Poem: "All'Ombra"
Dec. 28th, 2019 02:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the February 5, 2019 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from bairnsidhe, chanter_greenie, readera, and torc87. It has been sponsored by fuzzyred and ng_moonmoth. This poem belongs to the Pain's Gray thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
Warning: This poem is very sweet, but very kinky and Not Safe For Work in most professions. If these are salacious topics for you, then you may want to find a private place to read this.
"All'Ombra"
[Saturday, May 23, 2010]
Gray tried not to work himself into a lather
as he prepared to go out, but it was hard.
Ricasso had made him wait a month
after what happened with Lupê Hêdonê,
carefully discussing what kink was supposed
to be like, before agreeing to show Gray
some of his options in a safe place.
"Wear something that looks hot,"
Ricasso had suggested, "like
those silver jeans of yours."
So Gray put on the silver jeans
and a lighter ash t-shirt and a pair
of ankle boots in indigo leather.
"Okay, boss?" he asked when
Ricasso came to get him.
"You look very handsome,"
Ricasso assured him.
They took a taxi to
a large office building,
and Gray wondered if
there had been a mistake.
The spring evening was warm,
barely shading toward dusk, with
the waxing moon already visible,
but Gray couldn't see anything
that looked like a kink club.
"This is our stop," Ricasso said
as they got out. "It is meant to be
inconspicuous. Welcome to All'Ombra."
The name literally meant 'in the shadow,'
but colloquially it implied 'in the service.'
The door itself was unmarked, but
its ornate black ironwork stood out
against the red brick building on
a porch flanked by potted shrubs.
It let into a warm orange lobby with
a mahogany desk faced in brushed steel.
An older man chatted with the secretary,
clad in black leather pants and a satiny shirt
that read Dungeon Master across the back.
He was tall, dark, and handsome with hair
just beginning to turn steel-gray.
"Ricasso!" he said happily,
spreading his arms in welcome.
Without hesitation, Ricasso stepped
into the embrace, and they kissed
each other on both cheeks.
"Gray, this is Garrett Rotellini, who
helps to run All'Ombra," said Ricasso.
"Garrett, this is my employee Gray Agamau,
who is exploring kink after a recent experience
ended badly. You may speak and touch freely."
"I'm pleased to meet you, and I hope you
enjoy your visit," Garrett said, offering a hand.
Gray took it, and found the grip warm and firm
in a way that made his knees wobble a little.
"Thank you. I'm sure it's lovely," he said.
Garrett smiled. "Now there's a diamond
in the rough," he said to Ricasso.
"He really is," Ricasso said.
"Lupê Hêdonê was a fool
to mistreat him so callously."
"Yes, I like women, but I
don't like her at all," Gray said.
"She's banned here, thanks to
Ricasso's warning," Garrett said.
"Oh, that's a relief," Gray said.
"Would you prefer a female guide?"
Garrett asked. "We have a variety of
dominatrixes, tops, and dungeon monitors
who would be happy to assist you."
"No, I had one bad experience
with a woman, so I think I'd rather
explore with men for a while, as long
as it's not sexual," Gray said. "When
it comes to sensual stuff, I'm not picky."
"It's whatever you want it to be, and
nothing you don't want," Garrett said.
"That sounds good," Gray said.
"Let me know if you need any help,
and I'll keep an eye out for you
on the floor," Garrett said.
"We will," Ricasso said. "We'll
go through the locker room and
then I'll give him a little tour."
The locker room was done in
a deeper shade of chestnut red, and
Ricasso went right to a familiar locker.
"Tonight we're already dressed, but
you can change in here if you don't
want to wear club clothes outside,"
Ricasso said. "Meanwhile, I stashed
some things we might want later."
He brought out a black leather bag
studded with pale blue jewels.
Interesting lumps in the sides
suggested a variety of filling.
"Oh, that's pretty," Gray said,
reaching out to stroke it.
"I'm glad you like it,"
Ricasso said. "Now let's
tweak your outfit a bit. Do
you want people to know
that you belong to me?"
"Yes," Gray said. "You've
already explained a little about
the whole dom-top-boss thing.
I'm not sure where I'll fall on
the sub-bottom-employee part,
but I am sure that I'm yours."
"Take off your shirt," Ricasso said.
"Marks are meant to be displayed here."
Gray peeled off his t-shirt, and Ricasso
took out a bottle of oil that he used
to trace over the delicate pattern of
scars making a sword on Gray's chest.
"What are you doing?" Gray asked,
his eyes following Ricasso's fingers.
"Highlighting my handiwork," Ricasso said.
He produced a long white ribbon. "Chin up."
Gray raised his chin, and Ricasso tied
a bow around his neck. "White is for
novices, so people know not to expect
perfect manners from you yet. How much
do you remember from our earlier talks?"
"Stay behind on your left. Don't approach
people without an introduction. Pay attention
to you and take care of you," Gray recited.
"Honestly, it's not that different than usual."
"That's a good start," Ricasso said,
stashing Gray's shirt in the locker.
"Now let's go see the club."
Most of the rooms in this part
were a soft goldenrod yellow with
quietly luxurious furnishings.
The locker area included
an assortment of showers,
a sauna, and a spa pool.
Beyond those facilities lay
a body worship room and
massage rooms, a gym,
and a refreshment counter.
"Here," Ricasso said, handing
Gray a packet of energy gel from
a basket with several varieties.
"You don't want to play on
a full stomach, but you also
don't want to faceplant."
Gray ate it without protest.
Ricasso was doubtless right.
"There are classrooms down
that hall, but nothing of interest
tonight," Ricasso said. "Beyond
that are some overnight guest rooms."
"I hear music," Gray said, looking around.
"We're coming up on the bar," Ricasso said,
pointing as soon as they passed through
the doors. "There are dancing poles,
cages, a dance floor -- that stage is
for demonstrations of all kinds."
"It sure is colorful," Gray said,
looking around at all the people
covered in the rainbow lights.
"You get used to it," Ricasso said.
"Here is the common lounge, which
is a good place for you to hang out.
Avoid the singles lounge unless
you're looking to hook up."
"Not right now," Gray said,
shaking his head. "I'm here
to learn, not get distracted."
"Well said," Ricasso replied.
"There are various dining rooms
for the buffet and for plated meals,
including rooms where subs can
sit on the floor for hand-feeding."
Gray blinked. "That sounds ...
interesting," he said. Ricasso had
shown him a bit of that, but he wasn't
sure if he wanted to try it in public.
"Avoid the tea room and also
the formal lounge for now, because
you are nowhere near ready for
high formal protocols," Ricasso said.
As they passed the tea room, Gray
saw that it had salmon-colored walls
and delicate wooden tables set with
fine china tea services. The pastries
looked absolutely mouth-watering.
He must resist the temptation.
"Technically the couples lounge
is open to anyone who comes with
a date, but in practice it caters to
established couples," Ricasso said.
"Understood," Gray said, nodding.
He didn't need to get in over his head.
"This is the voyeur lounge," Ricasso said,
indicating a room full of couches in front
of multiple viewscreens. "It's one option
you could explore tonight. The screens
can show videos, or live feeds from
the exhibitionist parts of the club."
"It looks comfortable," Gray said.
"These themed lounges can be used
by small groups," Ricasso said. "Don't
wander into the cape lounge alone, though;
that one is for soups and their guests."
"Yes, boss," said Gray. He still
couldn't resist peeking through
the open door as they passed.
Two superheroes were making
a villain sandwich with a guy
that Gray did not recognize,
bracketing him on the couch
with arms around each other.
Well, that certainly qualified as
kinky, if not downright perverse!
"This wing holds private rooms with
beds, along with all kinds of playrooms,
both public and private," Ricasso said.
"Check out the exhibitionist room."
