The Night Out.              

Adam and Brian.

Implements: Hand, Paddle, Strap,

 

 

 

 

Brian almost fell down the stairs he was in such a hurry. He rushed into the kitchen, cannoning into Adam. "Hi Adam. Bye Adam," he said, "I'm running late for the bus."

 

"Whoa little man," Adam said holding onto his Brat. "Breakfast." He firmly pushed Brian towards the kitchen table.

 

"But Adaaaaaam," Brian wailed, "I'm going to miss my bus and be late for my first lecture."

 

"No you won't," Adam said, calmly placing a glass of OJ in front of his pouting lover. "As Eric is the lecturer in your first class today I asked him to pick you up at eight so you'll be in on time and I know you've had a decent breakfast, not just a cup of coffee." Adam gave Brian the Look "One of our rules was around a sensible eating plan was it not?"

 

"Food Nazi," Brian muttered under his breath. Then he paled slightly. "Eeeeric," he stuttered, "The uber Top himself?" Adam and Brian had been together for three months now and Eric had been a regular visitor, but Brian had always felt a little uneasy around him. He didn't like the feeling that Eric could read him like a book. He had listened avidly to the discussions Adam and Eric had, recalling episodes that were not always to Adam's credit. Brian grinned; his Top had not always been the model for upstanding behavior.

 

"I don't know why you're so uneasy around Eric," Adam said, truly puzzled, as Brian began to eat his breakfast. "He likes you and as far as I know he's never acted the Top around you. He's my friend now we decided a few years ago that we were better off as friends rather than as lovers or as Top and Brat." Adam looked at Brian. "You do know there's nothing to be jealous of, don't you?" he asked anxiously.

 

Brian swallowed his last spoonful of cereal and washed it down with the OJ. "I'm not jealous," he said, grinning cheekily at his lover "It's just every time I see Eric, I have a vision of you over his knees having your cute butt spanked. It's really surreal." Adam blushed bright red as Brian had known he would. He giggled in delight as Adam lunged for him and drew him into a hug.

 

"Oh you do do you?" Adam mock growled as he began to tickle his young lover.

 

"Adaaaaam," Brian was breathless with laughter "Stop it, I need to get ready to go."

 

"By all means let's get going." A voice came from the door. Eric's blond  hair gleamed in the sunlight and his blue eyes crinkled in amusement at the sight in front of him. Brian squirmed free, straightened his t-shirt, grabbed his jacket and bag.

 

"I'm all ready," he said. He turned back to Adam, grinning. "Have a good day. I should be home by five pm." He leaned into the goodbye kiss Adam gave him, deepening it. "Miss you already," he whispered and reluctantly turned to leave.

 

"Cellphone," Adam said sharply seeing it on the bench.

 

"Okay. Okay," Brian said, grabbing it. "You're the one who distracted me with the whole breakfast thing," he teased.

 

"Breakfast is a good way to start the day," Eric said, smiling at Adam as Brian brushed past him.

 

Adam blushed again. "Food Nazi," he muttered, unconsciously echoing his Brat from earlier. Eric just laughed and followed Brian down the path, thumbing the doors of his car to open.

 

Brian bounced out of the car when they arrived at the University. "See you soon," he said to Eric and headed towards the Coffee Cart on the quadrangle  for his daily fix. "Triple espresso," he ordered, feeling a little naughty, knowing full well one of the understandings he had with Adam was that he would limit his caffeine intake. "What Adam didn't know wouldn't hurt him." Brian unconsciously grinned at the double meaning of the sentence.

 

The day went smoothly, although during his lunch break he ignored his carefully prepared healthy sandwich and tucked into fish and chips with a coke and chocolate cake to finish off with. While reaching for his wallet he saw an open pack of cigarettes and gulped nervously. This contraband was strictly forbidden from almost the first day of their co-habitation. Adam had put his foot down about Brian's smoking. Brian had not had a cigarette for almost two months. Seeing the cigarettes in his bag was weakening his resolve and there was no residual sting in his bottom to dissuade him.

