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]

Al curses, very softly, gritting his teeth, wanting.

"And..." he wets his lips. "Those movements, every flogger-?"

[duke_of_illusions]

"Exactly. Look at the difference."

Straightening up, with a more modest sized one in hand. He shows him three quick strikes from the wrist.

Then three with just his arm, shoulder and down.

Then three with his body, powerful and concussive and beautifully fluid.

[al_truism]

"Good."

He sounds surprised, putting it all together. Mechanical, scientific, fluid, organic.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Now that you've seen what you're going for, we have to show you how to get there."

He decides, dropping the toy, reaching for, of all things, a sheet of leather. He twists it into a cone, grabbing the narrow end, flexing his hand, then offers it out to Al.

"This will give you a sense of aim, without the variables of all the tails."

[al_truism]

Al takes it, carefully, trying to get a sense of the weight. He's held and used a flogger before, but this is almost more awkward.

"All right."

[duke_of_illusions]

"First thing you want to do is think about raising your bottom up. I mean the person. See if you can get them standing up, think about where your easiest range is- this will get hard on your back, fast.

Go. Learn how close you need to stand to get the kind of impact you want on the fabric."

Nodding at their makeshift wall of cloth.

[al_truism]

Al nods, and walks closer, thinking about the muscles, the movements, visualizing it all.

Wrist movements first. Then his arm.

[duke_of_illusions]

Gerard steps back, watching, ready to apply a gentle correction or two as needed.

"You'll want to learn to do this two handed."

[al_truism]

"Two-handed?"

He takes the corrections well. There's no self-consciousness, no apologies, just an eagerness to do well.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Ambidexterous."

Picking up another small flogger, left handed.

[al_truism]

Al nods, swapping hands. He's not quite ambidextrous himself, but close enough, with as much practice as he's had with polearms.

He tries, and it's nearly as fluid.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Good work. Keep at it like that."

He instructs him, happily.

[al_truism]

Al adjusts his aim, switching between his hands every ten or so strikes, making sure to keep a certain amount of distance. After a few repetitions, he pulls back to put his entire body into the blows.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Try it with a flogger now."

He urges, nodding.

"You've really got it."

[al_truism]

It doesn't take him long to gain a bit of confidence with it. Body movement, control and applied strength have always been an area he's excelled at.

It doesn't take a terribly long amount of time to get him sweaty and breathing hard.

[duke_of_illusions]

And Gerard can comfortably admire the view.

That's really nice.

"The tails hurt most. Ever had a flogger wrap around you? That's when you hit them too far up the tails, causing the ends to snap into a smaller circle, gain velocity as they curl, clip stomach or hipbone- or crotch, if you're coming up from between the legs."

[al_truism]

Al winces at the thought and fumbles a strike, looking back at Gerard.

"... show me?"

[duke_of_illusions]

"Like this."

Striking the post. They curl, just as he'd mentioned, momentum carrying around it.

[al_truism]

"So- around someone's side, like-"

He tries. It doesn't have quite as much snap as Gerard's.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Here. Arms up."

He'll show him on Al himself.

[al_truism]

Al flushes and follows orders instantly, without thought.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Good hit."

Light, swatting across the shoulders, with just the end of the flogger.

"Four inches deeper- bad hit."

The tails curl about him, lick the front of his ribs.

[al_truism]

It makes him shiver, and he has to stop himself from asking him to do it again.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Or there's the down one-"

Starting on his shoulders, sting dragging slowly down his back.

"Go brace up on the post, boy."

[al_truism]

"... sir."

He takes a deep breath and goes, pulling his hair over one shoulder and gripping the post.