Frank woke to the sound of his alarm and let out a groan, scrunching his eyes closed as he flung an arm over his face in protest. It may have been an hour and a half later than his weekday alarm, but it was still far too early to be forced awake- Especially on a Sunday morning. Frank shut his alarm off, taking in the sound of silence while he lay there for a second, trying to wake himself up. The one good thing about having to be up before Gerard was that every morning Frank could just turn over and look at the man with whom he shared a bed. His life had turned around completely and there was nowhere else he would have wanted to be in the world right now.

Frank rolled over, going to get the first glimpse of his sleeping Dominant, but Gerard was nowhere to be seen. His side of the bed was made and cold to the touch, clearly he had gotten out of bed a while ago. Frank wanted to find it weird, but then again, this was Gerard; the light sleeper who would rather get up and do something instead of lying around in bed. He sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes while he yawned and stretched to wake up his still-tired body. He threw the duvet off himself and got out of the sheets reluctantly before he made his side of the bed once he was up, pulling the duvet up to his pillows. He fluffed up his pillow only to spot a folded piece of paper on Gerard's side of the bed. Frank frowned as he opened it and saw a simple note in Gerard's

I have gone out and will be back later in the day. I expect you to carry on with the usual rituals that you know you have to complete. Please don't disappoint me by slacking. I will know if you have, and the sanctions will be grievous if you choose to disobey.

Frank sucked in a breath as he folded the note back up, folding it again before he set it down on his bedside table. As much as Frank wanted to take it easy because Gerard wasn't here, the submissive in him knew to do as he was told. Unless he wanted to face the consequences, and he knew he didn't want to relive that especially as it came screaming back to him, making him shudder. Frank wondered where Gerard might have gone so early in the morning and on a Sunday. Gerard was definitely the early bird, and Frank just assumed that maybe he had gone into the office to do some work- Or maybe he had made plans that didn't involve his submissive.

The good thing was that Frank didn't have to wake Gerard up once he had got his day started. He had fifteen minutes to spare and he took it upon himself to get on with the next task, thinking that the sooner it was done, the sooner he would be back home and done with exercising for the day. The good thing was he was finding it easier to keep up with his Dominant now; he still wasn't on the same level as Gerard when it came to their morning run, but at least he wasn't dying for most of the duration. And he wasn't being made to run every single day. The other good thing was that, after the first time he had gone out running, Gerard took it upon himself to deck Frank out with proper running gear and maybe the near eight hundred dollar sneakers were a bit excessive, but Frank had been extremely grateful. And extremely grateful that his running shorts him sat mid-thigh and were extremely breathable. He walked over to the armchair where a pile of Gerard's t-shirts was sitting, his Dominant had set them there once he had found Frank wearing a few of his shirts around the house. Frank now had a delegated select few of his Master's t-shirts that he could wear whenever he wanted. He pulled on an old 'Back to the Future' shirt and lifted it up to his nose, taking a sniff because he knew that Gerard always sprayed his shirts with cologne even when he wasn't wearing them so that they always smelled nice.

He pulled on his black trainers and grabbed his phone and his earphones and made his way out, already scrolling through his music for a playlist. He plugged his earbuds into his ears as he grabbed a bottle of water and his clicker-remote for the front gate. He closed the front door behind him, putting on his music as he took off in a slow jog down the street.

Once back from his run, Frank took a slightly longer shower, relishing in the cool water on his flushed skin and the smell of his favorite apple shampoo as he lathered it into his hair. He hummed happily to himself as he washed his body with the soapy sponge, making sure to clean between his toes and behind his ears. He washed the suds from his body and did an overall check of his bodily hair just in case he needed to trim any of it. He shrugged as he climbed out of the shower and grabbed a black towel to wrap around his hips.

He got dressed in another pair of shorts and one of his own t-shirts and continued with his next ritual; making breakfast for himself. He had gotten so used to cooking for himself and Gerard that making only enough food for himself seemed like a bit of a waste. Frank half-considered just skipping breakfast this morning, but even he knew in the back of his mind that Gerard would somehow find out and be absolutely furious that, on the first day he had left Frank to do his rituals all by himself, he chose to skip some of them. Frank could just imagine the scolding he would receive.

Luckily, Lindsey appeared just as Frank began cooking his breakfast and he had insisted when Lindsey said that he didn't have to do that, but it brought some normalcy back to his morning routine. It may not have been Gerard for whom he was making an omelet, but at least he wasn't going to be alone while he cooked and ate his breakfast this morning.

Once breakfast was out of the way and Frank had cleaned the kitchen, he was at a bit of a loss of what he was going to do with himself. It was nearly half-ten in the morning and Frank knew that he didn't have anything to do until lunchtime came around. And even then, he didn't know if Gerard was going to be back in time for lunch. Frank hadn't heard from him and the note had said nothing about doing anything extra while his Dominant was out of the house.

Frank ended up standing around in the kitchen for a bit as he scrolled through his Instagram feed, finding it nice that he had a moment to relax. Despite not having anything specific to do, Frank felt like this was something of a test from Gerard to see if he could make use of his time while his Master was away. It probably wasn't a test, but Frank knew not to just stand around wasting precious time. He knew that doing something could potentially end in praise from Gerard- Or even a reward. That idea alone spurred him on to find something to do until either lunchtime Gerard came home.

The housekeeper may have been around cleaning the day before, but Frank hadn't been able to think of anything else to do other than clean. It had been the first thing to pop into his head and he chose the task because he honestly couldn't think of anything else.

