ashleigh ୨ৎ

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The room was still dark when you woke up, with the tiniest slither of light peeking through the curtains. Your alarm hadn’t gone off yet, so you let out a content hum before letting your eyes shut again. But the more conscious you were becoming, the more you noticed what was happening around you. 

The AC was making the room far too cold for your liking, but there was also something warm pressed against your back. Noah was still holding you tight, spooning you, one of his arms resting heavily over your waist, holding you close, making sure you weren’t going anywhere. 

And his cock was still inside you.

You could feel it- soft and warm at first, nestled deep inside you. But as you became more aware, your walls clenched involuntarily, and you felt it slowly twitching, thickening, growing harder inside you. Noah was still half asleep himself, but his body was reacting to you none the less. He pressed even closer, his lips brushing softly against the back of your neck in lazy, sleepy kisses.

A low, quiet groan escaped him as his cock continued to twitch, stretching your sensitive walls again. You let out a soft, breathy whimper at the feeling, which at first felt a little strange and sore, but that feeling was starting to fade into something a lot more pleasurable. 

Noah’s lips moved higher, kissing along your shoulder, then your neck, until he reached just behind your ear. His voice was deep and raspy with sleep when he finally whispered against your skin:

“…Morning, princess.” He gave a slow roll of his hips, pushing his now rock hard cock even deeper into you. The slow drag made you gasp softly. “I woke up hard inside you,” he whispered, his voice thick with sleepy lust as he kissed your neck again. “Couldn’t help it… you feel too good.”

He didn’t thrust hard, he was just giving slow and lazy rolls of his hips, like he was savouring the warmth and wetness of your pussy. His hand slid down your body until his fingers found your clit, rubbing it gently while he continued kissing your neck and shoulder.

You moaned softly, pushing back against him, still hazy with sleep. Noah hummed in approval, nipping gently at your skin.

“Want me to make you feel good again before we get up?” He whispered tenderly, his cock throbbing inside you. “Or do you just want to lie here and let me stay buried in you a little longer?”

He slowly kissed the side of your neck again, while his fingers kept up their gentle teasing on your clit. But when he didn’t get an answer, he stopped moving. 

“You want it, baby?” He asked, his breath warm against your neck as he moved his hand to stroke your hip instead. 

You nodded, pushing back against him gently.

“I do… but I have work this morning.” You said softly, and he sensed the slight hesitation in your voice.

“Baby, it’s only 6am,” he whispered, nipping gently at your neck. “We’ve got plenty of time. Let me make you feel good before you have to go out.”

You hesitated for half a second, but then nodded, and melted back into his touch. 

“Okay…”

You reached back and took his hand, and guided it down between your legs until his fingers rested on your clit again. At the same time, you pushed back against him, taking his now fully hard cock deeper into your pussy, making Noah let out a satisfied groan.

“That’s my good girl.” He whispered.

His fingers started moving in circles over your clit again while he rolled his hips, fucking you from behind. The entire thing felt so incredibly intimate, from waking up still tangled together, to the way his chest was pressed against your back, to the soft little kisses and soft praises he’d whisper between thrusts. 

“That’s it, baby,” he whispered. “Just relax… let me take care of you.”

You let out a soft, breathy moan, pushing back to meet him again. Noah kissed your shoulder, then the side of your neck, his breath warm against your skin as his fingers kept up their gentle rhythm on your clit.

“You feel so good like this,” he said, “My sweet girl.”

His thrusts stayed slow and deep, each one pressing him fully inside you before pulling back just enough to slide in again. The room was quiet except for your soft moans and the gentle sounds of your bodies moving together.

Noah nipped lightly at your shoulder, then soothed it with his tongue.

“You’re getting so close already, aren’t you?” he whispered, his voice full of affection. “I can feel you squeezing me. Don’t hold back, princess. Cum whenever you want to.”

His fingers circled your clit a little faster, still gentle, while his cock continued those slow, deep strokes. You pushed back against him, chasing the pleasure, your breathing growing quicker.

Noah held you tighter, kissing the side of your face.

“That’s it sweetheart, let it happen. I’ve got you...”

The combination of his cock filling you and his fingers on your clit finally pushed you over the edge. You came with a soft, trembling moan, your pussy clenching around him as waves of pleasure washed through you.

Noah groaned quietly, kissing your neck as he felt you cum around him, and he kept moving through your orgasm, slow and gentle, drawing it out until you started to come down. Then his own breathing grew heavier. His thrusts became a little deeper, a little more urgent.

“I’m close, baby,” he murmured against your skin, voice strained with pleasure. “Can I cum inside you?”

You nodded quickly, pushing back against him.

“Please…”

Noah buried his face in your neck and let out a low, shaky groan as he came. His cock pulsed deep inside you, filling you with warm, thick spurts of cum. He held you tightly through every twitch, kissing your shoulder and whispering soft, sleepy praises.

