Something Extra - A Handshake Deal (BSH) (Patreon)

Author's note: Hi guys, here I am with what I hope to be a pleasant surprise! For quite a long time, one of you has been extremely generous by donating a substantial amount to my Patreon every month, so after some brain-wrecking, I finally came up with an idea about how I should compensate this patron's generosity.

What I did was to create an extra tier that compensates the patron with something extra! In exchange for his generosity, I offered the possibility to request a short story (or a chapter for a longer story) every month. This time around, Dave Kemp asked me what I would think about writing a piece about how Aron Ruskin from Box Shaped Heart met his friend David and ended up financing his club.

I asked Dave what he thought about sharing this short piece with you, guys, and he was more than happy to agree. Therefore, here is the story of how Aron met David, generously sponsored by Dave, and created by yours truly! I hope you will enjoy it! 

PS. Dave and I are already cooking the next piece!

A Handshake Deal

Aron had a mind to turn away and forget all about the stupid idea that had been swirling around in his brain for a few weeks now. But if he truly wanted to experience something different, and make sense of the strange desires still keeping him awake at night after all these years, he needed to have some guts.

With that decision made, he went through the club door, ignoring the somewhat interested look the bouncer threw him. A quickie with a stranger was as remote from what he had in mind as it could possibly be.

Blinking harder than necessary to get adjusted to the dim lights inside the club, Aron found his way toward the main room without asking the bouncer for directions. The bass was a hum, a bit dirty, and the reddish light pulsing like a heartbeat beckoned him.

He didn’t take one step too near the place where the main action was happening and chose a seat by the bar. Absentmindedly, he ordered a beer and then watched the naked bodies performing some sort of a lewd play on the stage. 

“What do you think of all of this?” A deep, husky voice interrupted the train of his mangled thoughts.

Aron turned toward the voice, not wanting to be impolite. “I can’t say that I have formed an opinion yet. I just got here.”

The owner of the husky voice appeared to be exactly like someone who would have that kind of voice. Which should have been at least a little weird since it was always surprising when the people on the radio with somber, thoughtful voices looked average and nondescript in person.

Aron smiled as the thought crossed his mind. That would be something Carter would say. He looked at the world through different lenses, and maybe that was just part of his charm. Part of what had made Aron fall so deeply and irremediably in love with him.

Aron wasn’t as surprised by the stranger’s looks as Carter would have been. But he was a matter-of-fact type of guy, which, again, was something Carter would say.

He wasn’t there tonight to think of Carter; the reason for his visit was the exact opposite. 

“May I offer you a bit of professional insight?” The stranger turned his body toward Aron, signaling a desire for open conversation.

Aron measured the other for a brief moment. He appeared to be older than Aron, maybe still south of his forties, but getting there. His jawline was strong, and he had the kind of bulk that exuded confidence, without appearing fat or unappealing to look at.

“Professional?” Aron let his eyes travel to the scene on stage in which young men dressed in leather harnesses were lazily administering so-called punishments to each other. The reactions of those punished were exaggerated, groans and heads thrown back, although the light slaps on tight buttocks could hardly hurt.

“Yes, professional.”

“With all due respect, you don’t appear to be part of this crowd,” Aron said, as he gestured toward the scene.

A low chuckle was the answer. Aron moved his eyes away from the hot young bodies, and then he stared at the stranger. He definitely had magnetism. 

“I’m not. I am just interested in learning what people are looking for when they enter a place like this. What they expect.”

“Are you conducting a survey, then?” Aron smiled to reassure the stranger that he was genuinely interested and not asking that in a sarcastic way. That would have been the kind of thing he would have also had to explain if Carter had been present.

“You’re new here, and that is why I’m asking. Of course, I’m taking up a bit of your time and that without asking beforehand, so can I buy you a drink as compensation? I promise that it won’t take long, and then I will let you be and enjoy the show.”

“Sure.” Aron was much more intrigued by the man now than with the show on stage. The performance appeared to be lukewarm at best, and he had yet to feel a jolt of excitement. It was nothing he couldn’t see by purchasing an online membership to the numerous websites catering to this type of fetish.

“David.” The stranger offered his hand.

Aron shook it. “Aron here. Should we head over to a table? It would be more comfortable.”