Long couches and easy chairs
completely surrounded an open floor
and several pieces of kinky furniture,
including a big wooden cross and
several peculiar padded benches.
One woman rested her feet on
a crouched man as both of them
watched the flogging at the cross.
Another man was tying a woman
to a bench with yards and yards
of silky pink and purple rope.
"Wow," Gray breathed.
"This place is amazing."
"Then I'll give you a choice,"
Ricasso said. "Would you
rather stay here, or go back
and explore the voyeur lounge?"
"Here, please," Gray said, and
Ricasso guided him to sit down
on one of the leather couches.
"I'll warn you that conversation
is much freer in here, because
voyeurs like to kibbitz, so anyone
can talk to anyone," Ricasso said.
"Most of the other lounges consider it
rude to interrupt a scene or to approach
a subordinate without an introduction."
"I don't mind," Gray said. "I'm
inexperienced, I'm not that shy."
"Then your job is to watch these people,"
Ricasso said. "I want you to identify
at least one thing that you want, and
at least one thing that you do not want.
More is acceptable. Understand?"
"Yes, boss," Gray said eagerly.
"After a while, you'll tell me
your observations, and then
we'll negotiate," Ricasso said,
touching a key on his vidwatch.
Gray looked around the room,
searching it for inspiration.
It was full of interesting things,
and his attention kept skipping
from one to another and then
back to the first thing again.
The woman on the X-cross was
moaning as her domme flogged her
with long strands of purple leather.
The footstool man held perfectly still
even when his partner poked him
with her high-heeled shoes.
The rope restraints looked
fascinating, but Gray couldn't
even name all the knots.
Then a man in a dog mask
sat down on the couch.
"Bad dog! Bad dog!
Get off the furniture,"
another man scolded,
whacking him with
a rolled-up newspaper
as the "dog" writhed
in visible ecstasy.
"What in the world?"
Gray murmured,
turning to Ricasso.
"That's puppy play,"
Ricasso explained.
"Huh?" Gray said,
still just as confused.
"Some people pretend
to be animals -- in this case,
a dog -- because they want
someone to take care of them
and make all the choices,"
Ricasso said. "It can be fun."
"I don't think that I'd make
a very good dog," Gray said,
shaking his head. "I like
the idea of care, though."
"There are kitties, ponies,
and other kinds of animals as
well as puppies," Ricasso said.
"Kink is all about options."
Gray could see that clearly,
even just in this one room.
"I like options," he said, smiling.
"He's one of us!" the dog owner said.
"Don't worry, kid, you'll figure out
what turns you on. Give yourself time
to read the menu and don't just grab
the first thing that looks good."
"Excellent advice," Ricasso said,
and then his vidwatch vibrated.
"All right, it's been fifteen minutes.
Give me your report, Gray."
"The flogger is beautiful and
I really want to try that again,
but not today," Gray said. "I'm
not ready yet to revisit most of
the things Lupê Hêdonê did."
"Okay," Ricasso said. "What else?"
"I think the human furniture thing
is kind of cool, but I might get
bored with it soon," Gray said.
"I like the rope bondage but
it seems way too complicated."
"Giving or receiving?" Ricasso said.
"That could make a difference."
"Both?" Gray said. "Is that fair?"
"Yes, you can show interest in both
the dominant and submissive roles,"
Ricasso said. "Since you're comfortable
with submission, though, let's start there
because it's easier to learn kink from
the bottom up than the top down."
"If I'm allowed to mention things
outside this room, I think that
the formal areas are interesting
and I liked the pastries that I
saw in the tea room," Gray said.
"I'll keep that in mind," Ricasso said.
"It's good to have goals for the future.
I'm hearing a lot of maybes and laters,
though. Could I get one clear yes
and one clear no to start with?"
Gray had to think about that.
"I'm not sure what it is, but I
like something all of these pairs
have in common," Gray said,
waving a hand around the room.
"They're all so ... confident, like
they know exactly what to do
with no arguing or hesitating."
"Ah," Ricasso said with a smile.
"You want me to take charge."
"Yes," Gray said, and a warm thrill
rippled through his whole body.
"And your no?" Ricasso prompted.
Gray looked toward the corner
where the bad dog had been put
after the newspaper beating.
"Don't leave me alone," Gray said.
"I need to know that you're with me
and you won't just dump me so that I
have to deal with the feelings by myself."
"I will not leave you," Ricasso said.
"That's terrible manners, and unsafe.
However, sometimes I might need
to go get something or do something.
What would help you feel safer then?"
"Tell me what you're doing, where
you're going, and when you'll be back,"
Gray said. "I can't promise not to panic,
but I'll realize that you're being careful."
"I'll keep an eye on you, and if you panic,
I'll be right there to help," Ricasso promised.
"I won't tie you without giving you a way
to get loose -- there are panic snaps for
that exact purpose. You'll just have to be
on your honor not to release them otherwise,
when we get to trying the ropes you liked."
"Okay," Gray said. "That makes me feel
a little better about the abandonment issues."
"Good," Ricasso said. "Now that we've
tested the waters a bit, I want you to think
about some things you haven't seen yet.
Here's a yes-no-maybe list for you to fill out.
If you're not sure what something is, you
can just leave that one blank for now."
He passed Gray his smartphone
with a kinky checklist on the screen.
A very kinky checklist, Gray realized,
and blushed at some of the ones he
recognized. Others he hadn't heard of
and couldn't even guess what they were.
He ruled out the actual sex stuff since
he preferred doing that with women, but
a lot of the kinks sounded really hot.
Or really scary. Or scarily hot.
Some were things that Gray
already knew he liked,
such as biting and marks.
Others were new and intriguing,
like nipple play and hot wax.
Some of them just made him want
to cross his legs, like cock whipping.
Gray finished filling out the list
and passed it back to Ricasso,
wondering what he'd do with it.
"Thank you, Gray," he said, and
read the whole thing carefully.
"I see you've marked both
voyeurism and exhibitionism
at moderate interest. Would
you consider those today?"
"I don't know, maybe?"
Gray said, squirming.
"I like the idea, but I
don't know if I can."
"You're doing fine so far,
and you've said you want me
to take charge," Ricasso replied.
"Let's see what happens ..."
"Maybe something light?"
Gray begged, blushing.
"We're negotiating,"
Ricasso reminded him.
"Set me a boundary."
"Above the waist,"
Gray said desperately.
"Agreed," Ricasso said.
"Recite your safewords."
"Red means stop, yellow
means slow down and talk,
green means go," Gray said.
"Well done," Ricasso said,
and let his hands drift over
Gray's front in a slow caress.
At once Gray stopped watching
the other people in the room and
looked down to watch his boss.
Ricasso had long, marvelous hands.
When stroking turned to pinching,
Gray gasped and arched into the pain.
Soft applause startled him back into
awareness that they were not alone.
"Give me time to warm him up
before you drool over him,"
Ricasso scolded gently.
"Now I have to start over."
"Green," panted Gray,
wanting those hands on him
and not caring who saw.
The amazing thing was,
Ricasso wasn't even doing
all that much, just dancing
his fingers over Gray's front,
tracing the cutwork sword, and
giving him twisty little pinches.
He even found a few chest hairs
and tugged playfully on them,
making Gray gasp again.
This time, the applause
didn't faze him at all.
When Ricasso stopped,
Gray blinked his eyes open
and whined, "Why'd you quit?"
"I think it's about time for us
to get a room," Ricasso said.
Gray sat up -- when had he
melted against his boss? --
and saw that Garrett was
watching them with a smile.
"The VIP Room is open if you
want it," Garrett said, beckoning.
Gray stood up, and almost fell over.
"Careful," Garrett said, catching him
in muscular arms that did nothing
to help Gray's knees firm up.
Ricasso chuckled and propped
Gray up from the other side.
