La Maison 3: Pretty (Complete: mxm)

Chapter 15: Muhle

"Is it weird?" Eli's dark face looked concerned, but that wasn't unusual. He always took things so seriously, and River was feeling lighter than he ever had before, so he couldn't find it in himself to even feel bad that his friend couldn't understand. Besides, Pietro was on the opposite side of the booth, leaning forward eagerly, clearly not finding any part of it 'weird'.

"I like it, Eli. You don't have to worry about me, I promise."

"What did you do so far?" Pietro asked.

"Not much," River smiled at his eagerness. "I've been practicing the positions a lot, because Master François says I have to be signed off on that before I can work with any other Dominants."

"Will you show me them?"

"Sure, but maybe not in the diner."

Pietro flushed, giggling before taking a sip of his thick milkshake.

What River wasn't mentioning was that Master François had already signed him off on the basic positions, and, now his medical had come back clean, he was going to be having a scene later. Not because he was ashamed, or that he didn't want them to know, but he felt like Eli and James and Lex probably didn't need to know. He wished Mat was there though. He'd expressed some nervousness over what River was getting into, but River was pretty sure he'd be almost as intrigued as Pietro, even if it would be for different reasons. Or perhaps River's thoughts that Mat might have a little Dom in him were pure wishful thinking.

Ellis had helped him prepare for his first ever real scene. When River had quietly questioned that, because what about what happened with Master Gray?, Ellis had just told him to wait and see.

When they got to the club, it wasn't late, but there was still a lengthy line for the dance club. Ellis waved over at the guys on reception, who waved back, and River knew they'd been signed in. It gave him a warm little fuzz in his chest – a sense of belonging.

He didn't even know which Dom would be doing his training, though it didn't matter. He hadn't seen a single one who wasn't attractive, and Master François had told him they'd reviewed the short list of kinks he and Ellis had come up with (by no means exhaustive) and it would be one of those that was the focus, so at least he knew it would be something he wanted to try.

When they got up the stairs, Ellis pulled him away from the Lounge entrance, and away from the entrance to the showroom, through the only remaining door, which River knew led to the long corridor where the playrooms were and Master François' office. All the doors were the same – shiny and black, with small panels that River guessed could be opened for viewing, though they didn't look like they were for voyeuristic purposes, more safety.

When Ellis took him to the end, and up another flight of stairs, he realized this was where Master Gray had taken him and Mat that night.

"What's up here?" he asked Ellis anyway, just for something to say. He wasn't nervous, but there was a tenseness in him that this was really happening.

"The rooms we just passed are the playrooms that people can hire for the night. And the sub's locker room. Up here are the personal playrooms for the more longstanding Doms."

"Okay. Are those the people who'll be...helping in my training?"

"Probably. Suzu might ask one or two of the others to help too. The ones he has the most regard for. Not everyone up here would be up for training. Master Landon and Nikki are serious for each other, and so are Master Dexter and Dae. Like, they might share, but I haven't seen them do it. I'm pretty sure Nikki doesn't, and Dae has a history with abuse, so I think they're taking things like that easy."