Frank was wandering around the house that evening, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans while he paced. He casually examined the vast collection of decorations, ornaments, and photos that were dotted around the house in a perfect arrangement. The house was such a feminine touch-filled place, including the flowers which were freshly delivered this morning, and arranged by Lindsey herself. Frank couldn't help but watch as she cut the stems and put in the crystal vase from the living room, and the two vases which had come from both hers and Gerard's bedroom. The usual white lilies were gone, replaced with opal-like roses, beautiful two-tone pink and white roses, freesias, white lilies, and decorative foliage in beautiful shades of green. Gerard had barely batted an eyelid, saying that the new flowers looked wonderful before turning back to his work while eating breakfast. Frank, however, had been fascinated, chewing on his toast slowly as he watched Lindsey create artwork.

He examined the very same flowers once again, giving them a sniff as he touched one of the roses. He glanced back at the blond older man that was silently working on the sofa. Frank whined as he flopped down on the sofa beside his Master, looking up at him with a small pout. Gerard didn't even flinch when the sofa flopped beside him and sunk in when Frank leaned in to get his attention. Gerard continued scanning through a document, "How can I assist you this evening, Mister Iero?"

"I'm bored..." Frank announced, his voice tapering into a small whine as he put his chin on Gerard's shoulder, inhaling his Master's leathery mint scent.

"How indubitably fascinating. I'm elbow-deep in my work." Gerard stated simply as he signed the bottom of a document and turned it over to continue reading.

"Tell me something," Frank asked. He came to realize that Gerard knew pretty much everything about him, including what he was into sexually; Frank was a completely open book for Gerard, yet Gerard remained closed, just like the folder that sat on his lap. Frank moved from the side of the sofa, sitting himself down by his Master's feet, looking up at him with curious wonder in his eyes.

"Okay..." Gerard answered, looking completely 'put on the spot' by Frank's sudden request. He scratched his temple, pondering for the longest moment before he offered, "Did you know that in every episode of Seinfeld, Superman is there somewhere?"

"I'm sorry... What?"

"You said 'tell me something'," Gerard recited with a single-shoulder shrug, "Did you also know that on an average, people fear spiders more than they do death."

"Okay, that one I get," Frank shuddered, a cold tingle creeping up and down his spine at the mention of the arachnids that put the fear of God into him, "But I meant, like, tell me something about you." Frank chuckled, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at his Master, "Not pointless facts that I'm going to forget by the end of the day."

"Well, if you had been a little more specific with your request..." Gerard told Frank before shifting his leg, bringing his foot to the side of Frank's face before giving him a shove, causing Frank to go slightly off-balance where he was sat cross-legged on the floor, "And don't you roll your eyes at me. This may be free time but you can still get in trouble, dog. Especially if you waste mine."

"Sorry, sir," Frank apologized, sitting back up while rubbing at the spot on the side of his face where Gerard had just pushed him. Now was not the time for Gerard to be shoving Frank around, getting his insides beginning to twist up at the thought of his Master pushing him around. Now was the time to remain calm and totally not already starting to get worked up, which Frank tried his best to ignore as he looked back up at his Master, seeing the annoyance that still sat on his face because of how Frank had responded to him, "But I meant tell me something about you. You know more than enough about me, sir... But, I barely know anything about you."

"I'm very much a closed book, especially with who I am and the implications that I could face if people found out about the real me," Gerard admitted, adjusting in his chair, crossing his leg back over before looking down at Frank, "Is there anything specific that you wanted to know about me? I, also, wouldn't mind somewhere to put my feet, mind you."

Frank jumped at the subtle hint and scrambled from the sofa onto his knees. He slid himself onto his elbows in front of his Master's boots and watched as Gerard seamlessly lifted both legs and placed his feet on Frank's back. The submissive shifted a slight bit closer and got comfortable, humming to himself as he closed his eyes.

"What would you like to know?"

Frank pursed his lips, in thought, "Hmm, what about-?"

"Hi, sweetheart." Lindsey greeted as she walked into the house at that exact moment, bringing in with her an icy gust that crawled up Frank's bare arms, "Hi, footstool."

"Good evening, darling," Gerard replied breathily and Frank glanced up at her in her long tan trenchcoat and her windswept hair. She hung her coat on the hook by the door, exposing a stunning velvet pantsuit in dark purple. Frank's eyebrows rose and he smiled when he caught her eye, watching her pull off her red-soled heels and put them by the door.

"Hi," Frank whispered as he smiled at her. She walked over and patted his head and gave Gerard a kiss to his cheek.

"How was your meeting with Hochi?" Gerard asked casually, "How's his wife?"

"Hochi is interested in investing from April onward if we give him a fourteen-percent share." Lindsey spoke as she pottered around in the kitchen; Frank could hear her uncorking a bottle of wine as she continued, "Ming is pregnant again with baby number five. A girl this time, I think. Should we send them something?"

"It wouldn't hurt." Gerard commented as he turned a page, "We did for the first four. Did you eat?"

"I'm famished." Lindsey groused, "They weren't serving dinner when I arrived and I didn't want to make a fuss."

"Frank made a delicious roast chicken for you and I. It's still in the oven with the vegetables. There's rice in the microwave. Should I have him dish a plate for you, dear?"

"He looks far too comfortable over there. I've got it." Lindsey chuckled lightly and Frank could hear her taking a plate from the cabinet and begin serving herself some food, "How was work, sweetheart?"

"Uneventful. Oh, except Alex got his referral date for his top surgery today. I put the signed leave forms on your desk." Gerard commented casually, "He goes in in a month since he has to stop his medication beforehand."

"How long is he off for?" Lindsey asked as she put her plate of food in the microwave to warm it.

"Two weeks."

"Good for him." Lindsey took a large swig of her wine before adding, "Frank, dear, how was your day?"

