Stefan woke up in his own room with no memory of how he's gotten there. The last thing he remembered was lying naked, across Damon's lap with his bared bottom getting wacked by Lexi's hairbrush. Now he was back in his own room wearing boxers and a t-shirt. What was most concerning was the state of his bottom. While still very sore, he knew it should be hurting a lot worse after a session with that nasty green hairbrush.
He slipped into the bathroom and checked in the mirror. He was very surprised at what he saw. While his upper thighs were still covered in welts and bruises from the strap, the rest of his punishment spots were bereft of bruises and blisters. The skin was still very irritated and pressing his hand on the red marks revealed his backside was sizzling hot, it was nowhere near as bad as it should be. His sit spots were the darkest, sorest, and hottest, but Stefan might actually be able to sit down without tearing up.
Stefan dropped back down on his bed, laid on his front, and reached behind to rub his sore bottom.
The snow storm hadn't let up and Stefan had to redo his chemistry extra credit. And, knowing Damon, he'd be doing it on a hard chair. His big brother had been watching him squirm over the past few days with a very satisfied smile. He wasn't sure if he believed Damon was telling the truth about not liking having to spank Stefan so often this time around, but he knew Damon enjoyed watching Stefan suffer consequences. During the more peaceful bouts of their doomed brotherhood, Damon had often grumbled that Lexi spoiled him.
Since moving back to Mystic Falls, he'd taken to pretending that Lexi only spanked him when it came to controlling the ripper. But now that he found himself beholden his strict brother again, it was hard to hold onto that wonderful delusion. There had never been a time in his life where he didn't have a heavy handed adult to answer to. At least since he was two or so, anyway.
Granted, unless she was dealing with the ripper, Lexi wasn't terribly strict with him. Her household rules for him were pretty simple and few: try not to kill when feeding, don't lie, and obey her. And since Stefan had spent the last seventy or so years feeding exclusively on animals, that first rule was more symbolic than anything.
Stefan was very respectful when she took him over her knee, but she didn't require it from his or anyone else in her household. Hadn't. She was dead now. And, unlike most teenage vampires in households, he was allowed to live by himself and decide how he wanted to live, unfettered for the most part. While Lexi brought her hairbrush every time she visited him, Stefan had rarely found himself under it since the 50's. The rest of her household was firmer with him, but not much. At least by Damon Salvatore's standards.
When they were human, Damon was very strict to protect him from Father. During their first decade as a vampires, Damon's strictness was another aspect of his personality that became intensified. And so had Stefan's general obedient nature and desire to please his big brother. After the initial newbie rush had faded, they'd fallen into only a slightly more intense version of their human brotherhood. Sure, Damon took more control. But Stefan had be happy to give it to him, eager to make up for his mistakes with Katherine and forcing Damon to transition.
Lexi had prevented Damon from going too hard on him, but she'd wanted them to work, so she didn't interfere with Damon's ever increasing control too much. He's my brother Damon would say when she glared at him after one of their more sound disciplinary sessions, and if he chooses to defy me, I'll punish him as severely as I think he needs. Not to mention, at the end of the day, Lexi was extremely pragmatic - a tight leash kept the ripper in check.
Stefan didn't need to be told twice when Damon decided he was due for a warm bottom. Damon had justifiably promised Stefan an eternity of misery. Stefan was happy to submit to anything if it meant they'd stay together.
Damon eventually gave up on Stefan.
One morning, after smacking Stefan for being rude, Damon put in him a corner. Then he went out for a drink. He never returned. Stefan had stayed in that corner for a month, waiting for his brother to return, ready to offer him anything just to stay.
Lexi was the one who finally found and freed him. It was his birthday. She took him into her household and they were a family until Damon killed her. Then Damon stole her hairbrush and waited a few weeks before taking Stefan in hand. His grand plan was to vampire marry Katherine and make Stefan join their household. Katherine was nowhere in sight, but Stefan still found himself in Damon's household, getting his butt tanned over an over. Not to mention the ever growing list of rules.
Stefan's fingers itched to write all about it in his journal. But putting it down on paper would make it real and not an absurd nightmare.
He set the flat of his palm on his right under curve, the sorest bit of his punished skin, and gingerly pressed down. The pain flared up enough to ake him hiss, but after a moment, the hot sting under his hand faded almost completely. It was a trick he'd picked up when he was human. Now that the worst part of his well-spanked skin didn't hurt so much, he used his other hand to sooth the rest of his swollen skin.
