Chapter Five #3
He opened the suitcase to pull out his leather pants, vest, and mask.
He set them aside before going into the bathroom.
Gem took a piss, washed his hands, popped in his colored contacts, then checked that his hair was still styled after his shower.
Once he was satisfied that not a hair was out of place, Gem returned to the bedroom.
Donning his costume had the added effect of getting Gem into the proper headspace to take care of his boy.
With his hair neatly styled, his face covered, purple eyes hidden, and the vest hiding the tattoo over his chest, Gem would be able to concentrate all his attention on his sub.
Nothing identifiable was within view. Gem took a deep breath then went about preparing for the call.
He shut off the main light, allowing the only light in the room to come from the Christmas tree in the opposite corner.
Gem made certain the curtains were closed.
It was dark but not too dark. Returning to the bed, it only took a moment to place the suitcase aside and get settled with his back against the headboard.
Gem picked up his phone and opened the app. The message he expected popped up.
‘I’m here.’
Instead of responding, Gem pushed the button to connect to a FaceTime call.
“Hello, sir.” It had only taken one ring for him to be answered.
Gem brought the phone closer.
His boy was in a dark room. The only light came from the phone in his sub’s hand. Ty wore his usual black half-face mask and a dark hoodie.
“Are you good?” He asked his question gently.
“I…” His boy swallowed hard. “Yes.”
Gem didn’t believe him. “List,” he demanded.
Ty bit his lower lip.
“I have all night,” Gem told him. He didn’t, but this was about the illusion, after all. And if his boy needed him, Gem would work out a way to make it happen.
His boy huffed then immediately spoke, knowing that he was pushing his luck. “I am strong, both physically and mentally.”
Gem cleared his throat when his boy paused.
“I am resilient and can overcome any challenge. I can handle tough situations. I stand tall in my beliefs and values. I don’t have to be perfect to be valuable. I am enough just as I am.”
“And?” Gem pushed.
“Uh.” Ty’s voice dropped lower. “I honor my feelings and emotions, and I allow myself to experience them fully. It’s okay to ask for help when I need it. My vulnerability is a strength.”
“Good job, baby.” He made sure his voice was full of his pride.
“Thank you, sir,” his boy whispered.
They started every session like this. His sub had been uniquely vulnerable when they made their contract. The experience had been interesting. Not only because they’d met a total of one time in person but because Ty had been up-front and a little demanding about what he needed.
There were times when Gem wanted to demand that his boy tell him what caused so much darkness in him, but boundaries were a thing.
“Tell me something fun you did today,” Gem demanded.
A small smile tipped up the edges of Ty’s lips. “I shifted.”
That was one thing that they had shared.
The fact that they were both shifters. It mattered when impact play had been one of the first acts they’d experienced together.
A shifter could take more than a human. His sub had wanted to make that clear.
Ty needed more than a human would. Could take more.
But shifters also required a certain amount of aftercare as well.
Gem didn’t know what type of shifter his boy was, but he imagined some kind of large predator. His sub was built. Amazing definition and muscles. With Ty’s faint Russian accent, Gem was thinking bear, maybe.
“That’s good.” Gem hoped to get his own shifting in over the next couple of days.
Aries and Nix were fun to shift with. Except if they shifted in front of their mom, they would end up having to do the thing.
Gem hated doing the thing. He’d much better concentrate on his boy. “And you ate afterward?”
“My mom made her famous stew for us,” his boy said. “I had three bowls.”
Gem grinned. That was the most excitement that he’d ever heard from his sub. “Three? I’m impressed.”
“It’s my favorite meal,” Ty replied. “She only makes it on special occasions.”
“She must be very happy to have you home,” Gem pointed out.
His boy sighed. “It’s my dad’s favorite too and it was probably to keep his mouth busy.”
“Ty,” Gem said. He hated that he couldn’t give his sub any concrete advice since he hadn’t gotten the full story of what was going on. Just bits and pieces.
“It’s fine.” He cleared his throat. “My father has been on my case lately. The contract I have with the company I work for is expiring and he has thoughts about it.”
Gem tried not to show his reaction. He had no idea what Ty did for a living, just that it caused his boy a ton of stress. “Are you renewing it?”
His boy shrugged. “I’m willing. It’s them that are dragging their feet. I’ve been there for a long time. I feel like they don’t need me anymore.”
“After everything that you’ve done for them?” It sounded like his boy needed to move on.
“They’re looking to go in another direction,” Ty said.
“Then fuck them,” Gem declared. He might not know Ty’s profession, but no company was worth this much bullshit.
His boy snorted. “It’s a…good job.”
“You’ll find another,” Gem insisted.
“It’s not that simple. The field that I work in is competitive,” Ty responded.
“I have faith in you,” Gem said sincerely.