Your hands come up and you deliver a push to his chest. It’s not hard, or even carries much strength to it. But it’s an action you immediately regret taking, especially when Ice narrows his eyes at you and pins you with a stern glare that makes you feel like a naughty child.

You hang your head, not able to keep eye contact with him. “I’m sorry,” you mutter.

“Roll over.” Ice’s voice is firm. Unyielding.

You look into his eyes, trying to determine just how angry he is with you. But Ice is exactly like his namesake when he chooses to be. You can’t read anything in his expression. And his voice sounds as calm and collected as ever.

Heart racing, you slowly roll over onto your stomach. You breathe in deep when you feel his hand in between your shoulder blades, holding you down on the bed. His other hand smacks down firmly in the center of your backside, eliciting a sharp gasp that escapes your lips.

Ice follows up that smack with several more; none of them harder than you can take, but the cumulative effect very quickly makes you start squirming in place. He doesn’t hit in the same place twice in a row, but makes sure to cover every inch of your bottom, from the crest down to your thighs, and does so multiple times.

It doesn’t take much for the tears to spring to your eyes and a sob to catch in your throat. “I’m sorry, Ice!” you blurt out.

His hand comes to rest on your sore, heated backside, beginning to rub it and soothing the pain a little. “You don’t push me, Mav.” His voice is low. “Whether it’s physically or emotionally, you don’t push me away. Do you understand?”

“I understand.” You squeeze your eyes shut, blinking away the tears. “Forgive me?” you ask, in a small voice.

“You don’t even need to ask.” Ice stretches out next to you and wraps his arms around you in a tight hug.

You hug him tight in return, pressing your face into his neck and breathing in his scent.

The two of you stay like that for a few moments before Ice kisses you and then asks, softly, “Do you want to stay like this for a bit longer? Or get dressed so we can get in some flight practice?”