The burn felt fresh and his bottom was still burning hot. And it would take hours upon hours for it start to cool down some. And it would be days before the redness faded. Worst of all, the rubbing did very little help him deal with his well-smacked bottom. But a little bit of relief was better than no relief, so he kept rubbing and rubbing.
If he could behave for the rest of the weekend, by Monday he'd only have to deal with welts on his thighs. He hated the idea of squirming on his seat at school, particularly so when thinking about his upcoming lunch detentions with Mr. Baker.
"You brood too much." Stefan turned around to see his brother walking towards him. He wasn't holding anything, so Stefan felt mostly safe keep relaxing on stomach and rub away. "I could hear your anguished thoughts all the way in the kitchen."
Stefan didn't feel up to risking a swat, so he kept his mouth closed.
Damon twisted his desk chair around, sat down, and patted his knee. Stefan feared the loop even more than Lexi's brush. Without a word, he got off the bed and walked over to his big brother. Damon's hand was on the small of his back and he was guiding Stefan to lie over his knee before Stefan could get into his pre-spanking stance.
"What do you remember about your last spanking?"
"You said you'd reacquaint me with the consequences of behaving like a spoiled brat, sir," Stefan said. He kicked a leg and hoped he wasn't going to get tanned again.
"We'll get to that." Stefan swallowed as Damon cupped his bottom cheek, "but what about during the spanking? You zoned out a little at the end."
"We went over my rules." Stefan clenched his cheeks and squirmed. He probably was going to get another tanning for being brat. Damon hated bratty children and never tolerated it from his baby brother. He might make Stefan cut a switch. Stefan would deserve it, too. He knew better.
Damon pulled him out of his thoughts with a pair sharp swat on his thighs. He pushed those welts in deep and Stefan moaned unhappily. "How much do you remember?"
"Not much," Stefan admitted. The pain had gotten to be too much. Mostly he just remembered his guilt and his shame. He needed to apologize. "I'm sorry for being a brat, sir."
"You're forgiven," Damon said. Stefan felt some tension melt out of his body. Damon replaced it with embarrassment. "I think we should write them down," he sounded nearly gleeful, "I'll get a dry eraser board and hang it in your closet, right next to your strap." Stefan could his brother doing just that. He'd probably write 'Rules to Keep Stefan from Being Naughty' or something equally horrifying.
There was no use trying to fight down the blush. "You'd run out of space," he said, half-heartedly, "I had dozens of rules last time I was in your household. You'll probably have hundreds planned now."
Damon laughed. He started to rub Stefan's sore cheeks. It felt so much better when Damon's palm was the ones soothing the smarting skin. "I'll get a notebook," he said as he patted Stefan rear gently. "You'll keep it on your desk at all times."
"Can you just tell we my next punishment is already?" Stefan snapped. He felt Damon raise his hand. He quickly added, "Sir. Please. I'm sorry for being rude."
Damon set his hand on the small of Stefan's back. "Watch your tone, Stef. Next time these," he tugged at the waistband of Stefan's underwear, "come down before my hand does."
"Yes, sir," Stefan said.
"You're doing really well, little brother," Damon said. Stefan turned around and gave him an incredulous look. "I'm making this hard, but your behavior has been improving rapidly." Stefan folded his arms and buried his face in them and shoved down the sickening pride he felt at the praise. He knew he couldn't afford to give Damon even more power. But everything inside of him desperately wanted to please his big brother. "And I'm about to make things much worse for you." Stefan squirmed some more, but Damon easily kept him firmly on his knee. "Good thing I healed you." Damon was patting Stefan's bottom gently. "I'm probably going to need to warm this up again before we're done here."
Stefan had zoned out during his last spanking. But he did have a vague sense memory of Damon gently scolding him while taking away his pain. Stefan bit his lip, shoving his thank you, sir down as deep as he could.
"I confiscated your credit and debit cards," Damon said, "and I'm putting you on an allowance."
"That was a joke!" Stefan said.
"Giving your limitless access to money is part of the reason why you've become so spoiled," Damon said. He was a maddening dictator but somehow managed to sound like a reasonable parent. "And you'll be earning the allowance with chores."
"That's not fair!" Stefan said. Damon slipped off his boxers down to his ankles before giving it to him. He spanked briskly, giving him three full rounds of hard, stingy slaps with the palm of his hand. Stefan huffed, "s'not." Damon lifted his knee. Alarmed and afraid for his sit spots, Stefan said, "I'm sorry, sir!"
