Eclipse Of The Moon ~ Book 1 of Aaron
Chapter 69
A Budding Friendship

❗️Fart Alert ❗️

This is an alert to the few readers who can't deal with something that nature gave to the human body and something that some people sometimes do when they shouldn't. If you want to skip this part, know that it's right after the three little stars further down. To others, just have a good laugh with Aaron.

Tuesday 28 December 2004

"Honestly, I don't understand how you were able to go through a whole year of this, Aaron," Kayden sighs with what sounds like sincere compassion. And apprehension too.

Oh well...

I love holidays.

I love these holidays because despite the nostalgia for my best friends and all the homework I've had to accomplish for school, the last couple of weeks have been extremely productive and high on emotions. I really do hate that the guys and I have to be in four different parts of the world, with Mark in Paris, Josh on a trip to Australia with his parents, Camden in Collingswood and me in Los Angeles, and I dearly miss them, but thankfully, this Christmas season has been easier than the last one and absolutely not comparable to the previous one.

Ivan and I enjoyed a really joyful Christmas day at home with Marcus, Sam, Anton and Lina, and for the first time in years, I felt like I was celebrating with people I love. There was no mass or prayers like there used to be in my family and it was just fine with me. It wasn't about sex either, right... Just about six people who enjoyed a delicious meal in the beautifully decorated dining room of Ivan's mansion, exchanged a few presents and were playful like normal people would. There were no Dominants, no Submissives. Just five men and a woman who talked a lot and played board games.

And it's official, Anton and Lina are dating! Anton was rather quick inviting her for a dinner out, barely a few days after they met. Then there was another one with a movie at the theatre, which is when they shared their first kiss, a lunch after our finals, then Lina invited him over to her place for dinner and Anton returned the favor the following day, and I might be wrong, but I believe this is when things became a little more intimate.

Of course, their relationship has just started, but I must admit they make a cute couple. Anton hasn't even mentioned his favorite lifestyle and yet, it's funny how his dominance already shows off and how Lina seems to be naturally responsive to his guidance, advice and commands.

No, you cannot have champagne, it's dangerous for the baby.

You haven't eaten enough, have another helping, you need strength.

How about a rather quiet and relaxing New Year's Eve at my place, I'll treat you with Kontomire stew, kelewele, and a massage...?

Whatever Anton says, Lina listens; and obeys too.

I guess the future will tell if these two can make one; at least, they are on the right path and if Anton can support her in the various ways she needs attention and care, well, why not? I suppose she will need more and more assistance and comfort in the coming months, and Ivan promised that his best friend could be loyal and trustworthy, so we'll see!

The lucky student I am is on a three-week break from college, which has imparted me much more free time than I usually have. Diligence is still a virtue I learned – one that I learned the hard way – so I have dedicated most of my time studying hard, accomplishing my homework and even getting ahead of the upcoming chapters we will explore in economics, marketing, business law and finance.

I have spent a few afternoons with Ivan at the Hell Fire, learning the ropes of managing a nightclub and finetuning the next sessions of the Dom training, and I have also taken additional shifts at the Heaven Water. Despite all this busy activity, I still managed to see Kayden outside of the club twice and we are on our third encounter in fact, enjoying warm beverages at a Starbucks in the late afternoon.

Encounter, not date, I should precise. He was the one who initiated our first meeting when he called me the morning after we had the introductory session with Ivan and asked if I would be up for a quick lunch. His tone was quite reserved – his voice almost strained – and I immediately guessed he needed reassurance about the training.

Well, I was right. We were supposed to have our second session the following day and as much as this one didn't worry him – since it was mostly about theory on submission – the next few ones did. Despite my young age when I discovered the lifestyle, I always knew in which category I would fall and never had a doubt about my desire to become a Dominant. I surely lacked maturity back then, and I still do, but deep down, I know I'm not a Submissive.

Kayden's personality is quite similar to mine, so I totally understand his reluctance toward the submission phase of the training. However, I also agree with Ivan, and believe that a Dominant should experience both roles to fully grasp the extent of a Dom's role and responsibilities when he gets to play with a Sub.

Kayden shouldn't complain, though, because the few current trainees still have to accomplish a three-month period submitting to single Doms of the club. The three guys did try to argue with Ivan and hop on the new program, but the Master Dom was firm and reasoned them quite easily, since they are close to the end of their submission phase.

