Benjamin sniffed in the corner rubbing his still stinging behind. He didn't know why Vic had to go SO ballistic over a few clothes laying around. He really needed to loosen up. Ben decided today wasn't a good day to say anything about it, since Vic was OBVIOUSLY grouchy.
"Benjamin, come here," Vics voice called from behind him.
Ben turned around and slinked over to Vic who had taken a seat at the kitchen table. Vic pushed his chair out and gathered Ben in his lap.
"Am I going to have any more trouble out of you putting your clothes away?" Vic asked him.
"I WAS going to put them away..." he said with a stuffy nose, sniffing.
"I have told you every day this week - and many times before - your clothes go either in the hamper or on a hanger. They do NOT belong on the floor where you stepped out of them."
Ben supposed Vic HAD mentioned it quite a lot lately.
"I also told you yesterday I would spank you the next time I came home to find them scattered on the floor, didn't I?"
"I know, but you didn't give me a chance to put them away before you spanked me," Ben said pitifully, swinging his legs absently.
"Benji, it should have been done when you took them off. You were home two hours before me; you had more than enough time to put them away. I'm not picking up your dirty clothes any more. Are we clear now?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good," Vic said, moving his hand to Ben's head. He stroked his hair tenderly.
"Did you manage to get enough clothes together for our camping trip this weekend or were they all on the floor?"
"I got my clothes together."
"All right. We need to get them packed tonight. We'll be leaving early tomorrow afternoon."
Vic kissed Benji's wet cheek and pushed him off his lap and Ben moaned in protest.
"Come on. Let's fix dinner and get the packing done, sweetheart."
They finished dinner then got the camping gear together and finished packing. They would be ready to go when the time came the next day. Zach and Nelson would be coming along.
The next afternoon Vic was rethinking the packing, ticking off those things he felt they couldn't forget.
"Benji, it's an hour and half to the campsite. Did you remember to pack something to occupy yourself?"
Vic knew after sitting all day at school, Zach and Ben would need something to keep them distracted from the fact they were sitting still for the length of time it would take to get to the lake. He hoped they didn't get tired and crabby. It could make the trip feel more like three hours instead of an hour and half.
"I'm taking some video games."
"Do you have everything else? Nelson and Zach should be here any minute."
"I think so."
At 3:00 on the dot, Nelson's black SUV pulled into the drive. Ben ran out to meet them.
"Zach! You ready to go?"
"Benjo. More than ready," Zach said, jumping from the SUV.
"Hey, Nelson."
"Ben, how's it goin'?" Nelson greeted him.
"Benjamin! Do you have everything before I lock up?" Vic yelled from the porch.
"Yeah!"
Vic locked the door and headed to the car.
"OK, we have everything loaded except your things," Vic told Nelson.
Nelson and Vic were busy tossing Zach and Nelson's gear into the cargo space of Vic's SUV while Zach and Ben stood by talking.
Benji whispered to Zach while the big guys were distracted, "Do you feel any better?"
Zach shook his head, "No, but no worse either."
He had awoken that morning feeling achy and had a headache. He was pretty sure he had a fever, but he wasn't about to tell Nelson. He would have promptly cancelled the trip if he knew. Instead, he snuck home from college to rest and had been snacking on Tylenol all day.
"Does Nelson know?" Ben asked.
Zach just looked at him as if he had just heard the dumbest question in the world.
"Oh yeah, I guess not."
Ben smiled at his friend realizing full well that he wouldn't be standing there if Nelson had even a clue he wasn't well.
"I hope you don't get really sick while we're there."
"I'll be fine," Zach said. He really didn't feel any worse - yet.
All bags were loaded and everyone piled into the car then they were off.
After about an hour of riding, the boys were getting grouchy. There was more than one shove and snippy comment, each of which resulted in the wayward one being "spoken to" by his partner.
"Quit breathing so loud!" Zach said to Ben, giving him a shove.
"Zachary!" Nelson said sternly without turning around.
"I'm NOT breathing loud!" Ben retorted giving Zach a shove back.
"Cut it out, Benjamin. I WILL pull this car over and you do NOT want me to do that," Vic warned having heard quite enough.
"But he..."
"I MEAN quit it, Benjamin," Vic interrupted.
"But he..." Ben tried again, raising the pitch of his voice to make his point heard.
"Benjamin David..." Vic warned, casting a look at him through the rearview mirror.
Ben settled back with a distinct pout on his lips. Zach looked at him laughing silently. Ben mouthed "shut up" and Zach went back to his video game, a smile still playing on his lips. Ben tried to concentrate on his video game but was tired of it.
"Hey, you wanna trade games for the rest of the way?" Ben asked Zach.
"No."
"Come on, Zach. I'm tired of mine."
"NO! You should have brought some more games."
"Zachary!" Here we go again, Nelson thought.
"He HAS a game! He doesn't need mine."
"Will it kill you to switch for, what, another 30 minutes?"
"YES," Zach complained.
"He doesn't need to trade with you Benjamin. You can last 30 minutes with the one you have," Vic said. He wasn't entirely sure he and Nelson would last.
"But, Vic..."
"I've heard enough, Benjamin! I don't want to have to speak to you again. One more time and I'm pulling over. This is your last warning."
Ben cast a look that would have killed Zach, if looks could kill. Without saying anything, Zach grinned at him then stuck out his tongue, waving the game tauntingly at him out of Nelson and Vic's line of sight.
That did it. Ben's temper snapped and he drew back and punched Zach in the arm, "You bastard! Why do you have to be such an assh---"
He didn't finish as Vic pulled the car over to the side of the road stopping suddenly.
"Nelson, would you mind switching seats with Ben?" he asked, shifting the transmission into park.
"Not at all. We should have done this a half hour ago."
Vic opened Ben's door on the driver's side of the car and hauled him around the front of the vehicle.
"I don't want to sit up front, Vic..."
"You won't want to sit anywhere when I'm done with you," Vic replied matter of factly, still pulling Benji with him.