"You will be," Damon said. Instead of punishing Stefan with that awful circuit of his, Damon focused exclusively of extra sensitive crease where Stefan's thighs met his cheeks. Left, right, then left again. The blows were hard enough so that Stefan had to bite his cheeks to hold in his gasps. "Who leads this household?"
"You," Stefan groaned as Damon started to twist his wrist with each punishing smack, "sir."
"Who earns the money?" Damon asked.
"You, sir," Stefan said. He gave up on holding in his sounds. Damon was pounding in pain and heat and it hurt so much. Last time Stefan tried to help Damon with the various Salvatore business investments, Damon had snapped his neck and tossed him out a six story building. Now he was paddling Stefan's sore sit spots with his strong arms and hard palm. It was so unfair, but he was helpless to do anything but accept his bottom being warmed and his freedom being curtailed.
Without pausing his punishing rhythm, Damon wrapped his arms around Stefan's middle and pulled him close. "This was going to be temporary, but I've decided to make it permanent." He drove his point home with about a dozen hard smacks on each sit spot. By the time the last crisp spank on bare skin echoed loudly, Stefan's shoulders were shaking from his tears.
Damon began to massage the knots out of Stefan's shoulders. Stefan wanted to lean in and accept the comfort, but he didn't trust it. He kept still. But the knots began to dissolve under Damon's ministrations. Despite everything, his body trusted his big brother.
"You'll be getting two hundred dollars of tax free money a week," Damon said, "more than enough to take Elena out. If you need or, god forbid, want, anything, all you have to do is ask." He moved his hands down to gently rub Stefan's inflamed sit spots. It felt so good Stefan wanted to die from it. "Your numerous hair products and school supplies will always be on me. It won't be so bad, little brother."
The spanking had been extremely effective. Stefan didn't feel like fighting him on this anymore. "Yes, sir. What are my chores?"
"Dusting your room, for starters," Damon said, sounding affectionate and human, "you packrat. If you're going to keep so many useless things around, you can keep them clean. And start mopping in here at least once a week."
Stefan supposed that was fair, but he wasn't done sulking yet. "I'm not ironing."
"I wouldn't let you," Damon said, "you suck at laundry and the only nice clothes you have are from me." That was true. He'd long since stopped bothering to buy his own dress clothes. They always end up in the trash and he'd have to listen to his brother complain about his lack of taste. "I'll do the deep cleaning, but I expect you to do the daily upkeep and keep the kitchen you're always using spotless."
Damon suddenly gave him a volley of quick smacks, teaching his every inch of his spanking spots. Stefan yelped in surprise. "And if even catch you buying any cleaning supplies," Stefan did like to buy the store brand stuff just to annoy Damon, "I'll spank you ever night for a week."
"Yes, sir." He would give up that small pleasure to avoid even more trips across Damon's knee. But there was something Stefan was curious about. "Why do you even care so much?"
"You're a vampire bunny whose powers haven't grown in decades," Damon said, "while mine been have aging like a fine wine. I think I'm beginning to be able to see the bacteria growing in here." He smacked steadily Stefan for a few minutes, punishing both his cheeks and thighs. They weren't especially hard, but they convinced Stefan to start dusting every goddamn day. "I don't care if we can't get sick, it's gross."
"Yes, sir," Stefan said between sniffs. The gentler spanks were still spanks and they added up and stung his throbbing backside.
Damon wore him out for a few more minutes before pulling his underwear back up. The soft cotton felt like sandpaper against his freshly tenderized skin. Damon squeezed his shoulder while Stefan gently reached to rub his sit spots. "I'm giving you the day off from your extra credit." He started to look pained as he continued, "Please tell Caroline I'll let you get back on the football field if she stops harassing me via email. She's sending me articles about how I'm ruining your personal development by keeping you away from enriching hobbies. And she roped Matt into texting me about how sad you'll be if you let the team down. Any minute now, I'm expecting Tyler Fucking Lockwood to show up on my porch with a petition that she bullied the entire student body to sign to let you play again."
"I overheard Ms. Forbes saying you're going too hard on me when you two were talking over the phone a few day ago," Stefan said with faux innocence, "I suppose that isn't helping your sparkling image in the community."
