To all readers:

I and my co-writing partner have decided to part ways writing together, so I will be taking over the entirety of writing this fic with the added characters of Jack, Tooth, and North previously played by WindChimeGhost (located on Archive of our own.) I have been sure to bold the last contributions to this chapter given by my co-writing partner to give her full credit for what she has written within this chapter.

I will do my best to keep the characters in the same vein outside the natural progression of change within relationships. We would write quite profusely, and I cannot promise that I can keep updating at the same clip, but I will do my best to try and maintain to the best of my ability.

(As a side note, look up this chapter on Archive of Our Own under my author name spankingfemme to see some awesome art done by deviant art artist: Silvery-Lady! The art is within the story's chapter!)

Chapter Forty-Four

Regret

Sandy had given Pitch enough dreamsand to knock him out well into late morning. Pitch blinked awake, and after a moment his stomach dropped as he remembered the events of last night. He clutched the covers to himself tightly tears springing to his eyes. He'd really messed up this time. Why hadn't he just let such silly notions go when he'd originally conceived them? Ever since the incident with Toothiana the day before, he'd been carrying around an ill temper not wishing to listen to reason.

He'd so fully convinced himself that he knew what was best and that isolating himself from those he cared about would be the best answer for all their sakes… because Pitch knew best. When did he ever know best? Pitch thought bitterly as he glanced at the painting on the wall that covered the strap. Maybe after last night, North knowing how he'd felt and why he'd done what he'd done, maybe he'd go a little easier on him like he did last time. Pitch cringed at the thought of getting another spanking. Why couldn't he just do what needed to be done to get himself out of a mess instead of digging a deeper hole?

Sixteen minutes passed by and then a knock on the door was heard.

Pitch hesitated a moment wondering if he should pretend to be asleep, but he knew that would likely not go over well, "Come in," he stated with an echo of the despair he was feeling.

The door opened and in walked North. "Are you awake?" he asked. "I came by earlier and you were still asleep."

"Yes," he stated quietly eyes dropping to his pillow.

North closed the door and walked to the side of the bed, taking a seat at the foot. "Feeling rested?"

Pitch nodded afraid to look over at North; his whole body tensed feeling the weight of the man settle on his bed.

"I think I've already said everything that can be said. Saying anything more would only result in me repeating things." said North.

Pitch grimaced feeling a wave of fear rush through him, so that was it, they were just going to get straight to it. Pitch swallowed hard looking back at the painting on the wall and thinking maybe if he went straight into the Cossack's lap while he was sitting, he wouldn't even think about the strap. But then maybe North was never planning on using the strap? Stars he was being such a coward! Pitch wanted to say so much more, but he felt frozen in time and place as he whimpered, "Please North! Know that I'm truly very sorry! I wasn't trying to escape punishment, I really only left because I was thinking it was the best for you guardians!"

"You still disobeyed. And what's more, you acted foolishly all because of your pride and a squabble that could have easily been sorted out by different means."

Pitch nodded, "I know. I promise in the future that it'll never come to this again of this I can swear." Pitch finally sat up his head poking out as his eyes flicked over nervously at North, but otherwise he was still buried under his covers as if they would somehow protect him from his fate to come.

North sighed wearily.

Pitch frowned sullenly the tears that had been standing in his eyes cascading down his cheeks, "Okay… you don't want to hear what I have to say… you just want to hear me scream in pain," he warbled slipping out of his sheets and inching towards the Cossack knowing North wanted him over his knee already. This was always one of the hardest parts to contend with, and Pitch always found it extremely difficult to submit at all let alone like this.

North scowled. "It is that smart attitude that continues to get you into this situation. You know very well that I hate doing this to you, but you continue to make me do it. For your information, I heard every word you spoke. I am not deaf. But no matter what you say, you are still getting spanking." North held out his hand to stop Pitch. "Before you put yourself across lap, I would like for you to fetch the strap for me, please."

Fetch it? His stomach lurched as he looked up mournfully at North seeing the man's stony expression insured that there was going to be no mercy for him today. Is that why North had asked him if he'd felt well rested? He wanted to make sure he was wide awake and fully alert for just this… no distractions permitted, just full attention to the reason why he was about to be upended and punished severely. His bottom clenched in remembered pain. He looked away from the Cossack then retreating inwardly as a wave of self-pity washed over him.

