Rose was, well, a hot mess. She’d been with Carey for the last five or so years, and today was the end of that. The breakup wasn’t pretty, well, at least Rose didn’t take it all that well. Carey had wanted someone exciting, spontaneous, and that was decidedly not something Rose could offer. As far as lesbian romances go, this was about par for the course. Rose was the safe, logical, and all around dependable nerd with a penchant for colouring within the lines. After all, that was literally her job; she kept the frontend in order, every piece of text inside its respective box, and every image where it needs to be with all margins respected. The life of a frontend developer may not be glorious, but it was definitely safe.

After a few weeks of not leaving the house it was high time for Rose to at the very least entertain the thought of stepping across the threshold into the world. Working from home had its advantages, but it also had a habit of making one a very lonely, pajama clad, sloth of a human being. Thankfully, Rose’s friend Amanda wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Rose, you absolutely have to leave the house. You’ve been in there for over a week and I know you’ve just been ordering out all week.”, Amanda lectured.

“I… I just want to be cozy. It’s comfy in my pajamas, and the tacos I had last night were perfect. I can leave any time I want—”, Rose rambled before she was cut off by a very indignant Amanda.

“Right. Be ready by 8 tonight or I’ll kick you out in your cat pajamas so every lesbian on 3rd St. can get an eyeful of your fiery bush. I do have a key, remember?”

“That’s really unfair, Amanda. You know I gave you that key in case of emergency…”

And so it was settled; the two young ladies were headed to The Esper. The rather run down bar on the edge of the city was the only thing close to a lesbian bar this south of the Mason-Dixon line. Of course, the old saying that you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make it go down on the girl at table 3 is absolutely correct.

Rose and Amanda arrived at The Esper just in time to catch the music change over from House to Trance, and that made it a little easier to chat. Amanda was gone though; she’d already floated on to the dance floor and found herself some random thing in a miniskirt to dry hump. Rose wasn’t quite as forward, and found a nice cozy booth in the back of the bar to nestle in and catch up on the latest tech news. Amanda didn’t notice, and Rose was happy to be in her own little world.

“Are you sure you want to be here? You’re awfully engrossed over there.”, a voice broke through the background music and hit Rose’s ears knocking her out of focus.

“Huh, what… I uhm… who are you? Sorry, that’s not how you greet someone… I was just… distracted. Hi. Hello. I’m Rose?”

“It’s Willow, and I think that’s a fine way to greet someone who interrupted your reading of—A List Apart? Wait, are you doing work research at a bar? My hero.”

“No… its just… okay I just wanted to catch up on CSS3 and there was a new article and…”

“I think you’d better let me buy you a drink so you can explain the intricacies of the box model to me while slightly inebriated.”, Willow said as she raised her arm out and ordered Rose a cranberry and vodka on the rocks.

Rose didn’t know what to say in response. Whoever this was, she liked them. It isn’t every day you get hit on by someone who knows what the box model is, nor is it every day that someone buys you a drink that isn’t an awful tasting draft beer. Rose opted to drink, and maybe keep her mouth shut for a short while to see what might happen. Okay, maybe she drank that drink a little too quickly. Oops.

“Is the bar too loud for you, Rose? We can leave. I’m sure your friend will be fine.”

“I… uhm… yes, I think, maybe. I’m a little tipsy and it’s hard to… hard to think with all the thumping in the background.”

“Ah, understandable. Let’s step out; my car is out front and we can go back to my apartment. I promise to be an upstanding citizen and definitely not take advantage of you in your impaired state. Okay, maybe a tiny bit.”, Willow laughed softly.

Normally Rose would have been vehemently against getting in a strange woman’s car but her brain tried to weight the risks of walking home versus getting in the car and decided to just crash out right there on the spot.

Rose woke in the middle of the night to find herself in someone else’s bed. That part she remembered well, at least, but there was a haze of a dream still hanging in her mind. She remembered hearing voices in her sleep; something of a whisper in her ear as she went to bed. She couldn’t remember a thing that was said, but she did remember feeling content and safe next to Willow. She started to freshen up in the bathroom after packing her purse and checking her phone. Nothing important had happened short of Amanda wondering where she ended up; she’d assumed the best, as she always did, though.

“Hook up with that brunette who bought you a stiff drink? Perfect. Hope you got laid.”, Amanda wrote.

Rose had sighed resignedly when she read that text. At least Amanda was a decent friend. Willow’s eyes cracked open and she smiled up at Rose.

“Going somewhere? I think its a bit too early for you to be packing up. It’s a Saturday.”

“I… well, I mean… you’re not wrong? I can stay a bit, I suppose.”, stammered Rose quietly.

