His Little Bird

Endure

Ethan's POV

I lay my head back against the cabinet, one hand forced at an odd angle due to it having to hang from a cuff.

Endure.

Endure.

Endure.

My skin crawls and I feel like screaming, but I know this is simply a mind-over-matter situation. Nothing is going to happen to me as I sit here cuffed. I'm not in danger and neither is my Little Bird.

Even if something happened, I have a key in my pocket attached to my set of car keys... maybe it is deceiving to not have told her that, but it honestly isn't something she needs to know.

She is safe whether I can move from this spot or not... I could also kick the cabinet door off if she really needed me, but a key is much easier than breaking the door off it's hinges.

You're fine, Ethan.

Submissives can be bound for hours, especially, during suspension play or a scene... I can do a few minutes.

Small feet shuffle against the hardwood floor and I open my eyes, taking in my Little Bird.

She silently shuffles over, dropping down in front of me. She reaches for my cuffed hand, wordlessly undoing the lock.

Her face is impassive, but her eyes are full of worry. Neither of us say anything, just staring at one another.

She takes the cuffs off and gently sets them aside on the floor next to her. She examines my face for a moment before deciding.

I don't know what she decides, but she gently shifts to sit down on my leg. It's uncomfortable, but she moves so she is more on the floor between my legs with her legs resting over mine.

I go to grab her waist, ready to comfort her and see what was wrong, but then I remember she never colored back to yellow.

She sits in my lap, playing with her hands for a few minutes.

I wonder if she forgot that I wasn't going to do anything until she colored back to yellow, but she doesn't seem confused about why I'm not doing anything which makes me think she's purposely not doing it.

I don't mind her waiting though. I'd much rather her sit in silence with me, than for her to go hide somewhere by herself, or leave me cuffed here.

She doesn't look at me, seeming very involved in her inner turmoil. "Yellow."

I let out a deep breath, relieved. I go to grab her again before thinking better. My hands linger over her sides and she looks up at me.

She is still very vulnerable, not the strong submissive I am used to dealing with. There is a weakness behind her submission that I haven't seen before with her.

"May I touch you?" I inquire softly, not wanting to spook her. She looks down and sniffles as she nods. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her back against my chest. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I remember Weston mentioning that Birdie had been adopted at a young age and had a fear of men for a while... he said she didn't have it anymore though and I have never seen it when she was with me.

Did I do something to trigger her?

She didn't like me telling her to undress. Had she been molested as a child?

The thought makes my blood boil.

Birdie grabs onto my arms, holding me to her. She shakes her head, not wanting to talk and I bite my tongue, not making her explain. "You're safe," I remind her and she curls back into my chest, letting me shield her in my embrace.