La Maison 3: Pretty (Complete: mxm)

Chapter 11: Aulelei

A/N: well, this got away from me - it wasn't what this chapter was meant to be, but then I got distracted by the interaction between the boys. And it's a bit of an info dump, but hopefully relevant. 

BTW - if anyone has a language request for the chapter titles - let me know. The choices are pure random selection and I'd love to get one in that resonates with you

River felt rejuvenated the day after his first ever scene. When Ellis asked him to visit him at home River didn't think twice before heading across the city to the mansion he'd seen for the first time the day before.

"Hi, Allie," he said brightly to the butler, who looked taken aback but soon smiled.

"Hello River, it's nice to see you again."

"What made you decide to be a butler?" River asked, apropos to nothing and clearly surprising the man again.

"I enjoy serving people," he responded after several seconds of thought, with a slight blush and lowering of the eyes that made River have something of an 'aha' moment.

River was dying to ask more questions, wanted to know just how different Allie's submission was to, say, Ellis'. Or, even, to what he was beginning to suspect was his own level of wanting to give himself over to someone else. It didn't seem fair, though, to put him on the spot when he was working, so he was relieved when Ellis came bouncing in and took the option away.

"Do you feel like a million dollars?"

"I feel good. It was...I didn't know I wanted that."

"You suspected it though? Or you wouldn't have accepted Gray's offer?"

"Why so worried? You trust him don't you? It felt like you did." River tried to keep the slight panic at bay.

"Yes! I do, it's okay, Riv. I just want to be sure. You're one of my best friends and I don't want to push you into this if it isn't what you want. I can't go round projecting my kinks onto other people, even if I ain't gonna pretend I don't like that we'll be able to talk about more stuff."

"I can't believe you hid it for so long. You guys have been together for months. And you didn't do the sub thing before him, did you?"

"No, it all came from him. And will probably end with him. He's it for me."

"You've decided that fast?"

"A bit. Things do tend to move quickly in this lifestyle though. You have to trust the people – the Doms, usually – that you're working with. I think that tends to lead to serious feelings if you let it."

River thought.

"So if – and it's still an if – I decide I'm interested in this, if I come to the club and scene with Doms I should expect to fall wildly in love with the first man I do that with."

"About that...I'm going to let you into a secret. People look up to me at the club. Subs come to me for advice and even the Doms are more respectful to me than they are to each other. And it's all only because I'm Suzu's submissive, and he's the boss of literally everyone there. So I have a lot of power that I haven't really earned, and all I'm doing is trying not to abuse it. I like it, don't get me wrong, but the thing about it that I leaned fastest was not to assume that I know better than anyone else. It's why, when I invited you over, I invited some other people, too, who have different experiences to me, and they should be here soon."

River was nervous, but excited that Ellis was taking what, to him, had only been unformed suggestions seriously, and wanted to help him. They went to the kitchen, and Ellis told him Allie was probably in the sitting room that was dedicated to him and the housekeeper, so wouldn't disturb them.