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

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Who should Mason save?

NATE: plug gag, gorilla tape bonds, nipple clamps
2
9%
CODY: duct tape gag, handcuffs, Icy Hot
5
23%
LEO: Hoss' sock gag, rope bonds, tickle torture
11
50%
RAY: bandana gag, slave harness, in his underwear
4
18%
HIMSELF
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 22

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gag1195
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Post by gag1195 »

Its going to be an awkward few days in the TUG house, that's for sure. Jovial mood of the celebration aside, that undercurrent of tension is going to linger. I love how complex all these characters are, and the little tidbits we are getting about them. It looks like Brett has some serious skeletons in his closet, but its endearing that even after his callous behavior tonight, his fellow seniors still care about him. Even Leo is concerned about his Big Bro, in his own way.

And of course, the defining moment was what many of us theorized- the united front of the freshmen willing to stand up and walk out with Ray! TUG definitely has a bright future with their membership- if they can overcome the yet more trials I'm sure they have ahead of them!

So many great moments, so much lingering drama- Danny's attempted coup, Ray doubting Shane, Hoss and Nate being the worst kept secret relationship of all time, Ray and Cody "officially" reconciling, Mason going toe to toe with Brett at his worst. Looking forward to hearing Nate's plan, and of course, I can't wait to hear what Leo learns about Mr. President and the mysterious Advisor. But I am worried... Something's rotten in the state of TUG...
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Post by Bradstick »

This is the exact ending I was hoping for. Hoss’s text also makes much more sense now. He knew he would have to vote yes but knew he could very well lose Nate if he did. I’m so glad Nate didn’t hold that against him.

Also Mason really went off this chapter. I have always though that when they eventually become seniors that Leo would take the chair, but now I’m not so sure. That would be one powerplay on Danny’s part if he is trying to have Mason be a better fit for chair than Brett’s pledge.

Also Brett is in need of some serious help. That could have been really bad and the other seniors were right, they played that perfectly. If the others had voted not guilty, Brett would have been extremely vindictive of Ray and it only would have gotten worse. And without the advisor guidance, he would for sure have tried to expel him.

Great chapter. I hope the next chapter is about Brett’s backstory from Leo’s perspective, he really needs to get back to his self like he was before he lost the ring.
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Post by blackbound »

Interesting, I was so sure about the technicality, but this is much better. Looking forward to seeing what's next.
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Post by wataru14 »


Brotherly Bonding Epilogue: What Leo Saw (Content Warning: drugs/addiction)

It was difficult for Leo to tear himself away from the basement. He was never much for sappy displays like that, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized Nate was right. The five of them did have something special. Something true. Leo had lots of “friends” in high school, to be sure, but nothing like this. He felt a stronger connection to some than to others growing up, of course, but most of his friends were either fellow delinquents who found themselves together out of mutual interest, or “benevolent acquaintances” that shared some hobbies or fandoms with him. Nothing that he felt would last beyond high school. Until now. He had several sorta-friends like Nate and Mason, shy nerds who would idolize him and give him the attention he craved. Let him be the coolest cat in the room. But never in a million years would he see himself going to bat for people like Ray and Cody. Maybe it was his own prejudices leaking out, but that was the truth. He didn’t quite know how to process that information.

“OK, focus,” Leo said to himself as he rounded the side yard towards the rear of the house. “I have a mission to accomplish.”

“But is that really it?” Leo’s brain interjected, unbidden. “Do you really want to do this or are you just looking for a reason to avoid thinking about what you’re feeling? Avoid. Ignore. Don’t take anything seriously. That’s our MO, isn’t it?”

“Shut up, brain,” Leo thought, “or I’ll stab you with a Q-tip!” It was true, though. Always the jokester and the clown, he started to think that maybe his entire persona was a ruse. A defense mechanism to keep him from actually having to feel anything. To form real connections. But he’d tried that before. Opening up and letting people in. “People just hurt and leave you when you love them,” Leo said to himself. “Just like… never mind. In the end, all you have is yourself to lean on. The one person who can’t leave you is you.”

“THEY won’t,” his brain said.

“Yeah? You think so?” Leo thought. “Maybe they won’t and maybe they will. Emotions are high and groupthink is a powerful drug. I want to believe it, but the last time I did… I don’t have to tell you what happened, do I?”

By this time, Leo had made his way to the tree in the rear yard. It was taller than the house and would allow for plenty of cover. The window to Brett’s office was still broken, so the people inside would be unable to shield their conversation from prying ears. He had considered eavesdropping at the door inside the house (it would certainly be warmer than out here at night), but the chance of being discovered was too high. Out here, he could be invisible. Doing a few quick stretches and hops, Leo jumped up and grabbed the trunk of the tree. He quickly shimmied up and grabbed a low-hanging bough, then hoisted himself up into the branches. From there, it was an easy thing to climb up, level with the third story, and find a perch that would give him cover and a good vantage point to listen. Tree care was apparently not a priority at TUG, and a strong bough ran just near enough to the wall to suit his purposes. Leo hunkered down, out of sight of the window, and focused his attention on the two occupants of the room beyond.

---

Brett sat slumped in the heavy chair, looking gaunt and haggard. His face was deathly pale and his cheeks were sunken in. His head hung limply down, his chin resting on his chest. His breathing was heavy, but even. The only thing keeping him from slipping out and falling to the floor were the leather straps holding him tight to the chair. Leo remembered this setup all too well. Brett’s wrists laid limply on the arms of the punishment chair, strapped down only moderately tightly with leather restraints, but he didn’t look like he had the strength to lift them on his own, anyway. The ring was on his finger. His chest was fettered with more leather straps, but that was more to anchor him to the seat and keep him from falling to the floor than anything punitive. He wasn’t gagged, but there was little need for that either. He just muttered weakly to himself. A sad and pathetic shadow of the man Leo knew he was. The faculty advisor stood off to the side, furrowing his brow and gazing intently at the Senior class portrait on the wall over one of the bookshelves. Brett and his four Brothers were pictured after winning the Greek Week Flag Football championship the previous year. They had their arms around each other in triumph and beaming smiles. Scott was pouring a flask into the cup of the trophy.

“The fault is mine, really,” the advisor said. “I made it too strong. Set the ‘dosage’ too high. I should have known that it would have had an addicting effect. Especially with you.”

Brett groaned from his chair. “No,” the advisor said. “Not right now. I turned it off. We need to recalibrate. Find the correct levels to wean you off safely. You’re using it too much.”

“Please,” Brett weakly said. “Turn it on. I need…”

The advisor stepped over to Brett and looked down at him with great concern. He reached down and rolled up the sleeves of Brett’s black TUG shirt, inspecting his arms carefully. Leo had never noticed them before, but now, with his awareness hyper-focused, he saw the ghosts of long-healed track marks on the inside of Brett’s elbow. “Nothing fresh,” the advisor said. “That’s good. I suppose I should check your toes and all that, but I don’t think that’s necessary. Your behavior has been so erratic lately I thought you might have relapsed. Shane thought the same. He’s called me several times this week. But it’s not that, is it? You’re hooked on something else now, aren’t you?”

