Tobias glanced at his tools and picked up the tawse. "Let's." He went to the manacles and tugged them. "Bradford?" he called out as his friend moved to the door.
"Oh, they're height adjustable," Bradford called back. "Or was it something else?" He stopped in the doorway.
Tobias rolled his eyes. "Something else, but you've gone and ruined the moment." He stepped off the stage and walked to Bradford and held out his hand. "It's an honor to do this with you, old man," he said sincerely.
"After all these years, we need a moment?" Bradford smiled and took his hand but instead of shaking it he tucked his other arm around Tobias' shoulders in a brief and rare hug. "It's a great honor," he said, letting Tobias go. "And the beginning of what I hope will be a joyful new chapter in both of our lives, hm?"
Tobias stared at him. "That is taking our moment entirely too far," he teased. "Open the doors before we start to cry."
"Oh, now that
is
going too far," Bradford said with a wink. He turned away and flung open the doors, inviting their guests inside. It wasn't a large crowd and the faces were all familiar, including Logan, Luca, and Dr. Brewer, who may very well have been the first female sub ever to walk through the front door.
Bradford caught Luca and Danny and after a quiet word, sent Danny off to retrieve the boys.
Tobias found himself staring at Dr. Brewer, who was dressed appropriately for the occasion. In this case, that meant a frighteningly short leather dress which displayed her assets very well, and both collar and cuffs.
He went to her, taking his cue from her lowered eyes. "Good evening," he said politely. "Thank you for coming. Is your master here as well?"
She shook her head. "He has a late appointment and didn't want to risk a disruption by arriving late. He sends his regards and congratulations, Master Tobias. He spoke with Master Logan, who kindly agreed to... watch over me."
Tobias looked at Logan, surprised. "Thank you," he said, hoping he didn't sound baffled.
Logan looked amused. "Jordan Thatcher. You didn't know?"
"I had no idea," Tobias admitted, as his respect for Dr. Brewer rose. Thatcher was a quiet player, but well known for being strict and demanding of his subs; he was also a lawyer in the firm Tobias had on retainer. "Well done, Doctor."
She dimpled. "We're very happy."
Tobias smiled. "Good. Excuse me?"
"Of course."
He turned to go and gave her one more look. "Nice dress," he said with a wink at Logan as Dr. Brewer blushed.
Tobias slapped his tawse against his hand and went to stand by Bradford. "Thank you for coming," he said the assembled guests. "The boys will be down in a moment; we ask that you move to the sides and remain quiet as Bradford and I make our marks."
Danny and Noah arrived shortly thereafter with Phan and Nikki following behind. Danny turned off as they passed Luca, but Noah continued toward the stage.
Bradford gestured toward the chains. "They'll kneel below the chains, Noah, thank you."
Noah nodded, keeping silent as he'd been instructed. He stepped to the side displaying neatly after Nikki and Phan went to their knees, and awaited Tobias' instructions.
Tobias smiled and went to him. "Thank you, Noah. At my side, please." He brushed a hand through Phan's hair. "They behaved?" he asked Noah as he reached for the manacles.
"They were both quiet and still, sir," Noah answered, keeping close to him as Tobias bound Phan's wrists. Phan was unresisting, merely offering his wrists one after another for Tobias to cuff.
Bradford stepped up in front of Nikki. "Good boy," he said softly. "Stand, love, and let's get started."
Nikki stood gracefully and kept his eyes very low. Bradford put each of Nikki's wrists into the manacles, checked them for comfort, and then crossed the stage to several levered-winches that were set into the wall. He worked one of the levers until Nikki's hands were straight above his head, careful not to pull the boy off of his feet.
"Tobias, when you're ready," Bradford offered, laying his fingers on another lever.
Tobias nodded and gestured for Phan to stand, watching as he wrapped the chains around his hand and used them to pull himself up. "Let go," he said softly, and Phan obeyed, letting the padded cuffs take his arms up. "If you feel your fingers tingle, tell me," Tobias cautioned. "They won't be up long, but I don't want you losing circulation."
Phan nodded and Tobias looked at Bradford. "Go ahead," he said, moving away with Noah at his heel.