"Her name is Liz, Stefan," Damon said, wagging his finger. Stefan was glad he was making friends. "And she's not a Ms."
"You're the one who told me to address adults politely," Stefan said, "sir."
"Do you want back over my knee?" Damon asked.
He didn't look serious, but Stefan didn't want to risk it. He was still rubbing his sore bottom. "I'll watch my mouth."
"Good," Damon said, "because your girlfriend will be here in about ten minutes."
"It's creepy you know the sound of her car," Stefan said as he walked into his closet to get dressed, sparing a moment to glare the strap. They were not friends, no matter what his brother said. He hated the thing and the welts it had laid into him still hurt so damn much.
After letting herself in with the key Stefan gave her, Elena rushed over to Stefan. "I've missed you so much," she said as he wrapped her into his arms. "It's been forever."
"It's been four days," Damon said as he rolled his eyes.
"Do you hear something, Stefan?" Elena asked. "Sounds like a rat."
Stefan was about to pull her in for a kiss, but Damon grabbed them both and dragged them down the parlor before shoving them both down on the couch. Stefan winced as his sore bottom hit the cushion. Elena pulled him into her arms.
"What's a matter with you?" Elena snapped at Damon as she ran her fingers through Stefan's hair.
"I could ask you the same thing," Damon snapped back. He pointed at her in a way that made Stefan swallow. "I've been letting you get away with reckless driving, but I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to drive in a blizzard without a seatbelt." He tapped his ear when she gave him a wide-eyed look. "Vampire hearing, little girl. I could hear you not unbuckling it."
Elena clenched her jaw. "You aren't my mom, Damon."
Before Damon could retort, Stefan cupped the back of her neck and urged her to look at him. "Why did you put yourself at risk like that?"
Elena couldn't respond because Damon grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. He smacked the center of her bottom so hard she jumped and screamed. "And why aren't you wearing a coat?"
"Damon!" Stefan said gently tugging her away from his brother and pulling her into his arms.
Elena was rubbing where she'd been spanked. She sunk into Stefan's arms, resting her head against his chest. "Can we go to your room?" she was looking at Damon from the corner of her eye, "and lock the door?"
"That sounds like a good idea," Stefan said, picking her up.
But, before he could move, Damon pushed them both back down on the couch. He was surprisingly gentle about it. But the look in his icy blue eyes was anything but gentle.
"Elena isn't going anywhere until I'm done with her," Damon said.
Stefan sighed. "You can't spank her, Damon."
"She's been driving like a raccoon on speed," Damon said, "and I can't keep a close watch on her because of the snow storm." He'd probably been stalking her with his crows. Stefan was unfortunately very familiar with that habit of his. "I've been letting her get away with it because I knew I could get to her and heal her. But global warming has put a kink in that plan."
"Let me?" Elena shot up and stared him down, "that's not up to you, Damon."
"What's going on?" Stefan asked. Elena turned to look at him. "It's one thing to risk yourself to save me or one of your friends. It's another endanger yourself for no reason."
"She's testing her limits," Damon muttered, "and asking for a bare bottomed spanking." But he wasn't trying to take her in hand just yet. He knew there was a deeper reason behind her recklessness, too.
Elena slapped Damon across the face. "It's your fault. After you hit me, I can't stop thinking about my mom. I can't get her out of my head. No matter what I do, I can't stop remembering her. But I don't remember what her voice sounded like. And I have to look a picture to remember what he face looked like." Her lips began to tremble. "I killed her, Damon. I can't keep going like this."
Every inch of Stefan was demanding to go to her and to hold her. But Damon shook his head, very slightly, before gathering her in his arms. The look on his face was so gentle and caring that Stefan could do nothing but trust him.
"Hey," Damon's voice was very soft. He pushed some hair behind her ear. "It was a car accident, Elena. You didn't kill them."
"They wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for me," Elena said, "I ditched family night to go to the stupid bonfire and had a fight with Matt. I ask them to pick me up."
Damon set his finger under her chin and lifted up her head. She was crying. "And they did. Because you asked them to and that was their job as your parents."
"I could have walked home," Elena said, "I should have. But I needed my mom and I couldn't wait. They're both dead because I was so selfish." He voice broke something inside of Stefan as she continued, "Jeremy's an orphan because of me."
"And if I was on human blood, I could have saved all three of you," Stefan said, "you can't keep thinking like that, Elena."
