Chapter Text
Levi only bumped into Weston on his way out, leaving him to hope that the red-haired Switch would be generous enough not to share what he’d encountered with anyone else: Levi, skulking around the front door, scowling down at the floor as he fidgeted with his lighter.
Weston sharply rebuked, “Stop that; you’ll burn yourself,” and when Levi protested, “I do it all the time,” he raised an eyebrow as if to say, you really think that’s good enough?
Levi muttered that he’d do it someplace else, preferably where Weston or anyone else couldn’t catch him, but before he could even move for the door, Weston asked, “And where are you going?”
Even though Levi knew he wasn’t in trouble, he felt like he was.
Weston stared at him, waiting for an answer, and Levi finally said, “I’m going for a walk,” and that was that. Weston didn’t push any further.
Small mercies.
Levi found it unnerving how Weston and Roman so easily oscillated from Dom to sub. He still couldn’t tell their moods until hearing their tone of voice, but he’d caught the knowing glint in Weston’s eyes, the one that told him Weston understood precisely what he felt and would let him do his thing.
So, yeah, Weston would keep quiet about what Levi was up to unless someone shook it out of him. Then, Weston would have to confess that Levi had left to throw a temper tantrum, and Levi would be screwed.
To be fair, that made it seem like Levi knew what he was doing.
He didn’t.
Levi couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone clubbing. He’d done it enough in his freshman year that he remembered getting piss drunk with his classmates and running into the lecture late the next day. How hard could it be to do even half of that?
The stupid thing was he didn’t even particularly enjoy it. The loud music and the feeling of warm, sweaty bodies brushing past him had made him feel dizzyingly overwhelmed.
But right now, he was angry, and when he was angry, he got dumb.
Ian wouldn’t like it if he talked about himself like that, but Ian wasn’t around, was he?
No, and that was the problem. Ian had been excruciatingly busy lately, and logically, Levi knew it wasn’t his fault. The nature of his job was unpredictable; he got unexpectedly called in to cover for someone else, scenes could deviate from their original plan if the sub safeworded, or Ian might get stuck acting as the witness for a set of negotiations between scene partners.
There was a whole world of reasons as to why Ian was busy, but it didn’t feel fair.
Levi had never considered himself an overly possessive partner; he was now reconsidering that. It made him feel a bit sick.
But he hadn’t brought it up with Ian. What right did he have? This was Ian’s job. He wasn’t going to be selfish and demand that Ian do something as ridiculous as quit, just for him. He would just have to deal with it and stop being so insecure.
Malin watched him with perceptive eyes all throughout dinner. Unnerved by the heavy gaze on him, Levi pointedly ignored Malin, busying himself with conversing with Kit—a pastime that still tended to leave him winded and confused. But he’d take it over an interrogation from Malin, especially without Ian to snort and tell Malin to cut it out because Levi wasn’t his hostage.
Ian had been half an hour late to dinner tonight, and when he stepped through the front door, he looked absolutely exhausted. He’d rushed to join them at the table, kissing Levi’s forehead as he sat beside him. It had made Levi melt, and he wanted more. More of Ian’s touch, more of Ian’s attention.
Levi scowled and kicked a pebble that crossed his path as he approached the bus stop. Ian wouldn’t do this to him if it was the other way around. Ian wouldn’t sneak out after dinner, torn between wanting to be left alone and wanting to get caught. Ian wouldn’t act in such attention-seeking ways.
The bus was late.
Levi was half-certain that a certain pair of Doms would materialize out of nowhere and drag him back home with a blistering lecture. But his only company was silence and the slight chill running through him as the breeze slipped underneath his thin corduroy jacket and through his mesh shirt.
At least he’d remembered to cover his outfit with something else, or Weston might’ve been less inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Come back by ten, the Switch had told him, his expression unreadable. Kit wanted to have a movie night. He’ll throw a fit if you’re not here.
Levi felt a jolt of guilt run through him at the words. Kit wouldn’t be getting his movie night if the feeling in his gut had anything to say about it.
It was already too late to go back home. If Levi turned around now, he’d only end up with a sore backside, accompanied by a scalding lecture from Ian. Then Malin would know that there was something else besides a bit of mischievous sneaking out because he always did, and then Levi would have to talk and be honest because that was what always happened in the household.
