Disclaimer: This story contains corporal punishment / spanking of a young adult

Lovers' Spat
7-Pistol

Roy turned off the car engine and let the keys hang from the transmission. He wasn't in the best of moods and that was apparent. For the last forty minutes of the drive he'd had his left elbow propped partly out the open window and his head leaning into his hand. He drove only with his right, and kept his eyes on the road.

The silence was painful, and it was thick.

In the passenger side Ed was attesting to his nineteen year old attitude, brooding over his own guilt, and trying to ignore this. They had been fighting the entire evening. They fought over dinner, which was bits and pieces of leftovers half-made and stuffed into their mouths, while they moved angrily about the kitchen. They fought while grabbing light jackets and shoes for the drive, and they fought the car ride up by falling completely mute. Everything that needed to be said more or less came out in the kitchen and foyer, now they were just repeating themselves.

Hughes's family owned a small lake cabin, and on this particular Friday they were invited up to join him and a few other guests for the evening. Hughes had taken the day off, and had been enjoying the late August weather and company all day.

Roy and Ed parked behind one of many cars in the gravel drive. Ahead to the right was the log cabin, and before that the lake. With the sun setting the sky had turned into Easter watercolors, and you could hear the distant sound of voices, laughing, and a low radio.

"How long are you going to give me the silent treatment?" Ed asked, eyes averted out his window. He had kept it rolled up because he hated mosquitoes. Mosquito bites on a flesh limb subject only to automail scratching fingers, was torture.

Roy rubbed his hand down his face. "I am not giving you the silent treatment." He had worn long jean shorts with sandals. Both his tee shirt and the open button down he'd tossed over it were a thin cotton so he wouldn't become hot, and in the backseat was his well loved regiment sweatshirt for when it became cool. Scrubbing at his mouth he watched a few of the children run around the log house. An unfamiliar woman leaned over the railing of the back porch looking angry and called to them. "I simply don't have anything else to say," Roy said.

Ed didn't believe this. "You're giving me the silent treatment." Ed was contradictive when they fought, and it made it so hard not to continue fighting.

"Ed, I just said I am not," Roy said, looking over angrily. Ed had worn long shorts of a yellow and brown plaid color. Roy loved them because they brought out Ed's hair, but unlike normal summer days where he always complimented the shorts if Ed wore them, and especially if they went out, he said nothing. Above it Ed wore a long sleeve white shirt with a light gray logo tee shirt tossed over it. He was wearing flip flops, but not the thin fragile kind most wore. The automail required something with strength, so they were brown and sturdy, crafted with more detail, and costing more than the standard fifteen cens flip-flops Central's population adored.

Hughes came around the log cabin after the three young boys who had gone that way. The woman leaning over the railing spoke to him as he passed, and he waved her back with a smile that said he'd take care of it.

"So, you're just not going to talk to me anymore because you think I was in the wrong?" Ed asked, sounding angry.

"Ed," Roy snapped. "You were in the wrong." He had been saying this all night. "You were in the wrong, and you know you're in the wrong, and this stubborn game you're playing does not impress me."

Ed looked over becoming hot with these words. "I don't know anything!" Ed lifted a hand and pointed at Roy. "What I do know is that you refuse to see this from my side! I told you I had to go! You didn't want to listen to why, so I went anyway." Ed's pointing hand turned into an open palm and fanned outward toward the windshield to indicate Ed leaving. "Now you get all pissy about it, when I did only exactly what I said I would do."

"And if you have been sixty two minutes slower at doing it," Roy said, struggling not to raise his voice. Yes this was the kicker, sixty-two minutes more and they'd be having a very different conversation.

"Sixty-two minutes nothing!"

"Edward!" Roy raised his voice, before quickly catching himself. He didn't want the children to see them yelling, and he looked for them. Hughes had ascertained all three of the boys, and was leaning down to their small faces and scolding them. Parked in front of Roy's black SUV was a small economical sedan. This left them a car's distance away, but with an easy visual.

Hughes waved two of the boys back to the cabin but kept one. This one received more scolding, and Ed shifted his weight uncomfortably when he understood what he was watching.

"I didn't know the place was scheduled for demolition," Ed said, in a low and miserable tone. "That was something I assumed my commanding officer, reigning colonel, and freaking boyfriend would tell me." Roy began a slow bitter laugh of anger. "Oh, you think that's funny?" Ed asked with dry sarcasm. "That I assume my boyfriend will tell me things I need to know?"

"Ed, if you're trying to make me angrier than I already am…" Roy warned. He had told Ed the building was off-limits, that travel to the military site was restricted, and even told Ed, when Ed announced he wanted to go there, that he could not.

