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calebswitching · 5 years

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Mav the Sass King - Maverick/Caleb/Eric

Where: Eric’s suite

When: Sunday May 5

Summary: While the three are hanging out, Mav gets snappy, and Caleb reacts badly.

@ericxanders @maverick-lynn

Although they’d all spent time together on vacation, there was something nice about coming home to his suite and being able to enjoy private space with Maverick and Caleb. He definitely more possessive of both of them than he’d anticipated feeling and because he knew he had no right to feel that way, he’d definitely struggled a little being in the company of others. He felt more pressure to not mess anything up. One thing he had missed was being able to have both of them sleep beside him. He liked the way he felt having each of them pressed up against each side. The afternoon had been a relaxing one. They’d both come over and he’d had treats at the ready. He wasn’t much of a baker but his Mom had helped him perfect a good muffin recipe; white chocolate and raspberry. He’d gone so far as to adorn each one with a chocolate heart which had prompted Caleb to remark how romantic he was. He’d brushed it off by calling himself a hopeless romantic; but in the back of his mind, he knew that was something he was starting to miss. They’d then moved to the couch and spent a lazy few hours just being together; it was easy and he loved that about being with them. Even when there were underlying issues and difficulties, it was never a chore. The more time he spent with them, the more he felt he was getting a taste for what he wanted his future claims to look like. ‘Alright, what’s next? As much as I love Sir David, I’m not sure I can watch another episode of this before I turn into a complete eco-warrior.’ He laughed.

Maverick had been looking forward to spending time together with Eric and Caleb. They’d had fun in Texas together, but he was looking forward to getting to spend quality time in Eric’s suite, and getting to sleep in the same bed as both of them again. He was absolutely planning on smiling sweetly and batting his eyelashes until he was allowed to sleep in the middle of the bed again, his absolute favourite position when it was the three of them. But then Eric had shown off the muffins he’d made, and while they were totally beautiful and tasted just as good as they looked, Maverick’s heart had sank. But his mood really soured when Caleb remarked about how Eric was a hopeless romantic. Mav had done his best not to draw attention to himself, and had smiled in all the right places, but he couldn’t help but think over and over about how of course Eric was a hopeless romantic. He practically screamed romance. Maybe it was an Anderson thing, hadn’t his brother gotten with a romantic Dom? Abs dude? Mav looked up from where he’d been sitting, at the end of the couch with his knees brought up to his chest. He smiled as Eric’s laughter. “Don’t Netflix have something like this though, Sir? We could watch that.”

Caleb was beginning to realize that Eric was a complete and utter sap. And he honestly loved it. He just wasn’t used to any Dominant being as sweet and cute as Eric was. And though Caleb knew that he might just be a third wheel in this situation, he still loved spending time with both of them. Maverick had told him that Eric wanted to claim with him, eventually, and so part of him worried that he was getting in the way of them having private time together. But Eric had invited him, too, and he wanted to be here, so he was trying not to over-analyze it too much. When their current episode of Planet Earth ended, Caleb stretched, sitting up from where he’d been curled into Eric’s side, with Maverick on the other side of the Dominant. “Yeah, but he just said he’s nearly at eco-warrior stage, Mav,” Caleb teased. “We have to come up with something that’s not a nature documentary.” He perked up as an idea occurred to him. “Oh, we could switch to space documentaries! There’s a really good one with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, it’s a series…”

‘Of course, our resident space boy would want to switch to space documentaries.’ He teased, cupping Caleb’s face and stealing a soft kiss. ‘What kind of Dominant would I be if I didn’t indulge you in your favourite things on occasion?’ He handed him the remote and smiled between them both. ‘It’ll be your turn next Mav. We can watch whatever your heart desires.’ He promised with a wink. ‘I’m putting good money on you loving that Marie Kondo tidying up show.’ He nodded. He let out a yawn, and arched up as he stretched. ‘I apologise if I doze off. It’s not that I’m not interested but honestly, I think I feel at my most comfortable like this with the two of you.’ He confessed. ‘You know, I don’t think you’ve moved from that spot since we first down you lazy minx.’ He remarked, arching a brow in Maverick’s direction. ‘Isn’t it about time you got up to get a round of drinks?’

Maverick couldn’t help but smile a little as he watched Eric tease Caleb about wanting a space documentary and then kiss the other submissive. Switch, he thought to himself. He really needed to remember that, for public spaces. It was so easy to think of Caleb as a submissive too. He smiled some more as Eric turned to him and teased him about wanting to watch the Marie Kondo show. “Real bold of you to assume I haven’t watched it twice already, Master,” he said quietly, still feeling a little withdrawn but doing his best not to show it. Maverick had been about to open his mouth and tease Eric for being so sleepy and comfortable, when Eric started his own teasing. Unfortunately, with the upset that Maverick had had from feeling put out at the mention of romance earlier, the teasing hit Mav in exactly the wrong way. His brow creased for a moment, before he forced himself to smile at Eric. “Yes Sir,” he said before he got up and headed to the kitchen. He’d emphasised the title, wanting to make it clear he hadn’t called him Master, because that was one of the most bitchy things Mav could think of in the moment. A few moments later, he walked back in with drinks for the three of them.

Caleb wanted to roll his eyes at the term ‘space boy,’ but it was too deeply ingrained to be polite to a Dominant, so he just gave a wry smile and returned Eric’s kiss. “I’ll pick a good episode, Sir.” Caleb started to pull up the series, so he wasn’t looking at Mav and Eric as they talked. He didn’t outwardly react when Maverick called Eric ‘master’ again, though it reinforced the notion that he was the third wheel. He did, however, react when Mav very clearly omitted the title. Caleb paused what he was doing and looked at Eric, confused. Was Maverick upset about something? But it wasn’t his place to question or comment, so he went back to what he was doing.

‘I trust you beautiful.’ He promised him, teasing his fingers in his hair. He watched Maverick get up to leave, his brow slightly furrowed. There was definite emphasis on his title but that was the only thing that seemed out of place. Maverick switched between the two on occasion and he’d never directly told him to exclusively use one or the other. He was always happy with what came out naturally. His choice that time however seemed deliberate. ‘Is everything okay Maverick?’ He asked, taking his drink and setting it on the side table next to him. There couldn’t be anything wrong. Everything had been going perfectly pleasantly so he knew he was being more cautious than maybe he needed to be but nothing bad would come from asking.

Mav placed Caleb’s drink down on the table in front of him, and shook his head at Eric. “Nuh uh, Sir,” he said simply, and quietly. He didn’t know how to bring up what was bothering him, or why it was even bothering him. They’d talked about this, more than once, and Eric had reassured him both times that if he didn’t want to spend time with Maverick, regardless of believing in romantic claims, he wouldn’t. And here Mav was, spending quality time with him and Caleb. So Mav was really at a loss to explain why he was feeling grumpy, but he was. He reached out and picked up the last remaining evil, vile, nasty, but beautiful, muffin with the heart on top and held it out towards Eric. “Do you want this, Sir?” he asked.

“Thanks, Mav,” Caleb said quietly when Maverick brought him a drink. It seemed like maybe something was up with Maverick, but Caleb wasn’t going to try to draw attention to it. He pulled up an episode and leaned back on the couch again, though he didn’t cuddle into Eric quite as much as he had before.

‘Nuh-uh everything’s not okay?’ He asked, a frown furrowing his brow. The more he looked back, the more he recognised that Maverick had been quieter than usual and where he’d put it down to quiet contentment before, now he wasn’t so sure. He shifted on the couch so he was sitting up a little straighter and shook his head at the offered moment. ‘No thanks Mav. Those were primarily for you and Caleb.’ He grinned. He did pluck the heart from the top, and held it up to Mav’s lips. ‘Go on. Treat yourself. I think Caleb and I have eaten more than you.’ He laughed.