"Great," Frank replied as he heard her remove her food. He looked up as she came to sit opposite them on the other sofa with her plate of steaming food and her white wine. He readjusted comfortably when Gerard's boot was digging into his floating rib, "I finally paid off my car today. And I saw a ladybug."

"That's wonderful." Lindsey chuckled, "Well done."

"He also managed to run with me this morning and only took one break." Gerard praised nonchalantly, "But we're integrating different exercise for him considering he seems to hate running more than he hates asparagus."

Frank scrunched up his nose at the mention of the formidable vegetable. He stared ahead of him as he listened to the almost-silent scrape of cutlery on ceramic and Gerard humming as he read through some of the document in his hand. He was still reeling from what had happened in the office yesterday with Josh, but he had gotten an apology from his Dominant, he had watched Gerard write down the new clause in the contract and he had 'made nice' with the submissive in question. It was a new day and he was trying not to stew on it, especially since the day had actually been a good one.

"Tyler called today." Lindsey commented, "When you were in your meeting with Verne and Stocks."

"He phoned you?" Gerard immediately looked up, "Is everything okay?"

"He phoned your cell and then phoned the company. Hayley put him through to me as usual." She took a sip of her wine, "He's doing better than last week."

"I've been meaning to go and see him after everything that happened. Perhaps I should. I haven't seen him properly since Frank started at work." Gerard sighed, "I've been neglecting him."

"He knows you're busy." Lindsey reassured, "He just wanted to check on you."

"I suppose." Gerard began packing his stuff away, "I should invite him around to meet Frank."

"Oh, Lord." Lindsey snorted, "That'll go down well."

"Ty can play nice." Gerard countered, "He knows how to behave."

"Of course he does, in the same way that a Rottweiler knows how to behave." Lindsey spooned in a mouthful of rice, "You don't want to scare Frank, darling."

"I think they'll get along swimmingly." Gerard moved his legs from Frank's back and put one on either side of his submissive, lifting him up into a kneeling position, "Frank is a good boy."

"Frank may be, Ty is not. Not even remotely." Lindsey bit into a piece of chicken as Gerard got him and slid passed his submissive. He put his briefcase in the kitchen and gestured for Frank to follow him as he walked toward the stairs. Frank gave a small wave to Lindsey, who smiled in return as she went to reach for the TV remote on the table. Frank scurried after his Dominant as he turned down the hall, following him into their bedroom. Gerard immediately began to undress as Frank stood nearby.

"Have a seat, my prince. Make yourself comfortable." Gerard gestured as he rolled his tie up and replaced it in the drawer with the others. He shrugged from his blazer and set it on the armchair before he turned to see Frank watching him intently, "What is it, boy. I can see your mind working."

"What's it like?" Frank fidgeted with the comforter under his fingers, "Like, being a Dominant. What's it like being in your mind?"

"That's an exceedingly vague question, boy." Gerard untucked his shirt and unfastened his belt, sliding it from the loops of his dark pants to roll it around his hand and set it on top of his chest of drawers. He paused, pondering, "A Dominant or a sadist?"

"What exactly is the difference, sir?"

"Not all those who dominate are those who enjoy inflicting pain, dominating is just having power over someone." Gerard unbuttoned his white shirt and loosened the cuffs, "You get submissives who are also into sadism, too."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Frank nodded, "Hurting people makes me feel so guilty, though. So, I doubt I'm one of them."

"I don't see it in you, no." Gerard stripped from his work slacks and set them aside, shrugging his shirt from his body, "Being a Dominant with the same mindset as I do, not speaking for others, is a sense of security because I have control over someone. I enjoy having control and I enjoy the feeling of having someone trust me with their being. As a sadist, it's entirely different."

Frank ignored the uneasy feeling in his stomach when Gerard mentioned 'trust'. He knew he trusted his Dominant so implicitly but at the same time, he knew that everything that had happened yesterday was a catalyst to the small nudge of doubt in his head. He pushed it aside for a moment as he replied with a hopefully-nonchalant, "How so?"

"You get a thrill from inflicting pain and seeing how someone reacts to that pain is almost addicting." Gerard slid on a pair of plaid pajama pants, resting the elastic over his hips.

"Right." Frank nodded, "Makes sense."

"And what about you?" Gerard asked as he opened the door to his expansive closet and threw his underwear and shirt into the hamper before reappearing, "What's it like being a submissive and a masochist?"

"I-" Frank's eyes widened in surprise, "I've never given it a lot of thought before."

Gerard looked at him with keen interest as he went into his en-suite bathroom and began running a sink of warm water, "Give it a verbal thought, my boy."

"Submitting to someone I trust is... Freeing, somehow. Like spreading my wings despite being physically caged. I can be myself when I make someone happy by doing as I'm told."

"Aptly put," Gerard commented as he bent down to splash water on his face and lather a faint pink wash into his skin. Frank watched him intently as he toyed with his tongue stud. He closed his eyes as he answered, "And masochism?"

"It's the same kind of feeling I get when I get tattooed. The pain, well, it fucking hurts. Something about it, though... Having it happen to you is indescribable."

Gerard nodded as he washed the soap from his face and dried himself on a white hand towel. He opened the drawer beneath the sink and pulled out a small glass jar, applying some white lotion to his face as he did every night. He returned to the bedroom a moment later, switching the bathroom light off as he did.

"Sir?" Frank asked as Gerard climbed onto the bed beside him. He couldn't help the nerves that climbed from within their dark hole as he thought back to Gerard and Lindsey's previous conversation. He looked up as he wondered, "Who's Tyler?"

"Ah," Gerard smiled, "A man I've known for a long time."

"Oh." Frank shrugged as Gerard put his glasses on and leaned over to put his bedside lamp on. Frank bit his lip, "So, I take it he knows about you and the whole lifestyle?"

"My boy, he's the reason I'm in it." Gerard smiled slightly, "He and my first submissive."