Pitch rose stiffly from the mattress shuffling slowly over to the wall. He hesitated looking back at North once more with a silent plea for pity, but there was nothing there but stern resolve. Pitch whimpered pathetically as he reached up and pulled the picture down setting it on the floor gently to unveil the sinister object hidden behind it. This was a new low to have to go get the implement of his pain… to 'fetch it' and bring it over to North, so the man could blister his rear end with it.

It was almost too much to comprehend that he was actually doing it. It was as if he were a puppet where some unknown force was enacting the necessary means to retrieve the strip of leather from the wall. His whole body was trembling now. He'd seen the strap up close, but this was the first time he'd actually held it in his hands. It was a wicked looking thing, and to hold it gave him a wave of nausea as he felt the weight of it and further horrible memories of its terrible bite filtered through his mind, imageries and sensations he'd wished he could forget. The pain had seared so deeply it was almost blinding. He memorized it all entirely too well.

His face was paler than normal, and his expression was marred with the anxiety he felt stricken with. The panic he was exhibiting had the fearlings that coursed within his veins thrumming excitedly sending his mind into a tide of numbness and draining much of the energy from him as they greedily pulled and siphoned fright from the core of his being leaving him feeling even weaker for it and showing in the pallor of his skin. It only meant he would feel the pain more Pitch knew because their lack of presence refused to give him strength to ignore it. If the fearlings had any kind of sentience verse being a latent endorphin, they would cheer at his personal misery.

He gripped the handle to his chest now with both hands on the verge of hyperventilating from the sheer fear of the consequences he was about to face. He bleated in his terror, "Please North! Can't… can't we just …can't we just use your hand?! I …I can't handle this again; it's too much!" Pitch was immobile next to the wall as he shook his head absently no, not in true defiance just the inability to fully accept his circumstances.

"Pitch, I grow tired of waiting." North simply replied.

Pitch whimpered as he timidly made his way over to North. He was sniffling his cheeks wet with a fresh wave of tears; Pitch looked quite miserable as he finally made it to North's side, "Please North... I'm so sorry!" He held the strap tightly to his chest now not wanting to extend it out to the Cossack.

Without saying a word, North reached out and took hold of the strap.

Pitch didn't resist North taking it, but he flinched looking rather stricken as his eyes followed the Cossack's hand. He couldn't help but to stumble back a few steps in his fear.

North put the strap down on the bed beside him and patted his lap.

Pitch stared down at North's lap and back up to North with sorrowful eyes; he knew this was coming, and just like a well learned routine, Pitch knew that North would lose patience with him if he didn't acquiesce. Hitching an inarticulate whine he inched towards the Cossack coming to his knees and reluctantly laying himself across his lap. He immediately clenched throwing his legs up to instinctively protect his rear end turning his head back to give North a pitiful pout. He was so afraid knowing he'd broken a cardinal rule by running away like he had, but he still hoped that North would see how distraught he was and take pity on him like he had before.

North wasted no time moving Pitch into place, pushing him forward so that he rested on his left knee. He pulled the Boogeyman's legs down to pin between his own.

Pitch trembled in anticipation hating that North did this all so fluidly without speaking a word to him. Pitch wanted so badly to resist, to kick and scream out his objections to this sort of treatment, but by this point, he knew such actions would only forestall the inevitable, and in the long run, he would pay far more dearly for it.

There was also the fact that as much as he hated to admit it, he should have known better. Pitch knew if he'd been caught and brought back to the Pole what he could expect, although he had hoped giving himself up willingly without a fight would have earned him a reprieve from the strap, but that wasn't going to be the case he'd quickly realized even though he'd practically been crying since North sat on his bed. Even with all the waterworks, North was unflinching in his perceived duty seemingly not to feel one iota of pity for Pitch no matter how he carried on and pleaded.

How very pathetic Pitch now felt sniveling like a babe over getting a spanking! It was a horrible blow to his very inflated ego, and now he was feeling very, very sorry for himself for what he was sure to face with no gained sympathy from the Cossack. Pitch wouldn't be sitting comfortably for a while he knew… at least being grounded to his room, he wouldn't have to. No, he'd just be spending that time laying on his stomach cursing the Cossack for making him so tender.

