## Preface

Satin
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/27189268.

Rating:
  Explicit
Archive Warning:
  No Archive Warnings Apply
Category:
  M/M
Fandom:
  Critical Role (Web Series)
Relationship:
  Shaun Gilmore/Vax'ildan
Characters:
  Shaun Gilmore, Vax'ildan (Critical Role), Other(s)
Additional Tags:
  Kinktober 2020, Exhibitionism, Rope Bondage, Praise Kink, BDSM, Sex Club, Semi-Public Sex, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs
Language:
  English
Series:
  Part 21 of A Very Critical Role Kinktober 2020, Part 3 of Fabric
Stats:
  Published: 2020-10-25 Words: 4,264 Chapters: 1/1

# Satin

by the_deep_magic

Summary

> Day Twenty-One: exhibitionism/voyeurism

> It isn’t as though there’s a stage, thank the gods, but Vax has gotten the impression that the curtain to Shaun’s chamber is open rarely enough that it’s a bit of an event when it happens. There’s been no announcement, of course, and they’re trying this out on a Tuesday night when the club is likely to have lower attendance, but still, Vax has no idea what to expect.

Notes

> Adding yet again to the Vax/Gilmore series I started with “Velvet” and “Silk." (I'll put them all into a linked series when I have more brain power.) I’ve now established a pattern of whumping Liam’s characters one day and then apologizing to them with the fluffiest of smut the next. I... don’t feel bad about it.

See the end of the work for more notes

## Satin

The only downside to Vax’s new pastime is that he’s no longer able to tell nervous excitement from fear when he’s naked. Or nearly naked, anyway – the black satin robe isn’t hiding much. “What if I hate it?”

“Then you say your word and everything stops.”

“Won’t everyone be… well… disappointed?”

Shaun smiles and touches Vax’s face. “Little bird, you aren’t responsible for anyone else’s feelings here. It won’t be the first time someone’s safeworded out. It might not even be the first time tonight. And between you and me, I think there are some people who get off on other people safewording.”

“What, really?”

Shaun smiles, tweaking Vax’s chin gently. “There’s something out there for everybody. Repeat back to me what we’re going to do, so I know it’s fresh in your mind.”

Vax takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. He and Shaun have picked a few very simple things for this first foray into public sex – things that they both know are some of Vax’s favorites. “I’m going to sit on the couch and get comfortable. You’re going to bind my arms to my chest. Then I’m going to lie back, and you’re going to bind my ankles to my thighs. Then you’re going to, um, jerk me off.”

Shaun nods placidly, as though Vax had just recited his grocery list back to him. “And is all of that still what you want?”

As Vax feels another heartbeat’s worth of blood rush to his cock, he says, “Yes, please, all of it.”

Shaun’s smile is enough to chase the butterflies in his stomach away. “Wonderful. And if that changes, all you have to do is let me know. I like to surprise you sometimes, but that’s not what tonight is about. Tonight, we’re just going to find out whether being watched is something that turns you on.” He takes Vax’s hands and squeezes them gently. “And if it isn’t, of course, that’s just another thing we cross off the list.”

It isn’t as though there’s a stage, thank the gods, but Vax has gotten the impression that the curtain to Shaun’s chamber is open rarely enough that it’s a bit of an event when it happens. There’s been no announcement, of course, and they’re trying this out on a Tuesday night when the club is likely to have lower attendance, but still, Vax has no idea what to expect. He’s not sure whether a larger crowd would be more nerve-wracking or, conversely, more anonymous. Oh gods, what if it’s just one person? What if they get really close? Will that get weird?

Once Vax gives his final assent, however, Shaun doesn’t make him stew in his anxiety. Instead, Shaun opens one curtain and ties it back with the sash while Vax deals with the other. Then Shaun goes to retrieve a large golden statue of a peacock, which he places slightly off to the side of the opening to the chamber. It’s a sign to the other patrons that this is a scene that’s inviting viewers but not participants, and its placement indicates that viewers should remain just outside the room. If Vax says his word, Shaun can magically release the sashes on the curtains and they’ll obscure Vax from the crowd in an instant.

The couch is already set up toward the front of the chamber. It’s an old-timey fainting couch, really, expensive-looking and plush – and cleaned thoroughly with magic, of course. Vax just stares at it for a moment, his mouth going dry. There’s a small back to the couch on the upstage side, but once he’s spread out on it, there’s really nowhere to hide.