"Wow," Frank whispered as he stared at the ceiling, trying to ignore the weird dull ache that arose in his chest when Gerard mentioned another of his submissives. He noted the uneasy prickle that danced across the back of his skull but only answered with a simple, "That sounds so cool."

"Here," Gerard grabbed his phone, "I have an old photo of him taken around that time."

"Oh?" Frank leaned in to have a look as Gerard scrolled through the gallery on his device, opening a folder of what looked like old photo memories. He opened a slightly blurry photo of a young man with tanned skin, a gaunt face, and dark brown eyes, his brunette hair in a slight fluff on his head, his plump lips a dark rose. Frank smiled at the photo, "How long have you been friends, sir?"

"Oh, wow." Gerard chuckled, "About fourteen years."

"Jesus." Frank whispered, "That's a long time. Fourteen years ago, I was... I wasn't even ten years old."

"I don't know how I feel about that." Gerard chuckled lightly as he locked his phone and set it aside, "He's only nineteen in that photo if I'm not mistaken."

"So he was really how you got into this lifestyle? How'd that happen?"

"It was him and my then-partner, Bert."

Gerard stood out on the street, hands stuffed inside his jacket pockets because it was far too cold to be standing out in front of some house. He tried to stay warm as he looked at the house where Tyler had told him it was going to be happening; this was an experience that Gerard apparently needed. After spending much time talking to Tyler, and his own boyfriend, about how he had been feeling recently, this was the start of something- Gerard was sure of it.

He knew that there was something in him that craved more than he was used to living. Part of him had been ignoring it, but it was hard to ignore when he was in a relationship where his boyfriend dabbled in the areas that caught Gerard's attention the most. He wanted to figure out what it was that had him the most interested in all of this. This darker side of life that seemed far more twisted and kinkier than he knew was probably society's idea of 'normal'. But this felt normal to him, even if he only had two people in his life that he could talk to about it. At least he had people he could turn to who wouldn't judge him and would actually listen to him, maybe even help him experience the side of debauchery that got Gerard more than intrigued.

He stood waiting for his friend on the street, trying to ignore the fact that he was most definitely feeling nervous about actually going through with all of this. The thing about Tyler was that Gerard knew he was into something a lot darker and exponentially more sordid than expected in everyday situations. It was one of the reasons why he and Bert got along as much as they did. Right now, Tyler was the key, even if Gerard had originally stumbled on his words a little, which was unlike him. He had tried explaining how he had progressed with Bert recently, explaining how he couldn't shake off this feeling that there should be more to his life than he was already getting. Tyler immediately understood, already seeing Gerard as the kind of person who would fit into the misunderstood world. Gerard came across so naturally as a Dominant. It was just a case of Tyler being the one to open doors for Gerard and show him exactly what it could be like if he gave it a chance.

Gerard checked his watch yet again when there was still a lack of Tyler; he was supposed to be meeting up with Gerard five minutes ago, but he was nowhere to be seen. Gerard was already imagining that Bert would be wondering where he was, hoping that he hadn't got cold feet and walked away from this opportunity. This wasn't something from which Gerard was walking away, even though he couldn't deny the fact that he was feeling the nerves building in him at a faster rate than normal.

He stood outside the house, looking down the road to see if he could see Tyler, Gerard came to realize that it was exactly what Tyler had told him- A house party. Gerard looked back at the house, hearing the low, thumping, muffled sound of music coming from inside the homestead. He felt confused about where he was being taken, but a moment later every thought was set aside when he heard footsteps behind him. Gerard turned, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the man with short dark hair that was sticking up on top of his head in a messily styled way. Tyler was finally here and coming towards him.

"You're late," Gerard said instantly, trying his best to ignore just how cold he had gotten while he waited outside. Tyler however looked toasty warm, wearing a black leather jacket and a baggy black flannel beneath it. His hands were stuffed into his jacket pockets, "You know Bert is probably wondering where we are."

"Sorry," Tyler apologized immediately, slapping a hand on Gerard's shoulder, noticing how he looked visibly cold. Tyler smirked, "You do know that you didn't have to wait outside for me, mon ami. You could've gone in without me, y'know. Bert's in there and they knew that we were bringing a newbie tonight, man."

"There was never a chance of me going in without you, even if Bert is inside," Gerard responded, feeling confident that this was what he wanted. He still needed someone with him who would walk in so he didn't look completely lost in a world that was beyond brand new. Gerard was nervous since he had never properly explored this aspect of his life. He cleared his throat, "And that, what you said. 'Newbie'...just..."

"You're nervous," Tyler chuckled and Gerard was just glad that it was a bit darker now so his blush was a little more hidden, or at least disguised in the glow from the street lights. Tyler examined his longtime friend, "Gerard, you have nothing to be nervous about. We talked about this, remember? Even Bert told you that you didn't have to be so iffy, man."

Gerard nodded, running a hand through his short peroxide blonde hair as he mumbled out an 'I know' to his friend. He remembered what he had been told about this party. Of course, he had no reason to be nervous, especially if this was something that he could say that he was completely into, but the nerves were still there, just in case this all went wrong.

"Whatever happens, you know that we'll both be here to support you... Though, personally, I think you're going to be okay. I mean, your whole persona screams 'Dom'," Tyler reassured Gerard with the slightest hint of a smile that never reached his eyes. Not that it was anything new; Tyler's smiles never quite reached that far even when he was the closest to truly happy. His eyes were always flat and dark and completely guarded. He looked at the house as he turned "Now come on, we can't stay out here all damn night."

Gerard nodded, watching Tyler walk up the driveway and make his way towards the front door of the house. Slowly, Gerard followed, joining Tyler by the front door, the music still dulled but so much louder in his ears.

"Just relax," Tyler reassured him again as he rang the doorbell, turning to face Gerard as they waited, "I can already sense that you're going to fit in tonight."