"Come on, walk it off a bit and
then we'll get you another packet of
energy gel in the room," Ricasso said.
"Just don't confuse them with the lube,"
Garrett said. "Some is flavored."
Ricasso laughed. "Don't worry,
at least one of us can still read."
"How are you liking our club, Gray?"
asked Garrett as they walked.
"It's nice. Those people are hot.
I want to try more rooms. But not
the tea room when I can't walk
straight," Gray babbled happily.
"I'm sure you'll have another chance
to try the tea room," Garrett said.
A woman walked past in a trenchcoat,
but below its hem her legs and feet were
bare, and Gray couldn't see a shirt collar
above it either -- only a dog collar attached
to a leash held by the man behind her.
"Woah," Gray said softly, staring.
"Is she wearing anything under that?"
"Possibly not," Garrett said. "She could
have a fetish outfit or her birthday suit.
Sexy bits should be covered in hallways,
and a coat or a robe counts. The rooms vary --
the formal rooms expect people to dress like
ladies and gentlemen, or servants, though
street clothes are allowed. Most playrooms
allow full exposure and intimate activities."
Gray felt a little woozy, but happy, and
his attention snagged on the racks
and shelves and stands of toys
along the sides of the hallway.
"What is all that stuff?" he wondered.
"Masks, restraints, floggers, paddles,
metal implements, first aid supplies,"
Garrett said, waving a hand as he
named them. "These are for use
in any room. Items dedicated to
a given room are stored inside it."
"The roleplay rooms include a kitchen,
a bedroom, and a medical office,"
Ricasso said helpfully. "One of
the playrooms is more of a dungeon."
"Wow," Gray said. "Yeah, yeah,
I definitely want to try more rooms."
"Well now's your chance," Garrett said.
"Welcome to the VIP Room, reserved
for our top supporters and their guests."
It was beautiful, with deep red walls that
looked orange in the golden light, and
brass mirrors shaped like sunbursts
hanging over a supply cabinet.
A leather bench chest by the door
probably held even more stuff.
To the right of those, a large bed
on a wooden frame was covered
with a stretchy leopard sheet.
Beyond the bed lay a pile of
white towels and a window that
opened into the next room. Over
the bed, another window went
to the hallway they just left.
Gray hadn't even noticed that
when they walked past it.
Ricasso reached into a bowl on
the supply cabinet and handed
Gray a packet of energy gel.
Eagerly Gray guzzled it and
then looked around for water.
Garrett opened the cabinet door,
revealing a stash of water and
sport drinks, so that Ricasso
could get some for Gray.
The water tasted cool and
bright with mineral flavors, and
it cleared his head a little.
"Would you folks like
the voyeur window open
or closed?" Garrett asked.
"Camera feed on or off?"
"We want the camera off,"
Ricasso said. "Gray, how
do you feel about the window?"
"I don't know," he said, floundering.
"Maybe ... part of the way open?"
"Good choice," Garrett said, and
pulled the burgundy velvet curtain
so that most of the bed would be
obscured, but if they played at
the foot, they could be seen.
"You folks enjoy yourselves."
He let himself out, closing
the door firmly behind him.
Ricasso guided Gray to
sit at the foot of the bed.
"I'm going to make most of
the decisions, since you've
indicated that's something you
like," Ricasso said. "If you want
to close the curtains, let me know."
"Okay," Gray said. "What ... what
did you want to get a room for?
We're not going to have sex."
"I want you able to relax, and that's
hard in a room full of people. Here, they
can watch but not touch," Ricasso said.
"Yeah," Gray said lazily. "This is nice."
"I'm going to give you surprises from
the very promising list of options that you
filled out for me earlier," Ricasso said.
"You won't know exactly what's coming,
but they will all be things you already
like or want to try and find out."
"Yes, yes, green," said Gray.
"I want to do all the things!"
Then he remembered
the cock whipping line.
"All the things I marked as
fun," he corrected hastily.
"That's what I said, the things
you wanted," Ricasso promised.
"I want both of us to enjoy this."
Gray wriggled impatiently.
"Please just touch me."
"All right," Ricasso said,
opening his bag. "I know you
liked bondage but you don't want
to repeat exactly anything from
that night. So I got an idea."
He laid out a row of leather bands,
black with silver fittings and blue jewels.
"I'm going to put the cuffs on your wrists
and ankles without attaching them to
anything," Ricasso said as he took off
Gray's boots and socks. "This gives you
something to feel but it's less stressful."
"Yes, please ..." Gray said, and then
his voice trailed away as Ricasso
picked up his wrist to buckle
the first strap in place.
It was snug without being
tight, but he couldn't forget
that the leather cuff was there.
The others felt much the same, and
together were almost overwhelming.
Ricasso gave him time to adjust,
though, and that helped a lot.
"Oh, look, we have an audience,"
Ricasso said in an amused tone.
Gray looked up and saw the dog
and his owner at the voyeur window.
The owner gave him a thumbs-up,
and the dog licked the glass.
Gray laughed as the owner
pushed the dog out of the way
and cleaned off the slobber.
"Shall we give them a show?"
Ricasso purred, fondling
Gray's bare chest again.
"Green, please," said Gray.
Ricasso positioned himself
against Gray's back, pointing
his front toward the window.
"Tilt your head back against
my shoulder, and close your eyes,"
Ricasso said. "I want you to be
surprised by what I'm doing."
Gray obeyed, head falling back
and eyes fluttering closed.
The first thing that he felt
was something tickling over
his skin, making him squirm.
"Hold still," Ricasso said,
tickling Gray again.
"I can't!" Gray protested,
writhing in his grasp.
Ricasso swatted him
bare-handed on the thigh,
hard enough to sting.
"I said, hold still.
If I have to repeat
a command, there will
be a punishment."
Gray whined through
his teeth, struggling
not to move any more.
When Ricasso stopped
tickling him, Gray sagged
against him in relief.
Next Gray felt something
wet and slippery gliding over
his skin ... tracing the sword,
he realized after a moment.
It felt warm and cool at once,
and then when Ricasso breathed
over it, suddenly downright hot.
Gray gasped, arching his back.
"What -- what --" he stammered.
"Warming massage oil,"
Ricasso said, blowing again.
The sensation was so vivid that
Gray forgot about everything else,
losing himself in it altogether.
Ricasso's hands brought him
back down, smoothing over
Gray's ribs and down his belly.
Then the sensation changed,
slippery all over but not as warm,
and Ricasso's fingers seemed
to have acquired odd textures.
"Go ahead and peek," Ricasso said.
Gray pried his eyes open and
looked down to see Ricasso wearing
black silicone gloves with all kinds
of bizarre bumps and ridges.
He could feel every time
they bumped over his nipples.
When the massage oil finally
soaked in enough that the gloves
started dragging instead of gliding,
Ricasso carefully peeled them off.
"Are you still clear-headed enough
to make a simple choice?" he said.
"Mmm ... yes," Gray said slowly.
"I'm going to leave a few bruises,"
Ricasso said. "Do you want to have
your souvenirs visible in street clothes,
or keep them a secret instead?"
Gray thought about it. He had seen
other gang members with 'souvenirs'
plenty of times, and he was having
a great time now, but he knew that
he might feel differently later on.
"Secret," he said. "Can you do,
hmm, my shoulders or chest?"
"Oh yes," Ricasso chuckled,
breath warm against Gray's neck.
Soft lips and gentle teeth nibbled
their way from Gray's ear down
to his shoulder, and then turned
into a harder, pinching bite.
Gray groaned, relishing
the mix of pleasure and pain.
He'd always loved biting.
"Matched set?" he begged,
and Ricasso did the other side.
Then a sudden touch of cold
made Gray squeal in surprise.
The ice cube slithered over
his chest and down his belly,
leaving behind a frigid trail.