Brett lifted his head as the faculty advisor used some medical equipment from his bag to check his vitals. “What did you tell him?” Brett gurgled. Leo could tell that Brett was crashing. Hardcore. He had seen his own father in this state many times. A wave of relief came over him that people had recognized the signs before it got to the point where… best not to think about that now.

“That I substituted one addiction for another?” the advisor said, a noticeable edge to his voice. “That I programmed your ring to administer your medication subcutaneously in controlled doses? Don’t worry, sonny. Your secret’s still safe with me. Although I wonder sometimes if I’m doing more harm than good.”

Brett’s breathing became heavier and more labored. The advisor clenched his teeth and went back to his briefcase. Sifting through the contents, he took out a small control device and switched it on. He turned a dial to the first setting. Leo could see the change in Brett almost instantly. The pallor in his skin returned and he blinked a few times. “Thanks,” he said, licking his lips to restore moisture.

“Yeah,” the advisor scoffed. “I’m a real pal.” There was a heavy pause. “It’s true, though. I have been meaning to start walking back the dosage. Try to get you clean in my own way. But I don’t know if you’re ready for that yet. Based on what we’ve seen in the past week, you wouldn’t be able to handle it. I know some people who run a clinic. Very hush-hush. We could check you in and…”

“NO!” Brett shouted. He struggled against the chair restraints for emphasis. “I can’t do that. Not now. If mom ever found out I couldn’t face her.”

At the mention of Brett’s mother, the advisor’s face darkened. “Brett,” he said. “I know I promised her I would look after you. Believe me, no one wants to spare her pain more than I do. You should know that better than anyone. But is this really the way to go about it? You had me very scared.” The advisor knelt down and took Brett’s hand in his. “I thought we were going to lose you. Maybe we should consider Danny’s motion. Have you step down temporarily so you can…”

“Not gonna happen,” Brett said. “There’s too much at stake. DIX is on the warpath and they’ve got something big planned. I just know it. Someone’s going to get hurt and I don’t think Danny is up to the task of leading them through what’s coming. If I thought he was, I’d do what you asked. But if I step aside now, the whole thing comes crashing down. I can’t do that to them. Even if it means…”

“Always thinking of others before your own health,” the advisor chuckled. “You’ve been that way ever since you were little.”

Leo was confused. The advisor was older than Brett, sure, but he looked like he was barely 30. If that. He wouldn’t even have been a teenager when Brett was “little.” Something didn’t add up.

“When your mother married your father,” the advisor said, “I wasn’t happy about it. She was definitely marrying up, and I applauded that, but I never thought he was good enough for her. Of course, I’m biased, but still.” Brett gave a small chuckle. “I was very glad when she caught on to his philandering and took him to the cleaners in the divorce settlement. And I can see you’ve been making good use of the trust fund. Bought that nice toy in the garage as soon as you turned 18, didn’t you?”

“We can’t all have your self-control,” Brett said. “Let me live a little.”

“But that isn’t all you bought with it, was it?” the advisor said, slightly accusingly. “I can’t say I blame you too much. Growing up around the ‘beautiful people’ like you did, I’m surprised you held out as long as you managed. The rich and powerful have different rules than the rest of us, I know. How old was Drew Barrymore when she started using?”

“Eight, I think,” Brett said.

“I believe you’re right,” the advisor said, pacing the room. “But I remember all the late-night phone calls. The ambulance rides. All the close scares. I guess, sometimes having everything isn’t enough, is it? You’re very lucky my homebrew is several orders of magnitude better than Narcan. Most aren’t fortunate enough to have a genius on call for emergencies.”

Brett looked away. He hated being reminded of his weakness. Even though Shane told him many times that addiction isn’t weakness, that it’s not some kind of character flaw, Brett still blamed himself. After his last almost-OD early Junior year, he had confided in his four Brothers about his problem. But they already knew. They had seen the signs. Brett thought he was being discreet, but apparently not. The support he got from them helped immensely in his efforts to get clean, but that alone wasn’t enough. He needed outside help, and not the kind of help a doctor could provide.

“But this isn’t even about that,” the advisor said. “I knew you weren’t using again, I just said that to drive home a point. The ring keeps me updated with all your vitals. If you were using, I’d know. We’re lucky that Ray kept his gloves on and didn’t make skin contact. The ring’s calibrations didn’t get scrambled, luckily. It’s not easy to re-attune to your unique metabolism.”

“I really messed up down there, didn’t I?” Brett said, shame welling up inside him. “The Pledges must think I’m some kind of psychopath. They’ll never trust me again. But I guess I deserve it the way I went off the deep end.”

“You did some damage, yes,” the advisor said, “but I don’t think you should count them out just yet. You were going through severe withdrawal symptoms. That’s what happens. You’re lucky Shane called me when he did so I could keep things from getting worse.” He walked past the window and gazed into the yard. Leo froze in place, trying to be as small as possible to avoid detection. The advisor’s eyes drifted past the branch he was hiding in and didn’t linger, but Leo couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that he was spotted. But the advisor made no indication that he had seen anything.

“Based on what they did for each other down there, I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume they’d do the same for you,” the advisor said. “You just have to let them in. I’m not always going to be here to come in for the save. I feel like some of you are getting ‘addicted’ to that, as well.”

Brett didn’t know how to respond to that. “I’ll make it up to Ray,” he said, changing the subject. “He didn’t deserve what I put him through. Maybe Mason was right? Maybe it was my subconscious shame lashing out, coupled with the panic of being separated from the ring and its medication. I was afraid of relapsing. Deathly afraid.” The advisor nodded sagely. “Under normal circumstances I’d have applauded him for coming up with that plan of his,” Brett said. “Scott was right in his assessment of how epic it was. But I had turn into a giant asshole about it.”

“That brings me to my other point,” the advisor said. “You’ve become too dependent on the ring’s other property. I’m seeing similar signs in your vitals when you use it as when you were… you know. You’re becoming addicted to that, as well. And I have to stop that before it spirals out of control.”

“But I need the ring,” Brett said. “I need the Command. I need the Suggestion. Without it, I don’t have the strength to keep them in line. You know how they are. You picked them, after all.”

“This would normally be the part where I’d be expected to say something trite like ‘the ring isn’t doing anything, you had the power inside you all along,’ but I’m not,” the advisor said. “After all that’s passed between us, there’s no need to bullshit you. While the ring does augment your own substantial natural ability, it does add the extra oomph when you need it. The problem is you’re escalating how much you ‘need’ it. But if you’re really that scared about what’s coming, I’m not going to take it away from you. Is that the complete wrong decision? Probably. But I’ve always indulged you more than I should. Maybe that’s why we’re in the situation we are now? Let’s just hope it’s not my tragic flaw. But I do trust you. If you truly feel you need it, then I won’t cut you off. If that leads to ruin, then I guess that’s on me. Won’t be the first time. But I am turning down the juice. You need to use it to augment your authority and not use it as a crutch. But if I feel that it’s becoming a problem, I will intervene. And don’t think that I won’t.”

