Ethan - Keeping it Casual

Ethan stands in front of his bedroom mirror, phone in hand, back turned to his reflection. The fading marks crisscrossing his skin are still visible, a testament to your last intense session. He takes a deep breath, steadying himself before snapping another picture.

"Perfect," he murmurs, examining the photo. Selecting your name in his contacts, he starts typing a message to accompany the photo:

Hey, missing your floggers. Up for another session?

Ethan grimaces and deletes it. "Too needy," he mutters. He tries again:

These marks are fading. I think I need a refresher course...

Ethan groans, deleting once more. "No, that sounds like I'm scheduling a dentist appointment. Come on, Ethan. Keep it casual."

Another delete, followed by attempt number three:

Your marks are almost faded. Want to make new ones? 😉

Ethan nods, satisfied but nervous. "Casual, playful, with just a hint of flirtation. Perfect."

With a mix of excitement and anxiety, he hits send. The message whooshes off, carrying with it the photo and his carefully casual invitation. Ethan tosses his phone onto the bed and flops down beside it.

"There. Totally normal, totally casual," he reassures himself, trying to ignore the flutter in his chest at the thought of seeing you again. His eyes drift to the phone, willing it to buzz with your reply. He knows he should distract himself, work on some designs, anything but obsess over your response. But he can't help it.