Lindsey ended up leaving at around eleven so Frank had the whole house to himself. Luckily he had already started cleaning, running the vacuum over the carpet that was already pristine, making sure that everything was spotless. While cleaning, he put music on, listening through headphones while he continued to pass the time until Gerard came home. Frank knew that the state of the house was clean enough to eat off of any surface and that he really didn't have to do anything, but at least when Gerard came home he would be able to see that Frank had kept himself busy. At least Gerard may have praised him for using his time wisely instead of flitting it away doing nothing at all.

He got into a rhythm with it all, having practically cleaned the house from top to bottom in no time. Frank turned the volume up on his phone, finding a really good song that he couldn't help but sing along to as he made his way downstairs.

He was alone and with that, he felt exceedingly confident as he walked down the stairs, practically singing along at the top of his lungs to 'I Drove All Night', inadvertently trying to out-sing Cyndi Lauper. It was when he got to the bottom of the stairs that he realized he was no longer alone; the blonde he saw in the corner of his eye as he walked back towards the kitchen didn't register for a second until it hit him and he yelped loudly, ripping the headphones out of his ears. He instantly went bright red when he saw Gerard standing there in the entranceway, watching him with one eyebrow raised and a small smirk residing on his face. Gerard was also dressed casually for once, the attire surprising his submissive when he looked at the dark black jeans, his usual black boots, and a red and navy plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows.

"Jesus Christ-" Frank gasped, holding his hand against his chest, trying to calm his racing heart, "Sorry, sir. I didn't hear you come in."

Frank tried to pretend that nothing embarrassing had happened but for him, he was dying on the inside because he had no idea how long Gerard had been in the house. He could have heard Frank singing for the past minute or so, but Frank really didn't want to ask how long his Dominant had been standing there. Any longer than a second and Frank would want to fling himself through the glass door.

"Having fun, Cyndi?" Gerard asked with the smirk still on his face. Frank wanted to respond, opening his mouth to speak, but he thought against it because whatever he said, Gerard would probably come back with something that would embarrass him even more. He closed his mouth, turning to put his phone and headphones down on the counter, silently grumbling He turned back around to face his Master, watching him take a step out of the entrance before he signaled with his fingers for Frank to come to him, "I hope you haven't been idling around while I have been gone, my boy."

"No, sir," Frank responded with a shake of his head as he came closer, stopping on point with his hands behind his back.

"Good boy," Gerard praised, "Now, I have someone that I would like you to meet."

Frank frowned, unaware of the fact that someone was in the entranceway where Gerard had told him to wait for a second. He didn't move a muscle with his hands held together behind his back but he was insanely curious about who was with his Dominant. Gerard moved out of the way, letting Frank see the man who had walked out of the entranceway to stand next to him.

"My boy, this is my very close friend, Tyler," Gerard explained as he watched his submissive. Frank's eyes flickered for a split second, but he remained silent and averted his eyes from the man who stood marginally taller than his Master, "I told you about him the other day. Do you remember?"

Frank nodded, not saying a word as Tyler looked at him, making Frank feel a little uncomfortable under his gaze. Frank remembered who and what Tyler was, and Frank couldn't bring himself to look up. All he could do was keep his eyes down, looking at his feet against the wooden floor beneath him.

"Well, aren't you going to say 'hello'?" Gerard asked. Clearly, Frank knew to behave, especially when he was in front of the two of them, but now he had permission to speak and Gerard expected him to be nothing more than polite to his best friend.

"H-Hello, sir," Frank spoke as he glanced up at Tyler briefly, their eyes meeting. His stare was dark and dilated, but it still had the same effect as Gerard's gaze when he had first met the politician. Frank looked back down, focusing his eyes on his Master's navy and red socks. He could feel Tyler's gaze on him; that same burning feeling resided in Frank like when Gerard used to look over him before all of this. He felt so exposed and like he was being scrutinized. Frank saw Gerard as he moved, walking around him and away from him before Frank looked up to see Tyler following towards the breakfast bar. Frank let out a sigh of relief when Tyler's back was to him; he no longer felt like he was being inspected. He ignored his thoughts when he looked over his shoulder, seeing Gerard check the time on his watch before he looked up at Frank.

Frank stared at Tyler for a long second and took in his appearance, surprised by the sheer size of him. He was easily taller than six-foot since that was Gerard's height almost exactly and Tyler seemed an inch or two taller. He was also intrinsically skinny, his gangly legs and slightly hunched posture were somehow opposited by his graceful stride. He wore all black from the slouched beanie on his head, the baggy flannel shirt with its charcoal plaid, and the faded black cargo pants. To top it all of, his feet were encased in the biggest pair of leather combat boots Frank had ever seen.

"Don't just stand there, boy," Gerard sighed, shaking his head as Frank let out an 'oh', ungluing his feet from the spot where he had been, coming to Gerard's side instantly. He remained patiently as Gerard looked at the other Dominant, "Ty, are you hungry? I can have the boy make you some lunch."

"Lunch sounds good, man, yeah," Tyler nodded and then looked at Frank pointedly when he didn't move. For a moment, it didn't compute in Frank's head because he wasn't used to there being another Dominant around him. Frank didn't want to imagine things but he was so sure he had heard the tiniest hint of an accent to Tyler's voice. Did he also speak French?

"Don't just stand there," Gerard snapped lightly as he flicked Frank lightly on the ear, making him jump, "You know what to do by now."