Moments later the door opened. Gerard remained standing slightly behind Tyler, eyes looking anywhere other than at the person who he assumed was the host, greeting Tyler before he let them both into the house. Gerard followed his best friend into the entranceway, a long strip of hallway stretched out looking like a part of a somewhat-normal house, normal being skewed by the fact that everything was bathed in red lights.

The hallway led to a front room that was filled with people, one of them being Bert, who was expecting them. Gerard stood in awe, looking down the hallway, feeling his heart hammering in his chest thanks to nerves and excitement all swirling together inside of him. He didn't move until someone came up to him and offered to take his jacket. Gerard shrugged out of the thick coat, watching as the person, who avoided eye contact with him and Tyler, folded their coats over his arm. He took Tyler's leather jacket and turned to dispose of them where they were being kept. Gerard couldn't help himself, watching as the timid young man walked away, noticing the loose pink handkerchief that was hanging from the back pocket of his tight black jeans.

The overly loud music made Gerard feel like he could barely hear anything else, his senses going one-eighty as everything looked like it had been dipped in red. The electronic music made Gerard swear that he could feel the beat inside of him, it was that loud and full of bass. Tyler looked at him, signaling for him to follow, bringing Gerard up to a table a little further down the hallway.

"You've got to pick the handkerchiefs that represent you," Tyler pointed out to Gerard, showing him the folded array of colors that were on display for them to choose from. Gerard felt like he was a little ahead with this, having done some research on 'party' etiquette once he knew that he would be attending, but he was thrown off. Gerard was overwhelmed when he noticed that the colors on show weren't the ones that he had expected to see. Tyler picked at a dark handkerchief, holding it before sliding it into the breast-pocket on his black plaid shirt, "You okay, G?"

"Je ne pas comprenais," Gerard frowned, feelinguttrly frazzled as he watched Tyler smooth down the handkerchief in his shirt pocket before looking back down at the table, "Je m'attendais ca, mais il different. Les couleurs sont different. Je pensais cette sorte était le même partout."

[I don't understand. I prepared myself for this, but it's different. The colors are different. I thought that this kind of code was the same everywhere.]

All of a sudden, Gerard felt like he was in over his head; maybe he had got the wrong end of the stick by thinking that this was something he could do. Tyler had assumed wrong about him, Bert had got his hopes a little too high for his boyfriend. The nerves reared up inside Gerard more than before, his eyes scanning the table before he looked over at Tyler, only to see nothing more than a glimmer on his sallow face.

"G, s'il te plaits. Tu bees t'assouplis," Tyler reassured, picking up a bright green handkerchief before tying it around his wrist, "I can only assume that you've been doing your research on this part of the party?"

[G, please. You need to relax with this.]

Gerard nodded as he exhaled, biting his bottom lip as he tried to do what Tyler had told him to do: relax. Deep breaths, Gerard thought as Tyler finished adjusting his handkerchief, rolling the sleeves of his shirt up to just beneath his elbows.

"There is the color-code system that you have more than likely learned about, mon ami. The colors are correct for that, but these colors are also correct for this kind of situation, too," Tyler explained when he saw the confusion deepen on Gerard's face, "When it comes to private BDSM parties, you don't have to do it the same way that everyone else does. You can do it however you wanna. Doing things in your own expressive way is what the lifestyle is about, it adds to why this party is important for you, my friend, because you are new to this. You are learning and experiencing what it is like and this is the best way for you to learn about yourself."

"You've got the bright green which are for the Dominants, pink ones are for the submissives," Tyler went on to explain, gesturing to each one of the handkerchiefs as he explained the colour coding system"Sky blue is for the switches. White is for the newcomers, like yourself. Navy for the Mentors. The grey handkerchiefs are for if you are just watching, and taking part is the yellow ones."

Gerard took in the new knowledge with a frown still fixed on his brow. Why would they change it if it was only going to confuse people? He sighed, scratching his brow, "But I know that black is for Dominants. Green is for something completely different to what you're saying-"

"G..." Tyler sighed, "You're correct about black being for Dominants, but you also have to notice, we are under red lights. Darker colors end up looking black under these lights. My navy handkerchief would end up confusing people, misconstruing who I am to everyone in the party. I show myself as a Dom with green because people can still see that it is green under the lights. Navy remains for showing that you're a Mentor and nobody gets confused."

"So... I take green." Gerard said, speaking more to himself so he could wrap his head around it all. Tyler nodded next to him, the subtle head jut that Gerard noticed out of the corner of his eye. He held onto the green handkerchief before going to grab at a white one, hesitating for a second, "And I take white because I'm new to this."

"Correct," Tyler replied proudly and watched as Gerard slid the white handkerchief into the top pocket on his shirt, making sure it stood out clearly whilst trying to keep it neat, "You also need to take a grey one, too."

"Are you taking one?" Gerard asked curiously, remembering the color code, wondering if Tyler was participating in this party at the same time as helping him out.

"I don't need to take one," Tyler explained, "As a Mentor, I don't get involved in the party. I am here to help you, my newbie. As a Mentor, I am automatically just watching, so I don't need to take a grey one. You, however," Tyler almost smirked as Gerard tried to figure out where he was going to put the green and grey handkerchiefs on him, eventually giving up before tying them around his wrist. Tyler noted the colors, making sure that Gerard was set before smiling at him, "I think you are good to go, man."

"Are you sure?" Gerard questioned, feeling the nerves bubbling away inside of him yet again. This was it. This wasn't just going to be them standing around in the hallway watching from a distance. Gerard knew that Tyler was going to be bringing him right into the middle of it all; Gerard was going to be immersed in it with him, taking part in this red-hued BDSM party where, all of a sudden, even though Gerard was sure that he was completely interested in this lifestyle, he felt out of place.