***

For ten minutes straight, Aron had been listening to David and his impressions about how that type of club should be run without getting bored or annoyed for one second. While the conversation had started with David’s questions about Aron’s preferences and expectations, it had quickly changed its flow. Now Aron was more interested in David’s ideas. As a man who knew a bit about businesses and how they could be made successful, he found David to be quite knowledgeable on the subject. The fact that they were talking about sexual fetishes didn’t bother either of them.

Aron couldn’t recall the last time he had felt so free talking to someone.

“It appears that I’ve talked and I’ve talked without asking you if you’re bothered by my verbosity.” David raised his glass. “I apologize for being a little overwhelming.”

“Don’t worry. Your insights are much appreciated.” Aron waved. “Frankly, I would have expected something a little more, you know, hardcore from the presentation. This place has a reputation.”

David nodded. “Indeed. And yet, no one seems to get it quite right, what this is all about.”

“But you do,” Aron pointed out.

“I’d like to think so.”

“May I ask you a direct question, David?”

“Of course. Seeing how I’ve given you such a speech and you patiently listened, it’s the least I can do,” David replied courteously.

“Are you a dom?”

David stopped for a second and then smiled. “Yes.”

Aron licked his lips unconsciously. “Would it be weird if I asked you ... What does a sub want?”

David quirked an eyebrow. “Do you have a young colt that can’t be reined in through the usual methods?”

Aron laughed a bit nervously. He had never thought of Carter that way. The only one needing reining in was himself, or, better said, his emotions. “I’m not a dom,” he said, to make things clear.

David seemed surprised. “You don’t strike me as the sub type, either.”

Aron looked down, angled his head, watching the drink in his glass as if it was suddenly a source of essential knowledge. “I don’t know,” he said, in all honesty.

David leaned back into his chair. “Would you like to try it, then?”

Aron drew a breath. Was it the right thing to say? He swallowed hard and continued to look down. “Maybe.”

David sighed. “Something is bothering you, right, Aron?”

Aron laughed. “I just want to feel something, I guess.”

“Hmm. And are you sure it should be pain?” 

“Yes.” This was said in a heartbeat.

Aron could sense David moving in his chair, making it creak under his weight. At his height and weight, Aron was pretty sure he was as far from the look of a perfect sub as he could possibly be. That meant that there was a very slim possibility for David to say ‘yes’.

“You’re a handsome man, Aron.”

“Thank you.” 

“So handsome that all you would have to do is blink, and almost all of the guys in this place would fall at your feet.”

Aron chuckled. “Almost?”

“The personnel would still have to attend to their duties. Some might risk getting fired over a chance to get to know you better, but some might have bills to pay.” 

Aron laughed out loud, feeling more at ease now. David was joking, so that meant he would be let down gently. “Let me guess. You’re not part of the personnel, but ...” he let the words hang in the air in suspense to allow David to say it clearly.

David shrugged. “You seem well off, a balanced, calm man. So, it intrigues me what could make you think you deserve pain.”

“It’s just a kink, right?” Aron shrugged, to hide his uneasiness.

Again, David looked at him, searching his eyes. “You’re the serious type. You’re not the kind to go to clubs and pick up guys just to satisfy your curiosity.”

Aron put up both hands in a defensive gesture. “I’m not trying to pick you up. Ah, damn it. Did I make some blunder? There should be an etiquette about how people go about such things, right?”

David laughed. “You’re too polite, Aron. Look. If you want an answer to the questions bothering you, here is my card.”

“Okay.” Aron took the card and looked at it. “So, you have a studio?”

“I’m just renting a place at this point. It’s not exactly the type of business I would like to run, but I’m saving money for something bigger. Also, whenever you decide to come, it will be free of charge.”

“But why? You already bought the drinks tonight, and I feel like I got a little more than you did from our conversation.”

David smiled. “Come see me, Aron. Just give me a call, and I’ll find the time for you. I feel that I can help you.”

“I hope so. I doubt this,” Aron gestured vaguely to the young men slapping their pert behinds with soft leather straps, “would work for me.”

David nodded. “I have to go now. But enjoy your evening, Aron. I look forward to seeing you again.”