Frank nodded as he walked away, frowning as Tyler pulled off his beanie and stuffed it into one of the large pockets of his baggy pants. Frank wasn't sure what hair color and style he had expected on Tyler, but a dark buzzcut was not what he had in mind at all. He stared at the chipped black nail polish on Tyler's nails with a raised eyebrow, surprised that this man and his elegant Master were somehow friends. Frank glanced at the clock; it wasn't actually 'lunch' time and that bothered him; he had gotten so used to lunch being at one o'clock that, when he realized it was only half eleven, he froze in front of the oven.

"But it's not lunchtime, sir," Frank interrupted, immediately regretting it when he spoke over Gerard talking to Tyler. Frank shut his eyes, mentally cursing himself before he opened them again to see Gerard looking at him, "Sorry- I just, lunch is at one. It's half eleven. Am I making lunch or-?"

"This is lunch, boy. Today it will be earlier than usual. If it makes it easier for you then consider it 'brunch'," Gerard responded by interjecting in the same way, "And you must stop interrupting, boy. Otherwise, you face the consequences of your need to prattle when you don't have permission."

Frank rolled his lips between his teeth after responding with a 'yes, sir, understand, sir'.He bit down to stop himself from talking again; he didn't need to talk, but he listened to Gerard apologizing to Tyler for his submissive's behavior. He carried on with what he had been told to do, feeling Tyler's eyes on him again, but tried his best to ignore it as he got out the utensils he would need. He went about his business, deciding on what to make, all the while listening but not paying attention to what Gerard and Tyler's conversation. He began to gather what he would need, choosing to make pancakes with mixed berries while he did his best to ignore the eyes that were on him every now and again.

Frank went about making Gerard his usual coffee, setting it down in front of his Master when he had finished. He then offered one to Tyler, who asked for green tea instead, before Gerard questioned how long lunch would take. Frank guessed roughly twenty minutes, not expecting the question which made him stumble on his answer. Gerard excused himself, not saying another word as he disappeared upstairs. Frank frowned because he had started noticing that Gerard kept disappearing a couple of times during the day.

Frank kept his eyes on the stairs before he remembered that he wasn't alone; he was too wrapped up in wondering about his Dominant, and then realized that Tyler was on the other side of the breakfast bar silently watching him. Frank felt a cold shiver run down his spine when their eyes met, and he immediately looked down, feeling the tension between the two of them as he turned and closed his eyes, ignoring the fact that Tyler was probably still watching him. He walked back over to the counter where he had left the flour, milk, eggs, and utensils.

It was hard to stay focused when the kitchen fell silent butFrank did his best to concentrate while he began to mix pancake batter in a bowl. Without Gerard being there to talk to Tyler, doing whatever he was doing upstairs, ignoring the fact that he knew Tyler wasn't just going to sit there and stare off into space while he waited for his friend to return.

"Haven't you forgotten something, avorton?" Tyler broke the silence. Frank snapped his head up, looking away from the bowl with wide eyes. At that exact moment, an unnerving panic coursed through him when he realized Tyler was looking at him, talking to him, and making contact with him. It made Frank feel like he was nothing more than a deer in the headlights of a speeding truck, "My tea, deadbrain. Come now, little boy."

"Oh. Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Frank scurried over the kettle in the corner, flicking the switch as he grabbed a mug from the cabinet and set aside a bag of green tea.

Eventually, he got it to work after he gave the tea to Tyler with a nervous smile. Tyler thanked him, but Frank didn't say a word as he walked back over to the counter, glancing at the stairs, listening out for his Dominant, but Frank heard nothing.

"So," Tyler spoke after taking a sip on his tea, clearing his throat before looking at the submissive preparing to cook in the kitchen, "How're you doin' today, Frank?"

Frank stopped what he was doing to see Tyler with his full attention on him. He had even shifted on the stool, facing Frank properly; it made him feel somewhat nervous about the fact that Tyler was actually striking up a conversation with him. Frank glanced towards the stairs in a second before looking back at the fruit in his hands that he had gotten out of the fridge. In an instant, Frank felt lost without Gerard. He didn't actually know if he could respond without his Master's permission. Tyler must have noticed the way Frank looked flustered because he added in his usual soft cadence, "Relax, you can talk to me, Frank. Gerard may be out of the room, but I give you permission to speak, boy."

"O-Oh," Frank stammered out, setting down the berries that he had in his hands, "I... I'm doing good. H-How are you today, sir? Uh, Tyler, right? Mr. Joseph, I don't-"

Frank swore his brain recoiled at him using 'sir' for someone that wasn't his own Dominant, but this was another Dominant to whom he was talking. Tyler pursed his lips, "Don't call me either of those. You call me 'sir', little boy. You haven't earned the right to use my name. Just for your own burning curiosity, I don't use my whole name often. Everyone just calls me 'Ty'."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm the same as you, doing good," Tyler commented simply, paying close attention to the boy in the kitchen, his eyes being the only thing that seemed to move, much like a sturdy predator in hiding. He sipped his tea, "Tell me, how old are you, boy?"

"Twenty-two, sir," Frank answered without hesitating, fetching two frying pans from a cupboard before setting them down on the stove. Frank couldn't help but notice how Tyler was so different from Gerard; he didn't seem to be as formal, and a lot more relaxed, but then again, Frank didn't know anything about him. Tyler may come across as more laid-back, but Frank still felt like he was under interrogation.

"And is this your first relationship of this kind, avorton?" Tyler asked a little too casually for Frank's liking while he looked down into his cup of tea, glancing up at Frank only to see the blush on his cheeks.