Six or seven sessions represent so little next to Ivan's archaic methods, right? This is how I managed to reassure Kayden last week and our second and third sessions – the latter being about learning positions and patience, meditating while kneeling, the importance of safewords – went well. The further we progress into the program, the more sensitive aspects will come up, and the next two sessions are dedicated to trying all the equipment and accessories, as well as more sexual activities like deep-throating and bottoming, so no wonder Kayden's worries come back full force.

I have just spent half an hour telling him more about my year of submission to Ivan, providing him with details about what I endured for a whole year. Funnily enough, I haven't felt any discomfort or awkwardness confiding to him. I have never been much of an introvert person and I usually open up rather easily to people, but with Kayden, it has been even easier.

It turns out that we have a lot in common – sex, of course, pop rock music, working out, joking, teasing and pizzas!! – and I feel like he might become a good friend of mine. Speaking with him is just as natural as it is with Cam, Mark or Josh.

Even easier as far as BDSM is concerned for obvious reasons...

Which is nice because with my closest friends being so far from me, I have really wanted to form new bonds with new people. Never would anyone replace the guys in my heart obviously, and I do have a few good friends here like Marcus, Sam, Lina, Anton, Kwonmin and a few more Subs I get along with at the club, but Kayden might become something else.

"Seriously... I'm in awe with your strength," Kayden adds on a second thought.

"It's all about motivation."

"Motivation?"

"Like I told you, the first night Ivan brought me to the Hell Fire, as a guest, I immediately knew that I belonged in there. Ideas had begun to form in my head about my future, I could see myself managing a nightclub, but then... I just thought why not a BDSM club? I mean... I love sex, whether with big dudes or small twinks, I just love it, and that place was what I needed. I could also see myself as a Master Dom in the future, Ivan has been such a role model to me. I wanted... I still want to follow his footsteps and become as good as he is. That was my motivation to endure all I did."

"Well, I don't see myself as a Master Dom in the future. I have a preference for small twinks, but I definitely have a kink for threesomes."

"Sharing is caring, they say," I comment, wriggling my eyebrows.

"Very true! And I really love all this dominance, the values and... just the general concept Ivan exposed. I really want to try it, and I want to do this well."

"Then if you're so interested, you got your motivation. Just a few unpleasant hours aren't much compared to what the club has to offer in the future. And trust Ivan, he's really good, I'm sure he might even make you feel pleasure."

"I doubt!" he exclaims, bursting out laughing. "Were you versatile before you joined the lifestyle?"

"Me!? No way. I had tried anal penetration once some time ago, but it was just to, you know the adage... Don't knock it till you rock it, you see?" I try to explain, smiling as I clearly remember our first experiments with my childhood friends. "But bottoming, no, that's not my thing. I can't deny that it provides pleasure when it's done properly, but I know how difficult it is when you're a top at heart."

"You bet. Ugh, can't believe I'm going to let another man take me..."

"Don't focus on the psychological aspect when it happens. Try to focus on the pleasurable sensations, it'll help."

"Yeah... if you say so..."

"I do, trust me."

"Yeah, I trust you," he sighs, just as his mobile phone goes off. "Hello, Nan, how are you?" he says in the sweetest voice, and as the person replies, I witness all the fondness and love he must feel for them display all over his face, smoothing his rather angular features. "Glad to hear, Nan. Hey, can I call you back a bit later? I'm with a friend right now, and..."

"..."

"Alright, let's do that. I'll call you when I'm back home."

"..."

"Sure, take care."

"Who's Nan?" I ask softly once he has hung up.

"My grandmother," he replies, his voice still lathering the same sweetness.

"You sound..." I dither, searching the appropriate words, "I mean, she sounds very special to you," I finally say, encouraging him to tell me more about his private life.

I suddenly realize that throughout our few encounters, Kayden has particularly excelled at making me talk; much more than he has unveiled about himself. I barely know anything private about the young man other than he has a passion for wood, so much so that he has made a living out it, and from what I understood, he is particularly good at designing and manufacturing furniture or whatever is made out of wood.

"She's my everything," he replies with much tenderness. "She and my grandfather raised me," he carries on, his blue eyes darkening, as if sad memories were flooding his mind.

"May I ask what happened to your parents," I ask softly, now curious as to why he was raised by his grandparents, though easily guessing that it must have been for some sad reasons.

"My parents died in a car accident when I was a 11," he replies after a few seconds, his voice very low.

"I'm sorry to hear... You don't have to tell me more if you don't want to," I say quickly, reaching across the table for his hand in a reassuring gesture. "I don't want to force bad memories..."