That didn't sound good. Ben didn't know how he got in this predicament, but he had a sneaking suspicion he was about to get his butt beaten. And, on the side of the road.
Vic opened both the back and front passenger doors. Zach scooted toward the middle of the backseat when Vic opened his door, afraid he would be dragged out as well. The two open doors provided some privacy and Vic pulled Ben between the doors.
"Pull your pants down and put your elbows on the front seat," Vic said.
"But...but Vic, he was sticking his tongue out at me and making fun because you...you...yelled at me about the game. You couldn't see him!" he said desperately, pointing at Zach in the back seat.
Nelson looked at his partner and said something only Zach could hear. Zach's eyes found something interesting on the floorboard and his face flushed scarlet.
"This is not about what Zach said or did. It is about the fact that you hit him and called him names. I told you to straighten up more times than I can remember in the last 30 miles. If you can't manage that on your own, I'll help you. It ends here, Benjamin."
"But, that's not fair! He..."
"WHAT did I just say? This is about YOUR actions, not Zach's. Pull your pants down like I told you before I find a switch in these woods."
A switch would be far worse than getting hand spanked and it was already going to be bad enough happening in front of Zach and Nelson. Rather than risk a switching, Ben lowered his pants and leaned on the front seat as he was told.
This ought to make Zach's day, he thought. If he were laughing at Ben being SPOKEN to, he'd really enjoy watching him get his ass spanked. Ben felt the heat in his face from the embarrassment.
He kept his stinging eyes down and tried hard not to think about Nelson and Zach in the back seat. He winced with the first swat as Vic began to spank his bottom. Ben concentrated on trying not to cry and not Vic's hand falling on his rear end. After several swats, he couldn't stop the tears and no longer cared about anything but putting out the fire Vic was lighting on his ass.
Ben danced around trying to get out of the way, but Vic kept finding his target. He bent his knees and tried swinging his hips from side to side but to no avail.
Vic stopped sooner than Ben expected and he knew he had been let off easily compared to what he normally got in this position.
Vic pulled him up by the arm and said, "Consider that a warning. You act up again, I'll finish this discussion when we get to the campsite. Understand?"
Ben nodded and sniffed out a "yes, sir" around his tears.
Vic helped him get his pants straightened out and then pointed to the front seat. Ben didn't look in the back seat as he got in and curled up in the seat, trying to shrink away from his audience. He was trying hard to control the tears that kept falling.
"Buckle up, Benji," Vic told him, as he put the car into drive.
Ben complied.
"I think you have something to say to Zach," he said as he pulled back onto the road.
NO WAY. That was totally unfair! The fresh sting in his butt kept him from saying it but his pleading eyes and gaping mouth said it for him.
"Benjamin," Vic said warningly.
FINE, he thought. He mustered up his strength and trying hard to be nice, Ben said through his tears, "I'm sorry Zach. I shouldn't have hit you and called you names."
Nelson gave Zach an elbow to the ribs when he didn't respond right away.
"That's okay."
"You don't have anything else to say?" Nelson asked.
Zach hedged only long enough not to get Nelson stirred up. He didn't want Nelson to get any ideas and blister his butt on the side of the road, even if it was a two-lane mountain road.
He finally said, "I'm sorry, too, for making fun of you...when...you know."
"Okay," Ben said simply without looking in the back.
He wanted desperately for this conversation to be over. Benjamin continued to cry softly. He couldn't stop. He was so embarrassed. And, it wasn't fair! Zach acted just as badly as he did and nothing happened to him! He couldn't believe Nelson heard about what happened and didn't do anything. Had the situation been reversed, Vic would have spanked Ben then and there. He always thought Vic was stricter than Nelson and this just proved his point.
Ben still wasn't ready to face their friends when they got to camp. He wasn't crying anymore but he was still embarrassed. Vic was sympathetic but he had clearly warned Ben. He was trying to figure out a way to give Ben a little more space when Nelson solved the problem for him.
"Vic, if you don't mind, Zach and I need to take a little walk. We can help unload the car when we get back."
Vic read between the lines and nodded, "Sure, no problem."
Ben overhead it and started to feel somewhat vindicated hoping that taking a walk was something like having a discussion. He'd unload the whole _d_a_m_n_ car by himself if it left Nelson free to "walk" with Zach.
By the time they returned, the car was unpacked. Ben looked at his friend and saw what he recognized to be a brat well punished. Zach's eyes were red and puffy and he was careful when he walked. Good, Ben thought. Serves him right. He still wasn't spanked in front of everyone, but he got what was coming to him anyway.
Nelson walked Zach over to where their tent was lying and started putting it up without conversation. He looked over at Vic who just nodded to him knowingly. He hoped this wasn't an indication of how the weekend would be. The men worked diligently putting up the tents and getting settled. The brats were warming up and were pretty much back to normal by the time they were finished.
Ben and Zach went to gather some wood for a fire, their earlier argument forgotten.
"Zach, you don't look so good," Ben observed after they were far enough away from the camp.
Zach's face was flushed and his eyes were beginning to look weak.
"I don't feel good. I'm feeling worse. AND, I just got my ass spanked because of you," Zach said with a frown.
"That wasn't my fault and you know it. I didn't make you act like an ass. It just comes naturally to you."
"But, you told on me."
"Like you wouldn't have if you were about to get your ass spanked on the side of the road. At least you had some privacy."
The boys continued to search out wood in silence.
Taking another look at his friend, Benji broke the silence, "Nelson's going to notice you aren't well. He'll make us go home."
"He will NOT notice. I'm just going to keep taking the Tylenol. I hope it's one of those 24 hour things."
"When did you last take something?"
"Not since we left. I haven't had a chance to take anything else. Nelson's been around the whole time."
"You'd better take something when we get back."
The boys returned with enough wood for a fire to last the evening. Vic and Nelson were busy fixing dinner on the propane-powered grill.
Zach grabbed a bottled water and snuck into the tent to retrieve his Tylenol from his bag. Nelson looked up from the grill when Zach was heading back and a frown creased his forehead.