"A-Avorton?"

"Runt. You're so small." Tyler stated simply, the slight hint of his accent tinging the edges of his words, "So short and so small like a doll. Anyone could pick you up and use you as they wish."

"I..." Frank felt his cheeks flush as though he had dunked his head in boiling oil. He blinked had as he looked away, "Yes, sir."

"Answer my question now, boy."

"It is, sir." Frank nodded, answering the inquisitive Dom that sat watching him as he lit the gas plates, warming some butter in the pans. Tyler was probably being intrusive for a reason, but Frank tried not to think about it. As long as Frank didn't pay attention to Tyler's predatory gaze then he knew that he could answer him as confidently as possible.

"I can only assume you've had relationships before this one?" Tyler commented, watching Frank nod while he swirled the pans, coating them before he began to cook a pancake.

"I have, sir. One before, but it was nothing like this." Frank snorted as he continued to cook, making sure not to burn the pancake, He glanced over at Tyler, seeing him smirk a fraction at his answer.

"And you're his assistant, too?"

Frank nodded as he answered with a soft 'yes, sir' while peeling the edges of the pancake from the pan to stop them from burning. Tyler didn't say anything as he sat there, continuing to examine and scrutinize.

"I see you've got quite a few tattoos and piercings," Tyler commented. Frank paused when he realized that Tyler was still paying attention to him. It didn't entirely feel like scrutinizing anymore; it felt more like Tyler was ticking off a checklist, gauging him by what Gerard had told him against who he actually was in the flesh. Frank wasn't sure how he felt about that and remained silent as Tyler added, "Do you like it?"

Frank chuckled at the question; it should have been obvious. He stuck out his tongue to show Tyler his piercing,. He could see the Dominant was somewhat impressed at his collection of body modifications. Frank smiled, "Do you really think I'd get 'em done if I didn't?"

Tyler shrugged, "I dunno. Just curious."

Frank thought nothing more of Tyler's question as he turned his attention back to making brunch, sliding the pancake around in the pan before he flicked his wrist, tossing it into the air to flip it over. It landed back in the pan with a light thump that made Frank smile to himself because he hadn't embarrassed himself in front of Tyler by dropping the food on the floor.

"Your Sir told me a bit about you, boy," Tyler brought up after a moment of silence between the two of them, catching Frank's nervous attention because his first thoughts of Gerard talking about him now confirmed. Frank glanced at Tyler as the tall man continued to speak, "I mean, I wanted to gauge you as a sub, but Gerard told me some of the things that you like... I hear you're into suspension."

Frank's face immediately flushed hot with embarrassment as Tyler mentioned one of the things that Frank knew he had striped in green in his contract. He laughed weakly, "H-He told you that?"

"One of the few things he told me," Tyler replied far too casually for Frank's liking. A faint glimmer of a smirk tugged at the corner of Tyler's plump pout; it wasn't enough to be considered a fully-fledged expression but the microscopic flicker was a change to his usually stoic expression. He had such a knowing look painted across his face that Frank tried his best to ignore. He had felt so exposed not long before as he met Tyler for the first time, but now he felt completely naked and pulled apart. Frank didn't move a muscle when he heard Tyler's barstool shift noisily against the floor tile, but he continued to cook, getting the other pan warmed to make the fruit sauce. He ignored the Dom's movements as best he could until Tyler was right beside him, leaning against the kitchen counter. Frank was surprised by the fact that, despite the enormous leather boots on Tyler's feet, he walked with an almost silent gait like an exceedingly dangerous carnivore. Tyler folded his arms over his chest, watching the way Frank glanced at him briefly before keeping his eyes down, hiding the blush on his cheeks. He also noticed, now that Tyler was so close to him, that their height difference was a lot more jarring than he had initially realized. He knew that he looked directly into his own Master's sternum when facing Gerard, but with Tyler, he was exactly nipple-height. The man beside him with the daunting aura, and whose eyes reminded the submissive of a wolf, seemed unfazed by Frank's sudden shift in posture. Frank also noted that this Dominant, unlike his own, smelled like real leather whereas Gerard had a musked cologne with a leathery note to it.

"Have you tried hook suspension?" Tyler inquired, watching the confused expression spread across Frank's face. Frank wasn't one-hundred percent sure on what exactly hook suspension entailed. He was sure that Gerard had mentioned it once, but he had never gone into detail about it. Frank continued frowning and watched with intrigue as Tyler rolled up a sleeve of his flannel shirt instead, showing Frank the weirdest scars he had ever seen. There were so many of them in varying stages of healing. He could see pale white dots on Tyler's tanned arm that were a quarter-inch in size. Others were angry-red, some were yellowed around the edges with faded bruises and there were some that seemed so fresh that they had barely just started healing. The bruising was bright purple, the skin looked so pretty with its tainted hue, and Frank stared with wonder sparkling in his eyes.

"Is that...?" Frank trailed off. His mouth hung open before he closed it, trying not to look like he was overly-absorbed by the fact that Tyler was showing him the scars for a reason.

"Hook suspension is the act of suspending a person from hooks that have been put through the skin," Tyler explained, watching Frank's widen and light up. Tyler raised a dark eyebrow, "You like the sound of that, porcelot?"

Frank reeled in his excited curiosity just a smidgeon, realizing that he had come across a little too eager and interested in what he was being shown. Frank attempted to remain interested, but on a much more blasé level. He continued to cook, heating up fruit and sugar in the other pan, but Tyler was becoming intrinsically fascinating in comparison to sugared fruit.