"Come on," Tyler took a few steps down the hallway, waiting for his newbie to follow him, "How'll you know if you're into this if you stay in the hallway all evening? These people don't bite- well, some may...but they didn't put out any handkerchiefs for that so I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Gerard didn't have a word to say to what Tyler had just stated so casually. He opened his mouth to speak but chose not to question anything like that just yet. He felt overwhelmed enough as it was without having more information piled on him. Gerard plucked up the courage to join Tyler after he had mentioned how they shouldn't keep Bert waiting any longer. He walked the few meters to join Tyler, showing that he was at least somewhat ready to join in with this party.

And as they both walked down the hallway and into the living room at the end of it, Gerard felt the anxiety kick up a notch inside of him. He had no idea what to expect when it came to the people at these parties. Gerard assumed that it would have just been a small handful of people, but there was a crowd of at least twenty to thirty people all socializing. He felt intimidated by the number of people that were actually here; his instincts told him to back away and bow out- He knew that he could do this, he just had to get used to it all. His nerves had him grabbing Tyler's hand to hold it firmly, hoping that his Mentor wouldn't leave his side until he was ready- Or at least until they finally found Bert.

Tyler weaved through the small sea of people, pulling Gerard along with him as he searched for the one person that they were supposed to be meeting here; The one who had kickstarted this all for Gerard. Tyler scanned for the long-haired other-half of Gerard, finding him when they were nearly on the other side of the living room. He wasn't hard to spot as he dressed more than casually in a pair converse, his black hoodie, and holey jeans, the thick bright red streaks of color in his long dark hair stood out even under the lights. Bert was leaning against the bar that separated the living room from the kitchen, talking to a girl and fully focused on her until he caught sight of Tyler in the corner of his eye.

"You made it," Bert smiled as Tyler came up to him, his face brightening when he saw that Gerard was actually here, "And you made it, too."

"Wasn't going to miss it," Gerard smiled at Bert nervously, and recognized the flicker of pride on his boyfriend's face. No matter how nervous he had been moments before they stepped into the house, no matter how nervous he had been when he saw just how many people were actually here, seeing Bert helped them ebb away. Gerard let go of Tyler's hand, latching onto Bert's calloused fingers had him calmer as he took in his surroundings and the girl to whom Bert had been talking. He immediately noticed the collar around her neck that had a small bell attached to it.

"Allow me to begin with some introductions," Bert started off, seeing as Gerard still seemed a little dazed by where he was currently standing, snapping him out of it when Bert spoke again, "This fine pet I've been talking to is Kit. My friend here is Joseph-"

"Joseph?" Gerard frowned, cutting Bert off completely when he realized that he was referring to Tyler, who picked up on it swiftly when he realized that he hadn't told Gerard about why he had chosen to go by his last name.

"At some parties, especially when it comes to protecting people's identities, guests are required to come up with nicknames, or 'scene names' that they can go by," Tyler explained briefly, "So for myself, I go by 'Joseph'."

"I'm Edward." Bert piped up, taking a sip on his drink as Gerard recognized his boyfriend's middle name instantly.

"And you?" The girl by Bert asked quizzically, noticing the white handkerchief in the top pocket of Gerard's shirt. Gerard stammered, realizing that he didn't have anything by which to title himself. There was no way he was going by his middle name. His last name wasn't a good name to go by, either. Gerard just looked at Tyler helplessly, glancing at Bert when he realized that the two of them hadn't prepared him for this.

"You can go by your middle name," Bert offered and Gerard shook his head; there was no way that he was going by 'Arthur' for the duration of this party, so Gerard thought on his feet, racking his brain for something that he could use for a name that he would happily go by for the evening.

"N-Nouveau," Gerard eventually stated as he held out his hand, "I'm Nouveau."

"Fitting," Tyler noted, making Gerard blush under the red lights as he shook Kit's hand firmly.

"'New' in more ways than one," Kitty smiled at the blushing newbie, "Don't worry, we don't bite. Unless you want us to."

"I..." Gerard stammered, not knowing entirely what to say to that as the girl with the belt around her neck and a handkerchief that Gerard didn't recognize tied around her forearm. She leaned casually against the bar they were standing near, watching him with a smile on her face.

"Nouveau is attending his first party," Bert pointed out, moving the moment on so Gerard would stop looking like he was about to pass out right in the middle of the party, "Learning about the lifestyle for us both."

"Well, you've come to the best place," The girl spoke, pausing when Tyler told the two of them that he would be back shortly before disappearing off into the crowd, "You have nothing to be worried about. We all started somewhere and, of course, it's totally normal to be nervous around so many people who are into what you are discovering...but we don't judge. We are here to help. Is Edward here your Mentor? I noticed the tie."

"Mentor and boyfriend," Bert answered as Gerard noticed the navy that was tied around Bert's wrist right next to the sky-blue handkerchief, "I have always been intrigued by BDSM, that's why I got into it. Nouveau here followed my interests when he learned more about the lifestyle thanks to myself and Joseph."

"And you're a Dominant?" Kitty questioned, spotting the green handkerchief tied neatly around Gerard's wrist.

"I would like to be," Gerard answered, finding himself feeling less nervous when this woman showed a genuine and nonjudgemental interest in him. Gerard had half-expected that he would just be with Bert and Tyler for the party, but this girl was clearly interested in the fact that he was coming into the lifestyle. He was starting out and her pink handkerchief calmed Gerard down more, "I'm learning."

"You'll find that a Dom is always learning," Kitty told him, imparting knowledge to the newbie who kept close to his Mentor-and-boyfriend, "There is never a point of being fully trained. Learning is always constant when it comes to being a Dom or Master. Each submissive will be different and you learn and grow as a Dominant because of that difference."

"I never realized that," Gerard admitted with a short laugh, feeling Bert squeeze his hand lightly.

"See, you're growing as a Dominant already," Kitty smiled, "You learned something new."

They talked for a good amount of time. Bert could see how Gerard grew more and more comfortable as they began discussing dominance; the authority, the power, the position of complete control. Gerard became himself again as he talked with Kit, who was more than happy to teach him what she knew. He sounded more and more like himself, speaking more fluidly as they touched upon the differences between a good and a bad Dom. Bert added in when he felt like he needed to, but Gerard had control of the conversation within ten minutes of them talking. His true colors showed and Bert could see the Dominant in his boyfriend making itself known.