“Fuck…” he breathed, still buried inside you as he finished. “You’re so fucking perfect, baby.”

He didn’t pull out. Instead, he wrapped both arms around you, holding you close as his softening cock stayed nestled warmly inside you.

“Stay like this with me a little longer,” he whispered, pressing one last kiss to the back of your neck. “We still have time before you have to get ready.”

So you did. You stayed like this for another fifteen minutes, just holding each other and sharing sleepy kisses, until you decided it was probably time to shower. 

You both stood under the water, taking turns stealing the shampoo and conditioner from each other. There was just something so soft and intimate about the way he was holding you, the way he ran his soapy fingers through your hair before conditioning the ends, the way he took his time and put so much care into every little touch. 

By the time you’d both finished in the bathroom, Noah was towelling off his hair while you stood in front of the mirror braiding yours, then you caught his eye in the reflection.

“…I don’t want to go to work.”

He smiled.

“I know.”

“No, I really don’t.”

He nodded his head. 

“Just wanna climb back in bed, huh?” 

You sighed as you tied the little elastic around your hair.

“I’ve been thinking about it.” You turned to face him, folding your arms. “Can I call in sick?”

“You could.” He shrugged. 

Your eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“No.”

You groaned loudly enough to make him laugh, and he wandered over, sliding his arms around your waist and kissing your shoulder.

“What happened to the girl who told me she’d go insane if she didn’t work? Have I really spoiled you that much?” He smirked. 

“It’s not that…” You rested your forehead against his shoulder with another exaggerated sigh. “I just know today’s going to drag.”

He gently rubbed your back.

“Probably.”

“Thanks for the optimism.” You scoffed

“But…”

You looked up. His expression had suddenly changed into one of those knowing looks that told you he was already three steps ahead, and he knew something you didn’t.

“If you can make it to the end of the week… I’ve got something planned for us.”

Your curiosity straight away won over your misery.

“What kind of something?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“Noah!”

He shook his head.

“Nope.”

“Are we going somewhere?”

“Maybe...”

“Will you give me a clue?”

He thought it over for a moment… then shook his head. 

“That’s not fair.” You pouted. 

“It’ll be worth it.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know.” He smiled, then leaned down and kissed your forehead. “So… if you manage to make it through the rest of the week, I’ll promise to make it worth it.”

…

If Noah’s promise of a surprise at the weekend was the only thing that got you through the drive to work that morning, it certainly wasn’t enough to get you through the shift itself. Because from the moment you stepped through the door, everything just seemed to go wrong. 

The morning rush felt more busy than normal, the card machine froze twice before lunchtime, somebody spilled an entire caramel latte across the floor by the counter, and by eleven o’clock you’d remade three drinks because customers insisted they were wrong- despite watching you make them exactly how they asked. 

By midday your feet were aching and you felt sick. By two o’clock you’d forgotten to take your lunch break because of how busy it’d been, until Tom shoved a sandwich into your hands and guided you away into the staff room. 

By four, someone had complained that their coffee wasn’t hot enough, despite steam still rising from the cup when you took off the lid. But still, you smiled through every interaction and apologised a thousand times, even when it wasn’t your fault. Then, somewhere around five o’clock, your brain simply stopped working.

“Hey.” You looked up as Tom appeared beside the coffee machine. “You alright?”

You blinked, caught suddenly off guard. 

“…Yeah?”

“Pfft, liar.”

You let out a tired laugh.

“I’m just done with today.”

Tom nodded sympathetically.

“Only another hour.”

You groaned dramatically.

“I don’t think I’ve got another hour in me.”

“You do.” He said, then suddenly nudged your shoulder. “And good news!”

“Hm?”

“The new guy starts on Monday!”

You looked at him hopefully.

“Really?”

“Yep. So next week we shouldn’t be running around like lunatics.”

Relief washed over you.

“Oh thank god.” 

The thought alone was enough to keep you going for the final stretch… and before you knew it, it was six. You finished wiping the counters, put away the left over sandwiches and pastries, mopped the floor and finally untied your apron.

You said goodbye to Tom, who promised to close so you could leave just that little bit earlier, then finally, you pushed open the cafe door and stepped outside into the cool evening air.

A familiar black car was already waiting outside, and it made your heart flutter the moment you spotted it. You couldn’t stop smiling as you hurried over, exhaustion forgotten for just a second. But he climbed out before you’d even reached the car.

“Hey, baby.”

“Hi.” You smiled. 

He leaned down to kiss your forehead before reaching for your bag.

“I’ve got it.” He said. 

“I can carry-”

“I know.” But he took it anyway. Then the two of you started walking towards the passenger side together.

“So…” Noah glanced at you. “How was your day?”

You opened your mouth… but nothing came out. 

Instead, the overwhelming feeling creeped up on you again, and your eyes suddenly started to fill with tears, so you immediately looked away.

