A New Year

Title: A New Year

Genre: Slash yes, sex hinted at

Couple: William & Austin no discipline between these guys, Johnny is the one to get his butt toasted.

Summary: Not being alone is taking it’s toll on Austin and Will’s relationship, but will they let Johnny go when the chance comes?

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Johnny, the Neighbours’ Punk – Part 4

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A New Year

By: Dice

“You’ll go fat if you keep eating that much.” Austin put down the fork and gave Johnny a malevolent scowl.

“And you’ll go out the door if you don’t shut up,” he countered.

I stayed out of it; they began every day with a tiff and I could see no reason to meddle as that would only lend my in trouble. I fried another egg for Austin and popped two slices of bread in the toaster – stepping over Timmy, my cocker spaniel, who was having a black slipper for desert. Johnny got up and headed for the front door.

“I’ll get the paper!” he called and Austin rose with a tense look on his face.

“You don’t have to do that! I’ll get it for pity’s sake.” Austin’s obsession with reading the paper first was something Johnny had caught on to very quickly and he exploited it mercilessly.

“That’s all right.”

They looked at each other with the eyes of athletes sizing up the competition and then as if on a given cue they raced to the door. Timmy swirled around with a yelp and with his tail moving at a furious pace he joined in what to him was a fun game, but which seemed a matter of life and death to Johnny and Austin. There was a racket and curses and I slammed the frying pan down on the table, muttering under my breath about which of them was my lover and which the noisy brat.

In the last few days I’d seen a side of my boyfriend I had never glimpsed before; he had always been rather boyish and something of a flirt, but when faced with any type of conflict he had always reacted almost chilly, sometimes to the point of frightening me – this bickering and nagging between him and Johnny was new and rather unsettling.

Austin came back carrying the newspaper and Johnny came after him looking sullen.

“You cheated!” he proclaimed with the hostility of a sore loser.

“Did not!” Austin sat down and grabbed the egg from the pan.

“Did too!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“Oh, give it a rest. Austin what’s the matter with you?” I complained as I sipped my coffee. He shook the newspaper in protest, but hid behind it; Johnny smirked over his piece of toast.

“Fine, why don’t you have a go at me?” Austin muttered.

“Please, Austin?”

“What?” he looked up, smiling, “Oh, Will, do I always have to be serious? Honestly, you’re turning into an old nag,” Johnny thought that was immensely funny and I tried to smack his thigh, but he moved away before I could reach him.

“Oh, go play with that stupid game of yours!” Austin muttered at him and Johnny put a tongue out as he got up to leave, grabbing a piece of toast on his way.

It was three days into the new year and Johnny was quite settled in, I didn’t know exactly what Austin thought about it, but he wasn’t complaining too much; the only discontentment he showed was in his quarrels with the boy over this and that – but half the time I didn’t even know whether they were quarrels or not.

I’d bought Johnny that computer game for Christmas, it was some adventure game where you were supposed to find red notes and blue notes – something like that, he talked about it a lot, but I didn’t understand much of it. Austin’s only comment to my buying him a Christmas gift had been: ‘So he’s staying? So much for our first Christmas alone.’ Well, I’d felt guilty to say the least, but I liked Johnny and couldn’t help it.

He’d come down on Christmas morning – wearing Austin’s robe, which resulted in a brief exchange of protests – and sat down in front of the telly. I’d quickly objected that we didn’t watch telly on Christmas Mornings in our house and he’d given me an odd look, but turned it off, drawing his legs up under him and Timmy onto his lap. He watched as I handed Austin his presents and then looked aghast at me when I handed him his.

The sweater looked good on him too, he seemed to like it.

“While he’s out of our way…” Austin blew in my ear.

“I have to clean up in here, there’s dog hairs all over the place. Could use a hand, though,” I said.

“Sure, when I’ve showered,” he muttered with a somewhat sarcastic tone and left me alone with the dishes.

“What am I? The maid?” I grumbled to myself while getting up.

An hour later Austin still hadn’t showed up and I was done hoovering the kitchen, dining room and hallway and the little areas in between which Austin made into tiny museums of various objects of art. Timmy was woken out of his morning nap under the piano stool – in front of the piano nobody ever used – and decided that the hoover was invading his privacy and needed to be taught a lesson; only he didn’t quite dare to bite it since I’d instilled in him that doing foolhardy things like that meant a trip out in the backyard.

There was something he liked about the hoover though. I removed the mouth piece and knelt on the floor, Timmy watched me suspiciously, but then he caught on, the clever mutt, and bounced into my lap.

“Getting to the source of the problem, are you?” Austin walked in as I did another sweep over my ecstatic dog with the hoover.

“You were going to help me,” I said.

“You’re already done, so what do you want help with?” he smiled pleasantly while bending over to scratch Timmy behind the ear, then trying to steal a kiss on his way up. I rejected it sourly and got up, disappointing Timmy.

We looked at each other and I saw a storm gathering in Austin’s eyes.

“I’ve had enough of this! I used to be able to kiss my boyfriend in our own house without being brushed aside like some fly! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Well you could help out when you promise to!” I began angrily, but he cut me off with a fierce kiss and I lost my breath for a moment. I shoved him away. “Don’t!”

Austin took a step away gritting his teeth. Timmy whimpered at us from under the couch – my poor boy hated when people shouted. Deciding that fighting wasn’t the answer I tried to backtrack and get Austin back in a good mood, but I was never given that opportunity.

“You’ll make that boy go, understood?” Austin hissed fettering me with one of his coldest glares and I winced, shocked speechless.

“What?” I whispered finally.

“That’s the problem, isn’t it? With him around we’re never going to be alone, you’ll always have him on your mind!”

“I don’t have…”

“You know I’m right!” he took a hold my arm. “Just admit it, Will.”

I snatched my arm out of his grip and pushed past him, heading for the door while tears of anger made my eyes sting.

“William!” I heard the anger in Austin’s voice clearly, but my jacket was in my hand and the door was opening before me.

I very nearly kicked Timmy, when he ran under my feet delighted to be going out and not understanding that I wasn’t going to take him for a walk. He refused to accept and I was reduced to yelling at him so that he slunk into the kitchen with his tail between his legs, looking at me from the threshold  with a paw over his nose like I was the cruellest person alive and I felt just as if I was.

“I’m sorry!” Austin stopped the door as I tried to shut it. My anger just floated out of me and I looked at him, breathing freely again. “All right? I’m sorry, I don’t know what made me say that, I’m a bastard.” I shook my head.

“I’m acting like him, aren’t I though? Rushing out like that?” I said and smiled faintly and he smiled back.