"So... Do you do this as, like," Frank started but his sentence rained open-ended when he realized the gravity of his question. He didn't want to offend the Dominant by asking whether or not he was a switch. He also genuinely wondered if Tyler had more scars on his body just like those. The idea of it had Franks's eyes wander while he swallowed dryly, knowing that he shouldn't glance up and down at Tyler despite the very forward part of his brain screaming at him that Tyler was one of the most attractive men he had ever seen in his whole life. He swallowed and tried again, "I mean, what I'm trying to ask is, without coming across as rude or nosy, I just wondered-"

"I don't do it for the reason you are probably thinking, boy," Tyler impeded, "I don't do it as a submissive. It's my job."

"Your job, sir?"

Tyler had rolled the sleeve of his shirt back down and crossed one ankle over the other idly as he answered, "I work in a body parade that showcases all sorts of extreme body modifications and shit," Tyler explained, watching how Frank's fascinated expression returned. He didn't seem so nervous around him anymore either; the sheer intensity of what Tyler did for a living had Frank forgetting about how nervous he had been to be around the Dominant.

"And, sir, what kind of stuff do they have in the parade? Is it like a circus freak show type of thing or...?"

"Less tacky. Think of it more like a museum with live exhibits." Tyler explained as he reached over to grab his tea and take a gulp of the warm beverage before he continued, "What we show ranges so fuckin' far. One person who specializes in scarification, their name is Lorne and they both showcase their body scarification art and some pieces they have done on others depending on the show. We have one guy who is completely tattooed from head to toe in random shit, he's pretty cool- name's Henry. He used to be a lawyer but he developed cancer and left his job and has joined us there after he completely covered himself with art. A couple of contortionists like Ravyn and Namor. Oh, fuck, and we have a lizard-man."

"A who now?"

"Carmine is a performer. A lotta people come to see him and then just stay to see us afterward, to be honest. He's known for modifying his body to look like a lizard. Y'know, sharpened teeth, tattooed from head to toe in green scales, bifurcated tongue, subdermal implants." Tyler sipped his tea, "Scares the fuck out of the little children sometimes. Pretty funny."

"And, I guess, you are the one who does suspension then?" Frank added as he stirred the fruit, watching the mixture bubble.

"I do it with my sister Madison," Tyler explained, "You can't really do it alone, boy. There's the whole fuckin' process of dealing with the preparations, which can take longer than the time I'm actually suspended for, ya dig? I get studied to decide on the placement, amount, and size of the hooks that are used to lift me off the ground. It all works around basic geometry, understanding of human anatomy, physiology, and also the durability of my skin."

Frank didn't even know what to say to any of that. He stood there for a moment, paused right in the middle of stirring the sauce he was making, completely in awe, and also grossly fascinated about this whole suspension thing. He knew he had signed himself up for it in the contract but hearing about it was enough for Frank to want to know more. He wanted Tyler to keep talking about it because the more he learned, the more he realized that maybe he was definitely okay with trying it.

"Does it ever go wrong?" Frank had to ask, knowing that he had fear and doubt sitting in the back of his mind behind all of his enthusiasm. As much as he wanted to try it, he knew that something like this would obviously come with risks, be it as a career choice or something in the lifestyle.

"It's never gone wrong for me," Tyler reassured as he sipped his tea, but a darkness hid in his eye that Frank didn't want to unearth. Tyler drained the last of his drink before casually adding, "But if it isn't done properly, and too few hooks have been used, or the hooks haven't been placed evenly, then the suspended participant could end up with their skin ripping."

Frank shuddered, his skin crawling with goosebumps as the mental image ran rampant across his brain, "Fuck that shit."

"You've got to know what you're doing or, y'know, at least be in the safe hands of people who know exactly what they're doing."

"And you trust your sister, sir?"

Tyler pursed his lips, "Of course I do, she knows as much as I do about hook suspension, avorton."

"Does it hurt?" Frank frowned, "That's a stupid question, isn't it?"

"They stick four-inch hooks into your skin and hang you from it, boy," Tyler stated simply, "What do you think? Would that hurt?"

Frank shuddered at the thought, but it still didn't stop the fact that, deep in him, he still wanted to do it. His insides swirled at the thought of it actually being done to him, he tried to remain in control. He tried not to feel flustered about the thought of his Master suspending him in the playroom, and attempted to clear his thoughts.

"S-So, you do this, what, I mean- How many times do you do this?" Frank asked, "Is this, like, a once a week thing for you?."

"I'm pretty much the front feature of the show because I'm the only one who has the balls to do it nearly every day," Tyler smirked at his own answer, a slight nod to his own hubris seemed to swirl in his almost-onyx eyes, "I'm considered an art piece when it comes to our parade."

Frank went to say something about that statement as he began to finish cooking, but he stopped when he saw Gerard standing on the stairs, watching the pair with a smug look on his face, "I hope you have been more than courteous to my friend, boy."

"Yes, sir," Frank told Gerard with a smile on his face. Gerard walked over and sat back down on the stool where he had been not that long before, "Ty practically made my balls rescind back into my stomach while you were gone, though."

Tyler almost smiled as he looked at Frank and back at his longtime friend, "Frank has been adequately polite and vastly fascinated," Tyler informed before he turned, leaning across the counter toward Gerard, his voice dropping from its already soft whisper, "Ça va?"

["Are you okay?"]

