Love and Submission

PART 1: A Not-So-Good Morning

My eyes snapped open, and sunlight flooded my vision, causing me to grimace as I sat up in bed and blinked away the remnants of what little sleep I had gotten; I had tossed and turned through the night... again. I frowned at the window, where our slightly bent plastic blinds had let an errant sunbeam slip through and hit me square in the eye, causing my rude awakening. It was a beautiful Saturday morning - the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and... Vivienne was vacuuming the apartment again... but unlike that first night I had seen her shift a couple months ago, it was

definitely

not quiet.

I let out a groan and rubbed my eyes as I looked back down at the unkempt bed. I considered trying to go back to sleep, but I knew it was a lost cause; we both had been struggling to stay asleep consistently, and I woke up three or four times in the last night alone.

It had started with Viv, and neither of us could figure out what the problem was - she had tried meds, meditation... hell, she'd even gone to a sleep specialist, but even they couldn't find anything wrong with her. Nothing had helped, and the stress started to pile on... and then just like that, I couldn't sleep either. I let out a sigh and just laid there in bed until I heard the sound of Viv's motor finally sputter and die - and then I laid in bed a bit longer. I finally threw off the rest of the blankets and looked at the time on the alarm clock on our nightstand - it was just past 11:30. My eye caught on the latest book Viv asked me to check out for her,

Hot for the Hurricane.

She was always reading wacky romances like that. The cover showed a shirtless man standing all sexy-like in front of a tidal wave. I wondered how the hell hurricanes were supposed to be sexy, but then I remembered that I was into Viv's giant vacuum boobs, so I guess I didn't have much room to talk. I got up off the bed and headed out of the bedroom to start my day.

I made my way to the bathroom, then showered, brushed my teeth, and went back to our bedroom to get dressed before heading back down the hall. When I arrived in the living room proper, I found Viv standing over the sink, cleaning out her dust bin. She was completely naked and covered in a thin layer of dirt and dust - she had been vacuuming a lot more often lately to deal with the stress, so she wasn't getting

quite

as dirty by the end of the task. Heat blazed in my cheeks at the sight of her, even despite the dirt - it was those damn shoulders of hers. Yup, suddenly the idea of fucking a hurricane doesn't seem

that

far-fetched.

"Morning, babe," she said, letting out a yawn as she continued to scrub the insides of the bin with a sponge. She had large bags under her eyes, and she looked like she was running on autopilot as she scrubbed.

"Good morning," I said back, unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn of my own as I tore my gaze from her naked form.

"I didn't wake you up, did I?" she asked, as her cheeks turned pink. I shook my head.

"No, Viv, you're fine," I assured her, as I waved my hand dismissively. "You doing alright? You're running a bit... loud... today." Viv let out a sigh.

"Yeah... unfortunately, my WhisperVac Quiet Running mode doesn't seem to be working at the moment, and also... for some reason, my chest feels like it's on fire today - it's been like that since I woke up this morning. Between that and with my motor running like it is, I'm starting to get a bit worried." She frowned at that, and I couldn't help but worry, either. Ever since Vivienne shared her secret with me a couple of months ago, I had learned to just roll with it whenever she brought up some wacky new feature or function, but this new development definitely didn't seem right.

"Should we try visiting the doctor again?" I asked. Viv shook her head and let out a small sigh.

"I don't think this is something they can fix. It's not like I can just waltz in there and explain that my

motor

is acting up, babe."

"You're right... I just.... Ugh! I wish I knew what was going on," I frustratedly piped up.

"Me, too," she said, a bit glumly. "It's probably got something to do with this lack of sleep, but I don't know what to do for that; we've tried all kinds of stuff already," Viv said as she finished up scrubbing out the dust bin and tossed the soiled sponge in the trash can. I went over to the cabinet and grabbed a mug to make a cup of coffee with our coffee maker. I set my mug under the machine and put one of those little plastic cups in the receptacle, then snapped it shut and hit the button to start the process. I went over to the fridge and went to open it to grab some milk for my coffee, but my eyes caught on the black business card I had stuck on it nearly a month ago; I hadn't given it a second glance since my neighbor had given it to me. I plucked it off the door before I opened the fridge door and grabbed the carton of milk.