Rose wasn’t sure why she agreed to stay. One night stands are supposed to last one night, and then the walk of shame steps in and you get to regret it the other 12 hours of the day. That’s how this works. Something tugged at her mind though; something told her she should stay.

“Fantastic, would you care for some breakfast?”, Willow asked.

“Yes, I’d like that.”

“Good, I’ll take two eggs over easy with a slice of duly buttered toast and a cup of black tea with milk and a half teaspoon of sugar.”

Rose was confused; why would her one night stand be ordering breakfast from her? That didn’t make any sense. Neither did the fact that she’d already started the kettle and dropped the bread in the toaster. She felt at home, relaxed, and focused as if this was just another day.

“You know, I’m quite surprised you’re being so obedient already. Have you always been this submissive?”, Willow said coming up from behind and putting her arms around Rose as she cracked the first egg.

Rose froze for a second, and then snapped back to reality. Something about that phrase just hit her like a brick, but immediately her response softened. She trusted Willow, she needed to be honest with her.

“No, not really. A little, maybe? I’ve always been very agreeable but that usually means I get taken advantage of.”, Willow rattled off matter of factly.

“Well, I promise not to take advantage of you in any way you wouldn’t readily agree to. Well, except this one time with breakfast. I had to make sure it worked.”

“Hm? Make sure what worked? Did you want your eggs a little runny, or mostly set?”, Rose asked brightly.

Willow just gave Rose a smug grin, tightened her embrace, and whispered in Rose’s ear. The strawberry blonde fell softly into her arms and was sound asleep. Willow carried her over to the sofa and laid her there gently looking down at her prize with gentle eyes.

When Rose awoke she saw Willow sitting at her side meeting her eye to eye. She felt rested, content but something wasn’t quite right. She noted the empty plate by the sink, and the dirty dishes on the stove.

“I.. sorry, did I take a nap after breakfast? I don’t remember exactly what happened. I was cooking the eggs and then I woke up?”, Rose tried to sort out the lost time to no avail.

“You must have been very tired after last night. It’s quite alright; I took very good care of you. Now, I have a few questions to ask of you and a bit of an admission to make as well.”

Rose’s brow quirked and she looked up at Willow quizzically.

“First, what is the one thing you know can never happen, but that you wish you could experience for just a moment or even a bit longer. That one thing you’ve kept bottled up for as long as you can remember. Maybe it’s a fantasy, a state of mind, or something completely different. I want you to feel safe, to be honest, and to answer me truthfully.”

“Well… that’s… I don’t…”, Rose stumbled to find the words; her cheeks burning bright red, “I think, just for awhile, I’d like to not think so much? You know, not to be stupid or anything, just to let go and enjoy things more? Sorry, it’s stupid. Well, I want to be stupid. Or something. It’s complicated?”

Willow let out an endearing laugh and put her hand on Rose’s thigh, “Now, because you answered me truthfully I suppose I owe you that admission. Truthfully, last night while you were sleeping I planted a few very small suggestions in your mind. Just a few whispers in your ear here and there. I promise it was nothing life altering; just a suggestion to be obedient and to be honest. I was rather surprised you took to it so well after just one session.”

Rose froze and tried to process what she had just been told. Hypnosis wasn’t real. You couldn’t just whisper in someone’s ear and get them to do your bidding. You had to actually want whatever it was to happen, right?

“I know, it sounds ridiculous, but you did try valiantly to make me breakfast. Of course, you did burn the toast. Okay, that was partially my fault for triggering you at the stove.”

“So… what is this all about? I don’t think you need me to make you breakfast every day, and obviously I’m not the best at cooking so you really don’t want me to be doing that anyways. Should I be afraid? Should I run? I don’t know what the intent is but I’m really worried about not being worried and that’s just making my head spin.”, Rose rambled off nervously.

“To be honest? Control. I can’t make you do anything you don’t already subconsciously want. I can, however, bring things up to the surface that aren’t readily accessible. If there’s even a small part of you that wants to let go, to be free, to be blank—I can give that to you. I want someone who is willing to let me give them that, and maybe make me breakfast every once in awhile. All of this is safe, sane, and consensual—well, minus last night. I know, I know shame on me.”

Rose thought for a moment and considered the gravity of the situation before experiencing just that as she fainted.

When Rose woke the third time she smelled the distinct aroma of chicken tikka masala radiating through the apartment. She sat up, legs across the sofa and looked to the kitchen. Willow was in her element cooking dinner with each little bowl of spices set neatly within reach. Mise en place, as it were.

“Good evening, sleepy head. That time wasn’t my fault; I promise.”, Willow smiled back at her.

Rose rose from the couch and joined Willow in the kitchen putting her arms around her like she had done to her that same morning.

“I want that.”, Rose said softly, her breath brushing against Willow’s ear.

