Vadim raised a brow, looking mischievous. “Hmm? And that’s all I’m gonna get for my efforts?”
“Well, you did succeed in choosing appropriate clothes,” Max responded in kind. It was a sparse version of “you look stunning”, but Vadim surely knew he did. “We have to work on your punctuality though.”
Vadim smiled at him, and Max couldn’t help a smile too, no matter how much he wanted to appear stern. It felt so strange, holding Vadim’s gaze and being unable to look away. On seeing him, every time, it was as if something clicked in place, like there had been a missing piece in the puzzle, which Max had never noticed before, but now the world around him was finally complete. Rather stupid, wasn’t it, considering they didn’t know a thing about each other. Maybe it was just a heady feeling dominating gave you, and it had nothing to do with a particular person. Hormones. Pure chemistry.
Max cleared his throat. “Let’s have a walk, shall we?”
They left the station. When Vadim wanted to take the steps down to the quay, Max stopped him, a hand on his shoulder. “No, this way.” He nodded to one of the paths leading into the shadowy depths of the park, away from the open space and random strollers who mostly chose to saunter along the asphalted promenade on the river bank. A pleasant, gentle walk, except you had to stay away from mad bicyclists as they raced by now and then with impressive speed.
Max had some plans that didn’t involve mingling with other people, including bicyclists.
When they were deep into the park, Max stopped and brought Vadim to a halt, too. “See those bushes?” He pointed at hazel shrubs on the hill slope above the path. “Go there and fetch me a branch. A supple one. And remove the leaves and small twigs. The smoother it can be, the better. Better for you, this is.”
Vadim shot an apprehensive glance at him.
“Yeah, I suppose you guessed it right,” Max confirmed. “I did say we had to work on your punctuality. I tend to keep my promises. Luckily, the necessary implements are available on every tree. Convenient, isn’t it?”
For a moment, he felt a twinge of uncertainty, despite an attempt at a joke. Was he pushing too far? But it was only a moment, and then Vadim marched to the bushes without a word of protest. Max let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
When Vadim presented him with his trophy, Max inspected it thoroughly and even tapped at his palm with the rod. “Acceptable,” he said. It was quite resilient. “Now come here.” With a switch in his hand, like a shepherd, he guided Vadim to a thicket of bushes and onto a small grassy clearing among them. It was the closest thing to a secluded grove they were going to get. “Bend over there.” Max pointed at the nearest tree with the tip of his switch. “Lower your pants.”
It was unlikely someone would see them from the path, but still, Max stood so that he was able to monitor this direction in case some picnic enthusiasts came looking for a hidden clearing, too. He was now at Vadim’s left side, enjoying the view of his well-shaped buttocks, so obscenely white before the first touch of the switch.
“Do you remember the number of minutes you were late?”
Vadim shook his head, silently, his palms flat against the rough bark of the tree, his pants and underwear down around his ankles.
“Too bad. Fortunately, I remember it all too well. Twelve minutes. Guess how many swats you get for this.”
The first stroke was gentle, barely more than a tap. Max tested his aim and the force of impact. At the second one, maybe too intense, Vadim let out a hiss. Max stepped closer and gently rubbed the pink welt that appeared on the pale skin. “Don’t clench. Don’t fight it. It’s for your sake after all. It’s for you to remember that you should plan your life more efficiently. You better count, out loud. Show me you embrace the lesson. Okay?”
Vadim nodded, silent again.
Max applied the strokes slowly, with intervals, waiting for Vadim to count them and not applying the full strength this time. He used his arm only from the elbow down and was careful to watch that the light, flexible end of the switch wouldn’t bite into the outer flank too harshly. When six slim, even lines had appeared across Vadim’s buttocks, Max decided to pay attention to the back of his thighs as well. They seemed to be even more sensitive. Vadim almost jumped every time the switch landed across the delicate skin, and yet he was pressing back to meet each slap. After ten blows, he suddenly reached around and pulled his butt cheeks apart so Max could add two more onto his twitching hole, which Max did, surprised and aroused by this uncalled-for act of submission.