"Stop it," she balled her hands into fists and began to hit Damon's chest with all her pent up rage and grief. "Stop justifying it, Stefan! Both of you!" She was wrecked with tears and starting to scream. "I killed them both and I should have died instead!"
"Elena," Damon pushed her hair out of her face and wiped her tears. For the first time in almost a century and a half, Stefan saw a glimpse of the brother he'd known before their father had killed him. "You mom rushed to your side because you were in pain and that's what moms are supposed to do. No one had any idea what was going to happen." Elena was shaking her head, but had stopped pounding his chest. "You can't blame yourself for not being omniscient."
"Yes I can," Elena said. The venom was gone from her voice and the fight was drained from her body. She collapsed, but Damon caught her. He dropped down on the couch next to Stefan. Elena curled into his arms and sobbed. "I want them back."
"I know," Damon said, stroking her hair, "I'd bring the back to you if I could."
Stefan ran his hand up and down her back, slowly. She buried her face in Damon's neck and her shoulders shook. But she was in good hands. Stefan had spent many nights in the same exact spot as she was after his own mom's death.
He'd been so furious that Damon ditched the funeral. But he'd made up for it in spades with endless support and comfort as Stefan struggled through his grief. He'd been almost okay for a week or so, comforted by the image of an angel he now realized must have been a dream. Until he skinned his knee and his mom wasn't there to kiss it better and never would be again. Between Damon and Stefan's births were multiple miscarriages. He'd been her little miracle boy and she babied him terribly.
Father had yelled at him when he'd cried so uncontrollably over such a little scrape. But Damon had ushered him away and told him Father was a heartless monster and Stefan could cry as much as he wanted. Somehow, he'd known the true source of Stefan's pain. He managed to pull himself together so flawlessly that it wasn't until much later that Stefan realized he'd put aside his own grief so he could be the rock Stefan had needed.
Right now he was Elena's rock.
After awhile, her tears dried up and she pulled away from Damon's arms and leaned back against Stefan. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair. "I'd thank you for that, but I'm pretty sure you're going to spank me."
"I am," Damon said. His gaze was steady as he looked at her. "And Stefan, when he tries to protect you."
Elena tilted her head up so that she could give him a hard look. "No, he's not."
"I'm not going to let him hurt you," Stefan said, matching her stern glare with his own.
"And neither am I," Elena said. She moved away from the brothers and sat down on the coffee table. "So I'm going to set up some ground rules."
"Excuse me," Damon said, folding his arms, "you are the child here, not me. I set up the rules, you two follow them."
Elena folded her arms as well. "You have to stop flirting with me."
Damon was clearly not expecting that. "How is that even relevant?"
"Because it's not 1864 anymore," Elena said, "I'd never let my boyfriend treat me as anything less than a complete equal."
Damon rolled his eyes. "I'm not actually your boyfriend." He turned to look at his brother. "Right, Stef?"
"He'd not my keeper, you misogynistic asshole," Elena said, sounding oddly found. Stefan wanted to kiss her, but refrained. It wasn't a good time for that just yet. "I know you have feelings for me and I'm not expecting you to just get over them. But you have to make a choice. I'm either old enough to date or I'm not."
"Or what?" Damon said. Stefan nearly laughed at the scowl on his face. He was not taking the challenge to his authority well at all. "In case you forgot, I'm the big bad vampire and you're a weak little girl."
Elena gave him a sweet smile filled with poison. "Then I won't trust you."
"Ask Stefan how much I care about that," Damon asked.
"How well is that going for out for you?" Elena asked. Unexpectedly, he flinched. "Is he learning anything, or at you just beating him?"
"Elena," Stefan started.
Elena cut him off. "I know there's a lot about this I don't know. But I do know the reason you haven't called or texted me is because he's been thrashing you. And not in a way that's actually helping you."
"And how would you know that?" Damon asked.
"Because he didn't text or call me," Elena said, "and the last time that happened was because you were punishing him. And he's been quiet and sad because you're hurting him instead of correcting him."
"I'm not going to debate with you about how I handle my baby brother," Damon said. His tone was final. "And you aren't getting your way here. I don't care if you obey me because you trust me or because you're scared of me. So long as you are safe and alive, I'll count it as a win."
Stefan was about to say something, but Elena gave him a look asking him to trust her. He nodded.
