Advanced Flogging

[duke_of_illusions]

It's an early evening, back in the club. Barma has sent Al on his own, to make friends, to try something new.

Dodo is a breath away.

Comments

[al_truism]

"Yes." Al puts his hand to one side of it, stroking downward, pressing, eyes wide.

His face lights up -- it's a new texture, something he's never felt before.

"... I like this."

Though he still hadn't figured out how it was going to be incorporated.

[duke_of_illusions]

"So, Alphonse. What do you know about flogging?"

He unzips his bag, and starts to yank out and lay out flogger, after flogger, after flogger.

[al_truism]

"... embarrassingly little," he admitted, looking a little breathless as he stares, hand still on the velour. "Especially compared to you."

[duke_of_illusions]

"Okay. Let's start with the medical. There are three big things you hear about floggers. Don't hit the head, don't hit the kidneys, don't hit the joints. All of those, right off the bat, are flexible."

Picking up a bunny flogger, he leans over and swishes it lightly at the fabric. It barely brushes, flicks, bothers. Al's head is the next target, he gets the fluttery little thing in right in the ear. It bothers, it doesn't hurt.

Good tension breaker, too.

[al_truism]

Al sputters a laugh, automatically reaching up to brush away the ticklish feeling. He nods, following along.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Kidneys. They're bad to traumatize, yes. They live above the hip, below the ribcage, and peek out from under it- mostly protected, but if you take a punch right here, you'll end up pissing blood."

Resting a hand on Al's side.

"Punch. Not flogger. The force is so broken apart, I've been doing this longer than you've been alive and I've yet to traumatize them. And you haven't even seen how I hit."

[al_truism]

Al nods, recognizing -- he knows exactly where they are.

"I've seen just a little of it."

[duke_of_illusions]

"I'll show off later."

He decides, flicking the flogger at the cloth again. Each individual tail paints a stripe where it hits, illustrating the blow perfectly.

"Joints. More dangerous. But it all has to do with force. The only one I don't fuck with is knees- knees will kill you. But anything else, done lightly enough, you're okay. You just have to have a rational, good understanding of the amount of force you're using."

[al_truism]

"Yes, sir."

This, thankfully, was something that he knew all about. The proper amount of force, always. A lifetime of being strong enough to bruise or crush someone without knowing it will do that.

[duke_of_illusions]

"But a back can take a hell of a lot."

He picks up one of the lighter floggers. About three quarters of the length of an arm and just about as thick. he hands it to Al.

"Now, I like braided handles, but the only thing I'd really recommend looking for when you're choosing your flogger is something with a pummel. See these?" Two beautiful, matching ones on straight sticks. "Numchuck handles. I was once demonstrating florentine flogging with them and sent one sailing out into the crowd. The heavy bottom stops it in your hand, and gives you something to spin on if you're going for force and speed. You want to keep material in mind, too. Something soft like rabbit will suck less than, say, the rubber one down there. But this rubber flogger is easily washable, for blood contamination."

[al_truism]

"Have you flogged to the point of blood?"

He sounds open about that idea, endlessly, curious as he commits everything to memory.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Yes- although usually with a material like rubber. The solution is generally to stick to what you've already contaminated at that point, then hang it out in the sun for a few weeks to kill whatever's on it."

Explaining, helpfully.

"It's up to your bottom, if the kind of pain it brings is a good or bad thing."

[al_truism]

Al nods again, enchanted by the thought. "I know a few who- like it that way."

Poor Ryo.

"But please, go on."

[duke_of_illusions]

"What you need to do is learn how to hit, intuitively and easily. What I want you to do is practice, until you can keep your eyes squarely on them."

Explaining, pointing at the fabric.

"When I'm flogging someone, I keep my gaze on their shoulders. You can see a lot- when their body hugs in against whatever they're on, they need a second. They'll shift, settle, and lean back out. Or, when they're nervous, their shoulders will come up to their ears. You can also watch breathing that way- try and hit on the exhale, unless you want to wind them, then by all means-"

[al_truism]

Al starts to smile, nodding along with him, running his fingers over the flogger to become familiar with the different feel of it.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Step back. I'll show you through a few of the different techniques. You can get a sense of what's out there and where to go next."

Grabbing something a little big, still not wild.

[al_truism]

"Sir."

He makes sure he's out of the way, taking a seat on the floor to watch him properly, all wide eyes and steady hunger to learn.

[duke_of_illusions]

Gerard shows him the first flick with his hand, from below and then up. Slow, easy.

"Build up a rhythm. I keep mine steady going swirl, swirl, ground with the tails up over my back."

Snapping it against his shoulder, slowing the motion.

"Try not to fall in pace with the music playing. Watch the bottom's breathing, like I said."

[al_truism]

"How do you build a rhythm on a bottom's breathing?" he asks.

"I know that when I'm having this done to me, I'm all over the place."

[duke_of_illusions]

"You think you are, but it's actually pretty rhythmic- have you ever done long, consistent, rhythmic flogging?"

The whirling motion continues, slow and absolutely easy.

[al_truism]

"Not really. Usually it's systematic counting."

It looks trancelike, lovely.

[duke_of_illusions]

"I've seen your fella come in hard."

He admits, then sets the toy down, reaching instead for two matching ones. He begins to start the florentine flogging, showing him the even crossing lines across the sheet.

[al_truism]

"This- what's this?"

He's never seen it.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Different technique. Constant stimulation, a little more overwhelming. Feels real good."

He informs him, with an arch smile.

"Want a second safety tip? Bottoms are occasionally morons. They get high on pain, they get dizzy in pain, they move. They turn their face into a blow like this."

Landing one of the floggers against the beam with a ferocious crack.

[al_truism]

It makes Al jump, eyes wide.

"... I probably would."