At the party M/f (long) - Part 2

[beguiling]

Stepping into the softly lit bedroom, Nick again reminded himself to thank Tom for the offer. In all the parties they’d been to at Tom’s house, the bedroom had always been the only place guests never went. For Tom to offer it to them now meant he also knew the severity of Cat’s misbehavior, and knew the punishment would need to fit. That thought had Nick turning to look at his little miscreant.

“I love you, Cat,” he said softly, not having planned to say that, but needing to. Her head flew up and she looked at him, a bit wide-eyed. “I do. I love you. And the thought of something happening to you … it just kills me. The thought of something happening to you because of a foolish decision? I can’t live with that. I can’t, baby.” Cat about launched herself into his arms, sobbing out her apologies. Nick held her close, backing up to sit on the bed, cradling her to him. “I know you hate switches,” he talked gently. “That’s why I only use them when it’s really important. Vital. And that’s you, kitten. YOU are that important to me. You are that vital. And I won’t lose you or let you get hurt if I can do anything to avoid it.”

Giving in to her fear, Cat wailed, “But switches h-huuurrrrtt!” Knowing she couldn’t see him, Nick smiled.

“Yeah, they do. And I intend this one to hurt a lot.” Cat wailed again at that declaration. “But you’ll live through it. Yes you will,” he said when she shook her head in denial. “You’ll cry and wail and your butt will hurt for days,” she clutched him and cried harder. “But you’ll live. And you’ll learn. You’ll learn to take better care of what I love so damn much.” Nick let her cry for another moment or two, savoring the feel of her in his arms. Then he took a deep breath, and gently pried her arms from his neck.

Ignoring the headshaking Cat was doing again, Nick stood her up and stepped away from her to pile a couple of pillows at the foot of the bed. He turned and took Cat’s hand, leading her to those pillows like he was leading her to an altar. “Bend over, baby. Let’s get this done.”

Cat trembled a bit, looking at the switch that Nick had cut and peeled and now picked up. She’d live, she knew he was right. But she sure wouldn’t want to for a few minutes. In a tiny, sad little voice, still staring at the switch, she asked, “H-how many?”

Nick gave her the truth. “I don’t know.” Her eyes, wide and tear-filled, flew to his. “I don’t know, baby. I’ll stop when I think you understand just how badly this – none of it – can happen again.”

“But I-“ Nick shook his head, cutting her off and pointed to the pillows. With a soft sob, Cat bent over the pillows, fisting her hands in the comforter to try to keep from reaching back, and squirmed herself into position.

Nick waited for Cat to settle and rested the switch against the full curve of her bottom. He waited again when she tensed, and then lifted the switch. “You will NOT put yourself in danger through foolish choices.”

He let the switch fly, watching as Cat’s whole body tense like a coiled spring, then jerk as the switch landed where he’d aimed. She keened and rolled to the right, both hands flying back.

“Back into position,” Nick barked, not willing to let her ease the pain – in heart or bottom – at all. “Now, or I add two more at the end.” Cat about flew into position, again fisting her hands in the comforter. “Repeat what I said, Cat.” He watched the welt as it formed on her bottom.

“I … I don’t know what you said!”

Nick nodded to himself, having expected something like that. When receiving a harsh punishment, Cat tended to go away inside her head. An automatic self-defense to avoid what was happening as much as possible. He wasn’t going to let her do that this time.

“Then that one won’t count.” He was prepared for Cat’s wail and arguing – damn, but she was good with words – and he ignored all of it, tapping the switch on her bottom again. “You’re going to have to pay attention this time, Cat. No hiding from me. No hiding from yourself. And *no* hiding from what you’ve earned.” He tapped her bottom again, then lifted the switch, repeating his earlier declaration. “You will NOT put yourself in danger through foolish choices.”

Again, Cat keened high when the switch flew to crash against her bottom, just below the previous welt. This time, though she squirmed and kicked, she kept her position. “Repeat it, Cat.”

“Nick, pleasseee.”

Nick shook his head at her stubbornness. “That’s 3 more with the paddle, Cat. Do as you’re told.”

Cat’s stomach dropped and clenched again and she sobbed. Self-preservation kicked in, and she obeyed Nick. “I-I won’t put myself in d-danger through foolish ch-choices.”

“Good girl.” Again he lifted the switch. “You will not risk someone I love so very much.” This time, he angled the switch so that it would land diagonally, crossing the two previous welts. Cat let out a howl and started to reach back before catching herself and putting her hand in front of her. Gently, Nick touched her back, reassuring her.

“Repeat it, Caitlyn.”

“I w-will n-n-not risk someone you l-love so very m-much.” He let her sob for a moment before he rested the switch against her bottom again.