Kit had told him once, perhaps not so sagely, “If I know I’m in for a whipping, I figure I might as well have as much fun as I can before it happens. Might as well get something out of it.”
Maybe Kit was right. At least Levi could try to have some fun. It’d been a while since he’d done anything this social; it might even take him back to some of the more bearable moments of college.
Yeah, right. Levi couldn’t help but snort at his own thoughts. Who was he kidding? He was more the type to stay home on a Friday night with a book, not sneak out to party. The fact that his phone was at 2% said enough; he was unprepared for a night out.
When the bus finally arrived, Levi arrived at the only club he knew in the area. He was forty minutes behind schedule, which would have been fine if not for the fact that the club was temporarily closed, and they had ever so unhelpfully forgotten to update that on Google.
Levi groaned.
The bus back home was only scheduled to arrive in an hour, which meant there were two options: he could stay around the area and wait, praying that the bus wouldn’t be late again so he could actually make it back by ten for movie night, or he could call Ian and ask him to come pick him up, which would save him the misery of being stranded outside but had its own repercussions.
He wished he could’ve taken his car, except that would have just sent alarm bells ringing through the minds of all the tops in the house, Weston and Roman included. They knew Levi hated driving at night and would do anything to avoid it.
Levi scowled down at his black leather boots, sitting on the curb to wait. Yeah, he wasn’t about to call Ian and dig his own grave. An hour was nothing.
Except it wasn’t an hour. 60 minutes became 90, and Levi found himself becoming grumpy and pissed and cold and lonely.
This wasn’t how he’d wanted the night to go. He’d wanted to have a good time out, grab a few drinks, have some fun, and then go home and cuddle up with Ian for the rest of the night.
He couldn’t even call any of the others now; his phone had died the last time he tried to check the time.
The bus still hadn’t arrived even after he popped into the nearby convenience store to buy a pack of cigarettes, so he spent the next few minutes guiltily fiddling with the package.
He really didn’t smoke that much anymore; he’d mostly broken the habit to try to save money—desperate times called for desperate measures. Now, he rarely reached for one unless he felt uninhibited distress, meaning he only needed a smoke after interacting with his parents. This was barely on the same level of misery, but Levi still found himself ripping the package open.
Gritting his teeth, he fumbled with his lighter. It took a couple of attempts to light it. When he took the first sharp inhale, he felt the itch under his skin begin to fade into a more bearable prickle. He felt less antsy, less like he would explode all over someone. The smoke drifted into the air, snaking around him.
This was a bad idea, Levi thought ruefully, not for the first time.
He took another drag.
Kit wasn’t an idiot.
He had a knack for sensing when a boy was in trouble, whether in the present or foreseeing trouble for boys in the future.
Take, for example, Weston. He might not always be a boy, but he was undoubtedly one right now.
Weston was flitting around the kitchen, which might not look so strange if not for how he kept running his hand through his hair, mussing up his usually neat quiff until strand pieces fell onto his forehead.
There wasn’t even anything to do in the kitchen, Kit mused, almost mournfully. At least then, Weston might look less suspicious. His backside ached in sympathy for Weston.
Right on cue, Malin appeared and snagged the back of Weston’s shirt, yanking him back against his chest. “Boy,” he said, voice full of warning.
“What? What?” Weston snapped, struggling against his hold.
Kit winced. That was never a good tone to take with Malin.
“Spit it out. I’m sick of watching you pace like your heels are on fire.”
“Then leave. You bought a goddamn big house for a reason.”
Kit coughed to hide his laugh. It did nothing to diffuse the situation.
Sharp smacks rang through the air, accompanied by Weston’s yelps and hisses of protest.
“Go,” Malin barked, giving him one last swat for good riddance. “Corner. You know the position. Roman will be there shortly.”
“I—”
“Unless you’d rather have a longer discussion with me beforehand?”
Weston shot Malin a sullen look, rubbed his stinging backside, and shot up the stairs.
Kit listened to the sound of his footsteps, muffled through the ceiling now that he was gone. He sighed.
He was the biggest troublemaker of the bunch; he knew that, and he liked that. But in moments like this, it was like he was the only one who could see what was happening.
Levi: gone and out of sight.
Weston: anxious but eager to be taken care of.
