_______________________

"Take my safety.

Be the net that I fall into, the ropes where I collapse.

Stalk me from the shadowed corners of my troubled mind.

_______________________

(Angst)

Kirishima clung to him, sobbing and choking out desperate words through his sore throat. The drool and tears soaking his face had anger flaring in the blond's veins.

He had grabbed the warm towel that was hanging on the warming rack at the door when he first saw the boy's condition and now used it to wash away the tears and grime on his face. Kia stumbled away while Aizawa unhooked the leather cuffs from Eiji's irritated wrists, sparking more rage within his chest.

The full month that the boy had been training with him, he never once graduated past silk ties for binding his wrists. What was he thinking, allowing Kia to use such heavy binding tools on him?

Mere moments ago, the ash-blond was having a conversation with a boy he had previously had scenes with, just one-night sessions to satisfy his needs while remaining free of contract. It had been 2 weeks since Kirishima's certification, and a full 6 weeks since he had a scene with a boy. It was about time he got back out there now that Eiji's training was complete and he could take on another submissive.

He had been coming back to the Red Door a few times a week for the past 2 weeks but couldn't bring himself to do a scene yet, and no matter how he tried to justify it, he knew it was because he missed having the redhead in his home and at his side.

Eijiro's innocence was refreshing and tugged at the protective nature. It normally took a while to create that level of care in a partnership with one of his subs, but with Eiji, it came almost immediately, and now it felt almost strange to just play with a random submissive. He wanted the redhead, but Kirishima didn't belong to him.

Not that he had never thought about it.

Katsuki thought about owning the beautiful redheaded boy ever since Eijiro so boldly jumped in his arms that first night at the club. Ever since the redhead came running up to him, staring him down with those bright eyes, he felt something stir to life within his chest, something that had been put to rest a long time ago.

So he thought.

However, the moment he and Aizawa bust through that playroom door and Katsuki's eyes fell on the disheveled boy with a tear-stricken face, his chest filled with pain and anger. The need to comfort his boy took over, and before he could even think of what to do, he was already by the redhead's side, cleaning his face and holding him close. Eiji's own reaction being similar as the boy jumped into his arms and sobbed.

Right now, the far-away look in Kirishima's eyes had Katsuki holding his own breath and shushing Kirishima softly, rubbing the boy's back and cradling him gently as Aizawa tried to get the story out of Kai, who was panic-stricken and pale-faced as the Master Dominant chewed him out and forced him to leave the room.

Listening to Eijiro's quiet sobs and whimpers had Katsuki's heart squeezing in his chest. The boy was begging for the ash-blond to stay by his side, even after Katsuki told him that he was taking him home. It was painful to watch his friend fall apart like this, and after watching him grow and develop over the past month, it was heartbreaking to see him come crashing down.

He wanted to rip Kai's head off, curse him, and knock a lesson into him for hurting his boy this way. However, the soft whimpers from the redhead that was buried in his chest had him glued to the floor as Aizawa glanced at them both, giving the ash-blond a warning and telling him to fix this situation, because like it or not, Eiji had broken rules tonight and put himself in danger.

Kai would be punished for his lack of responsibility, but Katsuki refused to punish the boy in his arms. He would, however, need to have a long talk with him and try and prevent Ei from being so reckless in the future.

However, as Aizawa left the room, Katsuki started to help Eijiro stand up to leave, but before he could even get to his knees, the half-conscious male in his arms blinked his pretty, tear-stained eyes, and looked at him with such raw unadulterated hope as he muttered something that had the blond's body freezing right before Eiji went limp in Katsuki's arms.

"I want to stay with you, master."

***

Having Eijiro back in his home felt natural, but he didn't have much time to dwell on the warm feelings the redhead conjured up within him. Katsuki was too worried about the boy that had yet to wake up, lying pale-faced on the bed.

Katsuki had gotten home, carried the boy inside and quickly changed him into one of the ash-blond's shirts and boxers before tucking him under the covers and letting him rest.

