Chapter 7
Rivi
It was dark by the time I pulled up to Uncle Trent’s place. I’d never driven up here by myself before. It had been years since Mama and I visited.
When I left, she wished me a good time. She had been fine with me visiting over the holidays. She didn’t say it outright, but I knew she was happy to be able to spend Christmas with her boyfriend.
The house glowed in shimmering white and gold against the fresh white snowfall. It looked like it was on fire. So many Christmas lights outlining the frame. So many lit wreaths on balconies and windows.
I loved all the lights this time of year. It was one of my favorite things about the holidays.
A tall man in a neat black suit helped me unload my stuff. I had managed to get everything into one large suitcase and my Shrek backpack. I wasn’t sure I’d be brave enough to wear half the stuff I brought, but I was ready for that kink party the Saturday night after Christmas.
The man led me into the house.
“Dinner is being served. I’ll store your luggage in your room on the second floor.” He pointed to one of two stairwells. “Up these stairs and you’ll find a hall. Yours is the second door on the right.”
“And straight on ‘til morning?” I thought I’d heard him say “second star on the right.”
He raised a dark eyebrow. “It’s the blue door.”
“Oh, okay. I was quoting Peter Pan.”
“Um hmm. This way.”
I held back a grin.
As we walked toward the dining room, I started to remember the house and its rooms. So many rooms. It was so huge, I’d never had a chance to explore all of it. But I did know where the dining room and kitchen were located. In strange surroundings, a growing boy always found the food first.
Uncle Trent rose from a big table and greeted me with a big hug. He smelled of pine and spice. All I could see were a lot of bright lights, and people seated at the table looking up at me. Strangers. I was used to crowds at my job, but not in my personal life.
I smiled and nodded as Uncle Trent introduced me, then seated me next to a big, tall guy all in black with two muscled armloads of tattoos peeking out from three-quarter length sleeves.
His hair was shaved on the right side of his head.
Locks of straight black hair fell to his left shoulder, making a wave over his forehead.
He had given me a quick hard glance before his eyes hardened and he looked away.
I think Uncle Trent had said his name, but I’d already forgotten it. Servers set soup and salad in front of me. Someone asked if I wanted turkey or steak.
“Turkey, please. With gravy?”
A plate was set in front of me, and helping hands passed me mashed potatoes and a gravy boat.
I was starved from my long drive and dug into the food.
The man beside me was large enough to block me from Uncle Trent. I kept trying to get an eye on his little, Ozzy.
It was interesting to eat with so many strangers. These were the men staying here, I guessed. That meant they were all gay and all part of a kink community. I wasn’t sure how to act. Normal, I told myself. Just eat and remember to breathe.
The man next to me ate voraciously, like he hadn’t had a true meal in days. His forearms flexed as he cut up his food and placed big bites into his mouth.
He appeared sternly focused. Serious.
As I ate, I tried to listen to various conversations around the table, but my attention kept going back to the man at my side.
I imagined those big arms could wield a lot of power in the kink club.
He was definitely a dom, and I could see him clearly, various implements in hand, hurting subs who cried out for more.
My own imagination had always been active.
I saw his face harden as he loomed over everyone around him, including his willing partner.
It made me flinch. This man looked like he could crush people with a thought.
I wasn’t prepared to be scared by this vacation. At least, not so soon.
I badly wanted to introduce myself to Ozzy. And maybe I could manage to befriend him and together we could surreptitiously hide behind Uncle Trent’s legs for the duration of the holiday.
I kept leaning forward, pretending to reach for more food and get a glimpse of Ozzy. The food was amazing, so grabbing seconds was not really a pretense.
Uncle Trent was no small man, either, so it was not easy to see Ozzy, who sat on his far side, hunched over his food.
I could see he had brown curls, and once he looked up at Uncle Trent and I saw how big and dark his eyes were.
And soft. Like he was still new here, too, like me.
Except for one difference. Ozzy, even from the few seconds I could view him, was in love.
I envied that feeling. Something I could only imagine. I was sure Uncle Trent must take very good care of him.
Finally, I got up the nerve to look around at the others at the table.
I was eager to try to identify if other littles were here.
Here I was, in the perfect place to look for a daddy, but instead my insecurities had me seeking others like me.
I wanted to know I wasn’t alone. Even though Uncle Trent assured my safety, I wanted to feel it. And to make friends.
Just then, dessert was announced. Servers gathered to surround the one who brought out a big tray with the giant Christmas tree shaped cake on it. It was the fanciest cake I'd ever seen other than on baking competitions on TV.
I was too full to eat anymore, but when a piece was placed in front of me it looked so good I had to eat a few bites. It was fantastic.
When we finished, the big man next to me rose at the same time I did. He turned to me and held out his hand.
“I don't think I properly introduced myself. My name is Briar.”
Holding my breath, I held out my hand expecting him to squeeze hard.
Instead, he took it gently. His palm was warm against mine.
And then he smiled. It changed everything about his stern face, softening it, giving substance to his slightly hollow cheeks.
A dimple appeared on the left side. It captivated me.
“I'm Rivi,” I said.
As soon as I spoke, Uncle Trent called me over to his side.
“Excuse me.” I smiled. I had to tilt my head all the way back to look up into his face.
He let go of my hand with what felt like reluctance. Probably my imagination. Did he like me? He seemed so much older. Was he, perhaps, daddy material?
“Of course. It was a pleasure to meet you, Rivi.”
I moved around him and walked up to Uncle Trent's side. To my utter shock, and a tiny growing flame of embarrassment, I heard him say too Briar, “Careful there.”
