Chapter 5 - Reciprocity
As the girls disappeared downstairs to get dressed, Nate reflected on what had just happened. Less than 48 hours ago his life with these three women had been significantly different to how it was now. In the last two days he had seen a complete turnaround in the girls' attitude towards his team training, he had been asked by these three, independent strong-minded women to implement a regime of corporal punishment, and just now he had enacted that request by giving each of them a jolly good, over the knee, bare bottom spanking. If Nate was being honest, he was still finding the whole situation a little overwhelming, but he hoped by talking it out with the girls, in a little while, should help all of them.
To distract him from worrying about what was currently going through the girls' minds, Nate put some water on to boil, began brewing up some coffee and making a tea for Cait. Nate began playing back the spankings in his mind, particularly he was wondering if any of them had felt his natural reaction to having a naked girl writhing on his lap whilst he spanked her bottom. Nate couldn't say that he was necessarily into spanking in his previous life, a few playful swats to Nora's rump every so often would hardly label him a spanko, but what he had just done with these three girls took his breath away. And that was another thing that worried him, he had tried so hard to come across as the strict disciplinarian throughout, but he was feeling guilty now because for a large part of the last hour, he had experienced sensations and feelings that were extremely enjoyable indeed.
A sound broke him from his reverie… did he just hear a laugh from downstairs? Were the girls laughing already, and if so, what were they laughing about. His cheeks flushed, were they laughing at his demeanour, were they laughing at him getting an erection whilst spanking them or were they mocking the punishments? Curiosity and more than a little apprehension gripped Nate and so he decided he had to find out. Remembering to creep across the floor, careful not to allow any of the damned floorboards to creak, he slowly moved to the top of the stairs.
"… it's just so….huge now!" he heard Piper exclaim.
Another laugh from Curie "I am sure your derriere is just a little swollen and will go back to normal very soon." She reassured with a laugh.
"It doesn't look any different to me," Cait chuckled, "Apart from the screaming red and purple that is."
"It's not just blown up to twice its size, but it also feels like tanned leather!" Piper pouted.
"Here stop whining and hand that cream over," Cait insisted "Now bend over the chair," she ordered.
Relief flooded Nates chest as he could hear that the mirth wasn't aimed at any of his interactions with the girls, but his curiosity was now piqued, why was Cait telling Piper to bend over the chair? Should he take a look? Moving stealthily, feeling a little wrong that he was listening in on their conversation, Nate positioned himself so he could glance down the stairs to where the girls were in their respective bedroom alcoves. Curie was in one recess, her back to her full-length mirror rubbing what looked like cream or ointment onto her punished cheeks. Just outside the other alcove, where Piper and Cait slept, Piper was bending over the chair that was usually at the computer desk under the stairs. She had turned her back on Cait and had bent over the upright back of the chair placing her hands, palm down on the seat. Cait stood behind her and began rubbing some lotion or cream into Pipers' bottom. Piper was turned facing towards where Nate was, so he couldn't see her bottom, or Caits for that matter, but all three girls were still naked despite the fact that they had been downstairs for a good twenty minutes.
"If you hang on, Curie," Piper looked up from her bent over position, "I'll rub some on for you in a second."
Cait gave Piper a playful smack on her rear, "You will stay still for a second, is what you will do." Piper immediately let out a louder than expected squeal, jumped up and clutched her bottom. "Oh Shit! I am so sorry Piper," Cait immediately realised what she had done and looked mortified, that was until she burst into laughter at Pipers expression.
"Oh my god my backside hurts so much," Piper began rubbing in an exaggerated manner. "I am listening and following every order that man ever gives me in the future." She continued.
"Oh, get on with you!" Cait laughed, "You'll be right as rain in a few days and I'll wager that," she said pointing at her stricken friends backside, "you'll be back over Mr bossy's knee in no time." Piper smiled at Cait's use of the term Mr Bossy.
Well, thought Nate, 'that man' and 'Mr Bossy' were fairly warranted given what he had just done to these three young women, but what pleased him the most was that it seemed, at least from what he was hearing, that the girls were none the worse for their ordeal.
"I don't see how you can joke about such things at a time like this," Curie exclaimed, heading over to Piper who was now stood up and moving towards her dressing table. Curie replaced Piper, bending over the back of the chair and placing her hands on the soft seat.
"My bottom feels like it has been stung by a thousand bees and looks like two lumps of Brahmin steak" She sighed, referring to the two headed beasts of burden that were used in the commonwealth like cattle were before the war.
