Challenge # 183 - Lines

Another old challenge, this one is for Lines. Another part of the Red Door Series.

Title: Red Door: Teach me
Author: The Authoress a.k.a. </a></b></a>karieflybabe 
Email addy: karieauthoress@gmail.com
Category: Slash
Warning: BDSM, Sequel to Surprise me, Enlighten me and Show me here on </a></b></a>sentinel_thurs Fourth in the series. Takes up immediately where 'Show Me' leaves off.

 

Jim had heard many strange and unusual things since his senses had come online. Old women talking to their cats. Fat men discussing women like pieces of meat. Drug cartels choosing their meeting places based on the cheapest, juiciest steaks.

 

But it was a little disarming when your best friend in the whole world tells you that he is going to be touching you in ways that you could never imagine. In front of a bunch of people in a skin club. In an effort for you to learn about a lifestyle that he once dabbled in for release and was now beginning to fall back into because you were stupid enough, again and again, to get yourself in trouble for *not* listening to his good advice and driving him up the wall.

 

But then Jim knew he'd had it coming from the moment he found Blair outside the Red Door that first time six months ago. Now here he stood inside that very club, naked from the waist up apart from a leather collar adorned with a silver pendant and pressed tightly against Blair's back as Blair informed him that he was about to become nothing more than an object to be shown off, displayed and remarked upon by perfect strangers.

And he was getting hard over that thought.

 

After that little revelation Blair pulled away and Jim blinked once before following where his friend led them deeper into the club and in search of Blair's friend Davey. It didn't take them long and as soon as Jim caught sight of him, he knew there was something really wrong with the young man. Blair didn't hasten his stride at all but took his time weaving through bodies until he reached the couch that Davey had chosen to stand beside.

 

"David." Blair spoke calmly and clearly, the name a caress from his lips. Davey instantly relaxed as Blair laid a hand on his shoulder, the tension slipping away as if it had never been. Jim watched this with interest as he had never seen Blair so focused before. But then he remembered that he had seen Blair like this, every time Jim woke up from a zone.

 

Blair waved a hand towards the floor and David slid to his knees in front of the couch. Blair sat on the nearest cushion to his friend and waited. Jim thought for half a second and dropped to his knees as well. This was where Blair's 'Slaves'... 'Pets'? This was where he was expected to be so he had to remember it. He held himself at attention for a moment until Blair laid a hand on his shoulder and he relaxed.

 

"All right David. Tell me what's wrong so that I can judge how best to help you."

 

Blair appeared very patient with David and Jim wondered if that was the same way that Blair handled Jim when *he* was being an ass about how he felt. David dropped his gaze and looked as if he were about to blow off the explanation when Blair reached up and flicked an earring dangling from David's ear. Jim noticed that the symbol was the same as the one he wore around his throat. He was going to have to see if he could find out what that symbol meant because it seemed to be a trigger that David knew very well.

 

"I'm sorry to call you so late, Balbos**. I didn't know who else to go to about this. First I have lost my parents and now the one person besides you I thought I could trust has threatened to betray me to the Board of Trustees." David dropped his head and closed his eyes. Blair laid a hand on the bowed head for a moment while glancing back at Jim and revealing an expression of complete anger. Jim felt taken aback. He had never seen so much strong emotion in his friend before. Jim felt the need to drop his gaze as well, so powerful was that emotion emanating from Blair.

 

"Very well. Now that I have an idea of the trouble and where your fears are coming from I think I can find someone to help you. You are right, you need tension release." Blair turned away from David for a moment and scanned the crowd around them. In an aside to Jim he whispered, *We are looking for a guy about your size, jet black hair wearing black leathers. He usually wears his hair long, braided with a silver tip on the tail.*

 

Jim made no acknowledgement that he heard Blair, but he did keep his eyes open for the man in question. When he first noticed the Master Blair searched for, he leaned gently against Blair's knee and Blair petted Jim's head as a way of saying he understood. Then he stood and walked away from Jim and David. A quick hand signal told Jim to remain where he was with David and he took that to mean he was now guarding the younger man. Jim cranked his hearing up to follow as Blair walked up and tapped Patrick on the shoulder.

“Hey Patrick, long time no see.” His friend’s voice was pitched slightly lower than normal, but was no less relaxed in its cadence.

