"So I could go talk to him to see whether he's really interested," he reiterates the suggestion. "Don't know whether I'd be able to pull it off, but I'd try not to actually lead conversation that way unless it actually goes that way. Ooor you could preemptively break up with Mason on the off-chance he was in fact hitting on you."

"I don't know what he'd do if I broke up with him."

"You could... break up over the phone, if you're afraid of him? Or in a public place, where he can't get away with—much?"

"I don't have keys."

Of course he doesn't have keys. "A locksmith might be able to do it without damaging it?"

"I can't go take my pants off for a locksmith!"

"Oh right the belt too—" Pause. "Well you could, but I understand why you might not want to."

"I don't think locksmiths do that."

"Don't they? Maybe you could try picking the lock? Can you reach it?"

"Yeah but I don't know how to pick a lock."

"Is it a very complicated lock? There's probably books on it, or online tutorials."

"I don't know, I'm not supposed to be able to get out of it or I'd have a key."

"Yes but if you're breaking up, which is the hypothetical we're entertaining here, what you're 'supposed to do' in context changes, somewhat."

"I think if people are breaking up they're supposed to let their doms unlock them from stuff that locks?"

"Yes, they are, but usually they are less uncertain about the likely consequences of breaking up, or at least their uncertainty distribution isn't that heavily skewed in that direction."

"...what does that mean."

"Means that most people don't expect their doms to do something bad upon breaking up, I think."

"I don't know what he'd do."

"Yeah, but there's different kinds of not knowing. If I broke up with Isabella... I don't know whether she'd cry, but I'm pretty sure she would be very confused and hurt and would accept the collar back normally."

...wow. That's upsetting to picture. Let's not do it again.

"I don't know what to do and Brian probably wasn't even flirting with me."

"...okay, look, let's try to separate the parts of this problem. What do you want? Not want to do, just, generally, want?"

"I want somebody to love me."

Holy shit can this guy be more heartbreaking.

"Okay. Do you think Mason does?"

"No."

...sigh. "Do you... want a hug?"