Ricasso followed it with
his other hand, warming
the chilled skin, the contrast
between cold and heat shocking.
When the ice cube finally melted,
away, Gray panted in relief.
"Hold still again," Ricasso said.
"This will hurt a little at first,
but then it should feel good."
Something grabbed onto
Gray's right nipple with
a fierce pinching grip.
"Off off off!" Gray yelped,
trying to shake it loose.
"Hmm, do you want to use
your safeword?" Ricasso said.
Gray squirmed against him. "... no."
"Then the nipple clamp stays put,"
Ricasso said in a wicked tone.
Then he did the other side.
"Ow ow ow ow," Gray whined.
The hot pain eclipsed pleasure.
"Shh, you can take it," Ricasso said.
His hands stroked down Gray's sides.
"Take slower, deeper breaths."
Gray struggled to obey, and
found that the pain was
slowly diminishing.
"Does it feel good yet?"
Ricasso asked him.
Gray shook his head.
The clamps still hurt like hell.
"I've got you," Ricasso said.
"Let me take care of this."
He nibbled his way down
Gray's neck again, then
began nipping his shoulders,
not quite as hard as before.
It was enough to pull
Gray's attention away
from his poor nipples, and
by the time Ricasso stopped,
the pain had faded down
to a strange, pinchy warmth.
"Better?" Ricasso said in his ear,
rubbing the path of his bites.
"Yeah," Gray said. "Feels weird.
Warm. Not sure if I like it."
"How about now?" Ricasso said,
and tapped the clamps with a finger.
A bright jolt of pleasure rocketed
through Gray's body from his chest
all the way down to his toes. "Oh!"
Ricasso chuckled. "Now you like it."
"Green," said Gray. "Please, please!"
He pushed back against Ricasso.
"Greedy," Ricasso teased,
but he played with the clamps
until Gray wriggled all over.
Then Ricasso gently pushed
Gray down onto the bed.
"Since this is working so well,
I'm going to do a little more with
a similar toy," Ricasso said, "but first ..."
He took hold of Gray's wrists and
stretched his arms up and out
toward the headboard.
Then he draped the chain
of a leash over Gray's throat.
"You are now bound in this position,"
he said. "If you move, I'll punish you."
Gray resisted the urge to squirm.
The cuffs felt warm and snug,
the metal cool and shivery.
This was so different from what
he had done before, but it was
touching the same spot inside
that made him go all melty.
He felt Ricasso's fingers on
his chest again, below the nipple,
and suddenly there was another pinch,
not quite as fierce as the first ones.
Gray arched his back and whimpered,
but he did not move his hands.
"Good boy," Ricasso said.
"These are clothespins. Let's
see if you can take a dozen."
They went on in rows,
six on each side of his chest.
The pain left Gray gasping again,
but Ricasso soothed him through it,
and then the pleasure built up.
"You're really flying now,"
Ricasso said. "One more thing,
and then I think you'll be done."
"Mmm," Gray said, but couldn't
wrap his mouth around Green.
"Here, squeeze my hand if
you're okay," Ricasso said.
After a minute or so, Gray
managed to find his fingers
and get them to work properly.
"Well done. Here's your reward,"
Ricasso said, and something soft
trailed over Gray's skin, contrasting
with the collective pinch of the clamps.
Gray sighed, quivering a little bit
under the luxurious touch, but
too far gone to move much.
Then he felt the claws.
They were cool and distinct,
sliding over his skin and drawing
his attention into narrow lines.
When he felt the first faint kiss
of Ricasso's superpower,
he gasped, "Yellow!"
Ricasso let go at once.
"Relax," he murmured.
"I'm not even scratching you.
The metal claws are leaving
little pink lines, nothing more.
Do you want to stop?"
"Nnn ... not yet," Gray said.
His skin felt empty without
Ricasso touching him.
"We'll try it again and
see how you feel,"
Ricasso offered.
This time Gray could
feel that Ricasso wasn't
actually cutting him, just
skimming the power over
the surface of Gray's skin
to excite the nerves.
They were really excited.
All he could do was push
into Ricasso's hands as if
trying to crawl inside them.
Then Ricasso zinged the energy
through the nipple clamps, and
the resulting endorphin rush
left Gray wrung out on the bed.
"Oh yeah, you're done," Ricasso said.
Gentle hands clasped Gray's left wrist.
"You are now unbound," Ricasso said,
and carefully unbuckled the strap.
He removed the others in turn,
rubbing the skin to refresh it.
"The clamps will hurt coming off,"
he warned. "They actually hurt more
coming off than going on, but you're
so high on endorphins right now
that you might not feel it much."
Gray felt it, all right, but it was
nowhere near as overwhelming
as it had felt when they went on.
"Hmm, you're all sticky with sweat,"
Ricasso said. "Would you object
to a sponge bath above the waist?"
"Nnno," Gray said slowly. "Sounds good."
"I'm going to get up and close the curtains,
then go to the supply cabinet," Ricasso said.
"I'll be able to see you the whole time,
and I'll come right back in a minute."
Gray frowned. He didn't want
Ricasso to get up, but he did
want that sponge bath.
While he was wondering
whether to argue, Ricasso
got up to grab the supplies.
"Show's over, folks," he said
as he closed the velvet curtains.
"Thank you and good night."
Gray shivered, feeling
suddenly cold and alone.
He opened his mouth to complain,
but then the bed shifted under him.
"Shh now, it's okay, Gray, I'm
right here," Ricasso assured him.
A damp cloth blotted over Gray's skin,
the cool water soothing the heat left
by the clamps and clothespins.
"I'm rolling you up on your side
so that I can do your back,"
Ricasso said, and then shifted
Gray to finish washing him.
It was enough to make Gray
shiver briefly, but then Ricasso
was right there with the towel,
drying him off as carefully
as he had washed Gray.
"Lotion next," Ricasso said.
"It's sandalwood and lavender,
so it won't clash with the mint
and cinnamon from earlier."
So that's what it had been.
The stuff felt wonderful going on,
especially when Ricasso rubbed over
the little dents left by the clamps.
It made Gray shiver again, though,
and Ricasso said, "Don't worry,
I'll get you something warm."
Then he lifted Gray and
gently stuffed him into
a soft terrycloth robe.
"I need to get up again,"
Ricasso said. "I want
to get you some calories
and a sport drink to replace
what you've burned through.
I'll be back in a few seconds."
It was worse this time, and
Gray didn't know why, he
just floundered on the bed
trying to reach Ricasso.
"It's all right, I'm here,"
Ricasso said, propping Gray
against his chest. "Come on,
eat some applesauce first."
Something touched Gray's lip,
and that was enough to make him
pull the nozzle into his mouth
and slurp up the applesauce.
It was cool and wet and delicious.
The sport drink followed it,
some other fruity flavor that
Gray couldn't identify but liked.
It felt so good on his dry mouth,
but it made him shiver again.
"It's okay, Gray, you're just
starting to come down from
the endorphins," Ricasso said
as he set the bottle down.
"I've got you. You're safe."
"Cold," Gray muttered.
"Here's a blanket,"
Ricasso said as he
wrapped it around
both of them and
tucked it in close.
Gray still trembled,
but it wasn't as bad now.
"I know, coming down is
never as fun as going up,
Ricasso said, rubbing a hand
over Gray's back. "You'll come
through it just fine, though. I
will stay with you until you're
entirely back to normal."
Gray recognized the feeling
from before, but at least
this time he didn't feel sick --
probably because he'd gotten
something to eat and drink
immediately after playing.
Ricasso was really taking
great care of Gray tonight.
"Thank you," Gray mumbled.
"It's my pleasure," Ricasso said,
and Gray could feel the truth in it.
He snuggled against his boss and
let the aftercare soothe him into a nap.