 

Patrick spun around and seeing who had been trying to get his attention exclaimed with a leer, "Blair, babe, you have grown up and filled out. It looks good on you." Blair slanted a sardonic look at the handsome man, one that clearly said 'cut the bull already' and Patrick grinned. "What, it's been a while since we've seen you, it was a valid observation. And speaking of observing, how are things going for you on the schooling front - still after those three letters after your name?"

 

Blair nodded, grinning, “Yeah, it’s been a real drag trying to juggle school work and paid work. But I’m keeping it together.”

 

“Yeah? Good, well then what’s up? Anything I can do to help?” The man was practically drooling as he spoke with Blair. His eyes clearly showed that he thought Blair was a tasty morsel that he would love to snack on. Another test for Jim, one that he planned to excel in as he had all the rest so far this night. He had to believe that Blair could take care of himself and that he would return to Jim, not let someone else take him away.

And obviously Blair’s motto was ‘dance with the one you came with’ cause he never missed a beat as he answered, “Actually I do have something I wanted to ask. I have a friend, a sub, in need of your special skills. I thought if you wouldn’t mind...”

 

“Tell me that is David over there by the couch? I noticed him on the way in. The gentle giant beside him is too sure of himself to need that sort of play. Not that I wouldn’t mind taking a whack at breaking him—“ Patrick was cut off when Blair moved to block his gaze. Jim could only imagine his friend’s expression at this moment, but it had to have been rather ugly. His voice had dropped even further and taken on the quality of ice.

 

“Jim is mine, only mine. Thank you for the compliment but no one touches him, least of all you, Pat.”

Patrick’s eyes widened in amazement for a moment before he settled into a sarcastic air. “You forget yourself Blair. You were once in that position, or do you need a reminder?”

 

Blair waved a hand as he spoke, “Yeah and we both know that I was never meant to be a Sub. But, I am a Dom, if not a Master. And that is *my* property sitting there like a good little boy. *Mine*, yes?”

 

Patrick laughed then and nodded as if Blair had passed some sort of test. “Yes Blair, Gentle Giant is yours and no one can dispute that. I mean, look at the man, sitting so proudly where you left him, not a flinch, his focus entirely on you. That is a good sub there, my boy.”

 

And for some irrational reason this made Jim sit up a little straighter. To know that by obeying Blair he was making his Guide look good among his peers, it sent a shiver down his spine and a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach. Blair glanced back at him and grinned before turning the conversation back to the matter at hand. “So, about David...”

“Yes, I remember when he brought you to me in the first place. I think I know just what he needs. Let’s just go collect him now, shall we?” Patrick then led the way back to the couch where David knelt, eyes on the ground, trembling. Jim dropped his own eyes and kept his senses focused on Blair, his favorite person to focus on. Patrick appraised David like a piece of meat, sizing up the marbling and deciding if the cut was right for whatever recipe he planned for it. Obviously he liked what he saw as he waved a hand and led the way towards the back of the club.

 

Blair flopped down on the couch next to Jim and laid a hand on his shoulder. A waitress appeared and Blair ordered two glasses of water. Jim’s hearing kept creeping up, trying to follow David, until Blair stroked his shoulder lovingly. “James, don’t try. He’s safe there. Patrick won’t do anything to him that he doesn’t want.”

 

Jim said nothing, having not been allowed to, but his concern had to be easy to see by anyone around. Blair sighed, still stroking, trying to sooth him. “James, have you ever done any research on this lifestyle?”

 

Jim nodded once. Blair smiled faintly as he turned so that he was seeing Jim’s eyes. “And do you know the term ‘Bloodplay’?”

 

No, he did not. In fact, he wasn’t certain about too many of the terms. He just knew that some people liked it a bit rougher than most, but depending on how far some people were willing to go for pain/pleasure... Jim canted his head to the side, question in his expression. Blair nodded, his grin fading to something of a sad smile. “David likes to be cut, releases endorphins and helps him achieve that state of flying. Others like to be whipped, but David gets off on the knife. When Patrick is finished with him, David will be sleeping like a baby.”

