Author's Note: I wrote this Top/Brat fic a little while back after getting caught up in all the top/brat fics posted at The Tea Room. This has been transferred over from my LJ page and may have already been read. WARNING: This fic contains corporal punishment and is quite different from many of my other fics, particularly Moppets - so please don't read if you consider it not to your liking.

THE AGREEMENT

"Belt"

"I don't know, Peter."

"Belt, Neal."

"Peter…"

"Now."

"Okay, hold on." Neal reluctantly unbuckled his belt and slowly slipped it out through the loops. "Are you sure about this Peter?"

"Yes I'm certain."

"Well, if you insist." Neal doubled the belt over and partially moved it towards Peter's outstretched hand.

"I insist. NOW!" Peter was losing his patience fast.

"Okay. Whatever you say." Neal sharply whipped the belt across Peter's upturned palm before the older man even had a moment to register what was happening. Peter yanked his hand back to his chest and stood wide-eyed and dumbfounded in front of his young brat.

Neal, only registering at that moment what deep shit he was in, dropped the belt to his side, and then onto the floor, perhaps hoping that Peter wouldn't have noticed his major lack of commonsense and judgment.

"Corner…now." Peter barely whispered.

Neal dropped his head and walked compliantly to the corner before dropping his head against the wall and hoping against possibility that Peter in the meantime might get a call out for some jewelry heist or bank robbery or a murder – hopefully not his own.

The agent went into the kitchen to get himself a beer, knowing he'd need to calm himself down before talking with his brat. He returned to the dining table while glancing over at his challenging partner. Yeah, he'd need quite some time to bring his stress levels back to a healthier level, he thought to himself as he sunk into the dining chair and twisted the top off his beer.

After about 15minutes, although to Neal it was quite the eternity, Peter called out to his partner, "Neal, come here please."

The young brat sulked over to the table and Peter indicated for him to take the seat opposite. Neal couldn't help but notice that Peter had picked the belt up from the floor and positioned it between them on the table.

Peter placed his empty bottle down. "Neal. Did we agree that you wouldn't steal anymore?"

"Yes, Peter."

"And we agreed that if you did have a relapse and stole, I would punish you. Correct?"

"Yes, Peter."

"And what did we agree would be a suitable punishment for you stealing something?"

Neal shrugged.

"Now I know you remember Neal so please tell me."

"That…." Neal mumbled something down to the table that Peter couldn't understand.

"Neal. Look at me when you're speaking to me please."

"Yes, Peter."

"What was the punishment that we agreed on?"

"That you would strap my hand."

"That's right Neal. And is that what happened when I brought you back here to be punished for stealing Aaron Harding's wallet at the interview today?"

"Aaron Harding is a mean prick, Peter. I think.."

"I didn't ask you to justify why you stole our suspect's wallet, Neal. I asked if when we came back here, you were strapped for stealing. Is that what happened?"

"No, Peter."

"What happened instead?"

"I used my belt to strap your hand."

"Is that what we agreed on, Neal?"

"No, Peter."

"Why did we agree that you would be punished if you stole something?"

"We both thought it might help me to stop stealing."

"And how is strapping you going to help you stop stealing, Neal?"

"Maybe if I'm tempted to steal something, I might change my mind because I don't like the consequences if you catch me."

Good enough. "Why did you strap me instead of handing me the belt?"

Neal shrugged.

"Shrugging isn't an answer, Neal."

"I ….." Neal spoke quietly to the table top and once again Peter couldn't understand.

"Neal. Look at me when you speak please. It's good manners to look someone in the eye when you are talking to them. Look at me please." Peter's words were firm.

"Yes, sir." Neal looked straight at Peter.

"Why did you strap me instead of handing me the belt?"

"I thought it would be fun…I thought it sounded like you were just setting yourself up for me to do that to you with the way you held out your hand and the way you said for me to give it to you now…" Neal paused. "I was nervous…. I don't like being strapped…..It was done on impulse."