But nor is there anyone looking at the moment, and though the open curtain is terrifying enough, Vax is glad to be able to start without any eyes on him. After another deep breath, he walks toward the couch, where Shaun is already patiently waiting for him. Vax’s hands tremble a little as they untie the sash of the robe. Shaun sees it and reaches up to touch Vax’s shoulders. “Still on board?”

“Yeah,” Vax says, unable to keep the excited grin off his face. “Let’s do this.”

Shaun easily slides the robe off Vax’s shoulders and down, looking over his body appreciatively as though he hasn’t seen it all before. Still, it’s a look that makes Vax’s heart beat faster, even more so when Shaun murmurs, “My beautiful boy. Can’t believe I get to show you off like this.”

As he takes a seat on the couch, facing forward, Vax can tell that there’s still no one around. He can hear the sharp crack of a whip in the distance, followed by a soft moan, and it’s strangely comforting. He wonders if that scene is open for viewing. Does he have competition for voyeurs tonight? Do active participants start doing ever-crazier things to attract attention?

He gets the sudden image of trying to balance a stack of bowls on his head as Shaun fucks his mouth, and Vax can’t help it, the thought makes him giggle aloud. He shoots a quick look at Shaun to gauge his reaction, but it is, as Vax should have guessed, amused and easygoing. “Sorry, Shaun,” he whispers quickly. “Just had a stupid thought.”

“That’s perfectly fine, my dear,” Shaun says at normal volume as he sets several spools of rope next to Vax on the couch. “You know you’re allowed to talk, laugh, cry, whatever you want.”

Vax nods. He doesn’t know that he particularly wants to talk during this – other than to give Shaun feedback or say his word, of course – but it’s good to know he can. They’d decided not to acknowledge the audience in any way, both to make Vax more comfortable and to heighten the feeling of voyeurism for potential viewers who might enjoy it. Vax had asked Shaun if he needed to call him “sir” or “master” or something when other people are around, but Shaun had just shrugged. “The titles don’t really do much for me,” he’d said, then smiled. “But you can call me whatever your heart desires.”

A hand tilts Vax’s chin up, and Shaun’s lips meet his for a gentle kiss. “I’m so proud of you,” Shaun murmurs. “Asking for what you wanted. My brave boy.”

Vax’s instinct is to argue, to ask what, exactly, is brave about getting tied up and jerked off in front of a crowd, but he knows better than to contradict Shaun’s praise.

Then Shaun steps back and unspools the rope, doubling it over twice before winding it around Vax’s chest and upper arms. It’s the soft bamboo rope that Vax likes, but a dark green color this time that even Vax has to admit looks good against his pale skin. Shaun kneels in front of Vax, working on the large center knot from which he’ll build the harness, and Vax feels heat lick at his spine. Shaun’s not a Dom who’s big on formality or posturing – Vax has seen him take easy command of a room without raising his voice – but it still gives Vax a little thrill, seeing Shaun on his knees in front of him. By now, the soft look of concentration on Shaun’s face is as familiar as the feeling of the rope winding around him, and it helps Vax settle into his body while also teasing him with the anticipation of what’s to come.

“Hands up, my dear,” Shaun says after a few minutes, and Vax raises each hand to grasp the opposite elbow. They’ve chosen a fairly simple harness for tonight, with Vax’s arms in front of his chest for comfort while lying on his back. “Simple” and “no surprises” had been Shaun’s favorite phrases while they were hashing this out, and it had annoyed Vax a little at the time, but now he’s glad for it. He knows this particular configuration of ropes reasonably well – the only thing new is the color – so he knows what’s expected of his limbs, knows what loops and knots are coming. Shaun binds his arms together in a double loop around his forearms, and then attaches the loop to the central knot over Vax’s sternum.

When Shaun gets to his feet again, Vax is entirely surprised to see two people standing just outside the chamber, watching them. He’d been certain he’d hear anyone who walked up, but these two women – definitely short, possibly halflings – seem to have snuck up on him. Shaun sees him tense and strokes his cheek gently. “Eyes on me, little bird,” he says. “You’re doing beautifully.”

All Vax can do is nod and swallow against the dryness in his throat.

Shaun picks up the next rope, this one a dark, eggplant purple, and again begins by doubling it over. As he loops it behind the center knot, he leans in and steals a quick kiss from Vax – a kiss that hadn’t made its way into their careful preparation. Vax smiles, and though he hadn’t planned on speaking, he hears himself say, “Thought you said ‘no surprises.’”