"Zachary, come here."
Nelson didn't like what he saw. He could read his partner like a book, and it said Zach didn't feel well.
"What's wrong?" Zach asked, uncertain.
"Do you feel okay?" Nelson answered with a question.
"Sure, just a little tired," Zach responded, coming over to Nelson without getting too close. Then he rubbed his bottom and added, "And...you know..."
He hoped to convince Nelson he was just suffering the after effects of the spanking. He remained out of Nelson's reach knowing if he got close enough, Nelson's hand will go directly to his forehead. He was pretty sure it would give him away if Nelson's it landed there before the Tylenol took effect.
"You don't look like you feel well," Nelson pressed, not quite convinced.
He knew the difference between being tired after a spanking and being tired from the effects of an illness. Zach had the distinct look of a young man not well.
"I'm fine, REALLY," Zach tried to convince his partner adding a weak smile.
Nelson thought maybe for once he might be misreading his partner. Possibly. He would definitely be keeping an eye on Zach. Nelson gave up and went back to cooking.
Once dinner was ready, they all sat around the fire eating. The sun had gone down and the fire was warm. In the firelight, Nelson continued to check his partner's face. It was maintaining a glow that was not from the fire.
"Zach, are you sure you feel okay?" he asked.
Feeling miserable, and sick of being asked about it, Zach snapped, "I'm FINE! Okay? Just leave me alone, Nelson."
That did it. Flushed face, tired eyes, plus a short fuse. It all equaled a not-feeling-so-well Zachary. Zach had conveniently sat a distance away from Nelson still trying to stay out of his reach.
He was feeling increasingly worse as his fever must have spiked with the onset of night. Nelson got up and went around the fire, took Zach's hand and stood him on his feet. Zach tried to pull away, nervous that he was going to be swatted in front of their friends for snapping. He stopped as Nelson's grip tightened and he saw the look on Nelson's face.
Once Zach calmed down, Nelson's hand pushed Zach's hair away and his lips went to Zach's forehead registering a fever. He didn't like what he felt. He looked at Zach and Zach looked away.
"Zach, how long have you felt bad?" Nelson asked.
Zach shrugged in response to Nelson's question.
"Zachary. Answer me."
Between being scared they were going to leave and not feeling at all well, Zach snapped again, "What?! Are you going to spank me for being sick and not telling you? I can't even be sick and stay out of trouble?"
Nelson slowly crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows before answering. The body language alone made Zach sorry he snapped.
"Apparently not," Nelson answered.
Zach got the message and looked down again. Vic and Ben were watching the drama unfolding before them.
"How long, Zachary?"
"I woke up this way," he said, quietly.
Moving into doctor mode, Nelson asked, "Does anything hurt? Throat, chest, ears...?"
"No. I'm just achy."
"It's probably the flu," the doctor diagnosed. "Go into our tent and get ready for bed. I want to find you tucked in when I get back."
"Nellssooonn," Zach whined, tears threatening and his voice cracking. "I don't want to go to bed, please don't make me."
"Zachary, go ahead," Nelson said gently, but sternly. "I'll be in there in a minute."
"Nooooo."
Nelsons hands moved to his hips. Zach shifted uncomfortably under the gaze.
"Don't make me spank you again. Not while you're sick," Nelson responded turning Zach toward the tent. "Do NOT tell me 'no', young man."
He gave Zach a gentle swat.
"Move it, no arguments."
Zach was beginning to cry, another sure sign he didn't feel well. He gave up and stomped angrily to the tent and got ready for bed. He didn't get into bed, but stubbornly sat cross-legged on the floor.
Nelson went to the SUV and pulled out his medical bag. He generally never went anywhere without it, especially not out in the middle of the woods. He also had an arsenal of various ointments, medicines and creams in a separate bag in case they should be needed.
"Do we need to head back in the morning?" Vic asked as Nelson returned from the car.
"I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know in a few minutes." He disappeared with his bag in hand into the tent.
He zipped the door closed behind him and looked at Zach slumped on the floor.
"Does that look like the bed to you?" Nelson asked pointedly.
Zach shook his head.
"Get in bed like I asked you to. Im not going to tell you again," Nelson said.
He waited until Zach got settled, then took a seat on the ground beside the air mattress. Nelson opened his bag and began to rummage through his supplies.
"Roll over, baby," Nelson said.
"Noooo, Nelson. Don't."
"I need to check your temperature, sweet pea. Don't fight me on this."
He always fought Nelson on this.
He whined, still crying, "I don't waannttt tooooo."
"Zach, don't make me put you across my lap," Nelson said firmly. "Turn over."
Zach gave up, knowing he wouldn't win this fight and stood a good chance of getting his freshly spanked bottom swatted again. Plus, he thought it was worse to have his temperature taken this way across Nelson's knees with his butt in the air. If it had to happen, it was better on his stomach willingly than across Nelson's knees with a fight. This he knew all too well from experience.
He obediently rolled over and heard Nelson fishing in the bag again. Nelson pulled back the sleeping bag and slipped Zach's pants down just below his bottom.
Zach curled up tighter against his pillow, both hands pushed under it, his head turned away from Nelson. He heard the "pop" of the Vaseline top and knew Nelson was lubricating the tip of the thermometer. Zach felt his cheeks being parted then the cold of the tip of the thermometer pressing against him.
He reflexively tensed and Nelson spoke quietly to him, "It's okay, baby. Just relax."
"I don't want to..." he said, crying softly.
"It won't be so bad if you relax."
Slowly, Nelson saw the tense cheeks relax. Nelson slipped the cold glass rod into the dark recesses of Zach bottom. He kept his hand over Zach's rear, holding the thermometer in place.
"It's just a few minutes, sweetie."
"I don't care. I don't like it," he sniffed.
"I know you don't," Nelson said, unwavering.
Two minutes later, Zach asked, "How much longer?"
This was the routine. Zach always started asking that question about half way through the four minute wait.
Nelson glanced at his watch, "You have about a minute and a half left."
