Chapter 3
Klynn
“Yes, I understand about Earth-style relationships that need discussions on limits.” My human agent’s arms twitched but he kept them at his sides. “I’m familiar with BDSM relationships and I’m comfortable discussing limits with you.”
Touch-based limits.
“My current limits on touching are that I am not comfortable with doing that in public.” I needed to think more about that before we performed mate behaviors in front of my people.
“I understand that limits change over time, but at this moment, I accept head and over the clothes body touches while performing hugs and cuddles in private.”
They were not the same thing no matter how many authors used the words interchangeably.
“Thank you for being clear on that.” My human agent radiated calm confidence, making it obvious he liked knowing my limits.
I’d pleased him.
Relief rushed through me making it easier to think about everything else, and he made the feeling even stronger as he finally closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me. My agent was tall for a human and it was easy to fit against him so my head rested on his shoulder.
When he tightened his hold, I couldn’t hold back the shiver that raced through me but it had him letting out a pleased sound and nuzzling against my neck. “Good boy. I’m glad you like my touch.”
Good boy.
Oh.
That.
That was as pleasant in person as it had seemed in my books.
“I do.” I hadn’t expected it, but I probably should have. From what I’d seen, mates liked touching and Toman seemed to have a strong need to touch Wren. “I had too many thoughts at one time to be able to articulate my needs.”
Yes, that was a good word.
“I thought that was what was happening, but thank you for making that clear.” As one hand started stroking my back, he made another pleased sound.
“I’m glad you understand how important verbal communication is for me.
I can’t read you as well as I would like yet, and I don’t want to inadvertently upset you. ”
Yes. I needed to explain the best way he could focus his caretaking instincts on me.
Humans involved in domination and submission relationships needed clear boundaries and loved to remind each other that they could not read minds.
My human agent could not read my mind…well…not yet, but I ignored that for now.
“So far your instincts with me have been accurate even though we come from different cultures.” I had no complaints about his behavior toward me or the way he kept others at what was called arm’s length.
“I’m glad, but I was very pleased when you made it clear you only wanted touches when we’re in private. I like knowing what you’re comfortable with and I would like to know more about what you want or what expectations you have.” My human agent paused for a moment to think before he continued.
He was thoughtful when it came to taking care of me.
“I’m most comfortable with a relationship that’s based on caretaking, and knowing what you like makes me very happy.”
He was sometimes too thoughtful when it came to taking care of me.
“You may use the human domination words.” Did he think they would upset or confuse me? “I…I have read extensively about a variety of those relationships. I will not be shocked.”
No matter what aspects of it he liked.
Lorne had a large and very interesting library.
“I need you to tell me if I ask you something that upsets or offends you, though.” Still holding and caressing me, he ran his nose up my neck sending shivers through me again. “Can you do that for me?”
“Yes.” He had questions but there was something else.
Oh.
“Um, do I need to explain that I have come to the realization that I would be the submissive in a human domination-style relationship?” It could be considered confusing or controversial depending on the story.
Ah.
He relaxed and even gave the quiet laughter sound called a chuckle that sometimes showed relief. “Yes, thank you for pointing that out. Just reading about something like submission doesn’t mean you can see yourself in that situation.”
Yes.
“I have read about aliens with tentacles or being a human college student and neither of those will ever apply to me.” I shrugged when he laughed again. “I do not have enough magic to become a monster as some mages can do.”
My human agent shook but tried to cover his laughter. When he finally stopped, he reached up to run one hand over my head and play with my hair. “I’m grateful for that, honestly. I don’t need you to become an ogre or tentacle alien.”
He had heard about Lorne as well.
“I’m grateful for that too, but books on the subject of monsters are interesting.” And also made me feel less alien. Compared to others, I was only an alien in a small way. “When I first started reading, I would have been more uncomfortable with the topic, but I have gotten more confident with it.”
I may not have liked the diner men, but being away from them let me understand it was helpful to see such relationships as normal.
“I’m guessing that’s something we’re not going to address in public, though, right?” He made a happy humming sound when I nodded against him. “I thought so. But we know that we can talk about anything we want in private or behave in any way that we both agree on.”
My human agent needed more questions from me and probably more personal conversations. “I…I am not used to addressing my private thoughts to anyone else.”
No.
“That sentence was wrong.” He was distracting.
Before I could try again, he shook his head. “It wasn’t wrong. It was just not structured how we would casually say it. Language changes over time, so at one point it was probably the best way to say it. I understood what you were saying, though.”
Reminding myself that I was getting better at his language, I performed snuggling against him and gave him a pleased sound when he tightened his hold on me again. “I like being right.”
That got a laugh from my human agent, but he hugged me tighter, so I didn’t mind. “I think that’s cute, but you’re not going to beat yourself up over it.”
“Is this an appropriate place to respond with ‘Yes, Sir’ or should that wait?” It was a half-serious question and half to practice teasing him, so I was glad when he could not seem to decide if he wanted to laugh or moan.
