Tau Upsilon Gamma [M+/M+] [update - 3/15/24] NEW POLL

[GoBucks]

Poor Ray- so easily manipulated. Shane is definitely living up to his charismatic rating. The wrestler is putty in his hands.

I do hope that his mistake doesn't end up costing he and Mason their bids. Would hate for them to be out of the story!

I do wonder who the spy is. I think Leo is too obvious. Whether it's one of the 5 we know or one of the other unnamed pledges is another question.

[george_bound]

Hmmm, if ever a "be careful what you wish for" moment, this is definitely one...but the TUG house ain't got nothing on the Bangles... seems that Ray will be Hobbling Like an Egyptian or Squirming Like at Egyptian

[Pup Wingletang]

I'm afraid I'm struggling to like Ray. I know he's trying to look out for his Mason and be a supportive and protective friend but at the same time he clearly underestimates and belittles him. Mason only got invited out of pity. Mason doesn't stand a chance of getting in without my help. I'm going to make a stupid bet and risk Mason's chance because I know best. He's just winding me up! I hope his experience with the TUG fraternity along with Mason's will help to rebalance their friendship. I just feel he needs a bit more respect for Mason.

I think that attitude adjustment is already beginning! Love the way Shane has so easily manipulated Ray into his current predicament and I'm impressed at how long his bravado seems to be lasting as he is more and more trussed up. Once the tape is added I think he's going to learn a lesson in humility and the power of multiple layers of bondage.

As for the spy I think the signs pointing to Leo are too obvious but I want to know what he's up to.

I might not be the biggest fan of Ray but I'm still loving the story. Keep up the good work!

[bondagefreak]

Ouf! As usual, I had to read this twice to be able to get all my thoughts in order.
So far, my vote is still solidly with Ray. I like him. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's believable and driven.

Our hunky wrestler is definitely in way over his head.
I like that Shane's swagger has him ever-so-slightly irked and I liked that it destabilises him a little.
At a glance, it seems as though Ray is quite gullible and easily manipulated. But to profess that that's the case without first considering who he's being manipulated by would be shortsighted and foolish. Shane has been shown to be an expert manipulator. Hence why judging Ray's gullibility based on this encounter alone would be (IMO) biased and unfair.

This duo is brilliant and I hope they end up together.
Shane and Ray contrast each other nicely and I definitely believe they'd benefit from being paired up together...especially Ray.


This final part really emphasised Ray's cockiness.
You can feel it melting way as the bonds keep piling on.

To say that I'm anxious for the next chapter would be something of an understatement.
Don't keep us waiting too long [mention]wataru14[/mention]
This saga is such a thriller!

[wataru14]

I'm afraid I'm struggling to like Ray. I know he's trying to look out for his Mason and be a supportive and protective friend but at the same time he clearly underestimates and belittles him. Mason only got invited out of pity. Mason doesn't stand a chance of getting in without my help. I'm going to make a stupid bet and risk Mason's chance because I know best. He's just winding me up! I hope his experience with the TUG fraternity along with Mason's will help to rebalance their friendship. I just feel he needs a bit more respect for Mason.

I think that attitude adjustment is already beginning! Love the way Shane has so easily manipulated Ray into his current predicament and I'm impressed at how long his bravado seems to be lasting as he is more and more trussed up. Once the tape is added I think he's going to learn a lesson in humility and the power of multiple layers of bondage.

Characters need to grow and in order to do that, they need to start somewhere, lol. But in real-life friendships between people like Ray and Mason that I've seen, the relationship they have is what you usually get. One thinks they're the captain of the ship and that the other would be nothing without him. And that's what we have here. But as both grow and experience more, their relationship dynamic will change for the better. We'll be seeing more of Mason after Ray's scene is over and he'll be coming into his own quite well.

Ouf! As usual, I had to read this twice to be able to get all my thoughts in order.
So far, my vote is still solidly with Ray. I like him. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's believable and driven.

In the coming chapter, Shane has Ray exactly where he wants him and we'll get a little more insight as to why Ray is the way he is. And who knows how Mason will react when he hears about what Ray has done?

[bondagefreak]

[mention]wataru14[/mention] Don't spoil the surprise for us, my friend!
I can't speak for everyone, but as a big fan of realism, I genuinely enjoy Ray's flaws and imperfections. They're grating and so...real.
It's what makes these guys so human. The uneven/unlikely/imperfect relationships are a big plus for me.

Having said that, the light at the end of the tunnel is of course the sought outcome, but the journey getting there is what keeps me fully invested. What I'm trying to say is: don't spoil us with spoilers!

[wataru14]

@wataru14 Don't spoil the surprise for us, my friend!

Having said that, the light at the end of the tunnel is of course the sought outcome, but the journey getting there is what keeps me fully invested. What I'm trying to say is: don't spoil us with spoilers!

I know, but it's so hard not to! When I get invested in writing I get so giddy I just want to blurt it all out just! I have to work on oversharing. Lol

[TiedupNick]

I'm only on page 4 of 8 but I just have to say that this story instantly got me hooked and isn't letting go!

Incredible writing style, descriptions bring the reader right there and just WOW!

