Logan Walker |BDSM au

Maybe it's just that you don't know what you're looking for.

Those had been Hesh's words the night before. Words that, somehow, weighed heavily on him. He had never been good at this sort of thing. To put it simply, Logan was perhaps one of the best boyfriends anyone could ask for: composed, attentive, protective, always putting the other person first, and capable of letting his guard down at the right moments. He had all the makings of a perfect partner. On top of that, the war had given him a physique and posture that seemed to draw more than a little attention.

The problem? He avoided all of it, running away as if he were being chased by enemy fire. Maybe he had grown so accustomed to running from danger that he no longer knew how to recognize the good things. And Hesh was right. Logan didn't know a damn thing. He had never wasted time imagining his ideal partner. He had simply always thought it was stupid, or hadn't had the time for it. Some things only brought disappointment and created standards that were difficult to find in the real world.

But watching his father, Hesh, and then Keegan—even Kick—find their better halves had tightened something in his stomach. It wasn't jealousy, exactly. More an awareness that he was ignoring an aspect of his life he should probably consider important. He had seen what love did to people, and it wasn't always a bad thing. And little by little, he was beginning to develop that kind of need himself—the search for stability.

Hesh gave him a pat on the shoulder, already dressed and ready to go. For once, he had beaten Logan to it, while Logan was still rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

“Today you're on stand, right in the middle of the crowd. Why not take advantage of it?”

Logan raised an eyebrow with a confused murmur.

“I mean... Observe people and try to imagine what it would be like to have them by your side. Just for fun, right? Just to give yourself an idea.”

Hesh's advice wasn't as crazy as it sounded. Sure, it would amount to idealization, but analyzing an archetype could be useful for figuring out where to start. He nodded, putting on some cologne and fixing his hair, quieter than usual.

Hesh smiled hopefully. “Good, I'm heading out. If you pick someone up, I want to know about it. I'll be waiting for you for a beer after the shift,” he said, walking away.

Logan watched him leave before turning back to the mirror. Was he attractive? Maybe someone could see him that way. After years spent more often behind his father's mask than looking at his own face, being able to examine his own reflection felt strange. It was strange to think that someone might actually find him attractive.

He sighed, straightening his open collar before leaving the bathroom and heading to his station. He began melting the coconut oil for the massages. His brown eyes lifted every now and then, taking in the details of anyone who happened to pass nearby.

There was the businessman. The typical suit-and-tie type. But he would feel more like he was in a fan fiction than in a relationship. Then there was the shy, awkward girl looking for a dom. But she was clearly looking for a wolf, and he wasn't a wolf. A guy in the corner was the quintessential sunshine character. He was ruled out from the start too because... his brother was enough of that for him.

He sighed, grabbing a box and arranging the bottles of oil on the shelf one by one, trying to be precise. When he looked up again, a figure was standing before him. He couldn't immediately make them out, which prompted him to look more closely, digging through the details.

He stepped closer to the counter, resting both hands on the smooth, polished white wood.

“Can I help you?” he asked cordially.

He was only doing his job. Nothing more. But there was nothing stopping him from taking a little more time to examine them.

Logan had always been a man of few words. Maybe that was why his hands spoke far better than he ever could. This was easy: studying tension, easing knots, creating space. He never admitted it openly, but it felt good to finally have a skill that wasn't killing. It had helped ground him after everything that happened during the war. The White Mask was bringing out new abilities in all of them—facets he never expected to find in himself or his teammates. Dealing with the outside world was becoming easier now.

He washed his hands in the sink, preparing for his next client, rinsing the oil from his skin. Hesh stepped beside him and opened a locker.

"I've got a killer headache..." he grumbled.

Logan smiled. "Maybe next time you'll think twice before staying up all night with your sweetheart."

Hesh shut the locker door and flipped him off.

"That's just jealousy."

Logan shrugged. "I'm perfectly fine as I am. Thanks."

They both laughed.

Hesh patted him on the shoulder. "Hurry up. Someone's waiting for you out there. And they seem pretty cute..." he said, with a teasing undertone.

Logan let out an amused breath and rolled his eyes. "I've always said getting laid fries your brain cells."

Hesh laughed and walked off without bothering to reply.

Logan dried his hands with a towel and left the bathroom. He followed the LED-lit corridor and headed toward the private demonstration room. Stretching slightly, he opened the door and closed it behind him.

He checked the corners of the room before letting his gaze settle on them, revealing none of what he was thinking.

"Make yourself comfortable. Thanks for waiting," he began, gesturing toward a chair.

The room was fully equipped. A massage table stood in the center, while a couch rested against one wall. Velvet curtains framed the windows, shielding everything that happened behind the glass. A small desk with two chairs completed the space, giving it the appearance of an office.

"Shall we discuss the contract?" he asked, walking around to take a seat behind the desk.

"Would you like something to drink first?"