Ian: channelling his inner mother hen beyond regular levels as he paced by the front door.
Malin: prowling around and growling at everyone to get the house back in order.
… Malin: standing in front of Kit, now.
Kit blinked up at him. “I didn’t do anything.”
Malin raised a brow. “I never said you did.”
“You can never be too safe.” Kit shrugged and stuck a tongue out, pulling back with a sharp laugh when Malin pretended to make a grab for it with two fingers.
“Brat,” Malin muttered fondly. He sat beside Kit on the couch, hefting him up easily to place him on his lap.
Kit didn’t do anything to stop him, snuggling back into him with a content sigh. Malin’s lips brushed his forehead.
“Are you worried about Levi?”
Kit thought about the question. Was he? Kit was feeling on edge, but that was given. As much as he enjoyed the dance of pushing buttons until he was yanked over a lap, he didn’t particularly love hearing or seeing someone else experience it—something about standing witness to it made him… squirm.
“A little bit,” he answered honestly, turning his gaze to Malin’s. “He’s going to be in trouble.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes. He is.”
“But you guys will take care of him?”
Malin smiled down at him, eyes softening. “Little boy, when have we ever not taken care of one of our own?”
Kit bit his lip, smiling shyly back. “Never.”
“Trust us.”
“I do.” Kit shifted in Malin’s lap, closing his eyes as he felt Malin’s arms close around him. Warm. Big. Safe. “Can we have the movie night tomorrow, at least?”
“If you behave.”
“I always do!”
“Now that’s bordering on a lie.”
“I’ll stop talking before I’m in trouble.”
Malin snorted. “Please do. There’s enough happening right now.”
“He’s here!” Ian’s shout came, and Malin and Kit both jumped.
Kit saw the moment Malin’s eyes took on a hard glint, the one they always held when he was seconds away from dragging someone over his knee (usually Kit).
Oh, boy. Levi was in big trouble.
A small part of Kit was a little gleeful. Levi wasn’t just anyone, after all. He was one of them, and, well, Kit would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little excited to see another boy in trouble.
“I’ll make the popcorn,” he quipped, hopping off Malin’s lap.
Malin growled at him, and Kit danced out of reach, dodging his half-hearted attempt at a swat with a laugh.
“Upstairs, in our room,” Malin ordered, and Kit dashed away with a salute.
He shut the bedroom door behind him and flopped onto the bed with a grin.
Poor little Levi.
This wasn’t going to be his first time in trouble. Not after Kit got his hands on him and showed him the fun parts about it.
He’d have to take Levi out for coffee soon and give him The Talk about how to get your Dom’s attention without making him turn into a raging bull seeing red.
There was a balance to strike, after all. It all just took a bit of practice.
By the time Levi was debating walking home, he finally saw the flash of headlights, and yes, thank fuck, the bus had arrived.
The driver gave him a weird look when he ran toward it, wheezing, “What time is it?”
“Ten thirty,” he replied in a bored voice. “Are you getting on or not?”
Levi got on.
Ten thirty. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Great.
They’d all know he’d left the house by now. Weston had probably admitted that he’d run into Levi. Malin would have wrung it out of him. Ian would be confused. The way he’d run his hand through Levi’s hair and kissed him on the lips after finishing dinner had promised more to come. Levi doubted he’d be getting that now.
Levi stared out the window as the bus moved sluggishly. It was beginning to rain, just enough of a drizzle that the windows were dotted with streaks of water, but Levi felt like it was a pretty accurate depiction of how he felt.
He’d forgotten that the bus went out of service two stops before his own past eleven. It’d been so fucking long since he’d taken public transit.
His boots glistened in the dim light of the streetlamps as he trudged dutifully home.
Levi was swiping water out of his eyes as it dripped from his wet hair when he climbed the steps to the house. He reached out to ring the doorbell—double fuck—but before he could, the door was flung open.
“Get inside,” Ian scolded, wrapping Levi with a big fluffy towel that smelled like the same detergent he used for his clothes. “What were you thinking, little boy? Did you want to catch a cold? Did you mean to give me a heart attack?”
“I went for a walk,” Levi muttered, trying to squirm out from the towel. He wasn’t in the mood to be fussed over anymore, even by Ian, after spending so much time outside and sopping wet.