Cat’s sobs got louder when Nick lifted the switch again. “You will call me when you need help.” This time, he let the switch fly and crash against her upper thighs, the welt immediately forming and Cat rolled out of position again, both hands going to her thighs as she sobbed.

“That’s 2 extra at the end, Caitlyn.”

“No noooo! I can’t … Not there! Nicky please not there!”

“And 2 more with the paddle.”

Cat wailed, truly wailed, and Nick had to fight to steel himself against her pain. “Back into position, little girl. Unless you want to do that one over.” Sobbing and wordlessly keening, Cat got herself back over the pillows, just about flopping over them.

“Repeat it.” Cat just sobbed. “Repeat what I said, Caitlyn. I won’t ask again.”

“Nick … Please just tell me. I … oh, please!”

Reminding himself what could have happened to her that night, Nick lifted the switch again. “You will call me when you need help.” Again, the switch flew to Cat’s thighs, cutting across the previous welt, and eliciting another howl from her. This time, Nick kept his hand on her back, helping her stay in position.

Implacable, Nick demanded, “Repeat it.”

“I… I w-will call y-you when I n-need help. I swear I will, Nick, I SWEAR I will.” Cat kicked her legs, trying to ease the burn the switch had already made.

He wasn’t going to stop until she accepted it in her heart. Accepted that her choices affected him – and others. Accepted how much he loved her. And accepted, fully, that she brought this on herself. Nick raised the switch, hating to see her tense, but not giving in with the lesson half-learned.

“You will tell me when something is wrong. You will not hide from me.” This time, Nick didn’t just land the switch once. He danced it all over her thighs, leaving burning and stinging welts behind. Cat managed – somehow – to stay in position, though she did seem like she was trying to crawl forward. Finally, when she flopped over the pillows, howling out her pain and not struggling to get away from him, Nick landed one more stroke across her sit spot and said it again. “You will tell me when something is wrong. You will not hide from me.”

This time, Cat didn’t need prompting. Though he could barely understand her through her sobs, she got it out. “I-I-I will t-tellll you when s-somethinggg has gone wr-wronggg!” It tore Nick’s heart to hear Cat so miserable, but he needed her to understand. SHE needed to understand. “I w-won’t h-hiiide from you. Everrrr.”

That was it. She collapsed across those pillows and sobbed, giving in and accepting – in her mind and in her heart – that she could have made things SO different. And accepting how much she affected Nick with her choices.

Not wanting Cat to tense, Nick didn’t warn her, but just flicked the switch twice more – the promised extras – striping crisscross welts across her calves this time and eliciting another wail. He flung the switch to the floor as though it were a snake, and sat on the bed beside her, gently rubbing her back. He hesitated, not wanting to cause her any more pain, but weighing that against not carrying through on an earned punishment. She’d never admit it, but Cat counted on that as much as she counted on his love.

Sighing softly to himself, and feeling like an ogre, Nick picked up the paddle. Lost in her crying, Cat didn’t feel the bed shift as Nick changed positions. She did feel the paddle press against her welted bottom, though, and cried harder. Quickly, and lighter than he’d ever used the paddle before – but definitely still sharp enough to increase the burn – Nick doled out the 10 she’d earned and that he’d promised. He tossed the paddle aside quickly as soon as the tenth one landed, and rubbed Cat’s back soothingly. He turned and, gently, lifted her, pulling her to him and helping her to sit on his lap, straddling his legs to minimize the pain he knew she felt when her bottom touched his legs. He needed to hold her.

Still sobbing, Cat flung her arms around Nick’s neck, fisting her hands in his shirt and crying into him. Neither said a word, just held on to each other and let the emotions crash through them. Slowly, so very slowly, Cat’s sobbing eased to soft sighs and hiccups. Nick held her tightly the entire time, rocking her gently. He knew they were in a friend’s bedroom, but he was damned if he was going to move before Cat was ready. Holding her, he realized that Cat was talking. Saying something in that whisper-soft voice of hers. He had to shift her a little so he could lean her head down to hear her.

“I will not make foolish choices that put me in danger. I will not risk anyone that you love. I will come to you whenever I need help.” Tears were in Nick’s eyes as he heard her, and he couldn’t blink them back when he heard her last statement, “I will never again risk our love by hiding from you.”

Having finally gotten the rest of the guests off and headed to their own homes, Tom shamelessly listened at the door. He smiled to himself, and headed to the guest room. Nick and Cat could have his room tonight. She’d earned it.

[sugardoll]

Um...... pardon my French, but, DAY-UM!

Note to Self: Make sure that a certain someone never reads this.... and that you always live hell and gone from anywhere a plant useable for switches might exist. I suggest a highrise apartment building. On the moon.

[tk04]

Excellent.