Sunday morning, I wake up around eight in the morning. My first thought is to grab my phone and send Orion a text. I don't know if I'm coming off as clingy or what, but I settle on a simple good morning. I really wish he would have stayed last night. Fuck, I wish he would just stay every night. But I know he has his apartment and he needs to think.

I can count on one hand the amount of times we have hung out and I'm already falling for this guy. This guy that society would deem way too young for me, the guy I know my mother would adore and my sister and younger brother would give me endless grief about.

My phone dings with an incoming text. It's from Orion, sending back the same message. I'm surprised that he's awake. I'm actually surprised I'm awake as well. Sundays are usually my day to sleep in a bit.

Who am I kidding? I am not a morning person.

Riley feels the bed shift, alerting him that I am awake. He jumps up and turns to face me. I laugh at the way his tongue lolls and his tail starts wagging like he knows he’s about to go outside. When I don’t immediately get out of the bed, he steps closer to me, nearly headbutting me. I laugh even harder at that and push him away with one hand, pocketing my cell phone in the pair of sweats I’m wearing.

“Let’s get you outside and then get some breakfast. How about that?” Riley jumps off the bed, prancing to the door, but he waits for me. I stretch my hands above my head, feeling the relief from my muscles.

Riley starts throwing his dramatic tantrum, smacking his front paws against the floor to let me know he’s growing impatient. He’s so spoiled and has me more trained than I think I’ve trained him.

“I’m coming,” I say and follow Riley downstairs. The place feels empty with just us again even though I know that’s crazy to think.

The remnants from yesterday are still in the kitchen. I never washed the bottle or our dinner dishes when I came home. I went straight to bed.

But I know that I need to clean up before Austin and Remington show up. They’re coming over for lunch today. I want to talk to Remington about what happened, but I also want to respect Orion‘s privacy. The way he fully sank into that Little space and trusted me so wholly is not something I’ll take lightly. It was a level of intimacy holding him like that that I’ve never experienced. It’s definitely a memory that I want to keep for myself.

I’m glad that Austin is coming over, too, because I can ask his opinion on some items I’m thinking of buying. Toy and furniture related. The other items, like clothes, bottles, and such, I’ll save for Orion to tell me what he wants.

Orion sends another text through while I’m cleaning up. I have a dishwasher but I really don’t use it a lot. I dry my hands on my pants and pull out my phone as I walk back to let Riley in.

The ground is covered with a light snow that must have fallen early this morning. Riley shakes his whole body before trotting inside and to his food bowl. It’s still empty and he turns his head to look at me. I roll my eyes and move to the pantry to grab his container of food on the floor. I put a scoop in his bowl and then move to the fridge to grab the fresh kibble pieces and drop some of that in too.

“Eat up,” I say and move to start my own breakfast. I pick up my phone and look at the text from Orion. I asked him earlier what he was up to today.

Orion

Just doing adulting things. I need to go to the store for food.

The three little bubbles pop up, letting me know he’s typing again. I wait for him to send whatever before I text back. I want to tell him that I’m meant to help him with the adulting side of things, that I want to help him. I’d take on whatever he needs help with.

Orion

I could go for a… ride after I do all my errands. *winky face* *cowboy hat*

I know that Orion has an older model phone with basic minutes and texts, so he doesn’t have actual emojis. He told me about taking his paycheck to the store and getting a newer model, but it’s still years behind what most people have. He was proud of it, though, of doing something for himself like that. The text reads all the same though and the blood rushes to my dick. I was already sporting some morning wood but now my sweats are well and tented.

Garrett

Remi and Austin are coming over for lunch, but I can come pick you up afterward.

Orion

Do I get a reward if I get all my stuff done before then?

Screw this. I’m no stranger to sexting but I want to hear Orion saying these things. I call him and he picks up on the second ring.

“You know,” Orion says when he answers. I can hear that he’s half distracted, but there’s also a hint of sarcasm. “Some people prefer to keep the texts going for future indulgences.”

I shake my head and ignore the comment in lieu of saying what I actually want to. “And you know that any urges like that, all you have to do is ask.”

“I would take you up on that offer, but I have to work tomorrow and your place is a bit further away. I’d have to start walking at, like, four in the morning to get there on time.”