Ed huffed a loud irritated breath and crossed his arms over his chest. Before them the small boy was arguing when Hughes took him by his upper arm and walked to the back of a parked pick up truck with a low bumper.

"When I say something is restricted, and you're restricted from going there, I shouldn't have to give explanation," Roy said. This was why he was so angry. "I shouldn't have to clearly explain that we've scheduled the site for demolition, and going there will put yourself in serious danger. Or that it's already been swept, and we plan to blow it up from miles away with a push of a button because no one will be inside." Roy looked over to Ed, but Ed was watching Hughes with an angry glare. "I shouldn't have to tell my boyfriend if he does this he might be blown to kingdom come and explain how it will take me several days of confusion and worrying to figure out what happened to him."

"That wouldn't have happened," Ed snapped, glancing to Roy before noticing a mosquito flouting in Roy's open window. "Ah! Close your window dammit!" Ed reached forward and slapped the mosquito upward into the car ceiling with his automail hand. "I told you I hate these fuckers!"

Roy rolled his window up quickly, not wanting the conversation to be derailed. "Ed, that could have happened," Roy said, lowering his voice to a sharp angry tone. He leaned to Ed's seat and raised a finger to Ed's face. "That could have happened. And I have a right to be very pissed that sixty-two minutes before it blew up, you were trotting out the front door all lollipops and gumdrops without any idea of the danger you were walking around in."

Ed's expression slumped with a bit of defeat. It was hard to combat black and white logic like this. "Please don't put your finger in my face," Ed said dryly. "I find it insulting when you're mad." Perhaps it was just watching Hughes do the same thing to an eight year old, but Ed suddenly felt a bit sullen and embarrassed Roy was doing the same thing to him. This was hypocritical because they both did it. T`hey were both angry pointers, and Ed knew he had just done it seconds ago even though his digit was not as close as Roy's was now.

Roy took his hand away because he was a considerate partner. "All I want is an apology, I want you to tell me you'll listen better in the future, and I want you to think about what you've done."

Ed scowled, "Think about what I've done," Ed repeated angrily. "What is this, Time-Out! You're giving me Time-Out, like a toddler! Inflicting it on me with your all-mighty silent treatment!"

Roy pulled back to his seat and leaned his head into his hand. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose feeling stressed. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked, speaking more to himself then Ed. This wasn't the first time Ed had entered danger precariously, and he felt certain it wouldn't be the last. Ed was bull-headed. Once he took hold of an idea, he executed it, and couldn't seem to handle not doing so, or even doing so at a reasonable pace.

"Oh, come on, let's go," Ed said suddenly.

Roy stopped rubbing his sinuses and looked up with Ed's change in tone. Ed's anger seemed to have disappeared, and his voice now sounded uncomfortable. Ed had lifted his shoulders a bit looking embarrassed and glanced over. "Come on Roy, this is kind of private." Roy had no idea what Ed was talking about, and Ed lifted a hand and gestured to the windshield without looking.

Roy followed Ed's instruction and in plain sight of them, who were going unnoticed, Hughes had seated himself on the low bumper of the pick up truck and had the small boy over his knee. "I am not into watching little kids get spanked," Ed said quickly. Ed reached for the door handle on his side and held it, waiting for Roy's thoughts.

Roy was a bit stunned with the scene. Hughes wasn't a strict disciplinarian, and this was an act you usually didn't get to see. It was clear Hughes wasn't putting much strength into his blows. The boy was wiggling and appeared to be verbalizing slight protests, but Hughes's speed and strength seemed to be more to send a message than to injure the boy, and Roy was curious. "Ed, he's not hurting him," Roy said dryly. They both knew Hughes.

"Yeah, but I don't think we're supposed to be watching," Ed said, gesturing again to the scene. "They don't know we're here."

"And we're not watching. We're talking."

"We're arguing," Ed snapped. "Or rather, I am being berated by my overprotective…" Ed silenced when Roy shot him a cold glance.

"Stop being so hostile," Roy said angrily. Ed was barking up his tree because he couldn't see the top. Usually when you had a fight there was a light at the end of the tunnel, but Ed didn't know where this one was, and so he had been pressing buttons since the kitchen. He was looking for it frantically. Roy knew this was because Ed felt guilty, but had a hard time saying he was sorry, and also, didn't want to promise not to do something like what he'd done again. He wanted to reserve that in case he wanted to do it again. "You're anxious for me to forgive you, I know," Roy said. Ed's gaze dropped shyly when Roy so accurately hit the nail on the head. Thinking over the night Roy returned his gaze ahead, and Hughes was situating the small boy in front of him and finishing whatever lecture he'd given. The boy looked to be in some discomfort, but hadn't cried. Rubbing at the seat of pants the boy's eyes were trained on Hughes, and he was listening intently.