Zach groaned in response. After the full four minutes had passed, he felt Nelson slide the thermometer out.
"Okay, sweetie. Pull up your pants," Nelson said as he used an alcohol swab to wipe the thermometer clean of Vaseline. He read the results and frowned.
"101.4. Have you taken anything?"
Zach nodded his head relieved that the invasion was over.
He answered while pulling his shorts back into place, "Tylenol, about an hour ago."
Nelson glanced at his watch, mentally noting when the next dose should be given.
"We'll alternate Ibuprofen and Tylenol. That should help with your fever and aching."
He looked at his partner lying on the air mattress and gently pushed his hair back off his forehead.
"If you weren't sick, I'd turn you across my knee. Why didn't you tell me you weren't well, young man?"
His words were stern but his voice was not.
"I knew you wouldn't let me come."
"You're right about that. Now I KNOW you need a spanking," Nelson said, smiling at his sick brat.
"Nellsssooonn, leave me alone."
Changing to a more serious tone, Nelson said, "Like I said, you're lucky you're sick. You do NOT keep things from me. Especially things like this that I need to know."
Zach didn't exactly consider himself lucky to be sick, thinking about what just happened. Worse, he knew it wouldn't be the last time. It would happen again and again until Nelson was sure he was whole.
"Get some sleep. I'll wake you in a while to give you something for your fever." He kissed Zach's head and covered him up.
"Can't I please come back with you?" Zach tried.
"Absolutely not, young man. Go to sleep," Nelson said exiting the zippered door.
Nelson made his way back to the campfire. Vic looked up at him with his eyebrows raised. Nelson shook his head.
"We'll see how he feels in the morning. He has a fever of 101.4 right now but he just took Tylenol an hour ago. If he has a 24-hour virus, he may feel better in the morning. We'll take it step at a time."
Ben squirmed at the mention of Zach's fever. The tent didn't offer much volume control, if any, and he was quickly adding up what went on behind its canvas walls. He had heard the exchange between Nelson and Zach and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why Nelson wanted him to turn over.
Plus, Zach had mentioned before that Nelson took his temperature "that" way, and Ben didn't like the picture it conjured up. Vic hadn't seemed to notice what was going on in their tent, apparently tuning out the voices. Ben had an involuntary shiver at the thought of it. Vic caught the movement and asked him if he was feeling okay.
"YES! I mean yes, sir. I just got a little chill."
He didn't want Nelson checking HIS temperature. Vic frowned at the reaction, not knowing the basis for it. He hoped Ben wasn't coming down with something as well.
Everyone else retired to bed a couple of hours later. Nelson made sure Zach got his medicine through the night and by morning his head felt cool to the touch. Zach opened sleepy eyes at Nelson's hand on his forehead.
"Morning, sweet pea. How do you feel?"
Zach took a second to assess how he felt and said, "MUCH better. I'm not aching like I was."
"Good. I think your fever broke in the night," Nelson said, shaking down the thermometer, "but, let's make sure."
Zach rolled his eyes and turned over, too sleepy to wage a war in a battle that history had proven he would surely lose. Nelson proceeded to take Zach's temperature again and was pleased to find it a normal 98.6.
"It's normal. I want you to go back to sleep, though. It's early and I don't want you pushing it today."
"But, I want to get up with you," Zach said, wanting nothing more right now than to sit close with his partner.
"No," Nelson said simply. No further explanation needed, just "no".
Zach huffed and rolled back over on his stomach, knowing his butt was now safe from Nelson and his thermometer. A few minutes later, Nelson made it out of the tent to find Vic working on a cup of coffee.
"How's the sick and infirm?" he asked as Nelson made his way over.
"Fever's gone. We'll see how he is when he gets up. He said he feels better this morning."
Nelson had barely gotten a cup of coffee poured before he saw Zach headed over.
"Oh, no, you don't. Didn't I just tell you to go back to sleep, young man? You need to get back in bed."
"Nelson! I'm not tired! I said I feel better and I don't have a fever! I want to get up with you!" Zach grumbled.
"I don't want to see you out of that tent before eight o'clock. Go on. You're going to end up getting spanked then you'll still have to go back to bed."
Zach responded by uttering an audible grunt, crossing his arms and planting an angry scowl on his face. He made no move to go back into the tent.
Nelson got up from his seat and headed over to Zach, who quickly read his partner and lost the attitude. He rushed back into the tent and zipped the door closed against the ever-approaching Nelson. He made it onto the air mattress, under the sleeping bag and rolled onto his back making his behind less accessible. He waited nervously to see if Nelson continued to follow.
He did. Nelson unzipped the tent door and went inside. He found Zach on the bed trying to protect his bottom under the sleeping bag. Nelson yanked it back and turned Zach toward him on his side leaving one cheek within easy reach.
Nelson swatted Zach's bottom about ten times before rolling him back over onto his back. Zach's eyes began to tear, but he didn't start all out crying.
He looked up pitifully at Nelson, "I'm sick, Nelson! You shouldn't spank a guy when he's sick. Don't you know that?"
Nelson had to hide a smile at the irony. Just a minute ago, Zach was trying to convince him he wasn't sick so he could get up. Now, he was saying he WAS sick to keep from getting spanked.
"You think that's a spanking? That was no more than a warning. If you want me to demonstrate the difference, you just try showing me more attitude, young man."
"But you spanked me on one side! It hurts, Nelson."
"It was the only spot I could get to without putting you over my knees and pulling your pants down. Do you want me to do that and even things out?"
"No, sir," Zach said with disgust.
"Back to sleep. I mean it."
Nelson left and Zach tried to go back to sleep. He put his hand back and rubbed the one cheek Nelson assaulted. He was sure he wasn't sleepy and now his butt stung. Within minutes, sleep easily overtook him. He hated it when Nelson was right.
Nelson could be somewhat of a softie when his brat was sick, which is why Zach got no more of a spanking than he did. But, Nelson also knew Zach needed a reminder that being sick didn't give him a free ticket to cross the line. Now that the incident was over, he started to laugh at Zach's reaction. He sat back down next to Vic and picked up his coffee.