Pitch was now involuntarily arching his back as North adjusted his bottom trying, without success, to bring his buttocks down further to avoid getting swatted so thoroughly on the very sensitive under curves where his butt met his thighs (and consequently where he had to sit), but North just hefted him easily back where Pitch's bottom was prone to receive the strap falling most often on those very specific areas much to Pitch's dismay. North had become an expert at placement just as he had become an expert at pinning his legs, so that he couldn't interfere in any way. Pitch was helpless, and this elicited a cried string of, "No, no, no, no, no!" Pitch was not covering his rear with his hands, but they hovered to the sides of each cheek as a want to cover himself, barely willing himself not to obstruct the Cossack lest he be pinned further.

North casually scooped up Pitch's hands and pinned them to the small of his back.

Pitch moaned a protest, but knew better than to actually say how unfair he felt North pinning his hands were. After all, he hadn't actually tried to block North's efforts. Who was he fooling? Pitch sulked knowing that he likely would have tried to stop North as soon as the first swat fell. Still, being further immobilized just caused Pitch to let out a pitiful wail, "I'm sorry North! Please!" He didn't know why he kept apologizing like this as if it would suddenly and miraculously get through to North and he'd be forgiven without further recourse. Even Pitch knew that was never going to be the case, but the fear and anticipation spurred him on, and Pitch simply couldn't help himself from at least trying to lessen his punishment.

Once Pitch's hands were secure, North calmly and quietly pulled Pitch's robe back and pulled his pants down. He sighed, gathering himself together for the task before him.

Pitch had been straining to look over his shoulder at North, but as he saw him casually sweep his robe to the side and tug his pants down to bare him, Pitch found his morbid curiosity fade with the way his body jittered well aware of the next step to come. He was already blushing, and now he just had to turn away on the verge of hyperventilating because he didn't think he could handle watching that strap come up to strike him.

North raised the strap and brought it down across Pitch's backside.

Pitch wailed out as the electrifying jolt from the pain lit his nerves on fire and his body jerked involuntarily. The pain was just as horrible as he remembered it. His limbs flailed helplessly, captured as they were, and making Pitch moan in misery to be in his predicament. He was starting to regret very much stepping forward to return to the Pole after running away.

North did not pause as he continued to bring down a stream of evenly timed swats to Pitch's wriggling rear.

The thick leather's impact left an imprint that radiated deep into the tissue of his posterior making Pitch's eyes bulge as he screamed inarticulately in his agony. Every strap mark seared a need to escape the pain as he futilely kicked and bucked against the impossible force that North represented. He didn't even know why he fought, he wasn't capable of avoiding this outcome. It was involuntary Pitch supposed as his body couldn't help but to try to resist the punishment it was enduring, "Oh stars! North! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He cried feeling acutely his helplessness to feel the torture of being unable to stop what was happening to him and to know it would still be continuing for some time. North was quite upset with him for what he'd done, and Pitch was sobered by the realization he could expect no less than to leave this encounter full sore.

"So many I'm sorries, yet here we are Pitch. We are right back where we started, where you have put us. I plan to make sure this sorry will be quite meaningful whether you intend it or not," North stated frankly.

As the strap rained down again and again, Pitch couldn't help but retreat internally as he screamed and finally broke into sobs unable to think past the pain. It only took ten swats to bring him to a mess of watery pleas for mercy, but North seemed undeterred soldiering on in his task much to Pitch's dismay. Pitch looked over his shoulder as the eleventh strap came down, and he whimpered to see the pink and red splotches that decorated his once pale skin and to especially see the way his flesh cringed without the ability to move away or do anything but receive what it was given. He wasn't going anywhere he knew, but the visual confirmed it even more so.

The strap rose again, and Pitch watched as if in slow motion as it descended and crashed against already very tender flesh. He couldn't escape this… this horrible continued play of agony in his life Pitch realized. Somehow, he always ended up here, over North's knee, answering for his crimes. A fresh wave of tears spilled down his cheeks as Pitch sobbed collapsing limply now over North's knee giving in to what he knew North would not be denied. Pitch would take what the Cossack dolled out bleating miserable supplications for forbearance of the punishment he'd earned himself, but otherwise only wincing as a new stripe was applied to his aching reddened bottom that shook and clenched in anticipation of the next blow.

