Out in Tokyo they made their way through streets still teeming with people, the night lit as bright as day with the neon signs and street lights. The Entrance to the club was a simple doorway squeezed between busy arcades. Two men in suits with earpieces watching it were the only sign it was anything other than any of the myriad other doors. Nat showed their tickets and they were let in, into a narrow corridor lit with coloured lights, the mirrored ceiling reflecting the kaleidoscope of fetish pornography that covered the walls.
Steve went first, practising his confident swagger, as if he'd seen all this before. Behind the smirk his mind was racing, not knowing what to expect but glad for the half face masks he and Nat were wearing.
The narrow corridor ended in steep steps down, just like the maps they'd looked at beforehand had shown. Tokyo was insanely crowded, so many places were stacked on top of each other. The Club was split across three floors, using basements and backrooms above and below the shops and arcades in this block.
Looking back he took a moment to admire how Nat had dressed up for him tonight as she came down the mirrored stairs.
Shiny black patent leather Spike heeled ankle boots, fishnet stockings up to her short leather skirt, which was slit to show a glimpse of stocking top. Around her waist were wrapped lots of thin leather belts, looped over the same band t shirt as he wore. She had a short cut jacket in burgundy leather and her collar proudly worn on her pale neck
The main room of the club was low ceilinged and dark, black painted walls and flashing lights, filled with a writhing mass of people dancing to an overwhelming thump of pumping music. He could hardly understand some of the outfits, a lot of bare skin on show, a lot of shiny leather and latex.
He catches Nat's eye and leans close to her ear to say "I do Not know how to dance to whatever this is!"
"Then lets go further in!" She shouts in reply
They cut round the crowd, to a lit up bar at the back where Nat gets them two bottles of beer with a weird mix of sign language and just pointing at things. Then through double doors to a slightly quieter staircase, more doors and steps up to a large quieter room. This seems set out as part market, part social club with tables of books and unusual items, groups of people sitting round talking. Some of the furniture looked more like exercise machines, work benches or saw horses painted black, which confused him until he saw someone bent over one, naked buttocks being spanked a rosy red by several women while people watched.
Moving through the crowd, it seems very alien and yet as he goes people he'd never dreamed existed acknowledge him with friendly nods, greetings and open interest.
They find a quiet corner with comfortable upholstered bench seats and relax. He feels a strange sense of belonging, a kinship to this crowd of strangers. He grabs Nat by her spikey belts and pulls her onto his lap. She leans close, pressing herself to him as he kisses her, trying to keep in character.
"This place, these people, it's bizarre. They seem more alien that the actual aliens I've punched, but somehow I feel like I fit in?"
"You're tall and hot, of course you're welcomed. Plus in here you're one of us. An outsider."
""An Outsider?"
"I read your file, Steve and I know my history. Being a skinny Irish Catholic kid in Brooklyn when they were putting up the "No Irish need apply" signs? Failing the army medical seven times but never giving up? Getting the lowest scores ever on the assault course at Camp Lehigh? You were always the out of the ordinary one. And now, look at you. Physically and Mentally off the charts, still socially awkward, seventy year hole in your history, there's no one like you."
She looks round the room "That's what everyone here understands. Being the different one"
"Some of these people are very different, that's for sure"
"The thing to remember is there is no single fetish scene. No uniting positive factor. What these people share is what they are not. Not vanilla. Not approved of. Not part of the majority. But if you keep things consensual and everyone ends up happy, how can it be wrong?"
He takes a drag on his beer, thinking how his Sunday school teacher would react to see him now; sprawled on an upholstered couch in a darkened room with a beer in one hand and a wanton temptress in the other, watching the perverse antics going on with a strange detachment as she slides her hand under his shirt to stroke his chest, clearly turned on by it all.
"You can make a very persuasive case, that's for sure" he smiles. "And it's nice to be out and about amongst like minded people." the smile turns into a devilish grin "Sit up straight, girl. Hands behind your back. Chest out. Grip our elbows" She starts, body automatically obeying his firm command even as she sees he's enjoying this and has to press her thighs together to fight the quiver of hot lust that makes her feel. "Good girl" and his praise twists that lust into a tight little knot of desire and she's squirming on his lap already. He's relaxing into the scene, enjoying himself.
