The Changing Dynamic

Author's note: This was my first attempt at a story, but it needed some rework. Huge thank you to FantasySheWrote for getting this over the line. There could be a part 2 but I also have a number of stories I could write if there's enough interest. Hope you enjoy!

"Dan!"

Dan jumped at the sound of his Mother's voice coinciding with the vibrating of his phone on the desk. He picked it up on his way downstairs for dinner and glanced at it before grinning widely.

Steph: Nice work Champ, I may have to videocall into dinner and watch Mum's wild delight when you tell her the news, I could do with a laugh.

Dan: Only a year late, you'd think I was sitting around waiting for retirement, the way she's been going on!

Dan jumped the bottom step, dodged Roscoe, the family dog and sat down in time for dinner to be served. Roscoe, named after his Dad's old work enemy (despite his Dad's constant denials of it), took his seat on the floor beside Dan, a daily position he'd taken up about 5 years earlier when Dan's Sister had left for University in London. That's where they'd grown up until Dan's Dad got a fancy promotion and signing-on bonus to join a Sales company in Yorkshire and that's where they'd been for the last 7 years. Steph went back to London as soon as she got into University. London was where she thrived, it helped that she'd wanted to be an architect since she was 10. But that was Steph, she knew what she wanted and she went and got it. Dan knew what University she'd be going to long before she applied because Steph had told him so. She was confident, kind and smart - smart enough that the teachers at his school still mentioned her when they saw Dan's surname. Their Dad always bragged about how smart she was but their Mum always came back to "just how mature she is, I can't believe she's the age she is". Her actual age at that point in time mattered not, though more than once, Dan suspected Steph struggled to live up to the pedestal their Mum put her on. He wasn't 'mature' enough to be sure about this though, being as young as he was when she was still at home. One thing he couldn't fail to notice was that his definition of her maturity shifted rapidly to the physical when he'd see her at Christmas or summer breaks during University. She'd started dying her hair blonde (and reminded him that he must always confirm that it was her natural colour if asked), started toning up her slim body into a 5'8 pile of 'wow'. That was the general sound Dan's friends made when they saw her and that probably summed it up. Steph was a looker, alright. She'd always been blessed in the looks department but those small physical changes had made a huge difference to the speed at which the average stranger would spin their neck to look at her.

"Dan!"

For a second there, Dan thought he was back in his bedroom having forgotten the call for dinner but he hadn't, he was at the table accidentally ignoring his Mum's latest probing question about his career or love-life, he couldn't tell which but the questions were always the same. He'd skipped applying for University last year because he wasn't yet sure what he wanted to do. He'd got good grades and that meant he had his pick of career paths. It seemed stupid to him to decide on a whim and then realise he'd have to spend 3 years doing something he didn't actually want to do. If he was being deeply honest, dating Sarah at the time had helped make that decision a lot easier. It was something Steph had managed to get him to admit a couple of weeks ago during a long phone call at the behest of their Mum, who was beginning to become a nervous-wreck at the thought of him not applying before the deadline this year. Steph had painfully pointed out that he just had to decide if he was going to University or straight into a job. Even he acknowledged his current job as a trainee mechanic wasn't fulfilling him at all despite how helpful it was to his bank balance. It was off the back of that conversation with his Sister and her reminding him how much he missed London that he'd applied. She'd just read and liked his supporting statement before he got the call for dinner.

"Sorry Mum, I was just thinking about my application." He let it hang there in the air for a moment and saw his Dad hide a chuckle, knowing how quick his wife would be to take the bait.

"I see." She said. Dan went back to cutting up his carrots and waited for her excitement to overwhelm her.

****

A few months later and Dan's parents had helped him unpack the last of his boxes into the student accommodation. "Remember, your Sister's 20 minutes away, call her if you need anything!" his Dad said.

"Sure Dad, how many midnight calls from me asking to be picked do you think she'll handle before she formally disowns me?" His Mum chuckled at that, she'd really calmed down once he'd got into University to study Law. Dan felt immensely relieved about it.

