Saving Sebastian: A Catharsis Novel (Custos Securities Series Book 3)

by Luna, David

  They always used jute rope for bondage, and Gideon had both light and dark colors he used interchangeably. The pictures they’d had Khaleo take when they’d finally done a private rigging session again, came to mind. They’d mostly had prints made in black and white, but some of them were in color, and he recalled how the light had shown on the rope itself—the beautiful golden brown and mahogany brown colors highlighted in contrast to his skin—some of the fibers showing in what Master had explained was a lay of medium twist, naturally colored jute rope, appearing almost silky in texture.

  He watched as Gideon removed his shirt and sat down on the tattoo bed, moving his military tags to hang against his back. He pulled out his drawing pad and began to draw a bit more of a stylized double infinity symbol. He made a frustrated noise at not having rope to look at. Pulling out his phone he went to look for the images he knew were saved on his phone, when two small coils of light and dark ropes were dropped onto his pad. A grin split his face. Damn, his Master knew him so well.

  He got up from his stool and straddled Gideon’s lap on the tattoo bed and kissed his gorgeous face, delving in to sip from his lips. Gideon groaned and grabbed his ass, squeezing and massaging the round globes. Sebastian moaned and Gideon growled low, “Boy, you better not offer these services to your other clients.”

  “Only you, Master.”

  Another growl. “I want you on this chair. Why haven’t we made that happen yet?”

  Sebastian sat back, a bit dazed, and blinked at Gideon. “On the tattoo bed?”

  Gideon smirked and nodded. “Oh yeah. We’re gonna make that happen, boy. One of these days.”

  Flushed and desperate for “one of these days” to be right then, Sebastian leaned in to devour Master’s lips once more, receiving another groan, a muttered curse as he sucked on Master’s neck, and a reprimanding slap to his ass that pulled him somewhat out of his hyper aroused daze. And he was completely pulled from it when Gunner chuckled and yelled up, “Keep it PG up there, guys!”

  He slapped a hand over his mouth and Master chuckled, squeezing his ass again while Sebastian covered his face with his hands and leaned his forehead on Gideon’s chest, embarrassed heat flooding his cheeks, he whispered, “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.”

  Gideon clasped his shoulders, still chuckling and moved him back. “Maybe we should get started and put this on the backburner.”

  “Fuck. Yeah, probably a good idea, Jesus.” He snorted at the absurdity of it and used Gideon’s shoulders to steady himself as he climbed off his lap, snickering when they both had to adjust themselves in their pants.

  He set the ropes down on his tray in the light from the windows, and proceeded to finish the drawing and the transfer after they’d conferred on its location. The tattoo took an hour and a half and though it was small, Sebastian put everything he had into it, wanting to do his best work. He thought it was coming along nicely and knew that he’d eventually find a spot to put the same tattoo on himself.

  He’d always been confident in his work, even so, he worried the whole time whether Gideon would like it. But, when his Master looked in the mirror, the happy grin he gave him was answer enough. They kissed for several minutes and then Sebastian finished him up and they were on their way, Sebastian’s cheeks burning when he got knowing smirks from his team.

  They left, Sebastian not knowing what they were doing. Gideon had asked what he’d like to do when he’d been planning the day and all Sebastian had given him was that he didn’t care as long as they were together. Sebastian didn’t know what he’d expected, but when they pulled into The Castro Theater’s parking lot, surprisingly empty even though it was just shy of 11 a.m. on a Tuesday, he was strangely excited.

  They’d never been to the movie theater together before. Sebastian was a huge movie fan and he’d basically forced Gideon into being one as well, but it was always movies at home, on their giant plush sectional sofa, Sebastian with his head in Gideon’s lap and Lola keeping his feet warm.