"Well, I have to hand it to Nate, that man knows how to give a hiding!" Cait stated in what sounded like a compliment as she began to rub lotion on Curies' bottom.
"You were so brave," Piper responded, "You hardly flinched at all," she continued as she gingerly pulled up some underwear to cover her tender cheeks.
Cait, continuing to rub ointment into Curies presented backside, smiled a little at the compliment.
"I was determined not to give anything away, just to face forward and take it in my stride, but my god does that man have a skill!" Cait exhaled as she screwed the lid back on the pot that contained the creamy ointment, "All done!" she announced chirpily.
"I am so ashamed at how I behaved," Curie stood and turned to face Cait and Piper. Nate could see that her crimson and purple bottom now had a glistening wet look to it, "Thank you," she placed her hand on Caits' arm as she went back to her sleeping area.
"Don't be silly," Piper jumped in, "I would hate to watch back my performance whilst receiving that brute's attention, but I can guarantee you he won't have been surprised with any of our reactions, because that…" She pointed upstairs "was full on!" Piper had joined Cait in sounding totally complimentary to Nate's skills with the hairbrush.
"But if I behaved so badly during it, do you think he will want to punish me again?" Curie asked, looking every bit as concerned and apprehensive as she did just before her punishment.
"You got two extra for not keeping still" Cait piped up as she too started to get dressed.
"Did I?" Asked a surprised Curie, she paused for a second "but then again, there is a lot of that experience I can't remember fully."
"Which is a good thing, makes you less frightened the next time," Cait smirked, hoping to get a rise out of Curie.
"The next time!" exclaimed Curie, "There will be no next time for me either," she said firmly, signalling to a nodding Piper.
Nate could see that all three were getting dressed and as a result it wouldn't be long before the girls would be back upstairs. He began to edge his way back to the kitchen area, and covered a creak in the floorboard by yelling out…
"Tea's and Coffee's nearly ready ladies," he announced.
"Coming" they all answered in unison. Grabbing three soft pillows from his bed, he went over to the diner style table that was in this kitchen in Home Plate and set the three out where the girls were going to sit. They had taken their licks and so there was no reason why he couldn't be nice. As the girls appeared from the stairs, Curie first, she gave Nate a small sheepish look and a smile and went to the table.
"Oh!" she exclaimed softly as she saw the pillows put out for them.
"Oh, you absolute saint" Cait almost purred as Nate handed her a cup of English Breakfast tea as she too headed for the table. "Ha!" Cait laughed, "now THAT is genius!" she laughed pointing at the pillows.
"What's genius?" asked an inquisitive Piper, who was grabbing herself a coffee from the breakfast bar. Turning to see the table and what was on the bench seats, she laughed as well, "My knight in shining armour," she giggled as she brushed past him and took her seat, still sitting somewhat gingerly despite the extra padding.
Nate slid in next to Curie, facing Cait and Piper and cradling his coffee he enquired, "OK, who wants to go first?"
"You are a complete fucking arsehole!" Opened Cait, picking up her tea to hide her smirk, "You actually took my breath away, you made me cry and now I won't be sitting comfortably for days!" She exclaimed.
"Erm… Good?" Nate answered, although his answer sounded more like a question.
"You bastard," Cait responded and smiled from behind her mug.
Nate hadn't realised just how tense he was since he asked his question and he visibly relaxed, but before he could say anything further, Piper jumped in,
"Thank you for my coffee," She smiled, "Aaaand," she paused "Thank you for my spanking," she said very softly as she squirmed on her cushioned seat.
Nate smiled, at a girl, he thought "Is that how you all feel?" Nate asked looking at Curie and Cait.
Curie began shaking her head, "Non," she began, starting to wag a finger at Nate, "we are not allowing you to call what you did just now as a spanking. Cait is right, when you took me across your lap, I was going to get a spanking," Curie was on a roll, "By the time you lifted me off your lap, I could not feel my backside anymore, I was crying uncontrollably, and I too will be dancing in my seat for days…if not weeks to come!" Curie finished her sentence with a flourish, throwing her hands up in a theatrical gesture. "Children are spanked, when you hear this word you think of a light few smacks, not what you did to us today, non définitivement pas, what I experienced was…was…was."
"A hiding" finished Cait, "A jolly good hiding."
"Quelle? qu'est-ce que hiding, I am not disappearing or running away!" exclaimed the confused Curie.
"No, my love" Piper explained "Jolly good in this context means thorough and hiding is another word for a thrashing."