As I was about to go back inside a red Ford Mondeo stopped outside the Binns’ house. The back door opened first and the girl, Annie, came scampering out, followed by her little brother who had tremendous difficulty climbing off the seat it seemed, as he was still buckled in. I felt quite uncomfortable when I saw Adam Binns exiting the car and glaring over at us.

I looked at Austin, who gestured we should go inside, Mr. Binns looked as if he were on the verge of saying something to his wife, but she was looking up at the house, as it appeared trying to peer through the windows.

I tried not to look as if I was looking out the kitchen window while giving Timmy food – he was still suspicious of me and who’d blame him? He waited patiently until I backed away from the bowl, something he never did otherwise; I bent down and patted his soft head and pulled on his ears a little, turning him into a suddenly very forgiving puppy licking my face where he reached it. Then I looked out the window again as I rose.

“Austin!” I called – I was watching Mrs. Firth-Binns making her way up towards our house.

I opened the door the moment she knocked making sure Austin was on his way downstairs. The woman looked pale and the weak smile was as put on as the lipstick; it wasn’t a condescending smile, though, but an almost nervous one.

“Yes?”

“Hello,” she said in a strained voice, I nodded. “I hope I’m not intruding, I hoped that perhaps you’d seen my son hereabouts while we’ve been gone.” It was said quickly and in a way to make it sound as if this was something she would ask anyone anytime – it didn’t quite succeed due to the tremble in her voice.

“Well, yes,” I said glancing at Austin, rather unsure of whether or not I should tell her where Johnny was.

“You have?” she let her anxiety slip a little. “Where? D-did you? Was he? Has been in the house? Did he, did he stay there? When it was so cold? Did you see him then? Do you know, whether he was…” I spoke up then, quickly and calmly, not able or wishing to be cruel. Such pure distress could have hardly been put on; she was positively shaking.

“He’s here, he’s been here, there’s no need to worry, Mrs. Binns, Johnny’s all right.”

“Oh, my God,” tears welled up in her eyes and she looked nearly ready to keel over, pressing a hand against her mouth half laughing and half crying, her voice hardly more than a whisper as she continued. “Oh, my God! Oh. May I see him, please, where is he?”

I shrugged and took a step back, looking at Austin who gave me a look that seemed to ask me a million questions and accuse me of something I didn’t know I’d done. I gestured for Mrs. Binns to step inside and as she did Austin made his way upstairs. There was an awkward pause before I showed her into the kitchen.

Timmy twirled around to examine the visitor, then he turned back sniffing his remaining food and making a sneezing sound, and again looking back up at her, clearly torn between the idea of greeting the new person and finishing eating. Curiosity won out and he scurried over to her attempting to take in all of her in one excited survey.

“Timmy!” I reproved sharply, but she wasn’t backing away form him, instead she bent down and patted him with hands that seemed to have done it before.

“Johnny love dogs,” she smiled weakly at me. “We had one… when he was little. Adam doesn’t like dogs.”

“I see,” I said, confused but not showing it.

She sat down, looking toward the kitchen door and then out the window, her whole composure revealed a distinct uncertainty as if she was waiting for something or someone. I leaned against the sink clearing my throat now and then.

“You…” she grinned uncomfortably, “you say Johnny’s been staying here?” I nodded. “Do you, er… do you get on with him? He can be somewhat…” she hesitated and I realised I must be glaring at her. To cover it up I turned around and reached for the teapot asking over my shoulder if she cared for a cup.

“Johnny’s been fine, I get on just fine with him,” I said I turned back and found her regarding me with a steady but doubtful look. “He’s a boy. He’s a nasty temper and a mind to say what comes into his head, but he’s not been to any trouble of that’s what you’re asking. He’s rather friendly if not stirred up.”

At first it seemed she wouldn’t answer but then she looked down, giving a small sigh and looking up again now smiling much more benevolently and openly than a moment ago.

“You’re the first to say that, to see that,” she mumbled, but then becoming sad again. “I only wish…”

“I don’t fucking need her! Fuck off, Austin, I don’t need any o’ya!”

Not quite knowing what I was up against I dashed out in the hall to catch Johnny who came bolting down the stairs. He nearly knocked me down at the speed he was going, but I managed to get a hold of him. The look in his eyes was both startled and angry.

“Let go o’me,” he struggled.

“Grow up!” Austin hissed as he made his way downstairs and I was as surprised as Johnny looked.

“Johnny, love?” Mrs. Binns appeared behind me and I felt Johnny go lax, but his eyes turned a hostile dark shade I’d seen before and knew by now meant he wanted to run but didn’t quite dare. “Johnny, please, I’m so sorry…”

“Oh, now you’re sorry!? What about when that bastard you’re married to kicked me out? You weren’t sorry then, were you? Were you?” Johnny shouted at her and tried turning away and would’ve if it hadn’t been for me holding him back.

There was something so lost in his eyes when he looked at me, but he refused to let it shine through and ripped his arm from my hold.

“What do you want? I don’t need you!” he screamed at her and then he pushed me aside advancing on her with a scowling face. “You can just go to hell, fuck off!” he turned, making for the door.

“Johnny! Stop this, you’re not thinking!” I grabbed him again, but this time he aimed a hard kick at my shin and a fist at my face, which I ducked staggering backwards.

“Go fuck your boyfriend and leave me the hell alone, you bastard! I don’t give a shit about you!” as the words left his mouth and my face turned pale his too lost much of its colour and he seemed almost in pain as he turned to open the door.

The sudden banging on the door caught him unaware and we all stared at it as if it had come alive; it was flung open with a loud crash and Adam Binns stormed in. Johnny stumbled backwards, fear clear in his pallid face. Too shocked for words I gaped at the red faced irate man on my doorstep.

“Sorry?” Austin said coldly.

“Susan?” he barked menacingly. “What the hell do you think you’re on about?” his gruff voice bore traces of a few drinks I noticed and it showed in his large glaring eyes too. “What do you want with the bloody queers?”

“They’ve kept Johnny safe,” Susan Binns whispered. “I just wanted… Adam, love, please?”

It was beyond me how she could bring herself to plead with the offensive man, who trudged into the hall until he was standing in between her and me, turned so he could glare at her but speak to me.

“Kept him safe huh? In exchange for what? Fucking queer…” he pulled a face and looked disgusted. “Like having a little boy to play with, eh? Right?” I met his laugh with a blushing face and pure hatred. If this was anything of what Johnny was forced to face from this man I didn’t blame him for rebelling.

“Shut up!” Johnny suddenly exploded. Adam was deviously quick despite his looks and he had smacked Johnny hard before anyone could intervene.

“Shut your bloody mouth you little twat and you might get to keep it when we get home!” Johnny rubbed his cheek working earnestly to make his anger flare up again, but it seemed he wouldn’t be able to. He wouldn’t look at anyone.

