It took only five minutes for Melody to put together the supplies she needed, but a full hour to negotiate the details.

Skip considered noping out of the situation twice, but they’d already committed to it, and their balking points were a bit too embarrassing to admit. Better to run with it, and keep their private opinions on the situation private.

“I want you to experience some pressure, even some stress,” Melody had explained, “But it’s not going to be sexual.”

“I’m not going to say that sexual stuff wouldn’t be stressful,” Skip pointed out. “If you want me uncomfortable, that could work.”

“But it’s not the point.” Melody sat back on her bed, kicking up her feet. “If it were sexual, you’d only be super grossed out and uncomfortable.”

(It’s not that gross,) Skip thought. Their issue with sex had more to do with boredom than anything else; the grossness came with the human element. “So, the point?”

“I want there to be a push and a pull. A threat, and a reward. Normally–”

“Punishment and cumming, yeah,” Skip interrupted. “I get it.”

“Okay, so, we’ll figure out something for you. What would make a good reward?”

“I guess…” Skip started, pursing their lips.

This was the first balking point. Anything they suggested would be unavoidably revealing. Would asking for cash be greedy? Almost certainly–and it wouldn’t fit the mood. They had to come up with something personally rewarding, something that would actually entice them.

Fortunately, Melody saved them. “I’ve got a box of chocolates this guy sent me–they’re super fancy. How does that sound?”

It sounded like an opportunity to not have to come up with anything, and that was exactly what Skip wanted. “Perfect.”

Melody grinned. “Great. Now–for punishment. We’re not going to do anything physical. I’m not even going to actually do anything, I just need something I can threaten you with.”

“So…if you’re not going to do it, just threaten me with violence,” Skip pointed out.

“Yeah, no. This one needs to be personal.” Melody sat back, scratching their chin. “I’ve run a kinda-similar scene before, but I’d just threaten to call the sub’s ex. That doesn’t work here, for obvious reasons.”

“Yeah,” Skip agreed. “No exes.”

“Are you reading anything right now?” Melody suggested. “Or in the middle of a show? I could threaten to spoil the ending.”

Skip shook their head. They didn’t particularly care about spoilers, and most of their narrative investment fell into video games rather than TV or books, where the plot was more player-driven and twists didn’t matter as much. “I generally guess twists way in advance anyway,” they pointed out. “So…spoilers don’t bother me?”

Melody bobbed their head in a nod. “Okay…hmm.”

Tilting their head, Skip got an idea. “Though…if you’re not actually going to do it, I do have an idea.”

From there, they hashed out details, with an unnecessary-but-insisted-on refresher on safe words and a couple plans made for how to write about the scene after the fact. Just to be thorough, Skip also took notes on the pre-scene conversation, jotting down enough commentary to remember how it played out so they could print it as well.

A few concessions would be made. Skip would remain fully clothed throughout, but they’d have to remove their hoodie to make their wrists more accessible. Not much physical contact would be needed, but Melody would sometimes touch Skip’s face, arms, legs, and shoulders, both to facilitate the bondage and to encourage the right headspace.

And, if need be, Skip was always free to end things in an instant.

Then came the setup. Skip retrieved a toy from their own collection while Melody borrowed a couple office supplies from Grace. Surprisingly, the only object Melody actually provided was the box of chocolates–her extensive collection didn’t come into play.

After reconvening, Melody dimmed the lights in her room, and though her clothes didn’t change, her posture shifted, bringing out a persona that Skip rarely saw except incidentally and in passing.

“Sit down,” she instructed, nodding to her bed. Her voice wasn’t quite a purr, but it had a deeper, huskier element to it.

Skip exhaled through their nose. They didn’t want to laugh in her face or deliberately break the mood, but it was hard to get around the inherent silliness of it all. A human mating ritual, minus the mating part, felt like it should’ve been a comedy sketch rather than a passionate scene.

Still, they’d been given an instruction, and they wanted to see how this would all play out. They sat, legs hanging over the side.

Melody approached, reached down, and took Skip’s wrists in her hands, holding them up. The touch reminded them that they were exposed, with only a T-shirt over their body, and the desire to chuckle faded.

“Don’t struggle,” Melody said, stepping onto the bed and kneeling behind Skip’s back. She deftly moved their wrists, pinning them together, then added in a whisper, “You’re not going anywhere.”

A slender strip of paper wrapped around Skip’s wrists, pulling their hands together. It wasn’t special paper, or particularly hardy, just printer paper borrowed from Grace–with a solid tug, it would rip, but that was the point. Skip wouldn’t really be bound, it would only feel that way; even if Melody lost her mind and started ignoring safe words, the bondage would be only an illusion.

Sliding the base of the stapler beneath the paper so that it protected Skip’s skin, Melody gave the tool a squeeze, and with a solid ka-chunk Melody pinned the paper together. There was no escaping the makeshift cuff without ripping it.

Skip found it to be more delicate than they’d even realized. Shifting their weight, they felt the paper strain against the side of their hand. They had to be still and careful, cautious not to accidentally tear the restraint.

For emphasis, Melody slipped two fingers beneath the paper, showing that there was room for circulation. That done, she stood, kneeling by Skip’s feet.

Another strip of paper, another heavy stapler cha-chunk, and Skip was left helpless and immobile.

At least, so long as they wanted the scene to continue.

Melody stood, leaning in and studying Skip. Her face was only a few inches away from Skip’s, her chest moving slowly, and Skip could feel her warm breath puffing against their skin.

