Title: River's Rendezvous
Genre: Gen
Summary: Several folks wanted River and azzyj specifically wanted River to go a little crazy over a girl. So that's what we got.
XXX
"Don't really wanna go." River knew he sounded a bit petulant, but Jamie didn't care and wouldn't take no for an answer. Which was typical Jamie. And if River really stuck to his guns, well then Jamie would just drag him to the fair. Because that was what Jamie did.
It was just better to acquiesce. Didn't mean he couldn't try one last attempt.
"Look, you'll be there with Francesca and I'll be the third wheel."
Jamie glowered at River. "Dude, out entire school will be there. If me and Francesca managed to get stuck on the Ferris wheel for hours you would still have a million people to hang with and a ton of things to do. You are just River being antisocial. "
River grinned sullenly because it was true. He was being antisocial. He wanted to hang out in their room and read. Maybe watch an old movie and let Jamie and his Texas heat addled friends fry their brains in some more heat and then jostle whatever gray matter was left into pudding with rides called The Cyclone and The Scrambler.
River tried the puppy dog look. It had no effect on his cousin who simply threw a clean shirt in his direction. Button down with a collar and told him he had five minutes to get his ass in gear or he was gonna have to sprint after the truck.
River was a fast runner but he didn't want to chase the truck and if he decided not to chase the truck, Jamie would come back and drive circles around him throwing mud and dirt and dust all over his clean clothes so he basically had five to get his butt downstairs.
Luckily River was a low maintenance person.
River was downstairs in four waiting for Jamie. Because Jamie was higher maintenance, at least when a girl as pretty as Francesca was concerned. Jamie had slicked wavy hair back and even thrown on aftershave. Which considering his shaving was slim to minimal, well it was obviously more about scent then bracing manly stubble soothingness.
River grimaced and ran his hand over his chin. He was in the same boat.
So a fair. And a carnival. Whoopdy, whoopidy whoop.
But it was a Friday night and The Terrible Trio had granted them late night privileges and their curfew was knocked back to 0130 – which for Winchesters was pretty damn extreme. Usually they needed to be home before midnight but the fair was open till 12:30 and that gave the boys and hour to smooch and get their girls home in time so really, the elder Winchesters must have been feeling pretty indulgent.
River hopped in the truck riding shotgun, knowing when they picked up Francesca he would still be shotgun because the pretty raven haired girl would be snuggled up to Jamie with his arm draped possessively over her shoulder. Not that he needed to prove possession, it was more of a testosterone - I am he man Jamie. This is my woman. Grunnnttt. Francesca didn't seem to mind at all adoring Jamie and his undying devotion. At least until someone else came along. And since Jamie felt the same way they were in lover's heaven. Of course Jamie had the upper hand because there was no one as fine as Jamie Winchester and he knew it.
They stopped off and Francesca's house where Jamie dutifully went up to her door and was politely asked in. River stayed in the truck but noticed through the window Francesca's daddy was cleaning his old Mossberg. An old trick but effective, River thought wryly. But Jamie was not fool, and River was quite sure he was on his best manners while waiting for his girl to show up.
Francesca was higher maintenance than Jamie. It took a full half an hour for her to come out to the truck, giggling with her sleek raven colored hair in a flippy pony tail and jeans so tight, even River looked twice. Mr. Francesca was scowling by the front door with the gun still in his hands but evidently he'd been overturned on her choice of jeans by his wife who was giggling behind his back.
River slid out of the truck and opened the door for Francesca, she grinned and scooted over to where Jamie already was seated. There was an obligatory hi, because Francesca wasn't rude but from there to the fair it was nothing but mutual googly eyes as Jamie and Francesca snuggled in the front seat.
"Jamie….do you want me to drive? You know so you don't have to worry about killing us all while you are starring at Francesca when you are supposed to be driving?"
"Nah, Cuz, I got it. Frannie and me? We know what we are doing eh babe?" Francesca snuggled even closer and sighed.
River thought he might throw up.
Thank God the fair was not to far away.
XXX
Jamie was right. There were a million things to do and a million folks to see. The fair was pretty big in their town. Tomorrow would be the day for the local cooks to see whose pie was the best or whose flowers took top honors. The local 4H kids would show their stock and parade off with ribbons but Friday night was for lovers. It always had been. But Friday was the night for lovers and kids of all ages to hit the rides and try to win goofy stuffed animals.
Going stag was fun though. He hung with Jamie and Francesca for a bit but then broke off to wander around the fair alone. It was almost like being alone in his room except he could sit on a bench and people watch. He loved doing that – it was a secret pleasure. Just watching folks and figuring out what they were like. Making up stories in his head or simply enjoying the evening. And it was a lovely evening. The sun was down and the lights of the fair were bright. There were screams of kids but the screams were happy ones, not the shrieks of burning ghosts. Overall it was a pretty good night.
"River?"
River turned to see a blast from the past. Four years older but he had no doubt who it was.