“Fuck you, Adam!” he managed to choke out quite vehemently after awhile.

This time I was prepared for it and stepped in grasping Mr. Binns’ thick arm before it could hit. There was no reason to hide the aversion I felt so our eyes met with mutual loathing and he jerked his wrist free as if my hand was poisonous.

“You don’t have to go anywhere, Johnny, especially not to that,” I heard Austin state in that quiet sincere voice I was used to hearing when he was angry. I glanced behind me and found him with a hand on Johnny’s shoulder and the boy searching his face with distrust.

There was a subtle change in the atmosphere then and I felt as if I could breathe more easily. Adam Binns seethed with anger, but he didn’t voice an complaints, undoubtedly because he didn’t care to have his stepson home if truth be told; his wife was apparently less sure of the arrangement. Her face was pallid, a greyish green tone bordering on white, her mouth a thin line quivering with withheld emotions. Binns walked out the door growling her name over his shoulder. She closed her eyes a brief moment.

“I… I know you’re alive, love, I won’t ask for more, but…” she trailed off shaking her head and sighing. “You’ll look after him, won’t you?” I only nodded, somehow I knew that to be enough.

Austin switched the channel the moment the end credits came up.

“No! I was watching that!” Johnny whined. He was curled up with his head on my thigh and Timmy in his arms and had been half asleep the last ten minutes of the film.

“I’d like to watch the news.”

“You’re always hogging the TV!”

“And you’re hogging my boyfriend!” Austin retorted dryly.

Johnny sat up quickly and threw a cushion at him; Timmy looked up and then he yawned putting his head back on his paws. His dark, sad eyes gazed up at me seeming to pronounce weariness. The boy settled back down at my side and put his tongue out at Austin. I’d been aware of how he had stayed close to us – especially me – all day; it was almost as if he needed to be sure we were around.

“It’s late, son,” I began, but was immediately cut off by a loud groan from Johnny followed by some muttering noises. “Oh, none of that, you’re tired.”

Austin turned the telly off and covered his mouth as a yawn escaped him.

“Will,” the small voice appeared strained and awfully cautious. I glanced down at the head of light brown hair – finally his natural hair colour, strange how it had never occurred to me to ask him why he had stopped forming it into spikes. Johnny was busy stroking Timmy’s ears.

“Hm?” I tried.

“I acted pretty horrid today, didn’t I?” he concentrated intensely on Timmy’s ears.

“I suppose.”

“And, I shouldn’t have said that stuff to you, right?”

“What are you after, Johnny?” Austin asked suddenly with an amused tone. “A spanking?”

“Yeah,” Johnny shrunk into the sofa and I stared at Austin utterly bewildered.

“You’ve been punished enough for today with all that mess earlier. Don’t worry about what you said, apologise if that’ll make you feel better,” I ruffled his hair. “And then get off to bed!”

He remained quiet sitting very still – that was enough to tell something wasn’t right. Then his head shot up and his eyes pierced mine, but he didn’t say anything just kept my gaze fixed. I began shaking my head trying to say something soothing, but then he spoke.

“I want you to!”

“Don’t be silly,” I mumbled.

“I’m not! You did it before for stupid stuff like that dumb vase!”

“That was different!” I was beginning to feel angry, this was a very awkward situation and it wasn’t better for Austin sitting there grinning behind a hand.

“Fine! I’ll throw some other fucking vase on the floor!” Johnny got up, tipping Timmy on the floor and plunging into the hall.

Austin turned pale and we were both running after him before even looking at each other. There was a loud crash and my boyfriend turned a hundred years old in a heartbeat – he was on the verge of tears.

We walked slowly  into the alcove where most of the antiques were and there crouched down was Johnny, picking porcelain out of the carpet and refusing to look towards the door.

“Oh, thank god!” Austin drew a sigh of relief and laughed even – the thing, it seemed, that Johnny had smashed was nothing but a cheap plate from a pile forgotten on a table on their way into the dining room. I didn’t find it in the least amusing, though.

“Of all the stupid things…” I walked up and pulled him up dragging him out of the room, he shook in my grip. “You wanted this? Then that’s what you’ll get!”

I forgot all the usual little details, like telling him to drop his trousers and all of that and simply put a foot up on the second step of the stairs and hauled him over getting his trousers down with one hand. He wasn’t fighting me – at least not at first. But as I let my hand slap down with as much precision and force as ever, there was a distinct sound of bitten back pleas coming from him and I decided to set him down.

He wiped his nose and pulled the trousers up at the same time so they ended up looking very dishevelled. There were no tears I’d been much too lenient for that.

“Bed!” I pointed upstairs and he went, turning only to whisper ‘thanks’ so softly I wondered if that was really what he’d said.

I closed the door after checking on Johnny and stepped nearly into Austin. He slipped his arms around me, leaning in for a kiss and I didn’t back off or turn him away. There was no stress, no worries. Life was good and I was really hard.

“Even if that’s only for spanking that brat, it’s far better than you never being willing when I am,” Austin whispered in my ear. I huffed feigning outrage.

“So are we parents now?” I asked.

“Oh no, please don’t say that!” he groaned, his hands straying – or not exactly straying – in under my shirt. “I don’t want to be a dad!”

“Well I can be the dad, you’ll be the mum!”

He let me go and spun me around, swatting me playfully, yet hard enough for me to gasp. I glared at him while he met my eyes with an mocking look of his own.

“Oh, now you’ve done it…” I murmured under my breath and his eyes widened slightly. As I took a step forward he turned and made for our bedroom.

I smacked whatever part of him I could reach while we eagerly attempted to get each others clothes off, fumbling and wrestling as much as kissing and touching.

“You locked the door?” he mumbled when I finally had him stripped and pinned underneath me.

“Don’t move!” I growled and went to lock the door. Johnny might’ve become our punk and not the neighbours’, but I was far from wanting him in our bedroom.

Meeting Johnny

Title: Meeting Johnny

Genre: Slash yes, no sex

Couple: William & Austin no discipline between these guys so far, Johnny is the one to get his butt toasted.

Summary: William and Austin leads a quiet life in London, the new neighbours will change that.

Author’s note: This was my first, my very first spanking story (that I finished), so be nice, please.

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Johnny, the Neighbours’ Punk – Part 1

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Meeting Johnny

It was a rainy night in November. I had just waved off my sister, Belinda, at the train station, as she was going back to Bristol after spending a week with my boyfriend, Austin, and me, here in London. I was both sad to see her go and a little bit relieved. She and Austin get along far too well for my taste, and it worries me since he’s bisexual and had a pretty libertine lifestyle, before I met him at least. Anyway, trust comes natural to me when I’m in love – it’s one of my many vices.