“…Hey.” His voice softened, and he stopped walking. “What happened?”

You shook your head quickly.

“Nothing.”

“Sweetheart.”

You swallowed hard.

“It was just…” You let out a shaky laugh. “It’s been a long day.”

His face suddenly softened even more, because he suddenly saw it all on you. How tense and stiff your shoulders were, how exhausted your eyes looked, the way your jaw was clenched… 

Without saying another word, Noah stepped closer, and his hands settled gently on either side of your face.

“You made it.” You said gently. 

You looked up at him.

“What?”

“You got through it.”

The lump in your throat somehow grew even bigger.

“I know it doesn’t feel like much right now,” he said quietly, brushing his thumbs across your cheeks, “But I’m proud of you.”

A tiny, weak smile appeared on your lips. 

“I spent ten minutes crying because I didn’t realise someone asked for oat milk. I had to chase them out the cafe!”

He smiled sympathetically.

“It’s okay.”

“And I forgot someone’s muffin.”

“That’s okay too.”

“And-“

“Shh,” he gently hushed, before his hand found yours. “You’re done now, okay? It’s time to come home and relax.” Just hearing him say it slightly eased the feeling in your chest. “You don’t have to stress anymore.”

He opened the passenger door for you.

“I’ve got you.”

You zoned out almost the whole way back to Noah’s, your head resting against the window, and you watched the city blur past as Noah drove with one hand on the wheel. Every now and then he’d glance over at you, like he was just silently checking in, but nothing changed the whole way back. 

He could tell you were running on fumes, and he hated it. 

By the time he pulled onto the drive, you didn’t even realise you’d almost fallen asleep.

“We’re home.” He said as he opened the passenger door, and reached over to unbuckle you. 

You blinked a few times, a little confused and slightly dazed.

“…Already?”

He smiled.

“C’mon.”

This time, he didn’t even give you the chance to reach for your bag. He lifted it onto his shoulder before holding the front door open for you.

The familiar, now comforting, scent of his home hit you the second you stepped inside, and you let out a long breath.

God… it really was starting to feel like home.

Noah locked the door behind you before setting your bag down in the hallway, then he turned to face you.

There was something different about him now… he wasn’t stern or cold, but the way he was looking at you told you that what he was about to say wasn’t up for discussion. 

He gently tilted his head.

“Come here a second.”

You didn’t realise you were still stood by the front door, so you took a couple steps closer, until he could reach you, then he brushed a thumb over your one of your cheeks.

“You’ve had enough today.”

You laughed tiredly.

“I really have.” You frowned. 

His hands settled gently on your shoulders.

“So…” A tiny smile appeared on his lips. “I’m taking over.”

You looked at him curiously.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…” he said softly, “…you don’t have to make another decision tonight. I’m giving your brain the evening off.”

Your lips curved into a smile.

“…Okay.”

“I’ve got three jobs for you, baby.”

“Three?”

“Only three.” He nodded, then held one finger up. “First…” He reached into his pocket and handed you his phone. “I’ve written a message for your landlord.”

You frowned. You had completely forgotten to chase up the inspection, to ask if anyone had been out to look at your apartment yet. 

“It says exactly what you need it to, so you just need you to read it, make sure you’re happy with it, and send it to him from your phone.”

You stared at him.

“You wrote it for me?”

“I figured I’d save you the trouble.”

You couldn’t help but smile. Then, he held up a second finger.

“After that…”

He gently turned you towards the staircase.

“I will run you a bath. I want you to take your time in there, relax, use whatever you want… there’s no rush. If you’d like, I can even help you in there, but otherwise,” he held up the third finger, “Come back downstairs when you’re finished, dinner will be ready. I went shopping earlier and bought one of those pizzas you said you liked. I know it’s nothing fancy, but just like you said to me last night, it’s a comfort food.”

Your heart melted, and you suddenly felt tears begin to blur your vision. 

“You don’t have to do any of that for me.”

“I know.” He whispered, “But I want to anyway.”

You smiled.

“…Can I help?”

He shook his head.

“Nope. You looked after me last night, so tonight,” his thumb brushed gently across your cheek. “It’s my turn to look after you.”

You looked at him for a long moment, wondering whether to argue it. But why would you? The heavy, anxious feeling that had been sitting on your chest ever since you’d opened the cafe this morning was gone. Your shoulders had dropped without you even noticing, the constant buzzing of voices and thoughts in your mind had quietened.

He had told you exactly what you needed to do, you didn’t have to plan a single thing or make any choice. Just do as he said. 

And Noah watched as it happened. The way your posture softened and you let out a tiny breath, and he thought to himself there it is. 

He’d been noticing it for a while now. Whenever he gently took charge, you would simply let him, and you’d be so at ease. It was really the only time you’d let yourself relax, and it left him wondering something…

“Go on.” He said as he leaned down to kiss your forehead, with a gentle pat against your hip, “Off you go.”