Maverick shrugged his shoulders a little. He wanted to say that everything was okay, but even at his grumpiest he didn't have it in him to outright lie to Eric. He didn't like being grumpy and antagonistic with a Dom, or anyone he liked, but he couldn't kick himself out of this mood. He frowned as Eric held the edible heart to his lips and laughed, which Mav took absolutely the wrong way. “I don't like it!” he snapped, pulling away from Eric's hand.

Caleb was doing his best to studiously ignore the interaction between Mav and Eric, but he froze when Mav snapped he felt his heart start beating faster. His eyes darted between Eric and Maverick, increasingly alarmed. He wished he could just turn invisible. “Mav,” he said softly, barely a whisper, hoping Mav would catch his meaning without having to say anything more. It was a wordless plea. Caleb didn't know what was wrong, but he knew Maverick was crossing a line, and that was enough to scare him.

He didn’t feel the need to get to his feet. That was what a person tended to do when they wanted to intimidate someone and that was the opposite of his intention. Instead, he remained where he sat but fixed Maverick with a look that indicated he was far from impressed. ‘Have a think about the tone you’re using with me Maverick.’ He warned, although his tone remained quite gentle. ‘If something is bothering you, we can talk about it. But I won’t tolerate you snapping at me in anger; especially when there’s no need to be angry. If you don’t like the chocolate, that’s fine, but think about why you’re angry and think about how you want the rest of the evening to continue.’

Maverick heard Caleb’s soft voice but he kept his eyes on Eric. He whimpered quietly, but his stubborn Southern streak, while rare, was kicking in and even though it had gotten him into trouble every time he'd given into it, he was doing so again. “Well, I don't like the chocolate,” Mav grumbled. “It's poop!” he declared quietly as he folded his arms in front of his chest.

Caleb’s eyes widened, and he pulled back, away from Eric and Maverick, without really thinking about it. Alarm bells were blaring in his head. “Mav,” he said a little more strongly this time. “Please….” He looked at Eric, plainly anxious and edging towards panic. Eric still seemed calm, he wasn’t raising his voice, but Caleb knew that look. That was the look of a Dom who wasn’t playing games anymore. Caleb was desperate to keep this from escalating further. He reached forward, taking the last muffin and the plate and standing up. “Here, I’ll put it away, there’s no need to- to be upset, please…”

‘No-one’s upset Caleb.’ He said. His tone was firm; his ‘Dom’ voice Cooper had always called it through laughter. He reached out and tested his hand on Caleb’s wrist, preventing him from taking the plate. ‘And you won’t be putting anything away.’ He turned his attention back to Maverick, and arched a brow. ‘You, however — you’re going to take the plate back into the kitchen and then you’re going to strip. You’ll kneel in the corner for ten minutes; nose pressed to the wall. Then we’ll address this attitude problem you seem to have developed.’ It wasn’t supposed to be a strenuous punishment. It was something intended to take Maverick out of the situation and gave him the chance to think, to cool down. ‘If you’re going to act like a child Maverick, you’ll be treated like one. Caleb, take your seat sweet boy. We can watch your documentary together.’ He advised simply.

Caleb froze, pinned in place by Eric’s authoritative tone and the hand on his wrist. His heart rate was skyrocketing. A time out in the corner was nothing, he knew that wasn’t a difficult punishment, not when it was only ten minutes, but Eric had promised more to come… and Maverick had been so disrespectful, the time out wasn’t going to be the end of his punishment. Caleb’s mind started to whirl with the possibilities, each worse than the last, with him having to sit and watch as Maverick was punished. When Eric told him to sit, Caleb shook his head, and without thinking he moved in front of Eric, between him and Maverick. “Please, he didn’t mean it,” he tried desperately, lifting his hands in front of him to try to placate the Dominant. “Please don’t be angry. He wasn’t trying to disrespect you.”

Maverick frowned a little more as Eric turned to him after talking to Caleb, and he was already feeling guilty about how Caleb was clearly worried. He stared downwards, his eyes rooted on Eric’s chest because he knew if he looked the Dom in his eyes, he’d kneel immediately and beg for forgiveness. Mav wasn’t about to do that if he could hold onto his righteous indignation a few seconds longer. He grumbled to himself as he was told what his punishment was going to be, but then his brow furrowed as he was told that if he was going to act like a child, he’d be treated like one. “Not a child,” Mav mumbled, seconds before Caleb moved to stand between him and Eric. He frowned a little, not really understanding why Caleb was so worried. Maverick was the one annoying Eric, so why was Caleb so worried?

‘Caleb, I need you to step aside. Maverick has chosen to be disrespectful. He’s chosen to be rude even after he was given the option to rethink his attitude.’ He explained. He was careful to not raise his voice and he met them both with an even expression. ‘I’m not angry.’ He assured them both. And he wasn’t. Not really. He was surprised. Concerned. Now for Caleb as well as Maverick but he wasn’t angry at either of them. ‘Maverick, take the plate and off you go. The next words out of your mouth should be ‘yes Sir’ before you go and do what you’re told. Caleb, you can kneel.’ This was a lesson; he’d never been in a position where he’d had to deal with two submissives who needed such different things and he had to keep his mind focused on the issue at hand. He needed to deal with Maverick first and then he could address what was bothering Caleb.

Caleb couldn’t disobey, not a clear, direct order like that. He knew what’s he’d already done was inappropriate. It wasn’t his place to try to stop Eric from dispensing discipline or try to convince him to change his mind. As much as he wanted to keep Maverick out of being punished, he couldn’t try any more, or he’d only make things worse. He may have made them worse already. Caleb quietly moved aside and then dropped to his knees in front of Eric. He sat back on his heels, hands in his lap, head bowed, eyes on the floor. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, thankful that his voice wasn’t as shaky as he felt. “I’m sorry, I know it’s not my place. But please, he didn’t mean anything bad, he wasn’t thinking. Please don’t hurt him.” His voice dropped down to a whisper as he went, betraying his fear.

Mav felt really bad now that he saw how badly this had affected Caleb. He reached out to gently put a hand on Caleb’s shoulder as Eric was speaking and ordering him around. Mav’s gaze raised a little to look Eric in the eyes, and he grumbled a little more before bending down to pick up the plate from the table. “Yes Sir,” he grumbled some more, and headed into the kitchen. He put the plate in the sink and took his clothes off. For one final act of rebellion, though, as he wasn’t ready to give in totally, Maverick kept his socks on. He got down on his knees in the corner, with his nose pressed against the wall, and was instantly hating being alone with his thoughts.

He watched Maverick walk away and gave him a few minutes before he started the timer on his watch. He wouldn’t make him wait in the kitchen more than the ten minutes. He looked at Caleb and reached out to thread his fingers through his hair. ‘Please don’t be scared of me Caleb.’ He requested quietly. ‘I’m not angry and I’m not going to hurt him. Not really. He’s being punished because he was disrespectful.’ He explained, continuing to gently stroke through his hair. ‘Do you want to talk to me about what’s going on or do you want to wait for Maverick to come back?’

When Eric touched him, Caleb looked up, his expression cautious. “I’m not scared,” he lied. He was scared, but not for himself. Mostly. It was just that seeing Eric displeased made him want to hide, even though he knew Eric wasn’t going to punish him. He really didn’t want to see Maverick punished either, though. He shook his head at the question, not sure how to answer, because he didn’t want to talk about it at all. He just wanted Maverick to be forgiven. “Whatever you wish, Sir. Just, please, don’t let me make anything worse for Maverick.”

‘Maverick won’t be punished for anything you’ve done. I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong. Not really Caleb. But, this is one of those lines we talked about establishing. If Maverick needs to be punished, I will punish him. I will be fair and I will be firm. That’s my role as a Dominant. That’s what he needs from me as a Dominant.’ He explained. ‘We’ll talk about the more when I bring him back in. I think this is gonna be an important discussion for the three of us to have.’