“Thanks,” Brett said. “I won’t let you down.”

“Don’t worry about me,” the advisor said. “Don’t let HER down. And don’t let THEM down.” The advisor made a sweeping hand gesture towards the photo on the wall.

“I won’t,” Brett said, as the advisor started to remove the straps binding him to the chair. “This means a lot. I love you, Gr…”

“Hey now!” the advisor said, cutting off Brett’s words a little too fast for Leo’s liking with a quick hand plastered over Brett’s mouth. Leo thought, for a second, that the advisor peeked over his shoulder out the window, but he couldn’t be sure. “None of that sappy stuff!” He chuckled, but Leo could tell that laugh was hiding something. “The pledges should have gone home by now and you all have off tomorrow. So you can get some much needed rest. Now let’s get you downstairs. You, Shane, and Danny have a lot to talk about.”

The advisor helped Brett up out of the chair. He offered his arm to assist with Brett walking, but the chapter president didn’t need it. His steps were halting, but he managed to walk under his own power. After they left the room, Leo gave it to the count of 10, and then shimmied along the bough towards the open window. The advisor had left his briefcase in the room and Leo just had to see it for himself. He was a science teacher, but not an MD. Why all the medical stuff? A strange idea had been brewing in his mind and he just had to investigate. He just couldn’t let things lie. Hanging from the bough like Tarzan, Leo swung and sailed into the air. He caught the windowsill with his hands and pulled himself inside.

“I’m still pretty good at second-story work,” he thought to himself. “Well, third-story work in this case, but it’s the same idea.” Leo hurried over to the briefcase and started rummaging inside. Notebook, papers, car keys, stethoscope. Nothing special. Then he took out the control device. “This was that thing that controlled the ring,” Leo thought. “Let’s take a look.” Leo turned the device over in his hand, careful not to touch the settings or controls. It was like nothing he had ever seen. Leo was hardly a gearhead, but he could recognize advanced tech when he saw it. The advisor was just a teacher, so where the hell did he get his hands on something like this? He couldn’t have built it, could he? Leo got a sinking feeling in his stomach as a realization slowly formed in his brain.

“Well, look at this!” the advisor said, switching the lights on from the doorway. “I leave my briefcase unattended for a moment and it starts drawing flies. Put that down, Leo, and carefully. Before you make a terrible mistake.”

Leo stammered and gently placed the device back in the briefcase. “It’s true,” Leo said, slowly backing towards the window. “I had a feeling, but I kept telling myself that it was impossible. But it’s true. You’re… you’re really…”

“Guilty!” the advisor said, taking slow and ominous steps towards Leo. The roguish Freshman felt a wave of paralysis wash over him. He couldn’t move. Was it fear? Or something else? “And kudos to you for figuring that out. No one but Brett knows. Not even Shane. But that knowledge will give you precious little comfort since you won’t be telling anyone what you discovered!”

Coming Soon: The Calm Before – part 1: Lights, Camera, Action!
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Post by Bradstick »

Wait what! This advisor just got a lot more interesting. I thought he was just a regular badass teacher, but no! This is some Breaking Bad kind of shit that I’m here for!

Brett makes a lot more sense. We still don’t know exactly what the ring does, but it clearly is something that keeps Brett in a stable mental place. I thought it was like a symbol of his success and he was just really insecure about it. NOPE I WAS WRONG. I am really curious as what all that ring does, and that reaction considering his history makes a lot of sense.

Also Leo is a dumbass. Why the hell would you go into the room when he knew the advisor saw him. It was obviously a bait to lure him in. Granted the advisor seems 5 steps ahead of everyone so can’t blame Leo too much.
wataru14 wrote: 1 year ago “And kudos to you for figuring that out. No one but Brett knows. Not even Shane. But that knowledge will give you precious little comfort since you won’t be telling anyone what you discovered!”
And that the hell does “you won’t be telling anyone what you discovered” mean?! That could mean Leo is threatened that if he tells anyone something will happen, or the advisor just takes Leo away so he can’t tell anyone. But the pledges would notice when Leo hasn’t returned and put two and two together and realize it was the advisor. Or maybe the advisor is gonna erase his memory cause that point I wouldn’t be surprised if the advisor could do that; especially since he paralyzed Leo…by saying the word guilty?

I really hope the advisor is a classic movie villain and likes to monologue to his captors. Cause I really want to know how he does all this cool shit!
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Post by gag1195 »

This chapter just confirmed quite a few of my theories about the advisor, while at the same time bring up even more questions! Fantastic work!

But my poor Leo! Too cocksure of himself, and getting in way over his head! I'm dreading finding out what the advisor has planned for our roguish pledge... Hypnotism? Brainwashing? He needs to be careful, or the other freshmen will start asking questions of their own.
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blackbound
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Post by blackbound »

Gr... andfather? :shock:
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Post by Guardianbound »

Wonder if Leo will return to the group with a changed personality? Another 'victim' of the advisor? Looks like we have a worse villain in the advisor than DIX.
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Post by Volobond »

What intrests me most here is the ring! Not only does it seem to be a marvel of futuristic tech, but Brett also mentions the Command and Suggestion properties of the ring... and I'm going to put my thought/prediction under a spoiler.
► Show Spoiler
In any case, loving the intrigue and the bondage!
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Post by gag1195 »

[mention]Volobond[/mention] Exact same thoughts I was having! Glad I'm not alone with my red string and conspiracy board!
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Post by wataru14 »

Such interesting theories...
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Post by cj2125 »

Well, that was a twist for sure. Honestly I'm not sure how I feel about the advisor "enabling" some of Brett's substance issues but we'll have to see how it turns out. But otherwise great story! This past few chapters have been awesome!

And I agree with [mention]Volobond[/mention] 's theory. I started suspecting it the moment Leo realized the man seemed too young for how he was talking.
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Post by KidnappedCowboy »

Nice one, [mention]wataru14[/mention]

Reminds me of 1985's Val Kilmer film, "Real Genius." :twisted:
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Post by wataru14 »


The Calm Before – Part 1: Lights, Camera, Action!

Leo didn’t join the group for dinner the next night. Cody didn’t, either, but he was spending the evening at work, so no one thought anything of it. It wasn’t until later than Mason realized he didn’t see Leo all day around campus, either. He usually popped in to see him and Nate around mid-afternoon, but today he didn’t. Mason just wrote it off as Leo being too busy on one of his top-secret spy missions to stop by.

Ray had been (almost) his usual self after the drama of the trial had ended, but this evening he was still a little reserved and distant. Like something was occupying his mind. Nate picked up on that right away. “Is everything OK?” he asked. “I know yesterday was rough for you, but you’ve hardly spoken all evening.”

Ray had absently sculpted his mashed potatoes into a small mountain, which he then squished with his fork. “It’s OK,” he said. “I’m just not looking forward to tonight.”

“Tonight’s the big readthrough for that movie you’re doing, isn’t it?” Nate asked. “You should be excited.”