You laughed quietly.

“Yes, sir.”

The words slipped out before you even realised you’d said them, then you suddenly froze, and Noah froze too. For a second, neither of you said a word. Then one corner of his mouth slowly pulled into a smirk.

“…Cute.”

Heat rushed straight to your face.

“I didn’t mean-”

“I know.” He smiled, “C’mon, let’s send this text and run you a nice warm bath.”

…

The bath did exactly what Noah had hoped it would. You stayed in there for almost an hour, surrounded by bubbles, and the scent of lavender filling the room. Noah had stayed in there with you for the first fifteen minutes. You talked about your day, got some things off your chest, and he even washed your hair for you. 

For the first time all day, you finally felt like you could breathe. You weren’t thinking about work, or your apartment, or your landlord, or anything that had been causing you stress. You were just existing, taking all the time you needed, laying back in the water until it began to feel a little cold. 

By the time you wandered back downstairs in the clothes Noah laid out on the bed for you- one of his t-shirts and a comfy pair of pyjama shorts- your hair was still damp, but for the first time since coming back from Paris, your mind felt at peace. 

You heard Noah call your name, so you looked towards the kitchen, and he was stood by the counter, plating up dinner. 

“I was starting to think you’d fallen asleep in there.”

“I could’ve.” You smiled. 

Dinner was nothing fancy- just pizza, garlic bread, two cold drinks and more easy, simple conversation that didn’t hurt your head. It was his turn to tell you about his day now, how he visited his friend Davis (and showed you a picture of his dog), they talked through some merch ideas then he went grocery shopping and saw they had your favourite pizza so of course he had to pick a couple up. 

After dinner, the two of you ended up on the couch. The TV played a nature documentary that you both commented on every now and then, talking about how cute the animals were, about how he and his friends visited a koala sanctuary last time they were in Australia. It just felt so calm, so peaceful. Exactly what you needed after a day like today. 

At some point, you stretched your legs across his lap without really thinking about it. Neither of you said anything about it, but after a moment, you felt his hand gently settle around your ankle. 

“You alright if I…?”

You looked over at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Hm?”

“You’ve been standing all day,” he said, his thumb gently stroking the side of your foot, “Your feet probably hurt.” 

You couldn’t help but smile. 

“...A little.” 

His thumbs began to gently press into the arch of your foot, and you let out a content little sigh at how unexpectedly nice it felt. 

“Is that good?” He asked gently, and you nodded. 

“But be careful, I might just fall asleep if you keep doing that.” 

He let out a soft chuckle, continuing to slowly massage you. 

“And is that a problem?” He asked, glancing back up at the TV. “Just means I’ll have to carry you up to bed… oh no!” 

You let out a chuckle, about to argue, but his warm, strong hands were incredibly gentle, and you felt yourself sink into the comfy cushions. For a moment, the two of you were silent, watching the TV, until he eventually spoke again. 

“…Can I ask you something?”

You turned your head.

“Sure.”

“It’s a slightly strange question.”

That made you smile.

“Go on…”

He looked down at your feet in his lap for a moment, choosing his words carefully.

“…Have you noticed how different you are tonight?”

“What do you mean?” You frowned.

He glanced back up, meeting your eyes. 

“You’ve been the happiest and most relaxed I think I’ve ever seen you. You’ve smiled more, you’ve not been fidgeting…” He gave your foot a gentle squeeze. “…Do you think maybe.. it’s because your mind finally seems to have settled?”

You thought about it.

“…Yeah. Does it really show that much?”

“It does to me.” He said softly, “Do you know why you feel like this?”

You opened your mouth, then closed it again. So he gently prompted you. 

“Do you think it could be because you’ve let me take some of that weight off you tonight? Writing the message to your landlord, choosing which bubble bath to use, laying out something for you to wear, telling you what we’re having for dinner..?” 

“...Yeah.” You answered after a moment, “Yeah, it’s definitely made me feel a lot better.” 

He nodded his head slowly, his fingers still working against your skin.  

“I’ve been noticing something for a while.”

“What’s that?” You asked curiously. 

He paused for a moment, taking in a slow breath. 

“Before I say this, I want you to know that I do not think you need someone to rescue you- I know you don’t. I think you’re so incredibly capable, you work hard, you’ve built a life for yourself, and you know just how to handle things. You always will.” 

He paused, his tongue darting out to wet his lower lip before he continued. 

“But… I also think you’re exhausted.” He said simply, and the words hit you harder than you expected. “I hate that you think you have to deal with everything, and carry the weight of it all by yourself.” He added. 

“I don’t really know how not to.” You said, looking away from him and letting out a laugh that didn’t really sound like a laugh at all. “I know no one’s coming to save me… I know that if I don’t stay on top of things, everything will just fall apart. It’s just the way life is, Noah. Some of us have it easy, some of us don’t have a choice.” 