"What's funny?" Vic asked.
"I was just laughing at the lecture I got. Did you know you aren't supposed to spank a sick brat?"
Vic started laughing as well, "Oh, yes. I've gotten the same lecture before when I've done it. Maybe we were out the day they covered that in top school."
"We must have been. Just so you know, you shouldn't concentrate on one cheek either."
Vic burst out laughing, "I'll try to keep that in mind."
Ben got up starving around 7:30 and stumbled toward the older men, finding his lover cooking.
"What's for breakfast?" he asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"Morning, handsome. Eggs, bacon, the usual," Vic said from the grill.
Ben pressed against Vic's back and wrapped his arms around his waist, laying his head against the back of Vic's shoulder. He looked up enough to check out the frying pan and wrinkled his nose. He wasn't much of a big eater and not a fan of runny scrambled eggs.
Vic caught the scowl when he turned to kiss his brat, "Don't look like that. Kiss me good morning."
Ben planted one right on Vic's lips.
Ben looked around for Zach. Not seeing him, he asked, "Where's Zach? Is he any better?"
"He's still in bed and he seems better this morning," Nelson reported, refilling his coffee.
Ben's face flushed slightly when he asked, "Is he still running a fever?"
"Not this morning," Nelson said.
Ben couldn't imagine Vic taking his temperature that way, and tried to delete the image from his brain.
"So we don't have to head back?"
"I don't think so. We'll see how he is today."
Ben grinned, "YEAH!"
"Shhhhhh," Vic admonished. "Zach is still asleep. You need to be quiet."
"Sorry."
About an hour later, Zach poked his head out for the second time.
"Can I get up now?" he meekly asked Nelson from the tent door.
Nelson glanced at his watch and saw Zach had slept a half hour later than he had asked.
"Come on," he answered patting the seat next to him. "Do you feel like eggs?"
Zach made his way to Nelson's lap instead of the chair and laid his head on his shoulder, still a little sleepy. He nodded against Nelson.
"Do you still feel better?"
Another nod.
"How's that spot on your butt?" Nelson asked smiling at Vic over his partner's head, which immediately snapped up. Nelson had to jerk his head back to avoid getting head butted. Vic turned back to the frying pan to hide a smile and started making some eggs for Zach.
"NELSON! Stop it," Zach said with a flush.
"I'm just teasing you, sweet pea," Nelson said continuing to chuckle at his partner. "Are you sure you feel better - think hard before lying to me, Zach..."
"I AM better, Nelson. Really."
"Okay. We'll stay today IF you take it easy and do what I tell you."
"I will. I promise. Just don't make us go home."
"We WILL go home if that's where you need to be and I'll be watching you to make that decision. Right now, I'm willing to try it as long as you don't overdo it. Is that clear?"
Zach wondered why tops always had to verify their brats understanding. "Is that understood?"
"Am I clear?"
"Understand, young man?" English was NOT his second language. Maybe he would ask Nelson about that sometime. But, not today. Today, he'd just answer the _d_a_m_n_ question.
"Yes, sir."
"What are we going to do today?" Ben asked Vic.
Vic referred to Nelson, "Doc? What can Zach handle?"
"Can you guys stand a day at the lake? I know we were going fishing, Vic, but I think I should stay close."
Vic and Nelson were planning to fish while the guys did their thing. Fishing required far too much quiet and sitting still to be something the boys enjoyed. Vic and Nelson would have an easier time getting them to shop.
"You think you can handle that, Benji?"
Ben had no problems there. They spent the day having fun in the sun with Zach irritably spending much of that time resting on the shore.
"But, Neelllsssooonnn," he whined, dragging it out professionally. "I want to get back in the water."
"I told you not to get too rowdy and you wouldn't listen. You need to take a break."
"I don't WANT to!" he snapped.
"Do you want me to work on that spot I missed this morning?"
Zach clamped up and lay back dramatically on his towel.
"Do you, Zachary Adam?"
"No, sir," he answered gruffly, flinging his arm across his eyes for effect.
Nelson sighed, "I think you need to lie down."
The arm came off his eyes and Zach rose up on his elbow.
"I'm NOT tired. You made me go back to bed this morning when I wasn't tired and now you want me to sleep some more?"
"Get up, Zach. Let's go."
"Nooooo, please don't make me lie down again!" Zach complained refusing to get up.
The decision was soon out of his control as Nelson had Zach by the arm and catapulted him to his feet. He landed five swift swats to Zach's wet behind. Vic and Ben turned from the water to see what was going on when they heard the distinct sounds of the swatting.
Nelson turned Zach back around to face him, "You're going to end up over my knees, I can just feel it."
Yeah, then I'LL be feeling it, Zach thought, rubbing the sting out of Nelson's latest handiwork.
"But, Nelson..." Zach continued to protest as Nelson dragged him along.
Vic couldn't help but smile at the exchange. Brats knew how to push it when they were sick. He and Ben continued to swim and enjoy the water while Nelson marched Zach back to bed.
Just like that morning, Zach fell asleep against his will. After his nap, he was feeling considerably better. He was showing it, too.
At dinner that night, Nelson said to Vic, "I think he'll be well enough for us to go fishing tomorrow morning if you want to."
"Are you sure?"
"Let's plan on it and if he has a good night, we'll go."
The boys had been chatting together but Zach's ears perked up at Vic and Nelson's conversation.
"Does that mean I don't have to spend most of the day lying on the shore?"
"I still want you to take it easy. You obviously had a slight case of the flu, but it was still the flu. I want you to stick to the lake and not go off too far."
"We wanted to hike!"
"Would you rather go home?"
Zach quickly backed up, "No, sir."
"If you stay at the lake, you can get back to the campsite more quickly if you need to."
Zach didnt argue any more. It was better than going home.
The next morning, Vic and Nelson were off before the sun rose. Zach had slept well and continued to be fever free so Nelson felt he could go fishing with Vic.