"Oh! Maybe we could check this place out," I said, as I shut the fridge and held the card up. "Our next-door neighbor gave me this business card a while back when I went over to their place - he said it's some kind of medicine shop?" I handed her the card, and she examined it as I grabbed my cup of coffee and poured some milk and sugar into it before grabbing a spoon from the silverware drawer to stir it up with.

"Mira's Marvels, huh?" she said, just before she shot me a weird look. "Wait, it's... next to Fuxby's? I didn't think there was anything else in that plaza, right? You said got this card... what, a month ago?"

"Yeah..." I said, letting the sentence trail off. I had driven by the area just a few days ago, and I didn't

think

I had seen any other shops besides the sex shop in the little plaza. Viv finally just shrugged at me before she handed me back the card. I looked at it more closely, and, sure enough, the card just read, 'next to Fuxby's' - I thought it was strange that a business card of all things didn't have the proper address listed, but if they could help, I figured it was worth a shot. "We could at least look over there, right? It's not far."

"I... guess so," Viv said, with a shrug. "And you said it's a medicine shop? We've already tried sleep aids, though, and they didn't really do anything." I finished stirring my coffee and set the spoon on the counter.

"Well, maybe they might have something we haven't tried yet?" I reasoned. Viv was silent for a second as she considered it.

"Alright, alright. I just want to be able to get to sleep again. We can head out here in a little bit...

actually

, since it's evidently so close..." she said, with a smirk, "... I was thinking we could maybe hit up the sex shop while we're out?" My eyes widened at that, and I smirked at her.

"Oh? Was there something you were looking for in particular?" Viv shook her head pretty quickly.

"Erm, not really," she piped up. "It's just... been a while, and I thought it might be fun to take a look around, you know?" I nodded after a moment.

"Sounds good to me," I said, with a shrug. Viv handed the business card back to me, and I shoved it back into my pocket just as turned the water off and tucked her dust bin under her arm.

"Well, I'm gonna go shower, babe. Once I get dressed, we can head out, if you'd like."

"Sounds good to me. Did you want me to make breakfast for us?" She shook her head.

"I ate when I got up, so you don't need to worry about me." I flashed her a thumbs-up, and off she went to the bathroom.

I had a drink of my coffee - it was damn good, just like always, even though it was just basic instant coffee. Our apartment wasn't the greatest, but they had damn good water, at least - even the showers seemed more relaxing, somehow. My mind drifted back to the breakfast I had with Viv's family a while back, after the two of us had gotten engaged. Her parents were overjoyed when they saw the ring on her finger, and of course they wanted to know all the details. Zach was in a good mood that day, and Kay was a chatterbox as usual, but I had a nice time with them. I never did get to try her sister's coffee, and I wondered how it compared to what I was currently drinking. I set my mug down and went back to the fridge to grab some eggs, grinning all the while at the recollection. Just like Viv, her family was definitely a quirky bunch, but they were all good people - but then again, I had a few quirks, too, as I found out back on that crazy night; I was still coming to terms with those, myself. Admittedly, it was another reason why I was struggling to sleep. I let out a sigh and shut the fridge door before setting the eggs down on the counter and stooping down to grab a skillet from the cabinet.

It wasn't long before I had whipped up a quick breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs, and I was nearly done eating by the time Viv got out of the shower - she hadn't sung along to her songs in a while, which kind of bummed me out. Soon enough she came out into the kitchenette, fully dressed and ready to face the day.

"Feeling better?" I asked. She smiled weakly and nodded at me.

"Kind of," she said, just before she let out a sigh. "The shower was nice, but I'm still tired. I just hope this Mira's Marvel's place can help."

"Me, too," I said, flashing her a grin as I finished up my slice of toast. I chewed the last bite and swallowed it before I continued. "I miss hearing your concerts in the shower, you know." Viv's smile suddenly reappeared, and she blushed at that.

"Sorry babe. I just... haven't been feeling it lately," she said.

"Well, maybe you'll feel better after our little day out today - we might be able to find something that'll help," I said, hoping my optimism would be enough for the both of us. Viv nodded, but she didn't look terribly convinced - I couldn't blame her for feeling a bit skeptical; I wasn't sure what other options there were, but I wanted to think positive. "Did you want to head out now, then?"