"No worries, Aaron," he continues with a shy smile. "It was a long time ago and I'm only sticking to happy memories of them. I had a very happy childhood, and my grandparents made my adolescence just as happy, they helped me to develop myself, to find myself," he adds, his smile broadening.

"I can tell..."

"I was cherished, loved, cared for, even after my granddad died a couple of years ago. My grandmother has always supported all my decisions, even when I dropped out of general school to start a vocational school and to follow an apprenticeship in woodwork despite my top grades. She's always been an enthusiastic lady pushing me toward who I wanted to be, someone I could confide in. Whatever the topic, I knew she'd listen objectively and give me wise advice."

"Is she in LA?"

"Nope. She lives up north near Sacramento. I wish she'd move down here, especially now that she's alone, but she wouldn't leave her house for all the gold in the world," he explains with frustration. "Says she has too many memories there."

"That's understandable. Does she often visit you?"

"More like I regularly visit her actually. She hates the Los Angeles heat, so I usually fly there every three or four months to spend a weekend with her, for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, you know... all special occasions," he replies with a bright smile.

"Sounds good. Hey, I heard on the radio that Bon Jovi will release their new album sometime soon?" I chip, deliberately leading him on a topic that will clearly lift his spirits. The guy is an unconditional fan of the New Jersey rock band, and I yet have to discover more of their records, but trusting Kayden's tastes in music are mighty fine, I am pretty sure I will enjoy.

"I don't know what radio you listen to but they have the wrong information," he snorts. "As far as I know, it's delayed till next summer at best," he sighs, though his eyes suddenly glimmer with excitement. "If they tour the US and perform in LA, would you go with me?"

"A concert? Hmm... why not... Depends on how good their next album will be."

"It'll be good. It's always good. And even then, there'll always be tracks from previous records," he counters dismissively.

And there he goes telling me about the shows he has attended so far, and boy, there is a lot! At least, it gets him to finally relax, and for some reason I can't explain, I sincerely enjoy watching him babble on and on about his favorite band with such enthusiasm. I am feeling good around him.

"Are you up for pizzas tonight?" he asks a bit later as we reach our respective cars on the parking lot, both of us leaning against my car, face to face.

Fuck! I'm always up for pizzas!

"Argh, I'd love to, but Ivan's off tonight and I promised him a movie night together," I reply with mixed feelings. On one side, I would really love to spend the evening with Kayden, get to know him better, see his place, and on the other hand, I am also very eager for a cuddling night with Ivan.

"No need for that grimace," he chuckles.

"I'm just sorry I have to decline. Pizzas sound tempting, but I need to catch up with Ivan, it's been a while since we last enjoyed a quiet evening together, and we're supposed to have one of my favorite snacks with asparagus," I explain, winking at him.

"That's fine, no worries. We can do this another night. Shall I expect to see you limping tomorrow?" he smirks, inching forward.

"You wish," I snort, "but I'll see you limp soon. I could actually make you limp as often as you wish if you let me," I purr, gazing at him sensually, diving in the beautiful blue oceans of his eyes, and, reaching for the cords of his hoodie, I slowly roll them around my fingers, consequently pulling him closer to me.

"Now you wish," he smirks, his face only an inch from mine.

"I won't deny it."

"Listen to me, Cox. Despite your pretty face and gorgeous body, never, ever, will that monster of yours get up my ass," he whispers.

"I can be very convincing, Makinen."

Leaning forward, I close the small distance between our faces and press my lips to his, softly at first. The moan that blooms at the back of his throat encourages me to shift and push him against my car, pinning my hips to his, and as my tongue brushes across the cleft of his lips, a discreet chuckle echoes from his chest.

"You're hard, Cox," he whispers against my lips, and I eventually pull back, smirking at his own groin.

"As are you, Makinen."

"Your fault, Dickhead..."

"Lame excuse, Dumbass."

"Moron."

"Lamebrain."

"Dork."

"Jerk."

"Numbskull."

"Numbskull?"

"Yeah, suits you well."

"People usually say I have a thick skull though."

"Oh, that one?" he laughs out, pointing at my head. "I'm sure that one's rather thick. I was thinking about your second brain, the one that's in your dick. That one has a numb skull."

"Argh, can't argue with that," I also laugh out. "Okay, you win that one."

I am running late, so we quickly cut the banter. Half an hour later, I park in front of Ivan's mansion, glad to see he hasn't arrived yet. Anita is just about to leave when I walk in, and she reminds me that dinner only needs to be cooked in the oven.

