Chapter Text
The neatly wrapped bundles of hemp rope landed heavily on the table as Bai Yu poured them out of this duffel bag and arranged them neatly on the table. He ran his fingers over the varying shades and lengths that he had brought along for today’s session, finally deciding on one of his favorite ropes- a four millimeter hemp rope that he’d had for years. The thinner rope would look great on today’s rope bunny judging by the pictures she’d sent him previously.
He adjusted the black thick framed glasses that perched on his nose and began to unwind the rope. A faint dust rose from the fibers and Bai Yu frowned. He reached into his bag and pulled out a rag and a bottle of oil, pouring a small amount on the rag, then ran the rope carefully through being sure not to apply too much.
He glanced at his watch. Twenty minutes before the new rope bunny was due to arrive- plenty of time to scroll through Instagram. It had only been a few hours since he last checked, but he already had over a hundred new likes and comments on his most recent post. Deciding to save those for later, he scrolled through his feed admiring the work of the other professional riggers and bunnies he followed.
“Wow, she is quite flexible.” Bai Yu squinted at his phone screen, his voice echoing slightly in the empty room. “But it looks like the rigger got a little overzealous.” He winced and zoomed in on the picture where the roughened rope was digging into her skin already leaving an angry red stretch of flesh. “That’s gonna leave a mark. If it were me, I would have used a softer rope for such a tight tie.”
He scrolled through a few more images, liking the ones that stood out to him until he got to the post he pretended he wasn’t looking for. Rope Dragon- his stage name a play on the usual rope bunny terminology- had always been one of Bai Yu’s favorite artists. Who could blame him, really?
Rope Dragon was different from any other bunny he’d seen- where many others were pliant in their photographs with their heads low, dominated by the ropes- Rope Dragon made direct eye contact with the camera. Those large eyes, framed by impossibly long dark lashes, reached through the screen defying judgement and welcoming the viewer to join him. The first time Bai Yu saw his work he’d been struck so completely that he’d stopped walking in the middle of crossing a busy street, only coming out of his daze when cars began to blow their horns at him.
After that first day when he was almost run over after discovering Rope Dragon, Bai Yu had seen many videos of his shows- purely out of professional curiosity of course- so he noticed when something changed. They were subtle at first- more rope, a thicker gauge- but over time the ties lost their delicate flow over his pale skin and became heavier, more dominating like the ropes were trying to overcome the defiance he was so well known for. The change chafed at Bai Yu’s own artistic style, but if Rope Dragon wasn’t complaining, then who was Bai Yu to criticize the change.
In the beginning, Rope Dragon’s work had been mostly performed live, but when his rigger changed he started to increase his photo shoots as well and thus his social media presence. With the increased exposure, his followers quadrupled nearly overnight.
He had come to popularity around the same time Bai Yu’s own rigging gained attention, so many of the fans in the community urged them to work together on their various social media pages. Bai Yu always replied to these suggestions with polite refusal, after all, they didn’t know each other and the kind of trust between a rigger and a bunny was not built overnight. Plus, while Bai Yu could easily come up with some beautiful ties for Rope Dragon, Bai Yu’s specialty was in suspension and intricately delicate designs- two things that were the exact opposite of Rope Dragon’s aesthetic.
Still, the idea had been intriguing. He’d never worked with a male rope bunny before, but he wasn’t opposed to the idea. He looked over Rope Dragon’s newest post with the keen eye of a professional and let himself imagine what he would do differently from this ham-fisted rigger.
Today’s image was intense and Bai Yu’s brow drew down the more he looked. Rope Dragon was on his knees, legs spread wide- both of which were in a leg tie bound with an excessively heavy gauge- his arms were crossed over his chest with so many ropes binding his hands to his shoulders that they were almost invisible. It was a shame to hide Rope Dragon’s beautiful pale skin and lithe muscles behind so many ropes. Bai Yu twisted his mouth and raised a considering eyebrow as he imagined rope covering Rope Dragon’s upper chest in a basket-weave pattern that extended down his stomach and arms, accentuating his shape rather than hiding it.
Besides the ties being sloppy and excessive, something else bothered Bai Yu about this picture. He chewed his lip and scrutinized the image, trying to put a finger on the uneasy feeling in his stomach, then he really looked at Rope Dragon’s eyes. The usual defiance was present, but mingled in that defiance was hesitation- maybe even a hint of fear? Before Bai Yu could contemplate any further, his rope bunny arrived for their scene.
