Title: Leashed

Author/pseudonym: AngstPuppy

Fandom: The Sentinel

Pairing: Blair/Jim, Blair/Simon/Jim forshadowed

Rating: PG (in reality this chapter has a G rating, but the overall series will have an NC17 rating)

Archive: The WWOMB

E-mail address for feedback: sweetsorrow@populli.net

Series/Sequel: Yes...part of the Pieces of Leather series

Other websites: http://sweetsorrow.populli.net/index.htm

Disclaimers: Petfly and others own the boys, but I set them free...

Notes: This is the middle part of a story that stalled on me. Feed the muse and she might talk to me again.

Summary: Blair needs help in dealing with Jim's submission to him.

Warnings: D/s

Leashed
by AngstPuppy

Jim stood in the living room with his arms crossed over his chest, every inch of his toned body screaming defiance. Sitting on the nearest couch his roommate and lover was an island of calm in the midst of the storm that was James. But tonight Blair was not just roommate, partner, lover. No tonight Blair was Master, and for the first time since the development of this part of their relationship, Jim was saying no to his Master.

"I won't do it M...Chief! You can't expect that of me. I cannot walk out of this door with a leash hanging from my collar and sit in a restaurant. The club maybe, I don't know. But you can't expect us to be able to do that in a fancy restaurant and have no one say...." He sighed heavily and dropped his arms, his eyes going to the floor so he wouldn't have to see the look of disappointment in Blair's face. "I'm sorry." There was weary defeat in his soft tone. He heard Blair get up from the couch and walk towards him. Tears filled his eyes as he listened to the footsteps. He waited for the hands to come and take off his collar, to take away the safety net of that small strip of leather that made his world an easier better place to live. He didn't deserve it any more. He had disappointed Master and he would have to pay the price.

Blair took in the slumped form before him. He knew he had pushed this game too far. It was time to end this part, before the even more dangerous part began in just a few moments. He was scared he would lose both Jim and James tonight. But he could at least ease Jim's mind about not going out in public. He looked at the slight strip of leather in his hand with the loop on one end and hook on the other. It was not for public view and it was time to let that be known. The hand that held the leash came up to caress the broad shoulders and back, while he brought his other hand up under Jim's chin so that he would look him in the eye. He gasped when he saw tears in those beautiful crystal eyes.

"Oh, love, it was just a joke. I was teasing and I shouldn't have." He ran his hand up the side of Jim's face to cup it and stroked the tears away with his thumb. He felt Jim tremble as he leaned into the caress. "I would never humiliate you like that. It's not what you want or need and it would be terribly dangerous for us both and you know it. There will be punishment." Jim's eyes slid away from his and he tapped the side of Jim's face lightly to bring them back to his face. "But it won't be for saying no to me. It will be for not telling me when I pushed you too far." He smiled at the slight nod and the look of relief in Jim's eyes.

"Thank you Master." Jim's voice was breathy with relief and need.

"We will be staying in tonight." Blair brought the hook of the leash up and attached it to the hanging circle of metal on James' collar. "But we will be having a dinner guest and they should be here any moment."

Just then there was a knock at the door and Blair smiled. If there was a bit of trepidation in the smile he was hoping Jim wouldn't notice.

"Ah. Timing is everything. Now, be the good boy I know you are," he took the end of the leash and placed it in Jim's right hand, curling the fingers over the soft leather, "and go answer the door."

The joyous litany going through Jim's mind {he didn't take my collar, he didn't take my collar}, overrode all else, such as the fact that he was going to the door to let in an unknown person while wearing a collar and a leash. He was so happy he didn't even use his heightened senses to tell him who it was that waited for him there. Thus it was a double shock when he opened the door to find his boss and friend, Simon Banks, looking at him with an unnerving gleam in his eye.

"James." His name was said low and intimate, an undercurrent of knowledge held in one word.

"Si---mon?" He couldn't move, his muscles were locked in place. This evening had just gone from surreal to terrifying. He felt Simon take the leash from his hand and walk past him, tugging lightly when the slack was taken up.

"Close the door James." The words flowed over him like wild honey, smooth dark and sweet. They loosened his locked muscles allowing him to follow Simon in a haze back to where Blair sat on the couch. Looking down he saw Blair looking up at the two of them. Was that hope in Blair's eyes? He didn't know what he was feeling, how could he hope to know what Blair was thinking? He felt Simon's large hand land on his shoulder, pushing ever so slightly downward. Ingrained training, still in place from the murky past, took him to his knees in front of Blair. Newer training, just as ingrained, had him bending to lay his forehead on Blair's knee. He felt hands from two different sources pet through his short hair, trembling that such innocent contact felt so terribly intimate. He heard and felt Simon hand the leash to Blair.

"Here, I think you lost this." Simon's dark velvet voice held just a touch of humor.

Blair put his hand under Jim's head and made him look into his eye's once more. All Jim saw in them now was unconditional love. They lit up at the shy smile that Jim couldn't help cross his face, and Blair shook his head.

"No, I don't think I did."

Fin..for now..