The Fest
Part Two
Disclaimer: Mulder, Skinner, Scully and anyone else from the X files
don't belong to me, I just play with them a bit, the Danville people
are not mine either, I just get to play there thanks Red *s* and didn't
even break them, much. I own nothing but my computer and two
kids, and I do this all for free.
Note: Many of the events in the story actually happened, though not
to Fox in Real time *grins* but of course, some things were
changed to protect the innocent and get a certain young man's rump
roasted *grin*
Thanks to Joey and Claire for Betaing.
"Better tell Him Walt, so he can get his fitting before its too late "
Joe said, grinning.
"Fitting for what?" Fox asked, looking from one uncle to the other,
then to his father and back again. "What's going on?"
Walt chuckled, "Each year at this time, its traditional for the Skinner
family to go en mass to the Renaissance Festival."
Fox stopped him, visions of nerds dressing up in stupid clothing
filling his mind. "Hold it right there, I am not going to nerd fest 101,
I will just stay here and do some work. You all can have fun."
Skinner frowned but continued, "Tradition, as you know Fox, is very
important in this family," looking to the younger man.
"Come on Fox. It will be fun; sword fighting, jousting, tons of food,"
Joe chimed in.
"Yeah," Andy added, "lots of history and performances."
"Besides," Walt continued, "you don't have your laptop, so you can't
work." Walt grinned.
Fox just looked at his Dad. "Why is this so important? He asked.
Walter removed his glasses, as he took out his handkerchief, wiping
them slowly, as he let the younger man wait. "once upon a time."
He began.
Joe and Andy let out at laugh as Fox made a face. "a fairy tale?"
Fox asked.
"Not exactly," Walter said, "but there is a fairy in it." He grinned at
the look he got from that one.
"As I was saying," Walter continued, replacing his glasses, "Once
upon a time several years ago, Jean was attending the local college
and had not yet decided on a major. She flitted from one thing to
another, and finally decided the theater was her calling. She acted
in several plays, and worked backstage, anything she could do."
"Yeah," Joe piped up, "the acting bug had bitten her bad"
Fox nodded as he listened, imagining his Aunt Jean in some of the
productions he had seen.
"Jean was out of class for the summer session, but wanted to keep
working in the theater." Walter reminisced "The local theater group
was off for the summer, and Jean was despondent. She really
wanted to be involved in something. Then one day her college
drama professor called her up. If she was interested he could get
her a job at the local Renaissance festival that was coming up the
next week making some last minute costumes."
"Jean of course accepted right away." Andy said laughing.
"Yeah, she almost jumped though the phone for the job." Joe added.
"Anyway, Jean took the job that summer and had a great time."
Walter said taking up the story again. "She has a real flair for
costume creation. Well sometime that summer she convinced Mom
and Dad to come to the Fest and see her creations in action. They
agreed and came in street clothes the first weekend. But
somewhere in that day they fell in love with the idea, and the next
weekend they were back, This time in full costumes made by Jean
of course."
Walter, Joe and Andy laughed remembering Walter Sr. and Rachel
in the first costumes. "The next summer Jean was back again at the
fest, working with costumes, and unknown to the rest of us, she
had put a bug in Dad's ear." Walter continued. "Suggesting that we
all go to the fest together. Well no way was I going to that 'nerd
fest'" Walter grinned at Fox as Fox had the good graces to blush.
"Me either" Joe said, "it was not going to happen."
Andy remained silent. Fox looked over, "what about You?" Fox
asked.
Andy shrugged, "I liked the idea." Then laughed.
"Dad had made up his mind. We were all going to the fest and that
was that. Joe and I put up quite a fuss, disappearing during the
costume fittings and finally flat refusing to go." Walter grinned as he
spoke. "Of course none of that had any affect on Dad's decision to
go, once he made up his mind that was it."
"But we tried anyway" Joe said. "the night before we were to go,
Dad came in our rooms after we were asleep and removed every
stitch of clothing we had, and left only the costumes in their place."
Fox burst out laughing, "So you went?"
Walter grinned, "Well not right away, When we woke up, and found
just the costumes there and no clothing, We became, ammm, vocal."
