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Logan huffs. “Both, I imagine. But mainly submission. I hate it. I’m afraid of it. I wish I didn’t have that side to me. It’s a weakness. I don’t see where being submissive has made anyone’s life better. Do you know how many lives it’s ruined? Are there statistics?”

“Dominance has ruined a lot of lives, too. It’s an imperfect science with a terrible human cost.”

Logan shrugs. He doesn’t have a lot of sympathy for the poor Dominants who fight, fuck, and have anger issues as a consequence of their designation. There’s one group of people who hurt, and another whogets hurt, and it really isn’t more complicated than that.

He crosses his arms and shrinks into himself.

Robert runs his hand through his hair and lets out a sigh. “Maybe the question is: will my answering the question help you? Does it take our relationship in a direction you want it to go?”

Robert waits patiently for the answer.

“I don’t know. I… what do you want?” Logan asks.

“That isn’t relevant. But it sounds to me like you shouldn’t ask what I like, Logan. You don’t owe me anything,” he says it like it’s easy. “That’s okay.” Robert smiles reassuringly.

“You don’t want me to ask.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“So youdowant me to ask?”

Robert laughs.

Logan wants to hit him.

“I want you to ask if that’s what you want. If knowing will give you comfort or joy or arousal. Any good emotion, then you ask. Only good feelings. The last thing I want is to hurt you or for you to feel unsafe around me. And I’m definitely worried about influencing you.”

“Influencing? I liked the influencing,” he says quietly.

That makes Robert blink in surprise. “On a scale of one to ten, how easy was it to resist?”

Logan blushes. “When you weren’t holding back?”

“Yeah,” he confirms, watching Logan closely.

“What’s ten? If ten is ‘difficult to resist’ then like thirty. A hundred.”

“Fuck. Right.” He winces.

“But… it was good,” Logan says. “I liked it.”

He’s pretty sure Robert doesn’t believe him.

“I would like to know what about it appealed to you, Sir.” It’s mortifying to put that word out there.

The deference. An acknowledgement that he’s asking, as a submissive.

Robert leans forward, holding out his hand, and Logan takes it in his, letting Robert twine their fingers together. It makes Logan feel better, even if there are tears running down his face now.

“I liked that you released and I liked that you came. Everyone’s submission is different. Most submissives have their needs met through comfort, stability, and routine outside their cycle. They can manage until then. Nonsexual submission is what I’m used to—”

“Why?” Logan asks, interrupting.

“That’s just how submissives react to me,” he says slowly. “I encourage it. The last thing a submissive needs is another Dominant who wants to fuck them. I like people to feel safe.”

“I didn’t react in a nonsexual way.”

“No, you didn’t. But you don’t have to feel ashamed, Logan. I don’t take it to mean you desire me. It’s just what you needed in the moment and I’m glad you felt safe enough to allow me to help you.”

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