 

Jim leaned forward, his mind racing as he realized the implications in what Blair was telling him. David liked to bleed for his release! And if Jim had tried to listen in, he would have most likely either zoned on the sounds, or he would have lost it and charged in to protect the obviously agitated young man. Blair’s hand resumed its stroking as he brought a glass of water to his lips, letting him sip from the straw. “Yes. That’s why I wanted you to focus on me. The rooms beyond that set of doors are not for us. If we get that far in our play, I’d have a personal dungeon to work with. Bringing you here is risky enough as it is.”

 

Jim started, unable in the face of his surprise to hold still at that, but still doing his best to keep discipline otherwise. Blair saw his dilemma and tapped him on the jaw, indicating he could speak freely. Jim immediately asked, "That's the thing you couldn't help David with."

 

Blair nodded once, "Yes that's why I came to find Patrick. He was my first trainer when David brought me here. He's also the one who figured out that I was not cut out for the sub life."

 

Jim nodded his understanding and subsided back into silence for the duration of their stay. Obviously Blair was unconcerned by this anomaly as he leaned back on the couch and sipped his water. Instead, he appeared to be settling in for the long haul as he draped an arm across the back of the couch and caressed Jim’s hair. Jim took this to be a sign that he was to fall back into character, so he straightened and returned to his surreptitious people watching. Every once in a while, Blair would whisper Sentinel soft and explain things that he thought Jim would want to know.

 

“It only took a week for Pat to come to the conclusion that I was on the wrong side of the line. Hell, I can’t even switch. I’m dominant all the time.”

 

After turning that phrase over every which way it could be taken, Jim returned his focus to Blair and his one-sided conversation. It was actually quite enlightening. “I bet you’re wondering what gets me off in this lifestyle. I mean, sex is great and all, but I can get any smart woman out there to have sex with me. Hell you know that, you’ve seen some of the score card. And I’ll admit, I’m bi-sexual, although you haven’t seen most of the men I have sex with. I’ve cut down a lot since spending time with you.”

Jim added these insights to everything else he knew about Blair and came up with a pretty clear picture, clearer than he had before. Of course, a few lines of the picture were still smudged and cloudy. Maya, Christine, Sam... Blair really tried hard with these women. And even though he failed, he was still trying. So where did *this* lifestyle fit in with that, because he didn’t see any of those women wanting to be dominated in the way Blair would be when playing.

 

“I wasn’t looking for someone to play fulltime, Jim.” Blair’s voice cut into his thoughts and for a moment he thought he had voiced them aloud. But a quick glance at Blair told him that no, he had not. He was just that easy to read. Flushing lightly, Jim brought his attention back to his... dom? Lover? Brought his attention back to his Blair, and straightened himself into position. He thought he had heard Patrick’s voice coming from just beyond the thick double doors that led to the dungeons and he didn’t want to embarrass himself or his partner. There was still one question he wanted desperately to ask, but it could wait until they got home.

Blair sat up with Jim, stroking his back once more as the doors opened and Patrick slipped through. As the Master sat beside Blair, he smiled at Jim who pointedly ignored him and continued to face outward. He heard the Master sniff delicately, “Blair, your pet is rather devoted but I hardly see any marks on him. Are you certain he’s merely playing at being a sub and doesn’t need any special instruction?”

Blair’s hand rested possessively on his shoulder, squeezing once before he finally removed it. “James, get Master Patrick a drink. His usual is a Jack and Coke. Tell the bartender to put it on his tab.”

 

Jim didn’t even nod, simply flowed smoothly to his feet and headed for the bar. This was a show of power between Blair and Patrick. Jim could almost imagine that Blair was seething with irritation at Patrick’s attempt at liberties with Blair’s property. But on the other hand, Blair knew that Jim was his and his alone. And if he was uncertain of that fact, Jim would clear it up for him right now.

Picking up the drink order, Jim walked directly back to the table and went down on one knee, setting the drink on the table before Patrick, then moved back around to settle again at Blair’s feet. Then he did something he had seen several other slaves do with their masters, he bowed his head and leaned his shoulder against Blair’s leg, his collar clearly showing. Across the way he could hear Patrick groan. Blair said nothing, simply laid a hand on his head and crooned softly, “That’s my good boy. My pet. Always obeying without question. Did you think I would give you to someone else to play with? My toy?”

