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They paced around James’s apartment, waiting for a conversation to start. This whole dating this had started in a weird sort of way, going from friends to lovers in what seemed like a very short time. James was checking his laptop while nursing a beer, whereas Bruce finally sat idly on James’s couch, nervous in a space he had only ever felt calm. The TV was softly playing a rerun of The X-Files in the background. Bruce fidgeted with his phone, opening random apps, almost waiting for something to happen.
“Are you okay?” James asked from his open-space kitchen.
“Yeah!” Bruce yelled back. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you only ever check the stocks app on your phone when you anxious.”
Bruce looked back at his phone, and there it was. Fuck.
“Stalker.” Bruce tried to pass it off as a nonchalant joke. James joined him on the couch, handing Bruce a beer.
“What’s up though?” James settled back into the couch, knees akimbo, flipping to netflix on his TV.
“Nothing, man, really.” Bruce assured, copying James’ stance in an attempt to look more relaxed. “I’m fine.”
“If you say so…” James flipped to some weird documentary. “Did Lawrence recommend this one? It sounds like something he would watch.”
“No idea…” He sighed.
“Okay, something is off.” James decided, abandoning Netflix and turning towards Bruce. “Hey, talk to me, what is going on?”
“James, I said it’s nothing.” He faked a smile, but James knew him too well. With a scowl, Bruce’s composure faltered. “I… look I found this thing online.”
James waited for further explanation.
“Something I wanna try.”
He waits again.
“With you.”
James considered all of this. “Something… weird?”
Bruce shrugged. “I don’t think it is.”
He nodded. “Alright then… what is it?”
Bruce swallowed, then said. “It’s called sub play.” Bruce looked James in the eyes. “When we… you know, I want you to… dominate me?”
“Is that a question?” James fell into the roll without even meaning to.
“No…” It took all his strength to not say ‘sir’ afterwards. “I really do want it.”
James looked at Bruce with a strange fascination. “And you’ve, like, done some research into it?”
‘Does porn count as research’ Bruce asked himself. He nodded.
“Okay.” James decided. “Tell me what you want then.”
Bruce took a deep breath and scootched closer to James. “I, ah, I want you to ahm, use me.” He looked at James’ face for any sign of resentment, but only saw interest. “And, uhm, I want you to, sorta, control me if you’d want and uhm, like, sorta treat me bad, but like in a good way like, maybe…”
“Tell you what a bad boy you’ve been?” James asked jokingly, but Bruce's shudder made him realize just how much he wanted that too.
Bruce cleared his throat. “Does that sound good to you?”
“Good to me, what?” James’ voice became almost darker somehow. Bruce shivered.
“Does that sound good to you...sir?” He stuttered out. It felt so good to say it outl oud.
“Much better…” James kissed Bruce lightly on the cheek. “It does, my…” James trailed off, losing a little bit of his dom-ness as he did.
“Please,” Bruce nearly begged “You can call me anything, give me a nickname, sir.”
James leaned in close to Bruce’s ear and whispered “Mine.”