Since this was their first scene together, Bai Yu forced himself to dedicate his full attention to her and her unique needs, but his mind kept drifting back to the picture of Rope Dragon. He was in the middle of photographing the thin hemp rope tied around the bunny’s wrists in swirling ties dotted with little white flowers when it hit him- Rope Dragon wasn’t looking at the camera with that complicated expression, he was looking at the person behind it.
He waved at the rope bunny, thanking her for her work as she left the studio then immediately ran for his phone. Ever since he had the unsettling idea that Rope Dragon’s rigger may have stepped over the line, he couldn’t shake the painful twist in his stomach. Theirs was an industry founded on a bedrock of trust and consent, and if the rigger betrayed that trust the damage could be serious. The feeling only intensified when he realized the picture had been removed.
A week passed and Bai Yu put the picture out of his mind. Maybe he’d imagined it after all- none of his fans had posted any concerns over the removal of the picture so it must have been his overactive imagination. Still, he found himself checking his social media pages a little more often waiting for Rope Dragon’s weekly post. Even if he dismissed the content of the short-lived post from last week, it felt significant that he didn’t post anything else to replace it- his nearly OCD posting schedule broken for the first time in years.
His tongue was caught between his teeth, poking out slightly from between his lips while he focused on the mannequin before him. The hemp slid through his fingers like water as he worked on a new tie he’d read about. If he could get it right then he would call one of his more experienced bunnies tonight to see if she was free for a session. He was glancing at his phone for reference, his fingers wound in the rope like marionette strings, when his phone buzzed with a new direct message. Usually he would let these alerts pile up and respond to them on the weekend when he was lying in his empty bed, but the name caught his eye and he immediately disentangled himself from the ropes.
Mouth hanging open and eyebrows vanishing under his fringe, he opened the message from the last person he ever expected to contact him.
Rope Dragon: Good morning, I hope this message finds you well. I apologize for contacting you so suddenly, but I was hoping that you might be interested in collaborating with me on an upcoming show. I find myself without a rigger and the show is rapidly approaching. Many of my fans have suggested that we work together and I find your style quite beautiful. If you are interested and available, I would like to meet this afternoon. I await your reply. -ZYL
“Holy shit.”
They agreed on a popular cafe for their first meeting- somewhere very public to ensure the safety of both parties. Bai Yu’s leg bounced as he watched the patrons flow through the door, the warmth of his coffee seeping into his palms as he gripped the cup tightly. He checked his phone once more- he was still five minutes early, no need to panic yet. His stomach churned ominously, reminding him of the possible repercussions if he tried to pass off coffee as a meal.
Thankfully, Rope Dragon- Zhu Yilong, he reminded himself- breezed through the door right on time, his eyes scanning the crowded tables before locking eyes with Bai Yu. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he saw the famous rope bunny in street clothes, but this hadn’t even crossed his mind.
Zhu Yilong was dressed in an over sized brown sweater that looked sinfully soft to the touch with sleeves that almost hung past his hands. His light jeans were snug, but not too tight and carefully ripped at the knee and thigh showing just enough skin to be alluring. The look was topped off with tan hiking boots that looked like they may have actually seen some time on a mountain side.
He stood from his chair and waved, but Zhu Yilong glanced at the menu board and held up a finger. A few minutes later he arrived carrying a steaming cup and a plate of pastries. Bai Yu’s stomach snarled at the sight of the sweets, but he managed to contain himself from lusting after the other man’s lunch. Zhu Yilong set down his meal and extended his hand.
“Hello, I’m Zhu Yilong. Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.” He bowed deeply, wearing a smile that could stop traffic. Bai Yu blinked in the face of so much beauty, but regained his senses before the other man could notice.
“Bai Yu. The pleasure is mine. I really enjoy your work- it’s beautiful.” He let go of Zhu Yilong’s hand and gestured to the seat on the other side of the table. “Please.”
Another beautiful smile, this one bashful and aimed at the tabletop- Bai Yu barely contained the coo that wanted to escape his lips at the adorable sight. How was this the same man whose eyes burned with a fiery intensity, who refused to be dominated even when completely bound?
“Thank you,” Zhu Yilong began, taking a sip of his coffee before continuing slowly. “You must be wondering why I reached out so suddenly.” The hesitancy in his voice twisted Bai Yu’s heart and he knew that no matter how curious he was, he would never push.
