aftercare

[riding_crop]

She texts him at half past noon, so that he's had time to sleep in if he needs it, but will probably be awake.

What channel are we watching, Sherlock?

Because he'd laughed, so she considers it a promise.

Comments

[riding_crop]

"No one ever explained to you that pain needn't be a competition."

She hadn't, either. Irene spares another moment to curse the over-hasty negotiation.

"I think that idea will wait, in that case. Explore what kinds of pain you enjoy before going into a scene where anyone is hurting you more than is immediately physically satisfying."

The language she chooses is deliberate, putting the control of the stimulation squarely in his hands.

[seesobserves]

It makes sense. Chemistry first. Work out the periodic table before they go handling volatile chemicals.

"Suppose so." His eyes skirt away from her toward the carpet, and then the wall. No sense pretending he isn't interested in continuing, but he's still going to have to adjust to her seeing him like this. "Then I think we will be approaching it again, at some point."

[riding_crop]

"Good."

She agrees, with a tiny bit of a glint in her eye. She won't pretend not to want to have him under her lash.

"I had hoped so."