He struggled to kick his boots off, hissing when he tripped over his own laces; all the while, Ian seemed to be trying to stick to wringing the towel instead of his neck.
“No one goes for a walk for three hours and comes back smelling like cigarettes.” Malin appeared at the doorway, eyes sharp and knowing. “Where did you really go?”
“I went for a walk,” Levi repeated, glaring at the man. Couldn’t they leave him alone? Wasn’t it obvious he wasn’t in the mood to sit down for a cup of tea and a little chat?
“Shower.”
Ian was reapproaching with the towel, and Levi snapped, “I’m fine! My god, it was just a bit of rain! I’m not a fucking child.”
Ian stopped in his tracks, an odd look passing over his face. Levi realized too late that it had been hurt.
“Shower, and then corner. Hands on top of your head,” Malin barked, making Levi jump.
When Levi didn’t move, too surprised at the brusqueness, Malin said slowly, threateningly, “Do you need some help getting to the bathroom, boy?”
Levi fled.
He stripped off his wet clothes, hanging them on the rack to dry before he tossed them into the laundry basket and hopped into the shower. The hot water was a relief, and Levi let the water cascade over him for a couple of minutes before squeezing some shampoo into his hands.
The shower felt comforting after spending so much time outside. Levi wanted nothing more than to hunker down and hide in the stall indefinitely, but he highly doubted Malin had intended for him to kick back with a luxurious bubble bath and a glass of wine.
So, after rinsing soap off his body, he stepped out, reaching for the large towels on the shelf. They reminded him of the towels he’d used at the hotels whenever his parents dragged him on an annual family trip. The towels had been the best part of the vacation, Levi thought ruefully.
He reluctantly approached the corner after getting dressed in flannel pyjamas that someone had left on the countertop. Somehow, that only made him feel worse. It had probably been Ian. Ian cared so much about him. Levi was just fucking up, being all selfish and mopey and possessive.
He hadn’t ever really stood in the corner before. His father had always sent him to his room when he misbehaved—which was most of the time, according to him—and Ian hadn’t needed to send him away yet. He supposed there was a first time for everything.
Levi awkwardly placed his hands on his head, remembering Malin’s sharp order. It felt stupid to be standing alone in such a position, but he didn’t dare disobey.
He wondered how long he’d be left to wait. Maybe Ian would leave him to stew. Maybe they’d leave him here for as long as he’d left the house. That wouldn’t be fun. His arms were already beginning to ache. The wall stared back at him blankly.
Levi wasn’t sure how long he’d been in the corner, but he jumped when he suddenly heard Ian’s voice.
“Turn around. Empty the pockets.”
Levi turned around, blinking. “What?”
Ian was holding out the jacket he’d worn before leaving the house. When Levi didn’t move, he grabbed his shoulder, turned him around, and firmly landed three hard spanks before Levi could even gasp.
“Empty. The. Pockets.”
Levi scrambled to obey, the urge to question the order immediately disappearing with the sting of the swats. He took the jacket, fumbling as he yanked out some tissues, a piece of Starburst candy, his wallet, the leftover cigarettes, and his lighter.
Ian watched him grimly, then nodded when he was finished before snatching everything up. He pocketed Levi’s wallet, then tossed the rest into the garbage.
Levi jerked, making an aborted movement—his lighter!—but stopped when Ian gave him a dark look.
“You have absolutely no right to protest, little boy,” Ian reprimanded, voice sharp enough for Levi to drop his head. “Do you really think I can trust you with a lighter right now?”
“No,” Levi gulped.
“Do you have any more cigarettes on you?”
Levi shook his head.
“What was that?”
“No, sir.”
Ian sounded so stern. He hadn’t heard Ian sound so strict before; that was usually Malin’s job.
“I know we never explicitly discussed smoking. Was that something we should have done? Would it have kept you out of trouble?”
Ian paused. When Levi didn’t answer, he pushed on flatly. “You knew you’d get in trouble for it. If you had talked to us about it, we wouldn’t be in this situation. You know that. So, why didn’t you?”
Levi didn’t know what to say. He stared back at Ian helplessly.
Ian sighed and ran a hand down his face.
Levi felt another flash of guilt. Ian looked exhausted. He didn’t need Levi to be causing him more stress on top of everything else.
