Grab You By The (Meow!)

Brushing his thumb against the tip of his tongue left a wettish spot behind, the tacky paper stuck to it as he turned the page of the catalog. His eyes flitted over the new images, a split second was enough to judge the display of black bra and panties on the model, mostly see-through lace and one extra string across the breasts. Supposedly, this looked like bondage if the text next to it was to be believed.

Reflexively he touched the little bell and it made a comforting chime, around his neck a light blue collar, a simple leather strap. Marshall snorted in derision. If this was the bondage-look, he was a country singer. Sure, the design was nice enough but bondage was way different. As usual, turning something genuinely awesome into a commodity robbed it of its charm. Again the old adage held true: When you tried to make everyone happy, you made no one happy. Mass appeal was the same, he would know.

But this time he only needed to make two people happy, so Marshall turned to the next page still hoping for a Eureka! moment on what exactly he was looking for. The model wore a white corsage with what the text described as exciting embroidery, which was anything but exciting. The pattern of curly lines was okay but uninspired. Nonetheless, his eyes lingered a little longer on it and traced the criss-cross of the lacing. Marshall loved corsages and corsets. Besides, the outfit included straps and these were actually exciting. It was a shame the picture of the model cut off above the thigh-highs, he would've liked to see the whole ensemble together. He folded the corner of the page to bookmark it, the details weren't for him but a corsage with straps? He so needed to have that!

Sunken in thought he turned to the next page, more frillies. Was this good enough though? Or was it too obvious of an idea? This wasn't the first time he chose some sexy lingerie to celebrate with his boyfriend. Anything but the first time he planned to celebrate with sex. He didn't even need a reason if he liked a piece of clothing, he would end up using it for sex one way or the other. Why not, right? Needed he to do something different this time? Not to say sexy lingerie was anywhere near lame, it absolutely wasn't, but maybe he needed to do something more exciting, more adventurous, something surprising. After all, five years was a long-ass time and Marshall was proud they had made it this far. But it also meant that all his odd desires and extra quirks were well known and explored. For a relationship lasting this long perhaps they needed to actively do things different and fight against the danger of complacency and staleness. What if this wasn't just expected but worse it had gotten boring over the years?

A shiver ran down Marshall's spine. There were a lot of things he wanted to do with his man and a lot of things he was willing to accept for him, but boredom wasn't one of it. The line between boredom and normalcy was tight to walk, yet they had managed so far. At least Marshall thought so. Was he wrong? Was the feeling of homeyness he had for Nicolas actually the sinister feeling of false security? Not intimacy but apathy? A hard swallow. He lifted his eyes from the page, the living room door was closed but Marshall knew a few doors down the hall was his boyfriend taking a shower. Did he expect more from him?

Marshall looked over his shoulder to take in his own form: sprawled out belly down on the couch, light blue sweats and a white t-shirt. Not exactly breathtakingly seductive. But wasn't this why they shared an apartment in the first place? So that not every single meeting of theirs suffocated underneath the pressure of making it count, so that they could spend some cozy, meaningless time together, so that they would actually share their lives with each other. This had to include lounging on the couch like a sack of potatoes.

But celebrating their five-year anniversary should be different. It should be more. He turned the next page: A bra made from white lace, nothing too fancy - except for the fact that it closed around the neck. This made a cute laced window for the woman's cleavage. Quietly he hummed in contemplation, trying to imagine it on a less gifted pair of breasts - his own. Highlighting his tits as something special was close to a lost cause, sure with a little push they had a slight curve to them but it wouldn't fool anyone. But Nicolas loved them and sometimes this was enough of a reason. Perhaps this was still a little special between them? Marshall made a dog-ear into this page as well.