“Or I can just take you to work?” I say it as if it's the obvious answer, because it is. I’d never expect him to walk that far.

I'm met with silence on the other end for a moment. "I'm sorry. I don't know exactly what we're doing here or how to go about life outside of the scenes."

I lean my elbows on the counter, holding the phone with one hand and tapping my fingers against the counter with the other. "What do you want to happen? I would like to help you with everything, all aspects of your life, if you'll let me. If that's too much, I'm happy with just giving you a space to relax and take care of you physically."

There is hesitation again. I know we talked a bit over dinner last night. After giving him the bottle, I made sure he talked and explained what he thought. He explained how it cleared his mind, for those twenty-odd minutes he didn't think about anything, didn't worry about anything he had going on. He assured me that there was no regret and he would like to do it again, but needed to think.

When he finally does speak, his words are slow and precise. "I don't know if I'm comfortable giving over everything right away, but I definitely want to continue this. Us."

"I'm good with that," I say. I want to offer again to help him with everything, to take away all the worries in his life— and I know he has a lot. I feel Riley's head nudge against my calf and look down to see my pup smiling up at me. "Can I come pick you up this afternoon?"

I hear Orion sigh, but it sounds sarcastic. "I guess you can come whisk me away in your heated seats and big beds."

"And not a single thing about me," I comment. I'm smiling like an idiot, flirting with my Boy over the phone on a Sunday morning. "I see how it is. You're just using me."

"I can definitely use parts of you," Orion says with a sultry tone. He laughs when I cough to hide my surprise.

"You do have that odd fascination with my dick," I finally say. I know we were in the heat of the moment at the gym and after breakfast yesterday, we got interrupted. I hear him scoff through the phone.

"I like to try different things." There's a short pause and I hear some rustling over the line. It isn't until I hear a small sigh that it clicks what he's doing.

"Orion."

"Hmm?" Yes, he's definitely jerking himself off right now.

"Stop what you're doing," I direct.

"What am I doing?" he asks innocently. "I'm just trying to sort through some… Bills." His breath hitches with the last word.

"Orion." My voice goes deeper and more stern. "I'm not playing. You don't get to play with yourself unless I say so."

"Seriously?" He sounds surprised, but also a bit disappointed.

"Yes, baby." I soften my tone and move to lean my back against the counter between the stove and pantry. "Daddy will take care of you tonight, okay?"

"That's not fair," he pouts. His words make me smile. I take a moment before I respond.

"I promise, honey, I'll make it worth it. Save that for me, okay?"

"Yes, Daddy." The word brings my own dick back to attention. I palm myself, but if I'm making him wait, I can wait myself.

"Good boy, Orion. I'll call you in a bit, okay? Go get your errands done. If you need me before then, call me okay?"

"I will," he says. "I'll see you in a little bit."

Austin, for all his cheeriness, takes picking out some toys seriously. I pretty much just gave him my tablet while we eat lunch and have him create a cart of things. There are a lot of stuffies, a dragon, a castle— which I'm almost certain is a biased choice— and a set of coloring books with crayons.

"You have to get the good kind," Austin says with the most serious look in his eyes. "Otherwise the pictures have weird lines and Daddy won't hang them up."

"I did not say you couldn't hang them up, Aussie." Remington butts into Austin's explanation of everything he chose. "I just said that your board was already full and we would have to make a decision. I like the blue ducky you have hanging up."

"Oh! Duckies! You need bath toys." Austin reaches for the tablet, but Remington holds his hand.

"Baby, I think bath toys might be something Orion picks out with his Daddy." When Austin pulls his hand back and looks almost sheepish, Remington continues to speak. Remington's voice is soft. "Do you want to let Riley outside while Daddy talks with Garrett?"

"Okay." Austin leans over and gives Remington a kiss before toddling off to where Riley is curled up on the couch. I never was one that believed dogs weren't allowed on the furniture. It's his house as much as mine. When I turn my eyes back to my best friend, he's giving me a look like he can read all my thoughts.

"So, this is something you both want to continue doing?"

"I don't know how I've been around all of you these past years and haven't experienced it." I run a hand over my bald head. I can feel a little bit of growth start to come out, letting me know I need to drop by the barber shop this week.. "Or if it's just Orion specifically, but man, it was something… I don't even know how to explain it."

