Chapter 54

“What you need to remember, ma petite rebelle, is that all of BDSM comes down to enjoying different aspects of control. Sometimes people, such as myself, enjoy the feeling of being in a great amount of control, while others such as my partner Felicity, and I believe yourself, enjoy allowing someone else to take control. Bondage is a very physical representation of that control element.” Marc was talking quietly, watching Sinead intently as he tried his best to succinctly explain to her an entire breadth of kinks.

The red-headed Detective was listening and nodding slightly, showing she was engaged in the conversation. She had, however, started bouncing a leg under the table nervously and had slowed her eating. Not bad signs, but not good either.

“OK,” she said. “I can understand that. Handcuffs, rope, that sort of thing.”

“The instrument of the bondage is one aspect, but the other is psychological,” Marc said. “By accepting a piece of bondage, the submissive partner is volunteering parts of their mobility, or their senses, or their ability to communicate to the dominant partner. Bondage is a thing people play with without understanding the psychological side of it every day - a pair of fuzzy handcuffs can be a bit of fun teasing for one couple, but for another couple, they might represent something much deeper.”

Sinead grimaced a little.

“You don’t approve?” Marc asked.

“I just think that I’m not sold on the idea of bondage being ... sexy,” she said. “Or enjoyable.”

“That brings us back to the main focus of this conversation,” Marc said. “Anything that happens in the bedroom should be consented to. Clearly, in the moment, if not beforehand. If you don’t like the idea of bondage, then you shouldn’t consent to it. On the other hand, sometimes it is healthy to let your partner challenge your limits - say, for example, that we were playing our game and I pulled your thong off of you and used it to tie your hands above your head to the headboard of the bed. You know you would be able to pull it apart fairly easily if you needed to, but you also know that I want free access to ... tease you appropriately. Does this make it sound more attractive?”

Sinead had gone a little pink as Marc had given his example, and he could tell that she was turned on. “I don’t know,” she answered. “Maybe.”

“So, you see, there is a spectrum of options. This is the same for Discipline, the second part of BDSM. Some people say it is ‘Dominance,’ but I think Discipline is more suitable.”

“Like the last time,” Sinead said.

“Sometimes,” Marc said gently. “It depends on the people involved. To be a Dominant is, at its heart, to set rules and expectations and then hold the submissive to them. Some submissives like to immerse themselves in the rules and be rewarded. Others like to struggle to meet them, to risk correction. Others still like to challenge rules - Brats, as I called you the other night, are like that. It is entirely possible that you are someone who likes to challenge rules, Sinead, and that in the end we would not be compatible. I hope not, of course, but at least if we discover that together we will be able to end on a good note.”

“Marc, this is- It’s a lot,” Sinead said. “I don’t know what to think.”

“Then let me be brief,” Marc said. “The S stands for Sadism. Again, on a spectrum, it is to gain pleasure or gratification from inflicting pain or humiliation. Sometimes, in the uninitiated, someone might say a lover has a bit of a ‘mean streak.’”

“Where are you on that spectrum?” Sinead asked.

Marc smirked. “A little lower than half, I would think,” he said. “There are many different kinds of sadism. Entire categories. I do not necessarily enjoy the humiliation aspect - other people might enjoy forcing public acts, such as a submissive walking around with cum on their face. Pain, however, when enjoyed by my partner and properly applied, can be a fun tool.” Sinead’s face, starting to show disgust, was telling. “Now, now,” Marc continued. “Remember the spectrum. And that there is another side to the coin - if I were to spank you in the heat of the moment and I enjoyed what it did to you, it would be sadism. But in the same circumstance, if the shock of the spank is something you enjoyed, that is Masochism, the final letter. Enjoying having your hair pulled, or your breast mauled, all of these are mild forms of masochism.”