Gabe wasn't sure how he'd got here. In François' office inside the club. Apparently his fears about setting foot in the space were totally unfounded, though it may have helped that it was the middle of the day and all the lights were on.

They'd entered through a door inside the house, climbing stairs that clearly weren't for public viewing – even more obvious when they entered what Ellis called the 'Lounge' and he could compare. It was nice – a lot nicer than Top Floor. A smaller and more intimate space. The patina in La Maison was of class, not sordidness.

"Are you sure?" François asked. He was sitting behind his desk, and not the towering presence he usually was, but that took absolutely nothing from his aura of control.

Gabe had let Ellis explain – it was his idea, he could deal with the awkward questions. Or not, because that was directed at Gabe, and he was a long way from being certain he wanted this. But he wanted something.

"Sir," he said, remembering what Ellis said about how François was addressed inside the club, "I have needs. I can't deal with them myself. I've been thinking about them more and more." Not mentioning those thoughts were often during nightmares seemed like the smart move, but François still narrowed his eyes.

"Okay."

"Okay?" It couldn't possibly be that easy, surely?

"There are conditions though." There it was, but François continued, "Gray, I'm glad you're here so soon."

Gabe jumped. He hadn't even heard Gray come in, he'd been so focused on François and his coming judgement.

Gray greeted everyone and sat on the couch, away from François' desk. Gabe thought that was clever, because François walked over to the seating area, guiding Ellis and Gabe to follow him and, even though he was still giving off powerful 'Dom' vibes, he instantly felt more approachable.

There was a stutter in the smooth transition when he gestured for Ellis, and Ellis gracefully lowered himself to sit by François' legs. Gabe almost stumbled, but managed to get his butt to meet the cushioned seat of a chair.

"You will have to get used to it. Again," Gray said, and he wondered if the man was a mind reader – not for the first time.

"I know. I think. I don't know if I want to do it though. Not yet."

"That's fair. And you never have to do it if you don't want. That's why I think we need to be careful who trains you and the pace they go. It's why I offered to do it."

"You did? But what about Owen?"

Gray sighed, only small, but Gabe was tuned to it, conscious that Gray was used to Owen, who was a textbook perfect sub – that's what he'd been told by others, though Owen didn't brag. Gabe didn't want to be the cause of conflict.

"You've had a terrible experience, Gabe, but people don't necessarily stop being submissive, or into other aspects of BDSM, because of terrible experiences. It's part of your identity – so we suspected it was only a matter of time before this came up, though I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it so soon. Not that there's anything wrong because it has. We will take this at your pace. And Owen is probably even more certain of that than anyone else."

For all Gabe's uncertainty, the desire was settling into his bones with a level of need he hadn't expected. He didn't feel like Gray's statement was an answer though. What about Owen?

"You don't have to choose me," Gray said with a smile. "You had your autonomy taken from you for a long time, and we aren't here to put you back into a situation like that."

"Isn't that the point?" Gabe asked before he thought, blushing hotly at the looks he received.

"That's why it's important you understand this lifestyle better. Not everyone who's into it needs actual professional standard training. Most don't have it, even, but François is strict about everyone having a full understanding, and we are hoping you'll become part of our family."

Gabe felt tears well up, hot and embarrassing. No one had ever made him feel like he belonged that way – not since Gramma, but his memories of her had remained muted, secondary to the more recent horrors.

They glanced away, letting him get under control, François and Gray talking quietly and Ellis seeming like he would like to comfort Gabe but wasn't sure if he should impose.

After several moments thinking of anything that held no building emotion for him – the fish markets at noon in summer were a good choice – Gabe turned to Gray. "Thank you for offering. I trust you – I have since the beginning, but I don't think I could do that to Owen. It seems wrong."

