The Help~(Completed♡)

The Danger of a Safeword

"Har? What's wrong?", I asked softly. She'd been shuffling in the same spot for a few minutes while I worked on grading things.

"Um I-I uh- I just-"

"Babe what is it?" She sat down across from me, slowly handing me a paper,

"Y-You gotta sign this." I flipped it over to see her math exam. I flipped through it, finding all the answers correct until they stopped a few from the end. The last page had a small note on it,

'Damon,
       I'm not sure why, but I caught Harley cheating. She's doing great in my class so I don't understand why she would jeopardize her grade like this. She wouldn't talk to me about it, besides begging me not to tell you. I think something is really wrong but I figure you'll get to the bottom of it. Just maybe not before you get to her bottom. Harley's a good kid, I think she's just struggling elsewhere than school. I expect this to be signed by you and back on my desk by tomorrow. Feel free to call me to discuss this issue further.
              ~ Mr. Jakes'

I sighed,

"Harley-"

"I know you're mad but I have a question first and it's more important to me at the moment. And for days now." Rowan kept into the doorway nervously.

"Okay... What's going on?"

"Did... Did you give Rosa a-a- like a s-safeword?" Shit.

"Here for the same question?", I asked Rowan.

"Y-Yeah." They seemed scared.

"Sit." He slowly did so, scooting closer to Harley. "You guys need to understand that Rosa came from a very negative and toxic environment. I know we did too, but it's been a long time. When you guys first came, you were too young to understand having a safeword. Rosa is old enough to understand when I explained it. It's hard for her to decipher between discipline and abuse. So, yes, I gave Rosa a safeword in case she ever feels abused or in danger or as if I'll truly hurt her. She needs to have a way out and she needs to trust me. You guys understand?" They nodded a little,

"Yes." I paused,

"Do you guys feel like you need a safeword?" They both nodded. Oh. "If-If we had one before, are there times you guys would have used it?" They both froze.

"Y-Yeah.", Harley whispered. Rowan looked down.

"Ro?", I whispered. He nodded,

"A-A lot."

"You guys realize that using and having a safeword is a huge deal and an insane amount of responsibility right?"

"Why?", Harley asked, "It's just a word, isn't it?"

"No, no baby. It's so much more than a word love. It stops everything. No matter what's happening or where or for what reason, I stop. Always. But it's not something you can take advantage of. You can't use it to get out of punishments or lectures. If you abuse a privilege, it gets taken away."

"We wouldn't.", she said softly.

"I want a way out.", Rowan said quietly, barely above a whisper, "S-Sometimes, you get really mad and-and you're not our brother anymore."

"Then who am I?" They hesitated,

"D-Daddy.", Harley whispered, "And it's really scary."

"I'm sorry.", Rowan's voice cracked as he wiped away tears. I quickly moved over and crouched in front if him,

"No, no. Don't be sorry Rowwy. Calm down. I'm sorry you guys. I-I didn't know. I'm not upset with either of you-"

"For anything?", Harley asked hopefully.

"Oh don't think for a second we're done with our previous conversation young lady.", I said sternly, "I'm not upset with you guys for telling me, I'm proud of you. But I wish you'd told me sooner."

"So now what?", she asked.

"The safeword is red. House wide, it'll stop anything."

"Do we get in more trouble for using it?", Rowan asked. I sat next to him,

"No, no baby. Of course not. I'll stop and we'll talk and then decide if I need to continue or if we need to just stop all together. Okay?" They nodded. I stood up, "C'mere." They got up and hugged me tightly for a minute before I sighed, "Okay Har, go up to your room. I'll be up in a second."

"But-"

"Don't argue." She whined but obeyed as I sighed, "Ro, will you and Rose order something for dinner?"

"Mexican?"

"Sure. Let me know if you have to leave to go get it."

"Okay bubba."