Chapter Text
Niamh leaned against the doorframe, listening to the two men argue outside of her office in hushed tones.
“For fucks sake Ryan, we need this! If you don't knock on that fucking door you can pack your shit and leave today.”
“Li- fine.”
Niamh lit the incense burner on the sideboard before opening the door to a scruffy looking man wearing a leather jacket, poised with his fist an inch from where the wood used to stand.
“Ryan, I presume?” Niamh smiled at the tall man, studying his stature.
“And Liam! So good to see you again!” she enthused to the shorter man hovering nervously behind him.
“Uh- Yeah. That's me. Thanks for getting him home the other night Doc.. but I don't thi-”
“Nonsense! I wasn't going to let anyone harm the poor boy” Niamh cut him off, ushering them both into the office and sitting them on the couch, perching herself on the leather chair opposite them and picking her notepad up.
“Now, let's start with you, Liam. We spoke a little at the bar on Saturday, but I'd like to revisit your issues so they're fresh in my memories. Ryan, during this I don't want you to speak, or argue, just listen, understand?”
The taller man looked dumbfounded, like he wasn't used to being spoken to in such a demanding tone, but he nodded nonetheless. Niamh turned to Liam as he began to speak, blowing his sandy blond hair out of his eyes.
“Just.. Me and Ryan have been together for so long. I don't know if the spark between us has faded, or if I've put on weight or something, but.. we just don't have sex anymore. There's always an excuse and I just wish he'd talk to me about why, so we could fix it..”
“Mhm I see, and do you think Ryan could possibly be seeing other men, or women, behind your back?” She asked bluntly. At this, the man in question opened his mouth like he was about to interject, but a simple look set him right.
“Absolutely not.” Liam replied, staring into the therapist’s deep amber eyes with a surprising fire “I trust him implicitly and I know he would never do that, but there's a reason and I want to know why before it causes issues between us. I'm pent up and it makes me argue with him more and more.”
Niamh nodded at this. “Okay good, so we know that the love and trust is still there. So this should be an easier fix than I usually have with couples. Now, Liam, I would like you to show the same courtesy to Ryan.”
Liam nodded quietly as she turned her head to the older man, who looked as if she had just pointed a loaded gun at him. He coughed awkwardly and opened his mouth a few times before speaking.
“I'm.. not good with feelings doc.” He began gruffly. “I understand it's something I need to work on, ‘specially for Liam's sake, and I'm trying but..”
“Take all the time you need” Niamh smiled gently. She noticed the pair’s eyelids had began to grow a little heavier, and they both had a thin sheen of sweat covering their respective foreheads. The incense was definitely working it's magic, loosening them both up for her.
“I.. well. I look like this.” Ryan gestured to himself and Niamh nodded quietly.
“Like what, Ryan?”
“I mean, I'm large, I'm rough lookin’ and I wear a lot of ‘man clothes.’ Always feels like I've gotta act a certain way, you know? Especially during.. uhm. You know.” Ryan shifted awkwardly in his seat, refusing eye contact. Out of the corner of her eye, Niamh noticed that Liam had a subtle bulge in his jeans, and he had also undone the top button of his shirt, exposing a little bit of collarbone. She subtly bit her lip.
“So.. you believe that the way you look dictates that you must ask dominant in all walks of life? Especially during Intercourse?” She turned back to Ryan, focusing on his worried looking face.
“I mean.. yeah. Hit the nail on the head really Doc.” Ryan shrugged. “Not Liam's fault, definitely not cos I'm shagging someone on the side, just my own head at war with itself I guess. Makes me push him away a lot, which I definitely shouldn't do.”
Niamh could barely get a word out before Liam had bolted up, wrapping his arms around Ryan and burying his head in the gruff man’s shoulder.
“Ryan.. you dumbass. Why didn't you tell me? We could have done.. something? I don't know what but.. something.”
Smiling at the sweet display of love, the older woman took some notes down, nibbling on the end of her pencil as she formulated an idea that might just work out for all three of them.
“If I may..” she looked at the pair “I have an idea. It may take a few weeks to come to fruition for you. Liam, do you think you could go that long without intercourse?”
The blond nodded eagerly.
“Of course! As long as I know that we’re okay, and it's working towards fixing our issues.”
“Excellent. Now then, Liam, I would like you to begin being a little more forward with Ryan. Maybe instead of going out to eat together, you take him to a restaurant you would both like, order for him, that sort of thing. Small, simple shifts in your dynamic that can adjust Ryan slowly and show him that it's okay to defer to you, and make you a little more comfortable.”
She maintained eye contact with the two men, gauging their reactions, Liam looked deep in thought, while Ryan seemed to be paralysed, wide eyes staring back at her.
“I would like you both to refrain from sex for a few weeks while we gauge the success of these exercises, and also so we don't thrust Ryan too quickly into things he may not be used to. Ryan, I would like you to take a backseat on things more, begin to defer to Liam in small ways. Liam, you have my permission to put your husband in his place if you must” Niamh joked, eyes sparkling as the front of Ryan’s trousers twitched in the corner of her vision. Maybe her incense was a little strong this time around.
As she walked them to the door she smiled, laying a soft hand on Ryan's upper arm.
“Remember, Ryan, our bodies do not define who we are. There is no shame, and certainly no loss of masculinity, in submission.”
Ryan nodded as he linked hands with his husband and they headed out the door. Niamh watched them go, a soft, predatory grin on her face.