Pairing: Mason/Tyler-Matt (M/mm) ping pong paddle/belt

Prompts for Gar (cutting/Elijah)and Shadowjock (Matt/Ty room sharing)

Warning for self-harm

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Lockwood Mansion

Early Evening

Mason and Katherine had been necking in her car for a time before they stumbled inside of the large mansion.

"You grew up here? I remember seeing this place when it was being built. George Lockwood was an acquaintance of mine," Katherine recalled, looking around the grand entrance way and marble floor. "It looks better now."
"Ah, if you had a thing with him, please never tell me," Mason quipped. "I'll get the drinks. I should check on the boys."
The pair had been an a charity event one town over. Mason hated wearing the stuffy suit coat, but he had to play the role of mayor. It wasn't too bad with Katherine at his side, advising him.

"The drinks and boys can wait, but I can't," Katherine teased, pulling him into the side parlor and shutting the door with her foot.

Mason came out a thirty minutes later with his tie around his neck and his shirt half unbuttoned. Katherine was getting dressed and he needed to use the bathroom.

Mason's werewolf hearing picked up a trickling sound.

"What is that?" Mason said, trotting up the stairs. The runner was wear and his socks got drenched. Katherine had giggled when he left them on during their tryst. God, he loved her laugh, her hair, and...Mason's thoughts were caught off by the sound of water running. This wasn't good.
"Ty? Matt?" Mason yelled. There was no response.

Mason was further dismayed to see water pouring into the hallway from Tyler's room. Maybe a pipe burst? By where were the boys?

Mason jogged into his nephew's bedroom and found the carpet soaked. He went into the bathroom and saw that the bathtub was overflowing with the tap still running full blast. Mason didn't notice the frog's until he went to turn off the water.

Katherine came in, shrieking, "Ugh, what the hell happened? Water is running down from the ceiling! Are those frogs?"

Mason's face was stormy. "I have no fucking idea. I'm going to call Tyler and Matt, they have some major explaining to do!"

Gilbert Lake House

Dunham Lake, Virginia

The group spent the rest of Sunday afternoon playing cards, fishing, and eating. The sun was going down and a cool breeze was chilling the air.

"You guys didn't catch a single fish out there?" Jenna teased with a sparkle in her eye. They fished off the pier, but finally decided to give up since no one had come close to catching an actual fish. Jeremy had caught an old can and a boot earlier, but that was it.

Ric grabbed her around the waist and spun her.

"Hey, you didn't catch crap out there either!" Ric retorted with a laugh.

"Ric, put me down! You're gonna drop me in the lake!" Jenna exclaimed in protest.

"I would if that water wasn't so cold," Ric smirked, putting her down.

Jeremy snarked, "Oh, it's not that bad!"

"How would you know?" Ric asked, turning back to get a water out of the cooler.

"I-I felt it. Duh," Jeremy mumbled, winking at April.

She flushed and folder her arms around herself. "It's this wind that is cool. I don't think the water is that bad."

The two younger teens had conspired to try to sneak out tonight and swim again. April had never had so much fun as last night. Being here at this peaceful lake house made her happy. It felt like Mystic Falls was a million miles away. Here, she wasn't Pastor Young's tragic daughter, she was just April.

"Well, we can grill those steaks and Jeremy's favorite hot dogs," Jenna announced. "Glad we had a back up plan."

"I don't like fish much anyway," Elena said absently. She was watching Damon and Enzo walking along the lake side. "I wonder what those two are talking about..."

Bonnie and Lucy looked at each other.

Lucy giggled, "No, you probably don't. Why don't you guys join them? I'll help Jenna get started on dinner."

Elena shrugged and got up. She was still wearing her cut off jean shorts, despite the chill in the air.

"Yeah, come on, Bon. April, you coming?" Elena asked, as she slipped on her sweatshirt.

"Nah, I'll stay here. I don't know why, but I'm so sleepy," April said, giving Jeremy a small smile.

"You kids got take a rest," Ric said. "We'll eat in an hour."
"Okay," Jeremy said. "Come on, April, I'll show you those drawings I was telling you about."

"Cool," April said after Jenna encouraged her to go. She wanted to talk to Lucy alone anyway. She was noticing something going on between her and Enzo. She thought they would be a good match.

Down along the lake shore, Enzo turned, "Let me venture a guess! None of you caught a bloody thing out there."

Bonnie jogged up. "Nope. You didn't even try. What? You fished for like ten minutes before giving up."