“I am, but…” Ray trailed off, unsure of how to verbalize what he was thinking. “I’m not sure how my dad is going to take it. I haven't told him about it yet.”

“Yeah,” Mason said. “The Major isn’t very keen on artistic pursuits. Says its ‘not manly.’ Remember when I said I was going to try out for the high school play and said you should join me?”

“He expressly forbidded it,” Ray said.

“Forbade,” Mason corrected. “Hey, if Leo’s not here, someone has to do it.”

“FORBADE!” Ray chuckled, rolling his eyes. “He said ‘no son of mine is going to do that faggot shit. All kinds of sick weirdos hang out in the theater.’ This is a movie, not a play, but he still won’t like it. But he’ll have to accept that I’m 18 and I’ll do what I want. I’m on a wrestling scholarship, so it’s not like he’s paying for me to be here, anyway. He’ll just have to get over it.”

“Lots of macho guys do acting,” Nate said. “Stallone, John Wayne… And you’d think he’d be OK with you being in a war movie.”

“You don’t know the Major,” Mason said. “Once he gets an idea in his head there’s no changing his mind.”

“If that’s the way he is,” Nate said, “I wonder what he’s going to do when he gets here for Parents’ Weekend? I wonder what MY parents are going to do. They’re going to want to see the House, but I’m not sure so sure that’s a good idea. One look at those display cases and they’d pull me out of this place like a rocket.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Ray said.

“So was I,” Mason said. “So I asked some of the guys about it. Danny said they realize that not everyone is open to how TUG operates, so they put on their best behavior during Parents’ Weekend. The display cases are moved to the Ritual Room and that is locked for the duration. The Boom-Boom Room is also shut up tight. He says they’ve lost pledges in the past over that, so they take no chances now.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Nate said. “What would your parents think if they saw that, Mason? Mine would have simultaneous heart attacks.”

“I don’t know,” Mason said. “And we’ll probably never find out. I doubt they’re coming.” Nate looked shocked. Mason immediately changed the subject. “Cody’s dad would probably think it was funny, but what I want to see is how LEO’s parents would react. I’ve been trying to visualize what they're like but I have no flipping idea!”

“Well,” Nate said, “from what I’ve managed to get out of him, he only has a mom. His dad passed away a few years ago but he didn’t say how. And I’m not going to press him on that. But the way he describes her, I doubt much bothers her. If he’s the way he is, she’s clearly the permissive type.”

“I guess we’ll see,” Ray said with a chuckle. “All I’m saying is that if that’s true, the Major isn’t going to win any popularity contests with her. And I hope that your parents have a sense of humor, Nate. Because he’ll put his foot in his mouth around them more than once. I guarantee it.”

“Well, Dad kinda does,” Nate said. “Kinda. But Mom? No way in Hell. If they’re going to have a cage match, I’d like some time to prepare. Maybe have Bryan draw up some odds.” The three laughed for a moment, then noticed that all the attention in the room seemed to now be focused in one direction. At the main door. And they soon realized why. Shane had entered the cafeteria and, of course, all eyes were on him.

Shane drifted over to them, moving between tables like his feet weren’t touching the floor. He would occasionally stop to briefly chat with a young lady or two who called out to him, but he was making a definite path towards the table where the three pledges sat. “Looks like your ride’s here,” Mason said.

Shane sauntered over and stood behind Ray, his hands on his Little Bro’s shoulders. “Are you ready to go, Ray? I was thinking we could head over to the rehearsal hall together. The project I’m doing is having their readthrough at the same time.”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Ray said, standing up. He picked up his tray, but Shane gave a small smile and whispered “watch this.” He took the tray from Ray and held it in one hand as he turned towards the door. He ran his free hand through his hair in a deliberate manner and rubbed his neck juuuuust so, and before he could take a step, an underclassman had appeared out of nowhere and took it from him.

“I’ll get that for you,” the awestruck Freshman said. “I’m going that way and it’s no trouble.”

“Thanks, man!” Shane said, his face lighting up in that ‘hot guy half-smile’ that models and movie stars did and patting the eager Frosh on the shoulder. “I appreciate it. Say, we’re having a mixer after Parents’ Weekend. Why don’t you and a few friends come by and chill?” He reached into his pocket and handed the stunned underclassman a few invitation cards. Before the kid could react, Shane nudged Ray and the two made their way to the exit.

“How did you do that?” Ray asked incredulously.

“A smile in the right direction opens doors you wouldn’t believe,” Shane smirked. “Someday I’ll show you how it’s done.”

After the pair left the cafeteria and the dazzled Freshman disappeared with Ray’s tray, Nate turned to Mason. “So what are your plans for the evening?”

“I was going to start digging through that rulebook and make some study notes for Ray,” Mason said. “Brett sounded serious and I want to help make it as easy as possible.”

“I’ll give you a hand,” Nate said. “I also wanted to give Scott a call about a possible social event for Sunday night. But I want to bounce some ideas off of you first if it’s OK.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Mason said.

---

“What are we gonna do, Sarge? They got us pinned down.” Ray asked.

“How much ammo you got left?” the grizzled officer asked, checking his rifle.

“I’m out,” Ray said. “We all are.”

The sergeant cursed and spat on the ground. “Looks like we have no choice. I’m not going to let any of you boys die on my watch.” He called out to the German officer across the field. “Will you spare the lives of my men?”

“I guarantee their safety,” the German officer called.

“Then we surrender.”

The assistant director started reading the stage directions. “With a heavy heart, the sergeant puts down his rifle and stands with his hands raised, stepping out from behind the wall he’s pinned behind. Slowly, his unit does the same. German soldiers descend on the platoon, searching them thoroughly and confiscating their weapons and gear. Then each of the Allied soldiers are blindfolded and their hands are securely tied behind their backs before they are marched to an unknown fate.”

Ray looked over at the other side of the tables and stared directly into Travis’ obnoxious face. The DIX pledge had a huge shit-eating grin. “How much you wanna bet that he’s gonna be the soldier who ties me up?” Ray thought. “That little worm has been brown-nosing the director all night. He’ll probably request it. Who am I kidding? Of course he’ll request it.” Very few people could call Travis “little” and get away with it, but Ray was one of those people. “And why am I not surprised that shitstain is playing a Nazi? Probably fulfills a lifelong dream.”

“And that is the end of Act Two,” the director said. “There will be a short scene where the squad is brought to a transport truck and driven to the POW camp, but there’s no scripted dialogue. Act Three begins in the camp. But right now let’s take a 10 and meet back here to finish the read. There’s still pizza left if anyone’s hungry.” The actors got up and began to mill around, so Ray made his way to the pizza table. He didn’t eat much at dinner, but had scarfed down quite a lot after Shane dropped him off. He was feeling pretty good about the whole thing until Travis had walked in ten minutes after he arrived. His mood darkened after that.

Ray could almost feel Travis’ approach before he got close. “Looks like the talent pool was really low this year,” Travis said, rudely nudging Ray aside to grab a slice. “They even had to use one of you TUG losers. I would have cut the role rather than cast one of you, but I guess the director knows best.”