I didn't have to look to sense Briar stiffening behind me.
I pretended nothing had happened, speaking quickly. “Thanks for the wonderful meal.”
“It was quite good, wasn’t it?” He said. “I'll give your commendations to the cook.”
“Thanks.”
“I'd like you to formally meet my fiancée. Ozzy.”
The young man, who wasn't much taller than I was, stood so close to Uncle Trent they were touching arms, hips and thighs. Though his eyes were bright and he looked healthy, he had the demeanor of someone who was very shy.
“Hi, Ozzy.”
“Hi, Rivi.”
“I think you two might have some things in common,” Uncle Trent said.
We both stared at each other. The silence between us grew awkward.
“Ozzy, why don't you show Rivi where his room is. He didn't have time to go up there before dinner.”
Ozzy glanced up at Uncle Trent, then quickly back to me. Something flashed in his eyes. Fear, irritation?
“Your butler already told me the way,” I said. “I think I can find it. It's okay if Ozzy doesn't want to.”
Ozzy's cheeks grew a little pink. “It's okay. I can do it.”
I could tell Uncle Trent wanted to visit with his friends. Everyone was moving out of the dining room and toward where I knew there was a bar and a huge lounge room. Maybe,
like me, Ozzy didn't drink?
Ozzy let his shoulders slump. He moved past me mumbling, “Come on.”
Having been raised to be polite, I bit my tongue and followed. Once we got out of hearing distance of the others, I caught up to Ozzy's side.
“I can find my way. It's been years since I was here, but I remember the guest rooms on the second floor and your butler said it was a blue door second on the right.”
Ozzy shrugged. His eyes remained downcast as he spoke softly. “It's all right.”
I wished he was more open. I had a zillion questions. Finally, I blurted the thought that stood foremost in my mind. “Are you really a little?”
“Yeah.” He made the word sound like it was no big deal, like he didn't care.
“And Uncle Trent is your daddy?”
“Yeah.”
“I think that's really cool.”
He lifted his head. “Really?”
“I really do because I'm a little, too, and I've never met anyone else like me until tonight.”
That seemed to bring Ozzy out from behind his barriers. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-one.”
“I'm twenty-six but people say I look younger.”
“I would have guessed you were younger.”
We made our way up the staircase that led to my room. Sure enough, Ozzy stopped at the blue door on the right. He opened it for me, ushering me inside.
“Wow, this room is amazing.” I saw my suitcase set up on a stand by the window which looked out over a beautiful nighttime snowy mountain view. The bed looked plush with lots of soft pillows and a warm down comforter of soft pink. One of my favorite colors.
“All the rooms here are amazing. I couldn't believe it when I first came here. There are so many. Rarely ever used except on holidays.”
“Don't you live here full time?”
“I do. And now Trent does, too. He's opened the place up more since I came. Or so I'm told.”
“I didn't realize that.”
“He was sad for a long time.”
I frowned, wondering why I didn't know that. I couldn't resist flopping back on the bed to test it out. Ozzy stood before me, hands clasped behind his back, and watched me.
“When I was first brought here, it was as a guest. I, um, got hurt. He let me stay here to heal.”
“He's a good guy.”
“Yeah. I didn't know that, though. I got hurt in the club and I didn't have anywhere to go accept back to my abusive boyfriend.”
I sat up. Now things were getting interesting.
Ozzy swung his hands in front of him and clasped them together. “I'm talking too much. I don't usually do that.”
“Me, either. Maybe it's because we're both little?”
“Could be.”
I patted the side of the bed next to me. He smiled faintly and slowly came to sit beside me.”
“Tell me more if you don't mind my asking. How did you and my uncle get together?”
“That's a big question. I was pretty bad off.
Kind of needy. The little inside of me looked up to him immediately as a daddy figure.
But he wasn't having any of it. I didn't know how to take that until I realized he didn't want to inflict any further harm on me.
My boyfriend was very abusive. That's another kind of long, drawn-out story.”
“I’m sorry. But what do you mean Uncle Trent wasn’t having any of being a daddy figure? Isn’t he a daddy?”
“He is. Definitely. But he knew I was traumatized. He wanted to help me, not seduce me. But I wanted him. It was hard to understand why he didn’t want me back until I realized his protective nature was on overdrive.
He really did like me, but it took a while for him to admit.
But we got through it and now here I am. ” He spread his arms.
“Yeah. Uncle Trent is that kind of guy. He wants to take care of people.”
“I didn’t know that at first, so I thought he hated me.”
I let out a short laugh. “He doesn’t hate you now.”
Ozzy put a hand to his mouth and giggled.
“I’m nervous about the kink party, though,” I said.
“Don’t be. He has a whole playroom in a huge basement. It’s fun. And low-key. You can come color with me. Or play a game. You don’t have to be or do anything that isn’t comfortable for you.”
I was blown away by how shy Ozzy had been only moments ago, and now how friendly he was.
“Do you know anything about the guy sitting next to me at dinner? Briar?”
Ozzy shook his head. “Nope. Why? Do you like him?”
“No. Well, maybe a little. But he seems almost scary.”
“He works at Trent’s club. But I’d never met him until tonight even though I used to go there a lot with my ex.”
Well, that was something. A surprise, actually.
“Like I said,” Ozzy continued. “You don’t have to be scared. There will be other littles coming, too. You’ll meet Maddy. He’s nice.”
“Thanks for including me.”
“I already like you. I didn’t know Trent had a nephew.”
“I’m more like a second cousin, but he has always been my uncle.”
We talked a little more before Ozzy left. I was so tired from my long drive I fell into the big comfortable bed and was soon asleep.