Page 10 of Asher's Answer
Charlie leans forward and presses a soft kiss to the tip of my nose. “Tonight was about you.”
If I had needed any further proof that he was genuine about not pressuring me, this would do it.
Chapter Six – Charlie
I’m moving too fast. I know I am. This poor boy has been through hell this week, he’s still hesitant about indulging his little side, and here am I just taking advantage of his vulnerability. Someone needs to take my Daddy card away because the shit that I just pulled? Not on. Not in the least. I really don’t want Ash thinking that I’m only offering him the room because I expect things from him.
“Come on,” I tell him, swatting his firm, pert ass to scoot him off my lap, “how about we head upstairs, do some coloring then watch a movie, hmm?”
“Coloring?” he questions.
I shrug. “Part of the lifestyle is routine. I know you’re not in your little headspace right now, but…it might help to start up a routine to give yourself some little time every night?”
Over dinner, he’d said that he had tried to give himself little time whenever he knew he’d have a few hours alone and that it helped him managing his stress levels. When that time became harder to come by, he’d felt his ability to control his emotions -and his little headspace- slipping. If it’s his coping mechanism, it makes sense that it’s going to be where his brain goes when he’s overwhelmed.
“Of course,” I add as he stares at me with blatant skepticism, “you’re free to be little here whenever you need. Some people flow in and out of their little headspaces in a more fluid state.” As he gets more comfortable in his skin, I imagine this is how Ash will be. And, given my own desires, I hope he’ll choose to share that lifestyle with me. I can’t picture him being little more often than not, but I can see us falling into a routine that works with my erratic work hours.
Maybe I’m projecting, but it almost feels like I’ve manifested the unicorn little of my dreams.
But I’m getting ahead of myself again.
“Right,” he blinks as we stand at the bottom of the stairs, giving a little shake of his head, “it’s going to take a while to get used to all this, I guess. Having my urges normalized, I mean.”
“Theyarenormal,” I insist. I’m going to repeat this mantra until it sinks in. “Sexuality is a spectrum. BDSM and kink is a spectrum within the spectrum. None of it is shameful.”
His shoulders lift and droop in a helpless shrug.
“Would it help you to meet others like you? Like us?” I don’t know why I’m doing this, why I’m pushing so hard when it’s only his first day in my home, but I’m desperate for him to understand that he’s got nothing to be embarrassed about. “Because I can take you to The Grove. It’s a BDSM club, and they have a huge, dedicated space for age play. Josh was heading there tonight.”
Those hazel eyes of his are round, and his mouth has formed an ‘o’ of surprise. “Wow. Are there that many of us in the city?”
I nod. “Yes.” And, because I’m an asshole, I repeat slowly, “Because. It’s. Normal.”
He surprises me by laughing. It’s a gorgeous laugh. Carefree and contagious. Another glimpse into the beautiful little boy I know he’ll be. “Okay,” the smile he offers me is warm. “It’s normal to have kinks. I get it. But, Charlie, I don’t want to go to a club tonight. Maybe another time? I just…” he turns bashful, “I’d like to do what you said and…y’know…explore this thing between us for now.”
How can I deny him that when I want the exact same thing? I hold his cheeks in my hands and press my lips to his in a sweet kiss that I hope imparts everything I can’t put into words. “I’d like that, too.”
His grin turns cheeky. “So…do I have to call you Daddy?”
My dick, which had managed to calm down from not being allowed to come earlier, swells back up almost instantly. Swallowing roughly, I shake my head. “That’s a title I have to earn, baby,” I inform him, “and only when you’re comfortable with using it. This whole thing,” I gesture wildly, “is all about comfort and consent and, ultimately, trust. We need to talk about rules and expectations and limits…”
We’d touched on some of it over dinner. Josh’s perspective had been a godsend. But if Ash and I are actually going to give this whole thing a go, we need to sit down and make sure we’re both on the same page. No more impromptu handjobs or making out until we know where we stand.
“Maybe,” I say slowly, my hand finding its place on the small of his back as I guide him up the stairs, “instead of coloring, tonight we can go over some of the information online about the lifestyle? Together? And we can start talking about those things. If that’s what you want.”
Ash’s eyes soften and his expression is filled with gratitude. Even if I’m afraid I’m pushing him too fast and too soon, that look settles my concerns. So does his reply. “That sounds good.”
So it’s what we do. We settle in on the couch upstairs after I’ve gone and changed into a new T-shirt and boxers with our laptops balanced on our respective thighs. I let him Google and explore at his own pace, and he asks questions as he goes.
He cocks his head at me at one point, flicking his laptop screen for emphasis. “So…safe words are a thing even with regression stuff?”
“Hell yeah,” I acknowledge. “Consent is the first rule of any kink play, and it has to be explicit. Even though we’re not doing anything physically taxing for the most part, there’s emotional and mental comfort to consider.”
“Do…” he clears his throat, “do you have a safe word?”
“I like the traffic light system.”
The darling of the BDSM world.