Ray didn’t rise to the insult. Shane had warned him that DIX would try to escalate things and push whatever buttons they could, but not to take the bait. They wanted TUG to break the Rush Week truce first. “An amateurish plan,” Shane had called it, “but that’s what they’re going with. Be prepared for some low blows, but after what you’ve endured so far, I don’t think what they can throw at you will be anything to concern yourself with.”

Travis continued talking. “The director is a close, personal friend of the family,” he said. “I’ve been looking ahead in the script and I think things go a little too easy for you guys in the POW camp. I mentioned that there should be a torture scene and he liked the idea. And guess who he’s considering for that sequence? I’ll give you a hint: he’s dumb as a bag of rocks and should consider himself lucky to be here.”

“Now why would the Germans torture one of their own soldiers?” Ray said, pushing past Travis with an intentional bump that knocked the DIX pledge back a few steps. But he didn’t make eye contact. Instead he grabbed the garlic powder like he didn’t even notice the impact. It was a weak comeback, he knew, but he didn’t have Shane’s (or even Scott’s) gift with words. Still, it got his point across.

“Heh,” Travis said. “That was weak. But it’s about what I expected from a dumbfuck like you. But we’ll see how tough you are when we shoot the scene. This director likes realism. It’s a big thing around here. He’ll probably have real hot pokers and whips. Maybe my hand will slip. Maybe you’ll get a few scars to remind you who the best squad on campus is. I can be such a butterfingers sometimes.”

“You threatening me?” Ray said. He knew that Shane had warned him about this, but he couldn’t just take something overt like that lying down. He got up in Travis’ face, nose to nose. Travis grinned with glee.

“Do it,” he taunted. “Make the first blow and even that weirdo science teacher can’t protect you. Come on, pussy, do it in front of everyone!” Travis closed his eyes and puffed his chest out, his chin making an alluring target. Ray balled his fist, but fought back the urge and turned away, heading back to his seat. “Heh,” Travis sneered. “Just what I thought. No balls. You and your whole crew are just a bunch of posers. Everyone will see that soon enough.”

With a satisfied smirk, Travis sat down at his seat and whispered to the guy next to him. He pointed at Ray and chuckled several times during the conversation. Ray seethed, but remembered Shane’s warning and stayed quiet. It was tough, but like Shane said, he’d been through worse.

The rest of the readthrough went well. For all of Travis’ bluster, he didn’t have too large a role. Far smaller than Ray's. But Ray wondered how much that would change if Travis was telling the truth about his relationship with the director. The first scene had the bound prisoners lined up before the kommandant and roughed up a little before being cruelly dragged to their cells. Ray was looking forward to the light stunt work. A chance to let his natural athleticism shine. Most of Act Three revolved around the sergeant and his verbal power plays with the kommandant, so Ray didn’t have all that much to do. He was the green new recruit in the platoon and had the fewest lines of the bunch. But he was OK with that. Most of his Act Three scenes were small bits of him in his cell, or toiling in the prison yard with his hands shackled and getting menaced by the guards. He suspected Travis would try to worm a few beatings into the mix, so he had to be ready for anything. He had just a few moments here and there until the big escape scene near the end. Not everyone survived the escape, but Ray did. He actually had a decent scene with the dying sergeant. Not too bad for a first-time actor.

Ray did feel a little shiver when the director stopped the readthrough halfway through Act Three and said, “I’m considering adding a scene here where one of the soldiers is tortured in front of the sergeant. Something meant to break him, but that ends up giving him the motivation to launch the escape plan. I’m thinking O’Brien would have the most impact, being the young rookie.” He looked over at Ray, who shot Travis a quick scowl and said “That’s cool. I’m up for whatever.”

“But I’m not 100% on that yet,” the director said. “It would be a big scene for a newcomer and I want to see how you do in the other scenes before I decide. I might not even do it. It’s just an idea I’m kicking around.”

But Ray knew the decision had been made. He’d have to bring this up with Shane afterwards, and form a strategy. But he was ready. He could take anything they were going to throw at him. Still, it had to be handled with a light touch, and he’d need help with that. If he was going to end up chained to a wall and at Travis' "mercy" he would need Shane's guidance. It was a weird feeling for him to accept that he needed someone else’s help, but he felt no shame in it. A month ago he would have chafed at the idea, but now he was actually looking forward to a collaboration. But one thing was sure: if Travis thought this was going to play out his way, he was gravely mistaken.

When the readthrough was over, the director told the actors playing the soldiers that he wanted them to hang out a little outside of rehearsal and get comfortable with each other. He wanted their camaraderie to be real. Ray wondered how he was going to juggle that along with his classes, wrestling practice, and TUG obligations (especially memorizing that damned book), but he trusted Shane and Mason would help him figure all that out. He gave Travis another passive-aggressive bump on the way out of the room, but Shane’s presence in the hallway prevented any response from the DIX pledge.

“So how did it go?” Shane asked.

“Pretty good,” Ray said. “I think it’s actually going to be a good movie, too. I’d watch it.”

“Excited, Private O’Brien?” Shane smirked. “I thought you’d catch the bug. Mason said you have a real talent for this, and he was right. You should consider doing more after this is movie is over. Now, before you say anything, I want you to know that neither I, or TUG as an organization, had a hand in your casting. That was all you, and you should be proud.”

Ray warmed at the praise. “A big compliment coming from the Duke of Westinghamshire. How many buxom maidens do you get to bed in that costume drama of yours?”

“Pretty much all of them,” Shane said, running his hand through his hair in his signature way. “And calling it a ‘costume drama’ is a bit of a misnomer since I spend a great deal of the thing undressed.” Ray looked down the hall as Shane’s director and her production staff exited their readthrough room. Shane shot her a sly wink and she noticeably swooned as she turned the corner. “The things I must do for art, huh?” He and Ray both laughed, but stopped as Travis passed by.

“Ah yes,” Shane said, after Travis had gone. “There is THAT little hiccup to deal with.”

“Hiccup,” Ray said, “I’d say he’s more of a shart.”

“Eloquent as always,” Shane said. He put his arm around Ray’s shoulder and gave Travis some time to disappear before he started walking towards the door. “But that could be a problem. One we need to plan around.” Ray told Shane about Travis’ actions and words during the break. “You could have handled that better, but you did well,” Shane said as they stepped out onto the porch. “But, if he’s going to try and play the rewrite game he’s going to learn that he’s not the only one who can influence directors to get what they want. I’ll show you. If Travis wants to play hardball, all I’m going to say is ‘batter up, bitch.’”

Coming Soon: The Calm Before part 2 – Working Man’s Blues
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gag1195
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Post by gag1195 »

Good for Ray! Finding more confidence in his acting, keeping his cool against Travis, seeking out help from Shane! He's definitely grown a lot. Shane continues to be my favorite senior, and his cool, flirty confidence is infectious! Looking forward to those movie scenes and how Ray plans to overcome Travis' little challenge!