Willow kept cooking, and just smiled down at the saucepan, “Thank you for trusting me. Is there anything you would rather I not do to you?”

“Not really, well, just don’t make me do anything gross and preferably not with anyone else. I have an adorably innocent image to maintain, and I just can’t handle the thought of all those germs.”

“And here I was just thinking about having you clean the dishes.”, Rose chuckled.

That night Rose slept sound, and though she definitely had another dream, she didn’t dwell on it too much. This time Willow had curled in behind her, arm around her pulling her in close to her warmth. It was comforting; a place she felt completely safe. It was a fine Saturday evening for lonely hearts to join together.

When Rose woke the next day she felt Willow’s leg brushing against hers under the covers. They’d slept close all evening, but Willow had rolled away half way through the night. Rose tried to think about the night they’d met; the drink, the geeky article she was reading—it was all a bit fuzzy.

“Mistress Willow?”, Rose asked before realizing exactly what she’d said.

“Good morning, Rose. You were a very good girl last night. Do you remember anything from your dream?”

“No, not really. It’s all a bit fuzzy. Even the night we met is fuzzy. I think there was something about an article that I forgot, but it doesn’t really matter.”

“That’s very good, Rose. You don’t need to remember anything silly like the box model or HTML do you?”, Willow asked smugly.

“Oh. Did you do that? I can’t really think straight. I can’t do anything straight, really. Would you, maybe, touch me? I’m kind of, well, a little on fire.”, Rose asked her voice trailing off.

Willow laughed and traced the inside of Rose’s thigh, “Yes, dear, I think I could do that if you do just as I say. Just how eager are you, anyways?”

She started to move her hand up Rose’s thigh, gently pressing against her sex and parting her labia before stopping just short of plunging her fingers deep inside her prey, “How is that for a start? I want you to tell me what you are. You should remember by now.”

“I… I’m Mistress Willow’s..., Mistress Willow’s dumb, submissive slut.”, Rose blushed crimson, breathed in slowly, and as she did Willow fingered her deeply and she came so hard she almost blacked out.

“Good girl, Rose. Very good girl. You’ve been so obedient today, and so receptive. Each and every time you come you’re going to feel a little more empty headed. Your geeky little thoughts—gone. Your worries—gone. Your inhibitions, at least with me—gone.”

The triggers were already there, and Rose could feel her mind getting a bit hazier. She knew Willow had put more suggestions in for her to stumble across, but she hadn’t expected to feel so helpless. She wanted to worry, wanted to be afraid but it was easier just to let go and trust Willow.

“Yes Mistress.”, Rose said quietly looking down at herself.

“You had to think about it for a second. It’s okay, and I understand. You are safe, and I promise to stay within your limits. There’s another suggestion I gave you if you ever feel overwhelmed. If and when you get there, you’ll know what to do.”

Willow moved in closer, sliding her body over Rose while keep her hand firmly on Rose’s mound. Her warmth was unmistakable, and Rose was writhing under all the sensations.

“Good girl, give into it. Just feel, don’t think. Breathe in, breathe out, and relax. Maybe let out a pitiful little moan, or even a silly giggle. You know you want to. You’re such a simple girl now. Of course, you’re still thinking about it a little too much. I can see it on your face. Let’s take care of that right now.”

Willow pulled her fingers from Rose’s slit and pressed them to Rose’s lips; she licked them clean and let out a soft moan without so much as a thought. Willow reached into the nightstand drawer and retrieved a large, cordless wand and pressed it between them. Rose closed her eyes as the vibrator started to run, and Willow ground against it too. Within minutes both women had climaxed, and Rose let out a soft giggle when Willow came down from her high.

“How are you feeling, Rosie?”, Willow smirked down at her and put the wand back in the drawer.

“Oh, uhm, I’m okay Miss Willow. That was… that was en- enj—that was fun. Can we do it again?”, Rose rambled out in an uncharacteristically singsong voice.

Rose’s brow was anything but furrowed, and her whole body relaxed while her eyes shone bright like they’d just opened for the first time. There was a spark there, something new, something exciting.

“Rosie, I think you should put your head between my legs and show me just how much you enjoyed that. Can you do that for me, dear?”

Rose crawled over to her Mistress and buried her head in the brunette’s soft, bushy mound. Her tongue parted Willow’s lips and flicked at her clit ardently. It wasn’t long before Willow was the one letting out a deep moan, and grasping at Rose’s red hair. She pressed Rose deeper, forcing her down until she hit climax. Rose giggled, and licked her lips.

“Thank you, Mistress.”, Rose said smiling brightly down at Willow.

“Thank you, you silly slut. Let’s get you freshened up and grab some lunch. A little sunlight would do us both good, and you really must eat—and not just me.”, Willow said chidingly.