  They got out of the car, Lola right there with them, and rounded the building to the entrance where Sebastian turned giddy to see a classic horror double feature starting in ten minutes. He bounced on the balls of his feet and Gideon grinned, wrapped his arm around Sebastian’s shoulders, and kissed his forehead, pulling his wallet out of his pocket to pay for their tickets. They walked to the concession stand and dropped a shit ton of money on a huge tub of popcorn, three types of candy, and a gigantic Coke Slurpee. He was ready for a carb coma and scary-as-shit movies.

  They spent the next four hours watching Psycho and Silence of the Lambs and he couldn’t remember ever having had a better time at a movie theater. When they walked out of the building the sun was shining and it had warmed up a bit, warmer than he’d expect for the beginning of November. They hopped back in the car and Gideon told him to change into his walking shoes.

  Ever since they’d started walking together when he’d been recovering from his surgery, they’d kept up the habit, to spend some time together and give Lola some exercise. From there, they’d started taking hikes as well. They were coming up on Mom and Dad’s house and he turned in his seat in confusion. “Aren’t we going to see them at dinner?”

  “Yeah, but my dad needs the paperwork you signed and I figured we could pick up Buckley and take him with us.”

  He got out of the car when they pulled in the driveway and whistled, opening up the passenger door. Buckley came racing around the back of the house and hopped in like he’d been expecting them. Gideon walked up to the side door of the house just as Duncan came out to wave at them. He handed over the paperwork and walked back to the car. Sebastian laughed as the two dogs wrestled around in the back like they hadn’t seen each other in years, rather than the previous weekend.

  They spent several hours hiking around Lands End, the dogs having a blast together, Sebastian having a wonderful day and feeling better now that they’d hiked off some of the carb coma he’d been in after the double feature.

  It was nearly time for dinner and from the direction they were heading, it looked like they were going directly to Braden and Zavier’s place. He turned in his seat and saw what he was looking for. “Glad you brought us a change of clothes, I’m kinda sweaty.”

  “I figured we would be. We can take a quick shower and then you’ll have more time with Bray.”

  He smiled at Gideon and clasped his hand, bringing it up to kiss it. “Thank you for such a wonderful birthday. I love you, Sir.”

  Gideon pulled his hand towards him and kissed his in return. “Love you, too, baby.”

  They were buzzed up to Braden and Zavier’s loft and chatted for a few minutes before they excused themselves to make use of the guest bathroom to get ready. They took a shower together and as much as he’d have liked to climb Gideon like a tree and be fucked silly against the shower wall before dinner, he knew they’d have to wait.

  When they got back downstairs, Maya, Braden’s best friend, business partner, and his surrogate, was there looking enormously pregnant and happy, surrounded by all three big dogs. She grinned up at them from her spot on the couch, Lola’s head in what was left of her lap, and waved. “Hi, guys. I’d get up, but I have Lola and a baby making me lazy. Happy Birthday, Sebastian!”

  He leaned down and gave her a hug while thanking her. They sat with her for a few and chatted. Braden brought them both a beer and the others started to trickle in; Nana with Ira, Finn with Zoe, a shiny new permanent collar around her neck, Rowan and Marcus, the man she’d been dating for the last six months, Aiden, Gideon’s youngest brother that he’d only met one other time but had hit it off with, and Gideon’s parents, Siobhan and Duncan, who’d both insisted he call them Mom and Dad, since that’s what Braden called them. He didn’t understand the logic, but he didn’t argue. Calling them Mom and Dad meant so much more to him than doing the same for his own parents ever had.

  Sebastian, Braden, and Zoe all gathered in the kitchen mixing drinks and serving everyone. He’
d thought at first that being submissive in front of Gideon’s family would be awkward, he’d even thought about repressing that part of himself around them, but when he’d talked about it with his Master, Gideon had said he wanted Sebastian to feel comfortable around his family and to be himself, that he wasn’t going to be strict about his behavior in that setting.

  Sebastian had listened, but instead of easing back from submitting to Gideon around his family, he’d decided that if Master wanted him to feel comfortable and be himself, that was exactly what he was going to do. Besides, they knew all about the club and who Gideon really was, so he’d just thrown caution to the wind and done what felt right. After the initial shock from everyone when he’d kneeled at Gideon’s feet in the family room of his parents’ house during one of their visits, it hadn’t been a thing.