Another quiet moment passed, he pressed his lips together and slowly nodded his head. 

“I completely understand, more than you know baby, trust me. But has it ever occurred to you…” he said, his voice soft, “That maybe you’ve just never had someone that you trust enough to take that weight from you?”

Your eyes drifted back to his, and before you could say anything, he continued. 

“I’m not saying all of it, I’m not saying forever… I’m just talking about whenever things get too much, or if there’s something that you recognise is causing you a lot of stress… let me handle it. Like I’ve done for you tonight.” 

He looked at you for a long moment, his thumb gently stroking your ankle. 

“I took control tonight, didn’t I? I gave you those tasks to do, I made those big decisions for you, and you didn’t argue, you trusted me with everything, and up until about five minutes, you looked peaceful,” he chuckled softly. “I liked seeing you like that.”

You slowly nodded your head, feeling your chest ache a little. 

“Yeah… thank you for doing that, Noah. It really made me feel…” you searched for the right word, “Safe.”

He looked at you with gentle eyes and a soft smile. 

“That’s exactly what I hoped you’d say.” 

Then, for a moment, another comfortable silence settled between you two. The TV continued playing, though neither of you really knew what was going on anymore. Then Noah gently moved your legs in his lap until you looked a little more comfortable, then- almost cautiously this time- he spoke again. 

“I’ve been wondering whether there’s a way we could make that feeling something you get more often.” 

You looked over at him again, frowning curiously. 

“What do you mean?”

Then Noah slowly took a deep breath, like he was almost preparing himself, before asking,

“Have you ever heard of a dominant and submissive relationship?”

Your tummy immediately fluttered, but you couldn’t help yourself from smirking. 

“You mean like, ‘who’s your daddy, babygirl?’” You wiggled your eyebrows, and Noah dropped his head back against the couch, trying to hold back his laugh. 

“Oh, sweetheart.” He rubbed a hand over his face.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” You giggled. 

“I know.” He shook his head, still smiling. “I guess that is the stereotype…”

“So that’s not what you’re talking about?”

“No. Not unless that’s something that two people enjoy.” He looked back at you, “I’m talking about trust.” The smile slowly faded from your face as you realised how serious he was. “I’m talking about one person choosing to take a little more responsibility, and the other choosing to hand a little of that responsibility over.”

You frowned thoughtfully.

“So… the dominant is in charge, right?”

“Yeah, in some ways.” He smiled softly. “But not in the way you probably think. Instead of bossing the sub around, the way I see the dominant’s role is to create somewhere that feels safe. Emotionally, mentally, and physically. So the submissive doesn’t have to be ‘on’ all the time. They put their trust in the dom to care for them, so they can just switch their brain off.” His thumb continued absentmindedly tracing circles against your ankle. “If I were to be a dom, I don’t want someone who’s scared of me, or someone who obeys me because they have to. I’d want someone who’s comfortable enough with me to relax and trust me to make the right choices for them.”

Your heart gave the tiniest squeeze.

“…Like tonight.” You said. 

He smiled.

“Exactly like tonight.”

You thought about it for a moment…

“So… what does that actually mean? If tonight worked the way you wanted it to?”

He leaned back into the sofa.

“It means we’d probably have routines. Tonight seemed to help you, so I’m guessing your brain likes structure.” 

“I don’t think my brain knows what structure is.” You scoffed.  

He gave you a sad smile. 

“So maybe that means I’d tell you exactly how I want your day to look. You’d still get a say, of course, I don’t want you to think I’m taking your autonomy away… but maybe I’d tell you what time to set an alarm for in the mornings, I’d remind you to eat breakfast, then after work it’d be just like tonight- I’d plan the evening out for you, tell you to change into something comfy, remind you if there’s anything you need to do, like texting your landlord…”

A warm smile spread across your face.

“...I think I like the sound of that.”  

“You think?”

You nodded your head. 

“And aren’t there like… rules to things like this?” You asked, “Is there a contract I have to sign?”

He chuckled, his fingers stroking up and down your calf.

“There can be rules and contracts...”

Your eyebrows rose.

“It sounds a bit scary.”

“It shouldn’t be.” He reassured you, “They’re not there to punish you, baby. They’re there to support you. For example, I don’t think we’d have a formal contract, but our rules might be that you text me to let me know you got to work safely every morning, and I might ask that if you’re overwhelmed or you aren’t having the best day, to tell me instead of pretending you’re okay. And if something I did ever upset you, I’d expect you to tell me that too.”

You smiled softly, nodding your head. 

“So it’s not just me following rules?”

“No, not at all.” He shook his head. “I’d have more rules than you, actually.” 

“Really?” 

He nodded his head. 

“The dominant has a hell of a lot of responsibilities.” He explained, “If I were asking you to trust me like that, I’d have a responsibility to earn it every day in every which way, and to respect every one of your wishes. I may be the dominant, but you’re actually in total control, baby.” 

