Because of those Fetish Photographs

Sebastian Yoshida quickly towelled his black hair, listening to the changeroom door open and close several times. The shower room was slick and white with steam, but otherwise empty. Everyone else was leaving to study, though Sebastian was sure he didn’t need to. Finals were easy, assuming you’d paid any attention throughout the year. He sighed, wrapping his towel around his waist despite the absence of others, then entered the changeroom, feeling the steam leave his body to be replaced by cold.1

The eighteen-year-old moved quietly to his locker, listening to his flip-flops clap across the tile floor. It was almost totally silent except for the faraway echo of noises through the gymnasium beyond. Practise had ended almost an hour ago. Sebastian was taking his sweet time, and knew his brothers would worry, but that was too damn bad. They usually didn’t pay attention to him anyway, and Orion would probably be at work for ages.2

Sebastian opened his locker and forced his giant duffel bag from the interior. His clothes spilled everywhere - thankfully the floor was mostly clean. He picked up his neatly rolled-up t-shirt, though had barely lifted his arms to put it on when a voice interrupted the quiet.3

“You’re just as beautiful as your photographs.”4

Sebastian let out a gasp, dropping his arms as well as his t-shirt and spinning around, clutching at the towel around his waist. There in the corner was a boy about his age, with golden hair and large, dark-rimmed glasses surrounding his bright blue eyes. He was just shorter than Sebastian and dressed in clothes that didn’t look impressive, though Sebastian could tell they were expensive. He was like a model dressed as a pauper, some plaid rag on his back.5

“Who’re you?” Sebastian croaked, still surprised. He could feel a flush rising to his face and goosebumps starting to crawl across his flesh, though he hadn’t yet even started to think about what the stranger had said.6

“What’ll you do for my name?” the blond asked lazily, smirking slightly. Sebastian furrowed his brow.7

“I... ...I dunno...” he said, and the blond stood up. Only then did Sebastian realise that he had a set of handcuffs. “What... what are those for?”8

“Oh, these? ...I dunno. I thought we’d play a little game...” said the blond, advancing slowly. “You know, like you do in your photos..?”9

“What..?” Sebastian began, but suddenly remembered the photographs that this kid must have been talking about – the ones in all those dirty fetish magazines – the only modeling jobs he’d been able to get – and he finished his sentence with a cold feeling in his stomach, “...photos..?” 10

“I think you know which ones. Am I right?” the blond asked. He reached the bench that ran down the centre of the room and slowly stepped over it. He stopped just two meters away, smiling as the cuffs swayed in his hand. “So. Are they a true representation, or not? I mean... I can see that you look just as good...”11

Sebastian felt the stranger’s blue eye ice his body from head to toe, and he shifted, blushing profusely. No one ever looked at him other than photographers, and this blond was pushing his comfort zone.12

“...but are you actually fun to play with, or not?” the boy pressed on, stepping still closer. He was close enough that they could have reached out and touched, if they’d wanted to. Sebastian didn’t move, feeling himself beginning to sweat. Every inch of his skin tingled, though it was most insistent in the warm shadow of his towel. The blond took another small step forwards.13

“Whaddyou want?” Sebastian blurted, backing against his locker, eyes wide, face flushed. He realised he was breathing quickly as the blond looked him up and down again, and smiled a little.14

“Just to introduce myself,” he said, his smile broadening as he held out his hand. “My name’s Sam.”15

“...okay... ...nice to meet you,” Sebastian forced, daring to take Sam’s hand in his own. The moment he had, the blond tightened his grip and flicked one of the cuffs closed around Sebastian’s wrist. “Hey!”16

“Hold still,” Sam drawled as his victim tried to pull away. Sebastian was still trying to hold onto his towel with the other hand, and had already backed up as far as he could. “I don’t want to hurt you... much... I just wanted to tell you, you’re cute.”17

