Page 71 of Oh, Sacred Dark
He wanted to stay like that for the rest of the night and into the morning, but he knew Roman needed more. They hadn’t scened since before he’d been kidnapped, and considering the sub had Dropped in those three days, a scene was necessary.
For the first time, the thought filled him with dread. What if he did something wrong? What if he wasn’t quick enough to catch any signs of discomfort or pain Roman might give off? What if he hurt Roman?
His worries didn’t matter. Roman’s health came first.
“You want to scene?” Tyler rumbled.
Roman lifted his head and gave him a shy smile. “Okay.”
“Keep it simple?”
“Yeah, okay.” Without having to be told, Roman slid off the couch and onto his knees.
Tyler righted himself, chest filling with pride. Roman was so good. So perfect. How had Tyler managed to get a sub like Roman kneeling for him?
How could he ever do anything to deserve it?
“There you go,” Tyler said as he widened his legs so Roman could settle in. “You’re so perfect, aren’t you? My perfect Ro.”
Roman blushed brightly, but his eyes still went hazy, already dipping into subspace.
Tyler traced Roman’s face with his fingertips, brushing his curls back. He was so, so beautiful.
“Tyler,” Roman mumbled as Tyler scratched his scalp gently.
“There you go. You’re safe. I’ve got you. You can go down.”
Just like that, Roman did.
No matter how many times Tyler saw Roman fully drop, it was still incredible to watch.
They stayed there for a long moment, and Tyler tried to ignore the unease rising inside him.
Tyler studied Roman’s expression carefully for any sign of distress, but Roman was so good at hiding it that it could be lying under the surface without Tyler realising it. Or, more accurately, Tyler probably didn’t have the skill and empathy to see the signs.
Tyler hadn’t earned the right to be Roman’s Dom. He’d cheated his way into the role. Had forced Archie to let him spy on Roman, had been neglectful and judgmental at the beginning, and had ended up scening with him because Roman had thought he had no other option.
What was Tyler even doing, still scening with Roman? There were bound to be so many people in the coven more suited to the task. People who wouldn’t misread trauma for indifference. Who would pick up the signs of being infected by Chaos and do something. Who would be deserving of a sub—aperson—like Roman.
Tyler tried to control his breathing. Roman seemed peaceful, rubbing his cheek against Tyler’s thigh like he always did. Roman didn’t know Tyler was a useless Dom. That he could do better than him.
Tyler tensed all his muscles to try and keep still. He wasfine. He wasn’t about to be weak enough to cut the scene short and—
Tyler’s thoughts stopped cold. He needed to stop the scene. Not just for him, but for Roman too. After all the safe-word training they’d done together, it would be beyond hypocritical to keep going when Tyler felt he was about to split at the seams with distress.
“Hey, baby. Time to come up,” Tyler said, voice wobbling.
Roman frowned, scrunching up his nose. “Hm?”
“Time to come up,” he repeated.
Roman blinked his eyes open. They focused on Tyler. His frown deepened. “Tyler?”
Tyler couldn’t speak, suddenly. Roman straightened, looking more worried by the second.
“Tyler? What’s wrong?”
Tyler pressed his lips together, but relief flooded him when Roman climbed onto the couch with him. His hands grabbed the sub’s arms. “Can I—can you lay on the couch? Against the back—yeah, and me like this, over you? Is this okay? Are you—if I’m crushing you, or—”