After that, with the switch still in his right hand, Max stroked its length across the tender insides of Vadim’s still spread buttocks—a feather-like touch that made Vadim suck a sharp breath in, much to Max’s delight. So responsive. So obedient. Mine. The proprietary feeling that welled up from deep within him was intoxicating.
“Do you want to—” Vadim blurted out huskily.
Max reached between his spread legs and cupped the heavy swell of his balls, kneading them lightly. “Hmm. You seem to have enjoyed your lesson.”
“Please,” Vadim panted.
But Max cruelly let go. “If you behave yourself through the rest of the day, maybe I’ll make use of you. Maybe I’ll even let you come. Now you may put your pants on, and we’ll have a walk, just as we intended.”
Vadim sighed and did as he was told.
He surely wouldn’t have minded if Max took him then and there, but however tempting the idea was, Max felt apprehensive about having sex in a relatively small park. He wouldn’t be able to monitor the surroundings when otherwise preoccupied. Perhaps next time, if the weather permitted, they could go to Bitsa, for instance—a massive woodland area on the southern outskirts of Moscow. A longer way to go, but more chances for privacy.
Meanwhile, Max had another type of entertainment in mind. He hadn’t thrown the switch away, and as they proceeded to explore the curvy paths of the park, he casually touched Vadim’s backside with its tip now and then—a gentle reminder of the recent lesson. To his vast amusement, it never failed to make Vadim shudder and to elicit funny, surprised sounds from him.
When planning the walk, Max had considered going uphill to the granite esplanade stretching in front of the impressive Stalinist skyscraper of the Moscow State University, one of the highest points in the city. It was a rather steep climb, but the view of Moscow’s skyline, with the Luzhniki Stadium and the red-and-white Novodevichy Convent in the foreground and the golden domes of the Kremlin cathedrals gleaming in the middle distance, was a reasonable compensation for the efforts. That’s why the observation platform was always filled with tourists and newlyweds posing against its balustrade and taking identical pictures.
On the other hand, it wasn’t worth spending more than half an hour there, so Max had decided against it and had chosen another route, more prolonged, leading down to the river.
As they took the wooden stairs to the embankment, as always populated by rollerbladers and joggers and thus too crowded for attempting anything kinky, Max finally got rid of the switch. Vadim followed its landing in the nearest bushes with his eyes.
As they walked side by side along the quay, Vadim appeared to grow pensive.
“Something wrong, eh?” Max asked. To his own ears, he sounded pathetically nervous.
“What? No, of course not.”
But Vadim looked vacant as if he were pondering over some thoughts. Max needed to find out what was amiss. “There must be something you didn’t like.”
“No, I liked it all, very much so,” Vadim hastened to assure him. “You saw the way I reacted. That speaks volumes. It was a huge turn on, really.” A crooked smile danced on his lips. “You were very … inventive. It’s just…” He looked away, absently plucking at a button on his shirt. “No, it’s stupid.”
“What is?”
“I’ve never been on a date before,” Vadim blurted. “On a date without sex, that is. Just walking in the park, talking, laughing… I thought it would be something l
ike that. See, I told you. Stupid.”
“I don’t think so,” Max said slowly.
He’d had his share of vanilla romance, friends turning into something more and awkwardly pushing through all the get-to-know-you rituals, but he’d never thought it could be a part of a BDSM liaison, too. And maybe it usually wasn’t. Judging from what he’d learned trawling through specific forums, a session was often a carefully planned arrangement, quite enjoyable if everything went as expected, but still an arrangement with all its formality. Two grown-ups met, satisfied their unconventional carnal needs, said thank you for the good time spent together, and then goodbye. Easy. Only wasn’t it a bit technical? Lacking personal connection?
“How about we have a proper date then?” Max suggested. “At least partly? I have something in mind, nothing kinky this time. Come on.”
He practically dragged Vadim along the quay. Even if some people cast surprised glances at two men rushing by, hand in hand, almost at a jogging pace, Max didn’t care.