It would be fine. Ricasso had said so.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is huge, so the character, location, and content notes appear elsewhere.
bairnsidhe, chanter_greenie, readera, and torc87. It has been sponsored by fuzzyred and ng_moonmoth. This poem belongs to the Pain's Gray thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.Warning: This poem is very sweet, but very kinky and Not Safe For Work in most professions. If these are salacious topics for you, then you may want to find a private place to read this.
"All'Ombra"
[Saturday, May 23, 2010]
Gray tried not to work himself into a lather
as he prepared to go out, but it was hard.
Ricasso had made him wait a month
after what happened with Lupê Hêdonê,
carefully discussing what kink was supposed
to be like, before agreeing to show Gray
some of his options in a safe place.
"Wear something that looks hot,"
Ricasso had suggested, "like
those silver jeans of yours."
So Gray put on the silver jeans
and a lighter ash t-shirt and a pair
of ankle boots in indigo leather.
"Okay, boss?" he asked when
Ricasso came to get him.
"You look very handsome,"
Ricasso assured him.
They took a taxi to
a large office building,
and Gray wondered if
there had been a mistake.
The spring evening was warm,
barely shading toward dusk, with
the waxing moon already visible,
but Gray couldn't see anything
that looked like a kink club.
"This is our stop," Ricasso said
as they got out. "It is meant to be
inconspicuous. Welcome to All'Ombra."
The name literally meant 'in the shadow,'
but colloquially it implied 'in the service.'
The door itself was unmarked, but
its ornate black ironwork stood out
against the red brick building on
a porch flanked by potted shrubs.
It let into a warm orange lobby with
a mahogany desk faced in brushed steel.
An older man chatted with the secretary,
clad in black leather pants and a satiny shirt
that read Dungeon Master across the back.
He was tall, dark, and handsome with hair
just beginning to turn steel-gray.
"Ricasso!" he said happily,
spreading his arms in welcome.
Without hesitation, Ricasso stepped
into the embrace, and they kissed
each other on both cheeks.
"Gray, this is Garrett Rotellini, who
helps to run All'Ombra," said Ricasso.
"Garrett, this is my employee Gray Agamau,
who is exploring kink after a recent experience
ended badly. You may speak and touch freely."
"I'm pleased to meet you, and I hope you
enjoy your visit," Garrett said, offering a hand.
Gray took it, and found the grip warm and firm
in a way that made his knees wobble a little.
"Thank you. I'm sure it's lovely," he said.
Garrett smiled. "Now there's a diamond
in the rough," he said to Ricasso.
"He really is," Ricasso said.
"Lupê Hêdonê was a fool
to mistreat him so callously."
"Yes, I like women, but I
don't like her at all," Gray said.
"She's banned here, thanks to
Ricasso's warning," Garrett said.
"Oh, that's a relief," Gray said.
"Would you prefer a female guide?"
Garrett asked. "We have a variety of
dominatrixes, tops, and dungeon monitors
who would be happy to assist you."
"No, I had one bad experience
with a woman, so I think I'd rather
explore with men for a while, as long
as it's not sexual," Gray said. "When
it comes to sensual stuff, I'm not picky."
"It's whatever you want it to be, and
nothing you don't want," Garrett said.
"That sounds good," Gray said.
"Let me know if you need any help,
and I'll keep an eye out for you
on the floor," Garrett said.
"We will," Ricasso said. "We'll
go through the locker room and
then I'll give him a little tour."
The locker room was done in
a deeper shade of chestnut red, and
Ricasso went right to a familiar locker.
"Tonight we're already dressed, but
you can change in here if you don't
want to wear club clothes outside,"
Ricasso said. "Meanwhile, I stashed
some things we might want later."
He brought out a black leather bag
studded with pale blue jewels.
Interesting lumps in the sides
suggested a variety of filling.
"Oh, that's pretty," Gray said,
reaching out to stroke it.
"I'm glad you like it,"
Ricasso said. "Now let's
tweak your outfit a bit. Do
you want people to know
that you belong to me?"
"Yes," Gray said. "You've
already explained a little about
the whole dom-top-boss thing.
I'm not sure where I'll fall on
the sub-bottom-employee part,
but I am sure that I'm yours."
"Take off your shirt," Ricasso said.
"Marks are meant to be displayed here."
Gray peeled off his t-shirt, and Ricasso
took out a bottle of oil that he used
to trace over the delicate pattern of
scars making a sword on Gray's chest.
"What are you doing?" Gray asked,
his eyes following Ricasso's fingers.
"Highlighting my handiwork," Ricasso said.
He produced a long white ribbon. "Chin up."
Gray raised his chin, and Ricasso tied
a bow around his neck. "White is for
novices, so people know not to expect
perfect manners from you yet. How much
do you remember from our earlier talks?"
"Stay behind on your left. Don't approach
people without an introduction. Pay attention
to you and take care of you," Gray recited.
"Honestly, it's not that different than usual."
"That's a good start," Ricasso said,
stashing Gray's shirt in the locker.
"Now let's go see the club."
Most of the rooms in this part
were a soft goldenrod yellow with
quietly luxurious furnishings.
The locker area included
an assortment of showers,
a sauna, and a spa pool.
Beyond those facilities lay
a body worship room and
massage rooms, a gym,
and a refreshment counter.
"Here," Ricasso said, handing
Gray a packet of energy gel from
a basket with several varieties.
"You don't want to play on
a full stomach, but you also
don't want to faceplant."
Gray ate it without protest.
Ricasso was doubtless right.
"There are classrooms down
that hall, but nothing of interest
tonight," Ricasso said. "Beyond
that are some overnight guest rooms."
"I hear music," Gray said, looking around.
"We're coming up on the bar," Ricasso said,
pointing as soon as they passed through
the doors. "There are dancing poles,
cages, a dance floor -- that stage is
for demonstrations of all kinds."
"It sure is colorful," Gray said,
looking around at all the people
covered in the rainbow lights.
"You get used to it," Ricasso said.
"Here is the common lounge, which
is a good place for you to hang out.
Avoid the singles lounge unless
you're looking to hook up."
"Not right now," Gray said,
shaking his head. "I'm here
to learn, not get distracted."
"Well said," Ricasso replied.
"There are various dining rooms
for the buffet and for plated meals,
including rooms where subs can
sit on the floor for hand-feeding."
Gray blinked. "That sounds ...
interesting," he said. Ricasso had
shown him a bit of that, but he wasn't
sure if he wanted to try it in public.
"Avoid the tea room and also
the formal lounge for now, because
you are nowhere near ready for
high formal protocols," Ricasso said.
As they passed the tea room, Gray
saw that it had salmon-colored walls
and delicate wooden tables set with
fine china tea services. The pastries
looked absolutely mouth-watering.
He must resist the temptation.
"Technically the couples lounge
is open to anyone who comes with
a date, but in practice it caters to
established couples," Ricasso said.
"Understood," Gray said, nodding.
He didn't need to get in over his head.
"This is the voyeur lounge," Ricasso said,
indicating a room full of couches in front
of multiple viewscreens. "It's one option
you could explore tonight. The screens
can show videos, or live feeds from
the exhibitionist parts of the club."
"It looks comfortable," Gray said.
"These themed lounges can be used
by small groups," Ricasso said. "Don't
wander into the cape lounge alone, though;
that one is for soups and their guests."
"Yes, boss," said Gray. He still
couldn't resist peeking through
the open door as they passed.
Two superheroes were making
a villain sandwich with a guy
that Gray did not recognize,
bracketing him on the couch
with arms around each other.
Well, that certainly qualified as
kinky, if not downright perverse!
"This wing holds private rooms with
beds, along with all kinds of playrooms,
both public and private," Ricasso said.
"Check out the exhibitionist room."
Long couches and easy chairs
completely surrounded an open floor
and several pieces of kinky furniture,
including a big wooden cross and
several peculiar padded benches.
