[mention]LockedCheeseBird[/mention] I'm so glad you enjoyed Book VI and the whole college-saga adventure
From having spoken to a lot of readers about this, it seems to have left few people indifferent. For many (ex: [mention]chadmc90[/mention] [mention]CorbD91[/mention]) it was their least favourite book of the saga, while for others (ex: [mention]gaggedfeety[/mention] [mention]Msueta@2[/mention]) it was their favourite by far.
I think everyone was very happy to see Nick walk in at the end of that book though. Even those of us who have serious reservations about Nick were relieved and happy to see him again
The moment Nick came back on the scene I melted. I really enjoyed the primal nature of the college jocks, but daddy Nick feels like a warm hug, it just wraps around like a blanket and keep you safe. (And kinda isolated too, I am agreeing with those comments. Being a houseboi is fine, but I do think Steven needs to get some contacts just for him. A fund for rainy days if something goes sour would also be a healthy addition I think, or even an agreement from Zack that if things don't work out he can temporarily stay there until he gets his affairs in order. Just a safety net of some kind.)
You make an excellent point. I think Nick realises that too.
I assume you've completely caught up to the most recent chapters over the last 48 hours, but if you haven't, you'll be glad to know that he's already been working stuff out with Zack in terms of expanding Steven's social circle and letting him earn money. Naturally, Steven is the last person to be made aware of these things and is only alerted of these plans
after the agreement's been hammered out and cemented
All that to say that Nick has a lot of flaws (as much as the next person) but that his intelligence and forward-thinking habits are consistently underestimated by both Steven and the readership audience. A product of Steven's narration and the rather narrow bias it provides, no doubt
Nick's communications skills (or rather, his
willingness to use them) are less than ideal. But then again, that's often the case with guys who pride themselves on being "men of action".
I'm pretty sure that Zack's balance in that regard (along with his more traditionally handsome face) is what gives him a slight edge over Nick in terms of desirability.
Chapter 242 is one of my new favourite chapters. The slow groundedness and these day-to-day scenes are really nice, and damn, Nick in a jockstrap. Did someone turn the heat up in here? I need to open a window and get some fresh air, I think.
While
Chapter 242 - Hidden Treasures didn't make it into anyone's
Top 10 Moments list yet, it definitely
was one of my favourite chapters to write, while also being one of the most commented chapters so far.
The next chapters were almost as hot, this whole sequence of chapters is quite nice. I'm not jealous at all, nope. And these chapters really solidify my feeling that I've made the right choice, going with Master Nick. (Confirmation bias? Never heard of it).
Seeing the paternalistic side come out in him really melts my heart. I can understand Steven's reluctance though. I'm happy Nick finally said that he loves Steven, I do really hope he can make Steven see his value in this relationship. In my mind this is an equal but unequal relationship, indeed mirroring those older-style marriages. But in those marriages, the woman did just as much heavy lifting in the relationship as the man did, and I think Steven does as well. He has it easier, of course, as there are modern appliances now and no kids, but still, he does give Nick complete free time when he is not at work. That is worth a lot.
Indeed, it
is worth a lot!
Nick obviously realises that, while Steven has yet to understand his own worth.
Both of them are privileged to have each other, even though Steven insists that
he is the privileged/lucky one.
You're also completely right in the equal, yet unequal quality of the relationship.
Contrary to the 50/50 relationships that most people want nowadays, this one is more along the lines of 90/10.
What makes this inequality "equal" is the fact that the power exchange is consensual and that the one giving up all the control genuinely wants/desires/needs that. Even before the two of them were romantically involved, Steven's friendship with Nick had always been one of deference and submissiveness. He's a follower by nature, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
This is where things get tricky. And that also brings us to your final point, about your surprise at me being able to write Steven so realistically.
In short, as a "Daddy" type Dom, it's my duty to understand the psychology behind the sub-subtype that's best aligned with what I am. Daddy-type Doms are
made for Boi-type subs, there's simply no way around it.
The lack of understanding of what they are, and also of what sub-subtype is best suited to them is the reason why Doms often make very poor long term lovers. A good Dom will understand his matching sub-type. In other words, a Daddy-Dom
cannot be a good Dom without understanding the motivations and needs of Boi-subs.
