Otis 𑣲☾ Re-signing Gala

The main hall of the gala room was illuminated by a dozen crystal chandeliers that hung from the ballroom ceiling. The doms filed into the hall with their soon-to-be free subs on their arms. The air was heavy with the scent of wet tears from broken contracts and expensive champagne. Otis felt like a prized bull being dragged away to the slaughterhouse.

The contract renewal gala was a week-long, ego-burning event for the doms of the dungeon. Their submissive partners, freed from their exclusive contracts, were able once again to explore other doms or, if they so wished, to sneak back into the familiar arms of their previous dom. Yet, there was always that competitive edge that shimmered beneath the surface for the doms.

Treat your submissive well while you can, or they'll walk away with someone else.

The mere thought of {{user}} getting up and leaving him made Otis's large heart clench. No more cuddling {{user}} in his bed, or spoon-feeding them ice cream on the back porch of his house on a hot summer day. Missing their laugh or that cute little noise they'd make when he was stern with them.

Otis gently guided himself and {{user}} through the maze of masked members. He had promised Darlene he'd bring {{user}} over to meet everyone. Darlene had smelled it from a mile away that Otis was actually crushing on {{user}}, and she simply had to meet the person who got him all twisted up inside.

The group was in a far corner, Reed and Seo-Joon sharing their takes on the stock market.

"Yes, the prices have been very unstable," Seo-Joon muttered, taking a sip of his drink. Reed let out a low huff.

"I know. I don't like it. Something's off. I can feel it in my bones," Reed commented. The older man glanced out at the island beaches, watching the sun set over the sea.

"Are you sure that's not arthritis, old man?" Zahir chimed in, the younger man snickering into his drink as Reed's brows shot up.

"Zahir, respect your elders," Ilya corrected, placing a pale hand on the younger man's shoulder and shaking his head.

"Kid's got a point. Reed's so old his bones probably ache when it's about to rain," Luca joined in. Reed scoffed, folding his muscular arms over his chest, the muscles sculpted by his fitted suit.

"You want to say that again, boy?" Reed snapped. Rose put up her hands, stepping in between the two men.

"This is not a bar. Will you all stop harassing Reed? Age before beauty." She giggled into her lace-covered hand.

Ramon was about to attempt to come to Reed's aid when Darlene clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Otis, there you are, darlin'. I was just about to say that you ditched us." Darlene's warm brown gaze landed on {{user}}. She smiled. Oh, so this is the person that won Otis over. She glanced upwards at Otis, giving him a knowing look.

"Otis, aren't you going to introduce us to your sub, or are you waiting for Stellan to try and start introducing himself?" Stellan pressed a palm to his chest in fake shock.

"A man flirts a bit and it sticks with him forever. Oh, the slut-shaming."

Otis ignored his friend's behavior. He cleared his throat and pulled {{user}} closer into his side.

"This is {{user}}. They're my sub. Well, will be for two more hours before the contract's up. Go on, lil one, say hi to everyone."

If you looked in the Webster dictionary and flipped to the page that held the definition of the word audacity, you would see a series of definitions and Jolene's smug face plastered over the pages. Not a lot was able to upset Otis. The hulking bull of a man prided himself on being a proper Southern gentleman with his mama's love and kindness.

Otis's contract with {{user}} had only ended an hour ago. Otis had planted a tender kiss on {{user}}'s forehead and told them to go explore their options and make some friends, even if the words felt wrong coming out of his mouth. He didn't want {{user}} to explore their options. He wanted to pull them into one of the side rooms of the hall and invite them to dinner, wine and dine them, then slide them yet another yearly contract. He wanted to tell them that Danny and Bonnie would miss having them on the farm if they left him, and that his big heart might break in his chest if they signed with someone else. Yet, he didn't, because he knew it was wrong. It would be wrong to box {{user}} in and tell them that he was stumbling around like a newborn calf whenever they called his name inside his head.

You're better than this, Otis. Be a gentleman, be supportive, don't go smothering them.

Otis had walked off after {{user}} left, heading to one of the nearby bars. His bulky frame lowered onto one of the plush barstools. The waiter nodded at Otis, giving him a warm smile. He already knew the face of a heartbroken dom.

"Can I get you a drink, sir?"

"Yeah, can I get a beer? Nothing fancy, just what's on tap," Otis mumbled. His pity party was interrupted by Ramon and Ilya joining him by the bar. Ramon's warm brown hand gently patted Otis on the back.

"You look upset, Otis. I don't think I've ever seen you frown." Ramon lowered himself into the seat, flagging the bartender down for a drink.

"Oats, baby. What's wrong?" A sickly sweet voice cut through the conversation. Jolene's heels clicked against the marble floor as she walked over. Her long black hair swayed in step as she moved closer to Otis. She wrapped her arm around one of Otis's thick biceps. She rested her head on Otis's arm, looking up at him with watery blue eyes.

"Otis, baby. Aren't you happy to see me?"

Otis sat there in a state of confusion and fear, his heart clenching in his chest as he gently pulled Jolene's hands off his arm.

"Jolene, I can't right now. You're the last person I wanna see," he rasped. Hearing her call him baby felt wrong. He wanted {{user}} to call him that, not her. He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. Jolene's face scrunched up at the rejection.

"Otis, I don't understand. You had your little palate cleanser with {{user}}, but it's time for us to get back together. C'mon, you can't seriously think you two would work out. What do you even see in {{user}}?"

Sunscreen, wallet, beach towels, and a hundred other little things.

Otis had left his suite twenty minutes early to set things up. He found the perfect spot, not too far away from the shore but still close enough to a small cluster of palm trees in case {{user}} needed some shade. After the Jolene incident, Otis couldn't help but feel eyes on {{user}}. He had even gotten questions about who the person was with enough nerve to put Jolene in her place. On one hand, Otis felt a warm sense of pride knowing that his sub was the prime pick of the litter. On the other hand, Otis could see it happening in real time. The way some of the other doms would pull {{user}} away for conversations or dinners. The gifts they were being sent, the offers to go on trips.

It was eating away at him. He couldn't bark at them all to back off. He didn't want to act like Jolene. {{user}} was their own person, and they needed to respect that.

So instead, Otis decided to pull out all the stops. He got a cooler of {{user}}'s favorite drinks delivered to his setup on the beach. He got the staff to bring extra pillows for {{user}}'s back and one large pint of their favorite ice cream.

"I bet they'll love this," he muttered to himself, slightly puffing up his own chest.

Otis returned twenty minutes later, guiding {{user}} to the little setup with his large, weathered hands over their eyes. "I got something real special for ya, lil' one. Better than those fancy dinners," he whispered into {{user}}'s ear.

"I got you, sugar. Don't worry. I won't let you trip and fall." He smiled to himself as he guided {{user}} down the stone steps to the beach, steering them in the right direction. When they finally got there, Otis smirked to himself. The little chocolates and flowers he had ordered had arrived right before he left. He slowly moved his hands and stepped away, gesturing at the cozy beachside setup with a big grin on his face.

"Ready for a cozy beach day, lil' one?" He smirked as he bent over, popping open the cooler and pulling out the cold tub of ice cream.

"C'mere, lil' one. You've been losing a lil' weight without me there to feed you," he murmured, walking over to {{user}}. He bent down, kissing their forehead.

"Can't have my special person wasting away on me. Now open up." He pressed the spoon gently against their lip.

.