***

It was with a bit of unease that he took in his surroundings, as David invited him in. The X cross and the metal bed with cuffs dangling from its corners did nothing for his nerves. 

“I would invite you to step into my office, but I’m afraid this is all there is for now,” David said. “But, please, have a seat.”

At least the chair on which Aron sat appeared as mundane as such a piece of furniture could, given the circumstances. David continued to examine him, his arms crossed over his chest. Aron let out a small nervous laugh. “I called you, and you told me to come, but right now, I must confess that I’m completely at a loss. I don’t know what’s next.”

David gave him another long look as if he was debating what he could do with Aron. “I promised that I would help you. So, right now, I want you to trust me.”

Aron nodded, trying to lean back in the chair and appear relaxed. It wasn’t working. 

David stood up, and Aron barely kept from flinching. It wasn’t that he found David or the situation physically menacing. He was just nervous because it felt to him that he had just stepped into unfamiliar territory. 

David searched for something in a drawer and came back with what looked like a silk tie, the color of charcoal. He gestured, the tie wrapped around his fist. Aron stared without knowing what exactly was expected of him.

“May I?” David asked.

“Sure,” Aron replied, moving more than needed in his chair. 

David didn’t share his nervousness at all. He proceeded to put the tie over Aron’s eyes, tying it at the back, without making it too tight. “I find that people discover that it’s easier for them to be honest once they don’t have to stare so much at the outside world,” he explained.

“Is this about honesty? I thought it would be, um,” Aron licked his lips, “about sex.”

“That could be at the root of such desires, but not always. It could be an outlet, of course. I’m going to tie your hands behind your back now, if that’s okay with you, Aron.”

“No problem,” Aron murmured. “Wait, shouldn’t I have taken off my clothes?”

“I want to take a look at your naked soul, not your naked body,” David said. After tying Aron’s hands behind the chair, he rested his hands on Aron’s shoulders, squeezing them in a reassuring way.

Aron felt himself becoming a bit relaxed under the slow massage.

“Now, Aron, why would you think pain is the answer?”

“I don’t know.” The initial weirdness of not being able to see anything was fading.

“Have you ever hurt someone? You don’t strike me as the type.”

“We barely know each other,” Aron pointed out. 

“That’s true. Call it a hunch. But please, feel free to contradict me. Who do you believe you hurt?”

“No one. Not yet. I feel the urge to do that. And I know it’s wrong.”

“Hmm. Please, the walls have no ears. And I am as silent as a grave, where such intimate matters are concerned.”

Aron laughed, moving his arms a little, amazed that he couldn’t do much. In a way, it was as if he didn’t have the possibility to escape. That meant that he needed to face what he considered a shameful secret. “I had no idea this would be like going to a shrink.”

“I could tell you that you’re free to go at any moment, but I’m under the impression that you want to be pressed a little to be honest with yourself,” David replied. “So, no running, Aron.”

“Hmm, what should I say …”

“Start with what’s eating you. It’s the simplest way for both of us to understand what you need. And, to put your mind at ease, if a strong hand and a bit of punishment are what you need, I will not hesitate to deliver. Now, tell me, what’s not working for a man as handsome as you?”

Aron took a deep breath. Could it be that he could just confess everything? Just like that, and to a stranger, on top of everything else? Nobody knew, and that, in a way, made it feel unreal; his parents might have suspected something, his mom, at least, but any conversations had been cut off swiftly by Aron. He was a bit paranoid, believing if someone knew his secret, they would just blurt it out to Carter by accident. And where would that lead? To nothing good, that was certain.

But here, in this strange room, with a tie over his eyes dulling his external senses but with the reward of sharpening the others, in a situation that appeared inescapable, Aron felt differently. For once, he could just say everything. Get it off his chest.

“I’m in love with my best friend. I’ve been … for years.”

David continued to massage his shoulders. “Straight best friend, I assume.”

“Yes,” Aron admitted in a meek voice.

“All right. It happens. So, is he married?”

“No.”

“Does he have a girlfriend?”

“He always has a girlfriend. I mean, a different one every time, but … you get it.”

“I do,” David confirmed. “How long have you two known each other?”

“Since we were little. We grew up together. His parents travel a lot due to their work, so he basically lived at my place until we left for college.”

“He’s like a brother to you,” David said matter-of-factly.

