There were a myriad of things a man could do with a length of rope and a few knots, however it'd taken someone with a lot more creativity than myself to discover a few more intimate uses I had yet to consider. It'd started with just "practicing," in retrospect I should've taken a little more notice in her piqued interest in this one particular hobby of mine. After testing that my handcuff knots were secure she all but insisted that I bind her forearms with basket knots.
"They're so pretty," she whispered in awe, holding still as I snapped photographs she'd begged me to take. Nora Valkyrie had always been privy to an unusual aesthetic, however this fascination with my knots was something I'd never seen before.
She'd kept it just innocent enough that I never caught on to her true intentions. Basket knots up her forearms, binding her wrists and elbows behind her back. It wasn't often that Nora Valkyrie would ever sit still, however she seemed to hardly breathe while I worked on the various knots she'd asked for. Often I'd have to lay her on her stomach to perform more intricate knots, and she'd allow me to straddle her waist while I worked. I purchased longer lengths of rope, first two meters, than three until finally a five meter length of rope was enough to wrap around her body. The knots became more intricate and patterns began to reveal themselves as Nora used my hobby for her own aesthetic.
It took more time than I'd like to admit before I realized that our sessions held a more intimate purpose for Nora than they had for myself.
It was one of the simpler days, a handcuff knot tied her arms behind her back, basket knots held her forearms together until they joined neatly across her shoulders and chest.
"Should I take pictures," I asked quietly as I tightened the last knot. She always enjoyed seeing my handiwork.
"N- no… I, um…" I moved to sit in front of her on the bed, crossing my legs and placing a hand on her shoulder. She chewed at her bottom lip, cheeks bright with blush. Her hair covered most of her eyes, however I could just make out the brightest shade of green peeking through orange hair.
"Nora," I asked quietly, brushing her bangs away from her face. She chewed at her lip as I did, a small whimper leaving her throat.
"What's wrong," I pressed. If it had anything to do with my knots, I'd-
"Renny," she whispered softly. She looked up into my eyes begging, pleading. As if I were missing something oh so very obvious. Her eyes always fascinated me- how anyone could manage to be so expressive through their eyes amazed and confused me to my core.
"Don't you know," she whined, exasperation in her voice. She was shaking, her body trembling as if the very words she tried to speak were filled with the same energy she was.
"Renny, I like you! Not just like you like you like friends like each other- but of course I like you like that because we are friends- you're the best friends I've ever had- but I like you, Renny! More than just-"
Of course I'd known. I'd always known, but this wasn't exactly the way I'd planned to tell her. I'd always thought of this day involving dinner and dancing and petting a wild sloth. All my life I'd thought of this day I'd wanted- needed- it to be special. For her to never forget it amongst the hundreds of other amazing adventures we'd fill our lives with. But in an instant, I knew that that day would be today. A relatively uneventful Tuesday, while I practiced my knots. I pressed a kiss against her lips and for a moment- if only for a moment- her breath caught in her chest and she was speechless. Turquoise watery eyes wavered as she looked up at me, pink blush burned under her normally pale cheeks, highlighting the light dusting of freckles whose patterns I'd committed to memory.
"Nora Valkyrie, I love you more than I could ever love anything or anyone. I love you more than a bird loves the sky. I love every part of you- the good, the bad, the parts of you try to hide from me, the parts that you show me each and every day. Nora Valkyrie, every morning I wake up and I think to myself 'I couldn't possibly be any more in love with you,' yet you prove me wrong by breakfast time. I love you Nora… You don't have to hide it from me." I ran my fingers through her hair, a comforting habit for the both of us. She pressed into my palm and sighed for a long while- caught between wanting to speak and wanting to enjoy the moment we'd created for ourselves. After about an hour, I finally moved to untie her, fingers tracing the knots that'd left imprints against her skin.
"Renny?"
"Yes, Nora," I asked softly.
"Next time, can you tie me up like the girls in Blake's books?"
Out of all unexpected things Nora has asked me throughout our time together, this was easily top three.