"I want to stay with you, master."

The words previously were spoken by the boy in his bed, only to be followed by his passing out. The whole month he had spent with Kirishima, training him, coaching him, and helping him grow as a person, Eiji never once made a move on Katsuki. The boy never once spoke of his desire to stay by the blond's side, if he had, Katsuki would have had him sign a contract right away.

He cares for Eijiro, no doubt, but never wanted to push his friend too far. Katsuki knows the lifestyle is quite sexual, although BDSM is not all about sex, sex does play a major role in the types of relationships that are held within the lifestyle.

The fact of the matter is that Eiji wasn't comfortable with sexual contact, something that Katsuki craved, especially with the sexy redhead in his bed now. Their contracted relationship would be complicated, the question is, how much trouble is the boy worth?

Katsuki scoffed under his breath and reached his hand out, gently running his fingers through those shitty red strands of hair that he used to pick on Eiji about. The truth is, Ei is worth a hell of a lot of trouble.

He always has been worth it, and man, he was just too stupid to realize a great friend when he had it. Now, looking over the sleeping boy, an unfamiliar pain fills his chest.

"Idiot..." Katsuki mumbles and strokes Ei's hair back from his face. "Why'd you go do something so stupid like that, huh?" Eijiro put himself in danger, and no matter how mad he was at Kai for not realizing the issue, it was also Ei's fault for putting himself in that situation. Ei isn't ready for that stuff, whatever happened in his past is holding him back from it.

Maybe he should see a therapist? He will have to look into that soon.

A soft groan leaves Ei's lips as his eyes flutter open, a look of panic on his face as he looks around.

"Hey, you're safe. You're at my house." Katsuki shushes the boy, gently stroking his hair until Ei's wide eyes relax. Before he could ask him anything, Eiji shoots out of bed and wraps his arms around the other male, catching him off guard.

"I'm sorry! I messed up! I broke your rules and I wasn't honest with Master Kai!" Widening his eyes, he grips onto the shirt behind Eiji's back, holding him close. "I'm sorry for drinking without permission and for pushing myself too far. P-Please, punish me, master!"

The boy's fists cling desperately into his shirt, his body trembling as Katsuki holds his smaller body against his chest.

"I'm not punishing you. You've been through enough..." He sighs and widens his eyes when Eiji pulls away with tear-stricken eyes and a wobbly lip.

"Please! I need it, master. I disobeyed; I need it." Ei's face was red, his lip trembling as his fists clung desperately into Katsuki's shirt. Did he want to be punished this badly? Something inside him told him to say no, while another one felt the need to comply with the worked-up boy's demands.

"Tell me why you want it?" Katsuki asked, watching as his friend trembled while kneeling on the mattress. He didn't want to make things worse for the boy, but Ei seemed to be set on taking his punishment for whatever reason.

"I... I m-messed up. I broke your rules, I drank alcohol without your permission..."

"Let me stop you right there." Katsuki interrupted when Eiji's brows furrowed in concentration, his eyes holding a glazed over look that told the dominant that Eijiro wasn't thinking clearly.

"Eiji, you aren't my submissive. You didn't need to ask my permission once the training contract ended..." His words didn't make anything better though. Eiji's face contorted into one of pain as his strawberry eyes shed more tears and the trembling started back up again.

Katsuki instantly realized that situation as the boy whimpered and hung his head, adopting a rather sloppy kneeling position on the mattress. Eijiro was in subspace, and by saying that the boy didn't belong to him, it was only confusing and hurting the redhead more.

"M-Master?" Ei's quiet and confused whimper brought Katsuki to his senses. He shook his head and cupped the boy's teary cheek coming to terms that Eijiro needed this.

"Okay, pet, okay. You will get 10 strikes, no more, no less. Do you understand what you did wrong?" Taking on his role as dominant, he needed to do this for Eijiro. Instantly, the boy relaxed and nodded his head, never once looking up from his bowed head.

"Speak, pet." He wanted to sound stern, but it came out softer than expected. Still, the boy mewled and replied.