Gray smiled, revealing dimples that made him look young and a little nervous. "It's important you trust the Dom training you. And I understand why you're unsure. You haven't had chance to explore the different values that can be options. Owen and I have discussed it. It was actually his idea first. Maybe you could talk to him before you make a decision. I won't lie and say the training isn't intimate, but there is a difference between sensual and sexual. Owen wants you to have this, and the way we do it, if you're comfortable, Owen will be there for a lot of it, helping me to take responsibility for your wellbeing."

Gabe thought. He'd never done anything with another sub before, and he didn't exactly have good memories of the occasions where he'd been forced to be submissive and masochistic in front of an audience. But still, just like when they'd first me, he trusted Gray. And he knew he trusted Owen, so it could work. He'd talk to Owen.

* * * * *

Laurent wasn't hovering, even if it may look that way to the uninitiated. Ellis and his pretty friend had come running down the stairs an hour ago, giggling and over-excited about something, and disappeared next door. Since the boy moved into the house, Laurent had seen him scowling and frustrated (at Laurent) and overtaken by the kind of arousal that melted his brain (also at Laurent). He liked both iterations, but if he was being completely honest with himself, the emotion that covered his face when he was annoyed did something interesting to Laurent's gut. He'd have to stop himself from pushing for it – it never did much good for his relationships.

In fact, Aloiki was one of the few who saw past it. François certainly never had. They annoyed each other in that way he suspected was kept for twins, that most grew out of, but they never had. Frankie saw him as a duty, but then Frankie had always taken his role of eldest son seriously, even if he hated it.

"What are you thinking of?" Aloiki asked in his islander lilt, a matching tilt to his head suggesting he thought he knew the answer.

"How's the job hunt coming?" Laurent deflected.

"I'll choose something soon. I want to see you settled first. You aren't happy here."

"You're too good to me, Loki. You think of my feelings better than I do myself."

There was grating childishness in his tone, but Loki ignored it, as he always had.

"Perhaps. Regardless, I have several hospitals making offers, though most are for emergency, and I wish to move away from that. But I note to have never seen you at the interviews. So how's your job search coming?"

It wasn't exactly being caught out, though Laurent still sucked in a harsh breath at the reminder that he was adrift, floating a course going nowhere. He was skilled – as skilled and as competent as Loki – and he should have been fighting hospital administrations away with a stick too. He would have been had he applied for anything. But it was something else that was missing from his happiness – not work, not rest; something fundamental that he'd been missing for a long time but only lately cared about.

He was reminded with a force that took his breath away when Ellis and Gabe reappeared. Gabe's eyes were shining with excitement, his voice wavering with nerves as he asked Ellis who was being invited over.

"Having a playdate, Ellis? I suppose you'll want me to make myself scarce?"

Loki tutted, giving a minute shake, and Laurent cursed himself for continually and unnecessarily pushing.

Gabe's words left him astonished. "No, don't. I want to know how the others feel about you."

Before he could stutter out a response to that, the two boys had run off down to the basement, and he could hear the echo of them giggling long after the door had slammed closed.

"Well... boy has your number," Loki said, and his deep chuckle was even more unnerving.

"What did it mean though?"

"Apparently, you make the damaged boy feel a certain way, Laurent, that much is obvious, and he doesn't trust his own judgement. One point in your favor that he seems to not rely on Ellis' though, as that boy would like to boil your blood."

"Fair. Everything he gets about me comes from Frankie."

"You should make nicer with him. You want to join his club, after all."

It was true. He'd been intrigued ever since their younger sister had told him in a letter, years earlier, that Frankie had opened a BDSM club. And it had been one of the first reasons he'd given to Loki for coming to the city. Loki had laughed knowingly, but agreed, so Laurent didn't think he was the only one who thought there may be some answers for them there. 

A/N: I apologise for the delay - I have been having great fun with competition entries lately and Darkness has suffered for it. However, I am fully planning out the final section so getting back into regular updates. Plus, it's been too long since I wrote fun kink, so I'm very excited for Gabe to be getting back into the swing of things - first with Gray's training, and then with someone else - who knows who? sUcH a MyStErY 😘