This is not a game

It gets better: Reggie

Reggie knows that Eli is seeing someone new pretty much from the beginning, but he only meets Qi Yi for the first time in early March. He barges into Eli's apartment with his own key and catches them in bed. Eli realizes that he forgot to mention that they now live together. And, unsurprisingly, he's never told Reggie about his interest in BDSM, so when Reggie sees him naked, bound, and gagged, while Qi Yi stands fully clothed with a paddle in hand, he takes about three seconds to assess the situation before lunging to defend his friend.

Eli makes muffled sounds and shakes his head. Qi Yi fends off the attack (Reggie, unlike Eli, knows how to fight well), and the next couple of minutes are utter chaos until Qi Yi finally manages to pin Reggie to the floor.

"Reggie," Qi Yi says, "you're Reggie, Eli's friend? I'm his boyfriend."

"Fuck that," Reggie retorts, still struggling. "If you're his boyfriend, why the hell is he tied up and panicking?!"

Qi Yi turns sharply to see Eli, pale and breathing erratically, and rushes over to him. By the time Reggie gets himself up off the floor, Qi Yi has already removed the gag, unfastened the cuffs, and is embracing Eli, gently rocking him and muttering soothing words in a mix of Mandarin and English. Eli clings to him, listening to the calming tones and gradually relaxing.

Reggie, reassessing the situation more accurately this time, throws a blanket over Eli's shoulders and sits on the other side of him.

"Reggie," Eli says as soon as he's gathered himself a bit, turning in Qi Yi's embrace to look at his friend, "this is my boyfriend. He didn't do anything I don't like."

"Are you sure?" Reggie asks, eyes still throwing daggers at Qi Yi.

Eli nods.

"One hundred percent. I did panic a bit when my best friend attacked my boyfriend while I couldn't do anything about it, but I'm okay. Are you okay?"

Reggie's got a black eye forming and probably a few more bruises hidden under his clothes, but he shrugs and scoffs.

"Qi Yi?"

Eli tilts his head up and sees a confirming nod. Qi Yi continues to hold and gently stroke him. Eli desperately wants to relax and melt into his embrace—the interrupted, intense session left him shaken. And he could probably allow himself that (these two aren't likely to start fighting again), but Reggie still looks ready to scoop him up and run off at the slightest provocation.

Considering Reggie's first introduction to Qi Yi, Eli can understand that. Especially after what happened in October. He sighs and sits up straighter.

"Reggie, can you wait in the kitchen? I'll get dressed, and we'll talk properly."

Reggie glares at Qi Yi for a few more seconds before leaving, clearly not keen on seeing his friend naked again. Eli allows himself a moment to relax and closes his eyes.

"Sorry, I should have talked to him sooner."

"And taken his key," Qi Yi grumbles tensely.

Eli's silently curls in on himself at that—hint of disapproval hits hard right now, when their session was interrupted so suddenly. Thankfully, Qi Yi doesn't press the issue, instead kissing him on the temple and freeing his hands from the soft fabric cuffs that still cling to his wrists.

"How are you, little fox?" Qi Yi asks gently, not letting go yet. "Were you scared?"

Eli nods: very. He normally has no issues with gags or bondage. He loves it actually—surrendering to trusted hands, finding his body's boundaries through the limits set by restraints.

But he wasn't prepared for what happened today. He wanted to shout and explain to Reggie that everything was fine. He wanted to throw himself between them and break up the fight. But all he could do was make muffled sounds through the gag and shake his head... the helplessness was awful. It was scary.

"You two are among the three most important people in my life," Eli says. "When you actually started fighting..." He trails off and sighs, not sure how to end the thought.

"I'm sorry," Qi Yi says, and Eli shakes his head.

"It's not your fault. And it's not Reggie's either. If I'd clarified things with him sooner, none of this would have happened. Now you are both hurt because of me. Don't be mad at Reggie, okay?"

"I'm not mad," Qi Yi says. "He was trying to protect you. I approve."

Eli gives a faint smile and reaches for his clothes. Qi Yi lets him go and helps him dress, catching his hand again as they head to the kitchen.

"It's not your fault either, little fox," Qi Yi says firmly but kindly. "Repeat that."

"It's not my fault," Eli repeats unconvincingly.

Qi Yi shakes his head.

"Don't you trust me? I'm telling you it's not your fault. So, it's not your fault."

"It's not my fault?" Eli says, more lively this time.

Qi Yi nods. They finally go into the kitchen, where Reggie sits at the table, glaring at a cup of coffee. There's another cup with tea waiting, meant for Eli, and nothing else. Eli decides to let that slide. For now. Qi Yi is right: Reggie rushed to protect him. That means a lot.

"So..." Eli sits down at the table, with Qi Yi silently standing behind him. "I'm sure you have questions."

"Are you really okay?" Reggie asks. Eli nods. "What the hell..." he starts but trails off, looking embarrassed and probably blushing, though it's not visible on his dark skin. "How long have you liked this kind of thing?"

"Since the beginning," Eli answers honestly. "Qi Yi didn't lure me to the dark side. I was into BDSM before him."

"And he beats you up?"

"It's not like that... I like experiencing a certain amount of pain. Qi Yi helps me do it safely. I can stop him anytime."

"How do you know he'll stop? You were tied up, for God's sake, Eli..."

"I will stop. I would never harm Eli," Qi Yi interjects before Eli can respond, and Reggie shifts his gaze from Eli to Eli's boyfriend.

"And yet you're willing to inflict pain on him?"

"I like inflicting pain on him," Qi Yi responds cautiously, and Eli can practically see Reggie tensing up, "as long as it's what he wants. Pain, but not harm. I love him. I won't let anyone hurt him, not even myself. Not even him."

Reggie stares at him for a long time before sighing and turning to Eli, who is still processing "I love him." It's the first time Qi Yi phrased his feelings quite like that.

"Do you trust him?"

"Absolutely," Eli replies without hesitation, and he sees Reggie give in.

"Okay," Reggie simply says and sips his coffee. "Then let's do a proper introduction."

Eli stands to make another cup of tea, and Qi Yi sits at the table. Reggie starts his clearly ambitious questioning but stumbles as soon as he gets to the "what do you do for work?" Eli isn't surprised. Soon enough, they're passionately discussing algorithms and debating the details on pages from Eli's kitchen notepad. Eli leaves them to it, tidying up the bed and then slipping into Battlescape.

"I like your friend," Qi Yi says when the door finally closes behind Reggie about five hours later.

"He has a girlfriend," Eli jokes.

Qi Yi frowns, trying to connect that to his comment and failing, making Eli laugh.

"I like my friend too," Eli says in Mandarin. "And I love you. 我爱你。我非常爱你。你说你爱我对不对?"

"对," Qi Yi confirms, "我爱你。你是我的。"

"我是你的," Eli agrees, beaming. Eli is his. And no matter how badly Reggie's first meeting with Qi Yi went, he's glad his best friend now knows. It makes their relationship that much more real.