With one hand he holds a firm grip on her belts, the other he slides up under her t shirt to cup her breast, enjoying the soft weight as he feels for her nipple, gripping it between finger and thumb.
She bites her lip as he tugs, first gently then firmer, pulling and twisting the sensitive flesh until she moans, pushing herself against his hand.
Pretending nonchalance, he asks "So what's the dress code here tonight?"
She answers in short gasps as he's still teasing her nipple "Dress up to Show off." "No fluid exchange." "No genital nudity."
"So it's fine if I do this?" he asks, and lifts her t-shirt up, rolling it and tucking the fabric into the shirts neck, exposing both of her perfect breasts
"They'd be ok with this?" He grins, cupping them both and squeezing.
Mutely she nods. He watches her reactions, the flush of excitement. After all the Red Room did to her she's pretty much without ego, without shame or embarrassment when she has to be but here she's painfully aware of how much this idea and act turns him on and she's not immune to that. In fact it seems new to her, which makes her blush and stammer a little, like a newbie first timer sub caught up in the rush of playing in public.
Or she's putting it all on to play the role or to serve me and be seem to be an obedient little sub he thinks. Layers on layers, but tonight is meant to be a harmless dry run, no need to hide too much.
Either way, he's having fun.
"Go get us two more of those beers. I think the show is about to begin."
"Yes Master"
"Arms behind your back until you get to the bar"
"Yes My Master" she bows her head then walks off towards the bar, a slink in her step and her arms obediently crossed behind her back. Her naked breasts proudly in display, pale skin marked with the blush of desire and the red marks of strong fingers.
Appreciative glances from a few other patrons. She's mine, He thinks, and people can see it and they envy me. It gives him a strange sensation of pride.
She walks back with a swagger in her step and a bottle of beer in each hand, shirt still up around her neck and her breasts on display. On her right nipple was a silver clamp shaped like a clover leaf, from which hung a bottle opener. "The bar staff send their thanks for the free show" and hands him an unopened bottle of beer.
"they ask you send the bottle opener back when you're done"
he looks at the clamp and laughs "I'll bet they did!". It's a complex design, flat and sleek metal. The clamp itself is two semi circular parts, connected by springs and hinges to the opposite side of the device. He experimentally squeezes the sides of the clamp together and the little jaws open, leaving red indentations on the skin of her nipple. "Interesting little toy" he says as he relaxes his grip, letting the springs close the jaws again and bite into her soft sensitive flesh.
The bottle opener hands from a cord tied to the bottom of the clamp so he takes it and pops the cap from his bottle. As he does he watches the clamp move and realises that pulling down on the cord is the opposite motion to squeezing the sides, it forces the clamp jaws together. The weight of the opener is just enough to add a little torment. He tugs downward and she gasps and automatically leans forward, trying to relieve the pressure. "devilishly cunning. Where can we get some of these?"
Her eyes go wider but she motions with her head to the traders stalls "it's a clover clamp. I think I saw some for sale over there"
Steve glances over and grins. Time for shopping later. Then something he'd noticed but not realised the significance of comes to his attention. He pulls her close to him and starts to kiss and bite her neck, hands on her hips, cover for him to whisper into her ear "what happened to your bullet scar?". He strokes his thumb over where the slug went through her abdomen.
She writhes appreciatively then pulls back, taking a pull on her beer bottle then gives him a happy sloppy kiss and whispers in his ear "Too recognisable after the SHIELD files were released. I've a synthetic skin patch over it."
"Feels real"
"It is real skin, just printed over an inorganic support."
He tugs the clamp, watching as her nipple stretches out a little and the jaws bite harder. Then he squeezes it open and lets her nipple free, clipping the clamp to her collar.