When the time was up, he leaned down and kissed Caleb’s hair before he went to collect Maverick from the kitchen. He noticed his socks immediately, and he arched a brow. ‘Crawl here Maverick.’ He instructed. ‘Kneel in front of me.’

Ten minutes felt like an eternity when you were naked and kneeling on the cool tile of a kitchen floor. That wasn’t something Maverick had known before today. His own Southern-brand of stubbornness had given way to own unique blend of submission and need, and Mav hated how he’d acted. How many times over the last few weeks had Eric gone out of his way to patiently explain that while he liked romance, he also liked Maverick? They’d even talked about how they both saw claiming together in their future. How much more reassurance did one person possibly need? As soon as he heard Eric’s voice, Maverick shook a little and quickly crawled over to the Dom. He kept his eyes downcast, rooted on the floor between Eric’s feet, and made the decision right there that he would only speak when spoken to, like a good submissive.

‘Was keeping your socks on some sign of continued protest?’ He asked. ‘Because that doesn’t seem like the submissive I’ve come to know over the last few months.’ He explained. ‘The attitude out there was childish and unacceptable. If you have a problem, you tell me. You talk to me about it; and if you’re not ready to talk about it, you tell me that so I at least have some understanding of what’s going on.’ He itched to touch him, but he wouldn’t. Not yet. ‘Do you have anything you want to say?’ He asked.

Maverick’s face fell at Eric’s first words, he’d forgotten he’d kept his socks on. His cheeks flushed as he was scolded. Eric’s dressing down really had the effect of letting him know exactly how childish he’d been acting, and he was pretty sure it was impossible to feel more embarrassed. Then he thought of how he’d upset Caleb too, and embarrassment suddenly become the least of his worries. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, as he kept staring at the floor. He only realised he’d started to cry when a tear hit the tiled floor he had his gaze trained on. “I’m so dumb,” he sobbed quietly, shaking his head. “And...and I did keep my socks on as a protest, ‘cause I thought I should and ‘cause it’d make me a badass,” Mav cried.

‘You’re not dumb Maverick.’ He said gently. He reached out now. He couldn’t not touch him when he was crying. ‘You are my sweet boy and my own.’ He soothed. ‘You acted out and you were punished. You acted out by keeping your socks on and you’ll be punished. But that does not make you dumb. That does not make you less. I’m not angry at you.’ He promised him. ‘I’m going to take your cage off.’ He explained. In his head, he thought that might be a little harsh but he needed to make the point. He needed to be firm. ‘It’s only for the night. You’ll get it back in the morning. I’m doing that because you were given instructions; instructions that were part of a punishment and you chose to disobey me.’ He knew that was going to upset him. He knew it and he did it anyway because he wanted to be his Dominant and sometimes that meant making difficult decisions. ‘Then it’s over you understand. Your punishment is an evening without your cage but you’re forgiven Maverick. After this, we move on.’ He assured him.

Maverick was still sobbing quietly as Eric spoke, but his heart soared as Eric did his best to soothe him. Being called his sweet boy meant the world to Mav right now, even more so than normal and even through his tears, he smiled. He nodded miserably, though, as Eric explained that he’d acted out by keeping his socks on, and he needed to be punished for that. Mav understood, but once Eric told him that it meant losing his cage for now, Maverick let out a louder sob. He loved his cage, and he’d prided himself on being the only sub in the room with one. “I really will get it back in the morning?” Mav asked quietly, as he wiped at his eyes. “You’ll put it on me, Master?” he murmured, looking up very quickly at Eric, before looking back down again. He nodded as Eric explained he was forgiven, he just needed to get through his punishment. “I’m sorry, Master,” he mumbled again.

‘Trust your Master.’ He said firmly, kissing his hair. ‘I will lock you up again tomorrow morning. I promise.’ He gave him a small smile, something to comfort him. ‘Stand up.’ He waited until he had done so before he unlocked the cage with the key he kept in his pocket. When he set the toy aside, he pressed a soft kiss against his lips. ‘You are forgiven.’ He whispered. ‘You need to get dressed sweet boy. Caleb’s quite upset by everything that’s been going on and we, the three of us, need to have a conversation. An honest one. About what’s going on.’ He explained.

Mav smiled as Eric kissed his hair. He knew he had to look like an ugly crying mess, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was Eric wasn’t angry, or kicking him out, or any one of a hundred ugly scenarios that had run through his head in those ten minutes. “Yes Master,” he said softly, before scrambling to his feet. He whimpered as he watched Eric take his cock cage off, and then saw his traitorous length begin to harden a little because of its sudden freedom. “Thank you Master,” Maverick whispered back, beyond grateful for how forgiving Eric was. His heart twisted itself in knots as Eric told him that Caleb was upset, and Mav nodded. “I can do that, we all can. We’ll talk,” he said, quickly dressing, and made his way back into the main room with his Master, his eyes still red from his sobbing.

Caleb hadn’t moved an inch since Eric had walked away. He’d scarcely breathed. He couldn’t quite hear what Eric was saying, only catching a word hear and there, mostly just hearing his tone and cadence. But Caleb could hear Maverick crying. He had that deep down urge to run away, again, that same one he’d had on the day he and Eric had had that disastrous conversation that ended with Caleb locking himself in the bathroom. The urge wasn’t as powerful right now, and Caleb forced himself to stay still. Even when he heard Eric and Maverick return, he kept his head down, didn’t even look up.

‘You can kneel beside him Mav.’ He instructed. There was tension in the room; tension so thick it could be cut with a knife and he needed to diffuse it quickly and properly. He took his seat in front of them and let out a sigh. ‘So I think I need to make it very clear that I’m not angry with either of you. There’s going to be no-one hurt, no shouting, no running away and no holding things back.’ He said firmly. ‘The three of us are going to have a real conversation, an honest one. We’re going to talk about what happened, how everyone’s feeling and why we all reacted the way we did.’ He explained. ‘Do you want to talk to Maverick, Caleb? Let him reassure you he’s alright. I know you were worried about him.’

Caleb didn’t look up when Maverick knelt next to him or even when Eric spoke to them. He was having trouble keeping his composure. He didn’t want to talk to Eric, and he certainly didn’t want to talk to Maverick. He had no idea what had caused Mav’s little tantrum, but now that Maverick seemed to be out of imminent danger, Caleb’s feelings were shifting quickly from concern to frustration. Maverick was a good sub, he was well behaved, respectful. He knew better than to pull that kind of crap. He knew the kind of consequences it could bring, and with Caleb right there to watch or even be caught up in it. Just because Eric hadn’t given him more than a time out didn’t mean that Maverick was off the hook in Caleb’s mind. He scowled down at his knees at Eric’s question. “No, thank you, Sir.”

He realised Caleb’s concern had shifted into something else. On one hand, he was glad this was happening now. It was too early to really talk about such things but if he could have his own way, these two would be his future. So it was good that this was happening now because it meant these issues could be dealt with sooner rather than later. ‘Not talking isn’t going to get any of us anywhere. Not talking is going to let things build up, fester. Little annoyances will become huge unless we deal with them as they happen. The two of you are entirely too important for me to let that happen. Am I clear?’ He said. ‘I will keep you kneeling there all night and I’ll sit here just as long but we’re going to talk about what happened this afternoon and one of you is going to start.’