"Preheat to 425° and bake ten to fifteen minutes, Aaron. There's beans salad as well."

"Thanks, Anita, you're such a darling," I reply, wrapping my arms around the small woman who has always been so kind and patient with me.

"You'd be a darling if you could tidy up your bedroom so that I can clean it tomorrow," she scolds me, throwing me her darkest glare which is as impressive as a puppy dog face.

"I promise I will."

"You'd better, or I won't clean your room. Have a nice evening, and tell Mr. Vargas that he needs to leave his prescription on the island counter tomorrow so that I can fetch his medication."

"Will do. Have a nice evening!"

"Thank you. You too!"

As soon as she has left, I hurry to the kitchen and lift the cloth she placed on the sheet pan and hum at all the prosciutto asparagus bundles, already salivating. It's half past six, and Ivan should be home any minute now, so I start the oven, and go to the TV unit, skimming through the DVDs, though I'm pretty sure Ivan will want to see some Star Wars episode again.

In fact, he comes back a few minutes later, and after our usual long hug, he retrieves a brand new DVD from his jacket and tosses it on the kitchen counter.

"The Day After Tomorrow?"

"Yes, I missed it when it was released last year," he replies.

"Not really your type of movies, is it?"

"I do like disaster movies. How was your day?" he then asks, meaning what did you do today or how much work did you accomplish, only in a subtler way than he used to.

"Good. I worked like five or six hours and then I met Kayden for coffee."

"Again?" he exclaims playfully.

"What do you mean again?"

"Nothing, Menino," he chuckles. "Is he ready for tomorrow's training session?"

"I think so. It's nothing bad tomorrow anyway," I reply rolling my eyes. "How was your day?"

"Good. Busy. I yet have to finalize details for the Cop & Thief Night."

"About that," I trail off, pushing the pan in the oven, feeling his frown on my back, and when I turn back to him, he has crossed his arms over his chest. "Can you please consider Kayden and me attending?"

"You're not supposed to," he replies sternly. It's not a firm no, though, so I try the begging approach.

"Please, Ivan. We'll stay with you."

"No. I can't have Dom trainees play with Subs at the club," he argues more firmly, so I go for the guilting approach.

"So you're ready to leave me on my own on New Year's Eve when you know how hard it is for me?" I seethe bitterly, and I hate myself for guilt-tripping him when I see the sorrow in his eyes.

"You're not being fair, Menino."

"I know, and I'm sorry, but you're not being fair either, Ivan. I've been in the lifestyle for over a year, and Kayden will have achieved most of his submission phase, and... you could just have us play with you and whoever you chose, and allow us to do only things we have practiced."

I stare at him intensely, trying to convey my logical reasoning, and after two or three minutes of a scowling contest, he eventually sighs loudly.

"I'll think about it."

"Thank you," I reply softly, knowing that he is going to yield at some point.

Once the pastries are baked, we put them on a large plate, prepare two bowls of the beans salad, and we settle in the living room. Funnily enough, I let myself drown quite easily into the movie, mostly thanks to the impressive special effects, and seeing the destruction of New York is almost a shock after what happened in 2001.

The movie, although a pure science fiction, clearly aims at raising consciousness on climate change and global warming. Although I am anything but interested in politics, I find myself questioning the Bush administration's decision to not implement the Kyoto Protocol, but then I decide that I'm not savvy enough in all these topics to read through the deepest messages of this movie.

Instead, I decide to enjoy this moment with Ivan, and as usual, we end up lying on the couch. I relish the warmth and comfort of his body behind me, and although his arm is slung around my torso, there is no sexual intent in his gesture. It's just a cuddle between two male friends, absolutely platonic and chaste, and I love it.

* * *

Wednesday 29 December 2004

Something's off.

I can tell that I'm still asleep, but as my conscious tries to stir me from slumber, I am aware that something's not right in reality. Nothing serious, I'm in no danger, it's just that something's in the wrong place. Something that shouldn't happen at the cleft of my ass.

Then, there is this smell. This delicious smell. It's Ivan's cologne, which means that he's in my bedroom and now that I am fully awake, I know precisely where he is. Ivan is actually sitting beside me and while I'm lying on my stomach, hands tucked beneath my pillow, that motherfucker is trailing a finger along the cleft of my cheeks. Said finger is getting a little too bold for my taste as it gets deeper and deeper between my buttocks, almost reaching my pucker hole.