Time passed and, eventually, Kitty excused herself, saying that she was more than happy to continue talking to him if he wanted more advice or to learn more. Gerard thanked her for that, saying that he would find her in the party later, but for now, Gerard stood with Bert, smiling at him before he spoke, "I'm really glad that I came to this party."

"I'm glad you did, too," Bert agreed, taking hold of Gerard's hand, giving it a squeeze, "You're doing really well. You were meant for this kind of thing." Gerard snorted in response but smiled in agreement, leaning in to place his head on Bert's shoulder for a second before he reached over to take one last sip from his Solo cup of water

"D'you wanna see something?" Bert asked curiously,. Gerard nodded, unsure of what Bert was going to show him, but he still took Bert's hand and let him lead the way, heading towards a flight of stairs before they climbed them, "It's not just about talking to people at these events."

"What do you mean?" Gerard questioned, still following Bert as they came to another long hallway at the top of the stairs. Bert continued to lead him down the hallway, stopping only when they came up to a set of white double doors. Gerard swore that he heard something that he wasn't expecting, but he couldn't tell what it was that he had heard over the music that was still playing upstairs. Bert opened one of the bedroom doors, signaling for Gerard to enter first.

Gerard went wide-eyed as he walked into the room, seeing the small crowd of people watching what was going on in the bedroom. The bed had been pushed out of the way into the far corner of the room by the window with its closed curtains. In the center of the room was a table, set up like a dining room with chairs lining the far side. People were sitting at one end while, at the other end of it, a blonde-haired woman was spread out across the black tablecloth, stripped down to nothing but ropes that were tied around her wrists.

More rope had been wrapped and tied intricately around her chest, displaying her breasts more prominently. A red ballgag was wedged in her mouth, quieting her muffled moans, saliva spilled from her mouth as the Dominant had a firm grip in her hair with one hand, the other on her hip. His legs were spread wide with one knee up on the table as he slammed into her repeatedly. Gerard didn't have a word to say, finding himself edging towards looking away, but Bert coaxed him to watch like other people were, making him focus more on the sheer amount of dominance that was coming from the scene. That one aspect made Gerard realize that maybe he was actually in the right place after all.

"One thing that you've got to remember," Bert spoke quietly with his lips against' his boyfriend's ear "The sub is the one who holds a lot of the power. You may be in charge and have the authority, but if it all gets too much and they hit their limit, then they have the power to stop it all. As you can see, the sub is putting all of her trust and safety in her Master, which brings us to the fact that you must practice safety and self-control. Being a Dom isn't just about throwing your weight around and calling the shots. It's about practicing and maintaining a safe and a mentally and physically healthy relationship with your sub. You need to know what you're doing before you get into anything intense."

"Like...here?" Gerard asked, pulling his gaze away from the scene for just a moment, noticing just how much it had affected him- And in a good way, too. The power that rang out in the room matched intrinsically with how Gerard felt about himself and what he wanted.

"Exactly," Bert nodded as a coy smile spread to his lips, "It may not have been the best example for you, but it is there in any kind of BDSM relationship, be it gay or straight or a relationship with multiple subs. The submissive places all of their trust in their Master because they know what they are doing. Come with me."

Gerard followed as Bert lead him out of the room, shutting the door behind them before walking down the hallway. What Bert had said stuck in Gerard's mind, making him worry that if he was going to do this, which he was so sure that he was, was Bert going to trust him or would it be like they were starting all over again? Would Bert be that confident with him to the point that he would let Gerard have that kind of power over him from the word go?

"B- Edward?"

"Yes, Nouveau?" Bert smiled.

"If this is something that I get into..." Gerard started nervously, looking down at the green handkerchief around his wrist before looking back at Bert, "Will we have to start again with the whole 'trust' aspect? I understand if we have to, I just thought about it and I don't want you to think that I am capable of hurting you like that. You can trust me, even if I'm learning."

"You will always be learning," Bert reminded Gerard of what Kitty had said to him downstairs, "And no, we won't have to start over. I trust you implicitly. If I didn't then do you think I would be willing to let you be my Dominant?"

The two words made a shiver run down Gerard's spine; a cold tingle that felt intense and right. Gerard felt nervous about actually being a Dominant to someone for the first time, but this was Bert who was wanting him to be his Master. It made it so much better than Gerard expected.

"I just had to ask-"

"And I'm glad you did, but you have nothing to worry about," Bert reassured as they stood near the next room that Bert wanted to show to his boyfriend. He quickly checked to make sure that they were at the right room before continuing with what he had wanted to say to Gerard in the first place, "Now, bondage isn't always about what you've seen and learned so far. Sometimes your submissive misbehaves and they need to be disciplined. This is a key tool in a BDSM relationship and you'll learn that, babe."

Bert opened the door, letting Gerard go in first as he previously did, so he could see exactly why he had been told that before entering the room. In front of Gerard, this time, was a young man with a male Dominant; the submissive was stripped down to nothing but a white tank top that shone pale pink under the red lights. He was bound by the wrists and strung up with chains to the ceiling, his toes barely touching the carpet beneath him. The first thing that Gerard noticed was the belt that the Dominant was holding in his hands, one side wrapped around one hand while the other held the rest of the leather strip. Gerard instantly put two and two together when he saw the marks across the submissive's bare rear, the darker welts standing out even in the crimson hue. The belt came down on his ass again, making Gerard jump at the sharp sound of leather on skin.

"The trick to disciplining your submissive in order to correct their behavior is to find a set of punishments that will work for them," Bert spoke, barely batting an eyelid at the sounds that were coming from the submissive who was counting every lash of the belt, thanking his Master breathlessly, his voice pained but steady, "If your submissive is into things like corporal punishment then that will only reward them. Being spanked or flogged is never always the best method of punishment. It just depends on your submissive."