"How safe will I be if I don't learn anything?" Elena asked. She leaned scooted forward so that her knees were touching Damon's. "My mom was the one who used to spank me. And she didn't waste her time by using her hand over my jeans. In case you haven't noticed, I can be stubborn. The only way she could ever get through to me is by really taking me to task."
"You need it long and hard on your bare bottom," Damon said and Stefan was surprised that there wasn't a trace of innuendo in his voice. "I can manage that."
"And," Elena pressed, "because I trusted her. I knew she wouldn't make it hurt so much unless I'd get something out of it. It wasn't blind obedience, Damon. She changed my perspective and helped me become a better person."
"You're already a better person than me," Damon said. But Stefan could tell she was getting through to him. "Fine, I'll stop flirting with you." But Damon was also Damon. "But this won't be a one-way street, Elena. You'll join my household."
"Jenna's not going to let me move in with you two," Elena said, rolling her eyes.
Damon turned his complete attention to Stefan, who found himself squirming under his glare. "I'm guessing you left some things out of vampire 101 with her."
Stefan shrugged and looked down. He didn't want to face Damon's accusing gaze or Elena's hurt one.
"What didn't you tell me, Stefan?" Elena's voice was sharp. "You said you wouldn't hide things from me anymore!"
Damon saved him. "Cut him a little slack. He didn't want you to know Lexi spanked him on his birthday before she went out shopping with you. Remind me to kill Bree for making her that daylight bracelet, Stef."
"Lee would kill you if you took her too," Stefan said, "and he's older than you and still pissed about Lexi. Even Elena couldn't convince him to spare you if you took away his best friend on top of his wife."
Elena was not going to let them get off topic. She was in front of him pinched his chin and forced Stefan to look up at her.
"Are you sure you two are equals?" Stefan flushed as Damon teased him, "looks like one of you is firmly on top."
"Shut up, Damon," Elena said and twisted away from the smack he aimed at her bottom. Then her focus was back completely on Stefan. "Why would Lexi spank you?"
Stefan swallowed. "I didn't tell her you looked like Katherine. She considered that a lie."
"And lying was one of the few things she'd actually punish him for," Damon said. He sounded pretty put out about it, which was something else. He'd killed her to take Stefan in hand and still resented her for not being a controlling dictator.
Stefan couldn't help himself. "That's on you, Damon."
Damon had the grace to look guilty about abandoning Stefan in the way he did. For a moment. He quickly covered it up and went onto his new favorite hobby of embarrassing Stefan. "Vampires have been making households for as long as we've existed. They aren't egalitarian. Lexi had one and Stefan was firmly at the bottom of the pecking order."
"What does that mean?" Elena asked, "why would she do that? She was your best friend."
"I turned at seventeen," Stefan said, "I was the only teenager in her household. She didn't let anyone else spank me, but I was expected to obey the other members of her household." He didn't want to go on, but there really was no excuse to keep hiding this from her anymore. "Lee grounded me and Bree would make me write lines. Another vampire named Rose would put me in a corner." He grimaced. "And wash out my mouth with soap if I didn't mind my tongue. She was pretty old school."
"Teenagers have poor impulse control," Damon said, "and are usually too sassy for their own good. They need a firm hand, even the vampire ones." He'd liked Rose. A lot. He'd largely approved of how she handled Stefan (he was the one who showed her which type of soap Stefan would dislike the taste of the most, the jerk. But it worked. Stefan was very polite around her and Trevor).
Damon hadn't even like it the few times their mother put Stefan over her knee and gently warmed his behind with just her cupped hand. And she was not inclined to baby Damon. She could get him in line by sweetly asking if she wanted a nice talk with her hairbrush. He still remembered how spooked Damon looked when she told him to cut a switch after she'd found out he was visiting brothels at fifteen. She wasn't abusive, but Stefan had no doubt Damon learned quite a bit about being strict from her.
"Pot calling the kettle black, there," Elena pointed out, drawing Stefan from his thoughts.
Damon didn't deny it. "But I have the power to back it up. Stefan's weaker than a day old vampire and a child to boot. He's now in my house hold and if you want me to agree to your terms, you'll join too. I'll even let you two stay equals."
"What would that mean for me?" Elena asked.
"Among other things, I expect members to be submissive and respectful to me," Damon said, taking a moment to spare Stefan a grin, which Elena saw. She kept her thoughts about that to herself, at least for now. Stefan knew they'd be talking about it soon, though. "But I'll settle with you just obeying the rules I'll give you."