“If I ever find you with another one again, you’ll be going right over my knee every night for a week. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir,” Levi whispered contritely. “‘m sorry.” He was surprised to find that he meant it.
“I’ll make sure of that,” Ian said, voice still grim as he guided Levi out of the corner. He sat down on their bed and swiftly tugged Levi over his lap.
Levi landed with a soft “oomph!” His legs were stretched out on the bed, not unlike their very first scene together, except it felt very different from then. Ian was firm and unhesitating in his movements, and he didn’t ask before yanking Levi’s pants and underwear down.
Levi made a soft, startled sound and twisted the sheets in his fists. His nerves suddenly skyrocketed. He’d never— not like this—
“Settle.” Ian’s voice was softer now. Levi still flinched when he placed his hand on his exposed backside, warm and big and threatening.
“I’m sorry,” Levi repeated. He could feel his eyes already burning with unshed tears, and Ian hadn’t even landed the first swat. God! He wanted to bury his face in his arms, but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to do that.
Ian stroked his back. His touch was so gentle. Levi trembled.
“When you’re over my knee, you can make noise, cry, and talk to me as long as you remember your manners. If I think you’re moving around too much, I’ll give you a warning before I decide you need some help to settle down.”
“Yes, sir,” Levi said softly. All the anger burning in him had deflated; all he wanted was for this to end. Ian sounded so disappointed, and Levi hated it.
The first swat fell without warning, making him jerk in surprise. He couldn’t bite back the gasp.
Ian’s hand was heavy. This... this felt different from the play, from the other swats he’d given Levi before; this was harder, this was punishment. He could tell because Ian wasn’t even making little quips or talking to him. Somehow, that felt worse than the spanking.
Levi was gasping, tears dripping down his cheeks and onto the sheets by the time Ian paused, resting his hand on Levi’s hot backside. Levi shuddered. They would have to change the sheets after, he thought dumbly. He was making a mess.
“Are you thinking about why you’re in this position?” Ian finally spoke. He didn’t sound mad, but he was still— he sounded—
“Ow!” Levi wailed when Ian spanked him hard at the lack of response. “Yes! Yes! Please!”
“Tell me.” Ian rubbed his sore backside firmly, then swatted him again, making Levi hiccup plaintively.
“I didn’t t-tell you I was going out.”
Silence.
Was he wrong? Why wasn’t Ian saying anything?
“And— And I didn’t call you. I didn’t charge my phone. Um, I-I left to throw a tantrum.” Levi winced at his own words—he sounded pitiful.
“What else?”
He flinched. “And— And I— I was rude. When I came back.” He gulped back sobs. He had been rude. Ian didn’t deserve such an attitude when he was just trying to care for his sub because that was what good Doms did, and Ian was a good Dom.
“Yes,” Ian agreed, and a small sob tore its way out of Levi’s throat. “What else?”
“I—” Levi was trembling. He didn’t realize he was gripping the sheets, twisting them into knots, until he saw his fingers. He released his grip and flexed them. “I smoked. I’m sorry. I knew you wouldn’t— wouldn’t like it, and I still did it.”
“Yes,” agreed Ian once more. “And?”
Levi’s mind went blank. What else did Ian want him to say? He couldn’t remember what other rules he’d broken; he didn’t know what Ian wanted from him. He’d failed.
“I don’t know,” he admitted tearfully, going limp in defeat. He rubbed his wet face on the blankets. He wanted this done. He didn’t like how quiet Ian was. Was Ian that mad at him?
All those thoughts disappeared when Ian’s hand came back down with renewed strength, making him inhale sharply before releasing a wail loud enough that he knew everyone else in the house had to have heard it. He didn’t even have the chance to feel embarrassed; all he could do was squirm and kick as he threw a hand back desperately, trying to cover his ass.
Ian tutted. “Bad choice, boy. You know better. You stay where I put you.” He snatched up Levi’s wrist, pinning it to his back before swinging a leg over Levi’s, holding him still with no wiggle room.
“Now, I’m going to help you answer my question,” Ian continued, landing crisp smacks onto his unmarked thighs and prompting new sobs from Levi. “Doesn’t that sound good?”
“Yes! Yes, sir.”