 

Jim could hear Patrick’s heartbeat begin to skyrocket, most likely at the thought that Blair would let him play with Jim’s body. But Jim was really just tired and was hoping that Blair would get the message. It appeared that Blair was just as intuitive as he had hoped as the young man stretched and yawned hugely. “Yes, I think it’s time to head home too, pet. Patrick, where’s David? I intend to bring him home with us for the night.”

 

Patrick, who had been waiting with bated breath, shook himself and stood. “He’s in the other room, resting. Let me go get him and help you out to your car.”

 

Blair nodded and stood, Jim following behind him. With a wave towards the door, Blair gave him the message to get his things together, so he turned and went straight to the front door. There were more whispers surrounding him but he had a mission and he was not about to be distracted. Tiny helped him on with his jacket and shoes and waited with him for Blair and Patrick, who was carrying David like he was a baby, towards the front.

 

“I’ll get a cab,” Blair announced while Jim took over carrying David. Patrick stroked Jim’s arm as he was leaving causing Jim to growl loud enough to be heard. Tiny raised a hand to ward Patrick off.

“Now Master Patrick, you know better than that. Leave the pets alone in the club unless you’re invited.” Tiny moved to open the door for Jim, raising a hand to steady him with his covered bundle and helping him out to the waiting cab. Once Jim had handed David off to Blair in the back, he turned to Tiny and nodded his thanks. Tiny waved jauntily. “No problem Buddy. I like to make sure that my charges leave the way they came in, with their master of choice.”

 

Jim grinned as he climbed into the front seat with the driver and gave their address as the destination.

 

o-O-o

The ride home was silent except for the occasional murmuring from Blair in the backseat. The driver, a Hispanic man of approximately mid 30's, looked Jim up and down and muttered something in Spanish that Jim could have sworn was a plea to God and Mother Mary to preserve him from freaks so late at night. Jim ignored him. He didn't have to explain himself to anyone. But he did take time out to examine his actions and reactions in the club this night.

First thing that came into his mind was the fact that he had not hesitated at any order given to him by Blair. In fact he had been looking for instruction the entire time and it had felt right. Another oddity was that with all of the flesh being bandied about that night, the only person who held his interest was Blair. Not even the gorgeous red head at the bar with the black bustier and thigh high black boots could spark any heat in him, even though she was eying him the entire time as if he were a sizable chunk of meat to be bought from the butcher.

 

So two things about himself learned this night. He was made to take orders and he was made to take them from Blair. Another thing that stood out to him was Blair himself was built for command. Hell, if he had been in the military or even ROTC, he would have made Lieutenant in no time.

 

Arriving at the loft, Blair handed Jim some cash to pay the cabbie while Blair helped David out of the car and into the building. Jim followed Blair up, opening the door for him and letting the three of them into the loft in silence.

Blair shuffled David into his own room, leaving Jim by the door. For a moment Jim was unsure what his next instructions should be but he figured his best action was none at all. He pulled off his jacket and hung it on the nearby rack and set the duffel bag on the floor beneath it. He was just straightening up from removing his shoes when Blair left his bedroom and walked over to flop on the nearest couch. Jim took in the exhausted countenance and frowned. Blair had done nothing all night, yet he looked worse than when they had gone out.

Before his mind could argue Jim walked over to where Blair lounged. Juggling things in his head, he decided his best option was to kneel. As he did so, clasping his wrists behind his back and spreading his knees for balance, Blair glanced up and gasped. Jim made no other move, waiting for Blair to make the next one. He heard the rustling of leather as Blair stood and stepped up to Jim and again Jim was staring at a man's crotch. Only this time, he wasn't afraid.

Sitting perfectly still Jim waited for Blair's next move. He was not prepared for cool fingers to slide over his forehead down his cheeks and to the buckle of the collar around his throat. He swallowed almost convulsively as Blair took the collar away. He sagged, resting his ass on his heels and sighed. He didn't realize how hard it was not to speak, to move, to touch or think for himself when he had been ordered not to. He couldn't even imagine what Blair had been going through.

 

Blair dropped back on the couch and patted the cushion next to him. Jim rose and took a seat next to his friend, watching and waiting. He wasn't sure what was expected of him now. He should have known, honestly he'd lived with Blair for over two years now, he could have guessed that the first words out of Blair's mouth would be, "Let's talk."

 

Jim wasn't sure what to say to that, so he said the first thing that had come to his mind before they left for the club. "You were surprised that I asked to go to the club tonight."