Well, when I returned home, I found Austin cleaning up the kitchen, something I normally did, as I’m somewhat pedantic when it comes to tidiness, and especially in the kitchen.

“I made some tea,” Austin said meaning it as a question whether I wanted some.

I did, and we sat down in front of the telly, my cocker spaniel, Timmy on my lap. Timmy was mine before I met Austin and that’s why we still refer to it as my dog, even though Austin loves him as much as I do, and helps me with him.

“So alone again,” I said letting the full significance of that hang in the air.

“Yeah,” Austin’s voice lingered, “I suppose you’re not interested… I’ll be quick?” He’s used to me not being interested in his ‘all-nighters’ as he puts it when he means having sex until dawn.

“Well I’m not sure I want that,” I said, letting my voice linger like his had and I saw a hint of disappointment in his face that really turned me on, “but I’m not getting up early?”

His smile told me that he understood my hint. He bent forward, pushed Timmy off of my lap, and kissed me; it was one of those wet kisses that I had to dry off by kissing his cheek and rubbing my face in his brown hair.

The next day I woke up around nine. Austin had already left for work, but I remained in bed for a little while longer. I always wonder how he is capable of staying up all night and then leaving for work at seven anyway.

I had the day off and was going to enjoy it, so I sat back and turned on the telly. At half past nine, I tired of being lazy and went up. I had a quick shower and then made my way down the narrow staircase to the bottom floor. We live in one of those old Victorian houses that has such narrow corridors and stairs. We have furnished it in a pretty old-fashioned style, with mostly antique furniture and so on. I love this house, even though it’s pure hell cleaning it.

Usually, my kitchen view is over a lovely park with high trees and shrubs, but this day a large truck was in the way and I realised that we were going to have new neighbours. The house next door had been empty for quite a long time now – for London that is.

When I took Timmy for a walk the truck had just left and the door to the house was still open. Boxes, brimming with things, covered the steps up to the door. A teddy-bear, presumably one that had fallen out of one of the boxes, lay on the pavement. I picked it up when Timmy got his eyes on it.

“Fuck it! Fuck all o’ya! And fuck this house and this fucking city!” a voice suddenly came from indoors, and my head flew up; I’ve always really disliked cursing and that was the worst I had heard around here. A minute later a boy, I’d say about sixteen came out of the door. He kicked one box and when he saw me with the teddy-bear he snatched it out of my hand and threw it inside with the words:

“You can stuff that where it feels good, you fucking idiot!”

Then he glared at me with a hateful stare that actually made me take a step back. Timmy started to bark loudly.

I have to take the time, now, to describe what this boy looked like. He was 5’7”, slender, but not skinny and dressed in a leather jacket that was so torn it looked ready for the dustbin, as did his jeans and the little I saw of his black T-shirt. His hair was shaped into purple spikes that covered his entire head. He wore an earring in his left ear and had he was flipping a cigarette in his right hand. Across his right cheek was a red mark that was turning blue and I guessed he had been smacked pretty hard. I couldn’t say that I blamed whoever had done it.

He spat on the ground before me and then left kicking everything in his way.

I felt disgusted, and I quickly tried to calm Timmy down so that we could go on.

Well, I didn’t know it at the time, but that was my first meeting with Johnny Firth. My second meeting with him was ten times worse (from his point of view) and this is how it happened:

It was a Saturday, in the beginning of December. I had kept my eyes n the new neighbours, but not ever really spoken with them, only about them with our other neighbour Mrs. Jones, she had quite a lot to say about them. Their daughter, I found was named Annie and I had seen the adorable girl many times, she always had blond curls tied up in bows and was always dressed like a doll, except when she wore her school clothes. Johnny, the eldest of the three children – there was also another boy, Harry, who was three – was rebelling, but he did go to the same public school as his sister. So he too wore a tidy blue blazer and a tie every day, though I often saw him putting on his torn leather jacket as soon as he left the house.

The parents, Adam Binns and Susan Firth-Binns worked from about seven in the morning to eight at night, I had seen them when they came and left and was able to check every day since I work mostly at home. They had a nanny or an au-pair, but I was pretty sure that the children looked after themselves during the day, all but little Harry. I had come to understand from what Mrs. Jones said when we spoke that Annie quite adored her elder brother and also that Annie’s and Johnny’s stepfather Adam, didn’t get along with Johnny at all, which I didn’t find strange at all.

Anyway, the second time I came face to face with this little anarchist, or what I should call him was this cold Saturday. It was raining – what did you expect, snow? We’re in London, for God’s sake! – and I really delayed taking Timmy out, until he nearly scratched his way through the door.

I was very cold and wet, and my temper was reaching its limit. Timmy was soaked, but he was determined to plunge through every single puddle and chase every bloody squirrel. When I let him inside I told him to sit – he really is a quite well-trained dog – but instead of obeying he rushed straight into the living-room and right up on the sofa. I exploded.

“TIIIMMYYY!! NOOO!!!” I rushed up to him and dragged him from the blanket that thankfully covered the silk, and towards the door to the backyard. “Out you go, Timmy, bad dog!” I ordered, now calmer but with a still stern voice. He looked pleadingly at me with big, dark eyes and whimpered. I pointed out in the rain and snapped: “Now, Timmy!”

He stole out passed me, glancing at me with remorseful eyes and his tail between his legs.

I dried up after Timmy and then went out in the kitchen, where I found a note from Austin saying he had to go to a meeting and would be gone all day. I slammed my fist against the table and cursed him.

I sank down in the sofa, wrapped a clean blanket around myself and turned on the telly. There was a sad, black and white film on, which I watched, but I only became annoyed with the heroine’s tear-filled monologues, and finally turned it off.

Suddenly a loud crash made me look up, Timmy started to bark and I thought it was he who had tipped something over, but it wasn’t. Kneeling next to the barking Timmy, was the boy from next door, his hair now coloured green. He was trying to get something out of his pocket and at the same time keep Timmy off him. At length he gave Timmy a piece of candy or something. My blood-pressure was high when I walked out in the backyard. He didn’t see me until he stood up to leave.

He gasped and only stared at me for a second. Behind him were a broken flowerpot and a pile of dirt. His look changed as I eyed him from head to toe. He glared at me and tossed his head to show he wasn’t afraid of me.

“Just what do you think you’re doing in our backyard?” I asked trying not to let my anger smother my voice.

“Non of your fucking business!” he stated and turned to leave through our back gate. I grabbed his arm.

“What about the pot?” I barked.

“That’s your problem!”

“Oh, I think it’s yours!” I said slowly. “You’re paying for it, one way or another!”

He made an effort to get free, but my grip was too firm. Then he spat in my face and kicked me. I swung him around and twisted his arm up on his back. He moaned loudly, but remained still so that I wouldn’t hurt him.