“Where are we going?” Vadim finally demanded to know, somewhat short of breath.
Max pointed at a white two-decked boat at a landing stage that could be seen through the bushes bordering the river bank.
“A river cruise?” Vadim asked, incredulous.
“Yeah, I know, not very imaginative. You’ve probably done it many times.”
“Actually, I haven’t,” Vadim said. “Funny, but I’ve never even thought of it. It’s kind of weird going on a cruise alone.”
“Well, you’re not alone now. Hurry up, the boat must be leaving in a minute.”
The crew must have spotted them buying tickets at a small wooden kiosk of the river termini. They waited for the two passengers to board and only then, the gangway was taken down, so the boat could haul off from the pier.
Vadim collapsed on the nearest bench. “What a marathon! You’re a sadist,” he complained.
“Well, you knew what you were signing up for,” Max retorted deadpan. “If you quit smoking, you’d be more resilient. Come on, get up. Let’s go to the upper deck.”
Apart from them, there were only two other couples on board, probably student boys and girls on a date, and all of them chose to stay at the bar on the enclosed lower deck, so the upper deck, partly sun-shaded and partly open, was empty and entirely at their disposal.
The boat stopped at different sightseeing points along the way. Max planned to disembark at Ustinsky Bridge, not far from Kitay-gorod metro station, so they could go to his place if Vadim was amenable. Meanwhile, they sat in the shade, in companionable silence, their chairs drawn close together, and watched the riverbanks slide by.
The boat took them past the Neskuchny Gardens and Gorky Park—a string of parks along the river—and the Soviet style buildings of Frunzenskaya Embankment. Right after the elegant Krymsky Bridge, where the river met the drainage canal, stood one of the world’s tallest outdoor statues and probably one of the most controversial Moscow landmarks: Zurab Tsereteli’s monument to Peter the Great, a gigantic figure on a pile of ships probably symbolizing the Russian navy. Max had yet to meet a Muscovite who liked its kitsch grandeur. Fortunately, the upcoming sights were an adequate compensation for contemplating it. As the boat sailed past the huge white and gold Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the red towers of the Kremlin, Vadim nestled his head cozily on Max’s shoulder.
“I wasn’t sure you’d enjoy it all,” Max confessed, languidly running a finger along Vadim’s arm and admiring a light dusting of almost invisible blond hair, now golden in the sunlight.
“I did enjoy it very much,” Vadim said. “And the kinky part, too.” He shifted up for a kiss and was granted one.
Max had never really thought past fulfilling his dream of having a sub at his disposal. Practicing all kinds of SM surely would be fun … but what would their relationship look like when a scene was over?
Now he was beginning to get the picture.
The sky over Moscow seemed to have paled, turned to a watercolor, misty kind of blue. They were kissing and kissing and kissing, unable to part. There was still no one else on the upper deck to reprimand them for inappropriate behavior, but the thought they could be easily seen from the quay, like they were on a stage, held a certain excitement.
Life was so perfect that it couldn’t get better…
Which meant it could only get worse at some point. But at the moment, Max wasn’t going to think about it.
Chapter Four
The Pros and Cons of Having a Sub
Max’s colleagues considered him unlucky for having to work on Sundays and in the evenings on most weekdays. Until recently, he hadn’t seen the point in maintaining the same working hours as the majority of other people. Now he was starting to get it.
A few times, Vadim texted him asking if he was amenable to dining together after work. Max certainly had no desire to decline these offers, especially because a dinner was usually followed by something more interesting, but he could only join Vadim after nine p.m. or so, as he had evening classes. Vadim assured him it wasn’t a problem. Still, Max felt uneasy making someone wait. More so because this someone was Vadim. Max didn’t want such a trifle to turn him off. It was bad enough he wasn’t as skilled a Dom as Vadim might think him to be.
At least Max could compensate the inconvenience by showing Vadim interesting places. Fortunately, one could find plenty of them in the vicinity. Max was especially fond of spicy Georgian food, with herby lamb stew, juicy meat dumplings, walnut-stuffed eggplant, and cheese-filled pies, khachapuri. Funnily enough, Russian specialties were not as easy to find in Moscow as Japanese sushi, Italian pasta, or even Middle Eastern falafel, but in his rambles, Max had discovered a few decent and more or less cheap places, apart from typical overpriced tourist restaurants.
