People believe that in BDSM, the power lies with the dominant. That's not nonsense. It's reasonable to think that. But perhaps it's not true. Perhaps the submissives let you believe you control the system while subtly guiding you exactly where they want you to go. They make you think you are making the decisions when in reality, you are just choosing from the options they have carefully preselected. And the worst part is that when you realize it, it's already too late - you've invested too much emotionally to back out.

And when you think about it, why the hell wouldn't they be able to do that? After all, in a D/s relationship, the one who has the most to lose is the submissive. It's them who relinquish control, who expose themselves, who make themselves vulnerable. The dominant only has to... dominate. Maintain the control that has been given to them.

So yes, it makes perfect sense that a submissive would "go hunting." That they would actively seek someone who can give them what they need. That they would cultivate the characteristics they desire in a dominant. It's not manipulation - it's requirement management. Emotional user stories, if you will. "As a submissive, I want a dominant who is protective but firm, so that I feel safe while submitting."

The problem arises when the dominant is a proud jerk like me, who spends months believing they're "training" a newbie when in reality, they're being subtly molded into exactly what the "newbie" needed. It's like when a junior points out a critical problem in your work - your ego wants to deny it, but deep down you know they are right.

Deep down, dominants are just the instrument that submissives use to get what they really want. They leave us the illusion of control while they pull the strings from the shadows. And if you are foolish enough to develop protective instincts, you're in trouble. And if you ever consider breaking the first rule, and getting attached to a submissive... well, then you're screwed.

And speaking of being screwed...

Alex was still trembling before me, his perfect composure completely shattered. His hands, always so controlled, were wringing in his lap. His eyes, normally so expressive, were fixed on the floor, glimmering with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry," Alex whispers, and his voice trembles with so much fear and hope that I feel something break within me. "Please don't push me away..."

And there it is. The moment my protective side, the one I hate to admit I have, wins the battle without firing a single shot. Because I can endure many things, but seeing Alex scared of losing me is not one of them.

"Look at me," I ordered, and when he raised his gaze, the panic in his eyes made something twist in my chest. "What exactly are you sorry for? For lying? Or for being found out?"

"For disappointing you," he replied, and the sincerity in his voice hit me harder than any manipulation. His voice brok...