The birth of the Blue Phoenix - Book 2 (MxM 18+)

Bonus Chapter: Cheering up Ethan

Please note that this happens roughly one year after the last chapter.

Zach, Thu Jul 31st 2014

I hate it when I'm right about something sad. As I had foreseen it six months ago, Ethan and Keith's relationship ended in a huge fiasco. I remember vividly advising Keith about not renewing their contract last January, but he didn't listen.

"You don't understand!" he told me. "He saved my life and I owe him to try harder."

Yeah, because forcing yourself to be in a relationship you don't really want always works so well... I could understand the gratitude: one year before, Keith almost died of overdose and was barely making a living off selling drugs. Ethan helped him get his shit together, fight his addiction, going back to school, he even got a scholarship for next year!

But at the same time, Ethan's dominance was just too much for him. It was perfect at the beginning of their relationship when Keith had to be separated from the assholes who pretended to be his friends but just wanted him to deal for them, or when he was slowly recovering from his addiction, but it started to get too much for him during their second contract. The fact he could not go out for a drink with his college friends when he wanted to, or that they were always into a strict Dom/Sub mode was weighing on him.

So, I advised him to leave it at that and look for another Dom. I had gotten to know Ethan a bit better in the last year, so it became pretty clear to me that he isn't capable of softening his dominance. This man needs to feel he's in absolute control or he starts to freak out. I pushed Daddy to organize a surprise birthday party for his best friend last year, and Ethan almost had a panic attack when he entered the room full of his friends.

In the end, Keith did not listen to me. Needless to say, the third six-month contract did not go well. Oh, Ethan didn't realize it because his Sub hid it pretty well from him, but this relationship was slowly sucking the life out of Keith. I've lost count of the number of times I comforted my crying friend in a shower stall while we prepped. To be honest, I don't even understand why my friend didn't stop this madness sooner.

I had forbidden him to accept a fourth contract but Ethan had even prepared an unlimited one this time, completely oblivious to my friend's pain. I would have gone to Daddy to intervene if Keith had signed it, but it looked like the Sub understood his mistake and broke it off with Ethan.

It was supposed to be clean and gentle, after all, limited-length contracts are there to codify feelings-free relationships. Keith suddenly felt free, like he was breathing again, but Ethan took it really hard. True, he put on a strong face, and I must say I'm surprised that Daddy didn't see through it since he is supposed to be his best friend. I must be the only one really paying attention, but it's pretty obvious to me.

I feel really sorry for him because being a control freak is just who he is, and Keith should have expressed his concerns earlier. And not accepted a third contract, but I'm repeating myself. Losing his Sub so suddenly when he thought things were going great has been a heavy blow. Seeing him interact with other Doms at the club in the week that followed was even harder.

I was kind of mad at Keith yesterday when he asked me how his ex was doing. Of course, he wasn't doing well since my friend had done nothing to soften the blow. He seemed surprised Ethan hadn't played with other Subs, but he should have guessed he wouldn't be in the mood.

"Would you mind cheering him up for me then?" he asked out of the blue.

He still had the decency to blush a little, but that took me by surprise. And I'm supposed to be the craziest Sub of the club, so that's saying something.