If he wants to play that game, I can play too.

I can play dirty.

It's just too bad for him we had beans and asparagus last night at dinner, the royal food for bloating... Contracting my abs and all these organs around them, my anus loosens up and I release a nice flatulence. Hmm... Definitely the best defense in such a situation, it seems, as the finger instantly disappears, taken away by a loud grunt.

"Fuck!!! You're gross!!!" Ivan curses as a sharp slap strikes my backside.

"It'll teach you to avoid poking your fingers where they shouldn't," I grouse. After all, he knows better than to fuck with my mood upon waking up.

As I roll to my side to face him, absolutely not bothered by my nakedness, I am met with a very scowling Ivan, but instead of impressing me, his face just causes me to roll my eyes.

"What!? All this air trapped in my bowels had to flee one way or another," I grumble. "You're lucky I never did that all the times you fucked me."

"Dumbass!"

"Hey!! Has it ever happened? Have you ever been pounding into a Sub and the guy farted!?" I ask in a chuckle as I picture the scene in my head – once a childish adult, always a childish adult.

"Come on, do you have other stupid questions?"

"It's not a stupid question. I bet it must have happened at least once..." I reply, feeling the tremors of a fit bursting within me as I imagine an even worse situation. "Or even better... while... you... were... ri... rimm... rimming the guy's hole?"

"Just shut and go get ready. We're leaving in thirty minutes," he groans, rising to his feet.

He may try to sound serious, but I can see the beginning of a rictus forming at the corner of his lips. I guess I won't ever know if such a thing happened to him or not since he just rolls his eyes and leaves me to my laughter, but I do hear a chuckle when he walks out.

Oh well, nice way to start the day. Or maybe not. I hope he won't take some sort of revenge during today's training session. This achieves to calm me down and when I see how late it is already, I rush to the attached bathroom and proceed with my morning routine. I also quickly tidy up my bedroom, and by tidying, I mean that I just gather all the clothes from the floor and toss them in the walk-in closet. Twenty minutes later, I meet him in the kitchen where I quickly gulp down my tea and the toasts he kindly prepared, deliver Anita's message about his prescription, hurry back upstairs to brush my teeth, and another thirty minutes later, we arrive at the Hell Fire.

Kayden is already here, a bit stiff and obviously nervous although I reassured him that today's session wasn't going to be a tough one. Ivan quickly ushers us inside the building and commands us to go and wait for him in the Subs' room. It's only 9am, so the place echoes with silence as we traverse the empty corridors and eventually walk into the locker room. I am not sure what Ivan has in mind sending us there, so we just strip down to our boxer briefs like he asked us during the previous lessons and stand at attention by the lockers.

"Strip naked," Ivan orders when he enters a few minutes later.

What the heck? Not that I really care since I have never been modest, but why in the hell is he requiring us to be naked if we're only going to try the equipment? Following my lead, Kayden also wriggles out of his briefs, revealing a nice piece of meat surrounded by a lot of blond hair, and we both return to our initial position, waiting for further advice.

"Today's session will be dedicated to all the main equipment we use in BDSM as you know, and the next one to accessories," Ivan begins, ever so stern and serious. "Except for one item that I want you to try today," he then trails off with a token of smugness in his voice which doesn't sound good for Kayden – whatever he makes us experiment, I don't really care since I have already endured the worst over the past year. "This session is probably the only one that might arouse you, and trust me, I'll make sure you get excited, so I've decided you should wear chastity devices as part of the accessories you will certainly use on Subs in the future and of which you have to understand how they feel. Along with this, I've also added a little detail..."

With my head lowered, I can't see what he is doing at the sinks, but I can hear him fumbling in a box he must have brought in and I actually suppress a chuckle when he comes back in our field of vision and hands us both disposable razors and scissors.

"As you'll see, Kayden, most of the Dominants in BDSM expect Submissives to shave their privates. A smooth crotch is much more pleasant than a forest, but even if you should develop a kink for jungle-like groins, you'll still have to experience this little routine that most Subs go through at least once a week. Some Doms actually like to shave their Subs, so it's good for you to learn the techniques and since Aaron is quite familiar with the process, he'll help you. So, I want these shafts and balls cleanly shaven and the pubes above trimmed. Alright, Boys?"

"Yes, Master Ivan," we both reply with more or less conviction.

