Take Me Down The Rabbit Hole (BDSM | 18+)

IX

Sorry for the delay everyone! 
I was having a hard time with inspiration last week and I'm still kind of in a creative rut, so here's a bonding moment between Spencer and Aspen for last week's chapter! 

____

Aspen pulled the earplugs from his ears and sat up in the bed, staring at the bare door to the closet. 
Spencer had knocked on his door after dinner and had wordlessly thrown the plugs on his bed - Aspen had followed the advice, and needless to say, he had slept like a baby. 
"Aspen?" there was another knock on the door. "Aspen it's 6:30! You better open this door if you don't want me inside your room!" 
Aspen cursed under his breath and threw the blanket back, getting out of bed and jogging over to the door. 
He opened it, and Alan regarded him with a funny look. "Good morning," he said cooly. 
"Good morning," Aspen returned, trying to read Alan's expression. "Master," he added, for good measure, but Alan seemed unimpressed. "You're up late," he said instead. "Something you wanna tell me about?" 
"No, Master," Aspen mumbled, turning around to where Alan was looking. "I just- I sleep with earplugs." 
"Do you, now? Well, breakfast is ready. Put on a shirt and some pants, first." 
"Yes, Master."
Alan turned around without another word, and Aspen closed the door, running a hand through his hair. He was, in fact, up late, because he ould have to leave for work in an hour and a half. He dug around in his closet for a pair of sweats and a shirt and slipped into them, wondering if Alan was just not a morning person or if he had already fucked up. 
When he entered the living space, Alan was busy scrolling through something on a tablet while Spencer was shoveling fruit salad into his mouth. 
"Good morning," Aspen said again, more to Spencer this time, who covered his mouth with his hand and nodded. 
Alan put the tablet down, a page of the New York Times on the screen before the device locked. 
"When will you be home from work today?" he asked, watching as Aspen grabbed a croissant and smeared butter on it.
"Around five, Master," Aspen mumbled, taking a bite of the pastry and looking at Alan with a confused expression. "Why?" 
"Because you're not going to be going places without me knowing about it." 
Aspen choked on his breakfast. "It's just work," he said softly, trying to mask the protesting undertone in his voice, before he reached for the glass of water Spencer pushed across the table and took a sip. "Thanks, Spencer." 
"I know it's 'just work', but I'd like to know where you are regardless. One text when you get there, one when you come back, and one picture of what you're having for lunch." 
"What? Why?" 
Alan chuckled. "You're going to need to be on a healthy diet if you want to keep up with your body, Aspen." 
"So you're playing food police?" 
"If I have to, yes." Alan reached for his half-empty mug of coffee and took a sip. "Don't make me. And while we're at it, fix your tone." 
"Sorry, Master." 
A raised brow over the rim for an answer, Aspen added, "I'll make sure I'll remember." Then, he took another bite of his croissant, glancing at Spencer for moral support. Spencer glanced back, but he didn't say anything. 
Alan sat his cup down. "Alright, I'll leave you two alone for a minute." 
As soon as he had gotten up and the door to the bathroom had closed, Spencer laid his head on the table. "He's not a morning person," he mumbled, and Aspen almost laughed - almost. 
"Thanks for the earbuds." 
"I'm sorry they got you into trouble." 
"That's not your fault, I forgot to set my alarm. We good?" 
"Yeah," Spencer mumbled and finally lifted his head from the table. "You'll get used to this." 
Aspen chuckled before he finished his croissant. "I think he left so we can clean up." 
"If you need to get ready I can do it this morning and you can do tonight's," Spencer offered, but Aspen shook his head. "I'll help now, we'll be done faster." 
Spencer pushed his chair back. "Isn't this weird for you?" 
"Not weirder than being woken up by my high school friend in front of my door - my friend who I now call master." 
Spencer chuckled. "At least he's only your high school friend, and not your employer who found out you were abusing drugs and threatened to send you to therapy."
"I didn't-" Aspen started. "He did that for you?" 
"Yeah, I was ... Two years out of high school. My parents kicked me out when they found out I am gay. They said if God doesn't love me, neither can they." 
Aspen gulped. "That reminds me of what my friends said when I told them I like men. It doesn't get easier. But kicked out of the house? That's just cruel." 
"I waited," Spencer said softly, "two years before I told them. They kicked me out the day they knew I graduated, so I moved in with a friend and started modeling. That's how I met Alan, and he wasn't amused that I had to sacrifice my time for modeling instead of getting an education. He pays for my classes now." 
"What are you studying?"
"Photography," Spencer said and flushed. 
"That's nice!" 
"And you? Why did you study law?" 
"Family tradition," Aspen returned, rolling his eyes. "But the money is good." 
Spencer nodded and started gathering the plates from the table before stacking them in the sink and turning the faucet on. "Alan doesn't want me to care about that. I was going to study business as he did but he practically forced me to pick something creative." 
"I think he just wanted you to be happy, and enjoy your time in college." Aspen accepted the first clean plate and wiped it down. "You're probably not going to miss it as much as I do, but you'll be happy you got to study something you actually have an interest in." 
Spencer smiled. "I guess so." 
Before either of them could say anything else, the lock on the bathroom door clicked.