"I'm fine." Gerard waved a dismissive hand and offered him a short smile. Frank raised an eyebrow as he plated the pancaked. Tyler knew something that Frank didn't, but he didn't exactly have the power to just outright ask if Gerard was okay. Frank bit his lip, ignoring the overwrought curiosity in him as he brought two plates over to the breakfast bar.

"So, what are we having today, boy?" Gerard asked as a plate was slid in front of him. Tyler joined him at the bar before Frank placed the food in front of him, quickly grabbing cutlery and setting them down in front of the pair.

"M-Mixed fruit pancakes with agave instead of sugar," Frank answered, hoping that they would both enjoy the meal; cooking for Gerard and Lindsey was fine because they always enjoyed what he made, but cooking for another Dominant had Frank more on edge than usual. Frank tried not to stare too much as Tyler pushed around the sliced fruit that sat on top of his pancakes; he inspected the food for a moment with intrinsic scrutiny and Frank looked down at his feet.

"You may sit, boy," Gerard ordered. Frank put a plate down on Gerard's other side and perched himself on the stool, waiting for permission. Tyler was still inspecting his food, setting the fork down when he was done so he could drink from a glass of water he had gotten for himself, but Gerard wasn't even beginning. Frank tried not to pay too much attention to it, but it bothered him and made him fidget nervously. Gerard put a hand on Frank's thigh, "I'll eat in a minute."

"May I begin?"

"Usually, in this situation, I would tell you to wait for Tyler to begin. He may not be your Dominant, but he is still your superior," Gerard explained, "However, today you will be eating at your usual lunch time. Not now."

"Wh-" Frank started before instantly stopping himself despite the urge to argue sitting on the tip of his tongue, wanting to dive headfirst from the top of his tongue bar. He was starving; his food was right there in front of him, and yet Gerard told him that he couldn't eat. As much as Frank wanted to say something, he merely obeyed and pushed the plate of food away from himself in a poor attempt to remove the temptation.

"If you feel that you cannot wait for one o'clock then you can have a smoothie, but nothing else, understand?" Gerard as Frank pushed his chair back, heading straight for the fridge where he immediately got what he was allowed to have, unscrewing the cap before gulping down a few mouthfuls in an attempt to satiate his hunger.

Frank rejoined the two Dominants right as Tyler began to eat after what seemed like a thorough combing of every inch of his meal. Frank watched him far too anxiously from the corner of his eye as he sat back down next to Gerard, pretending to look at the bottle he was holding instead of looking at Tyler. Frank tried not to hold his breath, but he couldn't help it when Tyler cut up one of the pancakes into a largely impressive bite that he shoveled into his mouth. He chewed slowly, making Frank feel like he was going to flake out from the piling pressure on him as he waited to find out if Tyler actually approved and enjoyed what he had made.

"This is good," Tyler commented, pointing at the food with his fork, "Really fuckin' good. Je suis impressionne."

["I'm impressed."]

"I told you he could cook."

~

"Ce que garcon poli tu as, mon ami." Tyler commented as he sat on one end of the long beige couch near to the armchair where Gerard had decided to lounge.

["What a polite boy you have, my friend."]

"Il est," Gerard agreed before snapping his fingers, catching Frank's attention from where he had been told to stand and wait. Frank's head shot up, trying not to show that he had zoned out, staring at the metal buckles on Tyler's boots. Frank was pulled out of his leather-clad thoughts when he saw Gerard give him the signal to come over and get on his hands and knees. Frank knew exactly what that meant even if he didn't know what his Master was saying to Tyler because they were speaking in French. He still did as he was told, getting on his hands and knees in front of his Master, feeling the weight of Gerard's boots resting on the small of his back, "Un peu sale grosse des fois cependant, but he's learning."

["He is."] ["A bit of a brat most of the time, however, but he's learning."]

"Je pouvoir vois ca," Tyler replied softly, cocking his head to the side as he watched Frank become a footstool for his Dominant. Frank was not complaining at all as he adjusted his arms, holding himself up while Gerard relaxed. Tyler looked at his friend, "How long have you had him for?"

["I can see that."]

"Seven weeks," Gerard answered as he looked down at Frank, "Nous fabriquions contrat d'un anne, j'espère il volera voloir."

["We drew up a year-long contract, and I hope he will want to extend it when the year is up."]

"Oh?" Tyler quirked an eyebrow, "Tu aimes il?"

["So, you like him?"]

"J'ador il oui," Gerard said simply as he lifted one foot to press the sole to the top of Frank's head affectionately, "Il est un peu nerveux quand il s'agit d'affection, mais c'est tout à fait compréhensible compte tenu de son passé."

["I am very fond of him"]["He's a little nervous when it comes to affection, but it's completely understandable given his past."]

"How so?"

Frank occupied himself with mentally creating patterns in the carpet beneath his hands and feet. Gerard answered nonchalantly, "Sa relation précédente manquait d'affection de ce qu'il m'a dit. Il n'est pas habitué. Il prend juste un peu plus de temps pour se réconcilier avec ce que je lui offre."

["His previous relationship lacked affection from what he has told me. He's not used to it. He's just taking a little longer to come to terms with what I offer him."]

"Mais il se comporte?" Tyler's tone sounded dubious but there was a hint of intrigue. Frank glanced up to see Tyler staring down at him.

["But he behaves?']

"Most of the time," Gerard sighed, adjusting his feet to place them both on Frank's back, ignoring the way Frank grunted quietly at the shift in weight on him, "Comme je l'ai dit, il est un peu un gamin, mais je m'y attendais. C'est sa première relation de ce calibre, je savais qu'il ne serait pas le soumis parfait dès le premier jour."