  He always served Master in some capacity around his family. Sometimes he kneeled, or served him food and drinks, but other times, like when they were eating meals, he’d sit at the table with the others. They always ate together, and Master would order him to sit at the table with him just as often as he’d have him kneel at his feet to wait for Master to feed him.

  While Gideon wanted them to be true partners, it was in their contract that Sebastian would defer to him in all things. As that was exactly what Sebastian wanted as well, things seemed to come together on their own. It had taken some adjustment, but they’d made their own rules up as they went and if and when he needed permission for something, he’d cut his eyes to Master and wait for his subtle nod or shake of his head.

  The family got used to their dynamic fairly quickly, their easy acceptance of their unique relationship made him love them more. He realized, as they made their way up the steps to Braden and Zavier’s rooftop oasis, that his whole life had led him here, to this spot, and because of that, he wouldn’t change a thing. A grin spread across his cheeks as he watched all three dogs running off towards the grassy area that always had dog toys waiting for them. The table setup was festive and the Happy Birthday streamers and banners made him smile.

  He was given the place of honor at the head of the table, and though he preferred not to be the center of attention, it was no longer something that would trigger panic. Gideon held out his chair and he sat, watching while Gideon sat catty-corner beside him. It was a beautiful night and Braden had all the twinkle lights lit and the heaters on, music softly playing in the background. It was one of his favorite places to visit.

  The more time Sebastian spent there, the more he wanted something similar for their own home, though far less elaborate. Braden and Zavier entertained much more often than they did. Zavier’s team at Custos Securities was very close knit and it seemed there was always something going on there, be it a small gathering of close friends, or a large one with everyone and their dogs, too. Literally. They were always invited, but begged off more often than not. Neither of them was particularly social and they stuck to their inner circles for the most part, preferring to spend time alone together, more than anything.

  People had apparently brought gifts early, because there was a whole table set up with them, even though he’d asked Braden to tell everyone not to. The one catching his eye at that moment was a ridiculously enormous one, sitting by his side, between him and Braden. Big enough to hold a Great Dane, the thing was wrapped in beautiful paper with an enormous bow on top. Gideon had seen him looking at it several times and his mischievous grin made him realize this birthday was going to be unlike any he’d ever had. Hell, it already was and it had barely begun.

  Everyone sat and chatted, enjoying their drinks and the company. It wasn’t long before the caterers began to serve hors d’oeuvres. People laughed and teased each other, as they ate. They talked over each other, broke off into separate conversations, and then rejoined others, enjoying the meal together. The first time he’d had dinner with the family, it had been a shock to him. He’d never had that experience and he remembered telling Gideon and being kissed, and cuddled in bed later that night, and promised that they’d do it more often if it made him that happy.

  And they had.

  He’d done his best to give Sebastian a birthday to remember. He hoped he’d been successful. From the look on his face, he had been. His cheeks had to be hurting from the perma-smile he’d had all day. As the whole family ate dinner, he sat back and observed everyone, but especially his boy, who was involved in so many of the conversations. He did that a lot; watch his boy interacting with his new family. It was a sight to see.

  His sister would pull him aside to chat with him, his brothers would rib him and help him gang up on Gideon, his parents would hug him and chat him up about his business, his mom, already having gotten a tattoo from his boy over her own mastectomy scars, always showered him with attention. Nana would love on him like she’d been his grandmother all along, and Zoe was constantly trying to feed him and take care of him, probably still a reaction from taking care of him when he was at his most vulnerable. It never seemed to bother Sebastian, as he’d grown close to her as a result of his earlier trauma and having her be the first person he reached out to.

  Braden and Sebastian had a special bond that others outside of the family might think was strange, but it worked for them. They were very demonstrative with each other, Zavier and Gideon joked about them being side boyfriends when they’d huddle together on the couch and talk animatedly about something, occasionally holding hands and even cuddling when they’d had movie nights and he’d gone out with Zavier to grab dinner.

