Pleasure and Pain

Summary: After returning home, Edwin realises that he wants to see the Cat King again, so he returns to Port Townsend
Warning(s): Spoilers for season one of Dead Boy Detectives; explicit sexual content; spanking with a paddle as part of sex; references to canon violence and character death; references to/aftermath of torture; elements of BDSM and discussion of safewords
Pairing: Cat King/Edwin Payne; brief mentions of Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland

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Ghosts didn't sleep, which was a good thing most of the time. If Edwin could sleep, he had no doubt that his dreams would be tormented by images of Hell and the torture he'd suffered there. The torture he'd suffered at Esther's hands hadn't been anything like as bad as what he'd gone through in Hell, but it had been painful enough.

Of course, the worst part had been losing Niko. He should have been able to save her. He was supposed to be the smart one, but he'd been helpless. Unable to save one of his friends.

That was why he was glad he couldn't sleep, because it would be Niko's face he saw every time he closed his eyes.

The trouble was, not being able to sleep meant that his mind was free to think of other things. And one of the other things on his mind was the Cat King. He was sitting at his desk, but instead of looking through his research books, he was staring at his wrist, where the bracelet had been sitting, keeping him bound to Port Townsend.

He should be relieved that he was free of the Cat King's control, but the being had actually helped more than hinder them. And he'd done so even when Esther had killed him, taking one of his nine lives. By the time they'd left Port Townsend, Edwin had realised he was actually going to miss the Cat King.

And he couldn't deny that a large part of him was actually intrigued by the older being.

"Hey. You think we could give our new member our own name?"

Edwin glanced up as Charles walked through the wall. "You mean the Night Nurse? I don't think she'd be happy if we just created our own name for her."

"She's not gonna be happy either way. We might as well give her a name we can actually use." Charles shrugged and walked over to the desk, sitting on the edge of it. "Did you find a new case for us already?"

"What?" Edwin frowned...then lowered his eyes to the open book in front of him. "Oh. No, I haven't found a new case yet. Though I suspect, if we wait for long enough, a case will eventually find us."

Charles nodded. "So what are you really thinking about?" he asked finally.

Edwin thought about telling Charles he wasn't thinking about anything; that he was just concentrating on finding their next case. But Charles was his best friend, and if he couldn't tell him about the turmoil he was experiencing, who could he tell? "I've been thinking about the Cat King," he said finally.

"You're worrying about him?" Charles grimaced slightly. "He really got into your head, didn't he, mate? You don't need to worry about him anymore. The bracelet's gone and you're free of him."

"I know." Edwin found his attention drawn to his bare wrist once more. When he looked up, it was to find Charles studying him. "What?" he asked again.

"You want to go back. Don't you?"

"I didn't say that."

"No, but it's obvious," Charles said. "Is it the Cat King? You want to go back to see him?"

Edwin could have lied. He could have changed the subject, and his best friend would have dropped it. But that was the thing. Charles was his best friend. If he couldn't be honest with Charles, who could he be honest with? "Yes," he admitted. "I know he trapped me in Port Townsend, but I also know he helped Crystal and Niko when we were taken." He winced at the pain that stabbed through him at the thought of Niko.

"Hey. It wasn't your fault. That witch was the one who killed her. Not you," Charles said seriously.

"She was only there because of us," Edwin whispered. His eyes were drawn to the lilies on his desk. A parting gift from the Cat King; one that didn't seem to have any ulterior meaning or manipulation behind it. "I think I do want to go back," he admitted. "Not to live there, but...to see him again. The Cat King."

"Okay. Maybe I should go with you," Charles said. "In case he does try anything."

"I think we both know he will try 'something'," Edwin replied. "But I don't believe it will be bad." From what the Cat King had said, he thought that whatever the older being tried might actually feel good, if he was open to it. "You should stay here, especially since the Night Nurse will likely get suspicious if we both leave. But I'll be coming back." Somehow, it was really important that Charles know Edwin wasn't going to just leave him.

Charles shook his head, giving him a look filled with fond exasperation. "I know that. You'd never leave me if you had another choice. Same way I'd never leave you, if I had another choice."

Edwin nodded. "I know. You're my best friend." He smiled and stood up, walking round the desk. When he reached Charles, he clasped his friend's hand. "Thanks."

"Of course. Any time. And I know where you are if I need you." Charles smiled, clasping Edwin's hand in return before he let go. "And if you need me at all, you know how to get me there. Just don't let him trap you there again," he added.

"I don't think he will. I think he just...really wanted to express his interest in me." Edwin remembered the words the Cat King had said to him right before putting the bracelet on him. You fascinate me. He'd refused to look too closely at how that had made him feel at the time, but now, he had to admit that he was fascinated by the Cat King as well. And he wanted to explore how deep that fascination went.

"Okay. But if you're gone for too long, I'm coming after you," Charles said.

"I understand." Edwin smiled at his best friend and then slipped out of the office, heading towards the mirror. There was no sign of the Night Nurse, who he'd half-expected to appear and tell him he wasn't allowed to leave on his own. Maybe she was still upset about having to stay and supervise them.

