La Maison 3: Pretty (Complete: mxm)

Chapter 14: Satis

A/N: I don't normally do this - but this is the first story where the training is the actual full purpose of this entire section of the story, so here we are with some minorly technical stuff about positions. 

"What's this?" River asked, even though he knew, because he'd seen Master Gray's, but he still looked over his shoulder just to be sure they hadn't gone through a door into the club while he wasn't paying attention. No, they were definitely still in the house, and this was definitely a playroom of the BDSM variety.

"It's our playroom," Ellis confirmed. "I hid some of the more hardcore stuff."

River looked around, feeling a light sweat break out. If this was the room without the hardcore stuff, what was he supposed to think about the long floggers, and paddles, and chains, and cuffs, all hanging off the deep purple walls? And that was quite without the swing that was hanging from chains on the ceiling, and the bench-thing that seemed to have a dildo sticking up from it and definitely looked like it was powered in some way, if the switch on the side was to be believed.

"Don't look so nervous, Babe," Ellis chuckled. "By the time you're ready for any of that stuff you'll be aching to use it."

River hummed, choosing to agree. If nothing else, he knew he wouldn't have to do anything he didn't want to.

Ellis went to the armoire, picking what looked like a riding crop from inside the cupboard door.

"You planning on whipping me?" River joked.

"No. It's usual to use a crop just to correct posture while you're learning the positions. It won't hurt, but it's sharp enough to make the lesson stick," Ellis responded in complete seriousness. "Anyway, if you're ready, strip. And don't forget you can use your safewords with me, too."

Things were feeling more real now. But this was what River had signed up for, and he was going to do it properly, so he stripped efficiently, folding each item and placing it on a low table by the door. Ellis nodded in approval, gesturing for him to stop when he got down to his boxers.

"Okay, position one: Attention. Stand with your feet together, hands by your side, shoulders straight, head straight, and eyes down."

River easily followed the instruction, dropping his shoulders a little when Ellis lightly tapped them as he walked around. What surprised him was that Ellis continued to pace around him for several minutes, without saying anything further.

"Ellis?"

"You may need to hold a position like this for a while. Like, if you're at the club and your Dom is having a conversation and hasn't given you permission to go anywhere yet. You can't interrupt, because that would be rude, so you have to wait. It's a good idea to be able to settle into that position and zen-out, but stay aware. You're pretty good at it, anyway."

"Thanks."

"Next, Waiting. That's the other one that you're most likely to have to hold. Maintain your current spine position, but hold your wrist behind your back and shift your legs out, just wider than shoulder width." He snapped the crop, not too hard, on River's inner thigh, and he knew he needed to widen his stance more. "Eyes in that position is the normal way, but some Doms prefer the head bowed too. They'll tell you, you just have to listen."

River found it almost relaxing, though held in a yelp when Ellis swatted him a little harder when his lower back curved in too far in his chilled state.

"Okay, that's the most common kneeling position, too. Can you lower yourself to your knees as smoothly as possible, without using your hands?"

River did it, though not gracefully enough to Ellis the first few times. But the time he was doing it to Ellis' satisfaction, he had patches of reddened skin on his chest and back, though he certainly didn't hate the sensation, and his thighs were burning, which he did hate.