“That’s better!” I said and he muttered something that I didn’t catch. “What was that?”

“Fuck you!”

“I think your parents will be surprised that I found you in my yard,” I said while pushing him indoors. “Won’t they?” I added when he didn’t say anything.

“You can’t tell them! You can’t! They’re not supposed to know!”

“To know what?” I asked. When he didn’t answer I twisted his arm so that he whined.

“That… that I can sneak out through your yard from my window,” he grumbled.

A thought struck me and a vicious grin was spreading across my face.

“You’re in trouble then, aren’t you?” I said and he turned his head to look at me.

“You’re gonna tell them, aren’t you?” he said angrily and I shrugged my shoulders. “You mustn’t, Adam will kill me, for sure!” he said in a plaintive voice.

I grit my teeth to prevent myself from showing my delight.

“What will he do?” I asked trying to sound a little concerned, but not too interested.

“He’ll beat me bloody! Please, I dunno where to get the bloody money, but I’ll pay for the damn pot, just don’t tell him!”

“I see,” I pretended to hesitate and think about it and then I said: “There is a way of course, but I guess you wouldn’t want that.”

I let him go and he turned, his eyes suspicious and at the same time curious and hopeful.

“What, tell me!” he ordered.

“If you’re punished by me, I’ll keep your little secrets,” I said gently and it took him awhile to realise the effect of my words. When he did, his narrow, spiteful eyes widened and he swallowed hard before taking a step away from me and eyeing me all over, first uneasy and then more and more scornful.

“You’re gonna beat me?” he uttered mockingly. “You and who else?”

“Don’t you think I could take you on by myself?” I asked with a pleasant smile.

“No way!” he mumbled and I saw a faint glitter in his eyes; whether it was ridicule or defiance, or perhaps something else I had no idea at the time.

“Well, perhaps I couldn’t use physical force to punish you…” I said slowly (I was pretty sure I could, he didn’t know that I did exercised quite a lot). “…but if you want me to keep your parents from knowing about your running away and breaking your neighbours stuff…”

I didn’t need to finish the sentence he yielded, reluctantly, but he yielded.

“What’ll you do to me?” he asked as if he had no idea, perhaps he hadn’t.

“Well first I’ll have you take off those trousers,” I said intent on letting him keep is underwear on.

“But I’ve got nothing underneath,” he objected.

“Pity,” I said without even hiding my smile.

He looked shocked and then shook his head saying that he’d rather I beat him on the seat of his trousers. I didn’t really mean to, but at those words I couldn’t help but laugh; he was so innocent somehow.

My laughter made him lose his temper and he turned around to leave through the back door, but I was quicker than he had expected and grabbed his leather jacket from behind. He turned around, twisting out of the jacket and took a swing at me. The blow was hard enough to make me stagger, but lucky for me, it was misdirected. Instead of making me withdraw and let him leave, the punch made my blood boil. I took a good hold of his arms as he tried to leave and fought to get him to the sofa. He slid on the carpet since his shoes were wet and we both landed on the floor, me on top of him. I stood up, dragged him from the floor, and tossed him on the sofa. He was heaving for air after the fall had knocked it out of him. I slid my hand under him and unbuttoned his torn jeans. He struggled and writhed but I put my left knee on his back and dragged the jeans of him. His scream was a child’s protest – no words only a cry through clenched teeth, filled with anger and distress.

“It’s no point, son!” I said and pulled him up, never letting go of him.

He refused to look at my face and kept his head bowed, studying our red carpet as if he had never seen one before. His bare thighs were white and hairless, smooth like a baby’s, and with lovely goose pimples. He held both hands in front of him and covered himself shyly.

“Do you want me to ring your parents?” I asked.

He just barely moved his head in a negative gesture and I reached out my hand. I didn’t grab him though, but just held it out, my palm upwards, bidding him to come closer. He advanced on me at a leisurely pace, dragging his feet.

At length I placed my hand on his shoulder and as I sat down I made him bend over my lap. I shoved him further over until I had his lovely bottom – quite bare – precisely where it ought to be; laid open to my discretion. Then I took a firm grip around his waist and let my right hand rest on his thigh.

“Are you ready? Or have you changed you mind now?”

“Just do it, so I can get out of here!” he muttered.

I waited and watched his bum clench; he was nervous, despite his resolve to act tough. His bottom was very round and smooth. I took a deep breath, it was awhile since I had done this. Austin wasn’t in to it and I also was the little more passive in our relationship, so it just didn’t seem like a good idea. My fingers were of course itching though, and to get my hands on this punk’s downy arse was just what I needed.

I raised my hand and let three hard smacks rain down on his right cheek with hardly any time in between. He nearly sprang right up from my lap, gasping and cursing, but I pinned him down with the weight of my upper body. Another three on the opposite buttock was enough to make him try to cover his bum with one hand. I simply grabbed it, shoved it into the small of his back, and then continued to spank harder and harder until I heard him sobbing. His cries grew louder and he wriggled and squirmed, but I was relentless – to tell the truth, I was enjoying myself far too much to let him go just for the sake of a few wails.

“I don’t deserve anymore!” he determined.

“I’ll judge how much you deserve!”

I smacked each cheek in turn three or four times and went down over the thighs with hard slaps that made him jump.

“Please! I can’t… I can’t take this!” he blubbered. “You have to stop!”

“I don’t have to do anything!” I said with all the authority I could muster.

“No, but please!” he yelled, kicking and fighting to get up.

“Lie still and I’ll stop a lot sooner!”

I kept it up for ten minutes, at least, before I suddenly realised that he had stopped squirming and was beginning to hyperventilate. I stopped the smacking immediately.

“All right, we’d better stop,” I said and stroke his back.

Gently I helped him to stand up, but his legs wouldn’t carry him, so instead I allowed him to sink down on the sofa. He sat there sobbing hysterically, his face red and his eyes swollen from crying. He dried his tears on his sleeve and choked a few times before he had his weeping under control.

“I think I overdid it,” I said quietly.

He swallowed and glanced at me, with his red and swollen eyes, and then he smiled forcedly.

“Shit, that bloody hurt!” he said.

“Well, what did you expect?”

“You won’t tell them, will you? I mean, you did promise,” he said referring to his parents.

“I never break a promise, at least not one I’ve made when I was sober,” I said and smiled a little. He looked at me, and this time his face actually lit up when he smiled. “It seems you’ve forgiven me for the spanking,” I stated.

“Oh, well, yeah I suppose!,” he said, “as long as Adam won’t find out!”

“He won’t, not from me anyway.”

“Great!” The little brat rose and pulled his jeans up. “Nice to meet you!” he said and then he left through the backdoor and disappeared into the rain.