Maverick had knelt next next to Caleb as soon as Eric had given the order to do so. He’d made sure he had perfect posture, as he didn’t want to give any reason at all to look like the bad submissive he’d shown himself to be over the last twenty minutes. His head fell lower as Caleb made it clear he wasn’t happy with Mav and his actions, but Eric’s reply almost made things worse. They needed to talk, and it was clear Caleb didn’t want to be the one to go first. Besides, this was all Mav’s fault anyway. Mav cleared his throat. “I was silly, Master. I got upset, and I let it stew and boil inside me instead of talking to you about it. I let it ruin my afternoon, and then I did my best to ruin everyone else’s afternoon too,” he murmured. “I deserve a lot more than corner time and losing my cage, but I’m real grateful I’ve got an understanding Master. But what I’m also real grateful for is that I have a real good friend in Caleb, Master, and I couldn’t be more sorry that I made him upset today,” Mav said quietly, and softly. “I’ve...uh, I’ve always seen Caleb as a sub, because that’s what he told me he’s happiest as, but if you both agree, I’d be happy to accept a punishment from Caleb too, Master, ‘cause that’s his right and all,” he murmured, ducking his head lower.

It was all Caleb could do not to flinch when Eric asked if he was clear. “Yes, Sir,” Caleb whispered, though he still had no intention to say anything. Let Mav talk, he was the one who’d thrown a fit. Thankfully, Maverick didn’t make him wait. He couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes when Maverick offered to let him punish him also. “I’m not your Dom, Mav,” he said, and though his volume was low, his tone was no less sharp. He still didn’t look up, just glaring down at his knees. “It’s not my job to punish you for throwing a fit.”

‘I won’t have that. Either of it.’ He decided, looking between them. ‘Caleb isn’t your Dominant, I am. Beyond that, you’ve been punished once and you’ve accepted it. You’ve been forgiven, Maverick. You won’t be punished twice for the same thing.’ He suspected that was part of his training, part of how his Father had shaped his thinking and he wasn’t sure he liked it. ‘And Caleb, he wasn’t throwing a fit. Something upset him. Yes, he should have talked about it but that’s something we’re working on. Emotions are okay, and it’s okay to express even the negative ones as long as you do it right.’ He insisted. ‘Both of you need to stop staring at the floor and look up at me, or at one another if that’s who you’re speaking to. Why did you step between him and I, Caleb?’ He prompted. ‘Are you ready to talk about the specifics of what made you act up or do you need time to process that, and think about what you want to say?’ He asked, glancing to Maverick.

Maverick felt like curling up into a ball as both men told him he wouldn’t be punished again. It wasn’t often that he got things wrong as a submissive, but he’d managed to make a habit of it today, and he didn’t like the feeling at all. Caleb calling the whole episode ‘throwing a fit’ didn’t make him feel particularly good either. Maverick whimpered softly when Eric asked him if he was ready to talk about what had made him act up and looked down at the floor again, before remembering Eric’s order and looking back up at Eric. “It’s so dumb though,” he whispered miserably, convinced that his constant need for reassurance on the romance issue was going to annoy Eric.

In spite of Eric’s order, Caleb couldn’t bring himself to look up. It was difficult, but he also didn’t try particularly hard. He was still resisting the idea of talking about any of this. And he knew that if he looked up at Eric, the Dominant would see the way he was scowling. That, or Caleb would have to devise a more neutral expression, and that just seemed too difficult at the moment. “I’m sorry I tried to stop you, Sir,” he said mechanically. “I know it was out of line, and it won’t happen again.” That was all he could really say. He certainly couldn’t argue that yes, Mav had been throwing a fit. And he definitely wasn’t going to say the sarcastic comment he thought of when Mav protested that his reasons were dumb. Saying that there weren’t many intelligent reasons for being a brat to his Dom wasn’t going to win Caleb any points with either Mav or Eric. He just sat sullenly.

He frowned at both of them and waited until he was sure they’d both seen him. ‘The two of you need to listen to my questions and actually answer them instead of telling me what you think I want to hear, or a protest as to why you shouldn’t.’ He said simply. He pulled back from both of them and sat a little straighter, back pressed against the couch. ‘I’m not having this absolute silliness continue any longer. Caleb, talk. Look up at me, look at Maverick and talk. Tell me what’s going on, what you’re thinking and tell me why you stepped in front of him.’ One at a time. He couldn’t deal with the two problems at the same time so he’d have to divide and conquer; ensuring everyone felt completely heard.

Caleb closed his eyes for a second and took a breath. He knew Eric was upset with both of them, and he was right to be. But Caleb didn’t think he was capable of navigating this without getting them both in more trouble. As usual the only winning move was not to play, but Eric was forcing him to make a move anyway. He couldn’t keep refusing without provoking him. After a moment, Caleb forced himself to lift his head enough to look up at Eric. His jaw was still set in a harsh line, but he wasn’t scowling quite as much as before. “Because I didn’t want you to punish him, Sir,” he said flatly. “I know I shouldn’t have done it. I didn’t think it through. I just didn’t want him to get in trouble.” He looked back down, still ignoring Maverick’s presence next to him, and refrained from grumbling that he shouldn’t have bothered.

‘I think that your instinct is to protect him. I like that you care so much about him that you tried to stop him when you could see his attitude coming out.’ He remarked. ‘But you could see his attitude so I want you to explain to me why you didn’t want me to punish him. You were afraid Caleb. I’ve seen you look like that before.’

Caleb grimaced and turned his head away. He didn't want to admit that he'd been afraid. It felt foolish. “... Everything was… calm. Before Mav… you know. I just wanted to keep him from ruining things. I didn't want you to get angry, Sir. I… I know you're more patient than we deserve. But for a second, I thought you were angry.”

‘So here’s the thing, something has been playing on his mind yeah? I don’t know what that is yet but it’s something. Everyone gets stuck in their head with things sometimes. It’s not always easy to just come out and say something is bothering you. I fully expect that to happen many more times until we find out groove. I expect there to be tones when you snap, or when I snap. That’s human nature. But I’m glad when it happens, because that’s better than Mav continuing to keep whatever was bothering him pushed down. That’s when things can really explode.’ He explained gently. ‘He hasn’t ruined things. He had an attitude, he was punished, and now it’s over, so he’s forgiven and we move on.’ He insisted firmly. He gave his head a shake and touched his fingers to Caleb’s cheek. ‘I’m not more patient than you deserve. I think patience is important; you both deserve it and I hope when I need it, you’ll be patient with me too. There may be times when I get angry. It takes a fair bit but I can be pushed there. What I need you to understand is that I will never punish anyone when I’m angry. When I punish someone, it always comes from a place of calm and measured thought. Does this make sense to you both?’ He prompted, looking between them. ‘Do you want to tell us what out you in a bad mood in the first place Mav?’

Mav was really hating how he’d managed to really mess things up today, especially for Caleb. There was no denying that he’d upset the other man, and that was in turn, upsetting Mav too. Eric’s words were, like always, really comforting and helpful to hear. Maverick was nodding along with everything the Dom was saying. “Yes Master, perfect sense,” he said quietly. “I think we both know you wouldn’t ever punish someone from an angry place. I always trust you to punish me when I need it, and keep me safe when you’re doing it,” Mav murmured. He took a deep breath as Eric asked him to tell them both what had put him in a bad mood, and once again, he looked absolutely miserable. “You’re gonna be upset with me, ‘cause I’m dumb and you’ve had to reassure me so many times already,” Maverick whispered. “You, uh...you had heart shapes on the muffins, and Caleb said you were a hopeless romantic, Master,” Maverick mumbled, his gaze falling to the floor again.

Caleb lowered his head again and went back to starting at the floor as Eric spoke, even though he knew it wasn't what Eric wanted. It was hard enough to sit still and listen without reacting badly, it would just be too much to also watch Eric. Still, when Eric touched him, Caleb leaned into it, chasing whatever reassurance he could get. It didn't make sense to him, he didn't feel like he understood, but he just murmured, “Yes, Sir,” anyway. He didn't understand why Eric was so calm. He wasn't even telling either of them off, or explaining what they'd done wrong. And Caleb couldn't help but think that Eric's claim that he wasn't more patient than they deserved was demonstrably ridiculous. Mav had thrown a fit like a child and Caleb was now sulking like one, too. Just the fact that Eric was still calmly explaining things to them was more patience than they deserved. But Caleb knew better than to press the point. He didn't react visibly to much of anything, until Maverick explained what had upset him, and Caleb looked up at him incredulously. “You got mad… because Eric did something sweet? You risked punishment over that?” He didn't understand at all. It seemed insane.

