Captured Effortlessly (Ain't Nobody)

Chapter 4 - Holding Me Close

A/N: I think in reality, Can should have gone with his intuition and not allowed Tin to participate - he is not in a state of mind where he can properly assess the risks and consequences of what he does. (Well, Can is only human, too ;) )
And in terms of fiction - it wouldn't be as interesting, would it?

The blazing spotlight washed out all the faces in the audience around him. Tin was focused solely on Master Kirakorn, who was standing in front of him now, smiling, and giving him a small nod.

Even though he was on the catwalk, for everyone in the club to see, Tin felt safe. The Master had explained everything to him in detail, Tin knew exactly what would happen, he had gotten familiarised with the rope backstage already, and he was now wearing light, flowy clothes of the same kind that the Master wore – just that he would soon receive a basic harness of blue rope over his upper torso.

Tin had also learned the basic traffic-light system of safe words that he could use if he wanted to stop at any point. Master Kirakorn had told him he usually preferred the personal touch of individual safe words over traffic-lights, but they didn't have time for that right now.

Instead, he had assured him that he would also stop if Tin simply said he was uncomfortable flat-out, without insisting on using colours, because Tin's wellbeing was more important to him than protocol.

"My dear guests, I invite you to observer my first demonstration of the evening. My assistant for tonight prefers not to give a name, because this is his very first visit to Planets. Please, give him a warm welcome to our club and to the catwalk. Let's show all our new guests the beauty of what we practice here."

There was applause, but Tin barely paid it any heed.

He was too tuned into the reassuring smiles and gestures Master Kirakorn had for him, just as he was addressing his audience, explaining the procedures to them, announcing that his assistant would not have permission to speak during the entire demonstration and as long as the harness remained on.

Tin now began to understand some of the intricacies of the play he had entered that he had never considered before.

He had lowered his head to acknowledge that he wasn't allowed to speak – but what Master Kirakorn had pronounced as "no permission to speak", for Tin actually meant "permission not to speak".

He had just gone through three days of hard negotiations, where he had needed to be present and speak up when necessary. He was worn out and drained. Knowing that he was forbidden to speak was a relief, not a restriction nor a punishment. He didn't want to have to speak – and by the power of Master's words, he could forget about speaking and let go.

As they had agreed, Master Kirakorn placed a cushion in front of him and quietly pointed at it for Tin to fall down on his knees.

Of course, Tin was aware how this would look like, a gesture of submission the kind Master had gotten out of him – but Tin was too tall for him to work comfortably, and Tin wanted to accommodate him, since he had been so understanding and respectful all along.

If Tin allowed himself to admit it, he was strangely intrigued by these things – how they looked so completely different from the outside and the inside.

From the outside, it looked like Master Kirakorn had dominated a random audience member into submission, took his voice away, got him to kneel in front of him, and was now tying him up in a harness, to then touch his upper body at his leisure.

And for the entirety of the presentation, the Master would keep a loose end of rope in his hand, one he would hold onto while he sent Tin to walk down the catwalk; as if he was leashed.