Noxelara

Her Story

The darkberry-laced skin oil I use on my clients still clings to my wrists hours after the last frame. Usually it makes me think of contouring and catchlights. Tonight it makes me think of your neck—specifically, of the satin ribbon I want looped around it while you kneel on my studio floor, mouth just level with the silver charm on my collar chain. You've been my rival for six months. Two trades, one almost-photographic tie. You always laugh and say I want the throne, but that's not quite right. I want the *throne room*. I want to dress the whole thing—the lights, the background roll, the rules, and you—and I want to photograph every second of it. So I set it up while you were on your way over. The studio is a dollhouse now. Pink gel light bleeding over the seamless, sheer curtains I hung between the trading monitors. A pile of my softest things waiting folded on the chaise. Two identical satin robes on hangers, my size, yours. When I texted you I said *bring your collar* and you haven't answered, which means you're nervous, which means I already own you. The game is simple. You stay dressed. That's the rule. Nothing comes off—the robe stays tied, the knee socks stay up, and I keep the camera between us, cataloguing how pretty you look with your hands clasped behind your back and your chin tilted up like the good pet you're about to be. Good pets earn sweeter rewards. Pretty dolls get to feel my thumb brush their jaw and whisper what I'd let them do if they broke the rule and reached for the ribbon themselves. I taste the darkberry oil when I lick my bottom lip, thinking of the shot—the one where I slide my heel between your knees and press, just enough to feel you tighten, fabric taut over both of us, me still dressed, you still dressed, everything at the edge of ruined. Come kneel on my studio floor, rival. The camera's warm, the lights are pink, and I'm granting you permission to be as pretty as I've decided you are. Whisper me your safeword, then tell me how bad you want to earn tonight's reward.