Chapter 2
Cole knocked on the door, which sent the two subs cowering behind the much taller men. The haze of the weed and the hard drop into submission was overwhelming enough without having to involve seemingly the world's tallest, strictest and scariest Dom. Master Chris opened the door with a short-lived smile, quickly ushering the group inside as his face hardened. Red-faced subs at his door was never a sign of good news. Master Chris was an older man, with grey hair, piercing blue eyes and hands neither girl wanted anywhere near them if his palms started twitching. He was a mentor of sorts to the girls' doms, having worked in the system and being the only other constant figure who knew their secrets.
The girls were pushed forward eyes cast to the floor, “Little girls,” Chris stated, his tone so menacing even the Doms prickled from the tension. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” He remained severe, a stark contrast from the hair-brushing, hot-coco-making, bedtime-story-reading Dom the girl knew him to be. “W-were sorry, Master.” Marley squeaked in the tone she usually reserved for after she’d been punished. Fresh hot tears rolled silently down Ana’s face, and Chris tutted as he wiped the stray tears from her face. The caregiver in him had only grown softer as he aged. “What's got my favourite pets feeling so sorry, hmm?” Chris cooed as he reached down to scoop Ana up into his arms. “We w-were naughty Master.” She broke into tears and slipped further down the rabbit hole of her classification as she greedily accepted his comfort. He rocked her gently and drew soothing circles on her, his hands almost covering the small girl’s back entirely.
“You were naughty, were you? Well, that doesn't sound like the good little girls I know.” He soothed. Marley rarely let anyone call her little anything, but Master Chris was both big and intimidating enough that she let it slide. “Deep breaths, little one. That's it.” He instructed Ana, still curled up in his arms. He always seemed to drop her infuriatingly deep, he wasn’t soft and sweet like her Daddy. He was firm, yet he was warm, and her biology seemed to betray her every time he opened his mouth; their doms probably never would have caught the pair of unsupervised subs had Chris not lived across the hall.
“Now, I need you to use your big girl words and tell Master how exactly my pets were naughty.” He ordered, a blooming venom in his voice as he eyed both girls. “They sn-!” Jace started. “Ah, ah ah!” Chris finished. “I didn’t think you were a naughty little pet, Jace. But now, I’m not so sure.” His voice was steeped in a sharpness that made the girls cower. Jace muttered his own apology as Chris set Ana on her wobbly feet, “What did my naughty pets do to cause all this fuss, hmm?” he questioned sweetly. Marley couldn’t stand by and watch her love be broken down to a blubbering mess any longer. “I-it was my fault, Master” She began, unable to meet his gaze. “W-we left after you… h-helped put us to bed last night and went out. When we got back, we smoked some weed… m-my weed. I-it was my idea, Master. I’m sorry.” Marley rambled, her voice wavering as she tried to direct the heat away from Ana.
Chris’s face dropped, he remained unmoving as he scanned Marley's face. “When did this one drop?” he questioned, noting that he hadn’t seen Ana this small, well, ever. “An hour or so ago… Master. I was going to call, or come get you or s- ” She hung her head, Chris snapped towards the other Doms, who silently confirmed they hadn’t been notified. “Marley, go find a corner in the nursery and stick your nose in it. Now.” Chris stated as she scurried off. He picked Ana up in his arms again, placing her wordlessly in her own corner where they could see her. He soothed her for a moment before she reluctantly obeyed. Her gentle sobs echoed over the men's hushed whispers of what to do with the girls.
“I’m sorry boys, had I had any inkling they were a flight risk I would have insisted they stay where I could keep a much closer eye on them,” Chris relented, sighing heavily. “We’re as shocked as you, Chris. I thought they were settling in well. I mean, I know it's been a big change, and they're used to a lot more… albeit ill-advised freedom. I just don’t know what we did wrong.” Cole admitted, defeat laced in his voice. Jace didn’t dare speak, although a dom through and through, his earlier scolding was enough to remind him where they’d met, and how much Chris’ hand smarted. “These are the kinds of risks we take living outside of the natural order of things, boys, it can get messy.” He sighs, “A little at a nightclub is enough to jeopardise all of us, they’ll put the girls in the system and assign you both to subs as far away from each other as possible.” The air thins as Chris snaps the tension in the room, acknowledging the root of the dom’s anger. They can't lose each other.
“I take it you brought them to me not only to apologise, but also for my help,” Chris announced, centering himself. “So, here it is. Marley will stay here, I'll put her to bed in the nursery she’ll enjoy the kind of attention brats who act like spoilt children can expect. Tomorrow, once the gravity of putting herself and Ana at risk like that has sunk in and the effects of last night have worn off, you can come over and warm up her bottom. Otherwise, I’d be happy to assist. She’s long overdue for a reminder of how we behave.” He states calmly, as if there was some rulebook on wayward subs in illegal parings. Jace’s chest tightens at the thought of splitting up the girls before Cole pipes up, “And Ana? She… she’s so fragile like this, Chris.” He whispers as he glances to her gently shaking form in the corner, worried her ears might prick up at the sound of her name. “It’s bordering on involuntary boys. Yes, she needs to be punished, but it can and will wait until after she's turned back.” He plainly states as if he hadn’t mentioned one of the men’s worst fears. The endless horror stories of involuntary regression they’d covered in college courses flashed through both their minds.