I have literally read novels by well known authors that are boring as shit compared to this!

I am in awe!

[wataru14]

I'm only on page 4 of 8 but I just have to say that this story instantly got me hooked and isn't letting go!

Incredible writing style, descriptions bring the reader right there and just WOW!

I have literally read novels by well known authors that are boring as shit compared to this!

I am in awe!

Thank you so much! It really means a lot to get feedback from a new reader. Glad you like!!!

[wataru14]

Here is the next part of our tale. The update after that will be somewhat delayed. I am an actor and have a show opening next weekend (my first time back onstage since May of 2019!). We're entering crunch rehearsals and tech week, so I will have little free time for a while. I'll write when I can, but it may take some time to continue.


Bid Night Part 6 – Walk Like an Egyptian

Ray stood stoically as the three Seniors surrounded him. There was only one layer left and then he would show them all. He was ready for their little game. There wasn’t a game he’d seen that he couldn’t win. This one was tougher than he expected, true, but that just made his inevitable victory all the sweeter. He affected a bored look on his face as Brett bent down and began to unroll his tape.

Wait a minute. That didn’t sound like tape. There was no plastic squelch as the material was pulled off the roll. There was almost no sound at all. That’s when the realization hit him. That wasn’t tape. It was gauze. Thick, strong, sticky gauze. Since he was wearing pants, he couldn’t feel it against his skin fully as Brett began to apply it, but he could feel enough to know. His fear was confirmed as he felt Shane start to wrap his roll around his bare torso.

Now he began to sweat. He wasn’t expecting this and he wouldn’t be able to power out of it. Tape could be popped easily, gauze couldn’t. It would conform to his body and stretch with him. It would take monumental force to break it and, for once, Ray wasn’t sure he was up to the task. A sinking feeling of dread filled Ray’s mind as the gauze was unrolled around his body and covered over his already zipted and roped limbs. Brett was at his feet going up, Danny at his waist going around, and Shane at his shoulders going down. Ray’s already bound extremities slowly disappeared underneath layer after layer of the stretchy black fabric. Each pass was overlapped with the previous one, assuming maximum surface area coverage. Each layer pressing in tighter and tighter. Ray puffed out his chest, taking deep breaths. If he didn’t, the pressure from the layers upon layers enveloping him would make it hard to breathe fully.

Like the coils of giant snake, Ray watched helplessly as he was methodically wrapped. It took an agonizingly long time but as he watched, Ray saw his chiseled body slowly disappearing inside a stretchy black cocoon. “What’s wrong?” Shane teased. “You’re really quiet all of a sudden. Where’s that fire I saw earlier?” Ray, for once, didn’t rise to the bait. If he was going to have any chance at escaping this, he needed to stay completely focused. He couldn’t let Shane psych him out.

Three, four full rolls of gauze were expended on him, and when his captors had finished to their satisfaction, not an inch of Ray could be seen other than his feet and head. He squirmed a little, but not too much, afraid to lose his balance. Shane and Danny grabbed him gently from either side and lowered him to the floor on his stomach while Brett took out his phone and set the timer.

“Ten minutes starts now!” he said, and hit the start button.

Ray stayed still for a moment, gathering his strength and focusing his resolve. When he felt the tension building to the breaking point, he flexed his arms and chest as hard as he could. He felt the tight plastic of the zipties under his wrappings cutting into his flesh. Just a bit more… Urrrggghhhh!!! With all his might, Ray strained against his bonds, but all he got was a stinging pain in his arms. If there was no stretchy gauze around his body, the zipties would have shattered by now, leaving him with only the ropes to contend with. But with the mummy wrappings covering his body, he just couldn’t get enough power built up to force the plastic ties apart.

Ray howled and groaned, the veins in his neck and forehead swelling and bulging. Danny got a worried look and grabbed a pair of fabric scissors from the display case, but Shane held him back. “No,” Shane said. “Not yet. He’ll be OK. He’s only going to hurt himself if he keeps trying to power out. He’ll realize that won’t work soon enough.” Danny looked doubtful, but stayed put. He still held the scissors in his hands, though.

Realizing that power alone wasn’t going to get him anywhere, Ray changed tactics. He’d have to get rid of the gauze first and foremost. Then he could try his other escape tricks. He started wriggling and squirming, trying to open some flaw in the bindings he could exploit. He crawled like a worm to the leg of a nearby table and started rubbing against it, hoping to loosen the stretchy layers encasing him. But no flaw was to be found. Every move Ray made, the gauze conformed to it. It stretched with him. Moved with him. Hugged his body’s every contour. And the sticky underside made each layer cling to the one underneath, forming an impenetrable shell. He had given up counting time internally, figuring he’d need that concentration to help with his escape. But it all seemed so pointless now. Ray’s worry started to build, and he wasn’t used to that.

“Five minutes,” Brett called.

“So much for ‘half the time,’” Shane gloated. Ray ignored that insult and renewed his efforts, thrashing and squirming like mad. His body was drenched with sweat and the sting of the zipties was almost unbearable. He hadn’t made any headway at all! But he had to do this! He wasn’t just fighting for himself, after all. That thought began to rise in his head, filling him with guilt. How could he do that to Mason? How could he gamble with his friend’s future like that? Once this was over, Ray knew he had some serious soul-searching to do.

