domesticity

[duke_of_illusions]

Al had stayed over last night... and hasn't quite left this morning, either. The day is stretching on, and Barma is still beautifully comfortable, now immersed in a book, as his fingers trail through Al's hair.

Comments

[al_truism]

Al has been sleeping, finally. His world has been a little rough on him lately, though he's all too happy to forget. He's currently dozing in and out against Rufus.

"Read to me?" he asks, without opening his eyes.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

He hums, slowly, and starts murmuring;

""Some people teach that choking can be safely done if pressure on the windpipe is avoided. Their belief is that pressing on the arteries leading to the brain while avoiding pressure on the windpipe can safely cause unconsciousness. The reality, unfortunately, is that pressing on the carotid arteries, _exactly_ as they recommend, presses on baroreceptors known as the carotid sinus bodies. These bodies then cause vasodilation in the brain, thus there is not enough blood to perfuse the brain and the recipient loses consciousness. However, that's not the whole story.

Unfortunately, a message is also sent to the main pacemaker of the heart, via the vagus nerve, to decrease the rate and force of the heartbeat. Most of the time, under strong vagal influence, the rate and force of the heartbeat decreases by one third. However, every now and then, the rate and force decreases to zero and the bottom "flatlines" into asystole -- another, and more difficult to treat, form of cardiac arrest. There is no way to tell whether or not this will happen in any particular instance, or how quickly. There are many documented cases of as little as five seconds of choking causing a vagal-outflow-induced cardiac arrest."

[al_truism]

"Oh." Al frowns a little, as he listens. That's cause for a little bit of concern.

Most of it is a blur, but several bits of it stand out to him.

"That's a pity..."

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"For the reason cited above, many police departments have now either entirely banned the use of choke holds or have reclassified them as a form of deadly force. Indeed, a local CHP officer recently had a $250,000 judgment brought against him after a nonviolent suspect died while being choked by him."

Barma sounds mildly concerned himself.

"Finally, as a CPR instructor myself, I want to caution that knowing CPR does little to make the risk of death from breath control play significantly smaller. While CPR can and should be done, understand that the probability of success is likely to be less than 10%.

I'm not going to state that breath control is something that nobody should ever do under any circumstances. I have no problem with informed, freely consenting people taking any degree of risk they wish. I am going to state that there is a great deal of ignorance regarding what actually happens to a body when it's suffocated or strangled, and that the actual degree of risk associated with these practices is far greater than most people believe."

[al_truism]

Al strokes Barma's hair thoughtfully, playing with it, threading it through his fingers.

"I wouldn't want to accidentally hurt you," he murmurs.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"No, you never would. We used illusory water, remember?"

He smiles, and leans down to kiss his forehead.

"But it pays to be aware of the risks."

[al_truism]

"It makes me feel safer that you research these things," he admits, thinking back with Break, in the tub. It could have been so bad, but he'd loved it.

He has to smile at the kiss.

"Even just the pressure, without actually cutting off any air or blood, feels good. It's the dominance of the hold."

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"This is talking about hard enough to seriously cut off blood flow. We can continue to experiment with a more gentle pressure, if you consent to the risk."

[al_truism]

Al nods, thoughtful, and stretches out against him with a low groan.

"Yes, I would. I trust you, and gentle pressure shouldn't be nearly as dangerous."

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Absolutely."

He nods.

"I'll be careful."

[al_truism]

"What did you like about me pushing your face under the water?"

He asks quietly, settling.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"It's a terrifying feeling."

He admits.

"Hot water on your face."

[al_truism]

"The heat, or not being able to breathe?"

Al reaches up and strokes a finger firmly down the back of Barma's neck, finding the spots that tense up when someone reads.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Both. Have you immersed yourself face down in hot water?"

He checks, curious.

"Try it."

[al_truism]

"I never have," he admits, rubbing.

"There's a lot of things I've never tried."

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Try it. By yourself, when you're feeling comfortable."

He suggests.

"Want to hear a little more?"