Edwin could feel Charles standing at his shoulder and knew his best friend would go with him if he asked. He even thought about asking Charles to go with him...but he truly didn't think it was necessary. After all, he'd faced Hell twice over now. The Cat King might be dangerous, but he wasn't as dangerous as Hell was.

Focusing on Port Townsend, Edwin slipped through the mirror and appeared in Port Townsend, not far from the ruins of the shop Crystal and Niko had stayed in. There was no sign of Jenny...and Edwin spared a brief thought to wonder how she was doing after everything that had happened. Had she found somewhere new to live? Somewhere new to set up her business?

"You came back."

The familiar voice of the Cat King sounded from behind him and Edwin turned, focusing his attention on the older being. "I came back," he agreed. "Were you waiting for me?"

"The cats tell me when someone comes here. When they told me you'd returned, I immediately wanted to come and greet you properly." The Cat King shrugged. "Are you here on another case? The witch is gone. No one has come here to claim her territory."

"I'm not here on Dead Boy Detective business," Edwin answered. "I came here to see you."

"Really?" The Cat King's eyes widened, glittering slightly. "Shall we move somewhere a little bit more private for this conversation?"

"Yes. I would like that."

The Cat King didn't do anything visibly, but a moment later, the two of them were standing in the same room Edwin had been brought to the first time they'd met.

Now that he was here of his own free will, and not made uncomfortable by flirting he didn't know how to respond to, Edwin allowed himself to look around the room, taking note of the various objects that filled it. As the Cat King had promised, most of the items there were about bringing pleasure...but there were a few things Edwin recognised from his time as a living person. He walked over to one of the objects, a smooth wooden paddle, and picked it up, running his fingers over the surface. "My school had one of these."

"Was it ever used on you?" The Cat King's voice sounded mildly curious.

"No. I was a good student." He'd always thought that was one of the reasons why he'd been bullied...but after meeting Simon in Hell, he didn't think that was true anymore. "Would you have used this on me, if I agreed to be punished?" He turned back to face the Cat King.

"Maybe." The older being shrugged. "Would you like to try it out?"

Edwin had never considered the possibility of 'trying out' a spanking before, let alone a paddling. And perhaps he'd feel differently if he had felt the paddle when he'd been at school. But this wasn't a punishment setting now...and he couldn't deny he was curious. What would the paddle feel like? He might be dead, but part of him was still taking an interest in what was about to happen.

Locking eyes with him, the Cat King held out his hand.

Slowly, Edwin placed the paddle into the older being's hand. A tiny thrill of trepidation went through him as the implement was taken from him. He was beginning to give up control to someone else, and it was both scary and exciting at the same time.

The Cat King held the paddle in a firm grip, watching Edwin for a few seconds before he asked, "Have you heard of safewords?"

"A safeword?" Edwin repeated. "Like a...word of protection or something similar?"

"No." A smile touched the Cat King's lips. "I like your innocence about certain things," he said. "But no. A safeword is a word you say if you want something to stop. If it hurts in a bad way, or you feel otherwise uncomfortable, you can say the word and it will stop."

"Can I not just say stop?" Edwin couldn't hide the note of confusion in his voice, but he no longer thought the Cat King would mock him for a lack of knowledge or experience.

"There are various different reasons why a safeword is better than using the word stop." The Cat King shrugged. "I'm willing to talk them through with you if you'd prefer...or if you want to experiment now and settle details later, you can use the word stop."

It wasn't usual for Edwin to jump feet first into situations like this, but since first arriving in Port Townsend, he'd discovered a lot of things about himself. That the Cat King was willing to take a step back from where they were going to make sure he was comfortable cemented his decision to go through with his decision to come back. "I trust you will stop if I ask you to." He took a deep breath and looked at the paddle in the Cat King's hand, then focused on the older being's face once more. "How would you like me?" His voice came out slightly more breathy than he was used to and he winced.

The Cat King moved closer to Edwin and reached out with one hand, letting it stroke down his cheek. He then leaned forward, breath ghosting over Edwin's lips, before kissing him.

Edwin closed his eyes and allowed himself to sink into the kiss. The Cat King's lips were slightly rough and scraped against his own mouth, and a warmth pooled in his stomach at the sensation.

Too soon, the older being pulled away from the kiss. "I told you the second time was better than the first," he whispered.

"Third time." Edwin opened his eyes, a tiny smile touching his lips.

"A kiss on the cheek doesn't count." The Cat King's hand was still resting on Edwin's cheek, and his thumb stroked over his lips. Then, he took Edwin's hand, lacing his fingers through his, and led him towards red velvet sofa. Sitting down on the sofa, he guided Edwin into position across his lap, shifting his position so that his upper body was fully supported by the couch. He then raised one knee enough to elevate Edwin's backside, leaving it the highest point of his body.

Edwin felt his body relaxing, which was not how he'd expected to respond to being placed in that position. He was so used to being in control all the time, he had to admit that giving up control actually felt good.