As the seconds ticked away, Ray began to grunt and curse. He was losing control now. Panic began to set in. How much time did he have left? Not enough. He had to be getting near the end. Ray realized that escape was now completely impossible. He was going to fail. He let himself down and, more importantly, he had let Mason down. Would his friend ever forgive him for ruining his chance at a bid? Would they really turn Mason out because of Ray’s big mouth? Were they really THAT type of people?

“Thirty seconds,” Brett droned.

“That was it,” Ray thought glumly. “It’s over.” But he wasn’t going out like that. He wouldn’t give up, no matter how hopeless. He wasn’t some little bitch who would roll over and die when things got bleak. He’d show them what he was made of. With a final bellow, like some kind of mad bull, Ray flexed for all he was worth. He felt the zipties burst from around his arms, but the gauze held firm. When Brett called “time,” Ray finally conceded. He laid on his back, his bound hands pinned beneath him, and panted heavily.

“Sorry, man,” Shane said. “Looks like it wasn’t your day.” Brett and Danny hoisted Ray up and sat him in a chair while Shane took the scissors. “Thanks, guys, I’ll take it from here,” he told the others. “Danny, you have some afterglow to snuff out, it seems. Try and break the news to him gently.” There was a weight to Shane’s words that Ray realized was added to rub it in exactly how severely he had screwed up. Ray slumped into the chair, his head down. He had failed them both. With his gaze firmly rooted to the floor, he didn’t see Shane shoot Danny a subtle hand signal. Danny saw it and nodded, then he and Brett left without another word.

“Well that’s that,” Shane said. “Looks like you don’t have the right stuff to be a TUG Brother after all. Maybe you should try DIX. Their Rush Party is next weekend. You’re more their type anyway.”

Ray didn’t respond. He was too full of shame from his failure and disappointment over what he did to Mason.

“No words?” Shane said. “No curses? No ‘fuck you guys, I didn’t want to be here anyway?’ I’m surprised.”

“I’m not used to losing,” Ray said. “Failing at something I set out to do. I need a minute.”

“Understood. Take your time,” Shane said, pulling up a chair and sitting across from Ray.

“It stings,” Ray said after a long moment. “And not just from the zipties.”

“A man can’t always win,” Shane said. “Losing keeps you humble. That’s something you need to learn.” There was a kindness in Shane’s tone that was absent before. Ray felt a little better.

“I have to be a winner,” Ray said. “It’s all I have.” Shane crossed his legs and folded his arms, giving Ray the feeling that he wanted to hear more. Ray hesitated. Was this really the time to get personal? Bound up like a sausage in front of a guy he’d probably never see again after he was cut free? He looked at Shane and felt a weird vibe. An inviting, friendly vibe. He didn’t understand why, but suddenly he felt the desire to spill his soul. He didn’t want Shane to think of him as “the dumb meathead who bit off more than he could chew.” He wanted Shane to understand. He was owed that, at least.

“I’m the middle child of seven,” Ray said. “And with a family that big, you can get lost in the shuffle. Especially in my family. Dad was a marine and ran the house like boot camp. Perfectionist in everything. You came in second in a race? That was the first loser. Got a B on a test when you could have done better? Grounded. There was no place for second best in his eyes. Either you were the top or you were nothing.”

“We were constantly competing with each other for his approval,” Ray continued, unsure of why he was revealing so much to the man about to send him packing. “And that spilled over into life outside the house. I was always trying to be the best at home, so much that I didn’t know any other way to be.”

“In school people were always drawn to me, but I think it was out of jealousy more than friendship. Some people can’t be happy unless they were tearing someone else down and I think deep down that people only hung out with me so they could be close by when I finally failed. Get their laughs. I could see the resentment whenever I collected another trophy. Or won another class election. The only one who wasn’t like that was…” Ray trailed off.

“Mason,” Shane said, finishing his sentence.

“He was the only one who ever seemed genuinely happy for me,” Ray said. “The only one who cared about me as a person and not as some kind of idol.”

“You two do seem to have something pretty special,” Shane observed.

“Yeah,” Ray scoffed. “And look at how I treat him now. Ignoring him at the party. I don’t even know where he is right now. And even worse than that, I gambled his bid, too. I had no right to do that.”

“No, you didn’t,” Shane said. “Tell me why you did it. Why did you think he even needed your help?”

“Come on, man,” Ray said. “He’s shy, quiet, unconfident. Not the type to stand out in a crowd. I know that there’s layers to him and that he’s a great guy, but most others don’t. At the party while we were playing B-ball he just stood there alone. No one even noticed him until that cowboy…” Ray trailed off, remembering his other screw-up.

“And what makes you think we didn’t notice him?” Shane asked. Ray had no answer. “We were watching him as much as we were watching you. Shy we can deal with. It’s not hard to bring people out with the right leverage. Cody saw that, too. He has a lot of potential, and just between you and me, he didn’t need your help. His Big Bro was 100% behind giving him a bid, on his own merits, before you stepped in a shit on it. Why did you decide to bring him into this bet?”

