"Hmm... Different how? And even when her dom isn't around?"

"Depends on the dom, kinda, but especially when they're around, and just - she does what they tell her and there isn't a thing like that if she dates a sub. Her boyfriend now is a dom, he's sort of okay..."

"Well... I'd expect there isn't indeed a dom telling her what to do when she's dating a sub..."

"Congratulations, Captain Obvious, d'you want me to explain or not?"

"Sorry. Please, do."

"So when she's single she does what she wants and if she's domming somebody she also does what she wants but she has all these behavior changes if she's subbing for somebody, compared to being single. And it weirds me out."

"I don't know how you'd cope if I was a sub."

"Well, I don't know how I'd cope if you were a firebreathing dragon either and that seems likelier."

"He does have a point."

"Okay, that's kinda true."

"This one time Jackson asked me what it was like being a switch and part of the explanation included the sentence 'and if Isabella were a sub—okay, that's impossible, but if I were dating a sub...'"

Giggle. "I mean, there's someone every now and then whose personality is really at odds with their role..."

"Yes, and these people aren't you."

"Could've been."

"Could the hell not, you meet things you can't boss around and your response is not 'ooh, want'."

"Yeah, no, I don't think there's any universe where you'd be a sub and not just be someone else."

"Bah, you're probably right."

"It's been really obvious since we were little, too, people kept thinking she was older than me since she was all figured out and I was barely sure in time for my driver's license."

"I didn't declare on paper till I was out of virtuality," clarifies Isabella.

"Tiny lil' dommy Isabella," he giggles.

"One time Mom brought us to a protest march and gave Bella a sign that said My Mom Needs Rights Because I Said So."

"Oh my god that's the most adorable thing."

"I have a picture! But it's at home."

The hand over Isabella's face does not quite cover the blush.