Sensing Pitch had lost most of the fight within him, North released Pitch's hands feeling no further need to restrain him so fully. The Russian shifted his quivering form with one beefy arm to balance once more on his knee where Pitch's squirming and writhing had had him sliding out of the range North aimed to tan. Once Pitch had been adjusted properly, North placed a hand on the small of Pitch's back and resumed the spanking.

Pitch sniffled thankful at first as North released his hands thinking he'd made it to the end of his excruciating punishment only to realize that no, this wasn't the end, North was just taking the time to realign his backside. He whimpered looking back with a pitiful frown as another bout of tears rimmed his eyes.

Pitch wanted it to be over; he hurt so badly! Something had to change, he couldn't keep going down this road and coming back to this! It was humiliating and humbling, but more so it was discouraging. Was there no hope for him? Would this be what awaited him around every corner? He wept in his despondency, "I didn't mean to… to upset you! I thought it was for the best that I left!" And he had; Pitch thought that his very presence had dampened the spirits of them all. He wasn't meant to be here with them. He hadn't deserved it from the start. The fact that North had brought him back was a kindness undue a monster like him. He blubbered now, "Why didn't you just leave me! You were better off without me!"

North slowed setting the strap to the side as he regarded Pitch with sad eyes. He didn't want to do this anymore, but the Boogeyman still had much to answer for. Even still, North no longer had the heart to use the strap, so he continued with his hand, "Pitch, I do not need to tell you that you are wrong; you know this already. I have already said you need help. You, you do not want to take help, so we are here to give it to you regardless of whether you agree to take it or not," he continued to lay heavy handed swat after heavy handed swat, "We will continue to give you what you need as long as you need it. I would like that to not just be my hand across your backside."

Pitch cringed, he'd like nothing more than to no longer be in the position of being across North's knee. He wasn't sure if North's words had made him happy to hear or not from their connotations. It did his heart well to know that the guardians hadn't given up on him even though he had in turn forsaken them. It was a light in the dark to the painful loneliness he'd felt sitting beside his lair in a fit of hopelessness. North's words gave him strength that even though he'd been so foolish to have left his family, they didn't abandon him and had no plans to no matter how badly he'd just screwed up.

Pitch was thankful for the small reprieve when the Cossack had switched from the strap to his hand although it made it harder not to think about each painful swat when the pain was not as intensely overwhelming to contend with. North had given Pitch twenty solid straps as he had the previous time, although this time was markedly worse as North continued the onslaught with steady hard calloused slaps to his very tenderized bottom. His eyes had promised this spanking was going to be a memorable one, and North was going to make doubly sure that Pitch didn't forget this lesson anytime soon. Pitch was assured that he wouldn't, by the stars he wouldn't! He cried pitifully mourning how much he hurt and how badly he felt both physically and emotionally.

North swatted Pitch another ten swats before he stopped hearing the hiccupped cries Pitch gave in his pained sorrow. He sighed looking at Pitch draped over his knee and rocking with heaving sobs. The point had been well made, and North felt Pitch had learned his lesson. The Cossack lightly pulled his pants back into place and gently helped Pitch up to turn around and face him.

Pitch's hands covered his face as he continued to shudder convulsive tears unable to pull himself from the internal torment he was feeling. He'd barely realized that North had finished spanking him until he felt the chafe of his garments being pulled up to cover his very enflamed flesh. He let himself be guided up off of North's knee quietly turned to face North now. He still trembled trying to correlate what was happening now as he fought to control the many hot tears that spilled from him like a river stream. He was just grateful the horrible ordeal of coping with getting his backside blistered was finally over.

North pulled Pitch to sit in his lap with his bottom off of his knee, so Pitch was not uncomfortable. He pulled the smaller man into his chest and just held him while he bawled out his anguish.

Pitch cried uncontrollably for long minutes not just from how his posterior stung, (although that was worth many shed tears) he wept as he was pulled into the warmth of the Cossack's forgiving arms because he felt and knew now that he was still cared for. Arms he had been so sure would be barred to him after he'd left still embraced him affectionately. He hadn't realized just how much he'd grown to rely on the compassion of the guardians and needed their companionship.