Enzo shrugged, "I don't like it. I feel bad when those little blokes come out of the water trying to breath. It's sad somehow."

Elena looked at Damon, but he seemed far away.

"Isn't that kind of ironic for vampires?" Elena suggested.

"Aye, I suppose it tis," Enzo said. "Bonnie, come over here. There's a little nest of birds in it. You have to see it."
Enzo led Bonnie to the area, as Elena fell in step with Damon.

"You're quiet today," Elena remarked, her dark hair blowing across her face.

Damon paused and turned his bright blue eyes on her. She felt an electric shock. His beauty sometimes took her breath away, even now. No one had a right to be that good looking, but he seemed sad.

"Yeah, sorry. I, ah, didn't sleep well," Damon replied.

Elena didn't want to mention what they had seen last night from the window, but she wanted to know what happened.

"Oh, was it the bed? Uncle John always bitched about that mattress. My mom was going to replace them before-," Elena started, drifting off.

Damon put an arm around her. "I'm sorry. I should have been checking in with you. This has gotta be hard. How are you feeling?"

Elena leaned her head on Damon's shoulder as they walked.

"Good, actually. I mean, there are ghosts here. But our memories here are happy ones. Oh, do you mean that thing with Uncle John?" Elena said, pulling away to pull her long hair into a scrunchie she wore on her wrist.

"Yeah, that had to be a shock," Damon answered.

"It is, but it doesn't really matter. Jer is still my brother and my parents are still my parents. I don't care about the rest," Elena said honestly.

Damon stopped and looked at his former lover.

"You're so brave, Elena," Damon said, his voice gruff. "When I found out about Klaus being my dad, I felt so...betrayed. I kept thinking what if he came back for my mom and all the shit that happened with Giuseppe hadn't have gone down like that. But the truth is that I wouldn't have Stefan if my mom ran off with Klaus. And I wouldn't be here now either."

Elena smiled. "Yeah, I can't picture my life without the two of you."
Damon nodded, "Me either. Hey, I'm hearing that Caroline is doing really well. Leave it to her to be the world's most in control baby vamp!"

Elena snickered, "Yeah, I'm sure she's still trying to micromanage the car wash and decade dance from afar. Hey, why don't you come to the dance this Friday?"

Damon smirked, "I would say I'm too old for high school dances, but I guess we went last year. What's this year's decade?"
"The fabulous fifties," Elena reported. "You could come as Elvis."
Damon barked out a laugh. "Yeah, okay. I'll let Stef be James Dean. I think it was a better decade for him..."
Elena grabbed Damon's hand.

"I'm sure," Elena said softly. "Let's go see this bird's nest."

Damon wanted to say so much to Elena. That he still loved her, that he would do anything to protect her, but he just followed her up the hill. She didn't need to know that she was in danger again, or that she always might be. Damon had just been discussing that maybe the only was to really protect Elena was to turn her. Just like Katherine turned herself to avoid being used as a sacrifice...but Damon put those thoughts aside as they joined their friends.

Lockwood Mansion

Tyler walked in and saw the buckets and gulped.

"Matt! I told you to turn off the fucking faucet!" Tyler roared.

Matt appeared at the top of the stairs holding a bucket and pointing angrily.

"You two want to explain yourselves? The water was on and it came through the ceiling. Why the hell are there frogs up here?" Mason yelled.

Katherine had left after helping Mason put some buckets on the lower level. The frogs grossed her out and she wasn't about to help catch them. She would stick to the fundraisers.

Matt started up the stairs.

"Shit, we-we were, ah, helping with a little prank. It was supposed to be a joke for the dance then everything happened with Vic and Caroline and we...forgot about the frogs, I guess," Matt explained, seeing a few of the small green creatures hoping around the hallway.

"Tyler, get up here!" Mason shouted.

Tyler jogged up. "Ah no, my room! It's totally flooded."
"You think?" Mason said sarcastically. "The plaster is collapsing downstairs and all of this carpeting needs replaced."

"Shit, I'm really sorry, Uncle Mason," Tyler said. "We just didn't want the frogs to die. Ben and Jeff captured them and then didn't have anywhere to hide them. They dropped them off right before we were leaving and we didn't want them to all, like die, so..."

Matt picked up a frog. "It was my fault, Uncle Mason. I forgot to turn off the tap. Ty was dropping me off to see Vic before he went to hang with Caroline. I'll pay for the damages."
"No, man," Tyler said. "I'm the one who said we'd take care of them. You wanted to just release them outside, Matt."
Mason eyed a frog hopping past, splashing in the water in the hallway. He wiped his arm across his brow.

