A little anxious, but liked it

Some part of you still thinks this is a bad idea. That part of you is getting smaller, quieter, as time goes on. Maybe Nat still does have some ulterior motive, but those worries are being drowned out by just how genuine she's being. You still can't shake how weird this all feels, but she's been so nice and honest so far, and when she came in, her presence felt... comforting. A feeling you've not gotten from another person for quite some time. As you consider exactly what to say to her, you resolve to try and at least be honest back.

"I think I liked it? I mean, I feel like I shouldn't have, but I did. You know I haaate being bossed around." You tilt your head towards Nat mid-'hate,' looking directly at her to emphasise that point, before drifting out again. "And you know how well I usually deal with doing nothing. But I didn't feel how those things usually make me feel."

"Well, what about it was different?" Natalie slides away from you as she swings her leg up on the sofa, angling herself to face you as she rests against the backrest side-on. You edge towards the end of the seat again, angling towards her, but keeping both legs on the ground, not quite facing her.

"I felt a little embarrassed. The posing felt demeaning. It felt like I was being treated like a kid, but also posed a bit provocatively?" You quickly turn to Nat. "And no, don't say it." She laughs. It doesn't look like she was prepared to say anything, but you know her humour, she was bound to make some sort of 'Sexy Kids!' comment. "Plus, I mean, if I'd never have done something like this for you normally, that played a part. Or, anyone. But it wasn't like embarrassment usually is, it was more... exciting?"

"And why do you think that is?"

"Because it's kind of... y'know..." You are still trying to be honest, but that doesn't make it easier to talk about. "Sexual."

"What's sexual about it?" Nat's bluntness stumps you, and you take a moment before responding.

"The... pose, I guess? I mean, boobs and ass out, like being inspected or something?"

"Okay, that's one possibility. Can you think of anything else?" She pauses for a while, probably expecting you to speak, but you can't think of anything. "There's no wrong answers here - unless you're lying to yourself - and everyone reacts a bit differently, but I suspect there's a few things that could be going on here. I- Uh, actually, do you have anything you want to say, or do you mind if I just talk?" You nod, and Nat leans forward a little, ready to go into 'explanation mode' - her term, not yours. When there's something that she thinks she knows, or has unique insight into, she just loves to go in-depth on it. Sometimes it's endearing, sometimes it's frustrating. But, you are struggling to articulate how you feel, so maybe this'll help?

"So, anyway, the whole 'posing' thing is mainly about the discipline and obedience side of things from a submissive's perspective, but embarrassment and the pose itself may come into it. For some people, just being told to do something - usually by someone in a position of real or imagined authority - is what turns them on; Similar to how some people like bossing others around, except that people tend to love that feeling of power wherever they can get it, but it's rare for a sub to like being bossed around outside of fantasy. People like roleplaying maids, but damn near nobody goes to work as a maid because they think it's erotic, y'know?" You nod along, trying to keep track of what Nat's saying.

"But it's not necessarily a sexual thing. Some people just like following orders. They find not having to be in control and making decisions to be relaxing or freeing, which again is for a whole bunch of reasons; Maybe they're in charge at work all day and want to de-stress, or they're naturally a bit anxious and like that feeling of protection, or... whatever. There's also a bit of overlap there with people who like being tied up and left like that, just wanting to feel secure, or something.

"For other people, it's more to do with who they're obeying. That does tend to be more about sex, and relationships, and... stuff. You do something because you think it'll make this person happy, and/or they told you to do it. Though again, there are non-sex reasons there - I'm guessing, but at school, were you usually pretty quick to answer questions for the teacher?" You nod again - there's more to it than that, but it doesn't seem too relevant right now. "Well, it's similar to that. Or, like, how in some movies, there's a PA character who's a bit too into their job, like the one in 'The Devil drives Lada,' - They don't necessarily want to fuck their boss, but they do really want to please them because of who the boss is.

"Of course, like you said, there's also the element of feeling embarrassed. That's a whole thing in itself, and I'm not too well versed in it, but the reaction to being embarrassed - Flushed face and all that - is a bit similar to arousal, so some people do 'get their wires crossed.' But, this is pretty minor in terms of how humiliation kinks tend to go, so I'm not all that sure. Being demeaned or treated like a kid operates similarly, too, although is often tied more into harder submissive relationships, whereas humiliation isn't necessarily tied to one. You're also right in that the pose is meant to subtly provocative - not excessively so, but enough that the idea is planted in your mind. Though, that can be enough to get some people going, especially those a bit more sensitive, or newbies.

"That said, I haven't covered everything. I'm not even sure that's possible, as people are turned on or off by a whole range of things. You may not even know yet, yourself, and I'm not sure I could guess at what you like just yet. But, hopefully that gives you something to think about. Working out your turn-ons will do wonders for you in future, believe me."

Finally, Nat stops talking. She's not wrong - there's a lot there to process. You sit there, quietly thinking about what she said, but she doesn't give you much time to do so, springing up to stand in front of you, before rubbing your head playfully.

"Ok, let's get down to business. It sounds like you do have at least a bit of a subby side, so let's see how you handle a bit of power." Nat turns away from you, bending over to look inside the duffel bag she brought down earlier; Legs straight, ass out, you're sure she's playing this up a bit to show off. You can't deny she's ho- uh, pretty. Yeah, pretty. I mean, you're not blind. You're cute, in a girl-next-door way, anyway, but she could easily pass for a model. Though maybe this isn't the best time to dwell on that. You snap yourself out of it as she turns back around, one long rope in hand, stretched out towards you.

"I'll let you have the first go at tying me up, seeing as you played along with my little game. I'll try and keep this fun for both of us, and not go too hard on you. At first, anyway." She winks at you cheekily, although you're not sure whether it's supposed to be suggestive, or an attempt to put you at ease.

You stare at the rope for a second before grabbing it. It feels nice enough - a nice maroon colour, clearly solidly made; Thick enough to clearly be felt, but not so much as to be ungainly. Similar to the old skipping ropes you'd use back in primary school, but fairly smooth to the touch. Natalie takes a step back, allowing you to stand.

"So, where do you suggest I begin?" You've got a few basic ideas, but it's still worth seeing what she says - maybe it'll let you know what she's anticipating from you, or... just be good ideas?

"I'd keep it simple to start with. Securing the hands to begin with, obviously. Then do something else with the leftover rope, if you have any? I've got more gear, but start small for now. I'll let you know if anything seems unsafe."