The room then fell quiet as you thought, the TV still playing in the background, completely forgotten about now. You looked down at your hands, unsure what to say…

“So you think this is something that’d actually suit us?” You asked gently, and he shrugged almost shyly.

“…I think this is something we’ve already been doing without either of us noticing.”

You nodded, realising he’s kinda right. 

“…Can I say something stupid?”

“There’s no such thing.” He smiled. 

“I always thought this kind of thing was just like… a sex thing.” You said, your cheeks turning a little pink. 

“A lot of people do.” Noah chuckled quietly. “And it can be. For some people, that’s all it is. But for other people, it’s a whole relationship dynamic. It can be the way you communicate, how you look after each other, the roles you naturally fall into.” 

You nodded your head slowly, though you were too busy wondering,

“Would ours be a sex thing?”

He shook his head with a little smile.

“No.” 

“No?” 

“Not primarily,” he said, “I don’t want the bedroom to be the foundation of this. I want it to be built on trust, communication, and you feeling safe- that’s what I care about most.” He gave your ankle a gentle squeeze again, “The bedroom would just be another place where that trust comes into play.”

“So it could become a part of it?” You smirked. 

He let out a soft chuckle, the expression on his face still calm and reassuring. 

“If you wanted to explore that side of it with me, then yes. We’d talk about it, take our time, and only do what feels right for the both of us. Communication and trust is the most important part of this whole thing, so we’d discuss boundaries, things we wanna explore and the things that are completely off the table, so neither of us are left feeling unsure or uncomforable.” 

You nodded your head. 

“You’ve really done your research on this, huh?” You smiled. 

“Of course,” he said, “I didn’t want to bring it up unless I was sure I understood exactly what I was asking.”

You moved your legs, swinging them off his lap before sitting up straight. 

“So if I agree to this…” you began, “You’re not gonna make me call you daddy at any point?”

He couldn’t help but laugh, his head tipping back against the couch again as he flashed a toothy grin. 

“Why would I, baby?” He shook his head, “...I know there’s a different word you prefer.” 

Your face suddenly felt red hot, but you tried to play it off with a scoff. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh no? That little blush says otherwise.”

“There is no blush.” You folded your arms over your chest, trying your best to look offended though your grin gave you away. “You’re imagining things.”

He smiled knowingly but, to your relief, let it drop.

“For the record,” he said, “I’m never going to tell you what you have to call me. If something feels natural, great. If it doesn’t, we don’t do it.”

You nodded, appreciating how simple he made everything sound.

“…Okay.” So daddy isn’t off the table?

Silence settled between you for a moment, and you chewed on your cheek, another question forming in your mind.

“…Can I ask something else?”

“You can ask me anything, sweetheart.”

“It might sound… really stupid.”

“It won’t.”

You hesitated.

“So…” You looked over at him, a tiny smile creeping onto your face. “What happens if I’m… difficult?”

One of Noah’s eyebrows lifted.

“Difficult?”

“You know…” You shrugged innocently. “If I roll my eyes, sass you, tease you, deliberately don’t do what you tell me to…” 

His expression didn’t change, instead, he looked almost amused.

“You mean what happens if you’re a brat?” He smirked, “…well it depends, would you ever do that?”

“I don’t know.” You grinned. “Maybe.”

He laughed softly.

“I think you probably would.”

“I might… just to see what happens…” You smirked. 

“Yeah, I had a feeling.” He shook his head. 

You watched him carefully, that little teasing smile still on your face. 

“So?”

He thought for a second before answering.

“If you’re teasing me because you’re in a playful mood… then yeah, I’d probably tease you right back, or if you’re purposely pushing me then yeah i’d give you what you want if you’re asking me to punish you- but that’s something completely different that we can discuss. But if you’re pushing back because you’re overwhelmed, upset or anxious…” His expression softened. “…then I’d stop and figure out what’s actually going on.”

“So you wouldn’t just put me in my place?”

He let out a quiet laugh.

“No, baby, not unless I know that’s what you want.” He leaned forward slightly. “Sometimes people joke, sometimes they’re bratty or playful, sometimes they’re stressed. And sometimes they’re asking for reassurance without knowing how.” His eyes met yours. “My job would be to figure out which one it is.”

Your smile faded into a look of soft awe. 

“…You really think about people’s feelings a lot, don’t you?”

“I’d have to.” He shrugged. “If someone trusted me enough with this, then I’d have a responsibility to pay attention to how they’re feeling.” He smiled. “Besides, you strike me as someone who’s a little cheeky.”

Yeah… you couldn’t deny that.

The documentary eventually ended, and the credits ran on the screen. Noah reached for the remote and switched the TV off, leaving the room bathed in the warm glow of the lamp beside the sofa. He stretched his arms above his head, letting out a quiet sigh.

“Come on.” He said, and you looked up. “I think it’s time for bed.”