"This," Curie pointed at Piper, "This is better, thrashing is a dramatic word, it has profondeur" you could see that she was searching for the English word, "depth and meaning, it reflects how my bottom looks and feels, spanking is childish nonsense." Curie was pleased with her new discoveries and turned to Nate "Yes, thank you for my thrashing," She smiled, nodding to herself in satisfaction, "From now on, no spanking just thrashing, yes?"
"Ah! Ah ah!" exclaimed Piper jumping in, "not so fast Curie, careful with what you ask for, I have learnt that the hard way." Nate had to laugh at that.
"What, I just…" began Curie looking confused but Cait interrupted,
"We are all grateful," Cait said with sincerity. "Grateful for all that you have done for us so far, we are grateful that you gave us all a second chance when we didn't deserve it and we are grateful that you gave us," she turned to look at Curie, "A thrashing when we did deserve it."
"Merci Beaucoup mon cheri," Curie nodded and then added, "and, what is wonderful is I don't feel guilty anymore. You know, for how we treated you when you were trying to teach us. We have..." again Curie began searching for the words, "paid the Piper, non?"
Nate laughed, "Yes Curie you have paid the Piper," as he stood up and took his mug to the sink. "Right," Nate announced, "Let's get lunch out, who wants Noodles?"
"Noodles?" Piper looked a little puzzled and then the penny dropped, "Genius, Takahashi!" Piper beamed.
"What?" Curie looked utterly confused.
"Power Noodles, just outside," Piper announced cheerily, "It has a bar you can stand at, so you don't have to sit down," and with that she was on her feet.
"The pillows were a sweet idea," smiled Cait, getting up and placing her hand on Nates arm, "But standing is WAY better."
As the girls went to get jackets and tops on Nate blew out a huge sigh of relief, at every step of this new journey they were on, Nate continued to be surprised at just how seriously these girls were taking their new team dynamic. Less than an hour after he had finished giving the three of them a solid hiding and here they were cracking jokes as they had always done. This day was going much better than expected.
After noodles the team headed back into Home Plate and the armoury. Having returned from a patrol yesterday they still hadn't cleaned their weapons or secured their kit. So, mindful of the delicate condition of his companions, they stood cleaning their rifles and sorting kit whilst continuing to chat.
"It's weird, you know," Piper said looking reflective. "I think our new arrangement has brought us three closer," she indicated Cait and Curie. "I know it sounds silly, but I now feel as if we have a common bond, you know. We have all experienced something unique or at least special. Ha!" Piper laughed as a thought came to her. "We are veterans, we all survived the battle of the hairbrush!"
"Battle!" Exclaimed Cait, "felt more like a rout to me," she laughed "but I know what you mean." Looking thoughtful as she continued to work on her rifle, "You know what was weird for me? I actually felt better having you guys with me. I know, super creepy that I wanted you two to watch me naked as I got my arse skelped, but it helped a lot." She shrugged.
"Why?" Asked Curie, in her signature matter of fact way. For Curie it was often the case of why waste ten words asking a question when one will do, sacrificing diplomacy and tact for efficiency.
Cait blushed a little, "I don't know, perhaps it's knowing that you are rooting for me," she pulled a face as if that answer tasted bad in her mouth, "more like, in my corner, going through it with me….look at me," Cait laughed, "getting soppy in my old age."
"Are you alright Cait?" Piper asked in mock surprise. Cait just stuck her tongue out at the reporter.
"But you are right, though," enthused Piper, "There is nothing like sharing an experience, going through something together to make people closer, to create a unique bond. And don't think you get to miss out on the sharing thing," Piper started waving a chamber cleaning brush she was using at Nate. Seeing Nate's puzzled look she continued, "you shared in what happened today, just as much as we did. This was as new to you as it was to us. Ok, so you don't get a welcome to the sisterhood badge, but you were being tested just as much as we were."
"I like that." Cait chuckled, "welcome to the sisterhood."
"Well, yes, we are now a sisterhood." Piper continued, obviously enjoying the exploration of this new concept. "We have all agreed to a way of working together that contains a secret only we know. We are joined by that secret and," Piper paused for effect "I think we are stronger for it."
"It's why you are the writer," smiled Nate, "very well put."
"We're you really being tested? I don't mean that rudely." Cait quantified, "you seemed to handle that like you were born to it."
"What are you trying to say," Nate clutched his chest in a mock show of being wounded.
"That you took to being a brute like a duck to water." Cait smiled at Nate.