Kayden follows me to the communal showers while the Master Dom takes a seat on a bench and observes us. Since I stopped being a Submissive, I have actually maintained my pubes trimmed and my balls smooth like Ivan does because as a Sub, I always preferred those hunks with kept-up crotches than hairy ones, and I know that Subs do too in general.

This is what I explain to Kayden in a low voice while showing him how to pull on his balls and skin to avoid any cuts. Once the demonstration is over, he lets me crop his pubic area to make it nice and since modesty doesn't seem to be a weakness of his, I also help him to shave the rest.

"Much nicer, Boys," Ivan cheers a few minutes later once we have cleaned up and wiped ourselves dry, inching slowly toward us with two cock cages.

Kayden already knows what these are for from the introductory session we had on the first day, but Ivan provides him with more technical explanations while I am trained to secure his privates into the cage. As I thought, it's not difficult at all and the subtlety lays in the size of the cage. One can't use a small one for someone who was well-endowed as it would really get too painful at the slightest beginning of an arousal and conversely, it would be pointless to trap a small penis into a large cage that wouldn't be filled with a full erection.

Ivan's clarifications were clear and Kayden seems to be a fast learner, so he has no problem returning me the favor and we soon find ourselves on the largest stage of the Hell Fire that holds a sample of all the existing equipment and furniture traditionally used in BDSM.

"Oh... I forgot..." Ivan says, smirking at me. "Will your bowels behave or shall I plug you as well to avoid farts?"

Alright. Now, I could be mad at Ivan for making such a joke in front of Kayden, I could be embarrassed, but instead, I just burst out laughing, doubling over when I notice my new friend's shocked face. So that was Ivan's little revenge, and I couldn't care less. Neither does he apparently since he is already moving on and leading us across the long stage.

"I always sleep naked," I explain in a low tone as we follow the Master Dom, "and this morning, someone had no better idea than to poke a finger between my buttocks to wake me up, so when I realized what he was doing, I just let nature speak..."

"Holy fuck..." Kayden whisper-shouts, joining me in my laughter, "It must have taught him a good lesson..."

"You bet!!"

"End of the recreation, Boys!" Ivan calls sternly. "This is a St. Andrew's cross," he then declares, stopping at the big X, "and as you'll discover in the future, there are more basic ones, like those made of wood. This one is entirely articulated to adjust and spread your boy's legs and arms as you wish. The step boards can be slid up if he's short, so it's more comfortable for you when you fuck him from behind. I'll show you more options in a minute. Aaron, since you've already been there, I'd like you to tie Kayden to the cross, facing away from us."

While I adjust the platforms at their lowest level and prepare all the straps, Ivan gives more details on how to use the cross. Most of the time, the Sub will be facing away from the Dom to get flogged, paddled or whatever before getting his ass pummeled, but it's also a nice instrument for a long session of edging and in this case, you want to have the boy facing you to tease sensitive parts like his nipples or his penis.

Kayden is a freaking gorgeous god and as I secure his wrists and ankles into the restraints, I obviously can't help leering at his perfect buttocks, wishing I could open them out and dive into his virgin asshole. Unfortunately, thinking about such wicked things isn't the best of ideas and I shouldn't be surprised by Ivan's chuckle when he notices my cock swelling inside its cage. Damn him!

"How are you feeling, Kayden?" Ivan casually asks after checking that I safely restrained him and adding another belt around his waist.

"Err... powerless, Master Ivan," he grumbles.

"That's the point in any form of bondage. It means entirely trusting the Dom you're playing with, surrendering to him. And you'll see, this impression can get worse with rope or on a punishment bench. Now, I was saying that this cross has a few more options, so let's see this," Ivan says as he reaches for a crank that allows it to topple over. "You can stop here, to make it lean horizontally. If the legs are spread enough, you can fuck your Sub as if he was lying on a table. Always make sure that his cock hangs beneath the crossing section, though. Then you can tip it further until it gets in a vertical position!"

"Holy shit!!!" Kayden shouts as he finds himself upside down.

"Subs aren't allowed to curse," Ivan growls, using this opportunity to slap his backside.

"Sorry, Master Ivan..."

"Always verify that your Submissive is safely tied to prevent accidents and make sure that he always has a way to safeword as it's not a comfortable position. Never leave him with the head down for too long either for obvious reasons. Now let's get Aaron in your place."