"That's why people who aren't in the lifestyle judge," Remington says. "They don't understand that level trust and intimacy. It's a whole level beyond regular intimacy, even when you're sitting and playing with them and physical touch isn't even on the radar."

"Can I ask you something?" I feel out of my depths here, but I want to know in case Orion wants to do another scene tonight or go shopping.

"That's what I'm here for," Remington says.

The sliding glass door opens and Austin and Riley come back inside, both shaking. The snow has melted in the last couple of hours with the sun. It's still cold outside, but I don't think it's low enough to snow again. "Sorry, it got too cold. I'll head downstairs while the Daddies talk."

I roll my eyes and Remington hides his smile. "The TV should still be queued up from yesterday and there are juices in the fridge."

"No sugary drinks," Remington follows up. "I don't need you wired before bed."

"Okay," Austin says with a smile.

"What's up?" Remington asks. I look back at him from the closed door and sit up a bit straighter.

"I'm worried that I'm going to be pushing what I want on him. I know we've talked about it and he pretty much led what we did yesterday, but how do I navigate and make sure that he's doing this for him?"

I think back to that first night we met, when he said he'd gone to the club to find a place to stay for the night. There's a small part of my brain that is telling me that he's doing this to keep me happy. Then to our conversation after the gym, when he said that he's into submission. Is this just another thing that he's going to go along with?

"Hey." Remington's hand covers mine on the counter, pulling me out of the rambling thoughts. "If you're talking about it, especially if you're talking before anything happens, then you need to trust that he's telling you the truth. That's all you can do. You'll learn over time to anticipate certain things and those fears will fall away."

"I want to take care of everything for him," I say with a sigh. "I know that's not logical this early on, but I want him to rely on me for everything. All of it. He told me that he was going to run some errands this morning and I wanted to go pick him up and drive him around, to bring him back here, and take care of him some more."

Remington laughs and pulls his hand away. "You'll find the perfect blend for the two of you, Garrett. Give it time and just remember to talk."

I sigh, but nod. I know this, in the majority of my brain. We'll talk today, when I pick him up.

"Okay, minor freakout avoided." I smack my palms against the counter and smile. Remington shakes his head.

"You're going to be fine," Remington says. "It's different for everyone. I will say, depending on what Orion prefers and I'm not going to pry, don't just buy anything online. The things for today is a reputable store, but I'll send you some links for other sites, and the store across town keeps quality products."

"Got it," I say. "I'm not sure if he's going to be interested in all of that." Even if the thought of dressing him in cute onesies is now all I can think about.

"If he's comfortable with it, you should bring him to our next playdate. It's in a couple of weeks." Remington stands and I know he's about to make his exit. "I'll text you details of it, but don't hesitate to call or text me if you need anything. Oh, and you'll probably have to disregard at least half of the toys that Austin added to the online cart. He can go a bit overboard."

"And whose fault is that?" I raise an eyebrow and Remington shrugs. We both laugh and shake hands. I pull Remington into a half hug. "Thank you, man."

"Of course."

This lunch has been informative. I watch him head down to get Austin while I move the dishes into the dishwasher. When they reappear, Austin looks sleepy and is leaning against Remington. I can tell he's sinking into his Little space. He has the same look in his eyes that Orion had yesterday, the one that says he just wants to cuddle.

"Bye, Daddy Garrett," Austin whispers, koala stuffie in hand, as he and Remington make their way to the car. He's had it in his hand since he arrived.

I hold my hand up and wiggle my fingers at him. Remington lays his hand on Austin's lower back and opens his car door for him. I smile at the small interaction, at the way Austin leans over and gives Remington a kiss as he buckles him. They're adorable together.

I turn around and head back down the hallway to the kitchen and living room. With nothing else to do, I grab my phone and send a text to Orion that I can come pick him up whenever he's ready. He doesn't respond right away and I set my phone on the counter to head downstairs and get Riley. As expected, he's curled up on the couch and that whip of a tail starts smacking against the leather.

"Hey, buddy. How do you feel about Orion coming back and staying with us again?"

He gives one solid, happy bark in response. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, so I decide to get Riley upstairs and feed him a slightly early dinner.