What stood out to Roy in this scene was how contrite the boy looked. How, without sounding odd, how peaceful he seemed. Hughes finished what he was saying and gave the boy a strong hug. The boy hugged back, and Roy glanced over at Ed.

"Would you ever let me do that?" he asked, extending a finger from the hand holding up his head to point at the scene.

"What?" Ed asked, taking only a quick timid glance back toward Hughes, before looking with confidence when he realized there was nothing but hugging going on. "Hug me?" Ed asked, sounding confused, before catching on. "Spank me?" Ed asked with utter surprise. Roy gave a nod. "What!" Ed turned in his chair to sit facing Roy looking flabbergasted and more certain this was a joke than anything serious. "Don't try and get cute now, I don't want to go to the barbeque fighting Roy."

"I was being serious." Ed went mute with shock. "I think it might be…" Roy trailed off, what did he think? Considering Ed's disposition he was honestly coming to the idea it might be good for Ed. That Ed might understand it well, and even like it. "I think it might be good for you."

Ed's expression soured with disgust, the kind of disgust that came when you were trying to be serious and certain other people were being a dick, just to be a dick. Ed turned and went to exit the car, and Roy startled. Quickly he locked the doors, and Ed jerked the door handle up and then sighed heavily when the door remained closed. The automatic locks made a solid click noise, and they had both heard it.

"Ed," Roy said, cracking a smile, and almost laughing. "I wasn't being cute, I was being serious," he said again. "Listen to me," he scooted closer in his chair and Ed gave him a dark look. "Listen, I was just asking a question. In all conversational seriousness, I was asking a question."

"If I'd let you spank me."

"Yes."

"Are you out of your god damn mind," Ed said angrily.

"Well I was just suggesting it, I had a thought."

"Well keep it to yourself," Ed snapped. "I am not a fucking five-year-old child." The automail hand shot out at a vicious speed and indicated Hughes who was now carrying on a delightful conversation with the smiling happy boy.

"But look how happy they are," Roy said, watching the scene. "The boy did something he shouldn't, he paid for it in a way he understood, and now he feels relieved and forgiven." That was how Roy understood the scene.

Ed sputtered a shocked sound of outrage. "Maybe that's how you see it because you plan on doing the spanking. You're trying to degrade me!" Ed accused angrily. Roy glanced over with indifference. Ed often made wild unprompted assumptions in argument, and he had learned to ignore them. "I know you're mad Roy, but you're trying to degrade me as punishment! To punish me for what I did!"

"No, I am not trying to degrade you, but I am trying to punish you."

"What!"

"Ed." Roy scolded Ed with just the tone in which he pronounced Ed's name, because it was a tone of disappointment. "I am angry with you, and I think you need consequences for what you did. I want you to understand how serious it is, and I—"

Ed began shaking his head and interrupted. "Open the doors! I am getting out!"

Roy ignored this and lifted his voice so Ed would still hear him. "…and I want you to feel you've paid a debt so you can feel better." Ed went still, and looked a bit disturbed Roy knew he felt bad, and knew he very much wanted to feel better.

Roy unlocked the doors and stepped out. "Come on," he said. Ed climbed out and shut his door. They stood on either side of the car in the gravel until Roy walked to the back of it and Ed followed.

"Where are we going?" Ed asked, glancing over his shoulder to the cabin when Roy walked off the driveway and into the woods. Hughes's cabin was set almost a mile in from the main road, and after almost half a mile of the cabin's own driveway. It was on three acres, and outside of the cabin and driveway, all of it was woods. Roy stepped into them confidently and Ed followed.

"I want to walk in a little way so we have some privacy." Roy glanced back to Ed as he walked. Ed was stepping over the brush carefully, and pressing plants and twigs out of his way. "Then I want to try it."

Ed gave a heavy sigh of irritated exhaustion. "I never agreed to anything."

"We're not going to do it like we just saw it done," Roy said, leaving a pause. He was waiting to see how argumentative Ed would be about this, but Ed was being surprisingly compliant. "I am not out to strip away your dignity."

"Oh, how kind of you," Ed said bitterly. "Roy, there are mosquitoes out here, and I am getting pissed."

Roy walked them twenty feet into the woods and stopped at the first small clearing. It had signs of use. There was a small pile of ash where a fire had been made days ago, and a rather sizeable downed tree. It had been chopped down leaving a low chair sized stump along side the vertical trunk which had also seen use as a bench. Roy looked over these provisions and thought they'd work. He turned to Ed for Ed's thoughts and approval, and Ed glanced around him with confusion.

"What?"

"I am just curious to try it," Roy said. Ed's expression was angry with reluctance and distrust.