“I surely don’t have brotherly feelings toward him. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had those. Definitely not when I stole his first kiss at fourteen.”

David chuckled. Aron felt strangely at ease. Normally, he would have been pissed at someone laughing so openly at his confessions. But, in a way, David’s ease toward the whole thing made it better and not as strange as Aron found it. Definitely, not as guilty.

“And how did he react?”

“He was asleep. We had talked until he fell asleep about some girl he wanted to have his first kiss with. And I just got this crazy idea that Carter’s first kiss should be … fuck, I just blurted out his name --”

“Don’t worry, Aron.” David continued his massage. “As I told you, the walls have no ears. So, you stole your best friend’s first kiss. How was it?”

“Is that what you’re supposed to ask me?” Aron expressed his disbelief. “Aren’t you going to tell me I did the wrong thing?”

“As you can see, no. How was it?”

Aron inhaled and exhaled. “Pretty amazing for a first kiss.”

“As good as you had imagined?”

“Better.”

“Hmm. And what does Carter think about you being in love with him?”

“He doesn’t know. I’ve never told him.”

“And he never guessed? Usually such things have a way of being discovered, especially since you two are so close.”

“Not so close right now. After college, I decided to go away. You know, live my life, find love. Do I sound a bit like a cliché to you?”

“Not at all,” David assured him. “But you are either very cautious, or your friend is a bit dense. Does he know you’re gay?”

“No. I’m seriously afraid of telling him about that.”

“Why?” David sounded intrigued.

“Carter is … he’s different. Special. Unique. Ah, what am I saying? He doesn’t take change well. Something like this would mess him up.”

“Are you sure? It sounds to me like you’re giving your friend too little credit.”

“I know him,” Aron said with conviction. “He would … just hate me.”

“All right, let’s slow down a little. Just take a deep breath,” David guided him, breathing with him, “and let’s try looking at things a bit from the outside. Why do you think Carter would hate you if you told him you were gay?”

“Because he saw me with plenty of girls while we were still in high school, and he would simply not be able to compute, as he would say.”

“But it shouldn’t mean that much to him. Did you ever notice him expressing homophobic thoughts? Using slurs? Something like that?”

“No.” Aron shook his head, although that wasn’t needed. “He has Freddie Mercury all over the walls in his room. I mean, he had.”

“So, he’s an open, normal person.”

“Yes, but … I think that if I told him he would hate me for not telling him. Ah, is this making any sense?”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, we’ll get there. So, you feel guilty for not telling him.”

“A bit, yeah. But more than that, I’m afraid that the next thing I’ll say will be that I’m in love with him and that will freak him out. And then I will be guilty for something I did, not for something I thought.”

“Hmm.” David seemed to ponder for a while. “I understand. You are afraid you will lose him if you say anything.”

“Yes. And even more than that. I think that my words have the power to hurt him. He would be messed up for days in a row when his favorite TV shows ended. I don’t think he ever wrote fan fiction, but trust me when I tell you that I know some pretty interesting alternative endings and possible continuations for a few dozen television series.” Aron chuckled at the memory.

“I don’t believe your friend will be as hurt as you think. Taken by surprise, and a bit messed up as you say, yes, but he wouldn’t hate you. Not if he really is your best friend. Unless, of course, this friendship you’re talking about has always been one-sided, and you have been the only one to care.”

“That’s not it!” Aron protested. “Carter … he might have difficulties expressing himself, but he always took my side. I didn’t like getting into fights while in school, but given my size, some guys just wanted to provoke me. Guess who jumped in to tear out their throats? Or tickle them until they ran away or worse if you get what I mean. And as big and muscly as he might be now, back then he was a scrawny kid. So, all in all, it was pretty funny.”

David laughed. “Carter sounds like a swell guy. So, why the pain, Aron? Just tell the guy how you feel. You’ll get it off your chest.”

“And place it on his? No, thanks. I’d rather I hurt myself than him. It’s just that, I thought, by coming here --”

“That I’d tie you up and give you a beating?” David chuckled. 

“Something like that,” Aron admitted, although now that things were spoken out loud, they seemed pretty funny indeed.

“I don’t see a reason for that. Just tell me more about Carter.”

