A Mondern AU Arcana fanfiction. Julian and an (unspecified)MC go with Asra to a rope class. Based loosely off of a Two Knotty Boys class I went to last month.
Julian had argued that I should sit in the front passenger seat of my little Honda Fit. It was my car he had protested. Silly Boy. I had swept my eyes up and down his six-foot four-inch frame, kissed him on the cheek, and then climbed into the back seat. leaving him to ride shotgun. It would have been hilarious to see him folded up in the backseat but I treasured his comfort over my entertainment. Besides, I was shorter and fit into the little nest of aftercare blankets I had piled into the back.
Asra is in the driver’s seat, tapping his fingers over the steering wheel. “We could have taken the Jag.” He says as we pull out of Julian’s apartment complex. “It’s got more leg room in the back.”
He’s teasing. I can see him grinning back at me in the rearview mirror. “No it doesn’t.” I quip. “And it gets horrible gas mileage in traffic.”
Julian watches the exchange with darting eyes, not sure how to respond to how Asra and I interact. He’s met Asra before, casual encounters at munches and group dinners, but this is his first time alone with the two of us. He’s new to polyamory, and trapped in the front seat next to his metamore I can see him fidgeting. He keeps making sparrow-small movements that highlight how tense his shoulders are. He twists his hands in his lap, glances out the window at the passing buildings, taps his feet.
Asra glides us onto the freeway and I reach forward to give Julian’s shoulder a squeeze. Relax, the gesture says without me having to form the words. He glances back at me, a blush already coloring his cheeks. I pull in a slow breath and he mirrors me, the tension easing out of him in increments.
“So, ah-“ Julian clears his throat and turns to Asra. That adorable blush is growing darker and I wish I could lean forward and kiss it. “Who are you- ah- going to be tying up tonight?”
Asra's responding laugh is a chortle of mirth. “No one. Classes are for learning, so you two are going to be tying up each other. We’re meeting my Sweetie Mims there and she will practice on me. If you want to be tied up you can come visit and I’ll happily oblige.”
Julian’s blush is lobster red now. I grin and busy myself with double checking the contents of my purse. I check off the necessary lengths of rope and our event confirmations, bottled water and granola bars. Everything we may need. I know nothing could have vanished between now and when I checked earlier but I want an excuse to force Julian and Asra to interact.
The drive into the bay area goes quicker than I expected. Julian and Asra are both storytellers. They are soon swapping recollections of adventures and mishaps and endangerment. Each story intensifies, spoken with more bravado than the one before. I’m laughing so hard that I’m crying and Asra is so caught up in the yarn Julian is spinning that he misses our exit. Julian and Asra begin arguing with the GPS and I’m in stitches in the backseat, consumed by fits of giggles.
Despite our foray around the city we arrive with time to spare. Mims is waiting for us in front of the building and waves as we park. Her only protection from the bay area chill is an oversized sweatshirt she wears over yoga pants and a sports bra. I’m dressed as if I'm going to workout as well, in bike shorts and a tank. To me the bite of cold air is refreshing. “Sister wife!” I shriek as I run across the crosswalk to her, Julian and Asra lagging behind while they finish up their current story. Mims and I crash into each other, giggling and hugging and bouncing with excitement.
When I extricate myself from Mims’ embrace Asra swoops in and lifts her off her feet and she screams with laughter. I can feel Julian’s hesitant aura when he comes up behind me and I take a step back to nuzzle against his side. Surprise makes his whole body jerk but then he relaxes and wraps his arm around my shoulder. We walk into the building side by side, following behind Asra and Mims who are swinging their joined hands between them like school children.
The room for the class is half full but we manage to find a few mats near the center. I spread out the blankets I brought while Mims and Asra dig through my bag for the rope. Julian is blushing again, shifting his weight back and forth, eyes darting around. I’ve known he was a kinkster since we met but he is a newcomer to the scene and this is his first organized class. He fidgets, slouches, runs his fingers though his hair.
“Come sit.” I pat the spot beside me before he can work himself into a panic attack. He obeys, looking relieved to be told what to do, and drops down beside me. “Relax.” I murmur, rubbing circles against his back with the flat of my palm. “It’s only a class.”
He’s flushed that adorable shade of pink that I love. I lean forward to kiss him as the instructors come to the front of the room to introduce themselves. Julian and I sit with our fingers intertwined as the class goes through points on safety, on safewords, on what to do if something goes wrong. And then we are into the first tie, a zip-snare. Julian fumbles with the rope as he finds the bite, his hands trembling, and I lean against him, another silent It’s okay passing from me to him. I go slow through the making of the knot, letting him mimic me. In his hands the knot comes together and his face lights up with pride before the emotion slides to something sly.
“Let’s see if this works.” He smirks while he pulls on the loop of the snare, enlarging it. I can see what’s coming but I still go a little breathless, get a little horny, when Julian tosses the snare over my head. He brings it down over my shoulders, snugging it down at the level of my elbows, fixing my arms against my sides. I struggle but the rope remains firm around me. Julian grins like a cat at having caught a canary and my insides clench with heat.
Our time for practicing this tie sneaks away then we are into the next instruction. This time I practice on Julian, looping rope around his torso to form a chest harness. When done I grip the ropes between his shoulder blades and give him a shake, gratified with the moan he tries to bite back. “Comfortable?” I ask, and he nods his head, his grin wide with adrenaline.
As the class goes on we alternate being the rope top and the rope bottom, sometimes getting enough time for each of us to try a particular tie.Julian gains confidence with every knot his deft fingers put together and I’m falling in love with him all over again. Time goes by too swift, the evening slipping into night. All too soon the instructors are asking if there are any final questions. Julian helps me bundle up the lengths of rope, taking any excuse he can to touch me.
Asra and Mims join us as we pile out into the night. The air is frigid now and I lean into Julian’s side, seeking warmth. “That was fun.” He chuckles as his arm goes around my middle and gives a little squeeze. “Thanks for inviting me.”
I’m still grinning ear to ear, my hands itching to form more knots, to feel the slide of rope over my palms. “Of course, Lover.” I go on tiptoe to kiss him and his response against my lips is fervent, needy. He’s as turned on from the class as I am. “You should come over this weekend. To practice.” I rock my hips against him and he gasps.
“Oh yes.” His words come out breathless. “I really think I should.”