 

"Wait a second," Brian thought to himself. "Adam trusted him and maybe breaking the healthy food rule occasionally was okay," although Brian wasn't too sure about even that. "Breaking the no smoking rule was a paddling offense." He knew that from personal experience and on that occasion the look on Adam's face when he realised Brian had broken the rule about smoking had almost been worse than the paddling. Almost. Brian took the cigarettes out of his bag and put them in the rubbish bin. There! One temptation conquered, he congratulated himself.

 

Brian was packing his books up from his last class when he was hailed by Sonny, one of his wilder friends. "Hey Bri, we're all going out to McCoys to  celebrate the beginning of a new term. You in?"

 

Brian hesitated. He knew Adam was planing a special dinner.

 

"What, the big bad tutor got you on a leash already?" Sonny mocked. Sonny had never really forgiven Adam for hitting him across the room a couple of months ago when he'd started to get a little too friendly with Brian in a night club, Adam making it very clear Brian was his and nobody else better touch him without permission.

 

Brian bristled. "No one's got a leash on me," he growled.  "A few drinks won't hurt." He grinned at Sonny maliciously. "How's your jaw?" Sonny just scowled.  Brian turned to the others in the group. "Well let's get going then."  Almost  effortlessly he flowed back into his bad boy persona of a year ago. He didn't realise his eyes were dancing recklessly. Adam would have noticed the danger signs of a Brian about to go off the rails, but his friends were a lot less perceptive, although a few of the saner ones did look at him uneasily.

 

Four hours later Brian was not enjoying himself. They'd moved on from McCoys through two other bars and were now at an Irish bar called Kitty Malone's. He was wondering why Adam hadn't called him as he flipped open his cell phone. "Oh hell," Brian swore to himself. "He hadn't turned it on." Brian turned on his 'phone and his stomach slowly rolled when the display came up and told him he had four text messages and three missed calls all from the same source: Adam. "He was so dead."

 

He couldn't face Adam tonight. He knew he was in trouble, but he flashed back to the time he'd been caught smoking and the look on Adam's face and his eyes started to sting. He looked down and saw the ashtray next to him and the cigarette in his hand. He was just glad he'd had enough wit left to turn down the "wacky baccy" Sonny had offered him. He couldn't face Adam, not tonight. He suddenly had a  flash of inspiration: there was only one person he could think of who could go toe to toe with Adam and win.  He dialed a number on his cellphone.

 

"Hi Eric," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "Can I beg a lift from you and a bed for the night?"

 

"Brian, thank God, where are you?" Adam's head shot up, his eyes suddenly alive when he heard Eric's voice from the kitchen. After he hadn't got any answer from the messages he left on Brian's cell phone he'd contacted Eric, who immediately came over. Eric was in the kitchen making the umpteenth cup of coffee. Eric came in, holding his cell phone to his ear. "I have someone here you need to talk to," he said and handed his cell phone to Adam.

 

"Brian where the hell are you?" Adam's voice conveyed how frantic he had been. He had imagined his lover hurt and it had only been Eric's soothing presence that had prevented him from ringing all the hospitals in the area to check whether Brian had been admitted to any of them.

 

"I'm at Kitty's," Brian voice broke. "I'm so sorry, Adam, my cell phone was off. I didn't get your messages until just now."

 

"Stay where you are," Adam's voice had firmed now. "I'm coming to pick you up." Eric caught his eye and Adam grimaced slightly. "We're coming to pick you up," he amended.

 

Twenty minutes later Eric's car drew up in front of Kitty Malone's.  Brian was waiting. "Get in," was all Eric said to the young man.

 

"Where's Adam?" Brian asked.

 

"Having a shower and something to eat," Eric said, his voice cold . "You put him through hell tonight, young man, and he needed to take some time out to look after himself." Eric said nothing about holding Adam when he broke down after the phone call. Brian refused to meet Eric's cold blue eyes.

 

"He's pretty mad at me huh?" Brian's voice was low but Eric had lynx-like hearing, an almost inherited ability in all Tops.

 

"What do you think?" Eric was a firm believer in letting a Brat stew in his own juices thinking over his misbehavior before paying the price. "Now shut up and let me drive." Brian bit his lip and tears slid slowly down his face. He really did not want to face Adam tonight. Why had he rung Eric? Of all people? His thought processes were not working at the peak of their powers.  He never did think clearly where emotions were involved.

