Reaching Out

Summary: Cody is finding it hard to forgive Ken. Ken still feels a lot of guilt. The two find a strange way to bond
Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers for season two of Digimon; some references to violence

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Cody’s grandfather had left to get shopping. They’d trained together earlier and now Cody sat on the couch, Armadillomon sitting next to him. Both of them were quiet, but the silence wasn’t unnerving. It was comforting. And they hadn’t had to deal with any problems in the Digital World or in their own world. It was a rare moment of peace and Cody intended to enjoy it.

And then his thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. It was soft, almost hesitant. Like the person outside wasn’t sure of their welcome. Or was hoping that no one was home.

Cody got off the couch and walked over to the door, pulling it open.

Ken was standing outside, carrying Wormmon in his arms.

Surprised, Cody looked past the older Digidestined, half-expecting to see the others there. When he realised it was just the two of them-or four, if their Digimon were counted-he shifted uncomfortably. This was the first time that he and Ken had been alone together since…well, they’d never been alone together. Not without the buffer of the others around them.

Realising that he’d been stood there, staring at Ken, for longer than normal, Cody cleared his throat and stepped back from the door. Remembering his manners, he asked, “Would you like to come in?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Ken stepped inside the house, glancing around curiously.

Cody closed the door and then led the way into the living room, only speaking when they were both stood there. “Do we need to go to the Digiworld today?” he asked, wondering what the older teenager was doing at his home. They hadn’t made any plans for today, had they? Cody was pretty sure he would have remembered, but maybe they were facing an emergency.

“No.” Ken hesitated, looking down at Wormmon and then into Cody’s eyes. “I wanted to talk to you.”

Cody shifted, slightly uncomfortable, and glanced towards his own Digimon before focusing on Ken once more. “What do you want to say?”

“That I’m sorry.”

“I know.” Cody took a deep breath and stepped towards the couch, moving closer to Armadillomon. He wasn’t looking to his Digimon for protection, but having Ken here…Ken, who’d performed untold cruelty as the Digimon Emperor and had been their enemy for so long…was enough to make him feel uncomfortable.

“But you’re still not comfortable around me,” Ken said quietly.

There wasn’t much Cody could say to that. It wasn’t as if Ken was wrong. Cody didn’t feel comfortable around the older teen. He glanced away, unable to make eye contact with Ken, and admitted, “I know you’ve changed. I do. It’s just….”

“Hard to get past what I did. What I was,” Ken finished, in a sad tone.

Cody nodded slowly. “I know it wasn’t entirely your fault. I saw what the dark spore did to all of those Digimon. I know Davis believes in you and so do the others.”

“I just need to prove myself to you,” Ken said quietly. His arms tightened around Wormmon and he looked down, as if taking strength from his Digimon. Without taking his eyes away from Wormmon, he said quietly, “I’ve been thinking about it a lot. That the others have been able to accept me and forgive me. But I know it’s harder for you and I don’t….” He paused and took a deep breath. “I don’t want to leave things like this.”

Cody stared at him for a few moments and then looked towards his Digimon. Armadillomon looked back at him and said, quietly, “Maybe you should hear him out, Cody. The two of you can be friends if you can get past this.”

Letting out a slow sigh, Cody looked back at Ken. Despite the fact the other teenager was older than him, Ken was avoiding looking at Cody, instead looking down. Like a child who’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. A child who’d been…naughty. Who deserved punishment.

“Armadillomon, why don’t you take Wormmon outside?” Cody looked at his Digimon once more.

Ken looked down at Wormmon, who nuzzled against his face before saying, “It’s okay, Ken. I’ll just be outside if you need me.”

“Okay. Be good.” Ken pressed his forehead against Wormmon’s before lowering his Digimon to the ground and turning to watch as the two Digimon left the room. Then, he looked at Cody. “What are you thinking?”

Cody looked into Ken’s eyes and wondered if the older teenager would laugh about this. If he was about to embarrass both of them. Make things awkward between them. Of course, it wasn’t like things weren’t awkward now. Could things really be any worse? Deciding to take the plunge, Cody put voice to what he’d been thinking. “When I was a kid, I did something pretty thoughtless. Made someone cry. And I felt bad about it. My grandfather punished me for it.”

“How did he punish you?”

“He swatted me a couple of times.”

Ken’s eyes widened a fraction. “I can’t imagine you ever doing something that would require a spanking.”

“I mean, it wasn’t a full spanking.” Cody shrugged. “A couple of swats. But….” He paused, at a loss of how to continue.

“I didn’t just make someone cry. I hurt a lot of people. Digimon. All of you.” Ken paused. “I won’t ever stop feeling like I need to be punished for what I’ve done.”