"Just like you took the wallet on impulse, Neal."

"Yes, Peter."

"What have we said about controlling your impulses?"

"Think before I act. Think about the consequences. Don't take chances on something that could lead to me being sent back to prison."

"Could you be sent back to prison for stealing the wallet, Neal?"

"Yes, if I was caught, Peter."

"So that's what it comes down to. You'll take a chance if you think it's highly unlikely that you'll get caught?"

"Something like that." Neal smiled. "Peter, there's no way I would have been caught."

"I caught you Neal. Correct?"

"Yes, Peter."

"Did you know what I wanted you to do when I asked you for your belt?"

"Yes, Peter."

"Tell me what I meant."

"It meant that I was to take my belt off and give it to you so you could strap my hand with it."

"Okay." Peter was keen to wrap this up. "You are still getting the six straps across your hand for stealing." Neal gulped. "But because you strapped me I will also be giving you six across your backside."

"Peeeteeer." Neal whined.

"Yes, Neal?"

"That's not fair."

"Why isn't it fair, Neal?"

"Because I only whacked your hand once and now for that I'm getting six across my butt."

"What do you think is fair, Neal?"

"I think I should only get one whack across my butt for the one time I whacked you."

"It doesn't work that way, Neal. If I let you decide how many you should receive each time, you'd only ever get one light spank and well, you would never learn anything would you?"

"No, Peter." Neal unconsciously rubbed his sweaty palms. "I'm still not happy."

"Okay Neal. Tell you what. If you would rather, you can take the strapping on your butt now and then wait until after dinner for the strapping on your hand."

"I don't know if that's better or worse, Peter."

"Your choice."

"I'll take the second one after dinner."

"Okay." Peter picked the belt up off the table. "Let's go." Neal grudgingly followed Peter up the stairs and into the younger man's bedroom. Neal walked over and rested his arms on the bed. Burying his face into the comforter, he didn't have to wait too long to hear the telltale sound of the leather strip swishing thought the air. Immediately after, he felt a sharp pain across his butt. He held his breath, grabbed a chunk of the comforter in both hands and rode out the rest of the punishment. It wasn't particularly hard. Neal suspected it was more of a warning spanking rather than full on punishment. Kind of a 'I don't like you doing what you did. Pull your socks up and don't do it again. And just to help you remember, whack!' After six whacks with the belt, Peter sat on the bed beside Neal and rubbed his back. "Next time just do what you're asked okay, buddy?"

"Yes, Peter."

"Why don't you have a nap before dinner? I'll come up and get you when it's ready." Peter picked up the belt and left his testing young brat resting soundly under the covers.

-W-C-

Dinner was a quiet affair. Peter and El chatted about the possibility of preparing a veggie patch in the back garden over the weekend. Neal, between fidgeting on his seat and playing with his food, remained mostly silent. El connected the dots. "Everything okay, sweetie?"

"Yes thank you, Elizabeth." Neal's response was less than authentic.

Hardly. "Something happen today?"

Contemplating an answer that was not a lie but far from the truth, Neal snuck a glance over to his partner before deciding it was best to just come clean. "Peter caught me stealing." Simple. Everything explained in one short statement.

However, El was still a little confused. Neal was acting like he did when he was waiting to be punished. She had seen it all too often. Quiet, withdrawn, distracted, guilty. But on the other hand, by all appearances, the young man was fidgeting on his seat as though Peter had already taken care of business. "What happened, sweetie?" I'm going to need more information.

Neal reluctantly filled El in on his antics including hitting Peter with the belt. El's only response was to roll her eyes and kiss him on his head as she rose and began stacking up the dinner plates.

-W-C-

"How long are you going to give him?" The trio had cleaned up from dinner, moved into the living room and turned on the telly. Peter and El were cuddled together on the couch. Neal had hung back in the kitchen to get a drink and had remained leaning against the kitchen counter ever since. It was going on close to an hour.

