Work Text:
One long breath in, one slow breath out. One long breath in, one slow breath out.
He closed his eyes and focused until the slow pattern lulled him into a trance. One breath in, one breath out on a languid loop that rolled through his body like a gentle ocean wave. He began to feel like the ocean, no longer a fully solid form as he let himself ride the gentle current. It was a space he knew well, a space he felt comfortable in.
A tug on his ankle brought him back just enough to acknowledge Louis’ hands as he skillfully tied up Harry’s lower legs in the technique he’d been learning. His arms were already tied up behind him, the pressure just snug enough to calm him. He could feel the stretch through his chest with his shoulders pulled back from their usually slouched position.
Sounds were muted around him as if hearing them from underwater, the woosh of his blood through his veins with each heartbeat drowning out the rest. He was bent at the waist and draped over the wedge they’d bought specifically for this purpose, something that they’d prepared and planned for months. The slope was just enough that he could feel the slight pressure in his temples as his blood followed the pull of gravity.
He couldn’t move to alleviate the feeling even if he tried. With his elbows bent up behind his back and hands tied between his shoulder blades he may have been able to flop himself over, but with his legs knotted together just as tight it wasn’t possible. He’d willingly put himself into this position and now it was sure he wasn’t getting out. There was no backing down.
“Good boy,” he heard from the depths as a warm hand began to slowly pet the unobstructed skin of his behind followed by a sharp slap. The pins and needles soaked into him like little lightning bolts through his body and then down through his dick. Pain was so grounding and he groaned as his physical body and his mind connected from different spaces. Another slap came down hard and he whimpered as it made the world spin around him. He leaned into the feeling and more of himself hovered above him.
It was a space Harry had learned to go to at an early age and now only allowed himself to when he felt safe. Though not planned, it complimented Louis’ desire to experiment with control. When they both came out of it on the other side, they both agreed it released an energy neither one knew they were holding in.
It first started with some novelty handcuffs back when they first started dating and had progressed to where they were now. Harry had been tied up in so many different positions he probably couldn’t remember all of them. They pushed it further each time, a challenge they hadn’t intended to take on. What happened while Harry was tied up also pushed boundaries.
It was all consensual, both of them willingly stepping into the roles and taking them on in full. There were some things Harry liked more than others, but knew if Louis brought out even his least favourite, he still wouldn’t say no. Being whipped had left him unable to comfortably sit for days and he’d still bend over for Louis to do it again without hesitation. There was something addicting about handing over control of his body and the intensity of the headspace that he couldn’t reach on his own.
Tonight they would be taking everything to another level. It was going to be special, every last detail planned. The rope binding him was the silkiest he’d ever felt and he knew Louis had saved up special to buy the highest quality for comfort. It was Valentine’s Day and Louis argued that he wanted everything to be perfect. He’d sprinkled the room with rose petals like a movie scene cliche and even lit candles on the nightstand to give the space a nice glow.
It made what they were about to do seem out of place. This was a setup for some passionate love making, not amateur body modification.
His breathing pattern hitched when he felt pressure against his hole. He hadn;t even registered his cheeks being pulled apart in his hazy state. Something hard and unrelenting pushed against the resistance and began to slide in agonizingly slowly. It was slick with lube which eased any friction but stretched his unprepared entrance uncomfortably. It was a feeling Louis knew Harry liked. It was a pain that wasn’t really a pain, one that would only be eased by more motion.
Louis slowly pushed it in and Harry knew exactly which toy it was. It was the replica of Louis’ dick he’d made after an idea he had while he was high. It was custom made from tip to base, just his shaft with a discreet base easily hidden by his cheeks. Louis loved to make Harry wear it during different events and outings so he could know that his dick was inside him at all times. Louis once made him wear it when they went on a trail ride, the bounce of the horse causing Louis’ dick to fuck him with every jostling step. Harry’s pants were soaked by the time they returned and Louis had to quickly spill his water on Harry’s crotch to hide what had really happened. He knew this was Louis’ way of being inside him through this experience and Harry welcomed it.
It slid in and though the size was correct, Louis’ real dick still felt better. He hoped he planned to fuck him after this was done. His dick was hard where it was trapped between his stomach and the wedge and he humped against it with the tiny motions he could manage. Another hand came down hard against his cheek.
“Hold still,” Louis commanded and Harry froze.
He remained still as Louis fucked his dick in and out a few times before pushing to the base and settling it in. It was so deep and he couldn’t stop the way his muscles fluttered and clenched around it. It was heady in a space that didn’t feel real. Precome pooled to make a wetspot against his stomach that felt colder than the rest of his skin. He was aware of every inch of his body while still feeling himself spill over the lines like a scribbled in colourbook.
He was buzzing now, knowing what was coming. They’d picked everything out together from the design to the date. Then Louis spent hours online to learn every last detail just as he did with all of the other things they’d thought to try. Harry wasn’t even sure how it came up or which one suggested it first. It could have been influenced by Louis’ possessive nature or Harry’s addiction to body modification or maybe it had been both.