The weirdest thing he’d tried was selyodka pod shuboy, herring under the fur coat—a layered salad consisting of salted herring, chopped beetroots, potatoes, carrots, onions and boiled eggs, all dressed with mayonnaise. Another popular fare, holodets—a cold meat jelly, looked a bit funny too, but tasted much better than Max had expected. Anyhow, a traditional Russian meal tended to be very substantial.
Max tried to entertain Vadim with different culinary experiences so he wouldn’t get bored. Vadim usually met him at the entrance to his language school and they went on a gastronomic excursion. Vadim let Max do the ordering and sometimes feed him a forkful of food from his plate, just to compare their dishes, and occasionally touch him under the table. It was fun. But more importantly, it was a chance to interact with one another outside of BDSM scenes.
Now that Vadim knew where Max worked, it was only natural Max would ask some personal questions, too. Vadim didn’t seem to mind answering. On the contrary, he spoke about his job most eagerly. He was an architect in a tiny firm. His duties included a wide range of tasks from creating design and technical drawings to meeting with clients and observing construction sites. “You get to do a bit of everything,” he explained, munching on a salad. “It’s a constant deadline, in a way, but at least you’re in control of the whole process, from the first sketches to the last finishings.”
“So you like being in control, huh?” Max teased him.
“It’s not that I like it,” Vadim replied pensively, “but I’m a control freak when it comes to work. If I’m doing something, I do it completely, I get obsessed, I can’t stop. That’s why I need to let go sometimes.”
“That’s what I can take care of,” Max promised, half-jokingly, half-threateningly.
And he usually did, with much gusto.
Their dates had a pattern, relatively comfortable for Max. They dined, then indulged in games they both enjoyed. On working days, Vadim preferred to go home after that. On weekends, he stayed longer. Max didn’t pry deeper into Vadim’s life.
Until one day the pattern broke. When Max emerged in the hall after his classes, it was already dark outside. Days were becoming shorter and shorter. The blue dusk behind the windows was
seasoned with blurred street lights doubling and flickering in the puddles after the recent rain.
Vadim sat in a low armchair close to the reception desk. He stood up with a smile when he saw Max, but suddenly sat back as if his knees gave way.
“Just give me a moment. I feel a bit … funny.” Vadim gave an apologetic smile, but it only stirred up Max’s anxiety.
“What’s the matter with you?”
Perhaps it sounded too harsh, unintentionally, just because he was worried. Vadim immediately became defensive. “I’m not ill. Nothing like that. Just a hard day. I got too wrapped up.”
In a flash of understanding, Max asked, “When did you last eat something?”
Vadim grimaced. “It was kind of a nervous day. I don’t eat much when I’m nervous. Just drink a lot of coffee. Liters.”
“That’s not what I asked. When was your last meal?”
Vadim cringed at his stern tone. “In the morning … I think. But as I said, I just forget that I’m supposed to eat when there’s much to do. It’s nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Nothing out of the ordinary? You almost collapsing in front of me?” Max wasn’t shouting, but he must have been loud enough. Two of his students who were lucky to pass by this very moment turned their heads in his direction, simultaneously, like mechanical dolls, but didn’t dare to stop and listen further. There’d be so much to discuss afterwards, Max thought ironically.
Vadim seemed taken aback by his sudden outburst. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to spoil your evening. It’s just that I sometimes lose track of things when I’m into something important. I was too preoccupied. And after work, I thought that I’d rather wait for you and we’d dine together.”
“You shouldn’t have,” Max grumbled. But Vadim looked at him with such exasperation that Max couldn’t be angry with his stupidity any longer. He sat down beside Vadim on a wide armrest and patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Look, what I mean is that I looked forward to it too, but it’s not something crucial, it’s just a dinner. It’s not something we can’t change.”
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