He rolls her shirt back down and says "Lets go enjoy the show"
The music changed, some up tempo electronic dance music that sounded nothing like music to him. The woman's voice sounded like a gospel choir "you're that special someone who makes me want to give in…"
how very fitting.
The lights went up on the small stage to the back of the room, revealing it'd been decorated with a backdrop of traditional paper screens, a contrast to the frame of modern scaffolding poles that surrounded it. The performers (or demonstrator and helper?) were both Japanese, a middle aged man dressed in plain black with a black half mask and a slim much younger woman in a domino mask and bright red and white kimono. As the man started to wrap what seemed to be yards and yards of old fashioned untreated hemp rope around the woman in increasingly complex patterns Steve wrapped his arms around Nat who was standing demurely in front of him and tried to understand what was going on. The bindings were intricate and clearly designed to immobilise the subject but also transfer weight and focus sensations about the body. Dangerous areas like constricting the neck or chest that could impede circulation and breathing were avoided. There was certainly an artistry to it, the dark brown of undyed hemp rope on pale skin, the sureness of his hands on the rope and there was an erotic charge between the two performers, the act of tying strangely intimate and sensual. It was captivating but he found it slightly off-putting, the way one leg was tied folded up and her body weight on the ropes about her chest was strangely asymmetrical, reminding him of finding injured bodies in the war. Not an erotic image for him, but it was clearly doing something for Nat, who was pressing back against him, attention totally focussed on the stage. Her hands were hidden between them, concealed as she stroked his cock through his jeans, her hips moving in slow needy circles. He kept on hand on her hip, the other up her shirt to grip her breast. Her whole body was tense, like a wire stretched taunt.
On the stage the woman was pushed forward, her free leg pulled high above her by the rope that was tied in loops all the way down her leg. She swung freely, the rope about her crotch pulling taunt, her whole body weight grinding the knot against her as she swung helplessly back and forth.
"Oh FUCK" Nat whispered under her breath, gripping Steve's cock with both hands.
She leans back against him, puts her head back and whispers "Master, Please, drag me off and fuck me. Somewhere. Anywhere. Fuck me." The urgency and almost desperate pleading look on her face is very different to the calm composed widow he knows and it speaks to him on a very primal level.
Around them the crowd start to politely applaud the stage show so he steers them to the side of the room, looking for a little privacy.
As the y pass one group a youngish man in a skull mask does a double take then waves a hand and asks "Natalie?"
Stifling a curse, Nat looks into Steve's eyes and gives the rapid triple blink that meant "all change " then turns with a happy smile lighting up her face.
The man pulls up the skull mask, revealing a cheerful round face "Natalie! Natalie! I didn't know you were back in town!"
"Nobu! I didn't know you were showing anything tonight?"
"I'm not working, just came along to party" he grins, indicating the group of masked revellers he's with.
Nat turns to Steve and says "Lucas, this is my friend Nobu."
Turning back she hooks a finger in her collar and smiles as she says "Nobu, this is my boyfriend Lucas."
Nobu gives an understanding nod as Steve steps forward
"Lucas Lee, nice to meet you" gives him a firm handshake.
Nat explains "Nobu is a very talented photographer, I've been lucky enough to work with him a few times"
He grins at the praise "I was lucky to have you as a model"
"You were a model?" Steve asks Nat in mock surprise
"I did some modelling work, mostly fashion with some glamour and lingerie, Some rope stuff. But when i finished my paralegal I moved back to Boston and went corporate."
Nobu laughs "Some rope stuff? Only some rope stuff? Those were your best pictures by a mile!
He smiles at Steve and stage whispers to him "She's a real rope bunny. Loves it. And it loves her."
Nat Blushes and looks away, clinging to Steve's arm as he fakes surprise "Oh really? That sounds like something that needs looking into"
"Well, you're in the right place. So how did you two meet?"
Nat glances at Steve but he's comfortably in character
"oh, I met her when she was doing legals for the record company and we just hit it off".
"Record company?"
"Yeah, I'm in a band. On sabbatical at the moment though"
Nobu nods, then asks Nat "How goes the judo?"