I went up and let Timmy in, then went out in the kitchen to prepare something for Austin and me to eat.

A Guest for Christmas

Title: A Guest For Christmas

Genre: Slash yes, no sex

Couple: William & Austin no discipline between these guys so far, Johnny is the one to get his butt toasted.

Summary: A major change comes to pass. How much will this disrupt things between William and Austin?

************

Johnny, the Neighbours’ Punk – Part 3

----------

A Guest For Christmas

“Deck the halls with bought of holly, fa la la la la, la la la la ‘tis the season to be…”

I tried to keep myself from tossing the pillow at his cheerful face, but it was no use, it flew through the air and he caught it just in time, darting at me like a hawk with the pillow lifted. I pulled the blanket over my head and he pulled it off me and smacked my unsheltered behind, telling me that ‘I’d better behave ‘cause Santa was watching me’. I twisted around and tickled him until he laughed so hard he fell down on the floor.

It was the day before Christmas Eve and we were both acting like overexcited children. This would be a good Christmas; our first alone together.

Anyway, when he had got himself of off the floor we went down to the kitchen to fix breakfast for ourselves and we had great fun doing it, too. I don’t know what it is, but Christmas always makes me feel like a boy, and – especially with Austin around – a naughty boy at that. We had almost reached the point where tossing the eggs at him was becoming irresistible, when – out of the blue – I decided to go fetch the paper, which otherwise Austin always did. He has this thing about reading it first – childish really. I went out in the hall with Timmy right behind me.

“Later, boy,” I vouched, then closed the door and sauntered down the steps, whistling ‘Jingle Bells’ as loud as I could. I picked up the paper as I looked out at the bright morning and marvelled at the sight of the park glimmering with frost. I turned around to go back inside, still whistling cheerfully to myself.

“Good morning!” someone shouted from the street behind me and I turned around.

“Well, what on earth are you doing here? I thought you’d gone to Hastings over Christmas,” I said and eyed Johnny from head to toe – he looked like he’d been sleeping on the street, “or at least that was what Mrs. Jones said.”

“I didn’t know if they’d left yet, but thought I could take my chances.”

“What?”

“Oh, I haven’t been home in awhile, but I figured they’d be gone by now, so I could sneak in and get some stuff,” he said and shrugged. “Some money if I’m lucky.”

“Sounds immoral!” I stated.

“Of my own, silly, they’d know it was me,” he smiled and went up the steps to their door. “Great seeing you again!”

“Johnny…” I started and he turned a beaming face toward me again. “Er, let us know if you need anything, son.”

“I will, thanks!”

I went inside and Austin stuck his head out of the kitchen.

“What kept you?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing,” I smiled and put my arms around him. I kissed his ear which made him chuckle and then buried my nose in his neck.

“My, my, this might lead to something interesting,” he said and his hand found my thigh and moved up over my hip.

“After breakfast,” I stated and let him go.

“You’re such a tease.”

We drove each other completely insane with hints and ‘casual’ caresses all through breakfast and finally he couldn’t take it. He put down the fork while getting up slowly and then he began unbuttoning his shirt. I watched him come closer, but didn’t move.

“Upstairs now!” he hissed. “Or would you prefer it right here?” I never had the time to answer him because the doorbell rang. I started up, but he put a hand on my shoulder – the bell sounded again and I removed his hand ever so gently.

“I’ll be right back,” I promised and went to answer the door. To my surprise it was Johnny, who gave me a tilted smile and eyed me with amusement.

“Catch you at a bad time?” he asked and I realised the little bastard had very keen eyes – or the bulge in my trousers were more obvious than I thought.

“Rather,” I said irritated while moving back a step behind the door and trying not to blush.

“Sorry,” he said not sounding it at all, but still looking a tad embarrassed.

“Never mind, is anything wrong, son?”

“Well, kinda, I’m really hungry and there’s nothing in the house, and I bet Adam found out where I kept my money, ‘cause there’s non left,” he looked so miserable I couldn’t possibly leave him out in the cold – hungry and alone such as he was.

“All right, come on in awhile then,” I said – I could see Austin’s face even before entering the kitchen. Like I’d thought he was far from thrilled. “This is Johnny, our neighbour you know, love,” I said in a pleasant tone.

“I know who he is, what is he doing here?” There is never very much beating about the bush with Austin; he wants something said he says it and that’s that.

“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later,” I said and put a cup of tea in front of him. “Here have some tea, son.” He nodded and brought the cup to his lips and blew on it while I made him a toast with jam, which he thrust into his wide opened mouth and swallowed practically without chewing. Then he looked imploringly at me for more.

“Can I have a word with you?” Austin looked hard at me.

“Just a minute,” I promised and handed Johnny another slice of toast and patted him on the shoulder. He reeked from wearing the same clothes for weeks and I decided he needed a bath.

“Well?!” Austin demanded when he had me alone.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Well, how, for instance, do you know that brat, and what’s your relationship with him?”

“He’s not a brat!” I began defensively. “And what do you mean by relationship?”

“Fine, misunderstood teenager, then,” Austin sighed while glaring grimly at me, “still, you seem to have known him for quite awhile, I just want to know how you know him.”

“Since when do I have to account for all my acquaintances to you?” I hissed and then I flinched, amazed at my own words; he simply looked right through me with one eyebrow raised. “Well, you know what I mean,” I muttered.

“No, not really,” he snapped. “I thought you said they had gone away.”

“They have, but he’s been afraid to go home for awhile, that stepfather of his beats him up!”

“Oh, please don’t tell me you believe what that little bastard is telling you!” Austin scolded in a voice not louder than a whisper.

“Yes I do and you didn’t see the welts he had on his buttocks when I saw him last…” the look of shock on Austin’s face made me realise what I had just said and – I had to grant – it didn’t sound at all innocent.

“What are you talking about?” he asked suspiciously.

“Nothing, nothing at all. That didn’t come out the way I wanted it to. Let’s just drop it, all right?” – as if he’d ever let anything go.

“I want a reasonable explanation for all this, and I want it now!” he ordered and I began feeling increasingly uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to say or how to get out of this mess I had got myself into. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Austin and I felt I was on the very brink of doing so right no. I also knew that the longer I waited with telling him the truth the less likely it was that he would at all believe me when I did.

“If you fucked him, just bloody well tell me so!” he demanded and even though I’d been expecting the question I couldn’t drive myself to answering it. He kept looking tensely at me until I forced my head to shift from side to side, and when I had finally started I shook my head faster as if I had loosened it from some invisible bonds.

“No!” I said pitifully, “please don’t ever think that of me again.” I felt a tear run down my face, but didn’t wipe it away and then another fell.