“I’m glad you agree.” Ian ran his other hand through Levi’s hair, his swats slowing. Levi sobbed in relief at the minute change in pace, clinging to Ian like he was his lifeline. “Now, you listen to me. Listen hard, because I don’t want to have to repeat this again.”
“Yessir.”
“You, little boy, are over my knee because of all the reasons you listed earlier and more. You left the house without telling anyone because you wanted to throw a childish tantrum. You knew your phone wasn’t charged and you left anyway with complete disregard for our rules.”
“I-I only found out my phone was dying after I left.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing. Nothing, sir.” Levi gave a full-body shudder.
“The technicalities don’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. Regardless of when you realized, you didn’t return. You didn’t bother to send anyone a text. You didn’t care enough about that, did you? No, you only cared about letting yourself sulk and making your point. And oh, boy, you made your goddamn point. I heard you, loud and clear. I’m spanking you because you didn’t want to communicate. You didn’t want to be honest with me or yourself about your feelings. What’s our rule about honesty?”
“W-What?” gasped Levi, squirming as he tried to wrap his head around the words. What was Ian going on about? He tried to recount the turn of events; had he— was there a moment where he’d—?
“Our rule, Levi,” Ian repeated sternly.
“Um. Be honest. Communicate when I need to. It keeps us safe.”
“And did you do that? Are you doing that?”
“I don’t know what you mean—” Levi’s voice was thick with tears again. Was Ian ever going to stop spanking him?
“Yes, you do. Stop hiding, little boy. Why did you choose to make such bad decisions today? You’re not a glutton for pain; I can see that already. You wouldn’t do this to provoke me. You’re also not Kit, who runs around wild knowing that the ritual of a spanking can ground him in his submission, and there’s nothing wrong with that either. You want each session over someone’s knee to be meaningful; you want catharsis. So, tell me. What are you seeking from me, if not reassurance for something that’s worrying you?”
Levi’s breath caught in his throat. How did Ian know? Was he that easy to read? Ian hadn’t been able to spend as much time around him lately; it made no sense that he’d caught on.
And god, he hurt. His ass ached. He wanted this to be over. He wanted Ian’s comfort; Ian was right. But he couldn’t bring himself to confess how— how selfish he was being over Ian’s job because that would mean admitting how insecure he could get; Ian would think he was childish and undeserving and—
Ian shifting his position pulled him out of his spiral. Why was he—?
Levi gulped, twisting to look over his shoulder before freezing in place, remembering Ian’s demand to stay still. But that wasn’t before he caught sight of the paddle Ian had picked up, making his eyes widen.
He didn’t even know when Ian had brought that. He’d probably put it down by the bed when Levi was still in the corner. Remembering how Malin had sent him to the corner made fresh tears well up again.
Ian looked sympathetic but not lenient. “We don’t lie. You know that,” he said, resting the paddle gently on Levi’s ass. “Not to me, not to Malin, not to anyone else unless it’s for your safety. Lying will get you the paddle, little boy, every time, without fail. I want you to learn that, and I want you to learn it quickly.”
“I— I didn’t!” Levi wailed desperately, heart thudding. The confession was at his lips now, but all he heard himself say was, “I didn’t lie!”
“You did.” Ian’s voice cut through all of his protests, sharp and unyielding. “You did, and you know that. We talk, kiddo. We talk about things making you feel bad, things that worry you, whatever it is. We don’t hide it. I’m going to make sure that the lesson sticks. And since you don’t seem inclined to implement these rules, I’ll help you. We’ll see if the paddle gets you more loose-lipped.”
“I know! I know it! You don’t have to— I know!”
“I’ll make sure of that,” Ian promised again, bringing the paddle down once, twice, and then a third time.
Levi couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried so hard. It didn’t matter that Ian had only used the paddle on him for a few swats; he was crying because he had had to do it in the first place, because he had disappointed Ian, and nothing felt worse than that.
And suddenly, he felt the words spilling out of his mouth, untethered and barely coherent and full of nothing but shame.
“I just— I just missed you and that’s so— so dumb because we live together but you’ve been s-so busy and I was so— what if you find a better sub? What if you—” Levi cut himself off with a gulp, his sobs choking back his words, but he forced them out because Ian wanted him to, and he was going to be good for Ian, goddammit. “What if you decide I’m just s-selfish and stupid and annoying because I’ve been so jealous that other subs have been spending more time with you than I have and I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to be so— so—”
“Shhh. Hey. No more. You’re okay.” Ian slipped his hand under Levi’s shirt and stroked his back so, so gently. His fingers traced his spine, and Levi ached to push into the touch. “Oh, sweet boy. That was what was worrying you? That I would leave you? That I’m bored of you?”