You nodded your head. He stood first before offering you a hand, waiting patiently until you slipped yours into it.

“Good evening?” He asked.

“It’s been a really good evening.” You smiled.

“Good. I’m glad.” He smiled, giving your hand a gentle squeeze before leading you upstairs.

After you’d both brushed your teeth, Noah had disappeared for a quick shower. You wandered around his bedroom while you waited, absentmindedly straightening the cushion on the chair by his window before immediately laughing at yourself, thinking “seriously? you’re tidying his room now?”

The sound of the shower soon stopped, and a few minutes later the bathroom door opened.

You looked up, and… oh. 

“What?” Noah glanced over, towelling his hair dry.

“…Nothing.”

A smirk slowly spread across his face.

“Mm, doesn’t look like nothing to me.”

Heat crept back into your cheeks as he stepped into the bedroom. He’d changed into a pair of grey joggers and nothing else, his hair dark and damp from the shower, his chain necklace still around his neck, catching the light. He looked too fucking good… it brought your mind back to something you were talking about earlier…

You looked away before he could catch you staring again.

“Oh… you’ve gone shy, baby.”

“No I haven’t.”

“You have.”

You shook your head, letting out a lighthearted sigh. 

“I was just thinking.” You answered. 

“About?”

“…Stuff.”

He laughed quietly, hanging the towel back over the door before walking over to the bed.

“Well, that narrows it down.” 

You climbed into bed beside him, suddenly finding the pattern on the sheets incredibly fascinating. 

“Have you got another question?” He asked. 

You looked up, a little in awe. 

“…How do you always know?”

“Because you’ve got your thinking face on.” He smirked, “You always bite the inside of your cheek when you’re thinking.”

You weren’t even aware you were doing it, but the moment you caught yourself, you stopped. 

“Okay… maybe I do have another question.”

“Then ask away.”

You hesitated.

“I don’t know if I should.”

“Why not?”

Your shoulders lifted in a small shrug. 

“I don’t know…” You looked down at your hands. “It feels embarrassing…”

Noah’s expression softened immediately, he reached across the bed and laced his fingers with yours.

“Hey, nothing’s embarrassing, baby.” His thumb brushed gently across the back of your hand. “If you’re asking something because you’re curious, if there’s something you want to understand, or you want to know what something might look like…” He smiled warmly. “Those are good conversations. Important conversations.”

You felt yourself relax a little.

“So you don’t mind?”

“Not even slightly.” He smiled. “I’d much rather we talked about something when we’re both relaxed like this than when we’re caught up in the moment.”

You let out a small breath you hadn’t realised you’d been holding.

“I think that’s why I want to ask now.”

“Mm, I thought it might be.” He shuffled a little closer to you, but still gave you plenty of space. “So… what are you wondering?”

You laughed nervously.

“I feel like every question I ask tonight makes me sound more clueless.”

“There isn’t a test, baby. And there definitely aren’t any silly questions.” He squeezed your hand. “This is something we’d figure out together, you need to ask these questions.”

The reassurance settled something inside you, and you slowly nodded your head. 

“How would this kind of relationship change what we do in the bedroom?” You asked, your cheeks heating up again. 

He thought for a moment, sitting up a little more against the headboard. 

“It wouldn’t change anything, unless you wanted it to.” He answered, his voice warm and steady. “We’d only go as far as you’re comfortable with. But if we do this… it means I take full responsibility for your body and your pleasure, and there are some slightly stricter rules.”

Noah reached over and gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, his touch tender even as the conversation grew heavier.

“First, we’d have safe words, or maybe a colour system would work better for us,” he explained. “‘Red’ to stop everything immediately. ‘Yellow’ if you need me to slow down or check in, and ‘green’ if you’re good and want me to keep going. You can use them anytime, baby, even if you’re in the middle of moaning my name and your legs are shaking.” He smirked. 

You nodded, listening carefully as he continued, his hand now resting on your thigh under the covers.

“We’d also talk about limits and boundaries beforehand. Hard limits are things that are completely off the table. Soft limits are things we might explore later when you feel safer. The most important part is that you communicate with me, so i know that you trust me to take care of you. To push you, but never break you, and to always put your wellbeing first, even when I’m being rough with you- if that’s something you want.”

“That is something I want to try, actually...” You confessed shyly, “I want you to be rougher with me.”

“And how do you want me to do that, baby?” He asked gently. 

“…Fuck me harder,” you whispered, “Maybe even manhandle me…”

Noah’s smile just grew. 

“Yeah? What about things like choking? Spanking? Degradation?” 

“I’d like to try those things,” you nodded, “Just slowly… and maybe not the degradation part. I don’t like being called bad names or anything that makes me feel worthless…” 

Noah’s expression immediately softened with understanding, and he cupped your cheek tenderly.

“Hard limit on degradation- got it,” he said firmly. “No slut, no whore, no names like that?”

