Chapter 15 #2
“My grandfather loved gadgets,” Roan replied.
“He’d drive my grandmother crazy ordering shit he saw on the internet and late-night TV.
Fish finders, tabletop grills, cloths that could soak up a bunch of shit, I forget what they were called, but he’d watch infomercials and call in to get whatever it was that fascinated him at the time.
He even bought one of those rotisserie things, despite hating chicken, and those steak knives that were supposed to be able to cut through a tin can.
He got a total gym for fuck’s sake, claiming he was gonna get back into shape.
He used it twice, cursed it out, and started hanging shop towels on it. ”
Snorting, Pope could just picture it in the corner of the garage, collecting dust bunnies.
“It got to where my grandmother started meeting the UPS guy at the end of the driveway just to tell him to send back whatever it was, because it wasn’t going to clutter up the place with the rest of his crap.”
“Did it work?” Pope asked.
“Nope, Gramps started slipping him money to leave his packages at the bowling alley,” Roan explained. “That way he could pick them up the next time he was down there.”
“Bet they loved that,” Danger said.
“Meh, with as much money he spent there, I doubt they cared.”
“Did you ever learn to bowl?” Ocean asked.
“Does racking up gutter balls count?”
Giggling, Ocean sat up enough to crack his neck, then settled right back down on Pope again. “Not that I can do any better unless the rails are down.”
“Wish Gramps would have put those down for me,” Roan replied. “I might have stood a chance then.”
“I’d have preferred a cannon to shoot the ball out of,” Ocean said. “Would have been way more exciting to watch the pins explode.”
His words were met with silence, Pope’s hand stilling in his hair, his eyebrows shooting up as he cocked his head while he sat there with a cartoon version of Ocean’s description rolling through his head until the shock wore off and he started laughing.
“Would have cost them a fortune in bowling pins,” Roan remarked, snickering.
“And pinsetter repairs when the ball wrecks the fuck out of them,” Pope finally said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “But you nailed it when it comes to the exciting part. Would be a hell of a thing to see, as long as you could watch from a safe, armored bunker to protect from ricochets.”
“Talk about changing the face of a sport,” Danger remarked, “or creating a new one. That’s what’s great about ideas. You never know how they are going to turn out until you fuck around and see what happens.”
“Wasn’t that what Pope’s grandpa said about pouring moonshine in the gas tank of Flaming Betty one night when he ran out of fuel?” Roan asked.
“Sure did,” Danger replied.
“I loved that he explained why it won’t work now,” Roan said. “He didn’t care how many questions I asked.”
“You made his day just by being interested,” Pope explained.
“Would you mind if I asked a question?” Danger said, staring down at Roan, hoping the vibe was chill enough that he would feel comfortable answering it.
“Roan is my real name,” he blurted, making all of them chuckle.
“Good to know,” Danger remarked, “but that wasn’t the question.”
“Oh.”
“Hey,” Danger said, stroking his hand up and down Roan’s arm. “It’s not a bad thing. I promise.”
“O-okay,” Roan said, struggling with where to look.
“Do you know what a little is?” Danger asked.
Roan froze; Pope could see it in the way his shoulders went rigid, and his gaze immediately dropped when he nodded.
“Are you one?” Danger asked.
Roan bit his lower lip when he nodded again.
Danger brushed his hair back from his cheek and gently caressed it.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of sweetheart.
The only reason I asked is because I’ve picked up on a few things that made me wonder.
Knowing just helps me recognize when you’re slipping into that head space so I can watch out for you and make sure your needs are met. ”
He blinked, stunned and confused; Pope could tell he hadn’t expected that to be his response. Ocean rolled off Pope’s lap in his haste to reach him, with Pope following close behind so they could hug him and reassure him it was perfectly fine.
“I-I was scared to tell you,” Roan admitted. “Ocean figured it out and I made him promise not to tell anyone.”
“Why?” Danger asked.
“J-just… I want to be a joker,” Roan explained. “And I know there are other Jokers who are littles too, but they all have caretakers.”
“And you didn’t, which is why you were trying so hard to find one,” Pope said, running his fingers through Roan’s hair. “It’s okay. You have two now.”
“Three,” Ocean declared, a low growling rumble in his voice that reminded them all of the pup he was and how protective he’d been in the dungeon space with Kermit.
“S-so it’s okay,” Roan stammered. “You won’t mind if sometimes I just want to play or curl up and be held?”
“Sweet boy, it’s more than okay,” Pope said.
“We can create a play space for you in the office,” Danger said, “not that we’ll be in it as much as we were while I was sorting out shit with Jester’s Delight.”
“You mean I can still work with you?” Roan asked.
“Of course you can,” Danger said. “You’ve been doing an awesome job. I wouldn’t dream of taking your job away from you. But I will insist upon you telling me when you’re not in the right headspace for me to send you off to collect paperwork or work on organizing things.”
“B-but if I tell you, will I have to go back to my cabin, so I won’t be in the way?”
“No,” Danger said, still caressing his cheek. “You’ll still get to stay with me. That’s why we’re going to create a play area, so you’ll have everything you need readily available, including snacks, which we will be stocking the fridge with.”
Ocean was perched on the arm of the couch, usually a big no-no, but tonight, Pope said nothing as Ocean leaned in so he could hug Roan.
“I’d planned to talk to you both about the cabin situation,” Pope said.
Between the three of them, they had Roan back to being as relaxed as he’d been before Danger’s question.
“What about it?” Ocean asked.
“The short answer is I don’t like it,” Pope replied.
“I’d rather have you three here with me.
There’s plenty of room, and I’ve come to think of you as mine.
It feels like a real home when we’re together.
You don’t have to give me your answers tonight, but I wanted to put it on the table, so you know that I’d like to see us work on forging a relationship together.
If that’s something you want, of course. ”
“Since you shared something so big, there’s something I need to tell you both too,” Danger said, gaze shifting between Ocean and Roan. “Like Ocean, I’m a pup too.”
“B-but I thought you were a Dom?” Roan stammered.
“Sometimes,” Danger replied. “But with Pope all I ever wanted was to be his pup and let him take control.”
“Every dynamic is different,” Pope explained, “and shaped by the people in them, or at least, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
We have plenty of time to work out the way we were meant to fit together.
Even after we do, there’s nothing saying it’s written in stone.
It’s going to take time for us to learn what one another’s needs and desires are, but if you’re willing to give us a chance, I know we’ll figure it out. ”
“I’m willing,” Roan said.
“Me too,” Ocean replied.
“I never should have stormed away from you,” Danger declared. “Nothing’s been completely right since.”
“Then that’s all we need for now,” Pope replied, hugging Roan and Ocean from behind while cupping the back of Danger’s neck and squeezing. “The rest will sort itself out.”