“Yes,” Levi gulped, squeezing his eyes shut at the words.
“Sweetheart. No. Never.” Ian sounded pained, drawing fresh tears to Levi’s eyes. He was making Ian feel bad. He was the one stirring up trouble.
“That’s not the case at all. Levi, I’ve been so busy because I handed in my two weeks notice and I’ve been applying to a bunch of different places. I don’t want to play and punish other boys anymore. Not when I have my own boy right here. What would I gain from that? What would I ever get from leaving such a sweet, gentle little boy? My little boy? Hm?”
Levi burst into sobs, his chest tightening with a whirlwind of emotions he’d barely felt before in his life.
“You gave me what I was looking for this whole time working at that damn place: connection.”
“N-No, I—”
“Hush. Let me speak.”
“But—”
A firm swat got Levi to snap his mouth shut.
“Good. Thank you.” Ian watched him cry some more, then added softly, “I was busy this last week attending a round of interviews for an Academic Librarian position at the college—at Malin’s. They had me running around meeting with a whole bunch of people and going through some training. I’m due to start in a week.”
The words struck Levi hard. Ian was… Ian quit? Ian had found a new job, because of him? For him? For them?
And Levi had spent so much time being so— so resentful and sullen.
“I’m so stupid,” Levi whispered, burying his face in his arms, consequences be damned. He knew his face was red; he didn’t want to embarrass himself further.
“Levi, sweetheart, kiddo.” Ian swept him into his arms, though not without a light swat. “No more self-hate talk, or I’ll pick right back up with the paddle.”
“Noooo!”
“Thought so.” Ian chuckled. He studied Levi intently. “I meant to surprise you with the news, but I can see that that was a mistake on my end. I’m sorry.”
Levi shook his head fiercely, though his eyes were still watery. “Not your fault. You didn’t know.”
“Well, now I do. It’s a process, you know. For both of us. Learning about each other, knowing what the other needs intuitively—it takes time. But we’ll be able to do it like Malin and Kit in the future. It took Malin a while, too.”
Levi sniffled through a small laugh. “Yeah?”
Ian smiled back. “Yeah. You should’ve seen him years back; he was a mess. Not quite the refined Dom he is now.” He leaned forward and gently kissed Levi’s forehead. “I love you. I care about you. You’re my boy. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m sorry,” Levi whispered.
“No. No more guilt. No more shame.”
“But—”
“We can take care of any leftover moping tomorrow night, if you’d like.”
Levi shook his head, eyes wide. “N-No, sir.”
Ian snorted. “Yeah, I thought so. You’re a mess, little boy.”
The words made Levi shrink in on himself again; they made him feel small. “I-I know.”
“Not in a bad way. Never in a bad way.” Another kiss. “You’re still in trouble for running off like that.”
“But— the paddle!”
“The paddle took care of the lying. The temper tantrum, the giving me a heart attack for disappearing without a word? You’re going to spend some time writing what you could’ve done instead, and why it upset me.”
Levi traced random patterns onto Ian’s chest, letting the soft fuzz of his sweater tickle his fingertip. “You were really upset?” he asked softly.
“It was dangerous, Levi. You’re an adult, sure, but even adults can get caught up in bad stuff. It was pitch black outside. You were hardly prepared for a night out. You had no way of defending yourself adequately if you needed to. You didn’t let anyone know where you were going. I assume you were at least travelling to a familiar place?”
Levi dropped his gaze. “A bar,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “But I didn’t— I didn’t even drink or anything. It was closed. I didn’t do anything besides, um, smoking. And I didn’t plan that. I promise. It was just closed, and I didn’t know what to do.”
Ian sighed. “And we’re very lucky it was closed, aren’t we, little boy?” His tone made it clear that there was only one correct answer.
“Yes, sir.”
“Because that would’ve been dangerous, wouldn’t it? Getting drunk, all alone, no way to reliably get yourself back home?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you understand why you were punished?