“Because I was so confident that I’d succeed that I didn’t think it would matter,” Ray said. “I didn’t appreciate him or even consider he could get a bid without me. Looks like the joke’s on me, huh?” The gauze bands were beginning to chafe and Ray’s arms had gone numb from the tightness of the ropes underneath. He shifted his weight in the chair to relieve some of the stress. “But it doesn’t matter now. I fucked up my chances AND his.”

“I’m sorry,” Shane said. “But those were the stakes. You could have backed down or offered something else as a wager, but you accepted the terms. I only went along with what you proposed. Now you have to learn to live with your decisions.” Shane picked up the scissors and walked over to Ray.

“Wait!” Ray said. “Don’t do this to him. I’ll go. I fucked up and I deserve it. I’ll figure out something to tell my dad. But that doesn’t matter. Mason didn’t do anything. He needs this. More than I do, really. Just give him his bid. Don’t let him get hurt because of my ego. And don’t deny yourself the chance to have him. As much as I don’t realize it a lot of time, he’s worth it.”

Shane stopped. He looked down at Ray inquisitively.

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Ray said. “I’ll be a spy for you guys with DIX. I’ll clean your house, mow your lawn, anything. I’ll be your slave if it means Mason doesn’t have to pay for my mistake. You can torture me, humiliate me. I’ll take it and won’t complain. Anything if it means you won’t punish him because I was stupid.”

“Interesting,” Shane said. “What if I said you had to do all that work naked? Or in a French maid costume? What if I said we’d put pictures up of that all over campus? Make you a complete laughing stock to the whole campus?”

“I’d say you’re a bunch of assholes and I’d wonder why Mason would want to be a part of something like that,” Ray snapped. “But he does. So I’d do it. If it meant he’d be in, I’d do it with a smile. No matter what.”

“You’d really debase yourself like that for his benefit?” Shane asked. “Even after everything you’ve told me?”

“I don’t want to,” Ray said. “I’m not the kind of guy who gets off on that stuff, but if that’s what it takes, that’s what I’ll do. For him.”

Shane put down the scissors. “Finally!” he said, sitting down again. “That’s what I wanted to hear from you. It might not seem like it on the surface, but for all the macho posturing and testosterone around here, we are a brotherhood. A real one with lifetime bonds. We’re not looking for social climbers or people just looking to pad a resume. That’s what the others thought you were. Someone who couldn’t care about anyone else as much as he cared about himself. We’re looking for men who understand the importance of connecting with other people. To make a whole greater than the sum of its parts.”

“I know what you and Mason were doing in the locker room when your letters arrived,” Shane continued. “Don’t ask me how. The other guys just saw a kinky little dominance game, but I saw different. I saw what it really was. Two people who shared such a deep friendship that they would do anything for each other. No matter how weird or awkward.”

Ray grew red with embarrassment. He felt Shane’s words piercing his heart and he was mortified that someone saw him in that private moment. But then he stopped. “Stop worrying about what it looks like to other people,” he thought. “You were doing something that your best friend wanted and that’s it. You don’t have to give a fuck about other people’s approval.”

“You’re beginning to understand,” Shane continued, reading Ray’s inner monologue from his facial expressions. “Your little roleplay showed me a lot. That you could be the type who puts aside his image and goes outside his comfort zone for a friend. That you do appreciate him, even if you have a hard time showing it. It’s exactly the kind of thing I was looking for and it showed me you have potential. That’s why I chose you. Based on what you told me before I probably shouldn’t say this, but I had first pick of the Pledges and you were the first one claimed.” Shane grinned and Ray couldn’t help but smile, as well.

“But that alone wasn’t enough,” Shane continued. “This party was the real test. I didn’t fault you for attacking Cody, but abandoning Mason to play B-ball with me as soon as you got here was a test you flunked big time. And betting Mason’s bid was even worse. I was ready to honor our bargain and send you both packing until a few minutes ago, but our conversation has changed my mind.”

Ray’s face brightened. “Does that mean Mason…”

A look of triumph appeared on Shane’s face. “And that’s what I was looking for,” he said, adding a “Suck it, Danny” under his breath before addressing Ray again. “You finally passed one of my tests. Mason was never in any danger. What kind of assholes do you think we are? You think we’d really kick a worthy Prospect out of the pledge class because of someone else’s actions? DIX does shit like that, not us. His Big Brother should be collecting him shortly.”

“Thank you,” Ray said, genuinely relieved. “Just look after Mason for me. He wants to develop himself and grow. He wants to get big and strong and toughen himself up. I promised to help him with that, but it looks like I have to step aside and let someone else take over.”

Shane nodded solemnly. “That’s something for his Big Brother to work on with him. But don’t worry. We’ll take good care of him. But you’ll still be able to be friends. We’re not like some groups that turn insular and keep their Pledges apart from non-Brothers. I just hope that you start treating him more like an equal and less like a child.”

“I will. You helped me see how I was doing him wrong. But that will definitely change.” Ray’s words hung in the air as Shane looked him over, deep in thought. “Well, I guess that’s it, then,” Ray finally said. “You can cut me loose now. I’ll collect my things and be on my way. And don’t worry. I won’t tell DIX anything I learned while I was here.”