“You caught me,” Shaun says, but his grin is anything but sheepish. “Though is it really surprising that I’d want to kiss you? Look at you, gorgeous boy, already so relaxed and aroused. I could take you just like this if we didn’t have so much more planned.”

Vax’s cheeks flare hot, and it takes everything in him not to squirm at Shaun’s words. And everyone sees him do it – at least one more person has walked up since Shaun started with the second rope. The lighting is better in the chamber than out of it, so Vax can’t see any details of their new audience members without looking directly at them, and that’s the last thing he wants to do. So he reminds himself to breathe and watch Shaun, who is now winding the purple rope somewhat loosely around the back of his neck.

Vax knows what comes next – creating a simple web structure over his chest and upper arms with the second rope, fastening the free end around his bound forearms. The last time Shaun put him in this particular rope harness, he’d done it in front of a mirror so Vax could see what he looked like. And Vax doesn’t particularly consider himself a vain man – he knows he’s attractive enough to some people, but not so much that he can’t blend in immediately when he needs to – but even he thought he looked really fucking hot all tied up. This harness showcases the muscles in his arms, and while he’s not exactly a weightlifter, he feels like it makes him look sort of powerful, despite the fact that his arms are restrained. He also likes that it leaves his hands mostly free. Not that he necessarily dislikes having them bound, too, but it ratchets up his feeling of vulnerability considerably, and that’s not what he wants right now. When Shaun asks him how it feels, he’s barely aware of his answer.

With the second rope tied off, Vax knows all that’s left on the arm harness is third, short length of rope that’s mostly for aesthetic purposes so the whole thing is largely symmetrical. When he finishes that, Shaun steps back for a moment to admire his handiwork. For a second, Vax worries that Shaun is going to turn out to the crowd and gesture for applause. He does no such thing, of course, but Vax hears murmurs of approval from the gathered watchers – almost certainly more than four by now.

Then Shaun steps in front of Vax, blocking his view of anything else, and tilts Vax’s chin up. “Still doing well, sweetheart?”

Vax smiles, his pulse pounding against the ropes binding his chest. “So well.”

“That’s magnificent. Still up for tying your legs, as well?” Shaun asks, running his thumb over Vax’s lower lip. If Shaun can surprise him with a kiss, perhaps Vax can sneak in a little surprise of his own, so he darts his tongue out quickly, licking at the tip of Shaun’s thumb. Shaun’s eyes darken, and for the barest moment, he looks like his patience has run out and he’s about to make good on his earlier statement. But then his expression relaxes into his usual calm demeanor with a hint of promises to come. “Is that a yes, you naughty boy?”

“Yes.”

Shaun helps Vax lean back onto the arm at the narrower end of the couch. Vax could probably do it himself easily enough, but it’s always nice to have Shaun’s strong hands on him. With Vax in place, Shaun circles around the low back of the couch and picks up the final length of rope, this one blood red. He loops the first one around Vax’s ankle easily, and then gestures for Vax to bend his knee.

As Shaun goes to sit, it hits Vax for the first time that he’s going to have to spread his legs to allow Shaun to get close enough to fasten the rope around his thigh. He knew that of course, but he hadn’t thought through how it might feel to do it in front of an audience. Said audience has been slowly sneaking up on him, mostly in his peripheral vision; the big reveal, such as it was, of him getting naked in the first place happened while he and Shaun were still alone. While it’s not like his asshole will be some dramatic revelation – or even visible to most of the people out there, probably – the foreignness of it, the exposed feeling, suddenly catches up with him.

Which is to say that he hesitates. Shaun catches it, of course, and pauses, too, his hand still clutched around Vax’s ankle. He looks at Vax, and somehow there’s nothing of expectation on his face, no impatience or suspense, just a simple glance to make sure Vax is okay. He squeezes Vax’s ankle, a gentle gesture of support, and Vax moves his leg off the edge of the couch to allow Shaun to scoot closer.

That’s all there is – no fanfare, not even a swell of murmurs from the crowd – but Vax’s heart is beating faster, his breath starting to come in short and shallow, and it’s impossible to separate the tension from the arousal. He’s been at most half-hard through most of this, as Shaun’s touch thus far hasn’t been primarily intended to arouse him, but as Shaun begins to wind the red rope around Vax’s thigh, Vax feels his cock begin to swell in earnest. Shaun’s expression hasn’t changed, nor has his pace, but he’s got one hand on Vax’s knee as the other secures the rope between ankle and thigh. Though Shaun doesn’t pause to touch him any more than necessary, Vax lets out a soft sound of pleasure, which grows a little louder when Shaun tugs on his ankle to test the bonds and finds that they’re secure.