Bradford pulled the chains up slowly, locking them off at a height that seemed comfortable. When he was done he checked both boys to make sure the chains weren't too tight and then turned to face his audience. "Tobias and I appreciate your presence tonight. We have a very simple evening planned, to show off our boys for you and demonstrate their willingness to serve as we need, and then we will reward them both accordingly. We're very proud of our boys and we know you will be, too." He made his way across the room to the table and picked up his cane and the blindfold.
Tobias slapped his hand with the tawse again, the sound loud in the room, and smiled at Bradford. "After you, my friend."
Bradford smiled and gave Tobias a nod. He approached Nikki, and stood in front of him, talking to him softly. The boy nodded and Bradford tied on his blindfold. A few more soft words and Bradford stepped away again, while Nikki took a moment to check his stance. He swung the cane in front of him two or three times, possibly testing it in the air, but more likely it was for Nikki's benefit, and then landed a stripe across Nikki's shoulders.
"One. Thank you, sir," Nikki called out, the sting of the cane barely registering in his voice, but Bradford striped him again, and Nikki quickly dissolved, sobbing out his gratitude, counting two and shuffling from foot to foot.
Bradford circled him. "Good boy," he could be heard to say, but the rest of it was too quiet. Bradford stepped away again and stood a few feet away. "For me, boy. This one is for me."
Nikki nodded, trembling lightly. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir!"
"Stand ready," Bradford warned. He only paused a moment before adding one more stripe, this time across his ass.
"Ah! Sir!" Nikki cried out, choking slightly on the words. "Three..." he managed. "Thank... thank you, sir. Oh, God. Sir..."
"Good boy," Bradford's voice was encouraging but he was watching Nikki with a critical eye. "Good boy. Breathe, Nikki. My boy." Bradford circled him again, inspecting the stripes. He reached up and checked Nikki's fingers and made sure he was still standing on his own. When he was done, he smiled smugly and stepped away again. "This last one, love, is for you."
Nikki sobbed and nodded. "Thank you, sir, thank you."
Bradford steeled his expression again and looked at Nikki's back critically. The last stripe was fast and hard, making the cane swoop and snap sharply against the boy's skin. Nikki shuddered and groaned and his whole body seemed to relax.
Bradford walked to him quickly, checking him over once more. He stood in front of Nikki for a long moment, his voice again too soft to be understood. The more he spoke, the stronger Nikki seemed to become. Finally, Bradford stepped to the side a bit. "Tobias, may I have Noah's assistance, please?"
"Of course," Tobias agreed, touching Noah's shoulder.
Noah took instructions from Bradford and walked to the wall where he released the lever very slowly while Bradford helped Nikki to his knees. He let the boy's hands rest in his lap but left the cuffs and chains in place, removed the boy's blindfold and then gave Noah a nod. Noah locked the lever off and went back to Tobias' side.
Bradford looked at the crowd and smiled, looking so proud that he might pop the buttons on his shirt. "I give you my boy, Nikki. I have never been so proud."
The gathered onlookers applauded and Nikki's back straightened a bit. Bradford let it go on for another moment and then held up a hand to quiet them. "Tobias, the stage is yours, my friend," he said, stepping aside.
Tobias smiled and nodded. "Well done," he said softly, looking at Bradford's eyes. He didn't say anything about the shine to them, the hint of tears his friend was fighting back. He doubted anyone else noticed.
Tobias looked back at Noah and gestured for him to stay where he was as he stepped toward Phan. "We've all seen Phan take pain," he said almost casually, holding the tawse up. "This isn't about pain. If it were, I would use a bullwhip." He walked slowly in front of Phan, noting the quickening of his breath. "Steady, boy," he whispered. "For me."
Phan nodded, and took a deep breath, stilling almost immediately.
"To demonstrate how much pain Phan would take for me would be an exercise we'd all enjoy, but would be, essentially, useless. He's a heavy masochist, and we all know it. This is about something else."
The room was silent and Tobias traced Phan's jaw with one finger. "This is about love."
Phan sighed and leaned into the touch.
"Pay attention, boy, there will be a test," Tobias said softly. "Are you ready for me?" Phantom nodded slowly and Tobias smiled. "I know, dear." He checked Phan's wrists and hands once more and moved behind him. "This will be fast, and it will hurt. React as you wish, there's no need to be silent." He lifted the tawse and started working, hitting Phan's back with precision, stroke after stroke, keeping each stroke the same weight as the one before. The tawse was wide, so his spacing was careful, making sure he avoided danger areas like the kidneys. He started at the top, off center of Phan's spine, and worked his way down, forming letters as he went. Used without care, the tawse would break bones; Tobias' goal was to bruise evenly.