She looks pleased with herself "I have an orange belt now."
Steve stifles a laugh, thinking of all the other ranks she must hold. Nobu takes it differently, looking almost offended. "Do you practise?"
Steve shrugs, playing the macho asshole role "some karate. Wanted to get into ultimate fighting and mixed martial arts but then the album took off"
"So you're coming to the Karaoke later?"
"I've got to rest my voice, Vocal cord nodules." He rubs his throat. "Try and sing? Boom. Throat explosion!" he glances at Nat and smiles "But my girl can sing, can't you?"
She shoots him a sideways look with daggers in it then smiles sweetly "A bit"
"But first we have some shopping to do"
Hooking his finger into her collar he leads her off to the stalls at the side of the room.
Once away from them she grumbles "He should NOT have done that. Just when we needed a bit of privacy"
Steve chuckles "spoil the mood?"
She frowns, fidgeting "I'm so horny I feel like I'll explode"
He starts looking over the books and toys for sale, motioning her to keep up. "I'm sure you'll stay eager all through the party"
He finds what he's looking for, coils of rope. Natural hemp, he runs it through his hands to appreciate the feel of it; it's softer and smoother than the hemp climbing rope he was used to.
"it's funny they still use hemp, I remember when we got issued the latest nylon ropes for climbing raids, its was stronger and doesn't fray or rot like hemp does."
"hemp and jute feel better on the skin plus they tie better, they have a better tooth. Nylons too smooth for fun"
Steve feels a moment of heavy heartedness – DuPont made Nylon in '35 it's old hat not a recent wonder material. Then the touch of Nat's hand on his chest brought him back to the present, concern in her eyes reminded him things weren't so bad and that he had a lot to look forward to later tonight.
He selected a few coils of the rope, a book with rope on the cover and a pair of nipple clamps, looking at Nat then exchanging a knowing glance with the stall owner; a glance that clearly said "I'll be using these on her soon". And damn it that glance gave Nat a flutter of excitement, making her have to press her thighs together in frustration.
"We're partying upstairs later, can you send it up?" and he grins a wicked grin
Damn he's enjoying getting into this character
FRANKIE VALLI and the Four Seasons
"Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off of you
You'd be like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off of you
Pretenders – Brass in pocket
Got something, I'm winking at you
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice
Gonna use my arms
Gonna use my legs
Gonna use my style
Gonna use my sidestep
Gonna use my fingers
Gonna use my, my, my, imagination
Oh, 'cause I gonna make you see
There's nobody else here, no one like me
I'm special (Special)
So special (Special)
I got to have some of your attention, give it to me
This version uses the full vocal sample from Kim English's 'Time For Love'
Later, in the privacy of their room Steve tried tying a simple chest harness on her, loops round her chest above and below her breasts, ropes over her shoulder and back, binding her arms crossed behind her.
"This is apparently called The Pearls" He said, tightening the ropes between the two loops around her chest, to squeeze and frame her perfect breasts, already pushed forward but now the rope was just tight enough to bite as she breathed, stimulating her sensitive flesh and making her adrenaline race with the feeling of restriction, of constriction she can't escape.
"Like how they look, Master?" She asks, teasing playfully. Hours of frustration are still clawing at her but she feels he'd teased her too much and she should return the favour.
"Very much" he stands behind her, turning her to face the full length mirror in the room. Standing behind her, he cups her breasts and strokes them as he kisses the side of her neck. She shudders, breathing fast, which makes the tightness of the ropes all the more apparent.
"Now, I had an idea. There's something I want to teach you as part of your slavery to me, something that I want you to do to please me."
"Master?" This was new, He'd not done anything like this before, always happy to follow her lead.
"There are things I want you to know that you often blank and run away from" He tugs her about by the rope harness "now you can't run"
There's honest fear in her eyes as she struggles against the ropes. What is he doing?
He sticks a sheet of paper to the mirrored, row on row of his careful handwriting, the first line 'I am beautiful and deserve to be loved'
"Read it"
"What? No! I. I. Master? Why are you doing this?"