He had left strict instructions once again for Zach to stay near the campsite, not to overdo it and to keep his phone nearby so Nelson could check on him.
Zach and Ben slept until about 8:30. Neither of them wanted to cook breakfast so they decided to skip it.
"I really wanted to go hiking," Zach complained.
"I did, too," Ben said.
"I don't know why Nelson has to be so protective. I won't break."
They chatted and finished their coffee then headed to the lake. Around 11:00, they had worked up an appetite.
"Man, I would give $10 for a Snickers right now," Ben said.
"I'd split it with you."
"I do NOT share my Snickers. I like you, Zach, but not THAT much."
Zach splashed water at Ben in response. Ben raised his arm to try and deflect the water but was too slow.
"You didn't happen to smuggle anything in with you?" Zach asked hopefully.
"I did, but Vic found my stash and got rid of it," he answered wiping water from his eyes.
"I don't have anything either. Hey, do you have the keys to the car?"
"Yeah, I have a set...why?" Ben sensed his friend was about to suggest something that would get him in trouble - again.
"It's only about 15 minutes down to that market. We could get some real food," Zach suggested.
There was a local market at the bottom of the hill where they often stopped for items they needed at camp.
"I don't know. What if they come back while were gone?"
"We won't be gone more than a half hour or so," Zach continued to push, then dangled the irresistible bait. "They'll have Snickers."
Ben just looked at his friend. He wasn't sure about this.
"Come ON, you big baby. They won't be back for hours. Nelson said they'd be back sometime after lunch. They'll never know."
"Oh, all right!" Ben said, delivering his own splash toward Zach.
Ben got the keys and they headed out after changing into dry clothes.
Ben had the car in gear, then Zach shouted, "STOP!"
"What?!" Ben responded, startled.
"Do you have your phone?"
"No."
"We need to get our phones in case they try to call us. Nelson said he would be checking on me. He's already called twice."
"Right."
They both got their phones then took off toward the market at the bottom of the hill.
They spent longer than a few minutes just browsing the store. They had a little video section that got a laugh out of the boys.
"Look, Ben. It's the new release section," he said holding up a well-worn copy of "Splash".
Ben laughed and grabbed "Top Gun", "How about this one?"
They spent a little while looking through the video selection then noticed a game room in the back.
They went back and found some video games that were popular around the same time as the movies they were reviewing.
"Did we walk through a time warp when we came in this store or something?" Ben asked.
"This is great. Look, they have Frogger. Wanna play?"
Ben was already digging in his pocket for a quarter. They played the dated game getting caught up in the competition and totally lost track of time.
They were busy replacing all the top scores when Ben's stomach growled reminding him of why they were there. He glanced at his watch and it reported the time to be 1:15.
"_s_h_i_t_! _s_h_i_t_! Zach, we need to go."
"Why? What time is it?"
Ben told him and Zach's stomach tied itself into a lovely knot. They had to hurry up. They went back out and got the Snickers and some other pre-packaged snacks. Of course, they didn't forget the Coke and Dr. Pepper.
They got back in the car and Zach saw he had a message on his cell. Both boys had left their phones in the car, which wasn't much better than leaving them at the campsite.
"_d_a_m_n_, I'll bet that's Nelson," Zach said, punching the messaging button on his cell.
Ben looked at his own phone while driving and saw he had a message as well. Actually, he had three messages. The messages were tense and threatening on both boys' cells delivering orders to "get your butt back here" and "call me immediately" among other things.
"_f_u_c_k_. We are SO in trouble," Ben said.
"Why should we be? We're old enough to go to the store alone if we want to," Zach said, knowing full well Benji spoke the truth.
"Sure we are. It doesn't mean we won't get our asses smoked. YOU were told to stay close by and we left without a note or anything."
"Shut up," Zach said, not wanting to hear it.
He knew Ben was right, but hearing it seemed to make his stomach tense more.
"Should we call back?" Zach asked.
"I don't know. I don't want to."
"I don't either, but maybe it will make it better if we do. You call."
"Why ME?! Why don't you call? Nelson doesn't yell like Vic does," Ben reasoned. "Besides, you've been sick, maybe he won't be as upset."
"I guess you didn't notice my butt getting swatted yesterday."
"Yeah, but you would have been over his knees for some of those things if you hadn't been sick."
Zach knew Ben was right about that and gave up. He dialed the phone, stomach tumbling. It rang only once before Nelson answered.
"WHERE are you, Zachary Adam?"
Nelson hadn't bothered with a "hello" or anything.
"Hi, Nelson. Don't be mad. We just went down to the store. We'll be back in just a minute."
"It's too late for me not to be angry. I am going to wear you out when you get here, young man."
Zach's stomach responded with another somersault.
"But, Nelson..."
"I don't want to hear it, Zach. I'll be waiting for you when you get here. You can tell your partner in crime that Vic is anxiously awaiting his return as well."
"Yes, sir," Zach answered and hung up the phone.
"We're toast," he reported to Ben.
"_s_h_i_t_, what did he say?"
"Basically that I'm in for it, and to tell you Vic's waiting, so you're in for it, too."
"How long have they been back, did he say?"
"I don't know. Long enough to notice us missing and call several times."
They pulled into the campsite and Nelson and Vic watched them. One top had his arms folded and the other had his hands on his hips. Not a pretty picture to a brat in trouble.
Ben's stomach began to dance as he looked at his partner, the one with his arms folded across his strong chest. He almost wished Vic met him at the car. This way, he had to walk to him and that was not going to be easy.
"It's been nice knowing you," Zach said.
"You ready?" Benji asked.
"No."
They grabbed their purchases, since they had bought extra snacks for later. Eventually, they stood, heads down, in front of their partners.
"WHAT were the two of you thinking?" Vic bellowed.
"We just wanted something to eat and ran down to the store," Ben answered.
"There was food here, young man," Vic said. "There was absolutely NO reason for you to leave this site!"
"Where did you leave the note? We couldn't find it," Nelson asked calmly. It was a stark contrast to Vics bellow.