He pushed down the amused smile that wanted to come forth at Caleb’s casual use of his name. It was both adorable and amusing; even in the context of expressing shock and frustration at Maverick. He addressed Caleb’s point first. ‘He’s not mad because I did something sweet. He’s scared of the romantic implication of it. Maverick doesn’t want a romantic claim. He doesn’t experience that kind of attraction.’ He tried to explain. ‘You can stop me if I’m wrong,’ he added, glancing to him before continuing with his explanation to Caleb. ‘This is something we’re working on. He’s worried about feeling like he doesn’t fulfil something for me, or that eventually I won’t want him because of that. It’s probably a pretty unsettling feeling. I don’t blame him for getting frustrated or scared or upset by that. The focus going forward needs to be on expressing that, letting me know that’s what’s going on rather than letting it come out in a snap. Does that make any more sense to you?’ He asked, giving him a smile which he then turned to Maverick. ‘And you are not dumb. I don’t mind reassuring you. I’d rather you told me so I can reassure you Maverick. The communication is important.’

Mav wished he could shrink into himself and disappear as Caleb spoke. He kept staring down at the floor, refusing to look at the other man, or at Eric now. He really wanted to just go back to his own room and curl up on his bunk bed and not leave for hours. If it wasn’t for Eric trying to do his best to reassure him, Mav would’ve been halfway there already. He frowned a little as Eric told Caleb that Maverick didn’t experience romantic attraction. Had that been what he’d told Eric? Was that even true? Maverick wasn’t really sure. He’d definitely never felt it, that was true. The idea of being romantic with any of the Doms he’d fooled around with back home was laughable, but did it meant he’d never feel romance for anyone? Mav nodded when Eric said he could stop him if he was wrong, but he really wasn’t sure if Eric was wrong or not. “I’m sorry, Master,” Maverick mumbled again. “I’ll do better with communication, I promise. I will,” he said quietly, before turning his head to look at Caleb. “You don’t gotta hate me forever,” he murmured. “I made a mistake.”

Caleb didn't know what to say. He was staring at Maverick, utterly shocked. Possibly even appalled. “I don't hate you,” he snapped, though his tone was far from comforting. He just didn't understand where to even begin. “Mav, you…. He lets you call him Master, for fuck’s sake! And you threw a fit because he put hearts on the muffins? You told me that he said he wants to claim you! How much clearer can-” Caleb cut himself off, realizing he was ranting, and looked away. “I don't hate you, Mav. I think you did something stupidly dangerous for not enough reason.”

‘What exactly is different about Maverick’s behaviour and yours just now?’ He asked simply. He reached his hand out to thread through Maverick’s hair, hoping to provide him some comfort from Caleb’s harsh words. He didn’t think he meant them to be as hurtful as they sounded; that didn’t fit with the Caleb he’d come to know. ‘Caleb, I have never, nor will I ever, belittle you because of how you feel. What exactly does snapping at him accomplish? Nothing other than make him feel worse than he already does.’ His voice took on a firm edge. He wasn’t amused or happy with Caleb’s remarks; and while he wanted to understand and support the Switch, he drew the line at putting Maverick down. ‘There was nothing stupidly dangerous about what he did. It wasn’t the smartest way to deal with things but he’s been punished, he’s acknowledged that it was a mistake and he’s apologised. That’s the point where we move on.’

Maverick stayed quiet as Caleb talked so angrily at him, but the way he described what Mav had done as stupidly dangerous made his frown. He didn’t understand at all what had been dangerous about what he’d done, had he done something dangerous and not realised it? Or did Caleb really not trust Eric? How could anyone not trust Eric? He was the best Dom Mav had ever submitted to, he always had a submissive’s interests at heart. Especially when he was responsible for that submissive. After a few moments, as Eric was speaking, Mav realised tears had begun to roll down his cheeks and he quickly wiped them away. Once Eric was done, Mav scrambled to his feet. “‘Scuse me,” he mumbled, “think I made a mess in the kitchen, gotta clean it,” Mav said quietly, before hurrying away.

Caleb heard the disapproval in Eric’s voice, and he looked down, curling in on himself. He knew he deserved to be scolded, even punished, for not holding his tongue. He knew he shouldn’t have snapped at Maverick, and he certainly shouldn’t have done it in front of Eric. He was just so frustrated. It was to feel anything but bitterness right now, even though he knew he was behaving just as poorly as Maverick had in the first place. “I’m sorry, Sir,” he muttered as he glared at the floor. He didn’t look up until Maverick moved, and then he stared at the retreating submissive. He realized two things at the same time. The first was how much he’d actually managed to hurt Maverick, which flooded him with guilt. The second and more surprising thing was that Maverick really, truly didn’t think what he’d done was all that bad. He didn’t see how it could have spiraled out of control. Caleb could tell from the look on Maverick’s face as he fled. It was hurt, but it was a surprised hurt, not a shameful, expected hurt. It was the look of someone who didn’t know why they were being yelled at. “...Fuck.” The expletive came out under Caleb’s breath as Mav made it to the kitchen and out of sight. Caleb looked towards Eric for a split second before pushing himself away, backing up and then getting to his feet, and apologizing as he went. “I’m sorry, Sir, I didn’t mean… I should go. I’ll go back to my dorm so you can take care of Mav. I’m sorry. Just, please tell Mav I’m sorry? I’ll apologize to him in person later, but I think I should just go now…”

He didn’t immediately chase Maverick. He could understand him being upset and needing a little space. He’d give it to him. He needed to speak to Caleb first. ‘No Caleb, this is one of the moments where you need to do something differently than last time. You have to not run away.’ He explained. His voice had become softer again, encouraging; the last thing he wanted was for Caleb to leave. ‘I can only assume that a lot of this anger and fear comes from your previous experience with your ex. I get it. Your brain has made all sorts of associations and patterns over the years and even if you’ve never seen me behave like him, your brain sees a similar situation and you react. I think there’s part of you that really understands what you went through was wrong, and I think that’s why you stepped between Maverick and I today.’ He continued. At that stage, he got to his feet and held out his hand to Caleb. ‘What I think needs to happen is that you should face the same consequences as Maverick for behaving in the same way; that means stripping and kneeling in the corner with your nose pressed to the wall for ten minutes. I want you to really think about our conversation, and think about what you understand, what you don’t so we can talk about it later. You mentioned how patient I am so please believe me when I tell you, I will go over this and explain where I’m coming from until you feel happy you understand.’ He promised. ‘When your punishment is over, you can apologise. And I think the person you need to apologise most is Maverick. We’ll go to him together. After that, it’ll be over and done with. After that, I’m going to bring you both to bed and have you cuddled against me for the rest of the afternoon. After that, it’s forgiven and we move on.’

When Eric said no, Caleb looked up at him helplessly. Why was Eric's voice gentle again? When Caleb deserved to be yelled at for being an asshole to Maverick and rude to Eric? But then Eric continued, bringing up Mark, and Caleb looked down. Was Eric right? Was this somehow all Mark’s fault? He couldn't deny the fact that he had never seen Eric get truly angry, the way he had feared might happen when Maverick had snapped at him. It was hard to believe he had learned that only from Mark, when it felt like a universal quality of dominants. But Caleb shoved all this aside for a moment when Eric assigned him a punishment. It felt inadequate, too lenient for the trouble Caleb had caused, but to say so would mean talking back, so he kept his opinion to himself. At least it made some sort of sense, having the same punishment that Mav had been given. “Yes, Sir,” he said quietly. He glanced towards the kitchen, where Maverick's punishment had taken place, but paused, because that was where Mav was currently hiding. He would strip right here, but he didn't deserve the luxury of kneeling on carpet when Maverick had knelt on hard tile. “….I'm sorry, but… where should I….?”