Pitch buried his face into North's shoulder hitching sobs and feeling pathetic for letting himself cry like this, but he was compelled as the hand that had so brutally punished him was now gently rubbing his back in a show of kindness to extinguish his inner anguish. The benevolence only made it harder for him to stop crying. His hand clung to North's shirt as Pitch's tears soaked North's shoulder in gasping shutters.

North waited patiently for Pitch to calm.

Pitch finally quieted his sobs lifting himself from North's chest still sniffling with a tormented look painted on his face. Pitch's eyes laid in his lap staring at his hands as his whole body slumped in his weariness feeling drained from the physical exertion as well as the emotional roller coaster.

North guided his chin towards him wanting the nightmare lord's full attention when he addressed him further, "Pitch, I know you are upset, but I want you to listen to me. Can you do that?"

Pitch's eyes flicked up to regard North as he nodded lightly sniffling and wiping at his face as he tried to get himself under control.

"I was angry with you before, and I let myself lose patience. So let us try to start with fresh page, both of us," North patted his knee, "Slate is clean. You are forgiven, da? Just, no more running. We want you to stay here with us. This is not just to keep you prisoner Pitch, you belong here, with us. We are your family Pitch, and you may not realize it, but this is home for you now. Not old lair. Am I clear?"

Fresh tears spilled down Pitch's face as he nodded hitching out a, "Ya-yes! No …no more running I swear!" North's words were something he'd been needing to hear for some time, to feel like he not only belonged but that they wanted him here more than just to keep him from making mischief and to keep tabs on him. He'd suspected in his heart that this was true, but to hear it and know for certain sent a wave of contentment through Pitch.

North nodded, "Good. You still have grounding to go through. I thought to give you one more week for running away, but I think you have learned lesson well enough from warmed bottom. If not, your bottom will suffer far worse spanking when I catch you."

Pitch sniffed as he nodded responding eagerly, "Yes, I …I have. It won't happen again, I assure you!" Pitch wanted to be sure North felt his commitment as he had already suffered the bite of the strap, and he really didn't want to also endure an extended stay in his room.

He reached back now to tenderly rub his sore backside feeling the heat radiating through the fabric of his clothes. His swollen cheeks twinged at the reminder of what he'd so recently gone through and the threat of further punishment if he were ever so foolish to run away again. He really had no desire to ever run away again not just because of the warning (although it packed enough incentive to be sure!) It was because he had felt so awful to be all alone again.

That brief stint away from the guardians opened his eyes to just how happy living with them had made him, they treated him well, save for the punishments. Although, he knew deep down that he'd brought them on himself and had deserved each and every one of them much to his chagrin.

North seemed satisfied by Pitch's show of contrition as he reached back on to the bed to grab the strap and held the handle out to Pitch, "Go. Put back on wall."

Pitch grimaced sliding carefully off the Cossack's leg to take the proffered handle feeling his cheeks flush with the embarrassment as he made his way back to the wall. He stared at the nail now reminded of the day that North had originally placed it there about a week ago… when he'd last received a strapping. He hung the strap picking up the painting keen on burying the sight of the dreaded object once more.

"No." North shook his head.

Pitch paused in surprise his eyes darting warily back to North now trying to understand what he was saying no to.

"No painting there. Pitch, I put strap on wall to remind you to behave. Putting painting over strap defeats the purpose," North stated firmly.

Pitch looked back with a fierce pout at the strap now hanging boldly on the wall before turning his gaze down to his painting moping rather despondently now to learn he was in fact going to have to constantly be reminded of the tool North fashioned purposefully to discipline him with.

Now anyone who came in his room would also know full well the purpose of such an item hung on his wall. It was humiliating! Pitch dropped the painting unceremoniously on the floor next to the wall. He grumbled irritably as he walked back to the bed, "I don't know why I have to physically see it! It's not like I don't know it's still there!"

The Cossack was lightning fast as he stood grabbing Pitch by the bicep and giving him two harsh swats.

Pitch gasped his whole body going rigid as the calloused hand was applied reigniting the flame he already was feeling. He yelped out whipping his head around to give North a shocked hurt expression.

North frowned down with a stern glare, "I have had enough of your attitude, Pitch. This is what gets you in most trouble with other guardians. I have been lenient on you for too long. I will not tolerate any more disrespect for me or for other guardians. You will learn to consider what you say before it comes out mouth, or I will help you reconsider it very quickly. Am I understood?"