"Look, you both sound responsible," Mason said. "And Matt, you're bedroom is flooded, too. You guys are going to have to share a room while everything is fixed."

"Share a room?" Tyler asked. "The other guest room has a double bed!"
"So?" Mason said roughly. "You'll have to snuggle up, I guess. And it will make it easier for me to whup your butts tonight. The handyman can't come until tomorrow. We have to suck up all this water before it does even more damage!"

"There's a wet/dry vac in the garage. Maybe two. Come on, Matt," Tyler reported.

"Yeah, we're gonna be here all night," Matt said glumly, going toward the stairs.

"And set all these damn frogs loose!" Mason snapped. "Didn't you guys ever hear of just spiking the punch? These frogs are everywhere!"

"They weren't jumping in the tub like this," Matt noted. "I mean, some were, but I thought I shut the bathroom door!"

"Nope, it was wide open. And for every frog I find is another lick for both of you," Mason warned.

"Ugh," Tyler whined. "Not with the paddle!"
"Oh no, with my belt," Mason announced, "after I paddle you both! Now, enough yapping, I am going to try to call the carpet place again. And bring some fans up."

Lake House

After grilling and a hour or so of board games, Jeremy thought it would be funny to put on one of the old Friday the 13th movies.

"This is so old," Bonnie snarked, when the opening scene came on.

"I'll make the popcorn," Elena announced. Jenna was half-asleep with her head on Ric's lap on the couch as the kids piled on the floor.

"See, Jason drowned at Camp Crystal Lake," Jeremy started to explain. "Then, he comes back for revenge..."
Damon threw a blanket on Jeremy's head.

"How about we just watch the movie, Little Gilbert?" Damon suggested.

"So they are at a lake?" April shuddered. "Uh, isn't there something else we can watch?"

Jeremy laughed and scooted closer to April. "Don't be a baby, April...We won't let Jason get you!"

April shut her eyes for half of the movie.

Damon sat through the movie, but Enzo was confused.

"So is he alive or a ghost?" Enzo demanded.

"Well,..." Jeremy started to explain.

"Ah, great flick, but I think I'm going to head up to bed. What time are we leaving?" Damon asked, as the credits finally rolled. He was on edge, constantly wondering if Dmitri would appear again. Lucy had assured them that the barrier was good and no one could get through.

"Early," Ric said.

Jenna groaned, "Not too early, Ric. What's the rush?"

"Okay, how about like ten-ish?" Ric asked.

"Better," Jenna yawned.

"Who wanted to watch another one?" Jeremy asked.

"I will," April said, but everyone else was not interested.

"Great. More popcorn?" Jeremy asked.

"Have fun," Enzo replied, "but that movie makes so sense if you think of it."
Lucy retorted, "It's not supposed to make much sense. It is what is it."

"Aye," Enzo said, smiling at her. "If you say so, madam."
"I do," Lucy affirmed. "I don't know about you guys, but I am bushed. But thank you for everything this weekend. This was wonderful."

Jenna smiled and hugged Lucy, "We'll do it again. Soon. Night all."

Everyone went their separate ways as Jeremy started the second movie. Enzo and Lucy decided to have a cup of tea, while Damon said he was going to get some air.

Damon went out on the back deck and felt like his skin was crawling. Where were those Strix witches? Where was Dmitri? Without the alcohol to calm his mind and body, Damon felt like his head was on fire. The magic was flowing inside him. He shut his eyes and felt the fog roll in.

No! Stop! He didn't want to do magic now. He just wanted to rest. Damon started to walk down to the lake. He found a big rock and sat a moment. He dialed Stefan, but it was late and it went to voicemail.

Damon grabbed a sharp shell with ragged, broken edges and ran it over his left wrist, pressing harder and harder until blood appeared. Damon dropped the shell onto the beach. No!

Damon fumbled with his phone and pressed call.
"Damon, are you okay?" Elijah said from the other end of the line.

"Um, no, I'm not," Damon said huskily. "It's all too much. I want to cut myself..."
Elijah exhaled slowly, staying calm.

"Look, Damon, I'm glad you called. Listen to me, you need to breath," Elijah said. "Slowly, in and out. Can you do that for me?"

Damon tried and realized that he had been holding his breath.
"Yeah, okay. I'm breathing," Damon reported.