["As I said, he is a little bit of a brat, but I was expecting it. It's his first relationship of this caliber, I knew he wouldn't be the perfect submissive from day one."]

"I see," Tyler nodded, "Maintenant, d'après ce que vous m'avez dit, Frank sait à propos de Josh?"

["Now, from what you've told me, Frank knows about Josh?"]

Frank's ears pricked up as his head jerked up when he heard his own and Josh's name in the same sentence. It bugged him that the two Dominants had been talking privately in French more than in English, but now he knew that he was a part of the conversation topic. He could just imagine that Gerard was telling Tyler about everything that had transpired. It bothered him a little, but there was nothing Frank could do about it as he tried to ignore the beads of sweat that were building up on his forehead from being his Master's footstool.

"Oui," Gerard nodded with a small sigh, "Je cherche josh un dominant permanent maintenant. Le garçon était plutôt mécontent de l'arrangement quand il l'avait découvert.."

["Yes. I'm looking to find Josh a permanent Dominant now. The boy was rather unhappy with the arrangement when he had discovered it."]

"Comment l'a-t-il pris ? Quand il a su pour Josh, je veux dire?"

["How did he take it? When he found out about Josh, I mean?"]

"Il l'a pris à sa manière," Gerard announced with a slightly nervous chuckle that made Frank's brow furrow, "Plutôt amèrement et avec colère. Il est plutôt possessif. Un trait que je connaissais quand il a signé son contrat, mais j'ai supposé que finalement sa possessivité se serait calmée une fois qu'il aurait commencé à s'acclimater à la nature de la relation. Il n'a pas cependant. À un moment donné, il m'a donné un ultimatum avant de me dire de trouver Josh un nouveau Dominant."

[Bitterly and angrily."][" He is rather possessive, a trait I knew about when he signed the contract, but I assumed that eventually, his possessiveness would have calmed down once he began to acclimatize to the nature of the relationship. He did not, however, and at one point he gave me an ultimatum before telling me to find Josh a new Dominant."]

"Shame," Tyler suspired with an almost bored tone as he fiddled with some of the black tape around one of his fingers, "Josh est un garçon charmant de ce que tu m'as dit."

["Josh is a charming boy from what you've told me."}

"Oh, he is," Gerard agreed with a nod. Frank was practically seething at this point. He scowled unhappily as he gritted his teeth, "Tellement poli et est un merveilleux soumis. Il connaît sa place et sait comment se comporter. Quelque chose que Frank manque."

["Oh, he's a marvel to behold, my friend. His temperament is exquisite. So polite, and a wonderful submissive. He knows his place and knows how to behave. Something that Frank lacks."]

"And that's a problem?"

"I don't see it as a problem as such," Gerard responded with a smile as he rubbed his booted heel on the small of Frank's back; it was affection that Frank picked up on and it seemed to cool his rising temper. Gerard continued to clarify, "J'aime vraiment comment Frank se comporte. Il est plus un défi pour moi. Il connaît sa place, mais quand il oublie..."

["I really like how Frank behaves, he's more of a challenge for me. He knows his place, but when he forgets..."]

"Ouais?"

["Yeah?"].

Gerard smiled down at his submissive, "Eh bien, c'est là que le défi arrive."

["Well, that's where the challenge comes in."]

"I see," Tyler laughed, knowing exactly what Gerard was talking about when it came to bratty submissives, "Et vous m'avez dit que vous avez l'idée que vous étiez tous les trois ensemble?"

["And you told me that you had the idea for the three of you together?"]

"I did," Gerard sighed rather disappointedly, "Mais je ne pense pas que le garçon soit plutôt enthousiaste à l'idée de me partager. Je lui ai dit et je lui ai assuré que Josh ne me poserait pas un doigt. Je lui ai même dit que tout serait pour lui."

["But I don't think the boy is very excited about sharing me. I told him, and I assured him, that Josh would not put a finger on me, I even told him it would be all about him."]

Tyler snorted derisively, "Il a toujours dit 'non'?"

["And he still said 'no'?"]

"Unfortunately."

"Shame," Tyler spoke, looking down at Frank as he adjusted against the couch, crossing one leg over the other, "Je pouvais le voir en profiter."

["I could see him enjoying it."]

"My thoughts exactly," Gerard agreed, "Mais je pense qu'il est un peu nerveux à propos de l'idée. Cela découle probablement de sa relation précédente où son partenaire d'alors serait à peine avec lui, et quand il l'était, c'était sur les termes de son partenaire ou rien du tout."

["But, I think he's a little nervous about the idea, and that probably comes from his previous relationship where his partner at that time would barely be with him. And when he was, it was on the terms of the partner or not at all. Very unyielding little vermin."]

"Pensez-vous qu'il serait jamais chaud à l'idée?" Tyler queried as he began fiddling with a carabiner he had pulled from his pocket, clicking it open and closed slowly over the pad of his calloused index finger.

["Do you think he'd ever warm up to the idea?"]

"Maybe," Gerard shrugged his shoulders, "Je pense que c'est plus à propos de trouver la bonne personne pour lui. Je veux dire, je sais que j'ai le bon candidat qui fonctionne bien, c'est juste de savoir s'il va dire 'oui'."

["I think it's more about finding the right person for him. I mean, I know I have the right candidate who works well. It's just knowing if he'll say 'yes'."]

"You do. Est-ce qu'il sait pourquoi je suis là?"

["Does he know why I'm here?"]