“Yeah,” Shane said. “It’s not going to go that way.” Shane diverted Ray’s attention by looking quickly at the door and as soon as the bound wrestler fell for his ploy, Shane attacked. He grabbed another roll of the black gauze and plastered it over Ray’s mouth. Bound as he was, Ray couldn’t do much to avoid him, but he tried. He lurched his cocooned body to the right, but Shane anticipated that and cut him off. “You always go right first,” Shane said. “I noticed that in our basketball game. You’ll have to work on that.”

With lightning speed, Shane pulled the tape across Ray’s mouth and around his head. Again and again. As he added more layers, he traveled down Ray’s chin and neck, forming a tight seal with the gauze already around his torso. Ray grunted and bucked as the gauze enveloped him further, but he was too tired from struggling and in to tight a bind to be able to stop Shane from encasing his lower jaw in the sticky bands.

“The fact that you asked about Mason’s bid first and didn’t try to weasel one for yourself spoke novels about you, my friend,” Shane said, patting Ray on his cocooned shoulder. “You finally thought about putting someone else first. I knew you had it in you.”

Ray sat puzzled while Shane dialed his phone. “Hoss,” he said. “I need an extraction. Yeah, he passed. Barely. It was touch and go for a while but he pulled through, just like I said he would. You and Danny both owe me a sixpack. Anyway, can you and Scott come up to the study room and help a brother out? This one’s a handful I can’t transport him myself. You can leave those two alone for a minute. They’ll be fine.” Shane hung up the phone. He leaned against the wall for a moment with a smarmy smile on his face, watching Ray confusedly grunt and wriggle.

“As your probably figured out, you’re in,” Shane said. “But you almost weren’t. I hope you can learn something from this.” Ray happily grunted an affirmative as Hoss and Scott entered the room. “I’ll leave the heavy lifting to you two,” Shane said with a smirk as Hoss and Scott scooped Ray up from the chair and carried him out the door towards the basement.
As Ray was carried he didn’t struggle or fight. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen and he realized that sometimes you just have to let things fall where they will. Despite his restrictive situation, he trusted Shane. “You are the third,” Ray’s new Big Brother said. “Your two brothers will soon join you and the ritual can begin. Welcome to the 2021 pledge class of Tau Upsilon Gamma.”

Coming Soon: Bid Night Interlude & Part 7: Alone in the Dark & Coitus Interruptus

[Volobond]

I'm very impressed with Shane's reflexes, instincts, and ability to intuit the actions and thoughts of others. He's a smart cookie, and I really like that he would've allowed Mason in even if Ray had failed the tests.

[gag1195]

While I'm personally bummed that Shane and Leo aren't the pair, I am extremely happy that Shane is showing his great charisma and intelligence. He was so exacting in choosing his pledge, and is already imparting important lessons before Ray is officially in (and might not have gotten in!) I love that he had this intense conversation while Ray was wrapped up in front of him! Shane is 100% my favorite senior! I also hope that he lets Ray tie him up sometime down the line!

[socjuc]

Wow this Shane dude is a piece of work...he must be a psych major. He has Ray's reactions figured out well in advance and knows how he will react. I like how Shane got Ray to sing like a canary....Yeah Ray is still wet behind the ears in comparison....

The next chapters and what they got themselves into will be interesting....they may regret it!


Hey good luck with the show and preparations [mention]wataru14[/mention]

[KidnappedCowboy]

“Wait!” Ray said. “Don’t do this to him. I’ll go. I fucked up and I deserve it. I’ll figure out something to tell my dad. But that doesn’t matter. Mason didn’t do anything. He needs this. More than I do, really. Just give him his bid. Don’t let him get hurt because of my ego. And don’t deny yourself the chance to have him. As much as I don’t realize it a lot of time, he’s worth it.”

And that is friendship!

Loved this chapter. Thank you, [mention]wataru14[/mention]...And Break A Leg!!

[TiedupNick]

I'm reeeeeeealllly regretting not going to a 4 year college out of high school now!

Shane is by far my favorite senior, while I'm torn between Mason, Nate, and Leo as my favorite pledges. I'm leaning Nate right now, and that's how I voted seeing as how he's the one I think that I see myself in the most.

Bravo, and good luck on your show! Your fans here will be waiting for your triumphant return!

Nick

[cj2125]

Got to admit, from all the pledges, Ray was my least favorite. I get where he was comming but I just couldn't help myself to like him, especially after how he didn't really seem to respect Mason but this chapter finally gave him a good smack and some much needed character growth. I'm looking forward to him after this! Great Job!

Now just Mason and Leo left. I'm looking forwards to that!

[gaggedfeety]

Another great chapter!! I know Ray is just looking out for his friend, but I think he really saw for the first time that Mason will be just fine. I think letting go of the reins won't be easy so I'm curious to see that progress.

[Pup Wingletang]

Loved that scene with Shane uncovering the history behind Ray and helping to show him the error of his ways. I really hope this opens a new chapter in Ray and Mason's friendship. He's definitely on the path to redemption in my eyes.

Caged, bagged and mummified - I wonder what's next...