A few hours after they'd left and he'd met the four people he'd be sharing a floor with, he settled down in his room. Gareth and Mark seemed pretty cool though he noticed Mark's slightly lingering glance in the very-pretty Rachel's direction as well as her subtly shift closer to Louise. Dan could sense either a very unlikely romance blossoming or a far more likely broken heart. He resolved to stay as far away from that situation as possible. His phone buzzed..

Steph: Busy few weeks ahead, how about lunch next Wednesday before the alcohol poisoning really kicks in?

Lunch would become a weekly ritual with Steph only missing it when work was particularly stretching for the Junior Architect or if Dan had a deadline. A combination of a year's working, allowance from his parents and a government maintenance loan meant that Dan didn't need to work until at least his third year so Steph was even treated to dessert when it was his turn to pay.

Dan never really was a clubber and was glad that, for the most part, his flatmates and friends he'd made in class, were the same. They'd often go out as a group with interchangeable members depending on who was free and who had exams that week. Mark suffered the expected heartbreak within the first couple of weeks and a few months later was even thanking Rachel for 'setting him straight' and leaving him free to pursue anyone in London with a pulse. Sadly for Mark and his recently repaired heart, that also included Steph who by pure chance, was out with her friends at the same pub as Dan.

She was wearing a smart grey jacket over a white blouse and short black skirt with tights. Dan had seen her in similar work attire many times before and recognised this as more of her 'casual, workshopping day' dress as oppose to her 'serious business meeting' attire which would have swapped out the skirt and blouse for a tight-fitting sophisticated dress and heels. Dan could only assume that Mark had had more alcohol than he'd let on as Mark wasn't often this misplaced with his hopes. Steph had her hair in a loose bun with a strand tucked behind her ear, wine glass in hand, smiling warmly but distantly to Mark as he tried to talk to her. Dan walked over.

"Is she bothering you?" He said to Mark. Mark, horror-struck and non-verbally threatening serious harm to Dan, shook his head, unable to form words. "Shame, I know her Father, I'd love to let him know she's pursuing much younger men."

Steph hugged Dan warmly, letting him know through the squeeze and the smell that this wasn't her first wine. "What are you doing here?!" Steph asked. Ignoring her question, he led her over to his friends to introduce her and her friend, Tia who was following them along ahead of the crestfallen Mark.

Steph and Tia stayed for a couple of drinks and then bid them goodnight. Dan offered to order Steph a taxi but after consulting her phone (something she'd done more frequently over the prior 15 minutes) she declined and said she'd message him in the morning. Dan was concerned but left her to it. He reasoned she'd been in London years before him and had been fine, plus he wouldn't even have known she was out tonight. Still, he was left with an uneasy feeling.

***

Christmas came and went a few weeks later. Steph was so busy with work she only managed to drive up on Christmas Eve and left again the day after Christmas Day. Dan and Steph didn't speak about the evening in the pub and who she was texting -- besides, too many lunches and messages had been exchanged to bring it up now. But given how closely she stuck to her phone over the three days, including a suspicious moment where she blushed crimson and left the sitting room without a word, only to return a few minutes later, breathless and an even darker shade of red. Dan pretended not to notice (a position he suspected his parents also shared) but he could barely concentrate for the next couple of hours.

When Dan got back to London, Louise was in the kitchen making some lunch. After a warm hug and general chit-chat, Louise asked Dan something that immediately made him nervous. "So... are you seeing anyone?" It was a strange question as Louise and Dan shared overlapping social circles so should know the answer. Louise was great -- kind, funny, good looking in a next-door kind of way, but Dan was determined not to date anyone in his friendship group, lest it be too awkward. He answered in the negative and excused himself shortly after with a need to unpack.

He knew he wasn't bad looking and certainly Steph needed no encouragement to tell him he was a handsome man: "5'10, fit, smart, charming" was the mantra she'd say whenever he answered in the negative to her girlfriend question. He tried to put the conversation from his mind and emerged again when everybody came to the shared kitchen to discuss New Year's plans. They'd all agreed, along with a few other non-clubbers, to go to one of the local pubs and celebrate New Year together. Dan was looking forward to it and joined in the conversation excitedly.