 

Blair blinked before answering, "I was surprised you wanted to come while I was working with David."

 

Jim tried to puzzle that out and it must have shown on his face as Blair continued. "There was never a doubt in my mind that you were interested. I knew you would want to actually go into the club eventually. I just thought you would want it to be you and me. Or that you would want to experiment before going out in public like that. I never expected you to want to jump in with both feet."

Jim felt the grin split his face wide open. Of course Blair expected Jim to balk at such a new and raw experience as the one he had gone through tonight. But Blair was working on the facts as based on Jim the Detective, not Jim the Curious. "Normally you would be right. But it's been eating at me for months and I've seen you becoming more and more agitated. I was about to suggest us going tonight and then David called. I at first thought that you would turn me down, I was fully expecting you to. But I saw an opportunity to observe from a detached distance. And I'm glad you accepted me."

Blair stared back at Jim, wide-eyed. Jim knew he was blushing now. He recognized that deer-in-the-headlights look Blair got when Jim actually opened up to him about something. He had to admit it was a bad habit of his to try and duck his friend's questions. Blair recovered himself and relaxed on the couch, his eyes watching Jim carefully. "So what did you learn from your observations, Detective?"

He couldn't help letting out a chuckle at that. Guess it was true that what made him such a good detective was in part due to his curious nature. It was his continued tenacity that seemed to give him the most trouble. He never seemed to know when to let some things go. "Tell me more about Patrick."

 

Blair took a deep breath and dropped his gaze. This was quite possibly a disturbing memory for his friend and Jim almost took the question back, let him off the hook. But Blair popped his head back up and returned his gaze to Jim's. "Patrick became interested in me the moment I walked in the club with David the first time. Remember I told you that David misread me and thought I was a sub?"

 

Jim nodded and Blair went on, "Well the first night we walked into Patrick's club the man was all over me like a cheap suit. He looked at me and saw what he called 'raw pagan beauty'. And on the other hand I looked at him and felt," Blair paused as if looking for the right word, then settled on, "disgust."

 

Jim thought for a moment before making another observation. "He looks like a man who knows himself very well. Knows how to take care of himself and knows how to use the commanding presence to control any scene he cared to play in."

 

Blair nodded in agreement, "It took me five minutes to realize that what he had was something that *I* had as well. It was a side of me that not many get to see. Patrick glanced at me a second time and he saw what I felt. And he knew what I suspected."

 

"That you were no sub. You were a Dom." Jim surmised. Blair shrugged a shoulder.

 

"I was something else. Patrick thought that I was better with bigger men, men who needed discipline and to give up control. But he wasn't sure how other men would see me, being so much shorter than they. So I stuck to hanging out with David. It worked for me."

 

Jim let that go. He wasn't sure what to think of Master Patrick, but it appeared that Blair held no interest in him and that was enough. "You told David you couldn't give him what he needed. And then Patrick took him back there and cut him."

Blair nodded. "When David and I first started this, I found all of his hotspots and he was amazed at how wrong he had been. He was also rather pleased that he had been wrong. But one night he came home and he was agitated. His mother had just died and he was left with a father and step-mother who didn't understand him. He looked ready to hurt himself. That's when he told me of his obsession with cutting and pain."

 

Jim watched Blair give an all over shiver and he felt the atmosphere change. Blair curled into himself just a bit and Jim felt a desire to take the man into his arms. So he gave in to that impulse and tucked them into the couch, side by side and arms wrapped around each other. "Tell me the rest?"

 

Blair hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I tried it once. I nicked him badly on the arm... here." He drew an imaginary line on Jim's arm. Jim remembered seeing the scar on David's left bicep. He nodded and Blair went on. "I swore to him I would never do it again. He said he understood, it was my limit and he could respect it. That's when I found out Patrick's specialty."

 

Jim nodded and held Blair just a bit tighter, ostensibly to keep him from falling off the couch. At least that's what Jim told himself. If Blair never called him on it, then Jim never had to admit that the best part of the night was this moment right here. He in Blair's arms, Blair in his. And maybe he could admit to himself, in the deep dark secret places of his heart that he could get used to this feeling of being owned. He could get used to following command again. And he might even learn to enjoy it far more than he had in the Rangers.

 

~end~

 

 

 

 

**Balbos = Master