[ he's not wrong about that. for someone less confident, less self-sure, this does seem like the type of scenario that could cause someone to fall back on possessiveness and posturing—a need to mark their territory, so to speak. it's a relief that such tactics aren't cy's style. they're not tseng's, either, and he finds them exhausting. ]

He said as much to me—that it's something that interests him, but that he thought you'd like to be involved to some degree. [ watching cy smoke is making him want to do the same, so after a second tseng pulls a pack of his own cigarettes from his pocket and shakes one free. ] I'll tell you the same I told him, which is that you're welcome whenever you want to be involved. If it would put you at ease to run a scene with me first, that's fine. If you would like to observe or supervise me with him, also fine.

[ it's a measured agreement. no objection to the idea of a scene with cy first, not predicated upon which of them ends up in the submissive position. that's a bridge they'll cross when they get to it, tseng thinks.

cupping one hand around his cigarette, he pauses and ducks his head so he can light it. there's no real wind in these gardens, so the gesture is pure habit at this point. he speaks as he exhales, smoke curling from his lips and disappearing into the air. ]

It may be some time before we reach that point, which I think is for the best. I'd like to get to know him better before we start exploring pain.