Author's Note: Thank for all the views, reviews, favorites, and followers! I never expected my first fanfiction to have this many views. I have had almost close to 900 views since I posted his story. I have been reading fanfiction for more than ten years, but I never got the time to write any of my own till now. I will continue to update the story as it continues. I'm just having a hard time writing about spanking because I have never been spanked, seen a spanking in person, or given one. I love the idea of being spanked, but know I might not experience that for a while. Therefore, it is hard to write about a bonding story with spanking as a non-sexual way of disciplining. While I am one the topic, there will be spanking in this chapter, so stop reading this chapter if you do not like that. I just want to say that I appreciate all the views and hope for your continued support as this story goes one. Thank you!

Chapter 4

Downstairs, Eugene was lost in his thoughts as the father and son duo talked upstairs. 'Am I really the best choice to be this kid's mentor? I know Rapunzel is trying to help, but maybe someone else is more fitting to be a . . . mentor. Even Cassandra – ugh – better suited to mentor then me. I used to be a criminal for most of my life and I still am trying to stay away from those bad habits now. Can I really help this kid?' He was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts as he heard heavy footsteps coming down.

As the two continued down, Eugene took in the scene more clearly. Quirin had his hands on his son's shoulder, leading him into the room. His face had this strange look, a mix trying to be firm and gentle at the same time. Varian looked embarrassed and anxious, knowing what was to come.

Varian was so ashamed of himself. He got himself into this mess and now he was going to be punished for it in front of his idol. He will never be able to earn his new mentor's respect now. He probably thought he was a trouble making kid pretending to be something he's not. He's most likely going to return me home when this plan doesn't work. Then I will not be able to do alchemy for a long time. 'All this is happening just because I wanted to prove myself to the town! To my . . . dad.'

Quirin let go of Varian and placed an armless wooden chair in the middle of the living room. He then crooked his finger at Varian and sternly called, "Come here, Varian." Slowly, the boy started to near his father and soon he was standing in front of him, his face cast downwards.

His father steadfastly said, "Son, look at me." The lad raised his eyes to meet his father's. "Varian, you are being punished for breaking some rules and endangering yourself and the town, correct?" The boy, his voice filled with guilt, responded back, "Yes." His father continued on, "When I first allowed you to pursue your interests in alchemy, you agreed to follow my rules, correct?" Quietly, Varian simply nodded his head. "The most important rules were to always run your experiment ideas by me before your start them and to always be safe. Today, you broke both of those rules and risked the town's safety. Do you have anything to say in yourself?" The boy simply shook his head, knowing his defense will not change anything coming to him.

With that, Quirin told hold of Varian by his elbow and pulled him over his lap. The lad found himself in a familiar position with his stomach facing down and his bottom facing up. Soon he felt his father pull down his breeches and bared his backside. Varian groaned in response and tucked his face away in the crook of his arms, awaiting the first blow.

Luckily or unluckily, he did not have to wait for long before his father lifted his powerful and delivered a powerful swat. Varian let out a cry, but his father continued laying down more smacks. The young lad continued to whimper and cry out as the pain in his bottom soon turned into a burning fire. Soon, he was writhing and squirming in a useless attempt to get away from his father's hand of steel.

"Varian, stop moving so much or else," Quirin warned him, but the boy was too busy to pay attention to his father's voice. In return, Quirin decided to speed things along since Varian was being so unruly. He pulled Varian forward a bit and lifted his right leg to make the young lad's sit spots an easy target for his hand.

Varian was thankful for the small pause in his chastisement until he felt himself being shifted. He immediately recognized the new position he was in and started to protest in return. "Dad! Please not there! I'll do better! I promise!" he cried out in distress.

Quirin sighed and said, "I'm sorry, son. Nevertheless, it must be done. I hope you are willing to keep that promise after your punishment is done." With that said, he continued on spanking, this time concentrating his aim at the young alchemist's sit spots and the tops of his thighs.

