In the Doghouse - Chapter 92
Richard lowered his eyes softly. Back to square one. He had already thought of a few responses. In fact, if he hadn’t been so worried, he might have blurted them out in the dining room.
Instead of replying with words, he nuzzled his cheek against her collarbone and spoke.
“Well… Then listen to me, and if you really don’t want to or feel burdened, you can refuse.”
“I already said I understood. Just tell me one thing. I don’t think I can handle more than that.”
Richard pulled back, still avoiding her gaze, looking shy. Courtney thought it was cute for a moment, then quickly shook her head. She couldn’t keep falling for that facade, knowing full well what was inside. It was like being deceived by the shell every time, even though she knew exactly what was lurking underneath.
Just one. So it had to be something that Courtney wouldn’t usually take the initiative to offer, but also something not too overwhelming. After a lot of mental calculations, Richard, in a careful voice, as if confessing a dark secret, revealed his desire.
“Then… I’d like it if you, as my master, could control my breathing.”
Courtney tilted her head, confused. It wasn’t surprising—it was more that she couldn’t even comprehend what had just come out of his mouth. Control his breathing? Did he mean a game where he needed permission to breathe?
“What?”
“It’s called breath control. You, um… choke me so I can’t breathe freely, and—”
“But you could die doing that!”
Courtney shouted instinctively, completely forgetting that she had urged him to speak up earlier. Why on earth would someone strangle another person? She wasn’t an executioner!
And just as easily as Courtney forgot her earlier words, so did Richard. Instead of backing down, he began to explain his request in more detail.
“I don’t mean choke me to the point of passing out. It’s more about applying pressure, then releasing it, allowing just enough air.”
Courtney shook her head vigorously. Hitting someone with a whip or tying up certain body parts was one thing, but this felt far riskier.
“I can’t do it. It sounds too dangerous.”
“Think of it as a practice. We’ll just try it once and see how it goes.”
Richard persisted, despite her hesitation. Somehow, the situation had flipped, with Courtney now the one pulling back while Richard, who had initially been reluctant, was now pleading shamelessly. But neither of them found it odd—it was how their dynamic usually played out.
And just like always, Courtney found herself succumbing to Richard’s persuasion all too easily.
“Alright, we’ll try it… But if I can’t handle it, we’re stopping. Agreed?”
“Yes, of course.”
Relief washed over Richard’s face. He was glad he had chosen something relatively simple. Although Courtney would never agree that choking someone could be considered ‘simple’.
Seeing her still hesitant, Richard took the lead, guiding her through the setup.
“Let’s start like this.”
They positioned themselves for the practice. Richard lay flat on the bed, while Courtney awkwardly climbed onto his chest. Both of them were still dressed in their nightclothes, with robes over them, and to Courtney, the act of choking someone didn’t feel s-xual in the slightest. The atmosphere in the room was dry, devoid of any erxtic tension.
Richard might have been unafraid, steeped in his knowledge of such perverse theories, but Courtney was riddled with anxiety. What if she accidentally killed the Crown Prince? Surely, she’d end up on the gallows instantly after his passing.
Whether he sensed her fear or not, Richard calmly tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck, and explained further.
“You’re not pressing the entire neck—just here, on either side of the windpipe, where the arteries are. You adjust the pressure gradually, and if I lose consciousness, you wake me up immediately.”
Courtney followed his instruction, placing her fingers on his neck. Richard guided her hand to the correct spot, between his prominent Adam’s apple and the muscles. But she couldn’t bring herself to apply any pressure. She hadn’t learned swordsmanship or medicine, but she knew enough to realize this was a vulnerable area.
Richard waited patiently. Though he had trained his body from a young age and experienced far more dangerous situations, he understood her hesitation. After all, pointing a blade at someone for the first time wasn’t easy for anyone.
All of Courtney’s focus was in her fingertips. As her hands rested against his neck, she could feel the pulse under his skin, vividly proof that he was alive. Unlike the calm and composed Richard, her heart pounded rapidly, and her mouth went dry with nerves. Hesitant, she spoke quietly.
“What if I press too hard…?”
“I doubt that’ll happen, but if it does feel dangerous, I’ll push you away.”
Richard didn’t bother reminding her that they’d already engaged in something similar. Facesitting, where she pressed his face between her thighs, also involved breath control. And he had enjoyed the brief breathlessness it caused.
In fact, Richard believed this exercise would make things safer in the future—helping her understand the limits. For him, avoiding this dangerous play wasn’t an option to begin with.
Finally steeling herself, Courtney spoke in a determined voice.
“Okay, I…I’m doing it.”
T/N: Please remember, always be safe!! Any form of BDSM (or intimate acts in general) must be done not only with consent but also with proper research beforehand, and especially with something like breath control play. So many deaths have been recorded from accidental asphyxiation because of this!