They locked eyes with her, jaw set in determination.

“Are you comfortable?” Melody’s question felt like a joke, or an insult. Of course they weren’t comfortable. It was a struggle to keep still, to hold their body in place and avoid ripping the paper, and the act of just remaining stationary took up their focus.

“Yes,” Skip promised, nodding. They wouldn’t be defeated by some strips of paper. “I’m fine.”

Melody’s delicate fingers traced over Skip’s shoulder, idly taunting them with her freedom of movement. They were paralyzed, barely able to shift their wrists or adjust their stance.

A smile spread across Melody’s lips. “Good. Remember, you can end this at any time.”

Skip nodded, realizing that their heart rate had begun to increase. Their arms trembled a little, as though their body thought they’d begun exercising. Burying their nerves, they shook their head. “I’m not stupid.”

“Alright.” Reaching down, Melody picked up the object they’d settled on as the Threat. “Then let’s begin.”

Pressing the power button on top, she clicked on Skip’s Switch, a shiny logo appearing as the game console powered up.

“Now, let’s see,” Melody purred, somehow still maintaining the sultry timbre in her tone as she moved the joystick, screen turned that Skip could see. “I’ve got access to all your save files here, don’t I?”

It was just a game, a farce as part of their trumped up scene, but Skip still felt a spike of anxiety when they saw Melody open the settings menu and tab to the storage page. ‘Delete all save data’ was right there, text highlighted, waiting to be pressed.

“Don’t,” Skip blurted. They hadn’t set any rules about not arguing, and their argument response had kicked into high gear. Still, they kept their wrists pressed together, not wanting to lose face by giving up.

“Don’t, what?” Melody asked.

This part had no clear response. Melody had explained that she would try to provoke responses from Skip, to make them say things, but she’d been vague about what exactly the word games would be.

“Don’t even joke about it,” Skip said, going with bravado.

“I think you meant to say, ‘Don’t, please,’” Melody chided. “Maybe a lesson is necessary. Which of these do you care about the most?”

Skip’s eyes widened as Melody moved away from the save data storage, instead moving to the user statistics page. Suddenly, their gaming history was laid bare, cumulative thousands of hours across a rather embarrassing spread of titles.

“Two hundred hours in Monster Hunter: Rise?” Melody said. “That sure is a lot of time to be gone in an instant.”

“No!” Skip snapped, a blush immediately shooting up their face as they reacted. (It’s just an act, don’t let on that you’re getting flustered.)

“No, what?” Melody asked, the corners of her mouth curling up in a demonic smirk.

Squirming, twisting their wrists against the paper, wishing they could snatch the Switch away and end this, Skip capitulated. “No, please.”

“That’s better.” Straightening, Melody reached out and traced a finger along the side of Skip’s face. “If you ask very nicely, I’ll let you play with your Switch tonight, and I’ll even give you an extra reward.”

Skip frowned. “Wait, stop.” (No, stupid.) “I mean, Yellow.”

Melody’s change in demeanor was smooth but instant as she shifted from stern to soothing. “What is it?”

“That wasn’t part of the plan,” Skip objected. “We never said anything about you keeping the switch once we’re done.”

Smiling warmly, Melody shook her head. “It’s just another threat. I won’t follow through with it.”

(Obviously.) Skip exhaled slowly, feeling ridiculous for using a safe word over something so apparent. Or, really, feeling ridiculous for reacting at all–they’d known it was an act, but they’d had a spike of concern anyway. They should’ve been better than that. “Okay, I’m good then.”

“Thank you for using your safe words,” Melody whispered to them, soft and reassuring. “You’re so good for me.”

That, at least, didn’t make Skip feel much of anything, which helped them regain a bit of confidence. It was just so cheesy, and they hadn’t done anything warranting real praise. “Let’s just get back to it. Green?”

Nodding, Melody regained her aloof smirk. “I think I want to hear you beg.”

No longer worried thanks to the break in continuity, Skip still played along. “Please, don’t take away my games. Please!”

“You can do better,” Melody chided. “It’s like you don’t really even want it.”

This was just acting, and while Skip was no movie star, they could put on an front well enough, even hiding how much the whole encounter made them want to snicker at the absurdity. “Please, Melody, I’ll be good, I’ll do whatever you say, just let me have my games back, please?”

“Mmm…” Melody said, tapping a finger to her lips in thought.

Taking a stab at what Melody wanted, Skip threw in a stinger at the end. “I’ll be good for you.”

That won her over. Melody smiled, setting down the Switch. Reaching to her side, she picked up the box of chocolates she’d left on her nightstand, undoing the ribbon with the tip of her nails. When she opened the lid, a note inside fell out: ’Can’t wait to see you again - Quentin’.

Melody ignored the note completely as it fluttered to the floor, picking up one of the chocolates, a shiny red one that smelled of cinnamon and spice. Cupping Skip’s face gently in one palm, she pressed the confection between their lips, letting Skip savor the impeccably made chocolate.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Melody inquired, watching their face. “When you’re good for me, you get rewarded.”

Skip smiled, warmth spreading down their throat. The chocolate had a bit of heat to it, maybe a Mexican Spice blend, and it tasted expensive. Unsure if they were supposed to respond or not, they simply nodded.

At their reaction, Melody only smiled. “I knew you’d like it better once you were obedient.”

Even if only because it came with a bribery of chocolate…she wasn’t entirely wrong.

...

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