feet, still clutching my backpack. I offered to take it from him but he wanted to carry it for me so I let him, waiting until he had swung it over his shoulder. That’s when I decided to take his hand in mine. Just like before, holding hands in public made him go sheepish and I delighted in seeing him blush; besides, I wanted people to know that he was mine, to show him that I wanted us to be more than just friends. We walked side by side from the café, passing along the aisle where the row of check-outs stood, many of them unmanned as it was getting late. There were still shoppers milling about, but it was much quieter than during the day when they swelled in number and queues lined up at every till.
Outside, the air was cool and the sky was dying in shades of purple and pink but, gratefully, it wasn’t raining and so the short walk to my car was a blessedly dry one.
“What d’ya say we drop by the takeaway on the way home? I got a craving for some pizza,” I confessed as I opened the door on the driver’s side.
David paused to gaze at me across the roof of the car, his expression becoming hesitant. “Uh…well…I haven’t really…I can’t really afford it,” he spoke, lowering his eyes and slowly sinking out of view so he could climb into the passenger seat.
I slipped in behind the steering wheel and watched him place my bag in the foot-well. I waited until he had shut his door.
“I’ll buy you a pizza, silly,” I answered, gently teasing him, pretending he was being a chore.
“Oh, no, you don’t have to buy me dinner,” he pleaded with politeness, but I simply jabbed the key into the ignition.
“Be quiet, David. You’re forgetting, I’m the Master and I make the decisions,” I replied firmly.
He didn’t speak then, just stared at his hands clasped in his lap.
“Well? What do you say?”
He glanced up at me, his cheeks blushing, a twinkle in his eye. “Yes, Sir.”
I smiled. “Correct. Now, what toppings do you like on your pizza?”
Chapter 7
“Wait there,” I said as I peered down the front steps of my house, checking that the lights of my car flashed, indicating that the alarm had been set.
David stood beside me, holding two pizza boxes in his hands with my backpack hanging from one shoulder and his shopping bag from the other, watching patiently as I searched my keys for the right one. It was getting quite dark and my own shadow made it hard to see what I was doing so I had to face the streetlamps to see properly.
“When you enter the house, you are to wait at my side for further instruction,” I told him as I pushed the key into the lock and turned it, the deadbolt releasing so the door could glide soundlessly from its frame.
/> “Yes, Sir,” he replied with timid obedience, but I could hear the excitement in his voice, could see it in the way his body tensed and his eyes glinted. It excited me to see him that way.
In the warmth of the hallway, David stepped in after me and I closed the door, double-checking that it was locked and putting on the chain. That was something I had found myself doing recently; repeatedly making sure that everything was as it should be. I had to make a mental note not to do it too much in front of David; I didn’t want him to ask questions because I hadn’t yet told him about the visit from the police.
“Shoes, socks, and coat off. Put the pizza in the kitchen and then I want you to go into the living room and wait there for me.” I pulled off my jacket and hung it on the hooks by the door.
“Yes, Sir,” he replied quickly, and while I unlaced my boots, he hurriedly tore off his shoes and coat, turning to run up the stairs with the pizzas before realising he was still wearing his socks, and rushing back down to remove them.
I smiled as he stuffed them into his shoes and ran back up the stairs. I was in no such hurry myself. After a long day at work, I was in the mood for relaxing.
I climbed the steps to the next floor and went into the bathroom, taking a moment to wash my face and freshen up a bit. Ordinarily on an evening like this, I would have dressed myself in some smart clothes, but I didn’t want to frighten David when he already felt so inexperienced and ill-equipped, so, upon heading into my bedroom, I picked a pair of comfy jeans and a vest out of the wardrobe. It felt good to get out of my uniform.
I was surprised to find that my heart was pounding; when was the last time I had actually felt nervous about spending time with a playmate? A long, long time ago, when I was much younger and much less confident. But, it wasn’t my confidence that was making my heart pump and my body prickle with anticipation. I opened the drawer in the cabinet under the window where the slim card box awaited me, and I lifted it out as though it was a precious artefact; this would make it official.
As I walked down the stairs, gazing over the banister towards the two pizza boxes I could spy on the counter, I realised that these nerves were because of David and only David. Since we’d met, all I had done was think about him, many questions going ‘round in my head, and his shyness serving to rouse my curiosity.
David was sitting on the rug in the living room, his legs crossed and his hands buried in his lap. He’d put on the gas fire and its orange flames turned this familiar space I used every day into a secret sanctuary for us both. The lights of the city were visible through the dark window, bright specks of white and yellow above David’s head like a map of stars. His eyes fell upon the special box in my hands as I approached, barefoot, across the wooden floor until I felt the soft pile of the rug.
For a moment, I didn’t speak, and eventually his eyes wandered up to meet with mine. I had never seen him from this angle before, and yet he looked younger somehow. The difference in height better reflected the difference in our personalities. I gently touched his head, his hair soft through my fingers like the fur of a spaniel, and at first he didn’t know how to react, his lips parting as he looked away, but then he realised it was okay, that he could give himself into it, and his eyes closed. I felt him lean towards my touch, and that pleased me.
“I want to talk to you about the rules of our engagement,” I spoke in hushed tones as I continued to stroke his hair. “You’ll have a chance to talk things through about what you expect in return, then, once the collar is on, you will be mine.”