***

Bellowing Auld Lang Syne just after midnight surrounded by friends and plenty of alcohol, what could beat it, Dan asked himself, looking around. His question was answered moments later as Rachel, perhaps spurred on by a fair amount of alcohol and the promise of a new year, took Dan's hand, walked him over to an area away from their table and kissed him. Eyes-wide in surprise but certainly not disappointment, Dan kissed her back. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before heading back to the table and their respective seats as though nothing had happened. Dan saw Louise smiling brightly at Rachel and then it clicked into place for him. 'Louise, you sly dog' he thought.

Without Mark or Gareth noticing, Rachel snuck into Dan's room that night. They were on eachother the second the door closed. Frantic kissing, searching for closeness and a way to extinguish the heat that had been building since the kiss. Dan pushed her onto his bed and told her to take her clothes off so he could fuck her senseless. It was an order given in heat but Rachel reacted wildly and did as she was told. She was a good 6 inches shorter than Dan with a chest that didn't easily belong on a small frame. Dan unbuttoned his own shirt and took off his shoes, matching Rachel's state of undress. "God, I want you" he said, looking her over. Dark hair, full lips, pointed nipples framed by good size areolas and a flat but not thin stomach. She oozed sexiness.

He took hold of her breasts gently but firmly enough to have her moan and licked slowly along her nipple, moving to the other one. He planted slow kisses over them, up her neck and onto her lips. She kissed back hungrily and moved her hands to Dan's belt, unbuckling it effortlessly and letting it drop to the floor. Dan pulled her knickers down and lined himself up. "Fuck me hard." Dan had barely heard Rachel swear before and with her posh accent, it sounded all the better. He gave her what she asked for and started pushing in slowly but purposefully. "Fuck, you're big." She said not with hesitation but excitement. As Dan picked up his thrusts, her moans started to reach a decibel that would have alerted the rest of the group so he decided to cover her mouth with his hand. Her eyes went wide and Dan felt her pussy squeeze him.

Instinctively, as though he knew what she wanted to hear and because it was what he wanted to say, he moved to her ear and whispered "You like that, don't you slut?" She nodded firmly and he added "you like being used, don't you?"

He removed his hand so she could speak and what she said gave him renewed energy and an animalistic desire to finish: "I love it, use me until you cum, just take my cunt." Dan didn't last too much longer after that though he was very pleased when he felt Rachel orgasm as he unloaded inside her.

They stayed in bed together and before they drifted to sleep she reassured him she was on contraception and he reassured her that he'd be tasting that tight pussy when they woke up. True to his promise and, after a quick shower, Rachel had the near-torture of being orally stimulated for almost an hour while having to moan under a pillow to prevent their hungover flatmates hearing her multiple orgasms.

Rachel snuck off to her room later in the afternoon and they'd agreed to go and grab a light bite to eat together. Before she left they'd had another intense fuck and she promised to sit at the table with his cum leaking out of her at dinner. Dan groaned and suggested she leave or they wouldn't eat tonight. Neither of them could face alcohol and they had worked up an appetite. They decided to meet at the restaurant rather than leave together to reduce suspicion.

Thankfully for Dan, it wasn't the awkward greeting it might have been though a part of him was quite disappointed with the friendly hug they shared. Initially they discussed other events from the night before as well as exchanging stories of firework displays with their families before they turned to the topic at hand. "So.... We need to keep this casual." Dan heard Rachel speaking the words but couldn't disguise the surprise. He knew Rachel picked up on it. Deep down, Dan was relieved but disappointed. Would he have taken a chance with Rachel? He still believed that dating in the friendship group was a bad idea but he & Rachel got on well and he now knew how sexually compatible they were.

"Casual works," he said "it gets too complicated otherwise." She agreed and before long they were discussing sex.

"So you're submissive?" he asked.

"No, I'm not, I like it rough and I like being used," she laughed at her comment "which I guess makes me submissive in a way but I don't get off to pleasing someone or being in that kind of dynamic." Dan nodded, that was fine by him but it did give him cause to wonder if 'that kind of dynamic' was one he wanted to explore.