“If you were fucking with me about that I’m going to chuckle and say it’s up to you. If you were completely serious, the moan was what you should focus on.” His tone was clearly pleased and what the books would call lighthearted, so I knew I’d done well.
“The submissive in my current book would give you a vague answer and shrug.” The ones who wanted to manipulate their Doms and Daddies did that a lot.
Oh.
He made a very dragon sound, nearly a growl, and tightened his hold on me. “The subs in your books would also end up apologizing very sweetly for being naughty.”
In a variety of ways.
“Do you believe in apologies or punishments?” That seemed to vary greatly with the Dominants in books. “The locals on the other side of the portal are very…permissive Daddies.”
What would he be?
“It depends on the situation, but for teasing bratty behavior I would definitely encourage apologies.” He must’ve realized I liked that answer because he chuckled.
“If you want a spanking as a punishment that would be something we could talk about, but my first choice is to use spankings as something fun.”
Playing pretend with punishments was called a funishment…I had read about those.
“I found some types of books that use spankings as punishments but I could not relate to them.” It was confusing. “I wondered if that was because those seemed to be in mostly books with a human female being paired with one or more males.”
It was nice to be able to clarify my thoughts with someone who would not overshare in confusing ways or find my topics distressing.
My human made a thinking sound before shrugging. “I haven’t read enough of those types of books to have a strong opinion, but I think your reaction is more about how you see spankings than the male or female aspect.”
“The books with the same relationships can differ in significant ways.” I’d worried my mate would be on a completely different end of what had been called a spectrum, but that did not seem to have been a rational fear.
Mates were always compatible as the dragons of Earth continued to remind themselves.
“That’s where compromise and discussions come in.
Even if we’re very different, we’ll figure out the places where we have the most in common and focus on those.
” My human agent paused for a few moments before making the thinking sound that indicated he wanted feedback of some sort.
“As long as you’re looking for a relationship, that is. ”
Oh.
Yes, that needed to be discussed at some point…he was human, after all.
“I am still learning about the ways humans of Earth have relationships, but yes, I would like to have a relationship with you.” Humans constantly reminded themselves and others that going slow was a good way to handle pairing with someone, but I wasn’t sure what that looked like outside of fiction.
“Baby? I’m going to have more questions about this later.
” My human agent sounded like he had connected the dots but was not ready to see the picture yet.
“I would like at least one date first, however that actually looks here, and I would like for us to have at least a few conversations about the type of…let’s call it the type of human domination-based relationship you’d like to explore. ”
My mate understood those but also understood I was…apprehensive.
“I am not used to talking about those topics but I do understand they cannot be avoided.” Eventually he would be able to see my thoughts on those, but if I waited until that point, my mate would be disappointed in me.
“I’m glad you know that.” Nuzzling me again, he sighed. “What are your thoughts on kissing?”
That it made me want to do the human sound of giggling.
“I approve of kissing.” Did that need clarification? How was I feeling? “The subs in my books would explain that they approve of kissing anywhere. I do as well and would like to shift my limits accordingly. Is that the right way to handle that question outside of books?”
His moan gave at least one clear signal to his thoughts, but I was glad when words followed. “Yes, baby. Yes, that was the right way to clarify your answer. I also approve of kissing anywhere, but I want you to be comfortable with what we’re doing.”
Ah.
I knew this one.
“I am not supposed to go faster than I want to or you will be disappointed.” I’d seen that in reality and in my books. “I have overheard that conversation in person as well as having read it in stories.”
There were a lot of conversations and activities that worked in books and outside of them.
“Good boy.” He made me shiver again with his words, but he was pleased with my reaction. “That’s so sexy, baby.”
He kissed my neck.
Was it a reward for good behavior or for seeing my body react to his?
“I love your sounds and the way you cuddle against me, but I’m proud of you for remembering that I’d be upset if I pushed you to do something you weren’t ready for yet or didn’t want to, in general.
” Kissing up my neck, my human nuzzled against me and made more wonderful human sounds.
“But that’s why we have limits and we talk about things like spankings or kissing or anything that we want to clarify. ”
“And…” Kissing was very distracting. “And using safewords. I know that one as well. I will use stoplight colors.”
For some reason that got a pleased hum from him. “I love it when—”
Fuck.
The term fuck was highly appropriate when someone called out through the door. “Agent Murphy?”
He groaned softly as he buried his face against my neck, remembering our hearing as he whispered. “I’m going to be patient because my job is important. My job is important. My job is important.”
I was starting to understand why humans laughed at each other so often…they were highly amusing.
“You are not required to do your job every hour of the day.” It seemed to be my job to explain that to my human. “I will show you how to set the privacy spells on your rooms.”
Straightening, he frowned but it was the thoughtful type, not the angry type. “Can I do that?”
I gave him the shrug they performed often. “We will find out.”
If not, there were other ways of handling a need for privacy…some more polite than others.