“Oh, don’t! You know I hate it when you do that,” Austin complained and his features softened. He reached out a hand to stroke it away. “You are so manipulative, William. I don’t know whether you do it on purpose or not.” He glanced at me and I watched his face alter from irritable to tender. He stroked my hair out of my face then bent forward and kissed me on the cheek. “All right.” I’ve never known anyone who can put so much meaning into ‘all right’ as Austin can.

As we walked back into the kitchen I wondered just how much of our conversation Johnny had heard; still, his appearance didn’t reveal anything. While we were talking he had made himself another toast – possibly several, by the look of the crumbs on the table – and looked quite comfortable where he sat.

“Hope you don’t mind, I’m starving,” he said with his mouth full – he looked like a hamster.

“Are you staying at home for awhile?” I asked him. He swallowed and looked away.

“I wasn’t being completely honest with you,” he said and I received a very wearied look from Austin. “Not that I lied or anything, it’s just that they didn’t exactly expect me back it seems, ‘cause they’ve got rid of my stuff – clothes and all.”

“I take it your parents had reasons not to expect you home, did they?” Austin said and gave Johnny the same look he usually gives me when he’s fed up with my nagging or lamentation, the look that makes you feel like he really doesn’t want to have anything to do with you.

“Well, I did sorta leave a note telling them I wouldn’t be, but what parents believe that, huh?” Johnny was clearly used to flirting, because his whole body emitted a well developed charm – no, don’t get me wrong, it had nothing to do with sex, just with winning sympathy. He didn’t quite succeed, but Austin did allow for an ironic smile.

“Will you behave if we let you stay with us for a few days?” I asked him and ignored the shocked glare Austin sent my way. Johnny looked at me and a smile lit up his face.

“You’d let me stay here?” he asked sceptically.

“A few days, Will! Until his parents come back!” Austin hissed, still glaring at me.

“All right, until they get back! And you better behave! Now get upstairs and run a bath for yourself, why don’t you?” I suggested.

“A bath?” his expression was priceless.

“Yes, a bath, water, soap and all that, if you remember?” I couldn’t help being sarcastic. “It’s upstairs to your left.”

“Well, whatever you say, sir,” he bowed exceedingly courteously and tried to keep a straight face, but then, before he left, he looked at us and said calmly: “I promise not to be a bother.”

“I sincerely hope you know what you’re doing, because I do not have a clue what’s going on inside your head,” Austin said when the bathroom door shut upstairs. I never did answer – perhaps because I didn’t either.

It was around noon the next day when I was decorating the tree that things began sliding out of hand. Johnny had, up till then, tried to be on his best behaviour, but he did have his limits. I was listening to Christmas songs on the CD and walked around Timmy, who was exhausted since Johnny had taken it upon himself to get my rather round spaniel into shape. He had indeed become quite chubby lately, like somebody else I knew, though I would never admit it if somebody – say Austin – suggested it.

“I didn’t tell you, you could use that!” Bellowed Austin from upstairs and I almost dropped the glittering ball in my hand.

“I didn’t touch anything but the stupid game!” Johnny answered, seriously annoyed.

“You should’ve asked!”

“I said I only… NO! What the hell are you doing? I had almost beat my score!”

“Get out of here!”

“I didn’t touch anything!”

Johnny thundered down the stairs and went straight towards the door. I had learnt, in the weeks his family had lived next door, that that was his solution to every trouble; run out the door and slam it shut with all his might – preferably in someone’s face.

“Johnny, wait, come in here and help me with the tree!” I ordered and he turned around tossing a glare upstairs and then decided to do as I asked. He muttered something not quite audible and I looked questioningly at him. He hung a small angel on a branch.

“He really is a bloody bastard!” he said turned away from me, “I wouldn’t stand living with him.”

“I wouldn’t say that again if I were you!” I said, determined to prove I had more patience than Austin did. “And to be perfectly honest, you don’t have to.”

“He’s still a bloody bastard!” Johnny stated as he leaned over and took the box of tinsel.

“No, the bottom of that…” the tinsel lay in a heap on the floor and in less than a wink of an eye Timmy was all over it –suddenly not at all tired, “…is broken,” I finished pointlessly.

“I noticed,” Johnny said and began gathering the tinsel, getting into a small fight with Timmy that turned into a wilder chase around the room.

“Let him be, Johnny. He’ll tire of it soon enough!” I said and went into the kitchen to fetch the new bag of tinsel I’d bought just in case.

CRASH!!!

That didn’t sound good. I came back into the living-room at the same time as Austin came down the stairs.

“What was that?” he asked me and I shrugged.

Looking over at Johnny I felt the blood drain from my face – Austin’s Chinese vase, the one worth a small fortune, in pieces on the carpet.

“This was really thin,” Johnny said nonchalantly while picking up the bits and pieces of it that remained. “I didn’t think anything could break falling on your thick carpet. Well you shouldn’t have had it on that wobbly table…” for the first time he looked up at us where we stood frozen at the doorway. He smiled nervously. “Are you mad? Sorry. I didn’t mean to tip it over, it just… happened.”

“Do you… have any idea… how much that cost?” Austin hissed between his teeth.

“This… I dunno, ten quid?” Johnny shrugged.

“Not bloody likely!” Austin hollered.

“It was an accident, dammit!” Johnny felt cornered, I could tell from the way he backed up against the ‘wobbly’ table. “I didn’t mean to break the bloody thing!”

“Well you did and I’m fed up with you!,” Austin shouted furiously.

“But it WAS an accident!” Johnny tried to match the fury in Austin’s eyes, but failing, of course. He was afraid now. I still stood silent, looking from one to the other without finding any words to stop what I feared would happen.

“Come here!” Austin muttered fiercely.

“Oh, the fuck I will… not when you’re looking at me like that!” Johnny said trying to act tough but at the same time giving me a pleading glance.

“I said COME HERE!!” Austin roared and it shook me as much as Johnny.

“Not bloody likely!” he answered angrily with Austin’s own words and then adding: “you bloody bastard!” His ‘pleasant’ language couldn’t possibly dig him deeper in than his tone of voice.

Austin advanced on the scowling Johnny and he looked set on strangling him.

“Austin…” my voice faded.

“Don’t meddle!” he snapped.

“Calm down, love,” I stepped between them holding up a hand to Austin. “Let me…”

“Sod off!”

“You’re too angry, you’ll half kill him. Let me deal with him!” I pleaded looking sternly into Austin’s eyes and he gave me a mocking smirk.

“Right, and what will you do, send him to bed without supper? I don’t think so!”

“I’m not afraid of him!” Johnny mumbled behind me; his voice seemed miles away.

“I’ll deal with him, Austin, trust me, he’ll learn his lesson.”

Finally Austin seemed to give in and he turned around and sat down in the sofa.

“Do what you want!” he said.