Rachel and Dan continued their casual sex arrangement. Sometimes frequently, other times less so. Rachel was asked out by a football player just before Valentines Day and she happily accepted. Soon after it was clearly starting to become a thing. Rachel had made it clear to Dan that if he asked her to be his girlfriend, she would accept it and their casual arrangement would be over immediately. Dan understood and didn't want to jeopardise their great friendship so he agreed.

It was later that afternoon though that he found himself in Rachel's room, slamming into her from behind, her long hair wrapped around his hand pulling her head up and occasionally spanking her pale cheeks. They'd invested in a gag a while ago once they realised Rachel wasn't going to be able to stay quiet with Dan inside her. He enjoyed it as he could dirty talk to her and she could do nothing about it, driving her crazy. Today he was focusing on their earlier topic "do you think he's going to fuck you like the whore you are?" and "are you going to start using that 8-inch dildo again now you won't have the real thing?" Rachel came hard again and Dan followed soon after.

Jason turned out to be a really nice guy though Rachel admitted shortly after they started officially dating that he wasn't what she wanted in bed but "you have to know where you're willing to compromise and that's one area I can" turning away from the bar and back to the group as she finished her sentence.

Dan had spent a lot of time researching BDSM and in particular Dom/sub relationships. The more he looked into it, the more he reflected on his tastes and wants, the more he could see that dynamic becoming a natural part of his relationships if possible.

***

His sister had cancelled one of their weekly lunch with less than an hour to spare. He texted back after reading her message.

Dan: No worries but I was about to leave so you owe me a catch-up asap, I'd rather not re-iron this shirt haha.

Steph: How about this evening? I'll need a drink after today...

This was new for Dan, aside from the brief drinks last year, they'd never actually had a drink together.

Dan: Sure, how about...

He instinctively suggested a place he knew was close enough to her work but also classy enough he could get away with wearing an actual shirt and not the t-shirt he secretly had on. He booked a table and got on with some Uni work through the afternoon. He was actually doing quite well with his grades and attributed it to the 'no clubbing rule' peppered with some hard work.

Dan arrived early and was pleased to see a 2 seater cocktail table had been held for him. He ordered a beer and waited for Steph to arrive. She was about 10 minutes late and looked as though she couldn't wait to get some alcohol in her. She grabbed a passing waitress, pointed at the table and distinctly mouther "large white wine". It arrived not long after she'd sat down and Dan had sympathetically asked how bad her day was. Eventually she had calmed down sufficiently and after talking out her frustrations, was in a much better mood.

"Thanks for bringing me here," she said "I love it. I love that you just went ahead and picked it without waiting for me. Sometimes it's difficult giving instructions all day and then having to decide things out of work."

Dan looked at her quizzically which Steph picked up on immediately. "Oh I've been promoted! I'm actually managing one of the projects. It's small but a great opportunity!."

Dan immediately asked for a bottle of wine to share and pressed ahead and asked her all about her new job. It sounded incredibly exciting for her and Dan was reminded of watching How I Met Your Mother when they were younger, the US sitcom with an architect firm that designed a penis-shaped building. He reminded her of this which made her laugh loudly.

He joined in and jokingly added "I'm sure Mum will have reason to doubt your accuracy of such a building, you know, having never brought a man home." Dan was glad to have finally scored a point over her in the relationship battle.

"Oh please," Steph replied, "I'm more familiar with penis than that building elevator would be!". Dan's mouth hung open upon hearing that but he quickly recovered and laughed with her.

Steph was in a dark blue skirt, tight grey top showing off ample cleavage and low heels cut at the end so her painted toes were on show. Dan looked up from her shoes and along her recently waxed firm legs, up to the expensive watch on her wrist, matching nail varnish and stud earrings. He stopped at her hair which had grown out over the last few months but was clearly still being professionally dyed and trimmed.

"Your hair looks good, I can't believe you're a natural blonde!" Dan joked.

"I was wondering what part of me you were going to comment on after checking all of me out like that. Guess you like blondes huh?" Steph questioned with a smile. "Since you just checked me the hell out, I guess you're not getting any?"