Still very worried about Leo! I hope Nate and Mason get worried for their friend soon, or at least notice if he's changed the next time he pops up! I don't like thinking about what that weirdo science teacher has done to my favorite pledge!
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Volobond
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Post by Volobond »

Ugh, machismo can be sooooo unnattractive, eh? Lunkheads just make me pity whoever ends up around them. Travis has no game, and Shane can definitely school Ray in the art of charm.

[mention]gag1195[/mention] I disagree completely! I think Leo's in great need of an... attitude adjustment... :twisted:
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TiedupNick
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Post by TiedupNick »

WOWzers - another incredible set of updates! Can't wait to hear how the DIX goon's ideas will backfire on him.
Tiedupnick - fka nicktie

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Bradstick
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Post by Bradstick »

I keep thinking about how in the beginning of the series where the characters were introduced. I was not a fan of Ray at all and honestly thought I wouldn’t care about his character at all.

And then here you go turning him into a really good character that I’m in love with. I am so proud of him for standing up to Travis while also not doing anything dumb. Had this happened the day 1, he totally would have punched Travis. I’m so proud of him. And what’s going on with Leo?! I hope that gets an answer soon!
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wataru14
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Post by wataru14 »


The Calm Before – part 2: Working Man’s Blues

Cody didn’t have time to stop for dinner before work, so he grabbed a quick burger on the way. His uniform was still boxed on the seat next to him. As much as he wanted to, he hadn’t opened it yet. There hadn’t been too much free time in the last few days, but he also wanted to look at it while Nate wasn’t around. His roommate was very open-minded, but even so, Cody was unsure of how he’d react to what was inside. All he had said about the job was that it was working for Scott’s old Big Bro and that it was off campus in Metro City. He’d have to ease Nate into the real details. Eventually.

He had been wearing his new jacket non-stop since he got it, though. He almost couldn’t bear to take it off. During classes it hung on the back of his desk chair, and he would occasionally reach down and stroke the sleeves with his fingers when no one was looking. He just couldn’t help himself. Warm tingles radiated through his skin when he touched the thick black cowhide and he wanted more. He thought that Leo would give him guff over wearing the jacket out on campus. Playfully accuse him of “stealing my look,” but he didn’t. He did make a few off-handed “twinsies” remarks and joked about how they should get matching vest cuts to make their gang official, but that was just Leo being Leo. Cody was so wrapped up in the expectation of his first day on the job that he didn’t even notice that he hadn’t seen Leo all day.

He pulled into the lot and drove over to the employee parking spaces off to the side, next to a beautifully maintained jet-black Harley that could only belong to Wade. Cody let himself rub his hand over the gas tank and seat as he passed. He wanted to sit on it, but he wouldn’t dare do so without permission. He definitely got the feeling Wade would not approve of that. He probably wouldn’t like that Cody touched it as he did, either, but there was no worrying about that now. People tended to be very protective of their bikes, Cody knew. Box in arm, and his leather jacket creaking alluringly with every move he made, Cody confidently strode through the lot and into the shop.

Wade was working on a custom order when Cody arrived. Various accoutrements and pieces were laid out on the counter and Wade was hard at work cataloging and boxing them. He picked up a particularly wicked-looking riding crop and waved it playfully at Cody. “Good afternoon, boi,” he purred. “Glad to see Scott’s lack of punctuality hasn’t rubbed off on you. I like a boi who’s on time. I don’t like to be kept waiting.”

“I figured, sir,” Cody said. “Want to make a good impression on my first day.”

“Well,” Wade said, putting the crop into the box and stepping around the counter, his heavy black motorcycle boots tramping deeply on the wood floor. “We’ll see how much of an ‘impression’ you make when you’re dressed. You can change in the staff room.” Cody nodded and walked into the back, past the large and impressively stocked humidor, and went in to change.

Cody laid the box carefully on the table and opened it like a kid on Christmas morning. He hadn’t dared to look inside yet, wanting to savor this moment in private. The dreamy leather scent filled his nostrils as he removed the cover of the box. The box’s weight was mostly due to the brand-new black snakeskin cowboy boots that sat on top. They were sturdy and beautiful, and must have cost a fortune. Wade must have thought rather highly of him, and Scott, to fork over such top-tier merchandise for a part-time shelf monkey like him.

Underneath that was a pair of impossibly tight leather jeans. They would leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. Cody stripped down, folded his original clothes into a neat pile, and slipped into the pants and boots. Shockwaves coursed through him as the leather brushed against his bare skin. The pants were tighter than the ones he normally wore, which was saying something, and felt completely different. He savored the feel of the leather against the skin of his legs as he pulled them on, extra slowly. The boots felt like they were custom-made for him. He took a moment to admire himself in the floor-length mirror before going back to the box.

Unsurprisingly, there was no shirt inside, but instead Cody found a chest harness with a steel ring on the breast. He would need help getting into that. He could probably reach the buckles in back, but he had no idea how they worked. Wade would have to show him. The last two pieces were a leather vest and leather skullcap durag that tied in the back. Once everything was on to the best of his ability, he took another look at himself in the mirror. He was a vision! He couldn’t stop himself from feeling and touching the clothes. He never wanted to take them off. His revelry was only interrupted when Wade popped his head into the room.

“Woof!” he said, flashing a hungry smile. “Leather is very becoming on you. I know if I was on you you’d be… never mind. Scott said ‘no touching’ and I always honor my promises.” He stepped into the room, his heavy footfalls sending waves up Cody’s spine.

“I love it, sir!” Cody said. “It’s perfect!”

“I agree,” Wade said. “Quite a good first impression. The customers will just eat you up.” He walked over and inspected the fit. “Like a dream,” he said, before noticing the unbuckled harness. “But that won’t do. Take the vest off and I’ll show you how to correctly strap up.” Cody obediently removed the vest while Wade instructed him on the proper way to do up the buckles. He cinched it extra tight, causing Cody’s natural musculature to pop ever so teasingly. “There ya go,” Wade said as Cody put the vest back on. He admired Cody one more time before saying, “time to make your grand entrance.” He gave Cody a quick pat on the leather-covered butt and the young cowboy strode through the door and into the shop.

Three young women, who said they were shopping for a bachelorette party, stood openmouthed as Cody emerged from the back. “Ladies,” Wade said, “allow me to introduce Cody, my new shop boi.” They whistled and drooled as Cody swaggered over to them. “He will be glad to show you around, and assist you with ANYTHING you need. And feel free to try out whatever you’re browsing on him. He won’t mind.” Wade gave Cody a sly wink.

Cody sauntered up with his thumbs stuffed into his beltline. “Evening, ladies. How can I be of service?”

---

Thirty minutes later, Wade had finished ringing up the bridesmaids’ purchase and was floored at Cody’s salesmanship. They had picked up several whips, a plug gag, a blindfold, and three sets of wrist and ankle cuffs. “I don’t know what you did to them,” Wade said, “but whatever it is, keep doing it. If every sale goes like that, I’ll be able to retire soon!” He gave Cody another approving pat on the butt. Now Cody knew it was not proper in any way for a boss to get so handsy with the staff, but he didn’t mind in the slightest. All the TUG boys who weren’t fully gay were some degree of bi, and although Cody strongly favored women, he wasn’t scandalized by the attention he was getting from Wade. He had never been with a man before, although he had been curious at times, but Wade was becoming more and more enticing with each passing minute. He was definitely experienced, and had an attractive rough maleness to him that Cody liked. But he could also see a tender side to Wade beneath all of that. He was an interesting contradiction, as Nate would say. The shopkeeper would no doubt leap at the offer, that much was obvious, but Cody decided to mull things over a little longer before exploring that avenue. He had all the time in the world.