"I'll give him another ten minutes and then I'll go get him."

"So he actually whacked you with the belt?" El smiled mischievously at her husband. "Do I get to whack you with the belt across your butt when we go upstairs later?"

"Only if you want the same consequences that Neal received." Peter tickled his wife indicating it was a joke.

"I guess that's a no then." El hopped up from the couch and headed for the stairs. Turning she whispered, "I may however, need to be put over your knee if you think I was out of line with that suggestion." She winked at her gorgeous man and headed up to have a bath.

Neal came out of the kitchen five minutes later and walked over to the sideboard where Peter had placed his belt. He picked it up unenthusiastically before moving into the living room. Peter turned off the telly and stood before the younger man. "Belt."

Neal handed it over without hesitation this time.

Peter doubled the leather over and held it out in front. "Hand."

Neal actions were a little more cautious this time and with great reluctance he lifted his arm and turned his palm up before scrunching his eyes closed.

"Open your eyes, Neal." Part of this punishment was having to watch. Peter hoped it would help the lesson sink into the impulsive man's head more clearly. Neal opened his eyes and watched as Peter brought the belt down sending a searing pain and a red strip across his palm.

Neal flinched but his hand remained in place. Peter managed to get two more whacks in before Neal protested predictably. "No more, Peter." Neal withdrew both hands to behind his back. Peter stood calmly before Neal, resigning himself to ride the out the protest. "I've learnt my lesson now thank you. You won't need to whack me anymore. I know I shouldn't have taken the wallet. He was being such a prick. However, be that as it may, I shouldn't steal and this has just served as a severe reminder to me how reckless I was this morning. Rest assured it won't happen again."

"That's great to hear, Neal. It's reassuring to know I won't need to strap you after we've finished here tonight. Good to see our agreement is working. Hold your hand out please so we can complete your punishment."

Neal shook his head, unwilling to cooperate.

"Neal, if you don't hold your hand back out, I'm going to hold your wrist. What are the consequences of me having to hold your wrist, Neal?"

"I get strapped harder."

"Correct. Hold your hand out please."

"No, Peter."

"Your choice, Neal." Peter reached behind Neal and took a hold of his wrist. He pulled the young man's hand back into position and held it firmly in place.

Peter brought the belt down three more times in rapid succession to avoid any more delay tactics. Releasing his hold, he looked down at his partner who had tears escaping from the sides of his eyes. "No more stealing, Neal," he said caringly as he handed the belt back to the younger man.

"Yes, Peter." Neal wiped at his eyes before replacing his belt back through the loops. "What was our agreement, Peter?"

Peter was a little taken back. "Our agreement?" Had Peter done something he wasn't supposed to?

"Our agreement Peter. What did we agree on?" Neal stood firm in front of the older man waiting for a response.

"Oh." Understanding suddenly dawning. "Yeah, we agreed that no matter what you did, what trouble you got into, we'd still be partners."

"Even if I steal from time to time."

"Even if you steal." Peter pulled the young man into his shoulder and rubbed his back. "I'd prefer it if you didn't but we can handle it if you slip up, okay?" Neal nodded his head. "We're partner's bubby. We'll always be partners."

Happy with that response, Neal flopped onto the couch and grabbed the TV remote. "Remember that you also agreed to let me go to the Nathan Exhibit during work hours tomorrow."

When did I agree to that? Peter paused on his way to the stairs and turned to the younger man. He knew this was Neal's way of letting him know that he was all good again after the punishment. "That's right. I forgot. I remember now me agreeing to that after you told me you were going to re-file all those cold cases when you returned."

"Hey!" After the initial shock he realised Peter was returning the joke. "Yeah okay. I'll go after work instead."

"Wise choice, brat."

Neal turned back to the telly and continued with his channel surfing. Peter made his way up the stairs. Now what was it that El had agreed to earlier? This could be fun!