"If I do this for you, will you stop the silent treatment?" Ed hated the silent treatment. They'd had some good arguments in their time and Roy learned he could yell, really yell, and Ed was not fazed. He's even thrown his cup once, and Ed didn't bat an eye. Ed was okay with violence, and actually seemed to prefer it. It was the silent treatment that sent Ed up the walls. All Roy did was start ignoring him, and Ed began clawing at his own skull.

"Yes." Roy went to the side of the clearing, and looked about for an implement.

"Fine," Ed said angrily. "But I am not going over your lap like a toddler." Roy ignored this. He reached into the thin brush and snapped a long flexible twig. "You're also not allowed to call me any weird pet names or slang while we're doing this." Ed was setting rules like they were playing a game.

"Ed, be quiet for a second," Roy said, bending the twig carefully to check its resiliency. "This is what I think," he said, turning around and plucking the few leaves off it. "You need to let me lead so this is done right, and if there is anything you strongly disagree with you can speak." Roy lifted a quick hand and gave Ed a firm point. "Strongly, understand? Not flippant concerns or opinions."

"My opinions aren't flippant," Ed said angrily.

Roy smiled. "That was an example of one you could have kept silent." Ed scowled. "Now," Roy approached. "Because you were reckless, and disregarded the orders I gave you, and put yourself in danger, you're being punished."

Ed had his arms crossed over his chest, but with Roy's words they dropped and Ed looked off to the side with a hot blush. "Are you freaking kidding," Ed muttered.

"No, look at me," Roy said, grabbing Ed's chin and gently locking their gaze. "I am serious about this." Ed was blushing. "You made me worry, and if you had died, you would have broken my heart." Ed mouth slipped open with respect and a bit of flattery over the sincerity of Roy's words. "I want a living, breathing, fuckable boyfriend Ed, not a dead one." A weak smile twitched the up the right side of Ed's mouth and he stepped closer.

"I know I…" Ed mumbled, dropping his gaze. This was when he should apologize, but he was bad at it.

"I know." Roy leaned forward and gave Ed's mouth a chaste kiss before stepping back. "Now, turn around." Ed looked a bit stunned their sweet moment was disappearing, and this madness was still continuing. For a moment he stood straight faced and staring at Roy. "Go ahead," Roy said gently, giving his finger a playful twirl. "Turn around." Ed grunted a small embarrassed noise and did so. "See the stump in front of you?" Ed was a few feet in front of it. "Approach it, but give yourself room to bend forward and rest your palms flat on top."

"You're going to make me bend over?" Ed asked, voice soft and embarrassed. "Come on Roy."

"Come on nothing," Roy said firmly. "Get to it." Ed gave another heavy sigh before stomping forward, pausing, and then dropping so he was bent over with hands on the stump and his arms holding himself up. "Get your feet shoulder width apart." Ed obeyed, and Roy smiled. The sight of Ed bending over in the shorts he loved so much made him hot. "Ed, if you weren't being punished the sight of you like this would probably have us playing a different game," Roy teased.

Ed chuckled. "We could play that one instead." Ed sounded hopeful. "I won't tell."

Roy laughed. "No. I want this to be serious." Ed sighed again. "Now I am going to give you a couple strokes with this stick."

"Geez," Ed groaned.

"Quiet. Stay still, and don't move, because I am going to test them on me first." Ed didn't know what this meant, and tried to look over his shoulder, before letting his head hang so he could look through his arms and back at Roy. Upside down Roy snapped the stick into his own thigh, paused, and then did it again with more force. Ed smiled, he was pleased Roy would test the stick on himself first, and also, that Roy wasn't being so cocky he wouldn't let himself be touched by the stick. When Roy was satisfied he approached and moved to stand at Ed's side. A bit nervous, but feeling capable, he raised the stick, gave himself a moment, and then switched it down across the middle of Ed's shorts.

Ed didn't move.

Roy took the stick away and studied Ed. Ed had a high threshold to pain and, for obvious reasons, would take the blows without fussing about them, but Roy wasn't sure he used enough force. "Ed, did that hurt?" he asked.

"Was it supposed to?"

Roy tipped his head back and took a deep breath. Okay. He laid his free hand on Ed's curved back and Ed gave a pleased wiggle.

"Want to slide that hand underneath and down a bit?" Ed asked playfully.

"No," Roy said firmly. "I am being serious Ed." Ed shuffled his feet for a second, as if this response disappointed and humbled him. Roy tried again. He repeated the same arch, but this time tripled the amount of strength he used. He switched the stick down in the same spot, and this time, Ed's entire frame flinched.

"Ow!" Ed complained, lifting his head to give Roy a look. "That one hurt."

"Too much?" Roy asked curiously.