“Well, he’s bright, really bright, like off the scale intelligent. And good looking. Oh, he’s so handsome,” Aron said. “Of course, I might be biased because I’ve always been in love with him, but he must be since all of the women he meets want to jump between the sheets with him.”

“So, any other friends in your tightly knit group?”

“No, just us. Carter has repeatedly told me how he doesn’t really dig other guys. He just likes me as his friend. He’s sometimes direct like that.”

“And the women? Is he chasing them, or is he the chased one?”

“I tend to believe the latter. Once he got taller and put some meat on his bones, the girls started swarming around him. And he just never told one ‘no’ as far as I know.”

“Really?” For the first time since he had tied Aron to the chair, David stopped moving his hands. “So, he never liked a girl enough to go after her.”

“I guess. But he spends an awful lot of time in his own head, so I’m not surprised. I guess it’s good for him that he’s so handsome, or he wouldn’t see any action otherwise.” Aron allowed himself a small chuckle.

“Did guys ever go after him?”

“Guys? Not that I know of. I think he would have told me if that had happened to him. We used to have no secrets. I mean, obviously, I have this big secret, but he was like an open book to me.”

“Do you still see each other?”

“From time to time. I’m trying not to give myself too many opportunities to hurt. Of course, I’m not doing that great a job,” Aron added, “since I’m here. I hoped that some real pain would take some of this stuff in my head away. Also, that it would convince me that I should let it go.”

“And it also turns you on,” David said. 

Aron laughed. “Yeah. I guess.”

“Okay, Aron, here is what I think. You don’t need pain. You don’t need to suffer at all. What I think is that you should just tell Carter the truth. I can’t say that I know what he will say back to you, but I’m sure you’ll be surprised.”

“Yeah. He might throw a punch at me. And then never talk to me again.”

David sighed. “If that’s what you think, Aron, then you should just move on.”

“I tried.”

“Try more. I’m not kidding. This is eating you big time, and if you’re always caught between what-ifs, you’ll never make any progress or find any meaning in your life. What stops you, truly, from finding someone? I have a strong feeling you’re not the hookup type.”

“I guess,” Aron murmured, “that it would be like some betrayal on my part. Leaving Carter behind --”

“You’re not doing that. He’ll always be your friend, your brother. Confess to him and prepare for a punch, as you say, or don’t, but live your life.”

Aron pondered for a few moments. He understood what David was saying to him. It wasn’t like he had never thought of it before. Just that hearing all of it confirmed by someone else made things a little better. He exhaled deeply. This session or whatever it was didn’t meet his expectations, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Actually, it was a pretty awesome thing. He felt liberated, for the first time in years, and that without chasing Carter out of his thoughts.

David began to untie his hands. “I think you need a friend, Aron. If you allow me, I want to be that friend.”

“But no friends with benefits, right?” Aron joked.

David laughed. “No. I am in this business because I like what I do, but when I take a sub, not just someone who wants to explore his kinky side a little, I usually make him my lover. I want us to be friends, Aron, so sorry, no benefits.”

“Ah,” Aron rubbed his wrists, “so that means that your business is far from thriving. I suppose you don’t charge your lovers.”

David seemed amused as he took the tie away from Aron’s eyes. “No, I don’t. My friends, either. But I’m doing okay. Of course, my dream is to have my own club where I’ll do things my way and have a lover I can dedicate myself to, but, as with anything in life, I guess I’ll have to work hard for it.”

Aron nodded. He felt much better since he had talked about Carter and his feelings. “Hey, would you like to see him? Carter, I mean?”

“Sure,” David confirmed.

Aron browsed quickly through his photos and then handed his phone to David. David looked at the picture with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Handsome indeed. Really sexy. I understand why it’s not easy to take your mind off him.”

“Yeah,” Aron said with a smile and took his phone back. “Actually, this conversation really did me good. I think you would earn enough to open your club if you advertised your skills as a great listener.”

David offered him a warm smile. “It’s an idea. Would you like to keep in touch?”

“Sure. I’m new around here, and I could use a guide.”

“You can count on me.”

Aron shook David’s hand, and he was rewarded with a wide smile. Even though he kept it to himself, he realized that all these years, while pining over Carter and forbidding himself to see him, he had denied the friendship they shared, as well. A new friend sounded like a great idea.