‘You can strip here Caleb; and kneel on the wooden floor over there.’ He pointed towards the dining area. It wasn’t quite the same as Maverick’s punishment but he didn’t want to bring him into the kitchen just yet. When Caleb got himself situated, he touched his hair. ‘I’m going to go on into the kitchen to check on Mav.’ He explained. ‘If you need me, just call my name or use your safe word and I’ll come out to you right away.’ He was cautious about leaving him but it made sense in his mind to recreate Maverick’s punishment to the best of his ability. ‘This isn’t me leaving you Caleb. It’s just for ten minutes. As soon as your time is over, I’ll come get you.’ He promised. He withdrew then and headed into the kitchen to check on the tearful submissive hiding there. ‘C’mere sweet boy.’ He requested, moving to fold his arms around him. ‘He didn’t mean that. I think you know he didn’t mean it. He’s got his own things he’s working through.’ He kissed his forehead. ‘Are you okay Mav?’ He prompted.

Maverick had gotten a bottle of kitchen cleaner and a cloth out from under Eric's sink and had started to wipe down the already perfectly clean counter, so he could have something to focus on. As soon as Eric walked in and gave him an order, Mav had crossed the room and had wrapped his arms around the Dom instantly. He buried his face in Eric's shoulder, tears staining Eric's shirt. “Maybe he didn't mean it forever, but he doesn't like me right now,” Mav mumbled. “I did this, I made him think about bad things. I'm a bad friend.”

‘He doesn’t hate you at all. He feel terrible that he upset you; he wanted to leave so I could focus on you.’ He replied, stroking his hands down his back. ‘I wouldn’t let him do that though; I think we both want him to stay right? He’s being punished now; kneeling just like you did for snapping. I’m going to go get him in ten minutes and I think he’ll be itching to apologise to you.’ He guessed, pressing another kiss to his hair. ‘You get upset when you worry about the fact I experience romantic attraction to people; that’s all to do with how you feel, your upbringing maybe influenced it. Caleb has his own things he worries about, things his past has impacted. That’s something he needs to work on. We’ve all got something right. But the three of us are going to work through those things together yeah? We’re a team sweet boy.’ He tilted his head up and caught his lips in a soft kiss. ‘You are a good boy Maverick. You’re my good boy. I know everyone’s a little upset right now but it’s okay to be upset. When we’re done, I want the three of us to fall into bed together so I can hold you both as tightly as I want to.’

Maverick closed his eyes and let the feeling of Eric's gentle touches wash over him. Eric had a way of taking care of him that Mav was really coming to adore, and he was quickly realising that the Dom was cleverer than him when it came to emotional things like this. He nodded as Eric explained how this was all something Caleb needed to deal with, the same way Mav needed to deal with his feelings about romance. One thing was still on his mind, though, and he pulled back gently. “So, um, he doesn't think I'm dangerous to be around? Wouldn't be the first time someone we were hanging out with thought that,” Mav mumbled. He nodded, having loved the gentle kiss. “I'd like that, if Caleb wants it too, Master.”

‘You are not dangerous and you are not at fault for other people’s fears or worries.’ He insisted. He hated that Kurt’s toxic feelings had somehow seeped under Maverick’s skin and had impacted how he viewed himself. Kurt’s hatred was different than Caleb’s fear. ‘Caleb doesn’t think you’re dangerous. He thinks it’s dangerous to make me, a Dominant, angry. That’s something he needs to work through. That’s something you and I can help him with sweet boy.’ He assured him. The timer on his watch sounded, and he kissed him again. ‘Wash your hands and take a seat at the breakfast bar.’ He instructed. ‘I’m going to get Caleb and then we’ll all come together okay?’

Caleb was perfectly still, his posture flawless, hands clasped behind his back and nose pressed into the wall in the corner of the dining area. His knees were protesting by now, after kneeling on the hard wood for ten minutes, but he leaned into the pain and focused on it. He deserved worse than this, so he wasn't going to shy away from the pain in his knees or the humiliation of being naked and ignored. He kept his eyes closed as he knelt there and tried to think, as Eric had instructed. He kept coming back to the thought of Mark, and Eric blaming Mark for the way Caleb felt and acted. He still couldn't tell if that was right. It was too subjective, he had no way to be sure of any of it. Perhaps Mark was the reason Caleb had felt that rush of fear when Maverick had initially misbehaved. But that didn't really excuse or explain the way Caleb had treated Mav afterwards. And he was still confused by the idea that Maverick truly didn't see what he'd done as dangerous. He probably thought that Caleb hadn't done anything dangerous or stupid today either. It was insane. Did Maverick really think that Eric would always be this patient? No one was perfectly patient every time. Everyone had a limit. He didn't want to find Eric's limit. Eventually, Caleb was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of footsteps coming into the dining area, but he stayed perfectly still, not planning to move until given permission.

He watched him for just a second; and felt his heart ache for him. He couldn’t really determine how much Mark had influenced him but it was clear he had, and that it wasn’t a positive influence. He touched his fingers to his shoulder and invited him to turn around. ‘Hello sweet boy.’ He greeted, adopting the same kind tone and familiar pet name. ‘Your ten minutes is up; you’re forgiven and this is where we start to move on. Am I right in saying you know and want to apologise to Mav?’ He asked, threading his fingers through his hair. ‘You can do that after you get dressed and after I’ve given you a hug; I think that might be something we both need.’ He stepped back a little and held out a hand to draw him to his feet. As soon as he had done so, he wrapped his arms around him in a tight embrace. ‘You’re a good boy Caleb. Being punished doesn’t change that.’ He whispered. ‘I think we all have a lot more to talk about, we all have our own issues to work through but I think we’ve done a lot of talking today and everyone would benefit from taking a break.’

Caleb turned to look up at Eric, but didn't otherwise break his posture. He didn't answer right away, just nodded when Eric asked if he wanted to apologise to Mav. Caleb only really moved when Eric held out a hand to him. He took it and stood, but didn't move towards Eric until the Dominant physically pulled him in. Even then, he didn't fully return the hug, just rested his hands on Eric's waist and dropped his head on the Dom's shoulder. He shook his head without pulling away from Eric when the Dom said he was still a good boy. “I'm not. I'm not good. I'm sorry. I made everything worse. I don't know why you're being so nice to me. I.. I still think I should go so you can take care of Mav, but I won't leave unless you give me permission…”

‘But you are a good boy Caleb. One thing doesn’t define you. You lashed out; you were punished and you’re going to apologise. That means it’s over and we can move on from it.’ He cupped his cheek, stroking his thumb lightly against him. ‘I’m being nice to you because there’s no reason for me not to be. I don’t care about you any less, I don’t like you any less and I certainly don’t think any less of you than I did an hour ago.’ He promised. ‘Neither Maverick or I want you to leave. We both want you to stay, to be with us. I don’t just want to take care of him. I want to take care of you both. You’re both my boys as far as I’m concerned right now.’ He confessed quietly.

Despite his misgivings, Caleb stayed right where he was, pressed into Eric, where he could absorb whatever comfort the Dominant was offering. He knew that this was more than he deserved. He didn’t really know why Eric wanted to continue to bother with him, especially when he had Maverick to take care of already. And he certainly didn’t know why Mav would want him to stay. But he would do whatever Eric wanted, whatever he thought was best. So if Eric wanted him to stay, he would stay, and try to do better. “Yes, Sir,” he said quietly before finally pulling away and glancing towards the kitchen. He waited, though, for Eric to decide it was time to go talk to Maverick.