By the third stroke Phan was moaning. At the seventh he cried out, and by the tenth he was yelling. The eleventh brought tears, and the twelfth, the last, made him scream. Tobias was sweating, the heavy thud of the tawse and the concentration it took making him pant.
He stepped back and waited for Phan's voice to die down. "Noah," he said, not looking back. "The lever, please." Tobias felt more than he saw Noah move to the panel, and held up a hand to him, keeping him from lowering Phan's arms. "Phantom. What does it say?"
Phan gasped and arched his back, his breath hitching. "It says 'MINE,' sir," he managed. "Oh, God."
Tobias nodded and went to him, signaling to Noah who began to lower the chains, settling Phan into Tobias' embrace. "I give you my boy, Phantom. Know that I'm proud of him, and proud to call him mine."
Bradford started the applause, stepping over to Tobias and patting his shoulder. "Does he need a minute?" he asked. "Or shall I get them?"
Tobias looked at Phan's rather stunned face and grinned. "Might as well get them now, he can't take too many shocks all spread out."
"Well done, Tobias. Phantom." Bradford stepped away as the applause began to settle down. "We promised that our boys would get a reward for their service," he said as he handed Tobias his box. He opened Nikki's, removing the collar and handing it to the boy to look over.
Nikki gasped and his fingers trembled as he took it from Bradford. "Sir..."
Bradford smiled. "I am very proud of you, and I wanted to honor your service to me and my responsibility to you with more than a contract, Nikki." He took the collar back and locked it carefully around Nikki's neck. "You are mine, this collar will herald that to everyone you meet. It is a constant reminder to you that I am looking after you, that I have committed to your growth as a submissive and as a man. And, it is, of course, a symbol of my love for you."
"Thank you sir, love you. Thank you," Nikki said several times over.
Bradford smiled once more, combing his fingers through Nikki's hair, and the boy went silent apart from his soft sobs.
Tobias watched and couldn't help smiling, his heart skipping a beat at Nikki's obvious joy and the openness in Bradford's face. It was all he could do to keep himself from cheering, really, and if it weren't for the box in his hands he might have. He waited until Nikki seemed to gather himself, although the adoration in the boy's eyes suggested he'd have to be reminded in the morning about anything else that happened that evening.
With a deep breath to steady himself, Tobias opened his box and lifted out Phan's collar. "We've been down this road before, dear," he said clearly. "And it's with joy that I take these steps again." He held the collar out to Phan, who stared at it almost blankly. "With this collar, you and I complete our journey, coming full circle as new men. We are changed, and we'll continue to grow, together. You are mine, Phantom, and you will wear my mark, my collar. You are my boy, my submissive, and
our
lover and partner."
Phan swallowed thickly and blinked, tears sliding down his cheeks. "Yours, sir. Always. I... My... Love."
Tobias smiled and opened the collar, slipped the locking bolts in place and collared him. "Yes. Love." He held a hand out to Noah and brought him forward. "Love."
Noah came over quickly and knelt with Phan, who was still holding Tobias' hand. "Congratulations, hon," he said softly. "And welcome."
Phan burst into tears.
Tobias smiled and undid the cuffs, finally freeing him and gathering him up into his arms. "Let's look at your back," he whispered. "And then you and Nikki and Noah can have a good cry while Bradford and I do the social stuff for about ten minutes. And then I suspect escape will be called for."
Noah put his arms around Phan carefully and kissed him, then stood and kissed Tobias as well. "Congratulations to you, too, sir."
Bradford's voice cut through the applause and congratulatory chatter. "Everyone, drinks are being served at the bar and there is a buffet in the dining room. Give us a moment, and we'll come join you." He had evidently released Nikki's bonds while Tobias was talking with Phan, and already had ointment on his fingers, smoothing it carefully on Nikki's back. For his part, Nikki seemed to have gotten over the initial emotion of it all and was sniffling softly while Bradford did his work.
Tobias and Noah convinced Phan to stand still by the simplest method; Noah stood in front of him and held him carefully, and Tobias examined his back, smoothing on arnica to keep the bruising at an acceptable level. "All right then, boy," he said. "Time for the kissing."