You shook your head quickly.

“Instead, would you prefer that I call you my good girl? My pretty little baby?”

You nodded your head as heat tingled between your thighs, and Noah smiled softly. 

“Got it, and as for the rest… fuck, baby. I love that you want it rough. I’d keep it safe, always watching your face, checking in with you, using that colour system.” His thumb brushed your cheek. “See? That’s how this works. You tell me what you need, what you don’t want, and then I take care of you.” 

You nodded your head, smiling at him. 

“What about you?” You asked, “What’s something you’d like to try? Or your limits. It’s important to talk about you too, right?”

Noah smiled, warm and a little amused, as he pulled you closer so you were half draped over his chest, his hand stroking slowly up and down your back.

“I’m glad you asked,because yeah, it goes both ways.” He thought for a moment, “I don’t have a lot of hard limits, honestly. I’ve tried a lot of things over the years. Rough sex, bondage, overstimulation… I’m pretty open. I’m happy to try just about anything new with you as long as we talk about it first and we both feel safe and comfortable.”

His hand slid down to your ass, just holding you, making you smile. 

“One thing I’d really love to try with you is using toys,” he admitted, his voice dropping lower. “Vibrators, dildos, those suctions toys that suck on your clit. Maybe even plugs, nipple clamps, restraints… if that’s okay with you of course. I think you’d really like it if we take it slow.”

Your head spun just thinking about it, and you felt his cock twitch against your thigh as he spoke, though you both tried to ignore it. 

“As for rules,” he continued more seriously, “I have a couple that are non-negotiable for me. No gags for you of any kind- whether it’s my cock down your throat or your panties in your mouth- unless we’ve already agreed on a clear, non-verbal safe signal, like tapping my thigh three times or something. I need to be able to hear you. I need to hear your voice saying ‘yellow’ or ‘red’ if something’s wrong. That’s my hard rule. Your safety comes first, always.”

Noah tilted your chin up so you were looking at him.

“I also don’t want to do anything that could cause real harm, no breath play beyond light choking, if that’s something you like, no extreme pain stuff unless you specifically ask for it and we build up slowly. And aftercare is mandatory. Every single time, no matter how rough we get or how gentle it is, I’m going to cuddle you, clean you up, get you water, and make sure you feel safe when we’re done.”

He leaned in and kissed you slowly, deeply, his hand slipping under your shirt to caress your bare skin.

“Does any of that sound good to you, baby?” He asked against your lips, his voice husky.

You nodded your head. 

“Yeah… I really like that.” You smiled. 

“Good,” he said, looking in your eyes, “And if you had another bad day like today, you could come to me, hand everything over, and we could use sex- or play- to shut that pretty little brain of yours off.”

Noah’s voice stayed soft and warm as he held you close, one hand gently stroking your back while the other cupped your cheek as you looked up at him.

“Some days you might just need me to be soft with you,” he whispered, “So I’d take you to the bedroom, undress you slowly, and lay you down on the bed. Then I’d spend a long time kissing every inch of you… your neck, tits, tummy… until you’re all relaxed for me.” He brushed his nose against yours sweetly before continuing. “I’d spread your legs and worship that pretty pussy with my mouth for as long as you need, sucking softly on your clit until your mind starts to go quiet. I’d slide my fingers inside you and curl them just right, making you feel so fucking good, until all the stress melts away and all you can do is moan and tremble.”

Noah’s his voice then grew a little huskier as he continued.

“Other days… when your brain is working against you and you need something stronger to shut it off completely… I can be rougher with you, baby. I could pin you down, spank you until your ass is warm and stinging, then fuck you hard and deep until the only thing left to think about in your pretty head is the way my cock feels inside you. I’d choke you just enough to make everything feel more intense, hold you down and fuck you until you’re crying and cumming so hard you forget everything, even your own name.”

He smirked, trying to ignore the way everything he said was making his dick ache. 

“But no matter which way we go,” he whispered against your lips, “I’ve got you. I’ll read exactly what you need that day. If you need gentle, I’ll be so, so gentle. If you need to be ruined to quiet your thoughts… then I’ll ruin you, sweetheart. And afterwards, I’ll hold you, clean you up, and tell you how perfect you are.”

Noah pulled back slightly so he could look into your eyes, his hand still gently stroking your cheek.

“Does that sound like something you want from me?” He asked softly. 

You nodded your head. 

“I think…” you whispered, “This is exactly what I want.”

He smiled. 

“Good. And just so I know where we’re at…” He gently pushed a strand of hair out of your face, “How do you feel about this? About being my submissive?” 

“I want it.” You said firmly. 

His smile softened immediately.

“You don’t have to say yes because it’s me, or because you think it’ll make me happy.”

“I’m not.” You shook your head. “I’m serious. I want this, Noah.”

・┈・୨୧・┈・

to spoil the next chapter in three words... toys. hotel. mask. :)