He looks up at Vax with a sharp smile. “You’re starting to feel it, aren’t you, my dear?”

Vax doesn’t even have to ask what “it” is before nodding.

Shaun’s next step is to run the rope behind Vax to sit at the small of his back, and he accomplishes this by clutching the central knot over Vax’s chest and tugging. Vax’s upper body comes up off the arm of the couch like he weighs nothing, and Shaun plants a hard, showy kiss on Vax’s lips that leaves him panting. In the background, he hears a gasp and a wet sound that lets him know – in no uncertain terms – that the viewers are enjoying themselves.

If Vax isn’t mistaken, Shaun is working a little more quickly now, completing the loops around Vax’s thigh and ankle on the other side. At other times when they’ve done this, he’s finished by pressing the soles of Vax’s feet together and tying them that way, but now he simply winds the excess rope around Vax’s ankle and lets Vax’s knee fall to the side.

That’s it, then. The harnesses are finished, and all Vax can do is lie back and be looked at. He keeps his eyes firmly on Shaun, who stands up while looking Vax over. As he does, and his body is half-turned away from their audience, Vax sees him palm himself, nothing more than a quick grope at his own cock through the fabric of his robe, but the image shoots through Vax like lightning. He sinks so deep in his own head during times like these that he can honestly forget that Shaun gets off on it, too. The issue of reciprocation is one that they’re still negotiating, and despite Shaun’s calm protests to the contrary, Vax often feels like he’s not contributing enough, particularly if he doesn’t get to make Shaun come during their scenes.

Then there are moments like this, when Shaun is looking at him like he’s the only thing that exists or has ever existed, and Vax understands that it’s okay to not always understand. That it’s okay to take Shaun at his word when he says Vax is already giving him everything he needs.

“Beautiful doesn’t even begin to cover it, little bird,” Shaun says, and Vax has the distinct feeling that in this one moment, Shaun has completely forgotten about their audience, because in the next, he blinks like he’s waking up from a dream. He covers it well, of course, face splitting into a wicked grin that Vax can’t help but mirror.

Then Shaun strides confidently around the back of the couch, giving the crowd an unimpeded view of Vax’s bound body as he cups his hand around the back of Vax’s head and kisses him, long and deep. Vax is aware of his own hands clenching into fists until his forearms strain against the ropes, of his cock exposed and achingly hard, but it all seems so far away compared to the immediacy of Shaun’s mouth, of the soft scrape of Shaun’s facial hair, of the heat of Shaun’s tongue plundering his own mouth.

When Shaun pulls away, it feels reluctant, and he pauses to press his forehead against Vax’s. When he finally lets go and stands, Vax finds himself looking at Gilmore, the suave, charming owner of the very club they’re in. The one who’s always aware of his audience, even if he doesn’t explicitly acknowledge them. It throws Vax for a moment, but then Gilmore winks at him, and Vax gets it. He understands, and he closes his eyes, relaxing into his body.

“That’s right, my sweet boy,” Gilmore says. “You just lie there and look gorgeous while I go get what you need.”

Vax hears footsteps retreat a little, but he knows Shaun hasn’t gone far, just back to his toy chest to get the lube. Without Shaun to fill his senses, Vax is more aware of the sounds of the viewers a mere few feet away from him. There’s murmuring, the sound of softly creaking leather, even the rapid shuffle of skin against skin. Occasionally, there’s a whimper or a moan.

Vax has no idea how many people are watching, and he doesn’t particularly want to guess, but he lets himself feel the fact that there are people watching him. There are people aroused by him, by the look of his body bound tightly in ropes. There are people pleasuring each other, or themselves, at the sight of him, at the sight of his cock so hard against his belly that precum is surely beading on the tip by now. Vax feels his asshole clench around nothing, and even though he knows what’s coming, knows Shaun won’t spring anything unexpected on him, he can’t help but fantasize about being fucked in front of all these people. They’d all get to see Shaun’s cock spearing into him for the first time, see Shaun holding Vax down and making Vax cry out again and again. See how beautiful they’d be together, how beautiful they are together.

He’s so lost in the fantasy that it nearly surprises him when a hand strokes gently through his hair. Gilmore is back, leaning over him over the back of the couch again, with one hand in Vax’s hair and the other trailing knuckles down the soft inside of Vax’s thigh. “Are you ready for more, little bird?”