[mention]wataru14[/mention] Good luck with the show. I'm heading towards a similar period myself although from the other side of the lights! It's good to be making theatre again.

[george_bound]

Well wow that was unexpected (not that Ray couldn't free himself, that was pretty obvious ), Ray really laid it all on the table and Shane was great at getting him to see how he might need to adjust his attention and protectionist ways toward Mason as well as examine his own personal outlook. Now I'm interested to see how Danny handles Mason .
On a side note, I love how Hoss is always called in to do the "heavy lifting", hahaha!

Have a great show and break a leg... if you need someone to watch over the captives... I mean pledges... in your absence, I'm here for ya (Cody's gotta be getting pretty numb by now in that tight hogtie!).

[wataru14]

Managed to get a little writing done this week after all!


Bid Night Interlude: Alone in the Dark

After Hoss left the basement, Cody felt a little more at ease. He didn’t quite know what to make of the big man yet, but he knew for sure that Scott wasn’t out to do him any harm. He wriggled a little in his hogtie, testing out the ropes he was bound up in, but they held firm. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, that was for sure. And even if he could get loose from the ropes, there was still the matter of the cage to deal with. And he knew there was no way out of THAT until someone opened the door from the outside. So the only thing he could do was wait it out.

He was beginning to cramp a little, but not badly. Normally hogties were used for short-term restraint, not long-term storage. He figured that the guys here knew that, so he was confident he wouldn’t be here super long, at least. Scott was sitting on the stage playing with his phone and not paying Cody much attention. Every so often he’d look up to make sure his charge wasn’t suffocating, but otherwise he was too engrossed in catching Pokemon to do anything else. When Scott did look up, Cody made an effort to get his attention, grunting and mpphhgging through his shirt gag, but Scott mostly ignored him.

“Now that’s not very neighborly,” Cody thought. Out of all his restraints, the gag was the weakest link, and Cody was sure he could get it loose if he tried. The fabric in his mouth was heavier and sturdier than normal gag material, so it wasn’t secured as well as it could be. He began rubbing it downward against the bars of his cage, and after a few minutes, the thick fabric rolled out from between his teeth and hung limply around his neck. “Whew!” he exclaimed. “You boys sure know your ropes. Care to tell me what the hell’s going on?”

Hearing Cody speak, Scott looked up from his phone. “So you did manage to work that out of your mouth,” Scott said. “I was planning on using your bandana, but you didn’t have it on you. So we had to improvise.”

“I figured,” Cody laughed. “I’m not weirded out by being tied up like this. It happens when guys horse around, I know that. But what’s with this dungeon setup? Are you guys planning to sell me into sex slavery or something?”

“Well, there is going to be a pledge auction in a few weeks,” Scott admitted, “but nothing like THAT. It’s all part of the process. Fraternities are very big on ritual and tradition and this is the way it’s always been done. The cage was my own idea. Out of everyone, I figured you would be the most likely to be able to escape on your own, so I brought out the heavy hardware.”

Cody smiled. “That would be a good bet. I’m normally pretty good at getting loose, but you two did a killer job,” Cody said, giving one more futile attempt at slipping his hands out from the ropes. “And it’s kinda fun anyway.” Cody gave a small pause and then said, “You mentioned ‘others.’ Please tell me Nate is getting in.”

“Hoss is testing him right now,” Scott said. “It’s all up to him. He seems like a nice dude, but he’s got an uphill battle getting on Hoss’ good side.”

“He’ll do it,” Cody said confidently and without any hesitation. “I know he will. He’s smart and honest and from what I saw of Hoss, he’ll respect that.”

“Yeah,” Scott said, lighting a cigarette. “He will. But one thing Hoss doesn’t deal with is prissies. I hope Nate’s not afraid of getting a little dirty.” Cody wasn’t so sure about that part, but he was confident in Nate’s abilities. But there was nothing he could do about that currently. All there was to do now was wait.

Scott and Cody chatted for a little while longer until Scott got a text from Hoss. “Looks like a decision has been made,” Scott smirked. He got up and walked over to the cage. “They’ll be coming down soon and I’ll catch hell if they think I’ve been slack with you. So the gag’s gotta go back in. Scoot over to the bars so I can fix it.”

Cody grimaced, but realized it needed to be done. He was grateful Scott gave him some respite so they could talk, but he was right. Hell, it’s just for a little longer. Cody wriggled forward as best he could being hogtied as well as he was and Scott reached through the bars of the cage to reapply the gag. It looked solid but wasn’t terribly well done, Cody realized, a little gift from Scott. He could remove it himself, if necessary, without too much effort.

Just after Scott finished, the door to the basement opened and Hoss’ heavy footsteps came tromping down the stairs. He had a thick canvas sack slung over his shoulder and something, or someone, inside was squirming around. It was definitely a person inside, and Cody anxiously tried to gauge whether it was Nate. The enveloped person looked around Nate’s size, but Cody realized he never saw the other Prospect, so he couldn’t be sure. Maybe they were similar in build? Hoss gently put the sack down on the floor next to Cody’s cage and sat on a chair in the corner.