"Are you into corporal punishment?" Gerard asked curiously, testing the water already, seeing as they were in the perfect setting for the question to be asked.

"I won't lie to you, babe," Bert cleared his throat before leaning in closer to his boyfriend, "I have thought about you putting me across your knees and spanking me. Definitely not a punishment for me."

"Good to know." Gerard nodded, taking note of the way Bert blushed under the lights at the admittance.

Eventually, they left the room and went back out onto the hallway, stopping at the top of the stairs before going back down. Gerard felt like he needed a moment to process his thoughts before facing the sea of people in the living room. he had taken on so much in what felt like a short amount of time. He had witnessed what he hadn't entirely expected to see, but he was glad that he had observed what he was getting into with his own eyes. Maybe he was made for this because now it felt right in his head; this was definitely something that he wanted to do, and do with someone who apparently trusted him, no matter how much of a newbie he was with his white handkerchief.

"So," Bert offered curiously, "How're you doing after all of that?"

Gerard nodded, feeling confident about the fact that he was set on what he wanted to be, "I'm okay."

"Yeah?" Bert scrutinized his partner for any signs of dishonesty, "Some people find it a little daunting, especially with how intense it can get."

He had to admit that Bert was right; it had been intense, but Gerard had done his research and he knew exactly what he was getting himself into from today onward. The intensity hadn't even unnerved him, but made him realize that he was built for something like this. It was the kind of intensity that he wanted in his life. This was the life he wanted, it was just admitting to Bert that this was what he wanted with him.

"It was daunting, but I can see myself getting used to it."

Bert looked surprised at Gerard's brazen confidence, but the surprise shouldn't have been there. Gerard was a natural, it was expected that he would fall into this lifestyle with confidence as ease."Yeah?"

"Yeah," Gerard repeated with a nod, "I definitely want to give this a chance, if you're willing to let me try this with you."

"I'll try anything with you," Bert smiled at Gerard, coming up close to him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before he said one word that made Gerard so sure that he was definitely going to have to get used to his new way of life, "Sir."

"Whoa..." Frank whispered softly as he took it all in, "That's so cool."

Gerard smiled as he typed a quick message on his phone and set it aside, "I hope he's alright. We haven't spoken in a while."

"Oh..." Frank shrugged and looked over as Gerard set his phone on charge and turned to smile at him. He leaned in, kissing Frank lightly. Frank kissed back automatically, feeling the butterflies erupt in his stomach as a hand was put on his chest to push him down gently. Frank moaned softly at the feeling of his Dominant's tongue caressing his own. The delicate slide of his Master's fingertips over his stomach had goosebumps travel over his skin, igniting the tiny spark in his stomach.

He felt a sudden spark of anxiety spike through his brain when the hand traveled lower. He pulled away, frowning as he panted, wiping his lip with the back of his hand. Gerard looked at him with mild concern before asking, "Is everything okay?"

"Y'know what? No." Frank moved out from under Gerard's grasp. He climbed off the bed, pacing nervously as his Dominant lay on his side, watching him with a frown.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"I'm just... I'm mad at you. I'm not... I'm not mad at you. But I am. I'm... Hurt." Frank frowned as he looked at the floor, "I just- Being with you reminds me of the fact that I'm not the only one who has recently. I just... I don't understand why you thought it was okay when I told you I wasn't okay with it, Gerard."

"Okay." Gerard sat up on the bed with his legs crossed, "Can I ask a question?" Frank nodded in response and Gerard continued, "It's been an entire day. Why did you not bring this up before?"

"I didn't want to cause another fucking scene at work like I did when I left..." Frank sighed as he scratched behind his ear, "And when we got home yesterday I guess I was just in shock and denial that it happened. I just wanted to forget it and not have a fight. The last time I had a fight with my partner, we broke up. I thought I could just move on but... It's too huge."

Frank felt his hands starting to shake as his heart rate quickened in his ears. He continued to pace nervously without being able to properly look at Gerard. His knees threatened to shake as the anxiety started piling over him like a choppy ocean current that barely let him up for air. Gerard replied a moment later with a simple, "I see."

"Do you understand how I feel knowing you had someone else? Especially someone else who can do what I do but better? I feel like I'm not enough for you. I feel like... What's the point of me being here if you have that gorgeous muscled guy in your bed?" Frank scowled at the memory of Josh sitting beside him and the way his shirt pulled tight just enough over his chest and biceps. He looked at Gerard, his voice trembling as it rose in pitch and shook. His eyes blurring the bottom of his vision as they welled with tears. He blinked hard, pushing the tears back as he managed to ask the one question that had plagued him for the entire day, "Why am I not enough for you?"

"Frank..." Gerard sighed as he scratched his elbow, "Alright. Let me preface by saying that I accept your feelings because I can't dictate how you feel, nor will I ever. And then let me say that I don't see it that way. You're undeniably enough for me as you are. You are who I chose because you are who I want."

"Then why didn't you get rid of him when we started this?" Frank frowned, a frustrated noise leaving him, "Or... Why didn't you just fucking say something?"

"I..." Gerard looked away for a moment, his hazel eyes filled with unreadable emotion, "I don't know."

"I don't accept that." Frank folded his arms frustratedly as he stopped pacing almost immediately. He turned to look at Gerard as his anxiety and deep-seated hurt was replaced by a wave of anger, "That's not good enough. You had so many opportunities to tell me about him. You had so many chances. Why didn't you?"

"Because I..." Gerard paused again, "Because I got scared."

"You- What?"

"You have no idea what it's like for someone like me, Frank." Gerard admitted, "Knowing that our relationship is not only prohibited in a working environment, but frowned upon for so many reasons. And knowing that you could be the reason I lose everything. And what it's like feeling as though none of it matters as long as I have you. For someone like me, who has always been able to separate their submissive from their heart, I'm unable to do that with you."