"I drank without permission, and I tried to do a scene when I wasn't ready. I wasn't fully honest with the other dominant..." Nodding his head, he gently stokes through the strands of messy red locks before gripping into the strands and pulling his head back gently.

"Yes, you broke rules and were reckless. I hope you learn your lesson, next time I won't be so forgiving, pet." It was the truth. Katsuki knew that if Eiji would accept, he will be locking this boy up with a contract and that the type of behavior shown by him earlier would not be accepted. 10 strikes were a small price to pay for his recklessness, but he would not do anything more. Eiji had enough stress tonight.

"I'm sorry, master." Eiji gasped and let his eyes flutter closed, a relaxed expression coating the boy's face. Katsuki smirked, Eiji needed this.

"You will be forgiven after your sanction, pet. Bend over the bed." He ordered and watched as Eiji scampered off the bed and turned to face the mattress. Katsuki was shocked when Eiji tugged down his boxers and bent over the bed, his perfectly round ass presented to him.

Sighing, he couldn't help but stand behind him, rubbing his palms over the plump flesh and kneading each cheek gently. What he would give to be buried inside this piece of perfection.

Groaning softly, he retracts his hands and focuses on delivering the punishment that his perfect boy so desperately needs.

"Count out loud, pet." He orders before letting the first hand come down on his bottom, the sharp smack sounding through the air followed by Eiji's startled yelp.

"One!" Rubbing the flesh with a gentle squeeze, Ei moaned and pushed his face into the duvet, muffling his whines. Keeping his right hand gripping into Ei's right cheek, he brings his left hand down.

"Two!" Eiji cries out, his back moving as he obviously heaves for breath and his hands curl into the sheets. A beautiful sight of the redhead boy bent over his bed and panting, his ass slowly turning pink and his moans were muffled by the mattress.

Again, he brings his hands down two times, fast and sharp, making Ei buck and whimper.

"Three! Ah... F-Four!" Rubbing and squeezing between each strike, Katsuki delivers all ten and afterward, he pulls Eiji up off the bed and scoops him into his arm. Eiji is whimpering softly, eyes closed, and holding tightly onto the ash-blond.

"You did well, sweetheart," Katsuki whispered and pressed his lips to Ei's sweaty forehead as he carried the boy to the ensuite bathroom. Eiji whimpered at the kiss and sighed deeply.

"M-Master..." His voice was broken and had Katsuki hushing him gently before setting him down carefully on the counter while filling the bathtub with warm water and adding bath oils to the water. The one thing Ei needs more than anything right now is aftercare.

After such a frightening experience at the club and then his first semi-punishment, the time at the club wasn't as serious considering Eiji didn't know much about the lifestyle and didn't understand punishments. Now, Eiji knew what they were and they meant so much more to him.

"Okay, come on. Let's get you in the tub." Katsuki smiled at Eiji tired eyes and relaxed body as he carefully pulled the shirt off Eiji's body, leaving him naked, though Katsuki had seen him naked plenty of times before. Somehow this felt different. He had never given him a bath or preformed aftercare for Ei before.

Shaking his head softly, he dispels his silly thoughts. It's not a big deal, he had done this for other boys before. Ei is no different, right?

"Mmm." Ei hummed and hissed slightly when lowed into the warm water, Katsuki helps him up, gently propping him back against the tub wall.

"There you are." He smiled as Eiji opened his dazed eyes, a small smile tugging at Eiji's plump lips that were a little raw from biting them.

"You... Forgive me, master?" Eiji whisperers and something warm spreads within Katsuki's body as he leans over and places another kiss on Eiji's forehead.

"Yes, you did so good sweetheart. Now relax, and let me take care of you, pet." A lazy smile pulls at Ei's lips and his eyes close again while Katsuki strokes his wavy hair back from his face and carefully pours the warm water over his chest and shoulders, helping him relax in the lavender-scented water.

"So good, sweetheart." He mumbles softly as Eiji lips twitch gently with his tired smile.