Ed gave Roy a look of disgust. "What is too much?"

"Okay," Roy said, waving at Ed to look away. "Put your head back down. We're being serious now. I am going to give you a few and you're going to stay in position until I tell you you're done." Ed sputtered a short uncomfortable breath, but tolerated this statement. Roy watched Ed slide his hands to the sides of the stump so he could grip it. "You're being punished now Ed."

"Okay," Ed said softly.

"For what you did, and you know what that is, you're being spanked, understand?" Ed was silent with a bit of humiliation welling in his stomach. Suddenly it seemed a bit confusing and frightening he'd ended up in this position, and his mouth dried out with Roy's question. Roy didn't know what to make of Ed's silence, but decided not to press the issue. "Hold yourself steady," Roy said.

He repeated the arch of his arm and switched Ed below where he believed he just hit. Ed's legs jerked with his muscles all going tense at once. Roy switched again, below this spot, and Ed didn't move. Here he paused, wondering about the speed. Hughes had spanked in almost a rhythmic speed, but he was giving time between each blow. He raised his arm with intention to speed up and did so. He switched in a controlled speed one directly after the other and Ed immediately broke out shuddering, and after four spoke.

"Okay! Okay!" Ed cried, lifting his flesh foot a few inches. "I think I've had enough."

Roy considered this. It seemed to be working and he felt good about how things were going. "I think you have to," he said. Ed gave a heavy sigh of relief. "Let's have you drop your shorts."

"What?" Ed sounded a bit frightened.

"Take them down."

"Roy that's…" Ed trailed off, and discretely one of Ed's hands reached to the rim of his shorts and held it a bit protectively. "Come on, that's taking things a bit far. I am not looking to relive childhood memories in the woods behind Hughes's cabin."

Roy stepped back and rolled his shoulder. Switching Ed was tiring in an odd way. "You had something like this happen when you were younger?"

"I don't want to talk about my childhood discipline now," Ed said firmly, and also with a strained tone of embarrassment.

"You were spanked like this?"

"What did I just say!"

"But who? Your mom?" Roy slapped at a mosquito that found his arm. "That's rather surprising."

"What did—What did I just say!" Ed raised his voice with outrage and stood up. He turned around and Roy was surprised with the pink glow to the bridge of Ed's nose.

"Do they hurt?" he asked, curious. He knew they did with Ed's nose turning pink. Ed had what he called, a Rudolph tic, when he was in pain, his nose became pink. He had once seen Ed bring a hammer down on his thumb and almost instantly Ed's nose was red.

"You're being an ass about things," Ed said angrily, "And yes, they sting."

Roy was pleased with this and gestured to Ed's shorts with the stick. "Take them down." Ed looked flustered and didn't move. "Okay, put your hands up." Ed was confused. He lifted his hands a few inches, as if at gun point, but didn't know where to put them.

"What do you mean, put them up?" Ed asked. Roy tossed the stick aside and dusted his hands on the back of his shorts approaching Ed. He reached for the fastening of Ed's shorts and Ed buckled. Ed didn't try to use his hands, instead he hunched downward as if just punched in the stomach, and took a fast step back, speaking rapidly. "Roy, Roy, Roy, Roy, Roy!"

"Stop it," Roy scolded, grabbing the front rim of Ed's shorts. "Behave Ed."

"Roy, this is not something I want to do," Ed said quickly, still with both hands raised weakly.

"This isn't supposed to be comfortable for you," Roy said, opening Ed's shorts and unzipping Ed's fly. Ed looked hurt by these words, but also embarrassed, and he blushed hotly. Roy opened Ed's shorts so they were loose on his waist, and then turned Ed around. "Bend back over." Ed obeyed, moving slowly, and took hold of the stump breathing quickly. Roy tugged Ed's shorts back and they dropped easily to Ed's ankles and left him in his black boxers. "Now we'll do some like this," Roy said, retrieving the stick and returning to Ed's side. Ed's body temperature was elevated with the anticipation, and Roy could feel heat rising from Ed as he stood in wait. "Hold still," Roy said, lifting his arm.

Ed clamped down on the stump when he heard Roy move. His body went stiff, and he waited with his rear twitching in dreaded anticipation before the lash came and left a deep red exploding heat. Ed gritted his teeth and shuttered through it. Roy had already raised his arm for the next, and this one lashed down beneath the line of white hot burning and brought a second assault.

Roy watched Ed respond to each blow. After they fell Ed twisted into a silent spasm, squirming without lifting any limb from where it was positioned. Directly after the second Ed exhaled a deep breath, and was sucking air though his clenched jaw.