‘I promise, sweet boy, you’re still my good boy.’ He insisted once more before he reached down to lace their fingers together. ‘Let’s go see Maverick yeah?’ He gave his hand a squeeze and led him through to the kitchen, smiling when he saw the submissive waiting exactly as he’d been instructed. ‘Come sit down Caleb.’ He invited, leading him to the bar stools where he perched on the stool at the end, leaving the one beside Mav free.

Caleb managed a small smile for Eric, out of gratitude if not actual happiness. He nodded and followed Eric into the kitchen, bracing himself for seeing Mav, knowing he might well have been crying. Caleb kept quiet, moving to sit on the stool next to Mav, keeping his posture withdrawn and small. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, glancing up at Maverick. “I was a dick. You didn’t deserve to get yelled at. By me, least of all.”

Maverick looked up from his position in the kitchen when he heard Eric and Caleb coming into the room. He moved to the bar stool and sat down, smiling just slightly when Caleb sat next to him. He glanced over at Caleb as the other man started to speak, and his smile grew. “I’m sorry too. I’m real sorry you had to see me being so grumpy, and I’m real real sorry it was something that upset you,” he said quietly. “I hope we’re still friends.”

He reached out and took each of their hands in his, bringing each one to his lips. ‘I’d like to think we’re all still friends at the very least.’ He commented, flashing a warm smile. ‘If you’re both accepting each other’s apologies, I hope we can move on and still enjoy our evening together.’ He got to his feet and moved to stand behind them, this time draping his arms across their shoulders. ‘We have a lot to work through right? But like I said, maybe we’ve done enough of that for today.’

“Yeah, of course we’re friends, Mav,” Caleb said softly. He looked up at Eric when he moved behind them, and then ducked his head down. He was pretty sure that eighty or ninety percent of what they collectively needed to work through was issues that he was bringing to the table, not Eric or Maverick. He felt incredibly guilty about that, and couldn’t help wondering if Mav and Eric would be happier if he wasn’t there. But he nodded anyway, and looked at Maverick. “If, um… if you want me to go… I won’t be offended or hurt or anything, if you want some time with Sir Eric… I don’t want to stay if you’re uncomfortable.”

Maverick smiled as Caleb confirmed that they were still friends. “I definitely want to still be friends,” he grinned back at Caleb. He frowned a little as Caleb continued to talk, especially after Eric had pointed out they had things to work on, even if it that talking wasn’t going to happen today. “I’m not uncomfortable. What I really, really want is to curl up in bed with both of you,” he reassured Caleb. “Well, maybe do some knitting before I fall asleep.”

It hurt his heart to know both boys who so completely captivated him had insecurities and fears to work through. Not because he had any objection to being there for them but because he just wished they didn’t have to suffer that in the first place. ‘Knitting’s a good idea.’ He nodded. ‘I’ve been thinking maybe Dom whale, and sub whale could use a third to keep them company.’ He suggested with a wink. ‘Let’s go get comfy yeah?’ He felt like he was glossing over things a little bit right now, that seemed to be the best move. Both boys were evidently drained emotionally and pushing for conversation wouldn’t be productive. Best to regroup and try again another day. ‘We can watch your space show in bed Caleb,’

Caleb had a feeling he still needed to talk to Maverick to make sure things could go back to normal between them, but it could wait. He wasn't going to force any more unpleasant discussion if Eric wanted to move on. “Yes, Sir,” he said softly, sending Eric another small smile. He reached over to put his hand on top of Maverick's and squeezed. “Sorry I was a dick. Want me to go get your yarn?”

Maverick let out a little giggle, and nodded. “Maybe a really cute sub-leaning switch whale with really great defined abs?” he grinned. He nodded again at Eric. “Being comfy sounds really good. Maybe we can watch in bed, Sir?” he asked hopefully. “I know its a little early, but I really love cuddling in bed. Mav looked across at Caleb as the other man, and smiled softly at him. “I’m sorry I was a dick too. Yes please!” he said quickly. “What color do you want your whale to be? Oh, how about me and you go into town tomorrow? I need to get some more supplies.”

His whole being felt a little lighter now that the conversation had shifted and they were all somewhat calmer. Progress, he reminded himself again. ‘Alright, you two, go get comfortable. Save a spot for me in the middle.’ He instructed. ‘I’m going to see about organising some drinks, some snacks and ordering dinner.’ He informed them. He anticipated some protest about how they could do that but he’d already made his mind up. He needed to take care of things; and he was only ordering in because he didn’t want to be apart from them. ‘Scoot. Go get comfortable. Change if you want.’ He invited, smiling warmly between them.

“Yeah, we can do that,” he said softly to Mav, smiling, thoroughly relieved that Maverick seemed to be bouncing back to his usual self so quickly. It took longer for Caleb, but he could fake it with Mav being so cute like this. He looked up at Eric and nodded, standing up and starting to go, but then he hesitated when Eric said he’d be taking care of everything else. “Could I help you, Sir? At least carry things?”

Maverick pouted slightly when Eric told them to save him the spot in the middle. He was pretty sure everyone liked that spot, but Eric seemed the most territorial over it. “Sir, you shouldn’t have to pay for dinner for all of us,” Mav said, shaking his head a little. He glanced at Caleb when the other man spoke, and while he ached to go to the bedroom, change and relax, he didn’t want to go alone.

He looked between them both and shook his head. He had anticipated protests and the fact that he’d been right brought a smile to his lips. ‘Sir; that’s what you both call me right?’ he reminded them. ‘Indulge your Sir and let him take care of you both.’ he insisted. ‘I don’t have to pay for dinner but I want to.’ He thought for a moment; maybe a task would do them both good. A positive order to replace the punishments they’d both had. ‘I want the two of you to change into something more comfortable, turn the bed down and you can bring the cutlery in now. We’ll need that when food actually arrives.’ It wasn’t much but it was something; he hoped that would be enough to distract them from their desire to want to help in other ways.

Caleb looked cowed when Eric took a moment to remind them of their place, and that they should be obedient to whatever Eric wished. “Yes, Sir,” he said softly, and he almost apologized for not having obeyed immediately, but he was pretty sure Eric didn’t want an apology. Better to just show his repentance by doing as he was told without hesitation or question. He gave Eric a little smile before going to the drawer to get forks and then heading into the bedroom.

Mav grinned as Erc gently reminded them of their place, and that grin only grew when Eric gave them little orders to follow. He was sure that Eric had given those orders just to help them after their punishments, and Mav cherished that. It was a sign of how well Eric looked after the subs in his care. “Yes Master,” Mav smiled and took Caleb’s hand as they walked into the bedroom. “Do you think Sir meant naked when he said something more comfortable? That’s my comfortable, but if you guys are wearing something, that might turn me on and I don’t want to start something when we’re supposed to be having some downtime,” Mav babbled a little as they moved into the bedroom.

Caleb looked over at Maverick, surprised that the sub would take his hand. Had Maverick forgiven him that easily? He squeezed Mav’s hand, though, not wanting him to feel rejected. “Um… I dunno. I was just going to put on sweatpants and a t-shirt….” He set the forks on the bedside table. “But if you’re comfortable naked… I don’t know. Maybe you should go ask? Actually, no, we shouldn’t bother him with more questions. Usually if he wants us naked he says so.”

Mav nodded, and moved to grab his clothes. “I think I’ll stick with sweatpants. If Master doesn’t want me shirtless, he’ll tell me,” he smiled as he eased himself into his grey sweats. He began to turn down the bed, wanting everything to be perfect before Eric came back in.

‘You know, this is definitely a sight I could get used to.’ He announced, leaning against the door frame. He couldn’t explain the desire he felt around both of them. It wasn’t always sexual in nature; it wasn’t on this occasion. He just found he consistently felt confident, comfortable and cherished when he spent time with them. They made him feel good; and something in him screamed at him to create the same comfort for them. ‘Food’s ordered. I went for pizza and sides. I figured it’s impossible to go wrong with pizza. Should be here in an hour or so.’ He explained, walking further into the room. ‘You both feeling alright?’ He asked, looking between his boys.

