Coffee--Black

Coffee--Black

Sheldon heard the tinkle of the tiny silver bell swinging overhead as he pushed the door open to the small coffee shop. The shop was only half full, dark with walls covered by posters and flyers for groups from yoga to part time rock bands. He found a small table and squinted at the chalkboard menu.

"Zach," Sheldon said as Zach dumped silverware onto the table.

"What are you doing here?" Zach shifted and looked at Sheldon from under ragged bangs.

"Having lunch."

"You just happened to walk in the one place I work?"

"No," Sheldon said and smiled. He hoped his smile was warm, charming and carefree. This kid was timid and defensive. Milton had tried several times to talk to him without success. If Zach answered his cell, he spoke only in monosyllables, and now he didn't answer at all.

"Can't you guys leave me alone?" Zach's voice was a desperate plea. He blinked away the sudden glint of tears. "All you've done is make it worse."

"Are you in trouble more?"

"I'm at work," Zach hissed and looked over his shoulder as if afraid he was being overheard.

"No one's listening, and it's not like I asked how many times you got spanked."

Zach flushed a flaming red, and his eyes darted around the room in undisguised panic. "You need to order. I'm not supposed to chat when I'm being paid," Zach stammered and shuffled his feet.

"Zach, it's been years since I've seen you. Can't you take a break?" Sheldon spoke loudly, projecting his voice toward the three coworkers who were lounging near the expresso machine. "I can't believe I ran into you here; it's like fate."

"Will you please order."

"Zach, dear, I'll have the ham sandwich and a Coke."

Zach hurried away, his face still flushed as he scrambled for the safety of the soda machine. A young woman in the green apron of the staff leaned over Zach and had an animated whispered conversation which Zach obviously lost. He jerked his apron off and tossed it on the counter before stomping over with the Coke and flopping in the spare chair.

"Wonderful. You got a break." Sheldon flashed a winning smile at the woman who had just helped him. She smiled back and gave him a small wave. "You work with nice people."

Zach grunted and played with the paper napkin. "You lied," he muttered, not raising his eyes from the table. "You don't know me. You don't know anything about my situation. Bruce loves me. He takes care of me."

"Are you trying to convince yourself or me?" Sheldon smiled gently. "I'm in a power exchange relationship, and I'm regularly sitting on a hot ass, but I know the difference."

"He doesn't beat me. I don't have bruises or stripes." Zach glared at Sheldon before dropping his eyes back to the table.

"Do you ever enjoy it?"

"I'm not kinky. I don't do that kind of thing."

"Oh, really. You're getting your ass beat; that sounds kinky to me."

"You don't understand," Zack whined.

"Hey, look at me." Sheldon wanted to grab Zach's chin and force his eyes up. He wanted to force this kid out of his little defensive ball. "You're talking to a guy who gets dragged over his partner's knee at least once a week. I think I'm qualified to understand."

"You have a spanking kink." Zach said the words as if having a spanking kink was equivalent to a deadly plague. "It's discipline. It's real for me. I need it."

"And you need discipline that often?" Sheldon asked. "You're an adult and a capable human being." Or at least he would be if they could keep Bruce away. The kid's confidence was about zero now, and he did feel like a kid despite being twenty-five. Austin at eighteen was better equipped to understand his own needs, and Milton occasionally shaded toward discipline with Austin when he tangled himself in the young and stupid. Just yesterday Austin had been snarling at everyone in a teenage funk, and Tilden had sent the boy to sit alone on the sofa. Always gentle Tilden had gone in to talk to Austin later, and Sheldon saw Tilden and Milton talking. They'd worked out whatever the snit was about because Austin had been agreeable at dinner and even did the dishes without drama. Well, he did roll his eyes and huff, but not enough to get a top on his ass.

"Bruce helps me. He loves me."

"Zach." Sheldon reached across the table and squeezed Zach's upper arm. "Does he spank you as much as when you first got together?"

Zach nodded, his bangs falling over his eyes and hiding his sweet, scared expression.

"Punishment is supposed to decrease the behavior. If it's not changing the behavior, it's not discipline or punishment; it's kink. You want to get spanked, and Bruce wants to spank you, but somehow you've gotten your motives all mixed up."

"I don't want spanked; I need it. I can't function." Zach raked his fingers through his hair and buried his face in the crook of his elbow, his body limp as if someone had let the air out of an oversized balloon.

"Come on." Sheldon pulled Zach up from the chair and draped his arm over Zach's shoulders. "I'll take you home. Zach's not feeling well. I'm going to run him home," Sheldon shouted loud enough to be heard in the back where the other servers scurried between the steamed milk machine and the bakery counter.

The server who'd sent Zach to talk to Sheldon ran forward with a battered backpack. "This is his." She shoved it into Sheldon's hand. "He's a sweet guy. It's the guy he lives with."

"He's safe with me."

She dropped a kiss on Zach's cheek. "Go home with your friend here. I like him."

Zach didn't respond. He sagged against Sheldon; defeat and hopelessness radiated from his body.

"Zach, you're going home with me," Sheldon said as their feet hit the sidewalk. 

Poor Milton saddled with another stray. He could cope; he was the head of the Green Mountain Boys, and he had plenty of practice with their bunch. Mighty Milton to the rescue. It's a man. It's a top. It's super Milton. Sheldon grimaced at his own thoughts. It wouldn't be easy or simple; nothing about a power exchange was easy or simple. It was a complicated game where everybody needed to know the score, and nothing could be hidden behind socially acceptable euphemisms. Sheldon had granted Milton the right to inflict physical pain; they faced that reality every day. Milton was a dominant; his sexuality required that he dominate and that included inflicting pain. Milton was a wonderful and sweet man, but he also spanked and relished the sound of flesh against flesh and the fiery red of a well spanked ass. Fortunately Sheldon was on the other side and more than willing to offer up his own tender skin. And Zach what was he? Did he understand any of this? Poor kid. Super Milton would see to it.