"Not yet. I haven't told him," Gerard shifted, his voice suddenly lilted with hidden promise, "Allons-nous l'aborder maintenant?"

["Shall we bring it up now?"]

"Plus que content pour vous de le faire." Tyler motioned with a wave of his hand toward the boy on the rug, "Please."

["I'm more than happy to have you do it."]

"Now, boy, sit up in front of me," Gerard ordered, shifting his feet from Frank's back, setting them back on the floor as Frank leaned up on his knees. He moved back a fraction away from his Dominant so he could see him better, still keeping Tyler in his periphery as he sat on his knees, hands resting on his thighs, "Good boy. Now, there is a reason for Tyler being here today. Do you have any inkling as to why I brought him here to meet you?"

Frank shook his head as he glanced at the there Dominant who had slouched lazily into the sofa, still idly flicking the carabiner open and closed. Frank glanced back at his Master, who had started speaking to him again, "Now, I know how you weren't keen on the idea I brought up to you the other day in the office. The threesome with another sub? Joshua? You weren't pleased about the idea of him touching me, were you?"

"No, sir," Frank answered, holding back on the venom in his voice. He assumed that Gerard would just leave it alone after the conversation they had shared two nights before. But here he was again, looking down at Frank with a small twinkle in his eye when he registered the annoyed tone in the boy's voice.

"Now, after much consideration and discussion-" Gerard started, scowling at Frank who had snorted. Frank kept himself silent, eye looking down at his knees so he wouldn't make his Master more furious at him for his lax behavior in front of Tyler. Gerard scoffed, "As I was saying... After all of what I said, it came to my attention that maybe you weren't okay with the idea solely because it was with another submissive. That was the problem."

"And anyone who lays a fucking finger on you," Frank muttered under his breath, knowing that both Tyler and Gerard had heard him. Tyler shook his head at Gerard, noticing exactly what Gerard had been talking about when it came to Frank. The back-chat that, if Frank had been Tyler's, there was no way in hell he would get away with it.

"Be that as it may," Gerard sighed irritably, "What if it wasn't with another submissive? What if I were to tell you that the threesome would be with myself and another Dom. That way the other person in the deal would solely focus on you. They wouldn't even lay a finger on me because it is not the reason for them being there. Do you understand?"

Frank didn't entirely know how he felt about it; the idea seemed interesting when Gerard said it out loud, but it actually happening... Frank couldn't imagine Gerard actually settling for his submissive with another Dom.

"Would you be happy for it to happen that way, my prince?"

"I guess, sir." Frank shrugged, instantly feeling like a bright spotlight was beaming down on his head, "I mean, yeah? I wouldn't say 'no' to it, especially if it isn't with another sub."

Frank looked at Gerard, waiting for him to say something about his answer, but he didn't say anything. Frank frowned, noticing how Gerard gave Tyler a long look before he gazed down at him. Frank looked at Tyler briefly before looking back at his Dominant and that was when the penny dropped. Gerard wasn't showing any sort of expression toward Frank's reaction.

Frank looked between the two of them again like it was some lewd game of tennis that involved him being the ball. Frank opened his mouth to say something, but only a weak noise left him; he didn't know what to say. He wasn't backing out, it was simply that he was trying to process it. He sat back on his knees on the floor between his Master and the other Dominant.

"W-With him?" Frank asked as he pointed to Tyler, making sure that he hadn't gotten the wrong end of the stick. Tyler could have easily been overseeing this as a witness, so Frank had to be sure. His stomach lurched and knotted inside of him at the idea of the two of them having whatever way they wanted to have with him.

"No, with Bob Ross " Gerard answered sarcastically, "Of course with Tyler. Why do you think I brought him to my house this morning?"

"Oh, I'd take a threesome with Bob Ross any day," Tyler added far too casually, making Frank spit out a laugh before he could even stop himself. He would never have expected Tyler to say anything like that, so he had no idea if he was being serious or not. Frank fought back the laugh, sitting himself up as straight as possible, trying to look like the most perfectly behaved submissive. Frank tried not to make eye contact with his Master or Tyler after that outburst, but Tyler caught him glancing. It had only been the slightest of glances that Frank offered, but he locked eyes with Tyler and blushed warmly when the Dominant gave him a subtle wink that could have easily been missed with a blink.

"So, what do you say, boy?" Gerard asked, getting Frank's attention back onto him, "You said 'yes', but now you know who else it involves, is it still a 'yes'?"

Frank thought about it all for a second again, biting on his bottom lip as he looked at both Tyler and Gerard. Frank liked to believe that he had a pretty sordid imagination when it came to things like this, but knowing Gerard and Tyler, what he envisaged would be nothing compared to what he would actually be put through.

"It is, sir."

"Good, boy." Gerard said proudly, adjusting in the chair so he was sat leaning forward, his elbows resting on his thighs while his fingers linked together, "Off you go, then. To the playroom."

"Wh-" Frank tried to speak when the realization hit him, his eyes went wide, "Now? Are you serious?"

"When am I not serious, dear boy?" Gerard asked rhetorically, "Now, go on. Playroom. Before we change our minds and leave you with that undeniable semi that is trying to get our attention."

Frank blushed as he picked himself up off the floor, doing exactly what he had been told to do while his heart hammered in his chest. His nerves and excitement started to swirl together; something that he had been so against because of one person, was apparently now about to happen because of another. He made his way towards the stairs, but he did realize something that made him stop in his tracks. He turned on his feet with a quizzical look on his face, "Is this why you told me not to eat, sir?"

"You can think about that while you wait for me. Go."