Caleb looked up at the sound of Eric’s voice and tensed, because he hadn’t heard Eric coming. But he looked relaxed, so Caleb relaxed as well and sent him a small smile. “Pizza is good, thank you, Sir.” He moved back a little, giving Eric room to get into bed first. “Yes, Sir, I’m alright.” He spoke quietly, his voice small and his posture pulled in on himself, clearly trying to take up as little space as possible, both physically and emotionally.

Maverick turned and grinned when Eric spoke. “Both of us preparing the room for us all to relax and sleep?” Mav asked, as he thought about what that implied. He had to admit that, even for a sexual submissive like himself, he loved domestic moments like this a lot. “Oh, please tell me you ordered cheesy garlic bread, Master,” he said with a hopeful tone to his voice, in an almost deliberate attempt to try to ignore the intenseness of earlier. “I think maybe...we need hugs and stuff from our Dom,” Maverick said softly, hoping that Eric got his implication.

‘Hugs and stuff I can definitely do.’ He lay back on the bed, settling into the middle spot before he beckoned Caleb and Maverick over. ‘I want both of you tucked up against me.’ He insisted. There were definite doubts in the back of his mind that he was handling this all wrong; particularly where Caleb was concerned. He wanted to show him that things could go back to normal; that he wasn’t going to hold anything over his head and so he didn’t give either boy an option to create any distance between them. He drew them both as close as he could, and turned his head each way to kiss their hair. ‘You’re both good boys; and right now, you’re my good boys.’ He nodded. ‘I couldn’t be prouder honestly.’

‘Your Dom,” Caleb thought when Maverick asked for hugs, but Caleb wanted to be held too, and he didn’t want to cause any more trouble. He was quiet and kept his head down as Eric got settled and he followed suit, climbing into the bed. He didn’t hesitate to move in close, because Eric had told them to. He obediently tucked himself into Eric’s arm, laying on his side so he could lay his head on Eric’s shoulder and slip his arm over Eric’s waist. He bumped Mav accidentally when reaching across and murmured a soft “Sorry,” as he pulled back and tried to be conscious of sharing Eric with Maverick, curling his arm so he only took up a little space on Eric’s chest. “Thank you, Sir,” he said again, just as quiet, when Eric praised them. He still didn’t feel like he was a good boy, certainly not compared to Maverick, but he wasn’t willing to do anything except accept Eric’s affection right now.

Maverick smiled softly as Eric told them they were good boys, and that were his good boys right now. As soon as Eric was laying on the bed, he laid down with him, snuggling into Eric’s side. He watched Caleb doing the same on the other side of the bed, and copied him by putting his arm across Eric’s waist, a little lower. “It’s okay,” he smiled across at Caleb, and blew him a gentle kiss. He turned his head slightly, dropping a kiss to Eric’s stomach, before resting his cheek against Eric’s torso. “Gotta figure out a way for me to lay like this and knit, Master,” Mav smiled softly.

‘Pfft, I’m not sure even you could manage to find a way to do that comfortably Mav.’ He retorted, giving his head a shake. It felt right to have the two of them like this; he felt right. For a brief moment, he thought about what it would be like to claim them both. A thought that was probably entirely too premature but one he enjoyed regardless. Something still didn’t feel right with Caleb however; he didn’t sound right and he couldn’t ignore it. ‘If something’s not feeling right Caleb, I want you to tell me.’ He said quietly, turning to look at the Switch. ‘If you’re not feeling right after a punishment, there’s more I need to do.’ He pointed out, squeezing the arm he had draped around his shoulder. ‘You sure you’re okay?’ He prompted.

Caleb wanted to cringe when Eric asked if he was okay again. He had been trying to take up as little of the Dom's attention as possible, but that clearly hadn't worked. He wanted to pull away, but he knew that it would upset Eric if he did, and probably upset Maverick too. “I'm sorry for worrying you,” he said softly, ducking his head down so Eric couldn't see his face. “I'm okay, Sir. Please don't… please don't worry about me. I don't need anything. I'm only concerned that Mav is okay.” He looked across Eric's chest, meeting Maverick's eyes, and sent him a little smile.

Maverick smiled at Eric’s gentle teasing, and pressed a little kiss to Eric’s chest as a reply before laying his head back down on the Dom’s torso again. He stayed quiet as Eric talked to Caleb. He could tell there was something up with Caleb too, but he knew it was Eric’s place to try to help, if Caleb was ready to accept any help. His heart did a little somersault as Caleb admitted to being worried for him, and he reached out to take Caleb’s hand in his own, their hands resting on Eric’s stomach. “I’m still a little upset at myself,” he said softly to Caleb, and then looked up at Eric too. He squeezed Caleb’s hand gently. “I know I have things I gotta work on to make sure this doesn’t happen again, but I know Master will help me get there.”

‘I can’t help but worry about you sweet boy.’ He purposefully chose to use the term that he knew Caleb loved so much. ‘I worry about the two of you in equal measure because I care so much for you.’ He replied simply, honestly. ‘You’re both — more important to me than I anticipated either of you being and that means I can’t not worry about you.’ He let out a short laugh and rested his hand over theirs, linked on his stomach.

Caleb turned his hand over to fit into Maverick's and squeezed lightly. He was glad at least that Maverick still wanted to be his friend, and Eric still cares about him. When Eric admitted that he cared about both of them more than he'd expected, Caleb looked up at him. He searched his face for a moment, trying to understand. “I don't want to be a burden to you,” he said finally, softly. “Either of you. And I know you'll just say I'm not, but… Sir, I've already caused you more strife than any sub should. Not just today. I know I'm difficult.”

‘I don’t think you’re difficult at all.’ He replied immediately. ‘I can’t think of a single second of strife that you’ve caused me. I’m sure Maverick feels the same.’ He breathed out a sigh and shook his head. ‘I don’t think I can really convince you of that. I think that’s something you need to come to believe yourself. The only thing I can ask is that you keep trusting me as long as I give you reason to, and that you give me the opportunity to show you how much I care for you.’

Caleb gave Eric a disbelieving look. “One time I locked myself in your bathroom for ten minutes while you sat outside and listened to me cry,” he said flatly. Eric could try to reassure him all he wanted, but Caleb knew that he had given Eric cause for distress. But he shook his head and looked down, tucking his face into Eric’s shoulder again so he didn’t have to make any more eye contact with him or Maverick. “I trust you, Sir,” he murmured. “I know you won’t hurt me or yell at me.”

‘You think I haven’t sat in a bathroom and cried before?’ He prompted. ‘This goes for both of you. There are going to be times, plenty of them, when you feel like your emotions are overwhelming you. I might not always be able to stop that but I always want to be there for you. That’s the exact time you’re supposed to come to me, and I hope, that’ll be the time when I can lean on you too.’ He confessed. He let out a sigh and turned to kiss Caleb’s hair before he turned to kiss Maverick. ‘Let’s just relax a while. I think perhaps, for right now at least, we’re all talked out.’

Caleb sighed softly and nodded, his cheek rubbing against Eric’s chest. “Yes, Sir.” It was true, he didn’t want to talk anymore. He wanted to be quiet and have no one look at him or talk to him or pay attention to him, and just lay here with Eric and Maverick. He closed his eyes and squeezed Maverick’s hand softly.

Maverick closed his eyes as Eric kissed him, feeling a million times more content and relaxed that he had done a couple of hours ago. “Relaxing would be good,” he mumbled, as he held Caleb’s hand while they lay snuggled against Eric. He squeezed Caleb’s hand and shot him a little smile, before closing his eyes.

#eric #maverick #maverick the sass king

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