Varian's cries reached a new level in volume as he squirmed across his father's lap. His rebellious legs continued to kick up until they reached a dangerous intensity. His father finally decided to ask for reinforcements.

Eugene was so busy watching this punishment being carried out, he almost didn't hear Quirin call out for him. "Eugene, I need you to hold down Varian's legs for a while." The younger man was tense about helping out Quirin with his son's . . . spanking, but he decided before he put his own butt at risk.

Eugene went over to the two and held down Varian's struggling legs, allowing his father's hand to start again. He tried to ignore the fact he was helping someone get spanked and closed his eyes hoping to forget that detail. However, even his closed eyes could not shut out the cries of pain and the sounds of hand hitting skin.

Varian too busy crying to realize his father stopped his spanking once more. He was too deep into his sobbing to notice anything else but the burning inferno in his bottom. It wasn't till he felt rough hands hold his legs down that he realized something was happening. He did not have too much time to dwell on the fact before his small reprieve ended and his spanking started up again, this time on his still sensitive cheeks.

After a few more minutes of relentless spanking, Quirin finally decided to end the spanking with one final round. He stopped the spanking and pulled out something from his fur vest. He pulled out a heavy wooden hairbrush, large enough to cover each one of Varian's bright red cheeks in only two spanks. He tapped the wooden implement a few time on its intended target before speaking, "Varian, because this is the second time you put the town in danger with another foolhardy idea of yours, this calls for a harder punishment then just my hand.

Varian felt something tap his bottom and he turned around to see his father holding the dreaded hairbrush. It's only been used on him when he breaks the rules more than once or puts himself in danger. Even so, the young scientist clearly remembers it's sting and does not want to again.

"Dad, please not the hairbrush! I've learned my lesson! I'll do anything, just don't use the hairbrush," Varian pleaded, but his father ignored his protests and started to apply the tool to his backside.

Eugene was hoping for this disciplining to end soon, because he was starting to get uncomfortable in his crouched position holding down the boy's legs down. He had the perfect view to witness the ongoing spanking and he did not like to hear or see this punishment happen from such a close position.

Making sure to not leave any part untouched, Quirin used the hairbrush to cover Varian's entire bottom in one last cycle. After the last few spanks were applied to the sit spots and upper thighs, he finally stopped the long spanking. He placed the hairbrush the nearby dining table and signaled the ex-thief to let go of Varian's now limp legs. Eugene went back to his seat now that his job was done.

Varian was still sobbing from his long appointment with his father's hand and hairbrush. He did not even realize his spanking was even over until he felt his father's fingers rub small ovals on his sore backside. Soon, his cries quieted down to just sniffling. This was when Quirin lifted Varian up and held him carefully in his lap, taking great effort to make sure his pained bottom did not touch anything just yet. Quirin held Varian in his arms and quietly said, "Your punishment is over and you are forgiven now. The town might not forgive you for a while, but I have and that is all that matters. No more beating yourself over it like the last time, understand?" Varian simply nodded in response.

Before Eugene could ponder over the older man's words, Quirin got up with his son still in his arms. Varian held on to his father, wondering what was going on. The man walked over to where Eugene was sitting at the dining table and deposited the young boy into his arms. Surprised, the young adult awkwardly held Varian similar to how he saw Quirin held him a few minutes ago.

"Eugene, hold on to Varian for a bit while I finish making dinner," Quirin commanded before going to the kitchen without waiting for a response. Varian turn red as he realized his hero not only saw him getting spanked like a little brat, but he also held his legs down and now he was being held by him. 'Great! Now he'll think I'm a big baby!" the lad thought to himself. Eugene was panicking as he thought, 'I'm never going to be able to be a good mentor if I can't even comfort him while holding him.'

The two sat in silence a few more minutes as Quirin continued to prepare dinner in the kitchen. He hoped his plan for Eugene and Varian to bond will work or else this mentorship idea might not work out.