“You mentioned you need a rigger for your show, I don’t need to know why.”
Zhu Yilong’s eyes shot up to meet his, wearing a grateful expression that made Bai Yu want to hurt whoever made this clearly gentle man so shocked by simple decency. “You really don’t want to know?”
Bai Yu lifted one shoulder and smiled amicably. “If you want to tell me, I’ll listen, but it’s not a requirement for us to work together.” He sipped his own coffee and watched a complicated play of emotions dance across Zhu Yilong’s expressive face. When it was clear that Zhu Yilong was not going to respond, Bai Yu set down his cup and continued.
“Look, you and I have both been in the community for long enough to know that we can’t even discuss the possibility of working together without trust.” Zhu Yilong nodded slowly, a dark expression clouding his eyes for a moment and then it was gone just as fast as it came, replaced by the open appreciation once more. “Good, so, like I said, I’m excited by the opportunity to work with you; I think you’re an incredibly talented rope bunny.”
A flicker of irritation tightened Zhu Yilong’s lips. “I prefer the term ‘canvas,’” his tone was clipped in a way that surprised Bai Yu, but he smiled and dipped his head to the side, conceding to his preference.
“Canvas it is then. Here’s my proposal: we meet for a few days to get to know each other. Then once we are comfortable, we can attempt a few easy ties and work our way up to something complicated for your show. When is it by the way?” Bai Yu’s eyes drifted towards the plate of pastries that Zhu Yilong had yet to touch.
“I think that’s a great plan. The show is next month.”
Bai Yu’s eyebrows shot up, pastries forgotten. “Next month! Wow, okay.” He chewed his lip doing some mental acrobatics to figure out a reasonable schedule. “So let’s meet everyday for the rest of this week and take stock on Friday.”
Zhu Yilong stared at him for so long that Bai Yu squirmed in his seat. After what felt like an hour, but was more likely thirty seconds, Zhu Yilong spoke.
“You’re really okay with this? You want to work with me? I’ve seen your portfolio and you’ve never worked with male canvases before.” He was leaning forward with his elbows on the table and scrutinizing Bai Yu’s face like he was waiting to find some kind of deception hidden there. It was like being analyzed by an extremely intense owlet.
“I’ve worked with men before, but you’re right: most of my bun- sorry, canvases- have been women. My style tends to be more delicate and ornamental than your usual work. Not to mention the suspension which I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do. So I guess I should turn the question around on you. Why me?”
“For the sake of honesty,” Zhu Yilong swallowed and found the wood grain of the tabletop incredibly interesting. “Your work reminds me of my first rigger and I’d like to get back to that type of aesthetic. And, well…” he trailed off, squeezing his cup in a white knuckle grip. “I’m not sure how to say this, but I picked you because you’re str-” the paper cup began to crumple under the force of his hands. “I don’t think you’d be interested in a relationship with me.”
Bai Yu was glad that Zhu Yilong was not looking at him to see the look of confusion that plastered itself to Bai Yu’s face. A flare of indignation surged to life in Bai Yu’s chest, but he stamped it down with both feet. His sexual orientation shouldn’t have any bearing on his work, but he had a feeling there was more to this story. Only a handful of people knew that he was bisexual, but as far as Zhu Yilong needed to know, he was straight as an arrow.
While Bai Yu was still having his internal meltdown, Zhu Yilong groaned and shoved his hands in his hair, making it stick out at weird angles. “That came out horribly, I’m sorry.” He looked up into Bai Yu’s face with sincere eyes. “Several riggers approached me when they heard that I had left my previous rigger.” His brow drew down and the startling anger from earlier was back. “They all suggested that they receive sexual favors in addition to sharing the profits from the show. It was… tiring to hear that kind of suggestion about my work. My first rule is that I don’t date my riggers.”
Pursing his lips, Bai Yu nodded. “That is really shitty. I can promise you that our work together will be strictly platonic.” He didn’t investigate the sudden urge that welled up in his chest to protect this man from the sickness that plagued the world. Draining his coffee as a distraction from his straying thoughts, he set the empty cup aside and eyed the pastries once more. “So, any other rules then?”
“Well, I have a back injury that makes it hard to bend at the waist, so I don’t do suspension. Other than that, I’m open to your artistic decisions.”