The sack wriggled and squirmed and occasional muffled grunts came from inside, accompanied by the jangling of chains. “Pipe down in there,” Hoss grunted. He grabbed a spongy NERF ball from the floor and hurled it at the sack. It bounced off and rolled away. “It won’t be too long. And you should be happy. I went easy on you. The next one’s gonna get it a lot worse.” The figure in the bag settled down a bit.

Cody grunted at Scott, but the Senior just smirked. “I bet you want to know who’s in there,” he teased. “Well that would spoil the surprise. You’ll find out soon enough.” Cody realized he wasn’t going to get anywhere pleading with Scott, so he readjusted his position to take some stress off his shoulders and laid back.

“So what do you think his chances are?” Scott asked Hoss.

“Dunno,” Hoss shrugged. “Could go either way.”

“He’s got an uphill battle, that’s true,” Scott said, walking on the edge of the stage like a balance beam. “But if anyone can salvage a lost cause, it’s Shane.”

The two seniors conversed for a while about “him” and what “he” was going through with Shane. Based on what they were saying, Cody guessed they were talking about Ray. His brief interaction with Ray wasn’t pleasant, but Cody couldn’t bring himself to hold a grudge. If the situation was reversed, he probably would have done the same for Nate. But things looked grim for Ray, from what Cody heard. Both Seniors thought Ray was looking for another achievement, rather than having a genuine desire to join. They doubted his ability to put others first. Cody couldn’t blame them, but he thought differently. He could see Ray’s loyalty and dedication clear enough, but would Shane?

As the two Seniors continued to talk, Cody noticed that whenever Scott asked Hoss about what happened in the garage, the big man got a little awkward and evasive. Whatever did happen included car repair, and that didn’t sit well with Cody. He didn’t picture Nate as a greasemonkey and Hoss made it clear that his bagged captive knew his way around a toolbox. A sinking feeling developed in his stomach.

After about a half an hour of Scott bitching that he had to be down here and not upstairs at the party, Hoss got a text. “If you wanted to be up there more, you should have waited before snatching the cowboy,” Hoss retorted. “No one said you had to go first. Only that Brett would be last.”

“I know,” Scott said as Hoss checked the message. “But what was I supposed to do? After the battle royale I had to do something.” Scott jokingly kicked the cage. “I hope you appreciate this, maggot,” he teased. “I’m missing out on a real banger out there to babysit you. You better be worth it.” He flashed a friendly smile at Cody that Hoss was too engrossed in his phone to notice.

“Well shit!” Hoss said. “Looks like he pulled through after all. Shane needs an extraction.”

“Lemme guess,” Scott said. “He wants us to go up and do the transport? Figures Mr. Perfect is too dainty to do the grunt work himself.” Hoss chuckled and the two Seniors headed upstairs. Scott flashed Cody a small look, which Cody understood to mean that said he would have a bit of free time. But not much.

When the basement door closed again, Cody slipped his gag and whispered “Nate? Is that you?” There was frantic mumbling and thrashing from the bag in response. “Grunt once for yes and twice for no.”

One grunt came from the bag, along with the tinkle of the chains moving. Cody felt a wave of relief. “Alright, buddy!” he said. “I knew you’d do it! But it looks like they did you up pretty good! Me too, but not too bad. They got me in some kinda cage, though.”

Nate grunted again, concerned. “I’m fine,” Cody reassured. Suddenly worried, he asked, “You got enough air in there?” The bag grunted once again and rolled a little so Cody could see the rivet holes. “Good. But we both made it! We’re in! I knew you’d be able to impress Hoss. I just knew it! The others should be along soon enough. I think they’re going to get Ray. That leaves only two. I hope it’s Mason and Leo. But the important thing is that we did it! We’re gonna take this place by storm. It’s gonna be a great four years. When we get outta here…”

Cody’s speech was interrupted by the obvious jangling of keys in the basement door lock. A signal from Scott, Cody thought. Cody quickly worked his gag back in as the door opened and three sets of footsteps coming down, carrying something heavy.

Cody craned his neck to see Shane coming down the stairs with a satisfied look on his face. Behind him was Hoss and Scott, carrying a human form almost completely mummified in black gauze. Only his head from nose up was uncovered. Cody immediately recognized Ray, but was surprised by his demeanor. Based on what he knew, the blonde wrestler should have been fighting something fierce, but he seemed OK with his state and didn’t resist at all as he was carried in and laid down on the floor next to the cage, on the opposite side of Nate. The two made eye contact and Cody saw a different side to Ray. He had learned something important up there and was deep in thought. Cody wondered what happened.

Shane checked his phone. “Danny should be collecting his pledge soon,” he said. “And he has a request. He wants…” Shane did his best ominous Bela Lugosi as Dracula impression. “The X. Gwa ha ha.”

Scott rolled his eyes. “Of course he wants to be dramatic,” he said. “Why can’t he just hogtie his Pledge like a normal person?”

“Come on,” Shane scoffed. “Things worth doing are worth doing well. I admire his creativity. But I don’t know why you dislike the X so much. Just because it was used on you on OUR Pledge Night doesn’t mean…”

“OK, OK, enough of that,” Scott said, chuckling. “Where is the little guy, anyway?” Scott held up his phone. “Buzz from topside is that he went AWOL after the dance party. Did he leave or something?”