"Shaylee!" River stood and turned then and pulled her into a rough hug. She laughed, her long hair in a single braid draped over her right shoulder just like he remembered it. Except now she had boobs. And hips and all the things an eleven-year-old girl didn't have.
"Where? I mean, how?" River stuttered.
"I work here. At the carnie! I'm sort of the animal girl. We do a few shows. Shaylee and her Amazing Dogs! And Shaylee and her Amazing Horses, although I've got a lame mare so I have some time off tonight. You know me and animals. I was always good with pets – or whatever kind of animal I could find. Remember that chipmunk?"
River laughed, "You named him Chin Chin ' cause he would latch onto anyone's chin with those sharp chipmunk teeth."
There was a mutual pulling away from the hug and then River noticed the shine of tears in her eyes. "I've missed you."
"Me too."
Shaylee tossed her long braid to the left.
"So what are you doing here in this Podunk town? I doubted Sunshine would ever leave the commune."
River laughed, "We moved from a commune to a bus of all things and then….well then she just took off. She was kind enough to drop me off with my dad."
"Dad? I didn't know you had a dad." She blushed then, even in the glow of the carnie lights River could see it, "Well, I mean I knew you had a dad but…"
River laughed again. "I know….Sunshine not only knew who he was but where to find him. So I moved in with him and the rest of his family a few years ago."
Shaylee grabbed River's hand and tugged him away from the crowds. "So what are you now, part of the great American family? Mom, Dad and 2.5 children."
Now River roared with laughter. "Ha! No way. I live with my dad, my uncle my grandfather and my cousin, Jamie. All men, nothing but testosterone. Hell, even the dog is a boy. "
She grinned and once again River was struck with how beautiful she had become. She'd always been his best friend. The only person from his life with Sunshine that he had ever missed. He never expected to see her again – his previous nomadic lifestyle left little chance of that happening. But now, seeing her again, it was – amazing. Not only had his little Shay grown up, but she'd grown up stunning, if still rough around the edges.
But Winchesters liked rough.
"C'mere." She pulled him through the crowds leading him right and left through the melee as if she had a built in road map in her mind with a definite destination in mind. He allowed her to lead, her hand a little sweaty with the summer heat but it wasn't unpleasant. Then it occurred to him maybe it was his hand that was sweaty and really wasn't all that hot now that the sun was down. If it wasn't hot and the breeze felt good so why was his heart racing and his palms damp?
She slid down a tiny embankment dragging him through the high summer grass and they almost tumbled down then at the end of the hill. He caught himself and dragged her to his chest feeling her heart racing as fast as hers.
"Look!"
She turned and you could see the lights from the carnival and still hear the distant yells of laughter but ahead was a dark field of wildflowers with a grove of trees just perfect for sitting under.
River thought that was their destination but instead she giggled and pulled him down in the wildflowers. Somehow in a move that he'd never been taught in Winchester hand to hand she'd managed to get him on the ground on top of her but he must have had some kind of natural grace because he managed not to crush her.
Then she kissed him. Mouth open and tongue questing in his mouth. She tasted like cotton candy.
"Shay, I…"
She pushed him off with a giggle. "Relax River. It's just you, me and this field of wild flowers. We're good."
Despite her assurances to the contrary, it was a little uncomfortable for River. Well, not Shay, she was amazing. But the lights of the fair while pretty were disconcerting but the wildflowers smelled wonderful, even in the night. He turned to face her and the gently loosened her braid. In the moonlight her hair was million different shades of red and gold strands cascading around her body.
"Are you good? I mean…what about the horses and the dogs?"
"Told you. Lame horse. What good is a dog and pony show without the pony?" She laughed again and reached into her jeans pulling out a bowl and a small baggie of pot. Then she sat up and carefully packed the pot in the bowl and then retrieved a lighter from the other pocket. She smiled her teeth bright in the moonlight.
She lit it with practiced ease and took a deep hit than handed it to River.
River had smoked before. Hell, he'd smoked with Shay, even when they were ten it hadn't been hard to do with an entire commune of flower children. No had cared and they hadn't either. River didn't dislike being high…in fact he liked it a lot. And he also knew how Winchesters felt about drugs. He was quite sure he would be in hot water. But how could he resist? It was Shay.
He grinned and took a deep toke, held the smoke in his lungs easily. They finished up quickly and she carefully made sure there were no embers in her pipe then she stuffed it in her jeans and lay down next to River, her fingers laced in his.
A moment later she apparently came to a decision because she half sat up and pulled her t-shirt over her head, breast pale in the moon light at the same time she reached for River's belt with greedy hands.
"Shay…I never…" River spoke quietly into her hair.
"Don't worry, I have. It's easy and it feels great."
"I don't have anything." He tried again. But his dick obviously didn't care as she tugged roughly at his buttons and zipper. He naturally arched his hips off the ground to give her access.
"I'm clean…you're a virgin and I'm on the pill. It's gonna be great."