Zachs hands were working nervously at the edge of the paper grocery bag he held. _s_h_i_t_. It wasn't a good sign when Nelson got sarcastic during a lecture. He drilled Zach with his eyes, waiting for an answer.
"Um, we forgot to write one, I suppose," Zach answered. "But, we really thought we would be back before you."
"Is this your idea of staying near the campsite, Zachary?"
"We weren't gone THAT long," Zach explained.
"It doesn't matter, young man. You were told to stay close and you went 10 miles away, without a note, and obviously without a decent reason for doing so."
Vic jumped in, "And, why didn't you answer your phones when you saw we were calling?"
"We didn't know you were calling. We accidentally left them in the car," Ben answered his obviously angry lover. This was going to be bad.
"We've been calling for over an hour. That means you were in the store at least that long. What were you doing?" Vic continued.
"P..Playing video games..." Ben stammered quietly, not wanting to tell that part.
"Playing video games?! You have games here at this very campsite," Vic responded, a little louder than Ben thought necessary.
The boys looked at the ground. This was not a good position to be in, with two obviously unhappy tops grilling them mercilessly.
It was Nelson's turn and he jumped in, his volume lower than Vic's, "Do you two know how you worried us? Do you realize how inconsiderate your actions were? We had no idea where you were or if something was wrong."
The boys sang a couple of "I'm sorrys" in perfect harmony. They would soon be singing a different tune. They looked as miserable as they felt. It was one thing to be in trouble with one top giving you the third degree, but this tag team thing was most unpleasant.
Vic decided it was time for action and directed his next question at Nelson, "Do you want to stay here or take a walk?"
"We'll walk. We already know a good spot from the other day, don't we Zachary?"
Zach blushed, "Nelson, please don't. We didn't mean to scare you. We just lost track of the time."
"This is about far more than how long you were gone, young man. You also disobeyed me by not staying near camp and you left without a note.
Zach began to feel the all too familiar sting behind his eyes as he recognized he would not be getting out of this.
"Come on, Zach," Nelson said holding out a hand to his young lover.
Zach started to cry silently as he walked over and took Nelson's hand. Nelson led him into the woods.
Vic watched as Nelson and Zach made their way into the woods. Once they were out of sight, he walked over and took Ben's hand, leading him into edge of the woods.
"We need to go for a short walk, as well."
"Where are we going?" Ben asked.
"We need to find a switch."
Ben's stomach began to flutter and twist.
He immediately began to beg Vic, "Please, not a switch, Vic. Please, no..."
Vic ignored his requests and began his search for the perfect switch. He liked them not too thick and not too thin. It didn't take long for him to find what he wanted. Ben wished he was pickier and had looked longer. He hated getting switched more than anything and he was more than a little grateful Vic didn't do it very often.
He watched as Vic snapped off a small branch and proceeded to clean it of all the leaves except a couple on the end. He took Ben's hand again and headed back to the campsite.
"All right, pants down," Vic said to him.
Ben was wiping tears from his eyes as Vic blurred in front of him.
"Don't, please, please don't do it, Vic," he begged, tears streaming at the mere thought of the switch against his butt. It stung worse than anything.
Ben was getting so upset, Vic took care of the pants himself and pulled Ben's jeans and underpants out of the way.
He took Ben by the arm and turned him to the side bringing the switch swishing twice onto Ben's bottom. Ben cried out, his hand flying back to his butt.
"Hands out of the way, Benjamin."
Ben didn't move.
Vic immediately went to his thighs, bringing the switch down, when Ben's hand didn't move. Ben danced wildly at the sting.
"Unless you want me to continue working on your legs, you'd better move that hand, young man," Vic said.
Ben mustered up the strength he needed to move his hand. His thighs were already stinging from the stripes.
Vic went back to work on Ben's bottom. Ben continued to cry, begging Vic to stop as his feet continued to move, dancing in one spot. He couldn't go anywhere with Vic clamped to his upper arm and his pants restricting him.
Eventually, the swishing stopped and Vic released his hold on Ben's arm. Both of Ben's hands found their way to his stinging backside and rubbed gently at the fire. He was crying miserably.
Vic dropped the switch and put his arms around his brat, soothing him to stop the sobs. He just held him for several minutes saying nothing.
After Ben's breathing returned to normal and the crying had died to the occasional hiccup and sniffle, Vic said, "Don't you ever take off like that again without telling me where you are."
"I won't," Ben said through a stuffy nose. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
"I know, sweetheart. We've dealt with it now."
"I won't do it again, I promise."
"Thank you, sweetie." Vic hugged Ben tighter, rubbing his back. "You okay?"
Ben nodded his head and sniffed a little.
Vic bent down to pull Ben's pants back up, "Let's get you dressed and then we can go sit by the lake if you want."
Now that his butt was no longer in immediate danger, Ben wondered how Zach made out and if Nelson was a switch fan like Vic. The woods were full of them should he want one.
Nelson dragged Zachary into a clearing in the woods out of hearing distance from the campsite. Zach was crying and dragging his feet against Nelson's tug.
"Please, Nelson. Don't spank me. I don't feel good."
"You felt well enough to sneak away from here and get yourself into trouble, so you're well enough for a spanking."
They reached the clearing and Nelson began to unfasten Zach's shorts. He pulled the shorts and underwear down at the same time, stopping at Zach's knees.
"Bend over, Zachary."
"Nelson, don't make me. Please don't spank me."
"Zachary, you're GOING to get a spanking, now bend over," Nelson said sternly.
Zach began to lean over and Nelson stepped forward, wrapping his left arm around the middle of Zach's back. He pulled Zach close to his left side securing him in place.
Zach gripped the back of Nelson's pant leg and glanced around Nelson's back just in time to see him lift his right arm. He tried to pull forward to get out of the way before it struck home but couldn't go anywhere in this position. Nelson had him in a stronghold. All too soon, the tears picked up and the leaves on the ground went out of focus.
"You better not EVER run off like that again without a word, young man. Do you understand me?" Nelson said, keeping time with his hand all the while he spoke.