"What you feel now," Elijah stated. "It will pass. Just keep breathing. What's going through your head. Talk to me."

Damon swallowed, "I need a drink, but after last night, I know that's not a good idea. I just feel like I'm a sitting duck waiting for the Strix to attack. I d-don't know if I can protect Elena."

Calmly, Elijah replied, "That is taken care of. You have to trust me on this. They won't make that move. Dorian's friend Emma knows a protection spell for her. We'll do that when you get home. Can you hang on for another day?"
Damon held the phone to his ear with his shoulder and dug his fingernails into his palms.

"Yeah, I-I have to," Damon said slowly, feeling the pain.

"Stop it," Elijah demanded. "Relax your body. Think of a calming memory. Tell me about your horse, Azul."

Damon grasped the phone. "How d-do you know about that?"
"Stefan. Now, slowly, tell me about your horse," Elijah said again. "You know your father always loved horses. You two share that."

Damon had heard something about a horse and Mikael, but he couldn't think of it now.

"He was beautiful. A blue roan," Damon recalled, shutting his eyes and only hearing the lapping water. "He was the envy of every boy at Veritas Estate. We used to escape for hours together. I felt safe and happy when I was with him. Will I ever feel like that again?"

"Yes, Nephew, you will. I promise you that. Do you believe me?" Elijah asked.

"Yes, um, I t-think I do," Damon said, opening his eyes. "Thanks, Uncle Elijah. I think I am okay now."

"Indeed," Elijah said. "I spoke to your father. He wanted to come up there and see you. I begged him not to, but if you wish we'll be there tonight. It is your call, Damon."
Damon spoke quickly, "No, no, stay. We'll be back tomorrow. Was he angry?"

"Angry? Dear boy, of course not," Elijah replied. "He was concerned. Niklaus is many things, but his love and care for you should never be doubted. I hope you know that."

"I guess I do," Damon said, looking up at the night sky. "Ah, I should go, but thanks again."
"Damon?" Elijah said, not wanting the call to end.

"Call me again if you change your mind. I mean it, we shall be there quickly," Elijah promised.
"I know," Damon said, kicking away the shell with his foot. "I know that now. Goodnight."
"See you tomorrow," Elijah said, as Damon hung up.

Damon was relieved the fog was cleared. He saw April and Jeremy disrobe and plunge into the cool lake water, unaware that he was there. Damon vamped back into the house before they noticed him.

Lockwood Mansion

"You got them all?" Mason inquired as Tyler and Matt settled into the guest room across from his own room. "Matt, make sure you brush those teeth!"

Mason put the ping-pong paddle and leather belt on the dresser as he spoke to his nephew. Tyler frowned as he realized he was getting spanked in a minute, not matter how much water they had sucked up. Even after a few hours of wet vacuuming the floors, they were still damp. And the frogs...well, they hard to catch.

"Yes, sir," Matt called back.

"We tried," Tyler snarled. "There were kinda a lot of them. Uncle Mason, weren't we punished enough?"

"No, I don't think so," Mason said, tapping the paddle against his thigh. "I get the flooding the house was an accident, but the prank part? That's what I am mostly busting you for."

"Bullshit," Tyler muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Mason fumed.

Tyler just scowled and shook his head. "We were just trying to help the guys out. I didn't even think you would ever notice."
Mason sighed and sat down on the bed.

"Look, guys, I know I've been working a lot. I'm sorry that I haven't been around a lot. Why don't we hang out tomorrow since you don't have school?" Mason suggested.

"Don't you have work?" Tyler asked tightly.

"No," Mason said, then corrected, "Well, yeah, but I can take a day after all I've been working all weekend. We can get pizza and catch a game. We might as well use that expensive satellite tv service."
"Yeah, okay," Tyler grumbled, still not happy that he and Matt were getting punished.

"Now, put down your shorts and flip over. Any arguing will earn you extras with the belt," Mason threatened. Tyler glared at his uncle, yanked his sleep shorts to his knees and threw himself face down on the bed. Matt was still in the bathroom brushing his teeth.

Mason found the ping pong paddle that he had brought in from the other room and leaned over and popped Tyler's right cheek firmly.

POP!

"OW!" Tyler yelped, flipping to his side, holding his butt with his hand. "That was too hard!"

Mason frowned, "Maybe I've been too easy on you boys! You certainly aren't afraid of getting into trouble, are you?"

Tyler grunted and rubbed the sore spot.

