Aidan froze for a moment. We all stood silently, not sure what to do. If we assumed anything, it could end in a mess of anger and argument. We couldn't let Aidan slip back into a nonverbal space where he was scared. Andrew sat up, grunting at the pain he felt, but pushing through it to set his hands on Aidan's cheeks. He made Aidan look at him.
"You're safe," Andrew said. "I'm a dick, but I know when to behave. You're at Gabriel's home, amongst friends. Understand me?"
Aidan nodded slowly.
"I've told him not to fucking call anymore, to the lot of them," Jesse hissed. "He's on hold at the moment. I've changed my number twice."
Aidan's eyes flashed to Jesse. "Give me the phone."
"Aidan," I stepped forward.
"No, no, I won't... I won't do anything like I did..." he looked at Jesse. "Like when we saw each other again. But, first, can someone take Andrew up?"
"I'm not leaving until I hear this," Andrew shook his head. "I'm okay, my drop isn't happening yet. And still looking at you is helping me."
Jesse hesitated a moment before holding out the phone, since no one had bothered to speak up about it or stop Aidan from talking. Aidan turned it on speaker and took the call off hold. We heard background noise and rustling, mostly people yelling at each other to hurry up because they had others to call.
"Fucking, Jesse, hurry up you arsehole," Luke growled into the phone.
"Jesse's unavailable right now," Aidan said calmly.
There was silence on the other end for a moment, then low laughter.
"Is that little Aidan?" Luke chuckled.
Aidan swallowed. "I read your letter."
"Oh, did you now?" Luke laughed. "Then you followed it."
"How do you mean?" Aidan asked, faking his confusion.
"If you have Jesse's phone," Luke said angrily, probably from having to explain. "That means he's in contact with you. What happened? Did you want him to fuck you again?"
"Oh, so what if I did?" Aidan replied. "He was a better fuck than you were anyway."
I kneeled down beside Aidan, setting my hand on his lower back. He put his hand up to make sure I stayed quiet, and I nodded in understanding. Everyone else was too stunned to speak. Jesse followed my movements, kneeling in front of Aidan also.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Luke yelled.
Aidan recoiled from it, gritting his teeth.
"I'm only speaking the truth, I mean it," Aidan looked at Jesse. "At least he could last longer. And, on a more personal note, somehow I manage to have a bigger dick than you."
Luke growled. Actually growled over the phone.
"Did that upset the little boy?" Aidan asked.
"You know you're the little one here," Luke growled. "Living it up with an old man. You know how old he is? From the information I've received, he'll be a whole forty years tomorrow."
Aidan turned to me, and I swallowed. His eyebrows furrowed together. "I see news travels fast. But his age doesn't matter."
"Do they take turns on you like we did?" Luke asked cruelly.
"Only when I ask nicely," Aidan replied. "Should have been here earlier to see the mess we all made. Made some new friends too... Though, if you were here, I don't think it would have been fun for you."
"Why the fuck not?" Luke asked. "Because I, apparently, don't last long enough for that tight body of yours?"
Aidan's eyelids fluttered shut. He was becoming uncomfortable. He held one hand over his stomach, flexing his fingers. He was trying to keep himself calm. The others had moved over to kneel down close. Andrew's hands hadn't left Aidan's cheeks, rubbing in small circles with his thumbs. My own hand massaged his lower back. Our connection seemingly relaxed him.
"Because nine people, including myself, would have made sure you would have stopped breathing," Aidan answered. "Not a threat, just a fact."
"Little Aidan took on eight people?" Luke asked.
"What I did with people is none of your concern," Aidan replied. "You seem so focused on people using my tight body and holes. Why's that? Do you miss me?"
"I think you're crazy for letting people use you at all after what we put you through," Luke chuckled. "But I guess that's all you're good for."
"Gabe heavily disagrees with you," Aidan shook his head, sighing. "And everyone here has made me feel good all day, made me feel accepted and cared for. They haven't used me in any way that you think at least. It's you who thinks I'm only a whore who needs to be fixed and I won't let you get away with it. If you call Jesse one more time, I will make your life a living hell."
"My life is already a living hell, you should have been dead," Luke whispered angrily.