"Yes, siirrr," Zach cried.
Zach bent his knees trying to get out of the way, but Nelson just leaned over with the movement continuing the spanking without a pause. Zach tried to bend further down and Nelson had enough.
"Stand up, Zachary."
"I don't want to," Zach said, voice high with his tears.
"RIGHT now! Stand UP."
Zach finally managed to straighten his legs, and Nelson went immediately back to work. Zach was shifting from foot to foot.
Nelson's lecture picked up again as he continued to spank, "You don't disobey me, Zachary. When I say stay near the campsite that does NOT mean you should leave without a word and go 10 miles away."
Zach got out a response that was as close to a "yes, sir" as his tears would allow.
Nelson stopped after giving some attention to the underside of Zach's bottom.
Zach was crying hard by the time Nelson ended the spanking. Nelson held him in his arms, stroking Zach's back. He was speaking to Zach, but Zach couldn't hear what he said over his own crying. His voice was soothing even if Zach couldn't make out the words.
When Zach could talk coherently, he said, "I really am sorry, Nelson."
"What in the world possessed you?"
Zach shrugged against his lover.
"Zach..."
"We just wanted something to eat and we got distracted in the game room."
"You mean you wanted to eat something you shouldn't. We had food here."
"I guess so."
Nelson chuckled and gave Zach one more squeeze.
"Shame on you."
"I'm sorry, Nelson."
Nelson pulled Zach's pants up and got him straightened out. He looked at his partner and wiped the tears from his cheeks.
"We're finished with it, Zach. It's over."
Zach nodded and threw his arms around Nelson again. Nelson hugged him back then pulled him away, taking his hand.
"I think we can head back, now."
They arrived back at the campsite and found Vic and Ben at the edge of the lake. Nelson sat on the ground and pulled Zach down against him wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Zach grimaced when his butt connected with the ground.
The tops continued to hold their chastened brats, saying nothing. Every now and then one of the boys would sniffle.
After a while, Vic broke the silence and asked, "Anyone hungry for fish?"
"Did you catch something?" Ben asked softly, leaning against his partner.
"Sure did," Nelson answered. "We had good luck. In fact, that's why we were back early."
Their good luck had been bad luck for the brats.
"How many did you catch?" Zach asked.
"What was it, Vic? Seven or eight?" Nelson asked.
"Eight. Remember we stopped because we thought two each was enough?"
"Right."
"We need to get them cleaned," Vic said, rubbing Benji's back.
"Gross. I don't want to touch them," Ben said.
"I don't mind," Zach jumped in.
"Let's get to it, then," Nelson responded.
With the exception of Ben, they set to work cleaning the fish. In spite of just having been spanked, Zach's playful personality began to exert itself and he dug out a fish eye, cupping it in his hand so Nelson couldn't see. He set out to find Ben and found him sitting at the campsite.
"Hey, Benjo."
"You guys finished?"
"Yep. They're going to bring the fish over in a minute. They're rinsing them off."
Ben was still sulking from his spanking and was poking at the ground with a stick. Zach was trying to figure out how to get his little care package into Ben's hands. Ben hated touching raw meat and Zach knew it.
"Do you want a piece of gum?"
"Nah," Ben said, bursting Zach's bubble briefly.
Zach didn't give in that easily and pulled out a piece of gum and handed it to Ben anyway. Ben shrugged and held out his hand. Zach dropped the gum and the fish eye into the outstretched palm.
Ben looked down, with his brow creased and a question mark playing around his facial features when he felt the wet item in his palm. He looked into his hand and jumped up throwing both the eye and the gum on the ground.
"AHHH! Gross! GROSS, Zach! You are NOT funny," Ben exclaimed, clearly in no mood to joke around.
He couldn't believe Zach felt up to pranks. Nelson must not have spanked him very hard. Ben knew HE was in no mood to joke around with the switch marks still fresh.
Vic and Nelson were almost at the site and walked up in time to see Ben throw something to the ground and shout at Zach.
Vic picked up his pace and hurried to Ben to try and diffuse the situation. "Hey! What's going on here?"
"THAT is what's going on!" Ben said and pointed at the eye on the ground, scrubbing his hand against his jeans. "He stuck that thing in my hand."
Zach was still giggling at his prank, Benji's reaction being priceless. Nelson caught up and pieced together what had happened seeing the eye on the ground and Ben rubbing his palm against his pants. Vic looked accusingly at Zach.
"Zachary, don't tell me I need to spank you yet again this weekend," Nelson said.
Zach's giggles suddenly stopped and he blushed, "No, sir. I was just playing around."
"Apologize to Benji."
If it was possible, Zach went even redder, "Sorry, Ben. I just thought it would be funny. I was only kidding."
Ben scowled at Zach, not willing for a simple "I'm sorry" to make it all better. Vic saw the hesitation and prompted Ben to accept the apology.
"Benjamin, answer Zach."
"He didn't ask me anything," he said smartly.
"Do YOU need another spanking, young man?"
Ben quickly lost the attitude, "No, sir."
Ben accepted the apology to appease Vic but his face clearly showed he didn't mean it.
By the time they had finished eating, the boys had forgotten their spat. They were caught up in a game of cards and sitting by the fire. Nelson and Vic cleaned up from dinner and talked out of earshot from the brats.
"I hope I don't have to spank Zach anymore this weekend. We're averaging at least once a day if you count the swattings when he was sick."
"I know what you mean. I don't know what gets into them when they are together. We'd better be sure to separate them on the ride back."
"Good idea, Vic."
Nelson said as they finished up the dishes, "I thought camping was supposed to be relaxing."
Vic laughed heartily, "That's only if you're camping without two brats."
Nelson nodded in response. Vic was right. Camping with a brat, much less with two, could be hard work.
"But, I wouldn't trade it for the world," Nelson said, as he looked over at his lover, intensely reading the cards in his hand.
Vic followed Nelson's gaze and watched Zach and Ben. "Nope. Not for the world," he agreed.
The End