Willow walked over to her closet and reached into the back to grab some clothes for Rose. She returned with a pleated, tartan mini skirt, and a white, button-down blouse with a peter pan collar and handed them to Rose. Rose quirked a brow and clutched the fabric gently.

“I know, not quite your size, but put it on and leave your panties on the floor. Can’t have you wearing dirty ones anyways.”, Willow said matter of factly.

Rose hesitated, but pushed her arms through the arms of the blouse and started to button it up. Willow looked on with a pleased look on her face and started to get dressed herself. Willow’s attire was a bit more modest; just a tea-length, a-line dress in a deep crimson with a thin, black belt.

“You know, that bra is going to show through your blouse if you wear that. Maybe you should skip that too.”, Willow smirked.

Rose slid the straps of her bra off and unhooked it at the back so she could deftly remove it without having to unbutton her blouse. Her bra did not show through the top anymore, but her nipples certainly did. Thankfully it was a thicker fabric and wasn’t see through, but the warmth of embarrassment hit her cheeks just the same.

“Miss Willow, are you sure… are you sure this is acceptable to go out in?”, Rose asked nervously looking across the room to her new owner.

“Rosie, let me worry about how you look. Just do as I ask, and you will always look perfect for me. Oh, you forgot something.”, Willow said walking towards Rose with a chiffon, maroon ribbon in her hands.

Willow motioned Rose to lift her hair, and then carefully folded and shaped the ribbon under Rose’s collar leaving a loose, crimson red bow in the front. Rose found a mirror and started to blush the same colour as the ribbon, and Willow’s dress. She looked like a schoolgirl, albeit a somewhat tasteful one—minus the nipples.

“I… I can’t go out like this…”, Rose mumbled to herself as her cheeks flushed.

“Yes, in fact, you can—and you will.”, Willow said sternly pointing to the glossy Mary Janes in the corner.

Rose slid the shoes on over the white, knee high socks Willow had practically thrown at her. Rose knew she wanted to obey, but something in the back of her mind was resisting—something was stopping her from enjoying that moment.

“Rosie, come here please. I think you’re a bit worn out, aren’t you?”, Willow extended her arms and the girl walked over, and placed her head on Willow’s chest.

“Sleep.”

Rose awoke to the smell of freshly pressed espresso and English breakfast tea. She was sitting at a table outside of a cafe just feet from Willow’s car. There was a slight pressure on her neck; it felt comforting, and right. Willow smiled back at her from across the table.

“Rosie, I hope you don’t mind, I let you rest a bit on the way over. I hope you like tea; I figured coffee might be a bit much for you.”

“I… how did… I don’t…”, Rose stammered anxiously looking down at her tea; her thighs rubbing together under her skirt as she tried to remember the car ride.

“Well, you were a bit overwhelmed back at the apartment so I triggered you and carried you to the car. You weren’t completely asleep, just enough to put your mind at rest and put a cute little collar around your neck. I trust you noticed that part?”, Willow explained stirring a sugar cube into her cappuccino.

Rose raised a hand to her neck and felt a rigid, but silky ribbon wound tightly around her neck. The front was tied in a neat, classic bow and the back locked firmly with a dainty, silver padlock concealed by her long, red hair. Her cheeks started to radiate with heat as the embarrassment set in.

“Good girl. I like it when you blush; it’s rather cute. Of course, I don’t want you to be afraid. I can trigger you any time I like, but you have to be willing for it to work. I guess you had a bit of an exhibitionist streak in you after all.”, Willow chuckled to herself and set her cup on the saucer.

Rose froze in place before uttering a single word. “Breakpoint.”

Willow quickly paid their bill and rushed Rose to the car. Breakpoint was a safe word Willow had put in as a trigger for Rose just in case things got too intense, and something had just pushed Rose too far. The two women sat quietly in the car; neither wanted to speak first.

“I… I didn’t mean to make you upset. I didn’t know what was happening and I was so… exposed. I just wanted to make you happy.”, Rose rambled on hoping to bring some peace to Willow’s furrowed brow.

“You didn’t upset me at all, Rose. I was just caught off guard. What made you safeword anyways?”

“It was when you said I had an exhibitionist streak. I don’t. Not really. The truth is… well, it’s a bit complicated…”, Rose trailed off, her eyes meeting Willow’s.

“I was just being a bit facetious, you know, but… why did you go along with it?”

“Because I wanted to make you happy. I wanted to serve you. It felt right to do that even if it meant doing something I didn’t like all that much. I hope you’ll let me do that more, but I didn’t like being labeled something I’m not.”, Rose whispered, a tear forming on her eye.

Willow started the car and drove them back to her apartment. When the two crossed the threshold, Rose jumped into Willow’s arms.

“Thank you.”