"Yeah, let's go," Viv replied, as she grabbed her purse off the table and started to head for the door. We both got our shoes on and headed out of the apartment, and it wasn't long before we were outside. It was an absolute scorcher of a day out, with the temperature up in the seventies - it was the middle of June, after all, so I guess it was to be expected.

PART 2: A Situation and a Secret

Thankfully, it was a pretty short drive to the shop. The traffic wasn't too heavy that day, so we got there in about ten minutes or so. Sure enough, Mira's Marvels was right next door to Fuxby's, which was the sex shop we normally frequented. Strangely enough, though, I remembered the storefront where Mira's Marvels was located being vacant just a few days ago... and it definitely didn't look anything like the odd little shop that now inhabited the spot.

The shop was much smaller than the allotted space, for one thing - it was like they had completely torn down the old section of the building and put up the new one in an impossibly short time. The shop was a squat, two-story building, complete with a slightly off-kilter triangular roof, and looked completely out of place against the low, flat roofing of the adjoining shops, and the giant pink neon sign adorning the building was...

certainly

a choice. The seemingly handwritten script across the window advertised potions, magical reagents, and custom spelles, and more,' and then there was a note at the end that just said, '+ MEDICINES.' It had evidently been added after the fact.

"Well, here we are," I said, as I slowed the car to a stop in the parking lot in front of the building - there was only one other car in the parking lot, so evidently it was a slow day today. I looked over at Viv, who was still taking in the sight of the strange little shop. "So... should we hit the sex shop first, or did you want to check out Mira's Marvels?" She looked over at me with a confused look on her face as she pointed a finger toward the building.

"Okay, hold on. I'm not crazy right? This place wasn't there a few days ago," she said, sounding a bit confused.

"Nope... definitely not," I said, with a shake of my head. I was trying not to freak out myself, and I was honestly impressed with how well I was holding it together.

"I thought it was just a medicine shop. What about all this other stuff? Potions, charms, and... spelles? Do you think it's a real magic shop?" I raised my eyebrows at her and grinned.

"Well, if it is, that'd explain the fact that it just kinda popped up out of nowhere. Besides, it's not that unbelievable, right? I mean, you

are

a vacuum shifter, Viv." She shot me a knowing glance and smiled back.

"That's... a really good point, actually," she said. "I'm honestly really curious now. I didn't think shops for... people like me... existed."

"Well, let's go see what it's all about then, shall we?" I asked. Viv nodded enthusiastically and grabbed her purse off the floor just before she threw open her door. She practically flew out of the car and broke off into an excited sprint without even bothering to close her door. She was halfway through the parking lot before I had even gotten out of the car. "Viv, Wait up!" I quickly shut the doors and locked up the car, then ran after her. I caught up with her at the door to the shop, where we were met with an anticlimactic message on the sign that was hanging on the door: 'Sorry, you'll need to come back later.'

"Aw. That's kind of disappointing. I wonder what's going on," Vivienne said, her enthusiasm clearly deflated. The sign suddenly erased itself before our eyes, and a new message appeared on the paper, as if it was written by an invisible hand. 'Just a little... situation. Should be cleared up in a few, though.' Viv looked over at me through wide eyes. "Did that sign just... change?" Again, the sign cleared itself, then quickly scribbled up a new message. 'Oh my God, it's almost like... MAGIC!'

"Yeah, so... I think this is definitely a real magic shop," I said, still a bit shocked by the strangeness of it all... It was a surprise for sure, but I could handle it - after all, I had seen Vivienne's magic in action plenty of times. Suddenly, another page dropped down below the first one that read, 'You THINK?' I let out a sigh and glared at the sign before I looked over at Vivienne. "Look, let's just... go next door and have a look around. Maybe the... situation... here will be cleared up by the time we get back." She nodded, and then we both turned toward the sex shop.

"That sign was kind of rude," she said, as thankfully got out of the sun and into the shaded sidewalk, which was covered by concrete roofing that jutted past the storefronts.

"Right? I hope the staff is polite, at least," I replied.