***

“Aron, what exactly are you trying to do?” David examined him over his glass with amused eyes. “This is the umpteenth time that you have prodded me to tell you about how I would run my club. My very imaginary club, since that’s a goal that I will have to work toward for at least several more years.”

“It’s interesting,” Aron said matter-of-factly. “Also, it’s fascinating how invested you are in your dream. I must say that I have talked to many business owners who are one word away from admitting they hate what they do.”

“Why are they doing it, then?” David asked and took a sip from his glass. 

“Running a business is not easy, especially when it gets broader in scope than initially envisioned. Are you truly sure you’d be happy running a club? Instead of just running your studio where you are in direct contact with the people who come to see you?”

“Hmm, I don’t feel like I need to prove myself to you, but I accept the challenge. I think I’d do well as a manager. Plus, there are so many people who would like to live their fantasies. I can only cater to so many, as you well know.”

“And your sub-slash-lover tends to be the jealous type because that is how you pick them, right?” Aron said with a hearty laugh. That was something David had mentioned a few times. 

“I like my men on fire; what can I say?” David replied with a smile of his own. “That limits how much I can use my abilities, of course. It is often, indeed, that I don’t fuck the people that come to my studio. Their disappointment, on occasion, is not something that I can deal with easily. But I do satisfy them in all the other ways, so I suppose it’s a good decision on my part.”

Aron raised his glass to him. “I would like to invest in your business.”

David stared at him, quirking an eyebrow. “Just like that?”

“Yes,” Aron said. “I have plenty of money. Actually, I’m afraid that I might do something stupid with it if I don’t invest it in a promising business like yours.”

“Ah, so that is why you kept me on repeat,” David said and shook his head. “But, Aron, I can’t take your money. We’re friends. Let’s not spoil it.”

“We cannot spoil our friendship. I will give you the money you need to start your club.”

“What? All of it?”

“Yes. Also, I wrote a business plan so that you can proceed further without any other complications.”

“Aron, are you sure?” David asked. “It’s a lot of money. And, as I said, I wouldn’t want to spoil our friendship.”

“It’s viable plan. Your club, with you at the helm, has no reason not to thrive.”

“I’m glad you believe in me so much --”

“What? Don’t you believe in yourself?”

“With the last fiber of my being, I do believe. But I still feel like I would be taking advantage of you.”

“If you had been the one to come up with the idea of me financing your plan, you could have said that, but I did. So, I don’t see any issues.”

“It may take years for the club to turn a profit. In the meantime, I will need to pay you the money back.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Aron wanted David to accept the deal already. “I don’t need it back that badly.”

“Well, you never know. At least, let me share the profit with you.”

“We’ll talk about that once you start making a profit, okay?”

“Aron, I really don’t know what to say.” David seemed truly moved. 

“Just say ‘yes’. It’s really all you need to do.”

“I’m not usually impressed by anything, but your generosity really touches me. I’m not sure what I did to deserve it.”

“Hey, is that how a true dom speaks?” Aron joked.

David laughed. “You got me there. Don’t tell me you’re now going to pull some papers for me to sign out of thin air.”

“Let’s just celebrate tonight, and take care of the paperwork starting tomorrow. I hope you will accept a handshake deal for the moment.” Aron offered his hand.

David shook it vigorously. “I’ll make you a rich man, Aron. You’re giving me such a great boost!”

“I’m glad. And don’t think that it’s for nothing. Talking to you about Carter really helped me. Now I’m getting better at putting things in perspective.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

Aron shook his head. “I know that’s your first advice, but no. I will continue to search for someone who’s not impossible to attain. Move on. Like you told me.”

“I will support you, no matter your choice. But, one day, do you think you could introduce me to Carter? I’m dying to meet this man.”

“One day, sure,” Aron replied.

One day, he might not suffer when seeing Carter and realize for the umpteenth time that he was still in love with him. When that day came, he would know that he was a complete and happy man.

THE END

Author's note: And this was the first story written for the Something Extra category! I hope you enjoyed it, as I was very excited to revisit these characters and give them some background substance. As you well know, Aron's plans from the end of this short story didn't work out, but he ended up being extremely happy, nonetheless!

All the love,

Laura.