The Cat King let the paddle rest gently on Edwin's backside, rubbing for a moment or two, before he lifted it and brought it back down in a mild swat.

The paddle stung slightly, but it was only for a second or two before the sting faded into a warmth. Edwin made a tiny sound deep in his throat and shifted slightly, unsure how to tell the Cat King that it would be all right to put a bit more force behind the next smack; to make it sting a bit more. He wasn't going to break if it was more than a tap.

The paddle landed for a second time and Edwin found himself wriggling slightly. The Cat King's knees were firm and solid under his stomach, adding to the overall sensation of submitting to the older being.

A third stroke from the paddle drew a soft groan from Edwin's lips. The warmth that had pooled in his belly was spreading, making his body tingle, and he whispered, "I won't break, if you do it harder."

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I wasn't."

The Cat King's other hand came to rest on Edwin's lower back, pushing his shirt up enough to bare his lower back. He began to rub Edwin's bare back, even as he brought the paddle down again, this time with a bit more force behind it.

The sting lingered a bit longer this time, but as it faded into warmth, Edwin felt his stomach dip. The tingling that had begun in his belly was spreading now, as the Cat King continued to bring the paddle down over his backside. By the time he paused, Edwin was breathing hard and had found himself arching his back against the older being's hand, somehow wanting more.

The Cat King's fingers ghosted over his bare skin before he began to slide Edwin's trousers down, pushing them clear off his backside, nearly all the way down to his ankles. He left the underwear in place, but only having that thin layer of protection in place somehow made Edwin feel even more vulnerable. He shifted slightly, a tiny sound escaping him as the paddle rested against his backside, rubbing for a few seconds before it was lifted and brought down.

Edwin didn't know if the Cat King was putting more force behind the strikes, or if the removal of one layer of protection made the paddle sting a little more, but after three more strokes from the wooden implement, the warmth was beginning to become a burn...and he let out a tiny whimper.

The Cat King paused and began to gently rub Edwin's backside, soothing the burn a little. "Do you need it to stop?"

Edwin's first instinct was to say no; that it felt good and he didn't want it to stop. But he also knew that sometimes, even if something felt good, it could still be dangerous. So instead of going with his initial instinct, he examined his own feelings, and how his body felt, to judge if it was a good idea to continue or not.

His backside was stinging...burning, slightly, but it wasn't unbearable. And the rubbing felt good, causing his stomach to drop slightly. His whole body was vibrating with need and...arousal, he realised, as he felt an ache in his member. "I don't want you to stop," he whispered.

The Cat King didn't respond with words, but after a few more seconds of rubbing, he pulled down Edwin's underwear.

A tiny hiss escaped Edwin's lips as his underwear caught on his erection. He wanted to reach down to free it himself, but he hadn't been given permission to touch any part of himself. And even though the Cat King hadn't specifically said he was in charge, in control, Edwin had chosen to give up control to the older being. So he didn't touch himself. Instead, he shifted enough to allow his member to slip in between the Cat King's thighs, so that it wasn't getting any friction.

When the paddle landed against his bared backside, Edwin gasped soundlessly and reached down to close his fingers around the Cat King's ankle, holding on. If he didn't, he was worried he'd throw his hand back over his bottom...and he didn't want it to stop

After bringing the paddle down a second time, eliciting a tiny moan from Edwin, the Cat King moved his free hand underneath Edwin and grasped his member. As he began to stroke and tug it, he continued to bring the paddle down onto Edwin's bare backside, spreading the strikes out evenly so that no part of Edwin's bottom received more attention than the rest.

The dual sensations of pleasure and pain were enough to push Edwin towards the edge. He teetered for a few moments, holding on, but a harder stroke from the paddle and one final firm tug of his member and he was releasing, hard, riding out the waves of pleasure as his orgasm rippled through him.

After what felt like an eternity, Edwin returned to himself, still draped over the Cat King's lap with more than half of his body naked. He let out a tiny whimper, his body still feeling a bit too sensitive.

"Are you back with me?" The Cat King's hands were resting on Edwin's body, one hand on his back and the other on his bottom.

"Yes." Edwin cleared his throat and repeated in a more certain voice, "Yes. That...that was...like nothing I've ever felt before," he whispered.

"Good." The Cat King carefully moved Edwin, helping him into a more comfortable position on his lap instead of positioned over it, rubbing his hands up and down Edwin's back.

The gentle tenderness after being brought to the very edge made Edwin's stomach drop even more and he nuzzled into the Cat King's neck, closing his eyes and arching his back into the gentle petting. His bottom was sensitive, bordering on tender, but now that he was no longer being paddled, he could notice the warmth more than any lingering pain. "Will you do it again?" he asked abruptly.

"Not straight away, but definitely soon," the Cat King promised. "You need time to recover before we play some more."

Edwin wanted to protest; to argue that he could handle a bit more play...even rougher play. But he reminded himself that the Cat King was older and more experienced than him. And he trusted the older being wouldn't do anything to deliberately harm him. So he didn't argue or protest. He just rested against the Cat King's chest, eyes closed, and enjoyed not being the one in control.

The End