"Well. I agree." Mr. Anderson said simply.
Blaine stared ahead. His dad continued.
"I had a feeling something was up. But that's a whole lot of lying Blaine."
Blaine braced himself. This was it.
"Yes sir."
"Now what do you think my father would have done if I was in the tenth grade, drinking alcohol at a party with no parents home, and lying about it every step of the way."
Blaine stopped breathing, eyes wide in a panicked looked to his dad. This was the worst possible scenario. His dad was going to use his belt.
Seeing Blaine's ashen face, Mr. Anderson softened. It wasn't worth torturing him, he clearly felt bad enough. "Blaine. I'm not... going to do that. -This time." he amended, for good measure. "I'm not my father. And you're not me. Or Greg. You're barely sixteen and sometimes... teenagers make mistakes. Even I make mistakes. And honestly? There is a part of me that would really like to- give you a taste of your grandfather's medicine for this behavior- but it would be a mistake. I punish you because you need to learn right from wrong, not because I need to get my anger about it out at you. And besides, it can't have been easy to admit you did wrong. That goes a long way with me."
Blaine blinked hard at the tears sneaking into his eyes. His father had never said anything like that to him before. All he wanted was for his dad to be proud of him and it killed him that he had messed up so much.
Mr. Anderson looked away, pretending not to notice the tears. He really didn't want to go through with anything now. Usually if there was going to be any heart-to-heart in these situations it was after the culprit had been chastised. He sighed.
"That said, you shouldn't be drinking. It's illegal and you kids are lucky you didn't end up with alcohol poisoning or something. And well, ...you know my policy on lying, so..." he let the words hang in the air, "... you will be punished, in the... usual way."
Blaine sniffed, putting on a brave face as he absorbed all this.
"...Yes sir." he said, very quietly.
"And I'm afraid you've lost your weekend privileges next week."
Blaine nodded, biting his lip. It was a wonder his dad was entertaining "weekend privileges" at any point in the future.
Mr. Anderson patted his son's leg. "Okay, then. We should... get this over with."
Obedient, Blaine slipped out of bed and stood in front of his dad. This was going to suck, but there was something comforting in- the ritual of it all. No more wondering what was next.
Blaine stared at his dresser while his dad pulled his sweats down past his knees. He took a breath and forced himself to crawl over his father's lap. He closed his eyes at the familiar embarrassment of feeling a hand touch to his waist and lift his navy boxer briefs up and off his bottom until they too, were scrunched up around his knees. He felt a large hand, resting heavy on his rear.
"Blaine, I don't like doing this, but you have to learn that telling the truth isn't an option in this house. It's an expectation."
"Yes sir." Blaine whispered, eyes still shut.
Mr. Anderson tightened his grip on Blaine's back, lifted his hand, and began spanking him.
Blaine tried, desperately, to be stoic as he felt each sharp slap. Truth be told Mr. Anderson wanted this over sooner rather than later, so he was probably spanking a little harder than usual in an effort to get through it quicker. It stung, bad, but Blaine wasn't about to whine or complain. He deserved punishment, and something in him was relieved to not have to carry around the guilt anymore.
Try as he might not to squirm though, the sensation of being swatted in the same places over and over again built a smarting heat all across his bottom, the intensity of which eventually got his legs involuntarily twisting in protest. A series of stifled whimpers filled the air, in spite of his efforts. He looked at the floor, steadying himself by holding onto the leg of the chair. It was a familiar position, one he did fairly well at avoiding most of the time. Now that Greg was in college, he was pretty sure his father wouldn't threaten him with this position anymore, but it would remain for a few more years yet for Blaine. Feeling his father's hand slap hard from cheek to cheek right now, Blaine had to admit- it was a persuasive punishment. It hurt, but above all it was a position that made him feel like a child, and that is why it worked so well. Embarrassed tears trickling down his face, he felt, as he always did at this moment, that he would do anything to avoid another trip over his father's knee again.
Mr. Anderson had been listening for those tears, watching for the moment when the tension fell out of Blaine's back and he simply submitted to the punishment. Relieved, though he would never admit it, Mr. Anderson was ready to drive the point home and then set the poor kid free.
"Blaine Gabriel Anderson SMACK What is the punishment SMACK for lying SMACK SMACK in this house?"
Blaine choked a sob. "Hmm. A sp-spanking sir."
Mr. Anderson nodded. "Are you SMACK going to be SMACK telling your mother SMACK and I SMACK any more lies SMACK anytime soon? SMACK SMACK"
Blaine had lost all ability for stoicism by this point. "Owwwwwwwwwwww. I owww n-nooo sirrrrr. I'm sorry Dad. I'm sorry." And with that Blaine began full out sobbing, the way he did when he'd been punished as a little kid. Over the years he had tried to hold onto some little bit of dignity in these situations- it was embarrassing enough to be still getting spanked in high school. But right now he just wanted to cry out all the guilt and embarrassment, everything. He wanted to cry about how confused that stupid kiss with Rachel left him, and about how his father probably loved Greg more. He wanted to cry about how badly he'd wanted Kurt's friends to like him and how he maybe wouldn't even have tried to lie to his parents if it hadn't meant that much to him. He wanted to cry about snow shoveling and laundry and his mother's voice suggesting his father couldn't trust him.
He was crying so much he barely registered the touch of his father's hand, pulling his underwear back up.