“I want that very much, Sir,” he whispered. He swallowed deeply and licked his lips.
I smiled at him. “I would like that very much, too.”
“Tenny—Sir, I’ve wanted to be yours for a long time,” he breathed, his eyes squeezing shut as if to keep him from looking at me, perhaps out of fear of what he would see in my face. “You noticed me. You make me feel like I’m not worthless, you make me feel wanted. I’ve never felt that in my whole life. I’ve never been wanted my whole life.”
I felt the pain in his voice as it mingled with my own; being disowned by my parents, feeling like an orphan. Being an outcast at school because I was trans. David’s struggles were different to mine, but similar. I still didn’t know all that much about his childhood or his family life, but I could sense the abandonment inside him, the clawing need to hang onto anyone who showed affection, so easy to take advantage of. But I wouldn’t take advantage of him. I wanted to be his safe haven.
“I want you. I want your trust, your friendship. Your love, too, if you’ll give it.”
He bowed his head. “Thank you, Sir.”
I bent slightly, slipping my fingertips under his chin so I could tilt his head, and when I was able to see his face again, I found him blushing.
“Rule Number One—no lies. If I ask you a question, you must give me an honest answer. Likewise, I will always be honest with you. Without trust and honesty, there is no relationship.” I gave him time to interject, but he didn’t. I didn’t think he would. “Rule Number Two—Master is always right. You may ask why I am right, but the answer I expect from you is ‘Yes, Sir.’ The safe word I normally use is ‘mercy.’”
David gazed up at me, remaining totally still and silent.
“Rule Number Three—the moment you step into my house, you become a slave, regardless of who else is here or your reasons for being here. That means you must be wearing your collar, you will address me as ‘Sir,’ and you are banned from using any furniture or appliances without prior permission.” I watched the little sparks of thrilled fear flaring in his eyes. “Rule Number Four—this relationship will be kept discreet and secret from anyone outside of it, unless we both agree to share it with a trusted person. Outside of the house, we will present as a vanilla couple, unless we are attending a club or a munch.”
David nodded quickly in response.
“Those are my four rules. Any questions?”
“Don’t you want me to sign a contract or something…?” he asked hesitantly, instantly shrinking back at the sound of his own words.
“A contract?” I smiled. “Well, if you want to. Do you want to?”
He nodded again.
“Okay. I guess I’ll have to print one for you.” I scratched at my head awkwardly. It wasn’t the first time I’d done something of the sort, but I didn’t expect him to want to be so serious.
“I—I just want to say, I don’t have any limits. You can do whatever you want with me. I will do anything. I’m yours,” he urged, shuffling a little closer on his knees.
His words made me apprehensive; if I was somebody else, somebody dangerous, somebody treacherous, he might have been offering himself up to harm. I wanted to tell him he shouldn’t say that, that he should care about himself more, but his pleading expression prevented me. “We’ll talk a little more about limits later…” I murmured.
“I want to make you happy and to serve you. I will obey your rules. Please, Sir, I want to be yours.” He edged closer still, and I peered at him as he pressed his face against my belly, his cheek warm through the fabric of my vest.
Silently, I opened the box in my hand, revealing the slim black leather collar inside. David wouldn’t be the first to have worn this collar. Several before him had borne it at their throats, including my previous slave, Jake, before he had upgraded to a stainless steel band. To me, this leather collar symbolised the seed planted at the start of a relationship; it could be easily unbuckled and removed when things got too uncomfortable, but at the same time, was a mark of pride and a reminder of the slave’s position as he grew into his role. If things didn’t work out, the resulting sapling could easily be pulled out of the ground and cast aside. If the relationship began to grow into something much more, a mighty tree perhaps, it was harder to tear out of the ground, just as Jake’s steel band had taken some effort with a hex key to undo the screws holding it together.
“I understand that you want this,” I spoke as I gazed towards Dav
id. I threw aside the card box and held the collar by its tips in either hand, ready to be put on.
“I do, Sir.”
The excitement that had been growing inside of me this whole time began to surge, spreading into my fingers and causing a slight tremble as I placed the leather strap over the back of David’s neck. He remained perfectly still, his wide eyes staring up at me, a muted smile on his face as he allowed me to buckle the collar. I had the feeling that, despite its ease in being undone, the collar would remain on him until I chose to take it off by hand.
Even after the deed was done, neither of us moved; we just gazed into each other’s eyes, each acknowledging the importance of this moment. Despite the many times I had done this, this time was different. David’s overwhelming yearning to be mine had created a nebulous emotion in my heart that I couldn’t name; like a rolling thundercloud, it gave off little flashes of light, illuminating emotions that I recognised, such as determination, joy, and empathy, but its overall density swelled and blocked it all out. This love was growing faster than I could keep check on.
“Now, what I want you to do is go and fetch our food. We’re going to eat first, and then we’ll have some real fun,” I lowered my voice as I spoke, my hand caressing his scalp once more.
“Right away, Sir.” He nodded fervently as he clambered to his feet and jogged out of the room.
I watched him go, amused by his enthusiasm, before collapsing with a sigh onto the sofa and stretching my legs. For a moment, I’d forgotten how tired I was.
Seconds later, he reappeared with the two pizza boxes, approaching me cautiously until he stood between me and the coffee table. “The one on top is yours, Sir,” he told me, sliding it free so I could take it from him.
