Page 33 of Oh, Sacred Dark
Roman’s stomach tightened. He was good enough not to use safe words—that had been beaten out of him a long time ago. “No.”
“Okay. I mean, the stoplight system works, although honestly, let’s stick with ‘stop’ for today.”
Roman wasn’t sure what that meant. He nodded.
“Like I said, we’re not gonna do anything intense, but what are your main limits?”
Roman blinked, realising Tyler wanted to do the whole song and dance. It’d been a while since Roman had a Dom that pretended to give a shit about limits. “Scat,” he mumbled. Most Doms wouldn’t be angered by that one.
“All right. What else?”
More?“Uhm…” Roman struggled to think, mind blank.
Tyler spoke tentatively when the silence had gone on for too long. “How about I say a few things I’m thinking for tonight, and we can go from there?”
“Okay,” Roman said, relieved.
“How do you feel about kneeling? Is that something that’s gotten you into a good headspace in the past?”
“Yes.” Kneeling was good for making him feel obedient, if that was what Tyler meant, although past Doms had preferred he be on all fours or belly up during beatings.
“Do you like people touching your hair?”
It was stupid, but the idea of Tyler cutting his hair made a bolt of sadness crash over him. “Yes,” he murmured nevertheless.
“What about verbal affirmations? Does that usually do anything for you?”
Now Roman was really lost. “It’s good.”
“Okay. How about we start there and see how it goes?”
“Okay,” Roman echoed.
He wasn’t going to shake. He wasn’t going to beg. He wasn’t going to cry. He’d survive this like he’d survived so many other things.
“You okay to begin? Those clothes comfortable?”
Roman nodded, words lost to him now.
“All right. Here.” Tyler picked up a thick pillow and put it on the floor between his feet. “Whenever you’re ready, you can kneel.”
Roman hesitated. Was Roman supposed to kneelonthe pillow? He didn’t know how else that could be interpreted, but the implication seemed ludicrous.
Heartbeat already speeding up, Roman got on the floor, carefully settling his knees on the cushion. He looked away, waiting for an admonishment, a blow, but Tyler’s reaction was shocking beyond that.
“Good. Thank you for trusting me with this, Roman.”
A warm shiver went down Roman’s spine. Tyler sounded so genuine, it fogged his brain for a second.
“Is it okay if I touch you?” Tyler asked, voice quiet now. Gentle.
“Yes,” Roman whispered.
Roman kept his eyes open, trying to figure out what was going to happen, but his lips still parted in surprise when a steady hand gripped him by the nape of the neck. It didn’t hurt or suffocate. It didn’t shake him like a rag doll.
It just held him in place like an anchor amidst a storm.
Roman could feel his breath rushing out of his mouth, blinks turning syrupy.