“Please,” Vax gasps, almost before the words are out of Gilmore’s mouth, and he closes his eyes again to fully give himself over to the grand finale.

Vax’s cock has spent so long with only empty air around it that Gilmore’s strong, slick hand closing around it is a shock to his system. He groans immediately, feeling like a starving man who’s just been brought to a feast.

“That’s it, my beautiful one,” Gilmore says. “Don’t hold back. Let me hear how good you feel.”

Maybe it’s a little performative, how loud Vax moans, but it feels good, giving himself permission to be uninhibited. He wants these people to hear how good he feels, how good Shaun makes him feel, and it’s even better when the soft noises from the crowd get a little bit louder. He hears a sharp, sudden exhale of breath that might be someone coming, and then a louder, punched-out groan that’s definitely an orgasm. Gods, he’s making people come, just by feeling so good in front of them.

So good, in fact, that it’s all building too quickly, and even though Gilmore isn’t necessarily trying to make Vax come as soon as possible, Vax feels the edge pull within sight, and he thinks not yet. He fights it, trying to slow down his breathing while also digging his teeth into his lower lip.

None of this escapes Gilmore’s notice, of course. “Little bi-ird,” he sing-songs, slowing the pace of his hand. “You’re holding out on me.”

Vax groans. “Don’t w-want it to end.”

Gilmore chuckles, low and deep and wicked, and Vax wishes he could feel the vibration of it against his body. “But you’ve been so very good for me, and now I want to see you come. You’re positively glorious when you come.”

The word choice is deliberate, and it burns hot in Vax’s gut, pushing him closer to the point of no return. “Bu— but—”

“It’s time, sweet boy. Time to let yourself fall.” Gilmore’s hand doesn’t speed up, but his grip grows tighter, and he starts giving a little twist of his wrist at the top of every stroke.

Ordinarily, it wouldn’t be enough, and the slower pace would just make Vax crazy, but he’s so close already that it feels like Shaun is pulling the orgasm out of him stroke by stroke. Vax feels his balls tighten against his body, but the climb to the very top is slow, and he feels it coming a mile off. Every time he thinks he’s about to fall, Shaun’s hand tugs him a little higher, and a little higher, until he’s sure he’s stopped breathing.

And then he feels his clenched muscles start to weaken, starting as nothing more than a tiny flutter deep in his pelvis, and as he starts the long fall back down, all the air comes rushing out of his lungs as a shout.

With his arms and legs so tightly bound, Vax just has to ride it out, this shockwave of pleasure that wracks his body until he’s straining in his bindings. Shaun’s hand doesn’t stop, just pulls more and more out of him as he shudders, falling and falling and falling. The breath heaves in and out of his lungs, forcing his chest up against the ropes that embrace him and hold him tight.

The landing is soft, as it always is, Gilmore gentling his movements and stopping entirely before it becomes too much. There’s more shuffling from out in the audience, more creaking, at least one more person climaxing with a soft groan. Vax becomes aware of Gilmore’s forehead against his, their noses sliding against each other as Vax fights to get his breath back.

“My beautiful, beautiful boy,” Gilmore groans, his hand still in a loose, slightly possessive fist around Vax’s softening cock. Then the hand behind Vax’s head leaves, letting him rest against the couch’s arm, and with the swirling air that accompanies a somatic gesture, the curtains fall closed in front of Vax.

The show is over.

There’s a wet smacking kiss on Vax’s forehead and a flurry of movement – Shaun is striding around the arm of the couch, to the front where he can kneel down and scoop Vax into his arms. And it is Shaun now, Gilmore left behind with the closing of the curtains, just the two of them now in their own little space.

“Vax, Vax, my darling,” Shaun gushes, pressing kisses to Vax’s cheeks and chin and smiling lips. “You were beautiful, you were perfect, you were everything. How did that feel?”

Vax laughs, barely able to speak for the way Shaun won’t leave his mouth alone long enough. “I don’t—” he gasps. “I don’t think I’ve ever come that hard from a handjob.”

Shaun groans, his own unfulfilled arousal evident in the sound. “I noticed, beautiful one.”

“I loved it, Shaun,” Vax crows. “It felt amazing. Thank you.” He knows from the sound of Shaun’s voice that this isn’t going to be a night where he leaves without getting to fully reciprocate. He bets himself that he can get Shaun’s cock in his mouth before Shaun even thinks about untying him.

## Afterword

End Notes

> The arm harness described here is a form of reverse box tie, a simplified version of what’s pictured here (pic is SFW).

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