Sebastian’s mind raced while his heart pounded in his chest. What the hell?18

“...you’re hitting on me?”19

“I guess, in a sense,” Sam admitted, shrugging slightly. He let go of both Sebastian’s hand and the cuffs, so that the open link swung from Sebastian’s wrist. Then he backed away and sat on the bench, chin in his hands. Sebastian looked at the handcuffs, then at Sam, then wrinkled his face in confusion. The blond smiled. “Wanna be friends?”20

“...I think you’re the weirdest kid I’ve ever met,” Sebastian said dully, lifting his right hand to study the cuffs. In his peripheral, Sam shrugged.21

“We can be more if you want. If you actually go that way. Hard to tell from a photograph.”22

“...You’re... ...explain yourself,” Sebastian commanded, and Sam smiled sweetly.23

“I’ve seen your photo in magazines. I never dreamed I’d actually meet you in person, but here you are.”24

“Who are you?”25

“I’m Sam. Samuel LaFontaine. I just started coming here last week.”26

“...and... ...you’ve been... waiting for me in here, or..?” Sebastian still tried to figure it out. Sam just kept smiling his content, mysterious, patronising smile.27

“I watched you practised. I was going to join the team too but I forgot my clothes today, so I just watched. You’re pretty good,” he said seriously, and Sebastian felt himself blushing again. He shrugged and looked away.28

“Thanks...” he said, then, looking down, caught sight of the cuffs again. “What were you... planning to do with these..?”29

“I thought you might like them, that’s all. I saw you a few days ago, and wanted to meet you, and... I guess I’ve been carrying them around since,” Sam explained, then shrugged and looked away, as though suddenly realising that he should be feeling more ashamed. “It’s okay if you don’t. I’m used to rejection.”30

Sebastian’s mind reeled.31

“Okay... seriously... what do you want?”32

“I want to date you,” Sam stated simply, though the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice made it sound much more profound. There was a pause.33

“But I don’t know you,” Sebastian pointed out.34

“And I’ve seen your photographs in magazines. I don’t even know if you’re gay,” Sam countered. “Welcome to my shaky limb.”35

“... ...I am,” Sebastian stated after a moment, shifting and glancing around the changeroom. Sam smiled a little.36

“Okay. Good. You’ll go out with me then,” he said, and Sebastian wasn’t sure if it was a statement or a question. He assumed it was a question.37

“Well... I’m not – “38

“It wasn’t really a question,” Sam said, looking serious as he stood up.39

“What the hell do you mean it wasn’t a – ?”40

“I like pretty things,” Sam interrupted cheerfully, though it was a sort of cheerfulness that hid a dangerous edge. Sebastian found himself liking it either way. “I like you, and I’d like to know more about you. You can of course try to change my mind later, but for now, why don’t you get dressed and we’ll go somewhere fun?”41

“... ...you’re asking me on a date?” Sebastian clarified, and the blond nodded.42

“Telling you, more like. You really have no reason to refuse. Otherwise, I’ll probably cuff you to something in here and not let you go,” he said. Sebastian looked down at the handcuffs for merely a second – and when he looked back up, Sam had already stepped closer – was right in front of him – was holding his jaw – their lips touched, though only briefly. Sam smelled like expensive cologne and hemp, and he didn’t back away as he said, “Get dressed, huh? You’d look silly in a towel.”43

With that he backed off, smirking as he turned his back and started out of the changeroom. Sebastian struggled to find his voice.44

“Hey – hang on – wait,” he whimpered, and Sam glanced back over his shoulder. Sebastian held up his wrist. “What am I supposed to do with these?”45

“I dunno. Wear them?” Sam suggested, then left the changeroom without another backwards glance. Sebastian looked at the cuffs, one link still hanging open. He sighed in annoyance and snapped it closed around the same wrist – hopefully people would just think he had an odd taste in bracelets. He hastened to get dressed, praying Sam wouldn’t come back in – or anyone else, for that matter. It was hard enough to get his pants on as it was...46

Sebastian eventually shoved his gym clothes into the duffel bag and then into his locker, then glanced in the mirror on the way out.47

“What a whack job...” he muttered to himself, flicking his hair straight. In the days to come, he would learn that Sam acted perfectly ordinary around everyone else.