“There are ways to do suspensions that work around an injury if you’d ever like to discuss the options, but if you're not comfortable, we can have our scenes on the floor just fine.”
Zhu Yilong picked up a pastry and took a small bite, chewing slowly. Bai Yu watched in fascination, his eyes trailing over the crumbs that stuck to the corner of his mouth, then followed the path of the pastry back to the plate. “Then if you’re agreeable to a fifty\fifty split on the profits from the show, I think we can make this happen.”
The hunger in Bai Yu’s eyes must have been evident because Zhu Yilong’s expression became weary, then he noticed the direction of Bai Yu’s gaze and grinned, sliding the plate closer to him. “Let’s consider this a meal to seal our new partnership.”
He shook himself, blushing lightly at being caught lusting over the other man’s food and grabbed a fluffy croissant, raising it in a toast before attempting to shove the entire thing in his mouth in two bites.
They continued their conversation, flowing easily between topics. Zhu Yilong was shy at first, only sharing minimal details of his experiences, but gradually as the afternoon gave way to evening Bai Yu was delighted to catch little glimpses of a whip-like intelligence and a free laugh. Before they parted with a handshake, they agreed on a time for the following day. That was how they found themselves with a standing lunch meeting for the next week.
The rest of their encounters were just as easy as the first and with each joke and playful shoulder shove, Zhu Yilong relaxed in his presence.
They shared their favorite pictures from their portfolios with each other- Bai Yu would never admit that he had used the image Zhu Yilong claimed as his favorite as a background for his phone for months after he’d posted it. It had featured Zhu Yilong sitting on his feet, thighs neatly bound with a rope dyed in all the colors of the rainbow, arms tied behind his back, and wearing a shirt with a picture of a galaxy sporting the phrase ‘love is universal.’ He had stared for longer than necessary at the way the shirt perfectly covered his boxer briefs, giving the impression that he wasn’t wearing them. Bai Yu wished that he shared first since it was hard to focus on his own portfolio after seeing that picture again.
After they had both shared where they first discovered shibari- college of course- it opened the topic of their most embarrassing experiences. Bai Yu had been completely red in the face by the time he finished describing the first time he had tied a real person- and the way the ropes had immediately slid off of her because they were too loose- Zhu Yilong was clutching his sides. The fluttering feeling in his stomach at the sight of Zhu Yilong’s brilliant smile went unheeded.
By their third lunch meeting Bai Yu began to realize that Zhu Yilong’s smile was like a drug and he was willing to do most anything to get a hit. By the fifth meeting, Bai Yu wondered if there was a twelve step program to recover from his alarming addiction to that smile.
He had known the danger of the question, but he couldn’t curb the desire to know more about the fascinating man on the other side of the table.
“Tell me something interesting about yourself that not a lot of people know,” Bai Yu asked, sipping at his overly sweet strawberry milkshake. It had been a trying day and he was treating himself- he’d even asked for extra whipped cream and a cherry on top.
“Ah, there’s not much to tell, really.” Zhu Yilong ducked his head, a motion that Bai Yu was already familiar with by day three. He chewed on his fingernail for a moment then his eyes lit up. “Oh! I’m quite good at claw machines.”
The child-like innocence on Zhu Yilong’s face startled a laugh from Bai Yu. “It’s a shame that there are no claw machines around to prove your prowess!” The teasing tone in Bai Yu’s voice was also becoming a regular occurrence in their meetings. Though he had learned which topics were off-limits pretty quickly, like when he mentioned that Zhu Yilong was short for an amateur basketball player and was rewarded with a glare that nearly set his hair on fire.
“I am good at them! My record is ten.” He took a large scoop out of his banana ice cream then licked his spoon clean and smiled smugly. Bai Yu pointedly ignored the way his tongue darted out to lick at the corner of his mouth.
“Nope, I still don’t believe you. We will just have to find a claw machine for you later to back up your claim.” Bai Yu smirked at the flare of indignation that sprang to life in Zhu Yilong’s eyes.
“Fine, then tell me something interesting about you.” The petulance on his face made Bai Yu bite back a fond chuckle.
“Everything is interesting about me!” Bai Yu cried, earning him a dramatic eye roll and an exasperated smirk. “But if I had to say one thing.” He scratched at his beard-covered chin and looked towards the ceiling. “I’ve been a rope bunny- ah, canvas damn it. Sorry, still getting used to that.”