"What would those be?" Elena asked.
"For now? Just two." Damon held up his index finger, "Rule one: don't put yourself in danger." He held up a second finger. "Rule two: don't lie to me." Elena gave him a dirty look. Damon looked put upon, but added, "Don't lie to me about the supernatural or anything that could get you hurt or killed."
"Deal." Elena held out her hand. Damon shook it.
"Now," Damon said, picking her up, "the three of us are going to Stefan's room and you're getting a long overdue spanking." Damon vamped up the stairs before she could respond. Stefan followed.
"Bed, Stefan," Damon said, pointing at it.
Stefan obeyed. The desk chair was still pulled out from when Damon had disciplined him earlier. Damon plopped back down and set Elena on her feet. She was dizzy so she didn't protest as he unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans.
She became considerably less complaint when Damon pulled them down. "What are you doing?"
Damon pulled her between his legs and bent her over his thigh. He pinned her flailing legs between his before grabbing both her wrists in one hand. As he trapped them to the small of his back, he said, "Taking you to task."
"In front of Stefan?" Elena said. She looked over at Stefan and frowned. "You don't look surprised."
That's because he wasn't.
"Rule three," Damon said as he pulled up her panties, bunching the fabric between her now very bare cheeks. Stefan could see goosebumps rising on her olive skin. "I control every aspect of your punishments."
Elena twisted around to glare at him. "You say that after I already agreed to join your stupid household."
Damon smacked her left cheek hard enough to leave behind a bright pink handprint. "Watch your mouth when you're on my knee."
Elena huffed. "Fine."
Damon hit her right cheek and left behind an matching handprint. Elena yelped tried to wiggle off his lap to no avail. "That's a yes, sir, Elena. Rule four, you are going to be a very polite little girl when I'm spanking you." Elena clamped her mouth shut. Damon smacked her sit spots, one right after the other. Again, he left behind pink handprints. "Keep in mind that I haven't even started punishing you for being reckless."
Elena looked at Stefan again. He gave her a pleading look. She sighed. "Yes, sir. Why are you doing this in front of Stefan?"
"The same reason I'll be spanking him in front of you next chance we get. You two will need to get used to the other getting whipped by me. Fair warning, I don't have any issue with public spankings. And I plan to spank you together if you disobey together."
"Are you going to be okay?" Elena asked Stefan.
"Not really," Stefan admitted, "I hate seeing you in pain."
"But," Damon said, "he knows you need this." He made eye contact with Stefan. "Don't you?"
"It's not an ideal set-up," Stefan said, "but you do need to be more careful, Elena."
Elena looked at him in a tender sort of way. "I know. Just promise me you'll let him do this without getting yourself into trouble. I'm guessing he's got a rule about us not interfering with the other's punishments."
"Smart girl," Damon said, "rule five for you and twelve for Stefan."
Elena was still focused on Stefan. "Promise me, Stefan. I don't think I can handle watching you get spanked today."
It killed him, but Stefan said, "I promise."
"You two are sickening," Damon said. "Back to business." He patted the crest of Elena's buttocks, "from here," he moved his hand down to the back of her knees, "to here is where you can expect to be spanked. I won't always tan your thighs, but I will when it comes to teaching you to not to risk your life."
"That means you are planning to spank me for other things," Elena said with a pout.
Damon surprised them both by saying, "Not for awhile. I do want to earn your trust, Elena. And I'm sorry about how I handled you last week. I'll never do anything like that with you again."
"If you do, I'll put vervain in your blood bags," Elena said.
"And I'll drink it all down," Damon said.
"Apologize to Stefan," Elena said, "he didn't deserve that."
"It's okay," Stefan said and tried to comfort her with a smile.
She was not deterred. "I mean it, Damon."
"You do realize you're the one over my knee, right?" Damon said. Elena twisted back up and glared at him. He relented. "Fine. I'm sorry for threatening you, Stefan." Stefan expected that to be the end of it, but Damon continued. "I told you that I wanted to handle you two differently and I meant it."
Stefan didn't know what to say. Both Elena and Damon were looking at him like they expected him to speak. The most he could manage was a nod. Thankfully, they both accepted it.
Unthankfully, Damon took that as his cue to start punishing. He introduced Elena to his horrible method. From the top of her left cheek, down her to knee, he smacked her. He gave the same discipline to her right side, spanking upwards. Each time his hard hand smashed her soft skin, his palm and fingers he left behind his imprints.