“She was suppressing her natural urges for who knows how long. Big emotions and especially something as reckless and unpredictable as drugs are going to do this to her while she's still finding her feet. I’ve seen it countless times. She needs you, both of you. It’s her body’s way of rejecting her own poor choices, of making sure she gets what she needs. Take her home and make sure she's well taken care of,” He sighs solemnly, glancing in her direction. “She’s not concerningly small, from the glimpses I’ve seen, she’s only a year or two below where she’d usually land, but if we dont catch her here, she’ll keep falling. She needs lots of rest, attention and care, boys. Let me know if you need my help, but she needs you two more than she needs me right now.”
Cole and Jace stare at each other, certain that this is the manifestation of all their fears. They messed up, they left them alone before they were ready, they could have broken their precious Ana. “Stop it, you two, you did the right thing coming to me now. We all thought we had a better handle on these girls than we did. But Its going to be ok, I’ve seen littles in much worse shape than Ana bounce back within the week.” The concern on their faces, centralised on Jace’s, let up slightly. “Boys. It will be ok. I’ll send for a doctor, one who understands our… delicate living arrangements, to stop by and put your minds at ease.” Chris states, as if all the decisions have been made.
The other two doms couldn’t seem to form an argument against anything said, although Cole looked more resolved than Jace. “J-just,” Jace started, looking to be unravelling by the second. “please don’t go to hard on Marley,” the sudden glisten in the soft dom’s eyes taking Chris by surprise, “Nothing involving… impact… u-until we discuss it futher. I’m not sure…” he hesitates, trailing off. Chris waits, softening his gaze in understanding. “I’m not sure she needs the kind of ‘bottom warming’ you’re renowned for Ma-, Chris.” Jace finished, wincing as he hoped he selected his words delicately enough. “Jace. I would never-” Chris starts “I know!” Jace rushes, clearing his throat, “I know, I just,” He trails off once again, lost in his own messy history with the toweringly severe older man.
“Jace. Look at me.” Chris demands, hoping his read of the situation is accurate. Jace almost shrinks as he looks up into his steel blue eyes, willing the tears away. “What happened between us, all those years ago, is very different to whats happening now.” He reassures with a calm authority. “You were the student. I was the professor. We were both Doms. It was what you needed at the time, despite your own opinion on the matter. I would never punish a sub like that.” A distantly familiar, schoolboy-like frustration swelled in him as his face threatened to scrunch. “Do you hear me, Jason?” He appealed with the authority to match. “Yes, Sir- Yes, C-Chris. Yes, I understand,” He composed himself, ignoring the half-knowing look Cole was shooting him.
Chris called Ana out of the corner and directed Jace to soothe her before he retrieved Marley from the nursery. The four sat on the couch, both girls lapping up some comfort before the storm from their Doms. “Girls.” Chris towered over them, poised to be the bearer of bad news. “What happened this weekend is gravely serious, and I hope that gravity is starting to sink in.” He started. Jace tried to hide his own wincing in time with the girls at Chris’ booming tone, regretting reminding him of their time at school together. “This is not up for debate or discussion, you two are the subs and we three are the doms. It is our job to keep you both safe, and you did an excellent job of making that impossible this weekend.” The anger beneath Chris’s words heated as he scolded.
“Marley, not only have you admitted to being the ringleader of sorts, but you have put your Ana, our Ana, in much more danger than I think you realise.” Chris spits sharply towards the cowering girl as Marley strokes small circles on the back of Ana's hand. “You are to say your goodbyes, place your bag on the dining table and wait on the bed in the nursery-” Chris had cooled, delivering the news as gently as a seasoned brat tamer like Chris could manage. “W-what? No, I-” Marley interrupted as she shuffled deeply into Cole’s lap. Her eyes were full with tears as she turned to him. “Sir, I’m sorry please! Please don’t-” She pleaded. Cole gently guided her hands to her lap, engulfing her in a restraining hug as he shushed her. He felt her gently struggling as her body twitched with silent sobs.
“Young lady, I will remind you that this is not a discussion. You will do as I say and wait in the nursery unless you were planning to add to your punishment further.” Chris continued, watching the fight drain from the brat. “You wash up, you will dress yourself in the pyjams I lay out for you, you will go down for a nap with no complaints, and hoping we have no more instances of your bratty disobedience, we will spend a rather relaxing and recentering evening together where I can assure your doms that you can’t get into unmessable messes.” Chris takes pity on the girl as the tears roll down her cheeks. “Please, Sir. P-please Daddy! I wanna go home! H-he’s gonna treat me like a baby!” Her struggle had reignited as her sobs became more desperate.
“Oh, Marley. I can assure you I will only ever treat you how I know you need to be treated, and right now you’re very clearly an overtired little girl in desperate need of a nap and lots of Master's attention.” Chris’s words only seem to fuel Marley's poor attempt at a tantrum. “Alright, boys. You know what needs to be done, and Marley needs some more help understanding what's been decided.” Chris effortlessly takes the flailing brat from Cole as the three move to leave. Jace holds Ana up to say their goodbyes, his face is painted with worry as Cole ushers them out of the apartment. “I'll see you boys tomorrow, I'll have the doctor come round as soon as this one is down for that nap. Do call me if you need anything, boys,” Chris states simply, rocking Marley gently, her eyes already growing heavy from today's events. The other three exit as Chris disappears into the nursery with their precious, teary-eyed brat.