"Yet God or life, or something, had other ideas, clearly," Aidan laughed. "And now I'm loved and cared for and have felt more alive than I ever thought possible."
"It won't fucking last," Luke threatened.
"I think you're at your last straw," Aidan said, his hand moving from his stomach to my thigh, looking at me lovingly. "I have people who love me, and you can't fucking stand that. You ruined your life when you decided to hurt me and you can't stand that I'm not just alive, but I'm actively living my life rather than hiding away until the day I actually die. You can't fucking stand the fact that you have to rot away in a jail cell while I'm out here enjoying myself, enjoying the company of others, and I don't fear for my damn life. Enjoy rotting, you pathetic, transphobic piece of shit."
Aidan hung up the phone and held it out to Jesse. He took it from Aidan silently, his eyes wide with shock. I think it was a similar feeling all around. People looked between each other and then back at Aidan as he sighed.
"Forty?" he looked up at me.
"After all that, that's what you're choosing to focus on?" I asked, groaning in annoyance. "Really?"
"You never told him your age," Lewis chuckled. "Not even a ballpark or something?"
"Hey, come on," I argued. "To be fair... We're all older than him."
Andrew raised an eyebrow, "I know he looks young... but I didn't think he was that much younger."
"I'm twenty-six," Aidan said as he stood up, pulling off the strap before offering his hand to Andrew.
Andrew sat there dumbfounded for a moment. "A twenty-six-year-old Sub just fucking railed me and humiliated me like a damn fucking professional. What in the actual fuck? Gabe, really? You allowed me to..."
Michael and Clara stifled laughter. Adri was bursting out with her own giggles. Jason covered his mouth, though he looked amused. Lewis was leaning over, holding his stomach as he laughed quietly, already knowing that Andrew was going to be pissed at the added humiliation.
"I'm sorry, did you not enjoy it or are you just... like, more humiliated by the facts?" Aidan asked. "Take my damn hand and let me help you to the shower."
Andrew growled as he took Aidan's hand. He had to lean on Aidan to properly steady himself and Jesse offered to help take him upstairs. Andrew nodded in appreciation, allowing them both to help him out of the room.
"You really chose to be with someone, not only inexperienced, though clearly a fast learner," Lewis started. "But someone younger than thirty."
"Is it really that much of a problem?" I questioned as I started picking up the wipes and towels. "It's not like we went headfirst into this and fell in love within two seconds."
"Yet he still gave you his address," Michael acknowledged.
"At a kink party," Clara added. "I saw you there that night, it was basically the same as every other party."
"Were you looking for a new Sub?" Adri asked softly.
"Not really, knowing how those parties normally go, I didn't want an overly eager submissive or someone who couldn't control themselves and overstepped boundaries," I shrugged as I threw the wipes in the bin. "It was just a coincidence that I saw him. I was planning on going to the locker room to find the bathroom before I left, but instead, I found him."
"You never really explained why you stayed with him," Lewis said.
"Two arseholes that we've seen before were trying to make him go somewhere private," I replied as I stood by the door. "They've started suggesting CNC to the younger crowds. Aidan was all alone in the locker room, he was overwhelmed and didn't know what to do. When they didn't take no for an answer, I stepped in." I turned the doorknob to take the towels to the laundry.
"And he asked you to stay?" Lewis asked.
"No, actually," I stopped, turning back to them. "He seemed terrified, so I offered to sit with him. Talk with him. Well... Kind of. He had a notepad with him."
"You mentioned he went nonverbal sometimes," Michael nodded. "Even when we walked through the door."
"Thank you for being kind to him," I softly said. "Well, except for Andrew. He went a little heavy-handed on those smacks, Lewis."
"I'll see to it that he gets his little punishment," Lewis admitted. "But I think Aidan got him back with that rather dominant display."
"He's good at it given the right time and place," I confessed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Let me clean up and we can sort out dinner."
Over the next few hours, we all took our own time to deliver aftercare and order food. No one was in the mood to cook for such a large number of people. To my surprise, Andrew had apologised to Aidan for the smacks while in the shower.
Aidan had told me that Andrew not only said he was sorry, but that he would listen next time. He'd still be a dick, but he'd at least pay more attention was the general gist. I was ready to get angry when Aidan explained that he'd done a nonverbal safeword when Michael grabbed Andrew's wrist, but Aidan continued that he still felt safe anyway, that Andrew came down from his mindset and understood he fucked up.