  They did the same with Zoe when she was with them. Zavier had likened them to a little sub club and Gideon had just chuckled at that, not refuting it in the least. His boy needed friends, close friends, as they’d been absent from his life up until he’d met them both and he’d never in a million years interfere with their dynamic. Their friendship was a pure thing, you could see it in the way they laughed with each other, the way they told each other everything, and the way they protected each other.

  All he wanted to do, as Sebastian’s Master, was cultivate those sorts of relationships for his boy. There wasn’t a single second he’d ever thought his sub had any romantic feelings for his friends. He was the only one for Sebastian and Sebastian was the only one for him. Those friendships were a huge part of Sebastian’s newfound confidence, and he wouldn’t stand in the way of that for any reason.

  He’d watched in awe, as his boy—his confidence still a new and evolving thing—had taken on somewhat of a leadership role for the submissives at Catharsis, or perhaps more accurately, he’d kind of fallen into it by circumstance.

  He thought it had started before “The Water Scene” as the members had dubbed it, but afterwards, it had been cemented in people’s minds that not only should he be respected by the members of the club for being his submissive, but also because he’d earned that respect with his striking performance, proving his utter devotion to his Master.

  Since the scene, submissives would approach Sebastian for advice. If he could help, he would, but if he couldn’t, he’d often speak with his Master about it, keeping each sub’s confidence, but asking him for guidance. Gideon had realized then that the discussions he’d had a while back with Dr. Price, Sebastian’s psychologist, about the doctor being a resource for subs who needed more help than a Dom or a fellow sub could give them was something he needed to put in place sooner, rather than later.

  They’d only recently decided on how to go about it, and only because Gideon remembered the doctor’s Halloween costume of the previous year, when he’d dressed as a priest. That had been the beginning of The Confessional, a room they’d designated as support for the submissives. Anonymous sessions could be set up, or there was a scheduled one-hour block set aside for drop-ins once a week. The room had been set up so that it truly was a closed off confessional, where submissives could discuss issues they were having anonymously. So far it had been successful, with some of the stress of being the go-to submissive being taken off Sebastian’s shoulders
.

  Not having to provide so much guidance to his peers, Sebastian had been happy to have more time at the club with Gideon, playing, or simply spending time with their friends. Gideon wasn’t one for performing on stage and frankly, neither was Sebastian. If he was needed for a demo in a training session, he’d always happily oblige, using Sebastian as his submissive. And when Sebastian wanted to scene in the voyeur rooms, it was never a hardship. But for the most part he let others take the stage.

  A boisterous laugh from Aiden jolted him out of his reverie and he glanced around at everyone, finishing up their meals. As he caught his boy surreptitiously looking at the big box beside him again, he chuckled, leaned forward, clasped his small hand in his and kissed it. The fact that a blush bloomed on his cheeks whenever Gideon did something unexpected like that, always made him want to find other ways to bring that sweet rosy color to his cheeks, and other parts of his body.

  There was always that twinkle in Sebastian’s eyes when he did something like that, simple joy at being loved so thoroughly that his Master had a hard time keeping his hands off him. It was hard to resist, that twinkle, so he didn’t try, preferring to shower his submissive with enough love and affection to make up for his earlier years without. He tugged on Sebastian’s hand, drawing him near.

  He couldn’t help but breathe in his boy’s sweet scent, Gideon’s one true aphrodisiac. He whispered in his ear, “Are you having a good time, boy?”

  “Yes, Master.” His boy’s answering whisper was breathy and sent a thrill of desire straight to his dick.

  He nuzzled his neck and kissed just under Sebastian’s ear, and asked, “Are you curious to know what’s in that box?”

  Another shaky whisper, “Yes, Sir.”

  A little louder so others could hear him, he asked, “How about we open some gifts, before dessert?”