Having said that, the relationship between Nick/Steven will speak a different language to different readers, depending on where they are on the BDSM power spectrum.
Upper-tier subs (Power Bottoms, Bedroom Bottoms, etc) will tend to look very unfavourably on it, whilst those on the very bottom (Slaves, Objects, Gimps) will not find Nick cruel/harsh/severe enough.
Most of the subs reading this (and most subs outside the forum) fall into the Bedroom Bottom category.
Their outlook on the Nick/Steven relationship will automatically carry a certain negativity, simply because it doesn't align with what their inner subtype wants or can handle.
One example that comes to mind would be that of [mention]gaggedfeety[/mention] and [mention]Socksbound[/mention].
Both are subs, through and through. Both of them signed on within a few days of each other and both of them are good friends on here.
[mention]gaggedfeety[/mention] is a Bedroom Bottom and unless I'm mistaken, I believe [mention]ShadowHusky[/mention] and [mention]Sockgaggedman[/mention] are as well.
For someone like [mention]gaggedfeety[/mention] to be happy in a relationship with a Daddy-type Dom like Nick would
not be impossible per se. But it wouldn't be an ideal matchup either. [mention]gaggedfeety[/mention] would most likely find Nick too overbearing, too overprotective, too strict. (Correct me if I'm wrong Feety) but in general, Bedroom Bottoms are FAR happier in 60/40 or 55/45 type relationships. They like and
need some level of domination and genuinely enjoy being protected and cared for. But they'll also want a greater level of control than what guys like Nick would be willing to grant them.
By contrast, [mention]Socksbound[/mention] is very much a boi-type sub. The relationship dynamic he values is far closer to what's portrayed between Nick and Steven (90/10). As such, he has a more favourable view of the storyline's main relationship than his Bedroom Bottom friend ([mention]gaggedfeety[/mention]) does.
The Bedroom Bottom is substantially higher on the power scale than the Boi, making him a much better match for more passive Doms and Doms who keep domination mostly for the bedroom. Boi-subs, on the other hand, would feel unfulfilled/unhappy in those mostly equalitarian relationships. They prefer and need to have less control.
Subs who are higher up on the hierarchy scale and Doms who are lower than Daddies on that same scale will tend to look somewhat unfavourably on the Nick/Steven relationship, while Boi-type subs (such as [mention]Socksbound[/mention], [mention]sniffingyoursocks[/mention] [mention]Tsuhaya[/mention], yourself and possibly [mention]Pup Wingletang[/mention]) will tend to see it in a far more favourable light.
The difference in outlook is even greater between Boi-subs and vanilla people/non-BDSM fans who will look upon this relationship even
more unfavourably...even going so far as labelling the Dom an abuser and the sub as being mentally ill.
All things considered, given the hints you've left us this past week and the fact that I'm almost certain you have a lot of "Boi" in you, I'm not at all surprised to feel an affinity for Nick and the relationship he and Steven are currently engaged in.
Thank you for allowing me (and many others here, if I read the comments) to learn more about ourselves, it seriously helps with coming to terms with all this stuff, and to feel like I'm not the only one and that it is not (that) weird to want something that looks more like the relationship Nick and Steven have than normal relationships. It really makes a difference.
That's precisely why I'm writing this tale, boi
There are LOTS of fantastic romance novels ([mention]gag1195[/mention]'s
BONDAGE WEEKEND (M/M) is a brilliant one that's recently popped up) that feature equalitarian 50/50 relationships. But almost no material that explores consensual and wholesome NON-equalitarian relationships where the power dynamics are heavily skewed in favour of one person.
This story fills a serious gap in BDSM literature and its main purpose has always been to show Boys like you that you're not the only ones and that such relationships
can work and
can be healthy. Obviously, it takes a lot of work (just like most vanilla 50/50 relationships) but it can be hugely fulfilling for both partners when the right balance is found. Steven's tale is all about the journey
getting there!
You're not the first one to tell us that Steven's journey makes you feel more normal.
I'm sure there are quite a few silent readers out there who feel exactly the same way you do.
Knowing that it's helping some of you feel better about yourselves makes this whole endeavour entirely worth it.
Thank you, my friend