“Not quite,” Shane said. “He and a few ladies from Delta Delta went up to the Boom Boom Room.”

“No shit!” Hoss said, quite impressed. “If that’s true it’s a new record. Beat your time by half an hour, Scott.”

“Good for him,” Scott said, only a little upset that his record for “Getting Laid the Fastest” was broken. “But you did say ‘Boom Boom Room,’ right?”

“That I did,” Shane said. He turned on a laptop computer that was sitting on a side table. “And you know what that means. We can take a peek at the festivities. If you two will be so kind as to retrieve the X, I’ll get the feed set up.”

Hoss grumbled and got up. “Yeah, you fuck around with toys while the real men do the work. Just like always,” he said. Shane mimed an arrow hitting him in the chest and blew a kiss as Scott and Hoss walked off into a side room of the basement. Nate was flying completely blind inside his sack prison, but Cody and Ray could see clearly. They watched with growing curiosity as the sounds of boxes being moved around came from the side room, followed by the sound of something heavy being dragged across the concrete floor.

Scott appeared in the doorway, his back to the room. He was dragging something large, which was also being pushed by Hoss from the other side. Cody’s eyes grew wide as a giant wooden X-frame was pulled across the floor and brought into position next to Nate. The front surface was covered in black leather padding and leather cuffs hung from each corner. And it wasn’t faux leather, it was the real deal! Cody felt a powerful swelling rising up in his jeans pressed against the floor of his cage and he was a little jealous that he wasn’t the one who would get to experience the X. Maybe he could talk to Scott about that sometime…

“We gotta adjust it,” Hoss said. “He’s a short one.” Scott nodded and slightly increased the length of the chains that tethered the cuffs to the frame. “That’ll do. If Danny wants to play with this thing, he can do the fine work.”

“And we have video!” Shane said, turning the laptop to face the room. Cody couldn’t see much, but he saw what looked like a king-sized bed with four figures on it. One of them looked like his hands were tied to the bedposts. Pleasured moaning and giggling came through the laptop’s speakers. “And audio, too.” The three Brothers excitedly gathered around the screen, blocking Cody’s view. Ray grunted through his gauze gag as the unmistakable voice of Mason blared through the speakers.

“Mmmmmm. Oh, fuck yeah!” echoed through the basement. Scott and Hoss high-fived as they huddled closer to watch.

Coming Soon: Bid Night Part 7 – Coitus Interruptus (warning: includes FFF/M)

[Volobond]

Lol if they DID want to sell a cute caged cowboy, I'd totally buy! I wasn't much into Scott at first but seeing him with Cody makes me happy that they'd be good friends, and Cody can bring out the softie from behind the party boy bluster. Also I just love Cody and his nonchalance and CUTENESS!

Anyway, I'm very excited about the use of the x-frame and excited to see all the pledges captured! Also, a little creepy that the "Boom Boom Room" has cameras hooked up, but hey, that's what you get when you decide to have random sex in a seedy frat house And kudos to those ladies for keeping the boy tied up!

[CowboyStud]

I’m more into Cody now than I am in Nate… the cowboy wins it for me

[KidnappedCowboy]

So sorry that Nate is unable to see what Cody and Ray can...all the equipment positioned for the pledges!

Just love how Ray appears completely at home whilst mummified.

Will it be Leo who is bound to the St. Andrew's Cross?

[gag1195]

Loved seeing the parade of pledges from Cody's perspective! He and Scott already have a great relationship. I also love Cody's concern for Nate, similar to Ray's concern for Mason. And even though they might have plenty to learn about each other, there is such great camaraderie between these pledges!

I can't wait to see Mason on the cross, and whatever bondage fate awaits Leo!

[bondagefreak]

[mention]wataru14[/mention]
I was positively thrilled to see a new chapter from you earlier this afternoon.
I was going to bump this thread up with my review of "Part 6 - Walk Like an Egyptian" later tonight, but seeing as how I have another chapter to review later, I'll drop my review on Part 6 right now.

In all honesty, Part 6 was my favourite chapter to date.
I read it twice and just reread it again a couple minutes ago.

Ray is just so fabulously flawed and human.
His post-failure exchange with Shawn has even further cemented him as my favourite pledge.
All of these guys show real potential for growth and three-dimensionality, but Ray is - for me at least - the most human.

I was greatly saddened to find out about his upbringing and the overly competitive hierarchy that ruled his father's household.
I'm honestly really glad not to have grown up with a dad like that. My dad - and mum - were always so proud of me when I got Bs or even passing grades in subjects that weren't my strong suit.

I know all the comments are about how great and brilliant Shane is, but the way I see it, the exchange added so much depth to Ray's character. This chapter was about him, far more so than it was about Shane. I can understand Ray's motivations and understand the reasoning behind his competitive and brash behaviour now. He's a good guy with a golden heart. Here's to hoping some of my fellow readers come to realise that.


All in all, phenomenal work, my friend.
The bondage and failed escape was, of course, hot and arousing. But those horny scenes pale in comparison to the thoughtful and deep exchanges you manage to inject this saga with. Truly a gem if ever I've seen one. The poor folks who've not yet started reading this are seriously missing out.