Then she closed his mouth over him and he was sure she was right.
XXX
He woke to the sound of birds and the soft glow of the early morning. Shay was naked in his arms with his shirt hap hazardly thrown over one shoulder and the flowers crushed around and beneath them smelling lovely, a soft fragrant scent that mingled with the muskier scent of sex. It was intoxicating. As intoxicating as the weed had been. He was naked too, head to toe and it felt warm and comfortable despite the fact they were in an open field. Shay had a leg draped over his hip and just that position alone and the proximity of a naked body automatically made him nuzzle her neck. She moaned at his ministrations and then when his tongue found the hollow of her neck she rolled over on him laughing.
He laughed back.
"You look like a crazy girl." He carefully pulled crushed wildflowers from her hair.
"I feel like a crazy girl. Besides you don't look much better." She leaned down and plucked a huge lavender flower from his hair.
"If you're goin' to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair." She sang softly.
"San Francisco huh?" He mused. "What about Podunk, Texas?"
"That'll do too." She settled her hips on either side of him and he was enveloped instantly enveloped in her warmth. Apparently sixteen-year-old boys had an unending ability to fuck when confronted by naked girls.
Their lovemaking was slow and languid - different from last night's urgency. Well, as slow as River could make it – which was really not that slow at all. Because Shay was beautiful and when the rising sun hit her hair it almost took his breath away.
Afterward she cuddled in his arms. He gently brushed her hair back from her face. "Don't you have to get back to the Dog and Pony Show?"
"Yeah, but this is a carnie, I'm a carnie girl. It's okay…besides, I have plenty of time."
River curled her in closer and looked up toward the closed carnival to see three very angry Winchester men standing on the hill above the wildflowers.
It was good to hear that Shaylee had plenty of time. River's had obviously run out.
XXX
"Shay…Shay…."River spoke quietly and urgently as he pushed her t-shirt in the general direction of her breast, then threw her jeans to drape her hips. Shay didn't seem at all concerned as she glanced up at the men. In fact she stood, dropping her shirt, bare breasted as she pulled her jeans up. She stood with her hands on her hips, long strawberry blond hair dropping wildflowers and blowing in the early morning breeze.
"What are you? PERVS?"
River was jumping into his jeans, a hopping motion, smashing more wildflowers as he spun in circles.
"Jesus, Shaylee…here put on your shirt." River tried to dress both Shay and himself with little effect.
"OWE!" He yipped as he zipped and managed to catch a part of his anatomy that should never be zipped up.
"River!" That was his dad.
"Coming." River yelled back up to the men.
"Hey you." Shaylee turned her voice both husky and concerned, "You're not in trouble are you?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Sorry." Shaylee slipped her t-shirt on and drug River into a kiss, deep and soulful. She fisted the back of his blond hair roughly a tug that made his dick want to go at it again, despite his family that stood at the top of he hill.
"I'm not." He grinned and took a breath and then kissed her back.
"Ahem." Came his grandfather's voice from above them.
"Gotta go. Are you alright, Shay?" River asked quietly.
"Yeah, River. Maybe we can hook up tonight? What do you think?"
"Ah, Shaylee, I'd love to but I have a feeling my folks aren't gonna be very forgiving so probably not. Still, this has been amazing."
"Okay. Love you, River. We gotta keep in touch." She pulled out her cell phone and they quickly exchanged numbers.
"Yeah. Do you want me to walk you home?"
Shaylee laughed. "I am home silly!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him up the hill toward the Winchesters. She dropped his hand right in front of the three men and then kissed him one more time. River was breathless after the last kiss, not even the Terrible Trio having caught him literally with his pants down could take away the euphoria.
"Hiya, pervy family. Take good care of my River." Shaylee tossed her hair back and trotted up the hill toward the carnie.
River did have the good sense to blush then.
"Hi." He nodded to all of the elder Winchesters. He could see various degrees of aggravation, but he wasn't sure who was more aggravated.
"That's all you have to say?" That was his dad.
"Not much else I can say is there?" River tried not to sound shitty. Because sounding shitty in his particular situation was a dumb move. But what could he say? He'd gone to the carnival with Jamie, broke curfew, stayed out all night in fact and had sex. Unprotected sex. Of course they didn't know that little tidbit but the rest was pretty much a given. Oh and he'd gotten high. He was doomed.
Neither his uncle nor his grandfather said anything they just walked back to four abreast until they reached the trucks. Jamie was leaning on the old red truck that he and River shared. It was the one they drove to the carnival last night.
"River, you ride with me in yours and Jamie's truck - Jamie can ride with Dad and Dean in the Jeep" Sam dictated as they headed toward Jamie.
River offered a lopsided grin as he stepped up to Jamie.
"Hey…" It was all he got out before Jamie cold cocked him. Hard. A punch that literally rocked him back on his heels with the strength behind it. River would have fallen, should have fallen, except that Sam was standing just behind him and caught him on the way down.