Unlike tattooing which required a substantial amount of time to perfect, branding was an easier way to mark Harry as his. In a way it was romantic, something more permanent than a marriage license or tattoos.
Together they’d picked it out, something simple like the brand a ranch would put on their horses. Anything too complicated might not heal well and anything too simple might look like an injury scar. They settled on a heart with an L in the middle the way couples carve their initials into a tree. It was a little cheesy but perfect in his opinion.
When Louis had a new interest he consumed every bit of it and found someone who could help make the design so he could have ownership in every part of the process. Harry both admired and was annoyed by that trait sometimes but was usually on the receiving end of the effort which worked out for him in the end.
This time, it was like Louis making his wedding ring. In the moment, he was glad Louis had taken part in creating it. It gave him an odd sense of connection through it that way since it wouldn’t come directly from Louis’ hands.
Louis was preparing the area now, a few kisses pressed into his cheek where the brand would be before he started. The products he used were cold and he used that sensation to tune his mind away from that area. He detached and went back to focus on his breathing. One long breath in, one slow breath out. It was easy to get back into the waves.
One long breath in, one slow breath out. He heard the propane torch ignite and knew it would be soon. One long breath in, one slow breath out. Time stopped existing where he floated, all sound narrowing to a hum with the rest of his brain silent. Breathing was his only tie to the physical world like a helium balloon held down by a string.
One long breath in, one slow breath out. It was coming. The hum narrowed into ringing as the torch was turned off.
They’d gone through all of the steps in detail with discussions in detail so many times before this moment that he shouldn’t be surprised by anything and yet his heartbeat started to get away from him in anticipation—
The sound that came out of his throat wasn’t human when Louis finally pressed the branding iron against his asscheek where they’d chosen it to go. His muscles twitched and spasmed involuntarily in response to the trauma that sizzled through his flesh. He felt every bit of it and yet none of it at all.
He came hard with the tidal wave of sensation that came with such a deep burn. He’d been tied in this manner so he couldn’t yank away on instinct and ruin the brand and he knew now that it had been necessary. The instinctual urge to remove himself from the pain was overwhelming and he unconsciously pulled at the restraints.
The crackling sound was amplified to his ears, heard even over his agonized screams. The smell hit him next which made him want to gag, a part of the experience he hadn’t been expecting. He felt dizzy, light headed enough that he thought he might pass out. It wasn’t the gentle swirling he’d been in, it was jolting him out of his space.
It all happened so fast yet stretched on in slow motion for Harry. The brand pressed in and then he experienced every second in half speed. He wasn’t prepared for how sudden and intense the pain would be. It was such a shock that he kept overshooting the location of his body and his consciousness started to pull away from him.
His body was trembling when he finally blinked his eyes open. The dim candle light flickered on the white walls and his eyes went unfocused as he stared. He had been sucked back into his body and pulled away so far that his thoughts were blank. His eyelids were heavy and it was more difficult to breath with all of his weight on his chest and the angle. His lungs began to ache and he couldn’t recall how to form any words to express his distress. His arms were dead weight against his back, numb from being tied back for so long. He didn’t even know how long it had been. He could have been out for seconds or hours.
He could feel Louis touching the fresh brand, each light touch of fingertip making shivers run through his nerves. The tone of Louis’ gentle voice registered to him but not the words, focusing on that to distract away from the pain. When he heard the rip of medical tape he pieced together that Louis was dressing the freshly burned flesh to shield it from infections. Louis had been thorough in researching the aftercare as well.
“You did so well,” Louis was murmuring as his fingers began to loosen the knots that bound him. Each slowly came free and his joints ached and muscles screamed as they moved back to their original positions.
Still draped over the wedge, he felt like a ragdoll, eyes staring blankly as Louis worked to free his legs. He had sat for many tattoo sessions in his life, some for long hours, and he’d enjoyed the adrenaline rush he got from the pain. This had been so different even if it had made him come.
“Are you back with me?” Louis’ soft voice was closer to his ear, a warm hand gently rubbing up and down his back. He connected with the touch yet couldn’t open his own mouth to speak.
Like he was a sleeping toddler, Louis slid his arms around Harry’s limp body and lifted him just enough to push the wedge out from under him. Carefully, Louis helped him turn to his side and spooned him while being careful of the fresh brand. The lasting pain still rolled through him, his body vibrating with it. He surrendered to Louis knowing he wouldn’t let him drown in it. He was in good hands.
He wouldn’t choose to do it again, but there wasn’t any regret. They both agreed it had been more than either of them had been anticipating even though they had researched it so thoroughly. The intensity brought them closer and they bonded on a deeper level than they ever had. When the heart shaped brand healed over and became a permanent part of his body, he admired it in the mirror when he caught sight of it. It tickled when Louis traced his fingers around the scarred outline and was extra sensitive when Louis gave him a good spanking.
If he was going to be owned, he was glad it was someone he could trust.