My phone screen is lit up when I get back to the kitchen.

Orion

I think I deserve a gold star… or something… for getting everything done.

Garrett

I'll give you something, honey.

By the time I get to Orion's apartment, he's already waiting for me. And he has a bag over his shoulder, which is adorable for some reason. Like he's ready for a sleepover. Which is exactly what we're doing, isn't it? He gets into the car and I make sure he's buckled before pulling away from the curb. I reach over and lay my hand on his knee, squeezing lightly.

"Did you have a good morning?"

He shrugs and doesn't look at me. I know this expression already, it's one of deep thinking, borderline worry. He starts playing with my fingers, picking each one up and letting it fall back down. I wait until I'm at a red light to lift my hand and grip his chin lightly.

"Honey, talk to me." His brown eyes catch the sun. It’ll be dark in only a couple of hours but I’m hoping we’ll be back at the house by then.

"It's nothing to worry about," he says. He gives me a smile and reaches up to wrap his fingers around my wrist softly. "I promise, it's just my brain in overdrive trying to think some things through."

"Anything I can help with?" I know he said no earlier and I'm fighting that side of me that wants to tell him to let me take care of it.

He relaxes against the seat and takes my hand in his. "I'd like to just get to your place, please."

"You got it," I say. I resist the urge to lean forward and kiss him. The light turns green and I focus on driving. Even if it’s hard with the way Orion is fiddling with my fingers, brushing his fingertips over the back of my hand. It's a nice distraction.

When we get back to my house, Orion waits for me to open his door and I lead him inside. Of course, he stops and drops to his knees to say hi to Riley, who is soaking up the attention from his new favorite person. I give them a minute and move to the fridge to grab two bottles of water.

"Did you eat lunch?" I ask.

"I had a small snack at the store," he says, glancing up at me. I can see he's hesitating, hiding something.

"Orion." I set the waters down and step toward him. He stands up and I can see the worry cross his face. I don't want him to worry or to hide anything from me. I make a conscious effort to relax my expression and tone. "Did you eat lunch?"

"No. Daddy." He looks up at me through those gorgeous lashes. I press my lips against his forehead and pull him in for a hug. It hasn't even been a full twenty-four hours and I've missed him this much.

When I pull back, I keep his head in my hands, brushing my thumbs over his cheeks. "I don't want you to lie to me again, okay? Let's get you some food and we'll talk some more about… everything."

Orion nods and I direct him to take his bag up to the bedroom— my bedroom this time— and wash up. I decide on a sheet pan meal of grilled chicken with roasted veggies. He can eat now and we’ll have what’s leftover for dinner. I'm slicing up the red potatoes when Orion comes back.

"Can I help with anything?" he asks, sidling up next to me so our arms are pressed together.

"If you want to grab whatever seasonings you'd like and add them on top," I say. "Look in the pantry, third shelf I believe."

It's only another minute before I'm sliding the pan in the oven. I take Orion's hand and lead him to the couch. I grab my tablet where I left it sitting earlier. "We need to talk," I start slowly. "I want to make sure that we're on the same page for everything."

"I thought we both agreed we wanted to keep doing this?" Orion asked. He turns to face me, bending one leg against the back of the couch.

"We did," I say. "And I still do. I want to talk specifics. Expectations for…" I hesitate for a moment, but he just waits silently, giving no hint that he knows where I'm going with this. "Sex and future moments or scenes when you slip into that Little space."

"Oh." Orion shifts and looks down at the space between us.

"I know you said the other night that you're into submission." I can see his cheeks turn red. It's adorable, but I don't comment on it because we have about thirty minutes before dinner is done. "Is that a full submission role you prefer?"

"Yeah," he answers quietly. I take his hand and hold it until he looks at me. "I'm not a virgin, but I don't have a whole lot of experience in that department. I've been with two guys before but they were just hookups. I've always…" His eyebrows scrunch together like he's trying to remember something. "I've dreamt of being with someone that takes total control in the bedroom, though. Like, I don't have to make a single decision and I'm there to help them get off."

Oh. Wow. That's a lot. I smile instead of saying my thoughts. "So you like total submission," I confirm. He nods. "Do you have anything else that you want to experience?”

"I like the idea of being taken at random. Free use, I think it's called?"