After dinner, they all piled out of my home, waving goodbye, or leaving Aidan and me with a kiss. Even Jesse went home, which left Aidan and me alone in the house. I knew my phone had been going off because Irene wanted to know more about what had happened. Not to mention, wishing me a happy birthday even though there were still a couple of hours left before midnight.
Aidan had gone up to wait in my room while I showered and made sure that the house was definitely clean. Every toy and item was cleaned and put away as well. As I entered my room, Aidan was cuddling a pillow. I could see the small bruising over his cheek from earlier and bit back a little anger. He looked so tired, I didn't want to disturb him.
"Hm, Gabe?" he mumbled, though his eyes were closed, he wasn't fully asleep.
"I'm here," I smiled as I moved to the bed, slipping under the covers. "Tired?"
"Yeah..." he said sadly.
"What's wrong?" I asked, wrapping my arm around him.
"I riled you up for nothing," he yawned. "I'm too tired to be punished over it. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I figured you'd want to rest," I pressed my lips to his forehead and felt his arms wrap around my body.
"I'll make it up to you tomorrow," he sighed with exhaustion.
"You think you have enough energy to talk to me about the contract?" I asked softly.
He nodded as he looked up at me. I breathed in deeply, smiling widely.
"Impact is off the table unless you ask," I said. "Slapping and spanking still okay during sex?"
"Mhmm," he nodded. "I enjoy the pain, and that with uh... degradation and humiliation from you, and then praise after or during seems to be my go-to."
"You only like it from me?"
"I didn't mind being smacked by Andrew if that's what you're asking. I don't think I could do what I did to him though, I enjoyed doing it to another, but I like it from you, in private... or with Jesse. Or maybe a smaller group would still be okay, just not a... a group like that unless I became really comfortable with them. Get to know them a lot more."
"Understood," I chuckled. "I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable. Shibari is still helping?"
"Oh, yes," he said enthusiastically. "Never stop doing that, it helps me think. Helps me be more aware of what I want and need. Even if I do regress sometimes."
"I'll always care for you," I replied, running my fingers through his hair. "It's sort of like the gentleness in contrast to when I take you."
"Mhmm," he hummed. "I know you were worried when I asked Michael to be gentle. It was only because the other three were going to be so rough, that I needed to feel something different. That's why I like it when you show me you can be gentle. Whether it's outside sex, or sometimes with sex."
"I'll keep that in mind, baby," I mumbled into his hair. "Anything else?"
"Orgasm denial regardless of a punishment or just having fun is good," he answered. "And repeated orgasms... That felt good. I enjoy both ends of that uh... spectrum. I do want to try CNC with you again. And uh... oh, you marking me is all good still. I'm happy with you leaving bruises, marks, cuts... I think that's all?"
"Would you want to try anything else?" I met his eyes. "Bondage, gagged? Anything I could do differently?"
He thought about it for a moment, shrugging, "The bondage stuff I'd like to try. But nothing you could do differently."
"As long as you're safe, happy and comfortable, handsome," I relaxed into the cuddle as he closed his eyes.
"Oh, I wanted to ask," he suddenly said.
He forced his eyes open to look at me. A smile etched on his face, and he snuggled closer to my body.
"I was um... wondering... maybe," he stuttered, bringing a hand up to his mouth. He slid a finger over his lips before speaking again. "Maybe I could wake you up in a special way tomorrow morning?"
I chuckled softly, "Of course you can. Thank you for asking."
He grinned wider before laying his head into my chest, breathing me in. I felt him squeeze my waist and I leaned my head on top of his.
"Yes?" I asked. Clearly that wasn't everything on his mind.
"Did you uh... not tell me your age because you were worried I wouldn't want you?" he asked.
"Kind of?" I admitted. "I thought I'd be too old or maybe you'd think I was just trying to feel young but in reality, I just felt a connection and went for it."
"Don't mention it to Alyssa. She'd be upset," Aidan said as he nuzzled into my chest. "Goodnight my sweet Gabriel, I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered. "Sweet dreams my Little One."