"Don't you ever. Ever. Fucking do that to me again!" Jamie roared in River's direction. River however was having a hard time focusing between the ringing in his ears and the double vision. He did manage to see his uncle grab Jamie with an uncharacteristically brutal jerk that apparently Jamie was ready for because he didn't fall and in fact barely seemed effected by it. Jamie strained against Dean obviously wanting nothing more than to punch River again but the adrenalin rush must have been dying down or maybe his uncle was more prepared…whatever the reason - Uncle Dean manhandled Jamie away from the truck, pushing him toward Jeep.
River settled groggily in his father's arms. He could hear Dean and Gramps, he could hear Jamie still yelling but everything else was kind of blurry. River shook his head, surprised to see blood dripping from either his nose or his mouth. Or maybe both? How could one kid punch so damn hard?
"Riv – how many fingers am I holding up?" Apparently his father was more than a little worried.
"Two, Dad…just two. I think." River shook his head again and some of the fog cleared. "Definitely two."
"Okay, River…come on, get in the truck." His father opened the passenger door and dumped River in. Actually he was pretty gentle considering how mad he had to have been. Maybe Jamie's abrupt and yet incredibly painful beat down had somehow worked in River's favor.
Once settled in the truck, River toggled his chin and reached for a rag from the behind the bench seat. It wasn't terribly clean but it wasn't terribly dirty either and it was pretty effective for staunching the rapidly growing red stain blossoming down his shirt. Sam started up the truck and followed the jeep on the dirt road out of the fairgrounds. They were already starting to bustle to life with the carnival folks and the Four H kids and the ladies with their jars of jam.
"Tilt your head back."
River tried…."Can't I'll choke on the blood."
"Well then pinch your nose for a minute or two. "
"You are not being helpful, Dad."
"Look River, I'm trying to drive here. Just apply pressure to your damn nose and try to stop bleeding all over the place."
River shut up after that. Maybe it didn't matter that he was bleeding to death right next to his father. Maybe Sam could have cared less that Jamie had quite possibly broken his nose.
Then as if reading his thoughts.
"It's not broken."
River tried to answer manly but it was hard with the bloody towel wadded up his nose and him holding pressure on it as well.
"Howb do youd know?"
"Cause Dean broke mine once and I've broken a few in my past. You're fine. Just….just sit there quietly and try to breathe normal."
"Oh so thid id a Winchester thing? Punchin your brudders?"
"Yes, I mean, no….it's just. Jesus, you had us scared. I mean Jamie shouldna hit you but do you know what it is like to look for a kid in a fair with hundreds of kids? Especially when you were nowhere near the fair? " Sam sighed.
"We were thinking all the things that all normal parents think when their kids disappear plus we were thinking all the supernatural shit that could happen when apparently all we had to do was look for a field of flowers and a naked girl."
River would have hung his head, but he was still trying to pinch his nose and hold his head back, even though he felt like he was choking on the blood.
"M'sorry, Dad."
"You should be…that's all I'm saying on the subject till we get home."
"C'mon, Dad, you member whad id was like bein' a kid. Having sex. Having sex for the first time! Dad, I wasn't planning on it, but I got laid."
River had never been ashamed about being a virgin; just the opportunity had never presented itself. He never really thought he would actually be telling his father about it either but then again, there was no way to get around it. He'd all but been caught in the act.
"Damn it, River. Do you want me to thump you on the back and give you an attaboy? 'Cause I'm not that kind of father. I've never been that kind of man and I was hoping to be raising you to be different too. You are sixteen, and while everyone seems to think that sixteen year olds should be having sex, I for one don't. And I don't have any misguided pride that says…whoopee, my boy just got laid. "
Suddenly it occurred to River what his father had thought. That he'd just hooked up with some random girl. Which is exactly what it looked like. And while River didn't think that was the worse thing in the world to do, it wasn't his style, it wasn't his father's style and Shaylee was more to that. Had always been more than that. Had he taken advantage of her? When she kissed him, he'd kissed her back. She'd been the one to encourage it, she'd wanted it. She had. He had too, he was no idiot but had he been out of line? It was a lot to think about. Then he thought about smoking the weed. That could have been instrumental in both of them deciding to have sex. Was that like he roofied her? How could that be when she'd offered the weed? It was nothing new to River, Sunshine was the poster child for freelance pharmaceuticals of any kind…but River was kidding himself if he even thought for one moment that his father was into that. Or would have approved.
He was so dead.
But maybe not? Because Sam was a hunter and a good father but how could he know that River had gotten high? Just like he wouldn't know that River had not had protected sex. It wasn't possible unless River told him. Or Shaylee and that was never going to happen.
Then again.
River didn't lie. He'd learned his lesson about that years ago. And River could keep it to himself but it was a lie of omission. Maybe not the kind that most people would think of, but River knew he might just tell on himself.