One woman rested her feet on
a crouched man as both of them
watched the flogging at the cross.
Another man was tying a woman
to a bench with yards and yards
of silky pink and purple rope.
"Wow," Gray breathed.
"This place is amazing."
"Then I'll give you a choice,"
Ricasso said. "Would you
rather stay here, or go back
and explore the voyeur lounge?"
"Here, please," Gray said, and
Ricasso guided him to sit down
on one of the leather couches.
"I'll warn you that conversation
is much freer in here, because
voyeurs like to kibbitz, so anyone
can talk to anyone," Ricasso said.
"Most of the other lounges consider it
rude to interrupt a scene or to approach
a subordinate without an introduction."
"I don't mind," Gray said. "I'm
inexperienced, I'm not that shy."
"Then your job is to watch these people,"
Ricasso said. "I want you to identify
at least one thing that you want, and
at least one thing that you do not want.
More is acceptable. Understand?"
"Yes, boss," Gray said eagerly.
"After a while, you'll tell me
your observations, and then
we'll negotiate," Ricasso said,
touching a key on his vidwatch.
Gray looked around the room,
searching it for inspiration.
It was full of interesting things,
and his attention kept skipping
from one to another and then
back to the first thing again.
The woman on the X-cross was
moaning as her domme flogged her
with long strands of purple leather.
The footstool man held perfectly still
even when his partner poked him
with her high-heeled shoes.
The rope restraints looked
fascinating, but Gray couldn't
even name all the knots.
Then a man in a dog mask
sat down on the couch.
"Bad dog! Bad dog!
Get off the furniture,"
another man scolded,
whacking him with
a rolled-up newspaper
as the "dog" writhed
in visible ecstasy.
"What in the world?"
Gray murmured,
turning to Ricasso.
"That's puppy play,"
Ricasso explained.
"Huh?" Gray said,
still just as confused.
"Some people pretend
to be animals -- in this case,
a dog -- because they want
someone to take care of them
and make all the choices,"
Ricasso said. "It can be fun."
"I don't think that I'd make
a very good dog," Gray said,
shaking his head. "I like
the idea of care, though."
"There are kitties, ponies,
and other kinds of animals as
well as puppies," Ricasso said.
"Kink is all about options."
Gray could see that clearly,
even just in this one room.
"I like options," he said, smiling.
"He's one of us!" the dog owner said.
"Don't worry, kid, you'll figure out
what turns you on. Give yourself time
to read the menu and don't just grab
the first thing that looks good."
"Excellent advice," Ricasso said,
and then his vidwatch vibrated.
"All right, it's been fifteen minutes.
Give me your report, Gray."
"The flogger is beautiful and
I really want to try that again,
but not today," Gray said. "I'm
not ready yet to revisit most of
the things Lupê Hêdonê did."
"Okay," Ricasso said. "What else?"
"I think the human furniture thing
is kind of cool, but I might get
bored with it soon," Gray said.
"I like the rope bondage but
it seems way too complicated."
"Giving or receiving?" Ricasso said.
"That could make a difference."
"Both?" Gray said. "Is that fair?"
"Yes, you can show interest in both
the dominant and submissive roles,"
Ricasso said. "Since you're comfortable
with submission, though, let's start there
because it's easier to learn kink from
the bottom up than the top down."
"If I'm allowed to mention things
outside this room, I think that
the formal areas are interesting
and I liked the pastries that I
saw in the tea room," Gray said.
"I'll keep that in mind," Ricasso said.
"It's good to have goals for the future.
I'm hearing a lot of maybes and laters,
though. Could I get one clear yes
and one clear no to start with?"
Gray had to think about that.
"I'm not sure what it is, but I
like something all of these pairs
have in common," Gray said,
waving a hand around the room.
"They're all so ... confident, like
they know exactly what to do
with no arguing or hesitating."
"Ah," Ricasso said with a smile.
"You want me to take charge."
"Yes," Gray said, and a warm thrill
rippled through his whole body.
"And your no?" Ricasso prompted.
Gray looked toward the corner
where the bad dog had been put
after the newspaper beating.
"Don't leave me alone," Gray said.
"I need to know that you're with me
and you won't just dump me so that I
have to deal with the feelings by myself."
"I will not leave you," Ricasso said.
"That's terrible manners, and unsafe.
However, sometimes I might need
to go get something or do something.
What would help you feel safer then?"
"Tell me what you're doing, where
you're going, and when you'll be back,"
Gray said. "I can't promise not to panic,
but I'll realize that you're being careful."
"I'll keep an eye on you, and if you panic,
I'll be right there to help," Ricasso promised.
"I won't tie you without giving you a way
to get loose -- there are panic snaps for
that exact purpose. You'll just have to be
on your honor not to release them otherwise,
when we get to trying the ropes you liked."
"Okay," Gray said. "That makes me feel
a little better about the abandonment issues."
"Good," Ricasso said. "Now that we've
tested the waters a bit, I want you to think
about some things you haven't seen yet.
Here's a yes-no-maybe list for you to fill out.
If you're not sure what something is, you
can just leave that one blank for now."
He passed Gray his smartphone
with a kinky checklist on the screen.
A very kinky checklist, Gray realized,
and blushed at some of the ones he
recognized. Others he hadn't heard of
and couldn't even guess what they were.
He ruled out the actual sex stuff since
he preferred doing that with women, but
a lot of the kinks sounded really hot.
Or really scary. Or scarily hot.
Some were things that Gray
already knew he liked,
such as biting and marks.
Others were new and intriguing,
like nipple play and hot wax.
Some of them just made him want
to cross his legs, like cock whipping.
Gray finished filling out the list
and passed it back to Ricasso,
wondering what he'd do with it.
"Thank you, Gray," he said, and
read the whole thing carefully.
"I see you've marked both
voyeurism and exhibitionism
at moderate interest. Would
you consider those today?"
"I don't know, maybe?"
Gray said, squirming.
"I like the idea, but I
don't know if I can."
"You're doing fine so far,
and you've said you want me
to take charge," Ricasso replied.
"Let's see what happens ..."
"Maybe something light?"
Gray begged, blushing.
"We're negotiating,"
Ricasso reminded him.
"Set me a boundary."
"Above the waist,"
Gray said desperately.
"Agreed," Ricasso said.
"Recite your safewords."
"Red means stop, yellow
means slow down and talk,
green means go," Gray said.
"Well done," Ricasso said,
and let his hands drift over
Gray's front in a slow caress.
At once Gray stopped watching
the other people in the room and
looked down to watch his boss.
Ricasso had long, marvelous hands.
When stroking turned to pinching,
Gray gasped and arched into the pain.
Soft applause startled him back into
awareness that they were not alone.
"Give me time to warm him up
before you drool over him,"
Ricasso scolded gently.
"Now I have to start over."
"Green," panted Gray,
wanting those hands on him
and not caring who saw.
The amazing thing was,
Ricasso wasn't even doing
all that much, just dancing
his fingers over Gray's front,
tracing the cutwork sword, and
giving him twisty little pinches.
He even found a few chest hairs
and tugged playfully on them,
making Gray gasp again.
This time, the applause
didn't faze him at all.
When Ricasso stopped,
Gray blinked his eyes open
and whined, "Why'd you quit?"
"I think it's about time for us
to get a room," Ricasso said.
Gray sat up -- when had he
melted against his boss? --
and saw that Garrett was
watching them with a smile.
"The VIP Room is open if you
want it," Garrett said, beckoning.
Gray stood up, and almost fell over.
"Careful," Garrett said, catching him
in muscular arms that did nothing
to help Gray's knees firm up.
Ricasso chuckled and propped
Gray up from the other side.
"Come on, walk it off a bit and
then we'll get you another packet of
energy gel in the room," Ricasso said.