 

Brian was planted firmly into a corner in the study to think over his behaviour. Adam had taken a shower and had something to eat taking time to calm down and think rationally how to deal with his Brat. He wasn't going to make Brian wait; this was going to be over and dealt with tonight. He walked into the study and looked thoughtfully at his young Brat. His nose dilated and he smelt the cigarette smoke. His eyes narrowed. That did it, that made his mind up. He opened the desk drawer and took out a well oiled strap and the paddle.

 

"Brian, come here please." Brian was glad to leave the corner although he was not looking forward to what was going to happen next. His eyes widened when he saw the strap.

 

"Adam, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," Brian's eyes raised to meet his Top's. "I fu.....umm stuffed up."

 

"One question needs to be cleared up, Brian," Adam's voice was as cold as a glacier. "Did you smoke tonight?"

 

Brian shuddered. "Yes," he admitted quietly. "But it was only tobacco; nothing else although it was offered."

 

Adam's palm slammed down on the table, making Brian jump. "I don't care what you were smoking, the fact you were smoking is bad enough. We've been over and over this, Brian. Smoking can shorten your like and as your life partner I cannot accept that." Brian's breath caught. This was the first time Adam had put his feelings into words. "So let's sum this up shall we?" Adam continued. "Going off to have drinks with your friends and not having the common decency to phone me to tell me. Having your cellphone off, therefore worrying me as I could not have contacted you in a real emergency. Smoking. Is there anything else?"

 

Brian fidgeted. He might as well get everything else out of the way. "Lunch," he mumbled.

 

"Pardon?"

 

"For lunch I didn't have my sandwich. I bought my lunch and, ummm, none of it adhered to our food guidelines." Brian wanted to get everything off his chest, but decided to keep his coffee habit to himself.

 

"Right," Adam said. "The first two get you a dose of the paddle, the smoking and food gets you a taste of the strap. Any questions or comments?" Adam always gave Brian a chance to respond to pronouncement of punishment.

 

"No," Brian said, his voice shaking. "I guess I deserve all of that. Just please believe I'm sorry I upset you."

 

Brian walked over to Adam and was drawn into a hug. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Brian," Adam said "Now let's get this unpleasant business over and done with."

 

Brian took down his jeans and boxers and laid himself over Adam's lap. The first smack landed and Brian cried out at the initial pain. Adam steadily worked over Brian's butt paying special attention to the sit spot and the tender junction between bottom and thighs. When the whole bottom was a light pink he picked up the paddle. The paddle impacted solidly in the same place, then moved up and had another stroke impacting slightly overlapping the previous stroke. This pattern was followed all around until not one part of the bottom over Adam's lap was untouched.  Brian just howled in pain. This was as bad as he'd expected.

 

"Okay Brian, we're done," Adam said, his voice tired.

 

"What about the strap for smoking?" Brian asked through his tears.

 

"I think you've had enough," Adam said evenly, his voice emotionless.

 

"No," Brian said and blushed when Adam raised an eyebrow in astonishment. "I smoked, you hate that, if you don't follow through you'll brood. Don't get me wrong I'll hate it, it'll hurt and I'm already hurting but I need it and you need to finish it."

 

Adam looked steadily at Brian  "I'm the Top. I make the decision about punishments, not you."

 

"I have a say," Brian said. "If you don't strap me I'll feel I've got away with something. I knew I was way out of control tonight, but the thought of your disappointment didn't deter me. The thought of a paddling didn't stop me. I think the threat of being strapped will stop me. I know I screwed up. I deserve the strap."

 

Brian looked steadily into Adam's eyes. Adam looked back and sighed. His Brat had a point: he always had a say about the punishments he received whether he thought they were too harsh or not harsh enough. Adam picked up the strap and Brian without being prompted laid over the sofa arm with his bottom in perfect position for further chastisement. Adam brought down the belt six times, making every stroke count, and Brian cried out in pain at each one.

 

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Brian sobbed into Adam's shoulder as he was being comforted later on.

 

"Shush, Baby," Adam said "It's over now. You're forgiven, it's all over." The words, "you're forgiven," were all Brian needed to hear and worn out, he fell asleep in his Top and lover's arms.