He probably would. Even if it was just to get tested in case Shaylee was wrong about being clean. Or because he felt guilty having sex with someone who maybe he took advantage of and telling Sam would be like confessing to a priest. Except he doubted there would be any Hail Marys in his future. Well, there might be, but they would hardly be the kind that ended in absolution. That is unless he started praying, then got his ass beat than prayed again.
That was possible.
River wondered if he should become Catholic to avoid these issues.
Sam pulled the car over to the side of the road. River wasn't paying much attention. It turned out his cousin's punch was almost as painful now as it was 10 minutes ago. But he felt the old truck turn off the macadam onto the gravel.
"Dad? Already? You are gonna beat my ass already?"
His father sighed, as he turned the truck off, "No I'm gonna check out your nose." And with that Sam gently pulled River's hands away from his nose and released the pressure holding the bloody deluge back.
"Better?"
River sniffed experimentally, "Yeah, I guess so. Course it won't be when you start beating on my butt and I start crying like a little kid and any amount of clotting action going on is gonna stop and then I'm gonna be bleeding and crying.
Sam offered River a look that was both exasperated and frustrated.
"You make it sound like all I do is spank your ass."
"It feels like that's all you do."
"Well, do I?" Sam queried.
River thought about it carefully, "Well, no but…it feels like it sometimes."
"Well sometimes it just has to be done. – The last time you got in trouble what happened?"
River thought to the most recent getting in trouble incident. He and Jamie had decided to try some MMA moves in the living room. The resulting melee had broken a lamp and put a solid Jamie sized crunch in the plaster.
"We had to fix the plaster and Jamie and I had to pitch in for new lamp."
"And the time before that?"
River groaned, "Two mile run."
"And before that?"
River thumped his back of his head on the seat. "Dishes for a month."
"So truth be told, I don't go around 'beating your ass' do I?"
"No, sir." River agreed quietly.
"It's just that some things are pretty much a given for a butt whoopin' and you know what they are."
River nodded.
"Ya, wanna share with the class?"
"Lying, making unsafe decisions, you know, big ones that can cause harm to one of us, disrespect, the real kind…not the joking kind, putting yourself in danger, and doing something really stupid. But the doing something stupid is a pretty broad category and sometimes I think the things I do slide in there and I'm not even aware of it."
"Which is exactly why that category is there and why a spanking may come out of it. I mean how else do you learn? You know what is stupid for the most part, you know it before hand, you make an educated choice to do the stupid and then let the chips fall. Sometimes, you have a two-mile run; other times you get your ass handed to you. It's a learning curve, River and honestly, you are pretty good at knowing where the line is. Do you really think that that your family goes around walloping on your butt for the hell of it? Do you really think we enjoy it?"
River thought for a second. "Sometimes I think Gramps does."
"Well, Gramps is a whole 'nother Winchester. And he doesn't enjoy it, even though sometimes he seems maybe a little more enthusiastic than Dean or me. He didn't enjoy it when we were kids, although I'd swear he did sometimes when I was a kid. Plus, I think he's the scariest of us all and that intimidation factor comes in so that a kid isn't really thinking straight when your grandfather decides to open up a can of whoop ass. If I recall correctly from personal experience, Gramps uses that to his advantage and that makes you think he's enjoying the whole damn thing."
River nodded but it hurt his head.
"So where do I stand, Dad? I mean am I talking a five mile run or a trip to the woodshed?"
"How about you tell me?"
River groaned again. "Daaad."
"No, I really want you to think this through. Tell me what you think. And just to put a whole interesting aspect to it. I'll follow your recommendation."
"Huh?" River snapped his head in his father's direction.
"You heard me. You think it through, you figure out what you did wrong and then based on previously documented parameters, you decided on the punishment."
"That sounds…really, really weird. Or stupid. Or maybe insane." River commented.
"Nope, sounds right to me. You think on it and we'll talk about it when we get home."
Sam started the truck up and they headed home.
XXX
When they pulled up to the house, the Jeep was there and River slid out of the passenger seat and headed up to the house, his father just a half step behind. He still hadn't been able to figure out this "make your own punishment" strategy and his head hurt too much too think much more on it. He walked to the kitchen and grabbed two Tylenol, swallowed them down with a glass of water and headed up to his room.
He figured he needed to talk to Jamie and he figured that was where his cousin would be. He was right.
Jamie was laying on his bed – not watching TV. Not even reading. Just looking pissed.
River sat down on his own bed.
"Are you gonna punch me again?"
Jamie scowled at River, "I should, but no, I'm not. I'm grounded for cleaning your clock and the next step will be for Dad to beat me for beating you. Not worth the effort."
Jamie glanced at River's swollen nose and blood stained shirt. It obviously made no impression upon him because he turned back to stare at the wall.
River looked quizzically at Jamie, "Why are you so mad?"