"Just don't confuse them with the lube,"
Garrett said. "Some is flavored."
Ricasso laughed. "Don't worry,
at least one of us can still read."
"How are you liking our club, Gray?"
asked Garrett as they walked.
"It's nice. Those people are hot.
I want to try more rooms. But not
the tea room when I can't walk
straight," Gray babbled happily.
"I'm sure you'll have another chance
to try the tea room," Garrett said.
A woman walked past in a trenchcoat,
but below its hem her legs and feet were
bare, and Gray couldn't see a shirt collar
above it either -- only a dog collar attached
to a leash held by the man behind her.
"Woah," Gray said softly, staring.
"Is she wearing anything under that?"
"Possibly not," Garrett said. "She could
have a fetish outfit or her birthday suit.
Sexy bits should be covered in hallways,
and a coat or a robe counts. The rooms vary --
the formal rooms expect people to dress like
ladies and gentlemen, or servants, though
street clothes are allowed. Most playrooms
allow full exposure and intimate activities."
Gray felt a little woozy, but happy, and
his attention snagged on the racks
and shelves and stands of toys
along the sides of the hallway.
"What is all that stuff?" he wondered.
"Masks, restraints, floggers, paddles,
metal implements, first aid supplies,"
Garrett said, waving a hand as he
named them. "These are for use
in any room. Items dedicated to
a given room are stored inside it."
"The roleplay rooms include a kitchen,
a bedroom, and a medical office,"
Ricasso said helpfully. "One of
the playrooms is more of a dungeon."
"Wow," Gray said. "Yeah, yeah,
I definitely want to try more rooms."
"Well now's your chance," Garrett said.
"Welcome to the VIP Room, reserved
for our top supporters and their guests."
It was beautiful, with deep red walls that
looked orange in the golden light, and
brass mirrors shaped like sunbursts
hanging over a supply cabinet.
A leather bench chest by the door
probably held even more stuff.
To the right of those, a large bed
on a wooden frame was covered
with a stretchy leopard sheet.
Beyond the bed lay a pile of
white towels and a window that
opened into the next room. Over
the bed, another window went
to the hallway they just left.
Gray hadn't even noticed that
when they walked past it.
Ricasso reached into a bowl on
the supply cabinet and handed
Gray a packet of energy gel.
Eagerly Gray guzzled it and
then looked around for water.
Garrett opened the cabinet door,
revealing a stash of water and
sport drinks, so that Ricasso
could get some for Gray.
The water tasted cool and
bright with mineral flavors, and
it cleared his head a little.
"Would you folks like
the voyeur window open
or closed?" Garrett asked.
"Camera feed on or off?"
"We want the camera off,"
Ricasso said. "Gray, how
do you feel about the window?"
"I don't know," he said, floundering.
"Maybe ... part of the way open?"
"Good choice," Garrett said, and
pulled the burgundy velvet curtain
so that most of the bed would be
obscured, but if they played at
the foot, they could be seen.
"You folks enjoy yourselves."
He let himself out, closing
the door firmly behind him.
Ricasso guided Gray to
sit at the foot of the bed.
"I'm going to make most of
the decisions, since you've
indicated that's something you
like," Ricasso said. "If you want
to close the curtains, let me know."
"Okay," Gray said. "What ... what
did you want to get a room for?
We're not going to have sex."
"I want you able to relax, and that's
hard in a room full of people. Here, they
can watch but not touch," Ricasso said.
"Yeah," Gray said lazily. "This is nice."
"I'm going to give you surprises from
the very promising list of options that you
filled out for me earlier," Ricasso said.
"You won't know exactly what's coming,
but they will all be things you already
like or want to try and find out."
"Yes, yes, green," said Gray.
"I want to do all the things!"
Then he remembered
the cock whipping line.
"All the things I marked as
fun," he corrected hastily.
"That's what I said, the things
you wanted," Ricasso promised.
"I want both of us to enjoy this."
Gray wriggled impatiently.
"Please just touch me."
"All right," Ricasso said,
opening his bag. "I know you
liked bondage but you don't want
to repeat exactly anything from
that night. So I got an idea."
He laid out a row of leather bands,
black with silver fittings and blue jewels.
"I'm going to put the cuffs on your wrists
and ankles without attaching them to
anything," Ricasso said as he took off
Gray's boots and socks. "This gives you
something to feel but it's less stressful."
"Yes, please ..." Gray said, and then
his voice trailed away as Ricasso
picked up his wrist to buckle
the first strap in place.
It was snug without being
tight, but he couldn't forget
that the leather cuff was there.
The others felt much the same, and
together were almost overwhelming.
Ricasso gave him time to adjust,
though, and that helped a lot.
"Oh, look, we have an audience,"
Ricasso said in an amused tone.
Gray looked up and saw the dog
and his owner at the voyeur window.
The owner gave him a thumbs-up,
and the dog licked the glass.
Gray laughed as the owner
pushed the dog out of the way
and cleaned off the slobber.
"Shall we give them a show?"
Ricasso purred, fondling
Gray's bare chest again.
"Green, please," said Gray.
Ricasso positioned himself
against Gray's back, pointing
his front toward the window.
"Tilt your head back against
my shoulder, and close your eyes,"
Ricasso said. "I want you to be
surprised by what I'm doing."
Gray obeyed, head falling back
and eyes fluttering closed.
The first thing that he felt
was something tickling over
his skin, making him squirm.
"Hold still," Ricasso said,
tickling Gray again.
"I can't!" Gray protested,
writhing in his grasp.
Ricasso swatted him
bare-handed on the thigh,
hard enough to sting.
"I said, hold still.
If I have to repeat
a command, there will
be a punishment."
Gray whined through
his teeth, struggling
not to move any more.
When Ricasso stopped
tickling him, Gray sagged
against him in relief.
Next Gray felt something
wet and slippery gliding over
his skin ... tracing the sword,
he realized after a moment.
It felt warm and cool at once,
and then when Ricasso breathed
over it, suddenly downright hot.
Gray gasped, arching his back.
"What -- what --" he stammered.
"Warming massage oil,"
Ricasso said, blowing again.
The sensation was so vivid that
Gray forgot about everything else,
losing himself in it altogether.
Ricasso's hands brought him
back down, smoothing over
Gray's ribs and down his belly.
Then the sensation changed,
slippery all over but not as warm,
and Ricasso's fingers seemed
to have acquired odd textures.
"Go ahead and peek," Ricasso said.
Gray pried his eyes open and
looked down to see Ricasso wearing
black silicone gloves with all kinds
of bizarre bumps and ridges.
He could feel every time
they bumped over his nipples.
When the massage oil finally
soaked in enough that the gloves
started dragging instead of gliding,
Ricasso carefully peeled them off.
"Are you still clear-headed enough
to make a simple choice?" he said.
"Mmm ... yes," Gray said slowly.
"I'm going to leave a few bruises,"
Ricasso said. "Do you want to have
your souvenirs visible in street clothes,
or keep them a secret instead?"
Gray thought about it. He had seen
other gang members with 'souvenirs'
plenty of times, and he was having
a great time now, but he knew that
he might feel differently later on.
"Secret," he said. "Can you do,
hmm, my shoulders or chest?"
"Oh yes," Ricasso chuckled,
breath warm against Gray's neck.
Soft lips and gentle teeth nibbled
their way from Gray's ear down
to his shoulder, and then turned
into a harder, pinching bite.
Gray groaned, relishing
the mix of pleasure and pain.
He'd always loved biting.
"Matched set?" he begged,
and Ricasso did the other side.
Then a sudden touch of cold
made Gray squeal in surprise.
The ice cube slithered over
his chest and down his belly,
leaving behind a frigid trail.
Ricasso followed it with
his other hand, warming
the chilled skin, the contrast
between cold and heat shocking.