[al_truism]

"Please," he decides.

He settles himself down, still idly rubbing Barma's neck, feeling floaty.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

He flips forwards a few dozen pages;

"Pick up the crop and stand holding it, perhaps with both hands, whee the submissive can see it. Smack its tip into your palm a few times, letting the submissive hear the distinctive sound- and letting them imagine the sounds the crop will make when it strikes them.

Slowly reach out the tip of the crop and lightly trace it along their body, perhaps first touching it to their upper chest. Rube the flat surface of the riding crop's tip, and the crop shaft, lightly across their body, their shoulders. Using the shaft, lightly caress the sides of their necks, their cheeks, maybe brush the tip across their forehead and under their eyes, then slowly bring the tip to their lips. If they don't instinctively understand they are to lightly kiss and lick the crop, order them to do that.

Afterwards, trace the crop slowly down their throat, chest, and belly to their genitals."

[al_truism]

Al squirms just listening to that.

"This person knows what they're talking about."

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"If you're right handed, stand on their left side and steady them by resting your left hand on the front of their left hip. Place the tip of your crop slightly beyond the centre of their right buttock and rest the shaft of the crop on their skin. Slowly run the crop up to the top of their buttocks, then down to just above the backs of their knees, thus defining and claiming the area to be whipped. Gradually narrow the area of this stroking until you are stroking only the lower half of their buttocks. Reduce this stroking still further until your crop is completely still.

Hold that stillness for a moment, then say to your submissive, "I'm going to start out very lightly and build very slowly. I'll stop every now and then to give you some pleasure and let you rest. We won't go further than you can handle. Tell me your safewords."

Once your submissive has recited their safewords, ask them, "are you willing to go on?" If they nod or say yes, begin the whipping."

[al_truism]

Another little shiver, but he bites down a finger and listens with keen interest.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Strike the first stroke heartbeat soft. Strike the second, about two seconds later, the same way. Continue this rate at the same light touch. Cover their entire buttocks. Then return to the centre of their buttocks and double the force- still keeping to a light pat, and increase the rate to once a second. Stop the whipping. Use your hands and mouth to pleasure, caress, and soothe them. Hug them, kiss their neck, tell them they're doing well, ask if they're all right. Ask if they're up to continuing.

If they say yes, begin tapping again, this time at a twice-a-second rate. Cover their buttocks and rear and thighs, then move up onto their back. Slowly and softly work up their shoulder blades and down, and give them two sudden, sharper strokes on their buttocks. Immediately resume the quick tapping and caress their body with your other hand.

Moe the patting around to their chest and lightly cover it. Give each nipple a dozen or so direct strokes with the crop's tip. Lightly tap their penis or vulva. Very lightly tap their testicles."

His voice warms, mellows, and he reaches down to stroke a little more at Al's hair- pulling just a tiny bit.

[al_truism]

The pull has him squirming a little, cheeks flushing.

"That's too slowly," he complains softly of the book, though his level of experience may have something to do with it.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Hush, it's for a first time with a new partner."

He laughs.

"Little pain slut. 'Move behind them and work up the backs of their thighs to their buttocks. Finish with three moderately sharp strokes against the lower half of their buttocks.

Stop the whipping. Press the front of your body against theirs and hug them. Let them rest their head on your shoulder. Hold them. Give them two squeezes and notice their reaction. Let there be a long moment of silence as you soothe their body.

Understand that being whipped, even if done utterly painlessly, often deeply touches the submissive's mind. They may tremble. Hold them. Soothe them. Tell them they did well and that you're pleased with them. If appropriate, kiss them and caress their breasts and genitals. They've earned a little pleasure, if only for being so brave. This might be enough for a very first whipping. Remember, even if it was ludicrously light in terms of the physical pain involved, it may have been a deeply emotional experience for them, and for you.'"

[al_truism]

Al goes a bit more quiet. If this had been how he'd been introduced to it, how different would his tastes be?

He nuzzles against Barma's hand, however he can reach.