"Hopefully. Still, it's crazy, though, right? Maybe that place has some sort of... magic medicine or something that can help me sleep better." I could hear the hope in her voice, and she started to hum along to some song only she could hear as she reached over and grabbed my hand. The mood had brightened considerably as walked the rest of the way to Fuxby's together, side by side.

I held the door for her when we reached the store, and she excitedly stepped through it, flashing me a warm smile as she passed by me.

We both stepped through the threshold and into the store proper, where all manner of erotic products awaited us. There was a section with countless bottles and different brands of lube, a selection of pornographic DVDs on a shelf along the side wall, various racy outfits and different pieces of lingerie on racks, and of course... dildos, vibrators, and other sex toys toward the back of the store. I gulped as my eyes drifted toward the BDSM section at the back corner, and I quickly tore my gaze away as the clerk greeted us with a little wave.

"Hey there! Welcome to Fuxby's! Did you two need any help finding anything today?" she asked. I looked over at Viv to see her shaking her head.

"Nah, I think we're just going to look around for a bit," I said. Thanks, though!"

"No problem. Let me know if you have any questions about anything!" I nodded, but by that time, Viv had already headed off and was looking at the selection of lubes. I followed her over and scanned the different bottles. They had all different types, from water-based, to silicone and oil-based ones. Viv scanned the selection of flavored lubes and grabbed a bottle of strawberry-flavored lube off the shelf. She looked over and grinned at me.

"I figure this should make things a little tastier for me," she said, leaning in close. "Not that I don't enjoy going down on you, but... well, you know how much I love strawberries." It was one of her favorite fruits.

"That you do," I said, with a knowing smile. I wasn't much of a fan, myself - I much preferred tart flavors over sweet ones. I looked down, and, sure enough, they had a pink lemonade flavor, too - I grabbed a bottle of it and grinned at her as I held it up. "This one sounds good to me."

"Oooh, you're right! I wanna try that one, too," she said, as she flashed a grin of her own. She held out her hand, and I handed her the bottle just before she looked around. "Um, I probably should have grabbed a basket for these. Why don't you go take a look around while I go grab one for us?"

"Sure, that's fine," I said. "Thanks, Viv. I'll take your purse, if you'd like."

"Ooh, thanks!" she said, as she handed me her purse, which I took and hung over my shoulder. "I'll come find you in a bit." I nodded and she headed off to grab a basket from the stack at the front of the store.

I wandered over to the porn DVDs and scanned the options on the rack, smirking at some of the goofy titles. I absentmindedly picked up a movie called '

Fuck Force Five: Galactic Gangbang

' and glanced at the front of it. There was a woman in a shiny black latex suit who was wrapped up in shitty CGI laser ropes on the cover, and I found myself staring a bit too long before I finally flipped it around and read the back. It was the quote-unquote 'epic continuation of the Fuck Force saga' and promised a 'galaxy-spanning sci-fi adventure with a gripping plot and sexy fun that's hotter than the sun.' I wondered if I'd need to watch the rest of the

saga

to understand the so-called

gripping

plot, but somehow, I doubted that would be the case.

I flipped the case back around and took another look at the cover. My mind drifted back to Vivienne's little 'bonding exercise' all those weeks ago, and I felt heat bloom in my cheeks at the fact that I could almost feel the roughness of her silicone hoses digging into my skin as I recalled the experience.

After that particular little awakening, I had started to do a bit of... research to see whether it was just a fluke or not; it turned out that it was definitely not a fluke. I looked up all sorts of things, from wax play to spanking, and of course... rope bondage. After the experience I had with Viv, it was being tied up that sounded the most pleasurable to me, but it was a fantasy I didn't feel comfortable sharing with her. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was weird for

me

to be the submissive one; in all the videos I had seen, it was always the other way around. Either way, I just didn't want her to think I was some kind of weirdo. I let out a sigh and stared at the cover one last time. Now that I looked a bit closer, the woman who was tied up didn't exactly seem very concerned about her predicament; she actually looked like she was enjoying it. My eyes widened as a single embarrassing and intrusive thought infiltrated my mind:

God, I wish that were me.

As I stood there contemplating just what the hell was wrong with me, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard Vivienne's voice next to me.