“Let’s go upstairs, young man!” I told Johnny, who followed me silently when I touched his shoulder.

I closed the door behind us and told Johnny to sit down, which he did after a moment. He looked at me and his eyes were clearing up. I nodded at him and he relaxed.

“For a minute I thought he was going to…” he bit his lip when he realised I wasn’t happier than Austin was.

“You told me, you PROMISED me that you wouldn’t be a bother! Then what do you call this?” He looked at the painting with water-lilies on the wall. “LOOK AT ME!”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just the way I am.”

“No, it’s not! This isn’t the Johnny I recall. Yes, that Johnny was a handful, but this, this… I haven’t even got words for it and that awful language.” I sat down next to him.

“Are you going to throw me out?” he asked meekly.

“I don’t know what Austin thinks, but I have no intention of throwing a sixteen-year-old out on the street. I am going to do what Austin had in mind, though.”

“No! You mustn’t… You won’t! Not with the damned belt!” he shook his head and put up his hands to affirm his words.

“I’ll deal with in our usual way, Johnny, a bare bottom spanking, but this time I’ll use something more than my hand,” I said and with that I rose and told him to stand in the corner until I came back. To my surprise he obeyed without arguing – he merely looked ruefully at me as he went.

I didn’t plan on using a belt – it’d be against my principles – but an old fashioned slipper would be just what he needed. I tried to find the ones Austin had bought that hadn’t fit him, but they seemed to have disappeared. So I went downstairs. Austin gave me a grim eye to tell me I was not going to get him in a good mood again today.

“Where are your slippers?” I said.

“Slippers? What slippers are you talking about?” he said churlish.

“The black ones, the ones that were to tight around the toes.”

“Timmy took one – I think – and the other… I used it as a doorstop in the guestroom.”

I sighed and went towards the stairs – he would never change – why not put them in the closet like I always did with my things?

“But what do you need it for?” he called after me, suddenly curious.

“It’s harder than my hand!” I declared – a puzzled silence followed and then: “Oh…”

Johnny was leaning against the wall when I came back looking out of the guestroom window. I put my hands on my hips and glared at him until he looked up.

“Corner!” he hid a smile and turned around. So he thought this was funny, well he wouldn’t for long. I bent down and picked up the black slipper that lay behind the door. I supposed that Johnny had kicked it in there last night. “Come here, Johnny.” It was rather pleasing seeing him whiten at the sight of the slipper in my hand.

“That’s not fair,” he resisted and shook his head. “I’ve said it was an accident.”

“True, accidents happen, and though that vase was an antique, I couldn’t care less that you broke it, but the way you acted towards Austin was appalling and intolerable. You didn’t have to use you’re entire vocabulary of curses.”

“Do you have to?” he whispered.

“You deserve it!” I declared and he looked at his feet. When he looked up again his eyes were filled with tears, but he appeared to have made his mind up.

“I don’t know why I keep pleading with you, it’s just no use,” he said and wiped the tears, which apparently annoyed him, out of his eyes. “Across your lap?”

“Let’s have you bend over that desk instead; I think I might reach better,” I suggested, looking at the desk by the left wall.

“You’re not taking it easy, are you?” he said half-heartedly and I shook my head, looking as stern as I possibly could. I was not taking it easy and I was not going to let him get away with this kind of behaviour even if his stay with us was only for a few days.

“I really thought you liked me,” he protested all of a sudden.

“I would never tolerate that anyone, no matter how much I liked him, or her, spoke to my boyfriend in the way you did, and that’s that. Now, bend over the desk,” I pointed at it with the slipper.

He finally yielded and bent over. There is always a rush of feeling going through me whenever I have someone completely in my power, and particularly if it’s for a spanking. I took a deep breath and placed myself on his left side. If you’ve ever seen a teenager bent over a walnut desk in tight cotton trousers, you wouldn’t blame me for the bulge in my own. I ordered myself sternly to think of something else, but I knew I wouldn’t obey.

“Well, get on with it!” Johnny gasped.

“When you’ve pulled those down,” I patted his behind. I couldn’t be sure of what he said, but I did hear the words ‘cruel’ and ‘unusual’. With the trousers around his ankles and underpants about his knees he bent back over and I moved him up so that he stood on his toes. “Now, don’t move!”

“How am I suppose to stay… OUCH!! That bloody hurt!” he yelled when I took him by surprise.

“Did it? Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to do that,” I said sarcastically. I gave him the opportunity to prepare for the next whack, but he still winced hard and cried out. The sound was almost shocking, a sharp smack followed by his intake of breath and load shout. I wasn’t at all surprised when, after five minutes the door opened ever so quietly and a rather concerned Austin showed himself. I gave him a nod in acknowledgement, but went right on with my business. First he looked bewildered, not to say shocked, but after awhile when I tossed a glance towards him he seemed curious.

“You should try to aim lower,” he offered; Johnny howled and stood straight up, eyes bloodshot and face flushed.

“No! Johnny, get back down, son!”

“No more, you mustn’t! Not with him here!” Johnny exclaimed while sobbing like a baby.

“Take a few more and I’ll let you off! Go on!” I reasoned calmly.

“I can’t!” he wasn’t looking at me, or at Austin for that matter and he tried desperately to cover his bare bum, but without much use, the warm red glow, was as evident to both Austin and me as the tears on his face.

“Don’t be a baby,” Austin said and folded his arms. “It was my damned vase, so I think I’m entitled to see you be properly punished.”

“Oh, God!” Johnny sobbed and then he gasped and whined for another couple of minutes before he gave up and rested his chest on the sturdy desk.

After a mere six in addition to the ones he had had already, I stopped, not having the heart to continue listening to his despairing wails.

“There, shall we leave it at that, then?” I said and helped Johnny up, he fell down on his belly on the bed sobbing hysterically. I realised that he was in exceptional pain and stroke his hair to comfort him. “Austin, would you…”

“Some lotion? Right,” he smiled, “and do you want some water, son.” Johnny moved and groaned in a way that could be taken as a yes, or, if you were a cynic, a ‘go to hell.’

“You’ll be all right, son, don’t cry,” I whispered and sat down beside him. “I don’t think I know quite how strong I am.”

“Neither do I, or I’d be more careful,” he blubbered and looked at me with glittering eyes – he wasn’t completely despondent, then, after all.

“Have you done that before?” Austin whispered in my ear when we lay side by side in our bed; he sounded sleepy, but inquisitive.

“Once or twice.”

“And never told me?” he reproved.

“It wasn’t any of your business, love,” I yawned.

“Whatever happened to that rule about honesty you put up,” he put both arms around me and snuggled up beside me.

“Oh, who cares, you never follow it!” I kissed him.

“Well, so spank me!” he teased.

I might just take him up on that.