"Vocal?" Fox asked.
"We began swearing up a blue streak and yelling, demanding our
clothing." Joe clarified.
Fox paled "oh no!"
"oh yes" Walter took up the story again. "Needless to say, Dad was
less than impressed. He came up stairs and grabbed both Joe and I
by the ear. Then marched us right out to the shed."
Fox noticed his dad's ears turning red at the telling.
"Suffice it to say, the persuader made a good argument for
changing our tune and convincing us to go to the fest." Walter spoke
softly. "Surprisingly, we even had a great time, though tights on a
strapped bottom are not the most comfortable things in the world.
So every year we make sure the whole family gets together and
goes to the fest at least one weekend in the summer"
Fox laughed hard at the story, "and they all lived happily ever after"
Walter looked at Fox with half a grin, "that depends, are you going with or without the persuader?"
"WITHOUT!" Fox said violently.
The men laughed, remembering the fun they had at the fest.
Fox saw the delight in the eyes of his Dad and Uncles, and relented "OK, ok," he said, not missing the look in his Dad's eyes, "I'll go"
A chorus of "Good and wonderful" came from the three men on the porch with him.
Just then Jean come out with an outfit on a hanger "There you are Fox, come and try on your costume. I made it especially for you"
Fox looked at the outfit, lace and ruffles, black tights, and what looked like short bloomer pants, a hat with a feather in it, and saw red. "No fucking way am I wearing that!" he snapped and before any of the others could react he turned and stomped off the porch, heading for the woods at a quick jog.
"I guess it wasn't as good as I thought it was" Jean said softly, a bit taken aback at her nephew's reaction to the costume.
Walter set one hand on his sister's shoulder, "The costume is fine Jean, I'll go have a "discussion" with Fox. He will be back to try it on in a little while."
Jean nodded, knowing what the 'discussion' would probably entail.
Meanwhile, Fox had stopped jogging and was mentally kicking himself for his reaction and words to his Aunt. The costume was really well made, he just couldn't see himself in it was all, he would look like a fool. Then he
remember the look on Aunt Jean's face, the hurt he had caused her, "Way to go moron, she goes out of her way to make you something nice, and what do you do? Hurt her feelings."
Fox sighed to himself, knowing he was way out of line, he turned, having made a decision, and walked quickly back to the house. Passing on the other side of the stand of trees from where his dad was looking for him. Walt
heard the rustling and saw Fox marching with a determined step to the house and followed after his son, watching to see what he did.
Joe and Andy glared at Fox as he came up the steps, starting to say something but Fox gave them no opportunity, walking right up to Jean looking for the world like a naughty little boy, "Aunt Jean, I want to apologize for what I said, I was way out of line, and I am sorry. I should know better by now than to speak without thinking. I wouldn't want to hurt you for the world, and I am sorry, I was thoughtless and rude."
Jean looked up at her nephew, then beyond him to his Dad, a short shake of his head told Jean that Fox was doing this on his own, without prompting from Walter. "I accept your apology Fox, but you know that kind of language is unacceptable in this house." She turned him to the door and swatted him, "Bathroom now, young man!"
Fox winced as his aunt's hand stung his still sore bottom and moved quickly in the house. "Yes, ma'am" he said, and went to the side bathroom, Jean following close behind.
Closing the door behind them, she picked up the bar of soap, and turned to him. "Open," she said. Fox opened his mouth without hesitation, making a face as for the second time that day, soap was deposited in his mouth.
He kicked himself for being so stupid and thoughtless. Jean let her nephew stand there with the soap in his mouth for several moments. She finally removed it when she saw foam appear at the sides of his mouth, and let
him rinse. Fox rinsed and rinsed, and wondered if he was ever going to get rid of the taste of soap after today. Tears brimmed in his eyes he turned and looked down, not able to meet his aunt's eyes, "I am sorry, Aunt
Jean," he said softly. "I was thoughtless."
Jean stopped him and took her tall nephew in her arms, "It's all forgiven Fox, but you have to learn ... engage brain before putting your mouth into gear."