"Thank you, I shall take that as a compliment." Nate smiled back taking a slight bow. "Brute? Is that my new nickname."
To which all three girls looked up and answered "yes!"
"Or Mr Bossy" Curie chimed in. The other two girls gave her a look.
"Oops, sorry, was I not meant to say that one." Curie blushed, looking embarrassed.
Nate laughed, "Mr Bossy and Brute! Well it could be worse," Nate accepted, "And I even bought you all noodles." They all laughed at that.
After the weapons were cleaned and the kit stowed away, the team headed back to the living room. Curie excused herself to head to the kitchen to make dinner and Nate offered to help, leaving Cait and Piper upstairs.
When in the kitchen, Nate used the opportunity to ask Curie about her thoughts and about 'that' look she gave Nate just after he had spanked her. The look was full of pain and hurt, an image he couldn't get out of his mind and that bothered him.
"You are kind but I am ok on my own." Curie stated.
"Oh, I know you are," Nate reassured "I just wanted to help."
"That would be nice thank you." She smiled, as she went to the refrigerator to pull out some ingredients. Nate saw that there were some vegetables that needed chopping and so he grabbed them and got to work.
"How's your bottom?" Nate asked, knowing he could be a little more direct with Curie than he could be with the other girls.
Curie giggled, "it is funny but every time I walk it feels as if someone is grabbing at my backside, it is so swollen. And when I try to sit down!" She exclaimed, "oh mon dieu, ça fait mal!" She exclaimed, rubbing her bottom for emphasis.
"And what about you?" Nate continued, remembering back to the look Curie gave him just as he was lifting her off his lap. He couldn't get that particular look out of his mind ever since and wanted to check in with Her just in case she was having second thoughts about this arrangement. He knew just how much she wanted to fit in with the other girls, that he wouldn't put it past her to agree to this arrangement so that she could 'be like them'.
"I am ok," she tried a smile but failed miserably,
"Alright!" Nate stopped what he was doing and went over to her. Putting a hand on each of her arms he drew her to face him. Curie moved somewhat reluctantly and started looking at the floor. Gently Nate lifted her chin, "I want the truth now, as that is what we agreed."
Curies eyes rimmed with tears, "I feel so ashamed," she blurted out, "the way I was during my punishment makes me feel so indigne, so … unworthy of being in this team." A tear rolled down her face. "Cait was like a champion, she hardly moved and she took her punishment so well. It was incroyable."
Nate smiled, "Yes Cait is something isn't she, but you can't measure yourself up against someone who has known violence almost her entire life in one way or another." Nate rubbed Curies arms and took hold of her hands. "Cait is an enigma, a total walking contradiction. Everything about her should hate violence of any sort because of what she has been through in her little life, she should be a nervous and quivering wreck. Instead, she has developed into a strong and fiercely independent woman who can best most men I know in a bare knuckle fight. It is incredible." Nate agreed with Curie, "I guess it is true when they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Nate could see Curie relaxing, "to try and match Cait in her toughness, and sheer pigheadedness, you would had to have come from the same school of hard knocks that she came from, and thankfully you have not."
Nate let go of Curies hands, "Cait is unique as are you and Piper." Nate spoke in a reassuring tone, "you all have your own style, your own way of doing things. You all dress differently, you fight differently, the way you smile is different, the way you take your spankings is different." Curie scowls, "sorry, thrashings. You all have a different sense of humour and you all have your coffee in a different way."
Nate spoke softly as he knew just how much could be heard from upstairs, although someone had put on the radio.
"The only thing I want from you that is identical are your unit drills, other than that to be the same would be boring. Cry, scream and wail your way through your punishments if that is what helps." Then Nate had an idea, "can't you alter your pain settings. Dampen it down a bit? You can also speed up the healing, have the marks cleared up in no time."
"Absolument pas! I am not cheating when I know the other two can't. No, despite the fact that it felt like my backside was set on a barbecue and roasted, I am sure I will get used to it." She grimaced.
"Or you will be a good girl and not get anymore." Nate smiled playfully.
Curie gave him a resigned look, "ha! I am now more human than synth and as Alexander Pope made the point very well, to er is to be human." Curie smiled, "but thank you for your faith in me."
"You are most welcome, now what else needs doing?" Nate brought the conversation back to dinner and the two of them chatted about the recipe and their joint love of wine.
Nate was relieved from his chat with Curie and although this was still so new and so unknown, he was satisfied that none of the girls had come out of it resenting the new arrangement or hating him.
©Agoodhiding 2023