"Flip over. That's one with the belt," Mason counted.

"That's not fair!" Tyler roared.

"Two!" Mason counted. "And I think I just heard another ribbet!"

"Fuck," Tyler cursed, flipping back over and presenting his bare behind to his uncle.

"I'm going to go with four. Do you want to sit tomorrow at breakfast or stand?" Mason inquired, giving Tyler a matching swat on his left cheek.

Pop!

"AHHHH!" Tyler exclaimed, clutching onto the pillow as Mason began the paddling.

Mason paddled each cheek six times before switching.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Tyler found himself grunting and crying before Matt even came back into the room.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

"Owwwwieee," Tyler cried, wiggling his reddening rump.

"Stay still or-!" Mason warned.

"I know! The belt!" Tyler yelled back.

Mason pressed his left hand down on Tyler's lower back and gave him another round of swats that had Tyler kicking up his feet and crying.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

"Okay, I'll give you a break before the belt licks you earned," Mason reported, turning to Matt.

"Sweats down and lay on the bed face down," Mason directed as Matt tried not to wince at Tyler's red bottom.

Matt slipped down his pants and bravely got into the bed. He clenched his cheeks and prepared himself, but the first whack was a shock. Mason was not holding back.

POP!

"Oh!" Matt yelled, struggling not to reach back. He didn't want licks with the belt, but the ping-pong paddle stung fiercely.

"Steady," Mason said, lifting the dotted side higher to swat Matt's other cheeks.

POP!

"OWWWWW," Matt cried, breaking into sobs. He reached his hands back to protect his backside.

"That's a lick with the belt," Mason warned, but Matt wasn't moving his hands. "Two...Three! Matt, move those hands. You are getting paddled and that is that. Four!"

Tyler sniffed and reached over. "Matt, come on, man. He means it. Move your hands, dude."
Matt cried another second, but finally moved his hands.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Matt kicked and shifted as Mason spanked him soundly, like he did Tyler.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Matt howled, "W-We're real sorry!"

"I know, Matt," Mason replied, continuing the spanking.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Mason gave Matt a break and went to the other side of the bed where Tyler was still waiting with his red behind out. Mason grabbed the belt he had set aside, doubling it. He told Tyler not to move.

Thwap!

Mason cracked down the belt hard across Tyler's red cheeks.

"Noooooo!" Tyler shrieked, rolling again to his side.

"That didn't count. You are lucky I got rid of grandpa's old razor strop," Mason said tightly. "Back over."

Crack!

Mason gave Tyler a minute to stop howling before he gave him another lick.

Crack!

Mason shuddered to see the red path of the belt, but knew they weren't done yet. He hated to hear Tyler sobbing, but he and his brother had gotten a lot worse for doing a lot less.

"Almost over, Tyler," Mason comforted. "You're doing good."

Crack! Crack!

Mason patted Tyler on the shoulder to let him know it was over. Matt was turned and wide eyed as he knew he was next.

Mason said, "Just hang on to that pillow. It will be over in a minute."

Whap!

Matt shrieked as the belt last his fuller seat. He bit down on his fists to not reach back.

Crack!

"Ahhhh," Matt wept.

"Two more, Matt. You got this," Mason encouraged, feeling spent and weary himself.

Thwap.

Matt twisted, but righted himself after a moment.

Mason pressed down on Matt's back and gave him the last powerful swipe across both red cheeks.

Whack!

"OHHHHHHH," Matt cried, now grabbing his bottom and twisting to the side.

"That's it, you are done," Mason said, realizing that he probably shouldn't count that, but unable to give the boy another lick.

Matt kissed Matt on the head.

"You okay, buddy?" Mason asked.

"Y-Yeah," Matt sniffed, still rubbing.

Mason patted him a minute and then went and kissed Tyler.
"I know you are probably pissed, but I love you guys," Mason said.

Tyler wiped at his face. "I'm not pissed, if you aren't."

"I'm not," Mason said. "I just wish you'd pick pranks that won't ruin the whole house, okay?"

"Sorry. We really are. We were just trying to help out the guys. They were planning to put tadpoles in the punch but I guess frogs grew kinda fast or something," Tyler said wryly. "Will you tell us about some of the stuff you guys did?"

"And give you more ideas? Hell, no," Mason laughed. "Now get some sleep. I reckon we'll have more frogs to catch tomorrow. I guess I won't belt you for them anymore since you are already paid up."
"Ribbet," Matt said and they all laughed.