"You gotta be kidding me? Really? I spent half the night looking for you. Me and Francesca never even got to enjoy the fair. Plus I had to call the Trio. Do you know what that was like? 'Dad, Gramps…UNCLE SAM – I've lost River and I can't find him. Can you please help me hunt him down.' Then there was the obligatory ream me out for losing your ass, which was stupid because you are fucking sixteen and I'm not your damn keeper. But I am your cousin so I mean, dude, you could have given me some warning. Not to mention the fact, I was worried. I mean – this is the biggest dickhead, asshole thing you've done. So yes, I want to punch you again and if you ever dump me like that again, I swear, you won't walk straight for a week, 'cause I'm gonna shove my size nine shoes so far up your ass your liver will be tattooed with Nike on it."
River gulped, "Sorry, Jamie, I didn't think. I mean. I'm really sorry, I met an old friend and I lost track of time."
"Fucking cell phone stopped working too, I guess."
"No, I…I – Jesus, Jamie it was a girl. She and I…" River wasn't ashamed about last night but he wasn't a kiss and tell kind of person either. He and Jamie were best friends though. "I had sex okay? Lost my V card last night and yeah, I forgot. I just got caught up in the moment. And I was really stupid and smoked some weed so I was even less responsible than I should have been."
Jamie sighed, "Christ, River. I don't know if I should slap you on the back or slap you upside he head. How fucking irresponsible were you?"
River threw himself down on his bed, laying with down with a thump. "Very."
"No condom?"
"Nope, but she is on the pill."
"Great, just fucking great. So no little Rivers running around if she was telling the truth and I'm sure she was a virgin too, so no STDs to worry about."
River blushed. "No, but she was a friend and I trusted her when she said she was clean."
"Yeah, 'cause two high teenagers in the throws of hormones never lie, right?"
River sighed again, then sullenly turned toward his cousin, "Dude, what are you? My Dad? 'Cause I'm gonna have to hear it from him too, then he wants me to figure out my punishment…"
"Does he know you got high and had sex au natural?"
"No. Of course not, I didn't tell him that. I mean they all know I had sex I was all but humping her when they found us but the other stuff? No."
"You can't tell him…" Jamie raised his hand. "I know. Lying. Unprotected sex. Smoking weed. The guilt makes you want to tell him and I know he's gonna push it and ask for it but you can handle this yourself. Uncle Sam is gonna have a coronary – just pick a hard punishment, make sure you get yourself checked out and learn from it."
"You've got to be kidding me. He's gonna know I'm holding something back."
"Yeah, but it's sex. You are entitled to keep some of it to yourself. He's not gonna want a play by play and you don't want to go down that road anyway."
"He'll ask if I used a condom. He will. You know he will, cause that's what my dad is. He's 'the 'gonna find out no matter what guy'".
"Okay, so admit to that. He'll be pissed and he'll make you get a test and that's gonna be embarrassing as hell. Then he's gonna give you the condom speech that you've already heard a zillion times already. But you tell him you got high? Well, that's your funeral. Because then not only did you have unsafe sex, you had sex while high which is like a DWI."
"DWI?"
"Yeah except it's FWH which may not be worse but you know, to your Dad it might be."
"FWH?" River knew he sounded like a damn parrot but he wasn't getting the connection. Or at least the acronym.
""Yeah, Fucking While High." Jamie explained easily.
"Jesus, Jamie. Have your done this all the time? You some kind of kind of teenage sex Guru? "
Jamie sat up and looked at River, "No. No I'm not. In fact – I'm still a virgin."
River almost fell off his bed. "You?"
"Yes, me. I mean, I've made out plenty and gotten pretty close but it hasn't happened yet. But I hope I don't need to be high to do it, that's for damn sure."
River stood and ran a hand through his hair. "God, you make it sound so skeevy, it wasn't it was…it was wonderful and I'm glad it happened and yeah, the getting high was dumb but Shaylee, well, she's that kinda girl and she and I used to smoke even when we were kids when I lived with Sunshine."
Jamie turned to River, "Yeah, well you don't live with Sunshine anymore and you fucking know better now. Just…just be careful okay. Tell, Uncle Sam what you want, I'm not saying nothing. But just remember, I meant it when I said I would kick your ass if you ever left me like that again. "
River was pretty sure Jamie was telling the truth. He decided he would never bail on his cousin again.
XXX
Despite the détente, River was still apparently on Jamie's shit list. Which meant he just sat on his bed morosely. He was reading a book, which was allowed when you were grounded but talking to your cousin was allowed too. It was obvious Jamie preferred the company of….River glanced at the cover "The Road". River had read it and McCarthy was about as dismal a writer as he'd ever read and if Jamie preferred the book to River – well, he was obviously still pissed.
Then River rethought it.
It was a good book so maybe he wasn't quite in the doghouse with his cousin.
There was a tap on the door and his father came in.
"Scram, Jamie." Dad said.
"Can't - I'm grounded." Jamie answered.
"Well, you can take your book in the kitchen and read or hey, better yet, start making dinner."
"Dinner? It's 10:30."
"So make spaghetti, it takes all day to cook. Just get out of here."
