Tyed

chapter two

"Well, it's the same thing as my story, so lemme just explain." Lachlen downs a shot he'd just ordered in one go. "Right. So there's a lot of background as to how this conversation happened, but my friend Paige, ze introduced me to this place. It's out in the Eastern suburbs, a bit well hidden, and mostly spread through word of mouth. And what it is, is it's kind of like a club, I guess, but the whole point of it is... well, rich people who want to date pretty people, except it's not just for older men and younger women. It's for all sorts of people. I went there maybe eight months ago, and because of it, I've met Levi."

"You're telling me you got a sugar daddy?" Tyler's eyes narrow as he tries to make sense of the words. Lachlen laughs.

"I mean, it's not just that. It sounds like it but it's a whole lot different to what it sounds like when you go there." Lachlen grins like he's making complete sense, unaware that he's not. "It's a whole negotiation. You know what BDSM is, right?"

"Shit, it's not one of those weird places where they get busted because there's one dude abusing a bunch of underage girls or something, is it?" Tyler asks, blurting it out as his first association with those kinds of things. His second association is his mother comparing it to being gay and having sex with animals. To be fair, this was several years ago, fresh out of the helltown both generations grew up in, and she's at least tolerant of Tyler's bisexuality these days. Those words still stick in his mind years later, though.

Lachlen scoffs. "What? Stop watching the news. No. It's like... you go there, and as long as you know what you want, you can find someone who wants exactly that, but like, on their end. Usually it's pretty kinky, and usually it's like a sugar thing, but it doesn't have to be. I met Levi there and it's been plenty of both those things."

"So Levi is your sugar daddy? Where's he?" Tyler asks, looking around the room like he could find a man he'd never met by sight alone. Lachlen elbows him in the ribs, and Tyler gives him back his attention.

"He's not here, and you look like a twat," Lachlen says. "He's working, but I'm meeting up with him after this. I'm sure he won't mind if we meet up somewhere else, so let's go. If you stay with me for more than, like, an hour, you'll meet him. Come on."

"I don't really care, but sure," Tyler offers, and Lachlen rolls his eyes at his ex's drunken honesty. "Where exactly are we going?"

"Shit, I forgot to ask if you wanted to go to the club. You're coming, right?"

"Wait, we're actually doing this?" Tyler blinked through his surprise. "Am I going to go get a sugar daddy to solve my money problems? Is that what you're suggesting I do?"

"I mean, you don't have to." Lachlen shrugs as he gets up out of his seat. "But you want to, right? I don't know, I don't want to be weird."

"You're always fucking weird, Lachie." Tyler doesn't mean anything bad by that, and his ex knows. When Lachlen stands, Tyler finds himself following. It doesn't quite feel real; it's like he's just standing in a dream, ready to follow wherever the dream takes him. "But like, we're seriously, actually doing this?"

When Tyler had known Lachlen, he knew him to be cautious, careful, but optimistic. He knows Lachlen wouldn't take him somewhere that isn't safe, and he also knows that Lachlen truly does think this will solve Tyler's problem, or else he wouldn't be so eager to try it. So eager he didn't even think to actually ask until after getting ready to leave.

On the other hand, Tyler hasn't seen Lachlen in two years, and people can change. That, and Lachlen's already implied it's kind of a BDSM thing; Tyler certainly hopes that aspect of it is avoidable, if this is to work out. He's not cut out for that kind of thing. He could probably do the dominant stuff, if he really wanted to, but no way is anyone telling him what to do. He has that much set in his mind; he can play a role, maybe, if he tries, but there's only so far he's capable of pushing it.