Roy was impressed with his own unexpected ability to discipline. He wasn't sure if this was considered a canning or a switching, but either way, Ed was not an easy person to injure. Roy was proud of his natural talent to wield this tool, because he was certain Ed was taking pain from the blows, and that seemed a suitable punishment.

After four more Ed spoke, a soft and quiet croaked, "I…" and Roy paused. Ed was shuffling where he stood. "You see I…" Roy laid his hand onto Ed's back, and Ed was sweating heavily. The lashes had stopped, but Ed was still squirming as if they were continuing. "Roy…"

Roy slid his hand to Ed's rear. Ed jerked heavily and groaned a strangled painful sound when Roy touched it. Roy was gentle, keeping his stroking fingers light and evaluating the heat. "I know you're sorry Ed, but you need to say it."

"Take them…" Ed said, voice strained. Roy was silent, waiting for clarification. Ed was breathing large controlled breaths and speaking only in his exhales. "Take them down." Roy looked to his hand and Ed's underwear in shock. "I…" Ed swallowed heavily. "I need it."

"Ed, we've never done this before," Roy said gently, cautioning them. The sun was setting when they had arrived, and it was now growing dark.

"I want you to."

"You don't need to feel tremendous pain for me Ed. When you feel you can apologize, it's okay."

"Please," Ed croaked. "Roy, please." Roy felt trepidation come to him. He didn't want to hurt Ed physically or mentally, and he worried about this sudden consent when Ed was initially resistive and not supportive. "I want you to do this," Ed said. "I want it on bare skin." Roy rubbed Ed's rear gently in hopes to sooth the boy. "I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't," Roy said kindly. "Ed, you don't have to go to extremes."

"Freaking do it!" Ed snapped, sounding a bit frantic. "I want to do this with you, that's what I am saying! I am saying I want you to punish me for what I did, and I want that to be real. Now take them down. I need to feel sorry. What I did was stupid."

Roy wouldn't have agreed without that last confession. Then, with Ed seeming to gain what he was supposed to gain from this act, Roy tugged Ed's boxers down and let them join Ed's shorts. This changed things dramatically from Ed in his shorts, and Ed in his underwear. Ed was suddenly half naked, bent over, and had a rear of sharp red lines.

Roy was shocked, and stroked his hand up Ed's right cheek. Again Ed responded with a heavy flinch, and whined with Roy's groping. Ed's cheek was pumping out heat like a sun, and Roy was stunned. Hughes had punished the little boy they'd seen probably too lightly to cause pink skin, and look at what he was doing to Ed.

"All right Ed," he said slowly. "You're only getting a few." He backed into place and raised his arm. Ed's legs seemed a bit rubbery and were causing his waist to tremble but he kept himself bravely in position. Roy gave a stroke, following downward as he'd been doing, and he'd reached the juncture between Ed's cheeks and his thighs. On bare skin, under the strength he'd given to all his other blows, and in a very sensitive place, Ed responded at once. Ed jerked down, pressing his face into his hands, and lifted his flesh leg half way. Roy stepped back, caught off guard with sudden movement, but when Ed cried a long strangled sound into his hands, Roy dropped the stick. Ed's sound was one of real pain, as if he'd just burned himself, and this stung Roy.

"Son of a bitch, Ed," Roy whispered, pulling Ed up to his feet and wrapping him in his arms. Ed didn't seem aware of this. He reached back and grabbed his throbbing skin with his eyes tightly closed, and his panting breath streaming through his clenched jaw and teeth. "Ed, I am so sorry," Roy said, squeezing Ed tight and kissing his temples. "I should have tested it on me first." He had messed up. He hadn't remembered changing from cotton to bare skin would make a difference. "I should have tested it on me first, I am sorry."

Ed began squirming, deliberately jerking his shoulders from side to side to be released from the hug, and Roy obliged. "No, I am sorry," Ed choked, planting the automail on Roy's chest and giving him a shove. Roy dropped to his butt on top of the stump in utter shock. "I shouldn't have done what I did Roy, I shouldn't have done it." Ed pressed Roy to lean back, and then to Roy's absolute surprise, Ed doubled himself over Roy's lap. "I just can't—and I feel so—and this is…" Ed was sputtering nonsense as Roy tried to understand things. Slowly he lowered the hands he'd raised when Ed flopped onto him, and rested them on Ed's back. Ed seemed to have been swallowed up by something, and he was trying to recognize what that was.

"Ed, I am not mad at you," Roy said softly.

"I didn't know the building was scheduled for demolition, then when I found out, I felt so stupid, but didn't want to…but I couldn't…"

Roy slid his right hand up into Ed's hair and leaned down. He understood Ed was coming to terms with his guilt, and that it seemed a bit more than he was aware of, but didn't understand their positioning. "Ed, why are you over my lap?" he asked softly.

