Being the introvert that i am, i've never been one to give a damn about Halloween, let alone attend events, or even dress up.
Yet there i was, at RTT Studio, wearing a maroon wool one-piece and fishnet stockings, my tiny bulge awkwardly showing through the dress (to my embarrassment), my hair bunched up with a bow hair tie, and my choker revealing my name to everyone in attendance.
And then the room started to quiet down as the first performance started, when a couple from Singapore (let's call them P&R) walked to the stage, with P carrying a long stick.
I never knew shibari/kinbaku performances were a thing, but boy was i glad to have witnessed two tonight!
The speed and precision of P's ties, how seamlessly they transition from one position to the next, it was mind blowing to watch.
R looked so graceful in P's hands, and when things got airborne, i kept on gasping every few mins as R went from horizontal, slowly to vertical head up, and then finally upside down!
If you've read my writings so far, you'll know that i have no trouble describing things, but this one.. words can't quite put it, to be honest.
If i were to simplify P&R's performance, i'd say it was.. intense, and almost.. primal yet graceful.
And SPICYYYYYY!
The next performance was no slouch either, with the next couple, Y&J taking things more.. technical?
There wasn't much of speed in Y's ties, time and care was taken, each step deliberate, seamless transitions as well, yet both Y&J looked so graceful and intimate.
And yes, things went airborne too, with the angle manipulations, and there were times that i was dumbfounded as to how things happened.. it was like both P&R and Y&J easily managed to defy the laws of physics and the riggers easily made their partners.. float!
As for Y&J's performance, i felt it to be technical and abstract, yet deeply intimate.
With the amazing performances completed to a thunderous applause, everyone took a few minutes to catch their breaths when the host announced the costume pageant.
As you've read by now, i'm like "hell naw i'm too shy for this", and didn't go up!
The ones that did though, had some amazing outfits on display!
One that caught my eye was the "cyber rope bunny", i thought she was pretty cute, and had flawless skin and impeccable makeup.
Not long after, everyone took to the floor, some stayed in their costumes, and some changed to rope-comfortable wear, and i changed into my sports bra and shorts but left my choker on.
There were so many on the floor tying; it honestly was a beautiful sight to see!
i was absorbing everything in, until a friend i had made the day before (let's call her MW) had asked if i wanted to be tied.
i said yes without hesitation, and we picked out a somewhat clear spot amidst the sea of people tying, and set out with our own tie.
MW told me she wanted to experiment on a choker tie, and i happily agreed.
We sat facing each other, MW had her legs crossed, i had mine outstretched to her sides (since i can't hold a sitting cross for long).
It felt quite poetic, that my first arm tie was a TK (arms back), second one a Tengu (arms to sides), and for this third arm tie, it's tied in front of my chest!
Halfway through the tie MW also asked if i'm down to try some impact play, to which i nodded, not entirely sure of what to expect.
Meanwhile, a participant (let's call him K) sat down beside us and asked to observe.
The tie now nearing completion, i felt it has a good aesthetic to it.
my forearms were loosely joined to the front, and then bound in place to my body, while my fingers were spread to the sides, creating a valley in my palms where my chin sits.
MW was quite adept with the rope, as i felt the tightness of her tie, and i was close to entering subspace when she began on my left thigh..
thwack.. thwack.. THWACK. THWACK!
Using her right arm, MW smacked my left thigh with increasing intensity, around 6-8 times.
By the time the first round completed, i was already in subspace, gently moaning to each strike at first.
And then again.. just below my left shoulder, 6-8 times.
my moans and grunts got a little bit louder this time, and MW checked in to see if everything's okay.
i softly nodded.
And then MW went to my left knee, and gripped it with her thumb and forefinger, but she gripped at the right nerve to stimulate pain.
NNGGH as i winced, but the pain still bearable.
Two more times of that nerve pinch and i was deep in her chest half moaning and groaning, about to cry "Yellow", but thankfully, MW noticed it first and stopped.
She paused the session for a bit, hugged me, and whispered "good girl, you're doing great", which gave me the strength to carry on.
"Thank you MW", i whispered as i got up from her chest, and she asked if i'd like to continue, to which i said yes.
Same areas again, this time, the intensity a little higher. When MW was done with my left thigh, i was so deep in subspace, i was just moaning and moaning, and when MW got to the area below my left shoulder again, i swore her arms were extending fully at the last few strikes and i was prooobably close to whimpering.. i dunno.
And then came that nerve pinch again, and MW always found it on the first try; it was crazy!
And of course, the intensity increased!
At the end of it, i found my head buried again in MW's chest, on the verge of tears, and MW whispered "good girl, you did so well!" and just continued our embrace for a bit, before i lifted my head and MW too noticed i was about to cry, and she finally loosened my ropes.
Along the way, MW asked K to cuddle with me, which he agreed to, and i thought was so sweet of both of them for giving me double the aftercare, and when the last rope came apart, both MW and K leaned in to cuddle, and after that MW asked K to bring Shorky over, and he resumed the task of aftercare.
Sessions of any kind always get my ADHD mind and body exhausted, so i just laid down and slowly recuperated.
The shibari couple from the end of Chapter 1 gestured me over to check if everything was okay.. apparently our session was pretty loud it attracted quite the attention (and that made me hella shy haha!)
i took my time to rest, recover and mingle around, and tried (in vain) to wait for someone to ask if i want to be tied, but i then learnt the hard way that most (if not all) tops expect the bottom to approach them.
And that's totally fair!
They're the one who'll be using their own resources and energy to tie you, so the least you could do as a bunny is to be brave and approach!
And as the event was slowly beginning to wind down, and after some encouragement from a friend, i approached a shibari artist which i've been fangirling ever since i noticed he was present at the event.. he's based in Bangkok, and for the sake of this journal, we'll refer to him as MS.
MS was talking to another person, and i waited patiently for a chance to approach.