Pitch swallowed hard nodding as fresh tears welled in his eyes and the frown he wore wavered on his face. He knew he'd better heed North's warning if he didn't want to be getting swatted every time he turned around. North was right though, and this too made Pitch want to cry. Pitch knew that he had to change the way he spoke to others or learn to keep his negativity to himself. There was better ways to express himself, he usually just preferred directness which usually accounted to the same thing as being rude for Pitch.

North grunted giving a curt nod and releasing his hold on Pitch's bicep, "Sit." North sat himself as he said this.

Scrambling forward, Pitch was quick to comply climbing up on his bed and gingerly planting his butt next to North. His face was the picture of misery as he mumbled, "I …I'm sorry. It… just seeing it up there… it…" he couldn't bring the words that he felt to light as he blushed fiercely.

"It is reminder, Pitch. If you do not see it, how will it remind you?"

Pitch whined, "But everyone else will see it too!" He knew North well enough that his plea would fall on deaf ears, but Pitch still held out some small hope the Cossack would take pity on him.

"Whose fault is this? Pitch, you brought punishment down on your head many times and strap was made because of this. Besides, all guardians already know you get spanked on bum when you are naughty. This is no secret. Why big fuss if they see it?" North queried.

It's …it's embarrassing! That's why!" Pitch visibly cringed at North's words. Of course he knew that all the guardians were well aware of the way he was punished. Almost all of them had even participated in one way or another by either bringing North a switch or physically giving him a swat of their own. Even Toothiana had swatted him, and she'd been adamantly against it before he'd managed to change her mind on the subject (which still shamed him to no end.) Pitch needed to make amends with her once this was all said and done he knew, but the thought of confronting her now made his stomach twist into knots.

North sighed, "Pitch, let embarrassment help you learn to think before acting. You will not cover it again. If I see you hide strap, you will get spanking. No more discussion on matter."

Pitch frowned more deeply deciding it was definitely best to drop the subject since it was obvious North wasn't going to budge on the matter. Instead, Pitch sighed in defeat as he plucked at the stray fibers in his comforter and tried to ignore the constant throbbing pain his rear was in as he shifted uncomfortably. His eyes moved up to look at North to see the Cossack peering down at him with an unreadable expression. His brow furrowed as he grew suddenly self-conscious, "Wha-what?"

North shook his head giving Pitch a smile, "Nothing. I was just looking at you and thinking everything will be okay. Sometimes I worry, we would not get through to you, but do you know what I see, Pitch?"

Pitch's eyes were wide with interest as he shook his head no.

"Hope. I see hope for you, Pitch," North inched over a little closer to Pitch and wrapped a massive arm around the smaller form and pulled the nightmare lord up flush beside him.

Pitch flinched a bit from the chafing as he was bodily moved across the bed, but he easily relaxed against North thinking on what he'd just said as he sank into the Cossack's embrace with a deep sigh. He was silent for a moment while he let the comment sink in, "Do you… do you really think so?"

"I do. For so long I had thought you needed to believe in us, but what I've discovered is that you need to believe in you even more," North patted Pitch's chest gently over his heart as he said this, "If you can find strength here; you will be just fine. And we will always be here to help guide you along the way if you should ever need us."

Pitch's chest tightened feeling tears prick his eyes, but these tears were not woeful tears, they were tears of joy at hearing North believed in him, "Thank you," he said with a cracking voice.

North and Pitch sat in silence for a long moment before North finally rose from the bed drawing his arm away and giving Pitch a soft squeeze on the shoulder, "I must go tend to business, Pitch."

Pitch nodded forlornly knowing that this moment had to come sooner or later, and as much as he didn't wish to be alone, North had work to do.

Seeing Pitch's sad face, North felt the need to add, "I will come back later to check on you. I have been thinking; we will make point to dine together every night. This is good for you, and I think you have liked it most times. It will be good time for us to spend together. Does this sound good to you?"

Pitch looked up as a small smile appeared on his face. He nodded, "I …I think I would like that."

North gave a curt nod and a broad smile, "Good to hear, Pitch. I will see you tonight then." The Cossack said no more as he lumbered to the door, walked out, and shut the door softly behind him.