Jamie snorted and closed his book then threw it a little roughly on his bed.
"Jamie…that's a book not a ball."
Jamie rolled his eyes, "I know, sorry Uncle Sam." River knew that Jamie knew that Sam had a love affair with learning that trickled down to anything educational and book abuse wasn't tolerated.
"You're lucky I've got far more on my plate right now than book desecration."
Jamie sighed, "Yes, sir." He picked the book up and carefully placed it on his bookshelf. "Better?"
"Much. Now get outa here."
Jamie saluted River's dad and left the room quietly shutting the door.
Sam sat on Jamie's bed across from River.
"So, do you want to tell me what happened?
"Dad, you know what happened."
"I can make some rather astute assumptions."
"Well, it's not something I really want to discuss. You have to admit, Dad, my personal sex life is just that. My personal sex life. I don't think I need to explain everything to you." River spoke quietly but firmly.
"True, but you chose to exhibit your personal sex life in a field next to a carnival so keeping it personal doesn't seem to have been on your agenda. And while I'm all for personal choices and individuality, I'm also responsible for you until you turn 18 and if you want to know the truth? I'm always gonna be responsible for you on some level, 'cause you are always gonna be my son. So when I ask you a specific question regarding what happened last night, I want to know a specific answer. I don't need every detail but I want to know how you spent your time from lets say…9:30 until 6:30 this morning. Because you weren't with your cousin, where you said you would be, I might add. You also where not home, where you were expected to be after 1:30 in the morning. You didn't inform anyone of your whereabouts and you had me, your uncle, your grandfather and Jamie beyond worried. So yeah, I want some answers."
River sighed. "And after I tell you all about last night I get to decide how you are going to punish me right?"
"Right."
"And what if I choose a punishment that you feel is inadequate?"
"Well, we will address that issue if we have to but I like to think that you are an honest kid and you know what is allowed and what is not allowed in this family and what the general repercussions are."
River looked hard at his father.
"Okay. I had sex. You are right. It was in a public place and certainly it wasn't what I had planned on doing last night. But it wasn't just a random hookup. She was a friend that I knew from when I lived with Sunshine."
River saw his father's frown.
"Look, just because she was a kid who lived in a commune, it doesn't mean she's a whacko. I mean look at me? I lived in a commune and I turned out okay."
Sam took a breath.
"Point taken."
"Besides, she was the only friend I ever had. Ever. Except for Jamie. So when I saw her last night – well we just started hanging out and talking and one thing lead to another and we had sex. But it was more than that, I mean we made love. I love her and I always have. I mean, I'm not in love with her but…" River tried to articulate what he was feeling but apparently he was too tongue-tied.
Dad apparently understood enough so decided for the direct route, "Condom?"
"Daaad."
"Yay or nay?"
River thought about lying, because hey, no one would know but he would know. "No. And I no that was stupid, but she's on the pill and…"
"And if pregnancy was the only thing we had to worry about well then we would be good to go," Dad growled so much like Gramps that River shivered a bit.
"Dad, I know her. I trust her."
"You know a ten year old girl, that may or may not be the same person you had sex with last night."
River dropped his head between his knees.
"That's not all."
"Not all?" Sam looked really concerned now, like how much worse could unprotected sex be.
"I got high."
Sam stood then and Jamie's bed springs groaned in relief.
"River Winchester!" Dad was hopping mad now. "How could you do that? Why would you do that?"
"I dunno, Shaylee wanted to and it seemed like the thing to do at the time."
"We don't do drugs in this house. We especially don't get high and then have sex with girls in a field!"
"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry I got high and that I was irresponsible. I'm sorry I missed curfew. I'm sorry I stayed out all night and didn't call you. I'm sorry you guys were worried. But I'm not sorry about Shaylee. I mean, I wish we'd been more careful and I really wish you and Uncle Dean and Gramps hadn't shown up when you did but I'm not gonna hate myself for making love to a girl I care about."
Sam pinched the bridge of his nose, a sure sign he was losing his shit.
"Look. I'm not condemning the act, nor am I condoning it. I am however furious about everything else. You know better, River. All I gotta say is you better think of a helluva punishment because this a lot more than I anticipated. And just to let you know, the punishment is not for the sex. I personally don't think that sixteen year olds should be having sex and you are not an exception. But I'm not going to punish you for doing something biological and normal. I am, however, going to punish you for everything else. I also hope you understand that despite my ability to recognize that kids have sex that doesn't mean I want it happening again. I also realize I can't stop you from having sex. I'm not going to follow you around 24- 7 but I hope you consider my strong recommendations against it. You maybe physically ready to be a father but you are not psychologically ready to be a father. And no matter how careful…or in this case NOT CAREFUL you are, pregnancy is always a possibility when you have sex."
River hung his head.
"Got it."
"Do you really?" Sam asked.
"Yes, sir."
Sam paced the few steps that were allowed in Jamie and River's room.