Fox blushed and nodded, "Yes, ma'am," he said. Jean hugged him for another moment, then let him go after she kissed his cheek.
Fox opened the door and paled seeing his Dad standing there arms crossed over his massive chest. "Uhoh," Fox said.
"Getting a taste for Ivory?" Walter asked, but was not smiling.
Fox stuttered for a long moment, then finally said "N-no, sir."
Jean took that moment to latch onto Fox's arm and pull him past his father, saying, "Come on Fox. You and Walter can talk later, I want to make sure the costume fits properly."
Fox moved with his aunt, trying to turn in the door way, but caught one powerful swat on his sore rump.
"I will see you in the shed when your aunt is finished with you," Walter said softly.
Fox paled, but nodded "Yes, sir .. I will be there directly."
The next half hour was taken up with the fitting; Jean directed as Fox stripped down to his boxers, she silenced his protests of modesty by saying "You don't have anything I haven't seen before" then showed him how to put
on each of the garments. The tights, and short pants, the undershirt with the ruffles and lace, the doublet of black, were tugged and pulled on, she smiled at last and let him take them all off. "You are going to be the handsomest man there" she said, as she patted his cheek, and left him in private to dress.
Fox sighed again, he knew it was time to head out to the shed. He put on a pair of soft sweats rather than his jeans and stepped out into the hallway. As he headed down the steps and out the back door, he walked with a
determined step to the woodshed, and felt the dread in his heart, and the knot in the pit of his stomach. He walked into the shed and waited.
Walter heard the backdoor close, and knew who it was. Jean had come down a few minutes before, and made a last minute alteration on the doublet. She had muttered about how Fox was too thin. Walt gave Fox a few minutes to
think, then never being one to wait, stood up and walked out the back door, heading to the shed.
When he entered, Walter saw Fox standing with his nose against the wall, at attention, Walt paused for a moment, knowing the boy heard him, then said softly, "Fox."
Fox, hearing his dads voice, turned around, and knew there was no excuse for his words to his aunt. He stepped to where the persuader hung on the wall, and took it down, walked to his dad. He handed it to him then turned to the bench and pulled down both his pants and shorts, in one motion, bent over. "No excuses, sir. I was wrong. I deserve to be punished for swearing at Aunt Jean and being rude," he said, and waited.
Walt looked at the pink skin of his son's bottom, and felt the leather in his hands. A few months ago, Fox would have never apologized or asked for punishment for his actions. Walt felt his heart swell with pride. He p
laced a restraining hand on Fox's back, then lifted the strap, brought it down sharply three times, not giving a chance for the first one to be felt before the next two burned across the boys rump. The red marks appeared
almost instantly, then he was done. Walt hung the strop back on the wall, and let fox have a moment.
Fox was surprised, the strapping left a burning impression that was nothing near what he thought he had coming. "Get up son," Walt said gently. Fox obeyed, still surprised at the lenience of the spanking. He adjusted his
clothing, then Walt pulled his son into the traditional hug after
punishment, and caressed the back of his head. "I was not
impressed at your words to Jean at first, but I am very proud of the
way you owned up to your error, and corrected it."
Fox looked into his Dad's proud eyes, and felt the tears falling
again. "I never meant to hurt Aunt Jean, Dad," he said , as he cried
into his father's chest.
"I know son, I know," Walt soothed his boy. "Its all over now," Walt
moved Fox to look in his eyes, "No more swearing, Fox" Walt said
sternly.
"Yes, sir" Fox said.
"Now, come on, its bed time, its going to be a long day tomorrow,"
Walt said with a smile.
Fox knew going to bed was part of his punishment, but didn't balk at
it. As he walked back to the house with his Dad, felt the love and
care when the big man draped one arm over his son's shoulder.
"I love you, Fox." Walt said easily, as he did truly mean it.
"I love you too, Dad," Fox said and hugged his father again tightly.
"I'll be up in a few minutes" Walt said softly as they reached the
house, Fox said his good nights and went up the steps.
"He's come a long way," Walter Sr. said to his son.
Walt agreed, "Yes sir, a long way."
to be continued