When the ice cube finally melted,
away, Gray panted in relief.
"Hold still again," Ricasso said.
"This will hurt a little at first,
but then it should feel good."
Something grabbed onto
Gray's right nipple with
a fierce pinching grip.
"Off off off!" Gray yelped,
trying to shake it loose.
"Hmm, do you want to use
your safeword?" Ricasso said.
Gray squirmed against him. "... no."
"Then the nipple clamp stays put,"
Ricasso said in a wicked tone.
Then he did the other side.
"Ow ow ow ow," Gray whined.
The hot pain eclipsed pleasure.
"Shh, you can take it," Ricasso said.
His hands stroked down Gray's sides.
"Take slower, deeper breaths."
Gray struggled to obey, and
found that the pain was
slowly diminishing.
"Does it feel good yet?"
Ricasso asked him.
Gray shook his head.
The clamps still hurt like hell.
"I've got you," Ricasso said.
"Let me take care of this."
He nibbled his way down
Gray's neck again, then
began nipping his shoulders,
not quite as hard as before.
It was enough to pull
Gray's attention away
from his poor nipples, and
by the time Ricasso stopped,
the pain had faded down
to a strange, pinchy warmth.
"Better?" Ricasso said in his ear,
rubbing the path of his bites.
"Yeah," Gray said. "Feels weird.
Warm. Not sure if I like it."
"How about now?" Ricasso said,
and tapped the clamps with a finger.
A bright jolt of pleasure rocketed
through Gray's body from his chest
all the way down to his toes. "Oh!"
Ricasso chuckled. "Now you like it."
"Green," said Gray. "Please, please!"
He pushed back against Ricasso.
"Greedy," Ricasso teased,
but he played with the clamps
until Gray wriggled all over.
Then Ricasso gently pushed
Gray down onto the bed.
"Since this is working so well,
I'm going to do a little more with
a similar toy," Ricasso said, "but first ..."
He took hold of Gray's wrists and
stretched his arms up and out
toward the headboard.
Then he draped the chain
of a leash over Gray's throat.
"You are now bound in this position,"
he said. "If you move, I'll punish you."
Gray resisted the urge to squirm.
The cuffs felt warm and snug,
the metal cool and shivery.
This was so different from what
he had done before, but it was
touching the same spot inside
that made him go all melty.
He felt Ricasso's fingers on
his chest again, below the nipple,
and suddenly there was another pinch,
not quite as fierce as the first ones.
Gray arched his back and whimpered,
but he did not move his hands.
"Good boy," Ricasso said.
"These are clothespins. Let's
see if you can take a dozen."
They went on in rows,
six on each side of his chest.
The pain left Gray gasping again,
but Ricasso soothed him through it,
and then the pleasure built up.
"You're really flying now,"
Ricasso said. "One more thing,
and then I think you'll be done."
"Mmm," Gray said, but couldn't
wrap his mouth around Green.
"Here, squeeze my hand if
you're okay," Ricasso said.
After a minute or so, Gray
managed to find his fingers
and get them to work properly.
"Well done. Here's your reward,"
Ricasso said, and something soft
trailed over Gray's skin, contrasting
with the collective pinch of the clamps.
Gray sighed, quivering a little bit
under the luxurious touch, but
too far gone to move much.
Then he felt the claws.
They were cool and distinct,
sliding over his skin and drawing
his attention into narrow lines.
When he felt the first faint kiss
of Ricasso's superpower,
he gasped, "Yellow!"
Ricasso let go at once.
"Relax," he murmured.
"I'm not even scratching you.
The metal claws are leaving
little pink lines, nothing more.
Do you want to stop?"
"Nnn ... not yet," Gray said.
His skin felt empty without
Ricasso touching him.
"We'll try it again and
see how you feel,"
Ricasso offered.
This time Gray could
feel that Ricasso wasn't
actually cutting him, just
skimming the power over
the surface of Gray's skin
to excite the nerves.
They were really excited.
All he could do was push
into Ricasso's hands as if
trying to crawl inside them.
Then Ricasso zinged the energy
through the nipple clamps, and
the resulting endorphin rush
left Gray wrung out on the bed.
"Oh yeah, you're done," Ricasso said.
Gentle hands clasped Gray's left wrist.
"You are now unbound," Ricasso said,
and carefully unbuckled the strap.
He removed the others in turn,
rubbing the skin to refresh it.
"The clamps will hurt coming off,"
he warned. "They actually hurt more
coming off than going on, but you're
so high on endorphins right now
that you might not feel it much."
Gray felt it, all right, but it was
nowhere near as overwhelming
as it had felt when they went on.
"Hmm, you're all sticky with sweat,"
Ricasso said. "Would you object
to a sponge bath above the waist?"
"Nnno," Gray said slowly. "Sounds good."
"I'm going to get up and close the curtains,
then go to the supply cabinet," Ricasso said.
"I'll be able to see you the whole time,
and I'll come right back in a minute."
Gray frowned. He didn't want
Ricasso to get up, but he did
want that sponge bath.
While he was wondering
whether to argue, Ricasso
got up to grab the supplies.
"Show's over, folks," he said
as he closed the velvet curtains.
"Thank you and good night."
Gray shivered, feeling
suddenly cold and alone.
He opened his mouth to complain,
but then the bed shifted under him.
"Shh now, it's okay, Gray, I'm
right here," Ricasso assured him.
A damp cloth blotted over Gray's skin,
the cool water soothing the heat left
by the clamps and clothespins.
"I'm rolling you up on your side
so that I can do your back,"
Ricasso said, and then shifted
Gray to finish washing him.
It was enough to make Gray
shiver briefly, but then Ricasso
was right there with the towel,
drying him off as carefully
as he had washed Gray.
"Lotion next," Ricasso said.
"It's sandalwood and lavender,
so it won't clash with the mint
and cinnamon from earlier."
So that's what it had been.
The stuff felt wonderful going on,
especially when Ricasso rubbed over
the little dents left by the clamps.
It made Gray shiver again, though,
and Ricasso said, "Don't worry,
I'll get you something warm."
Then he lifted Gray and
gently stuffed him into
a soft terrycloth robe.
"I need to get up again,"
Ricasso said. "I want
to get you some calories
and a sport drink to replace
what you've burned through.
I'll be back in a few seconds."
It was worse this time, and
Gray didn't know why, he
just floundered on the bed
trying to reach Ricasso.
"It's all right, I'm here,"
Ricasso said, propping Gray
against his chest. "Come on,
eat some applesauce first."
Something touched Gray's lip,
and that was enough to make him
pull the nozzle into his mouth
and slurp up the applesauce.
It was cool and wet and delicious.
The sport drink followed it,
some other fruity flavor that
Gray couldn't identify but liked.
It felt so good on his dry mouth,
but it made him shiver again.
"It's okay, Gray, you're just
starting to come down from
the endorphins," Ricasso said
as he set the bottle down.
"I've got you. You're safe."
"Cold," Gray muttered.
"Here's a blanket,"
Ricasso said as he
wrapped it around
both of them and
tucked it in close.
Gray still trembled,
but it wasn't as bad now.
"I know, coming down is
never as fun as going up,
Ricasso said, rubbing a hand
over Gray's back. "You'll come
through it just fine, though. I
will stay with you until you're
entirely back to normal."
Gray recognized the feeling
from before, but at least
this time he didn't feel sick --
probably because he'd gotten
something to eat and drink
immediately after playing.
Ricasso was really taking
great care of Gray tonight.
"Thank you," Gray mumbled.
"It's my pleasure," Ricasso said,
and Gray could feel the truth in it.
He snuggled against his boss and
let the aftercare soothe him into a nap.
It would be fine. Ricasso had said so.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is huge, so the character, location, and content notes appear elsewhere.