Once he has been freed from the cross, Kayden gets a lesson on how he should restrain me and I'm impressed by how serious he can be while listening to instructions. I am soon tied up and spread-eagled where he was, the only variation being that I am facing them, and Ivan shows him all the benefits of such a position, fondling my balls and pinching my nipples. He also manipulates the cross to lean it horizontally until my head hangs at the level of his crotch, demonstrating how interesting it can be for a nice blowjob.

The next activity we try is the bench, which Kayden doesn't like at all since Ivan tells me to strap him to the maximum, and that includes his calves, thighs, back, forearms in addition to the ankles and wrists. However, my friend finds it much more entertaining when it comes to my turn being tied on the bench, with my butt fully exposed.

"That's a nice view," he murmurs with a smug tone.

"Isn't it?" Ivan agrees as he moves to stand in front of me. "The punishment bench takes its name after its primary purpose because it's convenient to strike a backside with the flogger, the paddle, the cane or the crop when the Sub is in this position, but it's also an amusing instrument to fill two holes," he chants, pulling on my hair and burying my face into his jeans-clad groin.

"I see..." Kayden chants as he presses himself against my backside, allowing me to feel the cold metal of his cage. "Doesn't it remind you of a certain night, Aaron?"

"Fuck you," I grumble with a muffled voice when he begins to hump me.

"Sorry, I'm the one fucking you right now," he cheers, but he backs away the next second. "Oh crap!!!"

"Told you you'd get aroused," Ivan retorts smugly as he frees me from the bench.

I can't help laughing too when I see that Kayden's member has hugely swollen inside its cage and the grimace on his face clearly says he doesn't find it comfortable.

"Not very comfortable, huh?" I tease him in a low voice as we follow Ivan to the next equipment.

"To say the least... it's not really painful, but... unpleasant for sure."

"For your information, Kayden," Ivan states as he stops in front of the swing, "a few Subs wear a chastity device 24/7."

"Urgh... They have to be masochistic."

"Absolutely not. Well, some of them are, but there are a few guys who aren't into deep masochism either. They are Subs whose submission is so deep, though, that they want to entrust their Master with their entire body and the pleasures it could derive at any time. They are so dependent that they want their Master to control everything, from their haircut, the way they dress, or whatever, and this includes erections."

"That's a lot," Kayden breathes out.

"It is, indeed, but these Subs just enjoy that their mental world narrows to a single focus, in this case their Master and his pleasure. Surrendering that much provides them with an unbeatable sense of security."

"This is... interesting. I'm not sure I'd like to exert that much control on a Sub. I'd rather use this as an ingenious form of punishment."

"Well, your tastes will get refined as you discover more," Ivan concludes.

The test at the swing goes well and Kayden does enjoy all the possibilities it has to offer – if for the fact that it arouses him further and that his cock gets more and more constricted within its cage. It doesn't get any better as we spend over an hour under the grid trying various sorts of restraints that Ivan attaches to the chains, showing us different positions and options. Our session ends on a bed in an alcove where we get a demonstration of bondage with shackles fixed to chains hanging from the posters and then with spreader-bars.

Despite the discomfort of his caged member, Kayden remains focused on the lesson, and I honestly admit that I'm impressed by his heedfulness and concentration. Ivan presents a ton of useful information – even I who have been in the lifestyle for a year learn a lot! – and I can tell he is pleased with the trainee's genuine and clever questions. Kayden's curiosity and motivation are real and deep down, I already feel like he is going to be a good Dominant.

"Oh damn!" Kayden exclaims as Ivan frees our privates from the chastity devices. "A couple of strokes will be enough to explode I think," he chuckles, already reaching for his purplish hard-on.

"Don't you dare," Ivan growls. "Off to the shower!"

"You're not serious... Master Ivan," I stammer incredulously, though I should have guessed what he has in mind.

"NOW!"

The barked order has us almost cower away and once we have settled in the communal showers, I'm not surprised to see him smirk as he grabs a showerhead and switches the tap to the coldest.

"Orgasm denial will be the last lesson of the day," he says, spreading the cold stream on Kayden's groin first and making him yelp. "Cold water is a very good means to get rid of an erection as you can see. Orgasm denial is very common in our lifestyle. For the Submissive, it involves an increased level of submission and objectification. It can be used as a form of punishment, but it also teaches them a better tolerance to stimulation, to control his orgasms and to climax on demand. For the Dominant, it manifestly enhances his feelings of power and control."

"This is so frustrating," Kayden grouses once his cock has softened and while Ivan takes care of my erection.