Elena was able to make it through the first round through gritted teeth, but when Damon returned to her left cheek and punished it by smacking it down flat, Elena yelped. Damon's eyes looked pained, but he pressed his lips together and added more heat to her behind. As continued to spank her, the individual pink marks began to blur together into a single hue.
She wiggled and squirmed over his knee, but his hand kept falling. "Keep still," Damon ordered as he landed an extra hard blow to her sit spot.
Elena screeched. "It hurts too much!"
"It hasn't started hurting, little girl," Damon said. He made good on his vow. He spanked her harder and faster. Elena's pink skin quickly deepen to a bright red as he gave her circuit after circuit of of heart wrenching smacks. Damon was making good on his threat. He was taking her to task. Correcting her sternly, one smack at a time.
"Please," Elena choked out. Damon stilled. Stefan thought maybe he was going to stop. But instead he took deep breath and rose his hand very high. He punished her left under curve over and over and over. Stefan could do nothing but count as he tenderized her. Her poor sit spot got a dozen extra hard smacks. Elena was howling but Damon just kept raising his hand. He tanned her right under curve just as thoroughly.
When Damon finally finished terrorizing her poor under curves, Elena had fallen limp on his lap, completely spent.
"Why are you on my knee?" Damon demanded. Elena whimpered. Damon cupped his hand and cut new heat into her upper thighs. The repeated cracks of his hand on her bare flesh had been loud, but now the sound pierced through Stefan's ears. Stefan wished he could move away, but he was frozen, helpless as she was thrashed. Somehow, Elena found the strength to twist around in a fruitless attempt to break free, but he smacked her soundly all the same. "Why am I tanning you, Elena?"
"For being reckless," Elena cried out. Two strict smacks on her left sit spot reminded her to add, "Sir!"
Damon rested his palm against her hip. "What will happen if you actively risk your life for any reason again?"
"You'll spank me even harder, sir," Elena said.
"With my belt," Damon told her.
Stefan could tell it killed him to threaten her with it, but his brother was determined to make this lesson sink. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't blame Damon.
Elena sobbed helplessly as Damon smoothed her panties back over her swollen red cheeks. He let her kick away her jeans as he pulled her into a hug. Her sore bottom rested between his open thighs as she buried her face in his chest and let him stroke her back.
After her cries died down, Elena curled closer to Damon. "I'll be more careful while driving and put on my seatbelt." She reached down and began to rub her red hot bottom. "And I'll wear a coat when it's cold."
"What about your impromptu rescue mission with Stefan?" Damon asked.
"I'm only sorry I had to made him drink from me," Elena said. "But I'm not going to sit by and do nothing while Stefan's being tortured."
Damon gave her a fresh smack, but his heart wasn't in it. She barely winced when his hand connected to what Stefan knew from his vast experiences over his brother's knee was very sore and extremely well-punished skin. "I plan to keep you two both out of danger, so that shouldn't be a problem."
Elena gave him a weak smile. But it was clear from the fire in her eyes that she hadn't learned her lesson as soundly as she had been spanked. Damon helped her get up and Elena quickly rushed over to Stefan in order to wipe away his tears.
He hadn't realized he'd been crying. After his face was dry, Elena cuddled against his chest.
"I'm going to play errand boy for Pearl," Damon said, "so you two can have a nice private chat."
"Are you going to tell us what you find?" Elena asked. Before Damon could lie, she added, "I know you wouldn't take orders from her unless it was serious."
"No," Damon said.
"Knowing what's going on will help us avoid danger," Elena said. She twirled her hair in her finger but did not manage to look innocent at all.
Damon's jaw dropped but Stefan couldn't help himself from smiling. "Can't you wait until you can sit down again before testing your limits?"
"My mom spanked much harder," Elena said, curling her lips in that cute way of hers, "and she still couldn't keep me from asking questions."
Damon looked like he might just take her over his knee again. But all she had to do was gaze at him with her big brown doe eyes. "I'll think about it." He pointed at Stefan. "You better not let her rub off on you."
"I have no idea what you're implying, sir," Stefan said.
"I'm picking up a new paddle on the way home," Damon said, pointing at them both, "and I'll give you both a taste of it if you keep this up."
Elena did not look worried at all. Stefan wasn't either. He figured it couldn't be worse than his loop or Lexi's hairbrush. Or the cursed strap from hell.