It was acceptance. Permission, even. Given for an idea that hadn’t even fully formed inside Cody’s mind. He nodded. Took a deep breath to fortify himself for what he was about to do. “I can’t punish you for everything you did. I don’t have that right. I wasn’t the only one you hurt, or even the worst one you hurt.” He paused. “I guess all I can really offer you is a chance.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Cody reached out and grasped Ken’s upper arm. He walked the older teen towards the corner of the main room, behind the couch, and gently pushed him inside. “Stand here until I come and get you out.” He took a step back and waited.

There was no argument or protest. Ken simply faced the corner and just stood there.

Cody hesitated, lingered. He wasn’t sure why. Was he waiting for Ken to change his mind? Steeling himself for what he was about to do? This wasn’t a position he’d ever thought he’d be in. Wasn’t something he would ever have considered doing before. He was half-tempted to tell Ken he’d changed his mind. That this wasn’t necessary. That he could forgive Ken and be truly his friend without needing some form of punishment or retribution.

But he couldn’t do that. Because it wouldn’t be the truth. He would know that and Ken would, too.

Leaving Ken standing in the corner, Cody headed up the stairs towards his bedroom. He picked up his hairbrush from the bedside table: a wooden brush with thick dark bristles. It wasn’t entirely comfortable for running through his hair; would likely be more than uncomfortable for what Cody intended to use it.

When he returned downstairs and into the main room, Cody wasn’t sure how he felt to see Ken still standing in the corner. As far as he could see, the other hadn’t moved at all.

Clearing his throat, Cody set the hairbrush down on the couch and then walked over to Ken. This wasn’t a position he’d ever thought he’d be in and he felt a bit awkward taking charge of the older teen. Even so, he reached out and grasped hold of Ken’s arm, drawing him out of the corner and leading him towards the couch before taking a seat and then looking up at Ken, at a loss for words or what to do next.

Ken looked at Cody, into his eyes, then moved his hands towards his trousers. He pushed those and his underwear down, then moved closer and carefully lowered himself over Cody’s lap. He was really too tall for the position to be comfortable, but Cody couldn’t figure out how to ask Ken to move into a different position.

Cody reached out and picked up the hairbrush, letting the back of it rest on Ken’s backside. He saw the buttocks clench in response and waited long enough for them to relax before he raised the brush and snapped it down.

The crack echoed loudly in the room and Ken drew his breath in with a sharp gasp. Almost immediately, a pink mark bloomed on his right cheek.

Breathing in deeply, Cody snapped the brush down on the opposite side of Ken’s bottom, leaving a matching mark behind and drawing a hitched gasp from the older teenager.

Swallowing hard, Cody continued to bring the brush down, spreading the smacks evenly all over Ken’s entire backside, down to mid-thigh. By the time he began to cover skin he’d already smacked, flesh that was already tender and pink, Ken was shifting from side to side, soft whimpering cries escaping from his lips.

Cody snapped the brush against Ken’s backside, heating the skin and turning it a deeper pink and then red. Pretty soon, Ken was no longer reacting to the individual smacks. He was just crying; sobbing, really, his body slumped across Cody’s lap.

Pausing, Cody rubbed the brush over Ken’s bottom, feeling the older teen twitch and whimper. He moved the brush a bit lower and began to target the creases between sit spots and thighs, turning them the same burning red as the rest of his backside.

“I’m sorry…!” Ken sobbed out the words, his voice sounding broken.

Cody paused the spanking and let the brush drop to the couch next to him. He let one hand rest against Ken’s back, rubbing gently as the older teen cried. He lost track of how much time they sat like that, Ken draped over his lap, Cody rubbing his back. It was long enough for Cody’s legs to go to sleep and for Ken’s tears to stop.

Finally, Ken slowly pushed himself up, reaching back to pull his clothing into place. He eyed the couch, but didn’t sit down. He locked eyes with Cody and asked, “Are we okay now?”

Cody nodded and cleared his throat. “I hope you’re feeling better inside. Even if you can only get forgiveness from me and not from everyone else.”

“It helps,” Ken admitted. “It helps a lot.” He wiped at his eyes and took a deep breath, before giving Cody a slightly trembling smile. “Would you like to go outside and join our Digimon?”

Cody nodded and stood up. He felt much better…like the distance between them had gone. The smile he gave Ken was the first truly sincere one he’d given the older teenager since finding out the true identity of the Digimon Emperor. “Yes. I’d like that,” he agreed.

Ken took another deep breath and wiped the rest of his tears away. “Lead the way?”

“Of course.” Cody headed towards the back door, feeling much more settled and at ease inside now. He could look forward to the rest of the day together.

The End