Ice cream dripped from the spoon that hovered halfway between Zhu Yilong’s bowl and his mouth, which hung open as he stared at Bai Yu.
“I thought that might surprise you,” he chuckled and nudged Zhu Yilong’s spoon towards his open mouth. “A good friend of mine was doing a big show with multiple canvases and he asked me to be part of it. I’ve done it a few times since- mostly arm ties. I enjoy it, but I prefer rigging. Your turn.” He smirked around the straw of his milkshake, claiming that round as his.
“I can eat crayfish without my hands.”
Bai Yu choked on his milkshake.
Once he had recovered, he turned his watery gaze to the befuddled man across the table.
“Long-ge!” The familiar name fell from his lips before he could think better of it, but Zhu Yilong didn’t bat an extremely long eyelash. He thought for a moment when a wonderful- terrible- idea came to mind, spreading a wicked smile across his face that had Zhu Yilong leaning away.
“Since you can’t prove that,” he said, plucking the cherry out of his milkshake and dangling it before Zhu Yilong’s nose. His eyes crossed slightly, watching it like Bai Yu was a hypnotist swaying a pocket watch. “Can you tie a cherry stem with your tongue?”
Zhu Yilong considered the bright red fruit before his eyes for a moment, pursing his lips, then he plucked it from Bai Yu’s fingers and wrapped his tongue around the cherry, separating it from the stem. He chewed carefully as he rolled the stem between his fingers.
Bai Yu’s pulse quickened, watching the way Zhu Yilong’s throat worked when he swallowed the cherry then looked up to meet Bai Yu’s gaze with a painful innocence.
“I’ve never tried before.” He raised an eyebrow and popped the stem between his lips.
If Bai Yu thought that his pulse was racing before, it was now galloping like a thoroughbred in the Kentucky derby. Zhu Yilong’s eyes were focused on the middle distance as his mind concentrated on the movement inside his mouth. His jaw worked and his mouth twisted in all kinds of interesting ways. After a few tortuously long moments a pleased look passed over Zhu Yilong’s features, then with a flick of his tongue, the cherry stem emerged from between his lips- a perfect knot in the center.
Bai Yu was so intently focused on the way the red stick looked held between Zhu Yilong’s teeth and pressed against his bottom lip, he almost missed the mischievous glint in his eye. Zhu Yilong smiled around the stem and Bai Yu finally managed to look away from that- evidently very talented- mouth.
“I’ve been punked, haven’t I?”
The answering smug grin on Zhu Yilong’s face was all the answer he needed.
He huffed and ducked his head feigning interest in sucking down the rest of his milkshake, firmly reminding his traitorous body that Zhu Yilong was off limits- no matter what creative scenarios his mind was making up for that dexterous tongue. Still not looking up at the other man, Bai Yu used his straw to scrape out the extra whipped cream that remained stubbornly at the bottom of his cup. He wrapped his tongue around the plastic tube and licked the outside clean, only realizing what it looked like when he returned the straw to the cup.
Chancing a look at Zhu Yilong, he was relieved to find his face turned towards his own cup fastidiously scraping out every last bite. He attributed the pink color on his ears and neck to a trick of the light.
Once they were both done, Bai Yu laced his fingers together on the table and leveled a careful look at Zhu Yilong. The other man stilled under his gaze and his expression smoothed out like the surface of a lake on a still day.
“I’d like to meet you at my studio tomorrow- just to get you used to my space and how I work. We could even do some simple ties if you are willing,” Bai Yu cursed Zhu Yilong’s ability to completely hide his emotions behind a beautiful porcelain mask. “If you’re uncomfortable in any way, we could just tour the studio and talk- no scene necessary. Would you be okay with that?”
The air whooshed out of Zhu Yilong’s lungs like a dam breaking and Bai Yu wondered if he had been holding his breath the last few minutes. An unreadable expression softened his eyes for a moment and then it was gone.
“Could we go now?” The question came quietly, but firmly, determination lacing his voice.
Bai Yu blinked and checked his watch. “Uh, sure. I have an appointment at four, with one of my regulars to try out some new stuff I’m working on, but before that I’m free.”
The tentative smile made Bai Yu want to give Zhu Yilong anything he asked for and a small warning bell sounded in the back of his mind. Shoving the bell into a closet in the back of his mind and slamming the door, Bai Yu returned the smile then stood from the table, gesturing for Zhu Yilong to follow.