Enduring the Rapture

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere isn't happy. In fact, he's downright dreading what's to come as he looks up at the sign of that dreadful clothing store. "Rapture", he feels, is hardly appropriate. Perhaps "Anxiety" or "Horror-Inducing Ladies' Wear for Men".

He looks over at Felson, awkwardly fingering at the collar around his neck as if he wants to tug it off. "I don't want to do this," he says again, for probably the twentieth time. "Please."

Comments

[bloodsuckingviking]

"You have to look the part," is all he says as he opens the door for him. "We'll find you something tasteful and maybe get you a collar that isn't silver. You look horrid with those burns on your neck, love."

[the_baking_vampire]

"'Looking the part' does not have to involve corsets," Seere hisses at him. HE DOES NOT LIKE THIS.

Though.... he does want a different collar. This one burns something fierce, like a bad sunburn that never leaves. "I understand a new collar, but why do I need to wear something so humiliating?" Still, he steps inside, shoulders slumped and looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here.

[bloodsuckingviking]

"You might as well look sexy if we're going to do this at all. There's nothing humiliating about it. You won't even stand out on this island."

This isn't up for discussion. Seere will dress the way he asks him to. He's the master. Seere is his slave. And that's the end of that.

[the_baking_vampire]

"It is humiliating if I'm going to feel humiliated, Felson," he replies, keeping his voice low. He can't exactly talk back to his 'master' in public. Lord, how he hates this ruse at times.

And once they get to the section of the store that has corsets on display, Seere just cringes.

[bloodsuckingviking]

Felson answers him with a look and goes over to talk to the clerk about what kind on outfits he's after. An employee comes to guide Seere over to a private fitting room. Where he's told to undress and wait for his master and the clothes.

[the_baking_vampire]

He's nervous, but he takes off his clothing anyway, simply because he knows not to do so will likely result in punishment, for the sake of "keeping appearances" again.

He sighs and sits on the bench inside, waiting patiently for Felson to return.

[bloodsuckingviking]

Felson joins him several minutes later. Normally, there are people to come dress and undress the slaves, but he has demanded privacy. No interruptions until he calls for them. With him, he has a whole rack of clothing and indescribable items, and a small wooden box.

"I have your collar."

[the_baking_vampire]

"Joy," Seere comments without much enthusiasm. He eyes the clothing, trying to figure out what tortures Felson's planning on putting him through. "What is all that?"

[bloodsuckingviking]

"Your wardrobe," he smiles but ignore that for now, and ignore that Seere's naked. He comes to sit beside him and offers him the box in his hand, looking excited. Like this is a long-planned gift. Like he ordered a custom collar weeks ago, before he even got to talk to Seere.

"Open it. It's not silver, I swear."

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere takes the box and he knows there's something a little odd about the presentation of this. It seems like there's been a lot of preparation for this moment, like a long-planned proposal, and he knows exactly what that looks like.

He carefully opens the lid and looks inside. His eyebrows raise up a little. It is beautiful, substantial and yet intricate, tasteful in design. It's obviously well-crafted and probably quite expensive, despite the lack of jewels or anything of the like. "It is gorgeous," he says honestly, because it is. It's still a collar that shows his lowered status, though.

[bloodsuckingviking]

He's rather proud of that collar. Most masters give their slaves tags with their name or initials on it, but he has put his mark on this by designing it in ancient patterns from back home. Obviously there's too much thought in it for it to be something he just now picked off a shelf, but he doesn't seem to care.

"Do you want help taking the other one off?"

[the_baking_vampire]

"Felson..." Seere bites at his lip and looks over at the other man. "When did you order this?" He recognizes these patterns. He's known Felson too long not to.

He's a little afraid of the answer he might get.

[bloodsuckingviking]

"While waiting for you to come out of isolation. As soon as I arranged for you to be my payment and not be sold off with the rest of the stock. I thought you might want something less painful than the silver one..."

Innocent puppy eyes.

[the_baking_vampire]

So. Felson had no intention of even trying to get him off this island. That was what Seere thought and hoped it wasn't true. "I see," he says, but he sounds a little despondent.

"Thank you. It is well-made." He casts his glance back down to the collar. "Please help me take mine off."

[bloodsuckingviking]

He knows Seere well enough to know something's wrong. So he frowns, even as he moves to help ease the other collar off of him. "You're upset with me."

[the_baking_vampire]

"It seems like you put more effort and thought into this than you did in trying to find a way to get me out of here," the Greek admits. "It's not a good feeling."

[bloodsuckingviking]

"We talked about this. Taking you off the island while you have the kind sentence you do is starting a war and getting you killed. I came to keep you comfortable and happy while you're trapped. I thought maybe it would help, if I was here, too, and you didn't have to fall in the hands of some beast that only wants to use you. That's what I put thought into. That's why I asked for the position I'm in. They can't touch you as long as I'm here, love."

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere nods his acceptance of this. "I am glad that it is you and not another," he acknowledges. That, at least, is truth. He would prefer Felson over someone who might hurt him or rape him. He just hadn't planned on staying here as a slave. "I am grateful you came at all."

[bloodsuckingviking]

Felson tosses aside the old collar and presses a kiss to a spot right above the burn. His fingertips are burnt now and he needs to wait a little before putting on the other one. "Of course I came. You're mine. How dare they think they can sell you."

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere allows that tender kiss, closing his eyes briefly. It feels good to have that collar off, even if the itch of healing skin is aggravating. "Each person belongs to him or herself. They should not be selling anyone at all, regardless of the reasons." Mainly, Seere just doesn't want Felson thinking of him as a possession.

"How are your fingers?"

[bloodsuckingviking]

"I don't care what they do to the others," he says and wraps his arm around Seere's waist to pull him close. "You are mine, but I'm all yours so it's even."

[the_baking_vampire]

"I suppose that does make things even, yes." It's slightly awkward when he's completely naked and Felson's fully dressed, but he's not about to make mention of it, considering the alternatives. He's hoping (however faint) that the viking might forget the whole corset thing.

[bloodsuckingviking]

Seere's rest is only while Felson waits for his neck to heal. Seere might think he's too clingy, but he just really cares. It physically hurts him to see Seere injured like that. "Here," he says and holds up his wrist. "You'll heal better."

[the_baking_vampire]

"You need to heal, too." He shakes his head at the offered wrist, lifting his hands to capture Felson's. "Your fingers are still burned."

He's sure they've had this exact conversation before.

[bloodsuckingviking]

They have, and it will happen again every time Seere's injured. He can't stand to see it. Can't. stand. it. "I'm alright. I want you to be good. I don't want you hurting."