"So?"
River looked up. "Now?"
"Why not? What do you think is an equitable punishment."?
River had been thinking since the truck. He knew he had to be tough on himself; it's what his father expected. He also knew that this was a turning point in his relationship with his dad. Sam was trusting him to be honest with himself and to hold himself to the same standards that his family expected him to follow.
"Ground me for a month. I deserve that at least. Maybe, an essay on safe sex because really? That was dumb. And unfortunately, I think I need to get my ass whipped. I really, really don't want that. I don't. But it won't be fair unless you do it. I broke a lot of rules last night and if we broke them down one by one, I should be getting my ass handed to me consecutively. " River looked up at his father, "Not that I'm advocating consecutive lickings."
Sam seemed to think about it a moment he mulled it over and then came to his decision.
"Okay. I agree. Spanking. Writing. Grounding. In that order."
River nodded.
"But first you get a shower. I love ya kid. But I'm not touching that naked ass knowing where and what you've been doing all night."
River blushed. "Yes, sir."
XXX
The ass whipping was memorable. His dad always made sure that if he was going to smack River's ass, he was going to do a good job. River was pretty sure it was a Winchester thing. Because all of his family seemed to put a lot of effort in kicking their kid's asses. It was as if the Winchester name was synonymous with ass beatings. River did cry. He always did. And Dad did smack him bare assed, with his hand so he was doubly happy he had gotten the shower.
Writing the essay was a pain in the ass. Really. His chair was hard and his ass was sore. It also didn't help that Jamie was sitting in their room throwing crumpled up pieces of paper in his general direction throughout the entire writing ordeal. When that didn't get a rise from Jamie, he changed to spitballs. That was disgusting so River got up from his chair just long enough to gather the spitballs and shove them back into to Jamie's mouth. That was disgusting too but it seemed to do the trick. Jamie stopped harassing him. River got back to his essay.
For a moment.
"So did he whup you as hard as he would have if he'd been the one to come up with the punishment?" Jamie laced his hands behind his head and gazed up at the ceiling. He was still grounded and obviously there was nothing for him to do but torment River.
"I don't know, Jamie. How the hell does anyone know that? He beat my ass with his fucking bear mitts. Just like he always does and my ass is as red as a damn tomato. But is it worse than any other time? I don't know. It feels worse, but it always feels worse. I dunno."
"Was it worth it?"
River thought about it, "The sex was but I could have been a lot smarter. Dad wouldna walloped me for having sex. The other stuff? Well, it was a given. So I wouldn't have gotten high for one, 'cause I think that was the real reason he wore out my butt. I would have at least texted someone to tell them I was gonna be late. It wouldn't have changed much but ya'll wouldn't been worried. Maybe I woulda made sure I left before morning. But I don't know about that. Waking up with a naked girl nestled in your arms is a beautiful thing. I don't think I would have changed that. And that was worth the butt whipping. Still, I think he would gone a lot easier if I hadn't smoked the weed."
"Coulda told ya that shithead." Jamie grabbed a stinky sock and threw it at River this time.
River turned to Jamie. "One more thing hits my head and you and I are gonna dance. I don't care if you half broke my nose today. I don't care if I get another week added to my grounding. I don't care if I lose. I will punch you and it will hurt."
"Awe, I'm so scared." Jamie taunted but didn't throw anything else. River felt a little smug. He may not be Jamie Winchester but he was River Winchester and he could do a little damage.
"So Cuz, how long does the "keep it covered" essay have to be?"
"Don't know. He didn't say. I don't think it matters as long as I mention all the horrible things that can happen by having unprotected sex. I think I want to get really graphic on the syphilis part, cause I kind of want to gross him out. You know, Dad. He can hunt monsters day and but sick stuff, he can't stand."
Jamie nodded, his Uncle Sam didn't like his boys sick. He hovered like a mother hen. To think they might have something as gross as syphilis…well it would make him queasy. "But if you think about it, are there far worse things than having your dick fall off?"
"Maybe you should read this essay when I'm done, Jamie. Your dick doesn't fall off from syphilis. Still you are right, that would be pretty shitty. And there are totally worse things than that and I get that too." River typed for a few more moments and then hit enter and save. He printed two copies, one for his Dad and one for Jamie.
"Read and learn young Padawan."
Jamie grinned. "Hey, I'm not the one writing about STDs."
"True, but you are obviously mis-informed. I'm gonna take this down to Dad then be back up. This grounding stuff is boring as shit."
"I agree. After I read this lovely essay maybe we can tell ghost stories or something. It'll be great fun."
River canted his head at Jamie. "So how long are you grounded for punching my lights out?"
"Don't know. Dad's being a bitch about it and told me I'm grounded till he tells me different. So it's you and me and this room for a while."
River snorted and then gathered up his copy of the essay for his father.
It was going to be a long month but at least he would have his own private memories of Shaylee and he wasn't gonna share that with anyone.
Not even Jamie.
End.