"I want you to give me more," Ed whined. Roy shook his head quickly. No. After hearing Ed make the sound he'd just made, there was no way he was capable of doing that now. "I want it like this," Ed said, beginning to sniffle. "Close to you like this. I want it to be intimate like this. I need it to be the way I remember it, so you can spank me for what I've done."

"Ed, this doesn't sound healthy," Roy said, becoming a bit alarmed. A mosquito landed on Ed's leg and Roy brushed it off.

"I don't want to have a fucking debate," Ed said, breaking into tears. "Don't fucking drag me into the woods and beat me, and then refuse to do something small like this."

"For god's sakes Ed, I didn't beat you," Roy said, feeling his concern mount.

Ed shifted, he was positioned correctly over Roy's lap for what he wanted. His rear was strategically placed bent over Roy's thigh and Ed shifted a bit. "I need you to spank me for being so careless Roy, I could have been bombed." Roy slid his hand down Ed's rear coming closer to the idea he was going to do so to end this. "I need you to punish me."

"If I am punishing you, then I decide how much you need," Roy said firmly, trying to take control. Ed sniffled and nodded quickly. "Good. Then you know what you did was wrong, don't you?"

Ed nodded and sniveled a bit more. "Yeah I do."

"Then apologize for it." Ed hesitated, so Roy lifted his hand and gave Ed's right cheek a slap. This was easier to do than he thought. Smacking Ed's pink rear didn't feel the same as decking Ed in the face, and he fell comfortably into his role disciplining a naughty bottom. For Ed, who was wearing the throbbing red rear, Roy's harmless smack felt like a burst of fire.

Ed squirmed and whined out a small, "Ow." Roy repeated the smack on the left cheek and Ed wiggled more.

"Ed, I said apologize for it," Roy said, before looking up when he heard a twig snap. At first he saw nothing. Ed was breathing heavily over him, trying to get to an apology, when Roy spotted Hughes coming their way. His jaw dropped and his mind went blank.

Before Roy realized he could have pushed Ed up and at the very least stepped in front of Ed to shield Ed with his own body, the three second window he had to make some type of decision, went unused. He felt so uprooted from the world he had created with Ed inside this clearing, and assaulted with the return of the real world, he didn't even move.

"I am trying!" Ed snapped. "You know I have a hard time apologizing for things I've done that haven't blown up in my face!" Ed sounded as if he were crying softly, but these tears weren't ones of pain so Roy wasn't overly concerned. "Since the bombs didn't fall on my head this is hard for me!"

Hughes could hear them talking and he spotted them with a quick smile and raise of his hand before stopping dead. Ten feet away, and through the brush of the forest, Roy wasn't exactly certain how much Hughes could see, but it was enough for him to immediately begin backtracking with a small apologetic smile sent back. Roy had to assume it was at least the understanding Ed was over his lap without his pants, and Roy felt a bit muddled about what perception this would send about their relationship. He didn't have a disciplinarian relationship with Ed. They were equals, and that was why they were fighting all night long until arriving. They argued like normal people, but he doubted he'd ever get Hughes to believe that after seeing this.

Roy looked down at Ed, his adorable little lover, and was blown away with what they were doing. In their line of work, and being the people they were, there had certainly been times where he had been blown away by other things they were doing, but this was new.

Roy leaned to Ed's ear. He didn't want to be out here all night, and he felt he knew what Ed needed from him. "Ed, you apologize this second, or you're getting what I can only assume will be a very intolerable spanking." Ed went stiff, and he squeaked out an odd startled sound. "I am counting to three." Ed wiggled with distaste.

"Don't count! Don't force me!"

"One."

"Just give me a minute!"

"Two!"

"I said give me a minute you asshole!"

"Three." Roy lifted his hand and began repeating the slaps he had given Ed earlier on either of his cheeks. Ed began wiggling just like the little boy Hughes had handled.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Ed whined. Ed went silent after his initial whine and squirmed, curling his legs together and forcing his toes down into the leaf ridden forest floor.

"You're the one in control of your spanking Ed," Roy said, continuing to send blows. The sound of it was intense and specific. His open palm slapping Ed's bare cheeks was a rhythmic clapping sound that was even familiar to people who didn't practice this. Roy hoped Hughes walked quickly or else he was not only going to see part of Ed's spanking, he was going to hear it as well.