"Of course, it is. Even if your dick has deflated, the annoyance and nonfulfillment are still there. At least now you know what a Sub will feel if you deny him to come. Right! This is it for today, you did great, Boys. You may get dressed and please, stop by my office before you leave," Ivan states before he leaves without another word.

As soon as the door has shut, Kayden's fingers immediately wrap around his semi-hard to stroke it back to life, but I catch his wrist, encouraging him to stop.

"Don't do this here," I whisper, although no one can hear us.

"Why!?"

"One reason is that Master Mike has probably arrived and might watch us on the video surveillance," I explain, discreetly nodding toward the cameras. "He'd tell Ivan and that would defeat the purpose of the lesson he taught us."

"Urgh!! I need release!" my friend grouses, making me laugh.

"Yeah, me too, but I'll just wait till I get back home," I reply with a wink.

Ten minutes later, we are knocking on the door of Ivan's office and he quickly beckons us in. He is at his desk and motions for us to take seats across.

"Someone almost failed," he trails off, staring at Kayden who can't help a little blush – I knew he'd have Mike watch over us! "I'm glad you resisted, though. Orgasm denial doesn't only affect Subs in fact. As you'll see, even if Doms sometimes climax more often than Subs during a scene, self-control and frustration also play an important part in everyday-life. Remember that your Sub's well-being is a priority and rewarding him with a lot of pleasure is essential if you want your relationship to work. As much as it's important to show them that we, Doms, have more self-control and can last, it'll also happen that you don't get any release because your Sub either fell asleep from his own climax or other reasons. Of course, you could still jack off after you've performed the aftercare, but it's not as much fun."

"Hmm... Jacking off still sounds like a good option," Kayden replies thoughtfully.

"Yeah, right... You can do that when you get home, you'll still have felt enough frustration by then," Ivan chuckles before he recovers a serious face. "Like I said, you guys have done really great so far and since you've been good boys, I'd like to reward you with an offer, well, especially you, Kayden. Aaron has been bugging me to let you both attend the special themed night on New Year's Eve at the club, so unless you've got other plans, you're welcome to join."

"Yes!!!" Kayden exclaims cheerfully, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I still feel bad about the way I coaxed him to accept us for New Year's Eve, but I am really glad that he has given some thought to it.

"Hold on a second," Ivan retorts sternly. "There'll be conditions, obviously. As you know, it'll be a Cop & Thief Night, so the Doms will play the nasty policemen manhandling poor innocent rogues, but of course, this is only roleplaying and all consensual. Since you're not certified yet, you'll both be under my control and surveillance, which means that you will team with me. I already called the Submissive we're going to play with and he gladly accepted. Before you leave, I'll give you a copy of his activity sheet, so that you can study it and see all his soft and hard limits. There aren't many since he's a borderline Masochist."

"Thank you, Master Ivan."

"This is quite exceptional as I wouldn't normally permit a trainee to play as a Dom until he has completed his training and been certified. Hopefully it'll give you some motivation for the next sessions, Kayden" Ivan smirks, causing Kayden to gulp down loudly.

Yeah, the next sessions are about trying the accessories and then bottoming and deep-throating, and they're the ones that my new friend dreads the most. However, I'm pretty confident that it will all go well. Kayden is much braver than he wants to show off and with the conversations we had over the past ten days, I believe I have reassured him enough.

It's just a blip.

A nasty hard time before we get to the more interesting parts.

Published on 1 December 2021

Well, I added a lot to the initial draft of this chapter, which isn't surprising since I'm now more familiar with Kayden's character and his personality. I've been able to introduce Nan, and to add little foreshadowing details, some quite obvious, others more discreet, and it was important to show their immediate complicity.

Oh, and I'm sorry – or not – for the fart alert, but it was a little wink to my dearest Shannon. Can't say I am missing that much since he is so present in the third book, but at the time I wrote this, I was clearly missing him.

What else?

Ah yes, another sequel of the Black Moon series popped in my head, out of nowhere, last week; just a bleary thought that came in and was so strong that I had to create a new file and sit down to throw in some ideas. Within half an hour, I already had the story cut into three arcs / plotlines. Of course, it doesn't mean it'll stay this way, but I'm glad to say that the Black Moon series will have a tenth book, which I added in my bio. And don't start grousing about the duo. To their haters: you may go procreate with yourself, skip that book when it comes out, and spare me with your nasty comments 😌

And finally, I want to say a great thank you to Christop1080  for the numbskull insult. Keep calling Aaron that, now you've got Kayden on your side 🖤🖤