Cody spent the next hour or so familiarizing himself with the merchandise and layout of the store, as well as learning how to run the register. Wade would trot him out to model something or other for the shoppers, which always resulted in big upsells. Cody was taking to this like a dog to water and Wade had giant dollar signs in his eyes.

Around 8:00 a police car pulled up outside. Cody was alarmed by this, but noticed that the lights and siren weren’t on. They weren’t here answering a call, so what were they here for? The driver got out with a confused expression on his face. He was an extremely handsome (although somewhat short) Latin man in his mid-20’s who held himself with a cocky, no-nonsense attitude. Despite his youth, this was not someone to fuck around with. The man who got out of the passenger side was his opposite in every way. He was tall, with handsome Italian features. His short-sleeved uniform shirt revealed ornate tattoo work on both arms. He had an easygoing manner about him. Like the kind of guy you could have a beer and watch football with. He gave his partner a playful slap on the chest and headed towards the door.

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“Yo Pledge!” the Italian officer shouted as soon as he crossed the threshold. “Front and center, maggot!”

Cody was dumbfounded. Pledge? Was the man talking to him? No, couldn’t be. He had no idea who this officer was and there was certainly no reason for him to be addressing Cody that way. He could only be talking about Wade. But who would dare talk to Wade so disrespectfully? Cody’s confusion dissipated when Wade emerged from the back, a huge grin on his face. “Ah Pasquale!” he crooned. He walked over to the officer and gave him a giant bro-hug. “Always good to see you.”

“Hey, Pledge,” the officer said. “You know I hate my first name. It’s ‘Officer Santucci’ to you, maggot!”

Wade laughed. “Of course,” he said. “Allow me to introduce my new employee. Cody, this is Officer PASQUALE Santucci. He was my Big Brother in TUG back in the days when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.”

“Hey!” Santucci said, feigning offense. “2015 wasn’t THAT long ago!” Santucci’s partner had begun wandering and was inspecting the display rack of handcuffs near the door. “This dour individual over there is my partner, Officer Alejandro Gonzalez.”

“SERGEANT Alejandro Gonzalez,” his partner said, walking over and shaking Wade’s hand. Their leather gloves made a sensual squeak as they gripped hands. “I passed my exam, Santucci. Don’t forget I outrank you now.”

“Yes sir!” Santucci said, giving a comical salute and knocking Gonzalez’ hat off his head with a quick sweep of his other hand. “Look at dis guy ova here! Rookie passes one test and thinks he’s hot shit.” Cody couldn’t help but smile. Santucci seemed to have that effect on people. “You must be Scott’s Little Bro. That makes you my… great-grandson, in a way.” He gave Cody a firm and strong handshake. “I assume that Wade is being a gentleman,” he said, raising an eyebrow to Wade. “I’d hate to have to run him in for sexual harassment. Again.” Cody chuckled.

“No, Sir,” Cody said. “He’s been a PERFECT gentleman. And a fantastic boss. My dad always said that bosses were out to screw you, but not Wade.” Santucci tried to hold it in, but failed miserably and busted out laughing.

“Whoo boy, this pledge is a sharp one,” he said, slapping Wade on the back. “You sure got your work cut out for you with him. I thought Scott was a handful but this one’s gonna be something else entirely.”

“Yes,” Wade said. “I’m looking forward to a pleasant working relationship. Now, gentleman, are you here to shop or to socialize? I have a strict ‘no loitering’ policy. Even for our boys in blue.”

“Sergeant Rookie over here has been hounding me for escape lessons,” Santucci said. “We had a run-in with some very dangerous criminal types a year or so back where that kind of training would have been useful. So I’ve been working with him on that. He’s already mastered tape, rope, and cable ties, but I thought we should branch out into something more… exotic. And I figured you’d be the man to see.”

“Very wise decision,” Wade said. “And I have just the thing.”

---

Wade handled the officers by himself and left Cody to man the front while he worked. He didn’t get a chance to see what they bought, but the box made a deep and ominous jangling sound when Santucci picked it up to leave. Alejandro, who hadn’t spoken much since they arrived, actually looked a little nervous. It was about 30 minutes before closing when they left, and Wade took the time to go on one of his frequent breaks and left Cody in charge of the front. He’d be back to lock up the sore, but otherwise Cody was captain of the ship until closing.

There weren’t any customers for about 15 more minutes, but after that, two large men came walking up to the door. Cody’s face darkened as soon as they came into view. It was Clay and another DIX Brother. The one Leo called “Mountain 4.” What in the hell were THEY doing here?

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Cody braced himself when the door opened and the little tinkle sound announced his new customers’ presence. “Welcome,” he said, mustering all the customer-service cheer he could. “How can I be of service?”

Cody could tell at once that Clay knew exactly who he was. “We’re looking for some restraints,” Clay said, flashing a sinister smile. “Something strong. Something VERY strong. Like it would be able to hold someone built like us if they tried to fight.” Cody was puzzled, but he didn’t let it show. Was DIX into bondage games, as well? That was certainly interesting. The way they talked, you’d think they’d be scandalized by the idea. Perhaps it was for their own Pledge group? DIX tended to select their guys for size, so it made sense.

“Are you looking for a short-term session or for something more long-term?” Cody asked.

“Oh, long-term,” Clay said. “Definitely long-term. We plan on picking up some rope and handcuffs, too, but this is for a very special someone.”

“I think I have just the thing,” Cody said. This was definitely and interesting turn of events. And one that the guys would be very interested in hearing about. He led Clay and his partner past the leather manacles and cuffs. “These are good for short sessions, but if someone was really fighting, the metal could bend. It’s meant for a more compliant sub. This, however, would be perfect.” He stopped in front of a wall of leather straightjackets. “Once this is buckled, there’s no getting out.”

Clay and Mountain 4 exchanged knowing nods. “How does it work?” Clay asked.

“I would demonstrate for you,” Cody said, “but based on what you told me it’s for someone far larger than me. It wouldn’t fit me right and I’d be able to slip out.”

“That’s OK,” Clay said. “You can show me using Matt here.” Matt didn’t look happy at this statement, but he nodded through gritted teeth.

“OK,” Cody said. He removed the heavy leather apparatus from the rack and held it up. Matt held his arms out and Cody helped him slip them into the long, enclosed sleeves. “Just like that. They’re super long because they get pulled around and strapped in back.” Cody made Matt cross his sleeved arms across his abdomen, then stepped behind to buckle the straightjacket closed. “I’m not going to do it tight. This is just so you can see.” Cody took up one of the jacket’s sleeves and threaded it around and through the buckles.