Ed's rear was dissected with nicely separated hot red lines, and now in-between Roy was turning the white skin pink with his hand. "Ready to apologize yet?" Roy asked. Ed seemed as if he were getting ready. He was beginning to gurgle an odd noise, and was sniffling excessively with his rear wagging under Roy's hand. Roy found it shocking Ed could hold out this long, and focused to better fit the part. If Ed wanted this intimate, and wanted the feeling of forced submission he remembered from his childhood, Roy would do it. "Ed," he said, strengthening his tone with anger. "You are being absolutely horrendous." He sped up his spanks. Ed was puffing breath like a bull, and squirming like a worm, but keeping silent. "Now I am going to count to three and then this naughty backside of yours will be getting more with the stick."

That did it.

"No! No-no-no," Ed cried, wiggling. "I apologize! I apologize! I am sorry!" Roy stopped spanking and Ed deflated over his knees. "I am sorry." Ed was crying. "You told me not to go, and I did anyway. The area was restricted, and I used my alchemy to break in. I could have been there when the bombs were detonated. I could have died a stupid frivolous death!"

"And because you did these things you needed to be punished, and look at yourself," Roy scolded.

"I know!" Ed screamed, voice shrill and frantic. "Okay! Fuck you, okay! Fuck you!"

Roy pulled Ed up and hugged him. Ed sank to his knees between Roy's, and they held one another. Roy rocked his top half slowly, tipping Ed with him. In his arms he kept Ed's upper half and head hugged tight to him as Ed cried.

"Oh fuck, this really fucking hurts," Ed sobbed. "You spanked the living hell out of me, I want this to stop now." Roy laughed despite himself. "Stop laughing!" Ed screamed, using the same shrill voice. "Fuck you, stop laughing!"

"Okay," Roy said kindly. He pulled back and met Ed's eyes. Ed's nose was beat red, and his eyes were filled with tears. He looked contrite, and Roy loved it. "Ed, you're done. You took everything you needed to, and I am so proud of you." This was the truth, and he smiled brightly.

"I can't fucking…" Ed looked muddled beyond belief. He glanced around them sniffling heavily and rubbing at his rear. "I can't…I mean—I can't believe we did this—I can't believe I let you do this—I can't believe I…" Ed looked mortified with what had happened. "I am not supposed to be some little puss bottom—I—I am Edward Elric and look at—what I…" Roy leaned forward and kissed across Ed's forehead.

"Ed, you're still Big-Tough-Edward-Elric to me," he teased. He leaned their foreheads together so their noses were touching. "I am going to file this into the part of my brain with our sex, it's not going to make me question how mighty you are." Ed whined, but seemed appeased. "And I'll tuck it right into my spank-bank as well."

"Oh, fuck you," Ed whined. "Okay, that's not funny." Roy thought this was plenty funny and broke out laughing. "Roy! It's not funny! Don't do that!"

"Really, you can't stop me," Roy teased. "Some nice night when you're off on a mission, I'll just take a long shower, and remember you wiggling around on my lap with your disrespecting rear over my knee."

Ed's eyes widened, and he grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it at Roy with his face turning the color of a tomato. "I hate you!" Ed scrambled to his feet and began dragging his shorts up his legs. Ed shook them viciously around his knees to make sure they were clean, before easing his boxers up over his red ass with a high pitched whine. "Oh, what am I going to do with this stupid barbeque?" Ed asked, wiping at his face. "I can't go like this!"

Roy collected his stick, he didn't want to leave it, before taking Ed's hand. "Relax, we'll cool down in the car and decide."

Ed was sniffling constantly, and wiped at his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "You—You're not mad at me anymore now, right?" Ed asked, sounding uncertain. Roy laughed. "No more silent treatment, right?"

Roy smiled. "No Ed." He turned to face Ed and gave him a playful poke in the nose with the stick. "You took your spanking like a good boy, and now you're forgiven."

Ed's eyes flared into the same overwhelmed look of outrage and mortification, before yanking the stick from him. "You're not keeping this!" Ed ripped it to shreds, and tossed it into the forest. Roy was sad to see it go, but laughed with the fury in Ed's face when he shredded the stick and threw it with all his might into the brush. Lovingly, Roy wrapped an arm about Ed's shoulders and kissed Ed's temple. They walked back to the car in silence with Ed rubbing the seat of his pants until they arrived. Ed opened the back passenger side and climbed in. He flopped down on his side with a heavy groan and Roy shut the door.

"I'll go say hi, and get you a drink," Roy said.

Ed waved this off, curling up in a loose fetal position and covering his face in embarrassment. "Make it stiff," Ed said. Roy chuckled and left the car. When he was a few feet away Ed called out. "I mean it! Stiff!"

Happy 4th of July everyone! I figured since today most of us are barbecuing, there was no better time to post this already completed fic.

I apologize for my overall lack of 7-Pistol activity, but I've been slammed as of late. I've had zero time to work on anything, and that's a shame, because I do enjoy it.

Please leave a review and share your thoughts! Ed was such a cutie in this one. : )