Frank was immediately startled by the admission, his train of thought immediately derailing when he realized the weight of Gerard's accession. He softened slightly as he felt himself warming toward his Dominant a fraction more. He steeled his resolve, making sure that Gerard's feelings weren't going to detract from his own, "What does this have to do with Josh?"

"I didn't tell you because, subconsciously, I didn't want to. I knew that the longer I kept it quiet, the angrier you would be when it finally came out and..." Gerard paused, "Some part of me was getting so scared of how fast you and I were progressing that, perhaps, I was sabotaging it on purpose. I was terrified of everything happening."

"You..." Frank frowned in confusion as he stared at the top of Gerard's head as it hung on his shoulders for a moment, his eyes downcast before his usual confidence returned. He cleared his throat as he looked Frank in the eye, only to have Frank ask between gritted teeth, "You wanted to sabotage us?"

"Not purposefully. I just... Subconsciously hoped it was a failsafe. If you got mad at me for having a secondary then perhaps it would slow everything down and I wouldn't lose my head."

"You were... Scared? You?" Frank couldn't wrap his head around the admission, the torn vulnerability in Gerard's eyes that he had never seen before, "I don't understand why you'd... Do you have doubts about us?"

"Of course not. If I had doubts then we wouldn't be here. You wouldn't be my submissive. Nor would we be having this conversation." Gerard stated simply, "But having doubts and being overwhelmed are very different."

"Sure, yeah." Frank nodded, "I just..." He sat himself down on the bed beside Gerard and looked down at his hands as he traced one of the embroidered patterns in the comforter. He could feel his words getting stuck in his throat, he could hear them lowering in volume at the same time. He was riddled with fear and so many conflicting emotions. He tried again, his sentences still unsteady but determined to be heard, "I'm still hurt. I was finally being okay with trusting you, Gerard. I was... Healing. You were fixing these cracks in me that Ryan had chipped away for so long. And now you... I thought I could finally open myself up."

"I made a mistake." Gerard acknowledged quietly, "I'm aware of it now."

"Is it really that common to have a secondary?"

"It's a lot more common than you think. A lot of people in the lifestyle tend to realize that it's natural that one person cannot always fulfill your every need. It's not always sexual with both partners, sometimes it is. And a secondary isn't a full-time partner. They're there to fill in when there's a gap."

Frank immediately scrunched up his face at Gerard's statement. He pushed his judgment aside and looked down, "I see. What exactly does he do that I don't?"

"Frank." Gerard sighed, "I haven't slept with him since you left. And before then, I hadn't slept with him since you arrived. When I was with you, I didn't need him because you did everything I wanted. And he was okay with that because that's what his role was in my life. He didn't expect more."

"So... Those times when you worked late or said you were out with Lindsey?"

"I was actually working or out with my wife." Gerard nodded, "You can ask her if you feel the need. I know I hid this from you but I would never lie. I never lied to you."

"That's..." Frank looked down as a small weight lifted from his shoulders. He had been imagining all of the things that Gerard could have lied about but as far as he knew about his current partner, he was honest to a fault with the people he cared about the most. Frank sighed, "Surprisingly true. You did tell me Josh would fill in, I guess. I just didn't think it was so... Literal."

"I'm sorry for what I did. I didn't ever want to make you feel..." Gerard trailed off, "The way you did. Although, I did hope for it at one point. For you to be mad, that is. Self-sabotage, as it were."

"Why are you so afraid?" Frank looked at his Dominant, "You've had three other submissives and Josh. Why am I any different?"

Gerard remained silent to the question, pursing his lips. He sighed as he lay back on the bed, "I'm not using my feelings as an excuse for what I did. I'm just explaining myself. Whatever you feel you need to do, to heal or to trust me fully again, and for however long it takes then I understand."

"Thanks." Frank sighed as he cautiously lay down beside his Dominant, "And just... I'm the only one now? You don't have another submissive hidden somewhere or like..."

"It's just you now. Only you. Like you wanted." Gerard whispered as he turned to lay on his back and stare up at the ceiling. Frank sighed slightly in relief despite the still-unsettled niggle that knotted in his stomach. He wanted to believe it all, and he was so sure that Gerard was telling the truth but there was a part of him that still felt the string of doubt tightening around his windpipe. He put his head on the pillow beneath him, thankful for its softness. Gerard turned to look at him, "You're welcome to sleep alone tonight if that makes you feel better. You don't have to stay if you don't want to be around me. I understand."

"I'm not going anywhere." Frank reassured as he turned to look at his Dominant in the dim light of their bedroom, "Neither are you."

"Is that why you stopped me earlier?" Gerard asked as a brand new frown furrowed his brows, "When I touched you."

"Yeah." Frank whispered softly as his stomach began to churn, "I'm sorry. I just... I couldn't do it. I don't want sex right now. I don't think I could handle it."

"There's no need to apologize for refusing advances from anyone, no matter who they are." Gerard stated as he reached out, pausing, "What can I do?"

"Just be yourself. Don't change anything. Don't change how we are. But tell me when you're feeling things like this. You always make me tell you, so it's only fair that it works both ways." Frank looked at his Dominant's outstretched hand that froze inches from touching his arm. He pursed his lips as he moved Gerard's hand back towards his body. He looked at Gerard with his lips pursed tentatively, "Is that fair?"

"It is, boy."

"Good." Frank leaned in, hesitating before he kissed Gerard on the cheek and turned onto his side, facing away from his Dominant as he curled up to try and sleep, "Sir?"

"Hmm?"

Frank held his hand out behind him for a moment before he felt Gerard's hand cautiously slid into his grasp. Frank nudged back only an inch before he put Gerard's hand on his waist and no further, resting it on his body on top of his t-shirt. He closed his eyes as he tucked a foot under his knee, "Goodnight, sir."

"Goodnight, boy."