“This is pretty heavy,” Matt said as Cody secured his arm down.

“Top-quality leather,” Cody smiled. “I forget exactly how much force it can withstand, but it it’s a lot.” He took Matt’s other sleeve, drawing the strap back and securing it in place through the buckles. Then he took the central buckle and used it to secure Matt’s arms together in front, lashing his forearms together. “When being used for real it would be much tighter, but you get the idea. Try to get out of it.”

Matt flexed and squirmed, but the leather held fast. He thrashed left to right slightly, pulling his arms in an attempt to slip them from the sleeves, but to no avail.

“How’s it holding?” Clay asked.

“It’s pretty tight,” Matt said. “Yeah, I think this will work perfectly.”

“We’ll take it,” Clay said.

Cody smiled as he started to undo the straps and buckles. “You might also be interested in a muzzle or hood to go with it,” he said, starting on the upsell. “They’re optional, but they really complete the set. Makes for the total package.”

“Let’s see ‘em,” Clay said. Matt had been released from the jacket by now and at Clay’s signal, he wandered over to the handcuff display and started to browse, selecting three or four extra-strong pairs. Cody brought Clay over to the selection of hoods and muzzles.

“How big a head does your sub have?” Cody asked. “Based on the size of the jacket, I’m guessing it’s pretty large.”

“Very large,” Clay said. “Show me the biggest you got.” Cody indicated the largest leather muzzle they had in stock. The gag was thick and sturdy, meant to cover the entire lower jaw. The plug was shaped like the head of a cock and the buckles that hung from the sides would cover the entire head. There was even a blindfold that could be attached to the front. Clay snatched it up without a word.

“Good choice,” Cody said. “You’ll get a lot of mileage out of that.” Matt had selected a few bales of bondage rope and was waiting by the counter. “It looks like your friend is ready. I’ll ring you up.”

After Clay and Matt left, even Cody was astounded at the amount of cash they had forked over for the gear. He thought his jacket was expensive, but it was nothing compared to this! Wade would be proud. Right on schedule, Wade emerged from the back and locked the door. “I heard the register beeping,” he said. “I’m guessing you made a last big sale?”

“Really big, sir,” Cody said proudly. He showed Wade the receipt and his boss’ eyes widened.

“I’m speechless,” Wade said. “Who was it that bought this? I’ll want to add them to our mailing list.”

“Well, you’re not gonna believe this,” Cody said, “but it was two guys from DIX.”

“DIX you say?” Wade said. There was concern in his voice. But he didn’t say anything further about it. “Hmmm. Well, that’s it for tonight. Now I’ll show you how to tally the receipts for closing. But first…” Wade walked over to the counter and started rummaging underneath. “I was going to save this for later, but you exceeded my expectations so much, I figure I’ll give it to you now.” Wade stood up and held out an exquisitely crafted leather Stetson hat. Cody stood enraptured at the sight of it. “A little unruly for work, but I’m sure you can find plenty of opportunities to wear it. Consider this your first bonus.”

Cody took it and, almost in a trance, put it on his head. Without his leather skullcap, it would fit like a dream. “I don’t know what to say, sir,” he stammered. “Thanks!”

“It looks good on you,” Wade said. “Almost good enough to eat. But enough chatter, we have work to do.” Cody and Wade started going through the daily receipts. It was boring work compared to his normal tasks, Cody thought, but important. One of these days Wade was going to have him run the place by himself and he wanted to be ready.

When they were done and Cody had changed back into his normal clothes (no way he was going to waltz back into the dorm dressed like THAT!), the two left the store and headed to the parking lot. As they reached Wade’s bike, Cody stopped. “Sir,” he said. “I was thinking. When all the pledge stuff is over and I have more time to be here, I would like to learn how to ride. Could you teach me?”

Wade crossed his arms. “Presumptuous,” he thought. “He’s been here a day and already asking for favors. But it’s an alluring thought.”

“I could,” Wade said. “But not yet. You haven’t earned the right to sit on her yet.” He gave a small smirk. “You’ll have to show me you’re worthy.”

“And how would I do that?” Cody asked.

“Oh, I’ll think of something,” Wade chuckled. “Don’t you worry. But now it’s time to go home. You have class in the morning.” Wade sat down on the bike, put on his helmet, and kickstarted the engine without another word. Cody put the uniform box on the seat next to him and started his truck.

Clay and Matt watched Cody pull out onto the street and head back to campus. "Think this will be enough?" Matt asked.

"Yeah," Clay answered, "the jacket is perfect for him. The stuff you picked out will work fine for the others. But I want HIM to suffer most of all. Those TUG losers need to get knocked down a peg. They'll think twice before fucking with us again." Clay started the car and the pair drove off into the night.

Coming Soon: The Calm Before chapter 3 - What Leo Saw (continued)
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Guardianbound
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Post by Guardianbound »

I'm loving Wade the more I see of him. Cody comes from an interesting lineage of TUG brothers. Love the tie in with Alejandro the officer.
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wataru14
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Post by wataru14 »

For those unfamiliar with my library of work, all of my stories are part of an expanded bondage-verse centered around Metro City. Several characters appear in multiple stories. For those looking for a little background on Alejandro and Santucci, the story featuring them can be found here:

https://www.tugstories.com/viewtopic.ph ... 76#p102876
Bradstick
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Post by Bradstick »

Absolutely fantastic chapter. Are the DIX guys referring to Hoss. I would think they want to punish TUG leader the most, not Hoss. Quite interesting to see what happens there.

Also…poor Leo. I need answers about what happened to him!
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gag1195
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Post by gag1195 »

I love how wonderfully your stories are connected! I didn't expect to see Alejandro or Santucci again, or at least no in this story! That was a fun surprise!

And my goodness Cody, why don't you just give them a key to the TUG house and your dorm while you're at it! I know he's literally just doing his job, but I know he's going to feel very guilty when he sees all that gear and supplies being used on his brothers!

I'm still very worried about Leo! I hope the advisor wasn't too harsh with his wild card pledge...
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Volobond
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Post by Volobond »

Alejandro and Santucci!!!! It's been ages! Still not a fan of Gonzales, but it's funt to see Santucci showing off his TUG pride.

Hoo boy, I want a cute bi leather cowboy pup like Cody! I know I'd be staring at him if he showed me around the store like that.

[mention]Bradstick[/mention] they could be referring to Hoss, but it might just as well be Ray. And [mention]gag1195[/mention] I'm hoping eventually Cody gets to see that gear turned back on DIX!
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You can find my M/M stories here: https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?p=38809#p38809
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DeeperThanRed
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Post by DeeperThanRed »

It's a delight to see your characters return for new stories and always fit seamlessly. Alejandro and Santucci's banter with Wade was really fun.

And oh man, Cody should've thought twice before selling that straitjacket. I want to see it used on someone of its size but I'm worried Clay and Matt have something bad on their mind...
25-year-old bondage enthusiast who likes cute guys, underwear, and bondage, preferably together.

You can reach my list of written work here: https://www.tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?p=38808#p38808
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