“Yes. Yes, sir. I was stu— I didn’t think. It was dangerous.”
Ian ran his hand through Levi’s hair tenderly. “One day, you’ll learn to think before you act. And I’ll help you with that, every step of the way. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Thank you,” whimpered Levi, and he realized that he meant it. He was grateful. No one had ever cared so much about what he did. Not even his parents. He felt safe.
He felt loved.
“You’re welcome.” Ian examined him closely, brow furrowed, then sighed and kissed Levi on the lips this time. “Bed. You’re exhausted. It’ll be a miracle if you don’t catch a cold after tonight’s adventure.”
“I don’t get sick often,” Levi offered plaintively, shifting to lie on the bed without further argument.
“We’ll see.”
Ian yanked his pants and boxers off the rest of the way, leaving nothing over his heated backside, and tucked the covers around him. “Water?” He offered Levi a glass.
Levi nodded and leaned over to drink from it. The first sip made him realize how thirsty he was, and he downed it in a couple of gulps. All that crying, he mused ruefully.
“I’ll get you some more. Stay here.” Ian kissed his forehead, then stood up, grabbing the now empty glass as he left the room.
Levi took the chance to rub his sore ass, hissing between his teeth. A slight twist and a glance over his shoulder revealed that Ian hadn’t left any marks—not that he’d expected otherwise—but his ass was a dark, shiny red.
Feeling properly chastised, Levi flopped back down, closing his eyes. He was surrounded only by the noise of the clock ticking rhythmically for the next few minutes until the door creaked open.
Assuming Ian was back, Levi didn’t bother moving until Kit whispered, “Levi?”
Levi startled, eyes snapping open.
Kit was wringing his hands, fidgeting as he stood by the dresser like he was too nervous to come closer.
“This can’t be the first time you’ve seen someone else get spanked,” Levi said wryly after a couple of beats of silence. “I won’t bite. I’m all tired out.”
“No, I know, I just…” Kit bit his lip, then hung his head. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”
“What?” Levi frowned.
“I… Malin found out about you being his student because of me,” Kit confessed with a rush of breath, the words blurring together in his haste. “I didn’t mean to. I just have really good memory, and I remembered you from those papers in Malin’s office, and once I remembered I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I knew Malin was gonna get it out of me sooner or later but I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you’d be mad or scared, and I feel like this all happened because of me—”
“Kit,” Levi interrupted, trying to hide his bewilderment. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s—” Kit made a frustrated noise, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not making any sense. Ugh!”
“No, I get it.” Levi tried to sit up, then fell back with a wince.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Kit said. There was no scorn behind his words, only sympathy from one boy to another. “Sitting on a freshly spanked ass is a whole new level of pain.”
“Tell me about it.” Levi snorted. He settled back down onto his stomach. “Kit, seriously, it’s fine. I… would’ve told Ian eventually, anyway, and Malin would’ve found out. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He tried to offer the downtrodden boy a reassuring smile. “You actually kind of helped, you know. Made the job easier for me by telling Malin yourself.”
Kit gave a tentative smile back, but before he could say anything else, Ian appeared, placing a hand on Kit’s shoulder and shooting Levi a questioning look as he dragged Kit into the room.
“Kit, were you bothering Levi after his first proper punishment?” Ian’s voice was light and teasing, and he took the sting out of his words by dropping a kiss on Kit’s forehead as he slipped past him, but Levi knew what he was really asking: was Levi okay? Did he need more privacy?
“We’re fine,” Levi promised. “We were just talking.”
“That can’t be good.” Ian raised an eyebrow, looking between them with mocking suspicion. “Already scheming for your next adventure together?”
“God, no,” Levi laughed ruefully. “It’s the last thing on my mind.”
“Then I’ve done my job well.” Ian gave him a quick little kiss on the cheek, then one on his lips, making Levi blush. “Shy boy,” Ian chuckled and did it again.
“Ugh. This is too sappy for my taste. I’ll show myself out.”
But before Kit could even take a step, Ian made a disapproving noise and said, “Don’t you dare, brat. C’mere. Give your accomplice in training some cuddles with me; you have plenty of experience dealing with a sore backside and he could do with some well-earned sympathy.”
Kit grinned, then shot Levi a look like, well, what else can I do? before jumping into the bed with them.