"Do it. Read it. Say it for me. Say You are beautiful and deserve to be loved"
She sees a way out "You are beautiful and deserve to be loved" with a cheeky grin
He sighs "I thought you'd get smart on me"
he holds up the Clover clamps. "Remember these?"
He squeezes one clamp open and pulls her nipple hard, pushing the clamp so it bites closed deep in her flesh. He'd read that putting the clamp on the nipple direct is a fast, sharp pain, but the real slow ache comes from clamping more the flesh behind.
She stifles a moan, looking up at the ceiling. Running the connecting chain through his hands he takes the second clamp and clamps it on her other nipple.
Both of her breasts feel engorged with a burning ache, the tight rope and the cruel clamps making her blood race.
"You love like a knife. Hard and Sharp. Submit to me. Be soft. Allow yourself to feel."
He turns her to face the mirror then wraps his great strong arms around her. One hooks a finger into the chain of the clamps, the other slides down over her belly and into the wet folds between her legs. Almost without thinking she pushes her aching cunt onto his probing fingers, jolts of pleasure flashing up her spine as she tries to ride his grip. He lifts the chain, tugging her up onto tiptoe and making the clamps bite hard onto her stretched and tortured nipples.
She stops, frozen, gasping in pain. He slowly relaxes his grip, stroking his fingers round her aching clit in slow circles.
"Read it."
Tears in her eyes, she sobs "please"
"Read it for me, My girl"
He teases her clit and tugs at her nipples as she reads "I am beautiful, I deserve to be loved. I'm a good person. Good things are allowed to happen to me. ! deserve to be cared for as much as ! care for others. My feelings and needs are valid and need to be heard"
He keeps edging her as she reads it over and over, close to orgasm but doesn't allow her to come, until her legs are shaking and her thighs are dripping, her face is wet with tears and she can hardly stand.
Then, when he feels his message has sunk in properly, he picks her up and carries her to the bed.
Laying her on her back he gently wipes away the tears and spit from her face "Close your eyes and open your mouth". Automatically she obeys and he pushes the red ball of a gag into her mouth, buckling it into place as tight as he can. A padded leather blindfold goes over her eyes, also buckled tight.
Glancing at the bondage book again He binds her legs folded up to her sides, leaving her completely bundled up but spread open and helpless.
She's quivering with fear and expectation, panic and desire. Is he going to whip her? Fuck her?
Steve bends down and gently presses his face into her crotch, tongue flicking over the sensitive folds of her sex. Labia swollen and slick with desire part under his slow exploration, making her writhe against the bonds holding her. He loved how sensitive she was, how each flick of his tongue on the hard nub of her clit made her scream into the gag. He slid a finger into her, the wet heat feeling like a furnace as he hooked his finger to stroke upward as his tongue pressed down.
Helplessly she screamed into the gag as she came, pulsing and gripping his finger as waves of pleasure finally broke free. Gripping her hips in both hands he lifted her to his mouth, licking as she came in time with the pulses, keeping her coming again and again.
Setting her back on the bed he climbed on, positioning himself over her. Sightless, she could sense his weight, the heat of his body as he lined his cock up with her. As he slid into her he tugged on the chain of the clamps, overwhelming her with the rush of pain and pleasure, the helpless panic and freedom of desire.
Later, the room is in darkness and they lie in bed with him spooned protectively around her.
She loves the peace in these unspoken moments, how much she need to feel this to heal. She sighs and softly whispers "I know an Onsen, a traditional inn, deep in the mountains. Very old, very private. Used to belong to one of the secret ninja clans until they overstretched their investments in the property boom of the 80s and went bust A garden view, a hot spring, good food. Spa in the countryside. No one for miles around. You can open the sliding paper doors to look down the valley and watch the clouds, listen to the sound of the rain.
We could disappear, go there and just vanish for a week or two. This would never have to end".
He strokes her hair. "I'd love to. But you know we have a job to do"